Exclusive Dining Coming to All 4 Parks and Disney Springs?

[Master Yoda]

I understand the difference, I truly do. But, when I have a standing offer to accompany friends to Club 33 when I next get out to DL, and can't get into BOG without paying for a 7-10 day trip and staying on site, it certainly can feel that way. The trip to Disney to have first crack.. the 60+hotel stay timetable, would costs thousands of dollars.. is that really that different than the financial obligation to become a member at Club 33? I'd contend there are many similarities.

Anyone to get into BoG. You can't do that with Club 33.

All you really need to do if you want to have a near guarantee of an ADR at BOG is have a credit card with maybe $200 available on it.

You can make room reservation, pay the deposit (one night stay for a room only), make the dining reservation and then modify or outright cancel the room reservation.

Your dining reservations will remain after you cancel the room reservation.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

Anyone to get into BoG. You can't do that with Club 33.

All you really need to do if you want to have a near guarantee of an ADR at BOG is have a credit card with maybe $200 available on it.

You can make room reservation, pay the deposit (one night stay for a room only), make the dining reservation and then modify or outright cancel the room reservation.

Your dining reservations will remain after you cancel the room reservation.

This isn't true.. your dining reservations were cancelled for your trip I was told unless you move your reservation to another resort that is within the 60 days as well.. I wouldn't know personally since I stay at SOG. But I had a friend who cancelled their resort reservation to stay at the Gaylord and all their dining reservations were cancelled.

 

[Master Yoda]

This isn't true.. your dining reservations were cancelled for your trip I was told unless you move your reservation to another resort that is within the 60 days as well.. I wouldn't know personally since I stay at SOG.

Unless something has changed very recently, that is incorrect. Dining has never been directly tied to a resort reservation, you simply needed one to access into the 180 days +10 benefit.

Once the reservations are made, they do not cancel unless you actually cancel them.

 

[Jon81uk]

This isn't true.. your dining reservations were cancelled for your trip I was told unless you move your reservation to another resort that is within the 60 days as well.. I wouldn't know personally since I stay at SOG. But I had a friend who cancelled their resort reservation to stay at the Gaylord and all their dining reservations were cancelled.

Dining reservations are 180+10 for resort guests (180 for everyone else), Fast-passes are 60 days for resort guests or 30 for everyone else.

Dining reservations are not tied to your booking in the same way as FP, the only advantage is being able to book for the full 10days of your trip.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

Dining reservations are 180+10 for resort guests (180 for everyone else), Fast-passes are 60 days for resort guests or 30 for everyone else.

Dining reservations are not tied to your booking in the same way as FP, the only advantage is being able to book for the full 10days of your trip.

I meant 180+trip not 60.. but still I was under the impression from them that the dining reservations they got were cancelled.

 

[Master Yoda]

I meant 180+trip not 60.. but still I was under the impression from them that the dining reservations they got were cancelled.

Nope, they are kept separate.

I assume this is because anyone can make dining reservations, room or not, at 180 days out and having it as a separate database is much easier and avoids a bunch of potential problems.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

it makes sense that it would be separate since I can reserve stuff now without SOG being attached(since it is, but it isn't a WDW resort..).. but if that loophole currently exists then I'm sure its a matter of time that if you use the 180+trip to get a reservation and then cancel(i.e. getting reservation prior to the 180 days out), your reservation is cancelled.. I just thought that safeguard was already in place for people who wanted to skirt the system based on what I was told.. Thanks for the correction! TIL!

 

[BernardandBianca]

I understand the difference, I truly do. But, when I have a standing offer to accompany friends to Club 33 when I next get out to DL, and can't get into BOG without paying for a 7-10 day trip and staying on site, it certainly can feel that way. The trip to Disney to have first crack.. the 60+hotel stay timetable, would costs thousands of dollars.. is that really that different than the financial obligation to become a member at Club 33? I'd contend there are many similarities.

Your statements about how difficult to get into BOG are greatly exaggerated, based on my experiences. We typically go to WDW twice a week for lunch (note, I did not try dinner), and decide where to go based on which restaurant we feel like going to. So we ask to see availability for an appropriate time (generally between noon and 1) resortwide, and more often than not, BOG shows up as available. Not necessarily at the time we want, and not for high traffic days, but over the year we've had the ability to book BOG a significant number of times. (We didn't book any because we don't like the food or the atmosphere, but the availability was present.)

 

[LuvtheGoof]

It obviously has to be separate, or how else could locals make reservations without any hotel reservation.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

In just looking, I can get into BOG for lunch on Oct 26th - less than a week from now. May have to be flexible, but it can be done.

 

[Master Yoda]

it makes sense that it would be separate since I can reserve stuff now without SOG being attached(since it is, but it isn't a WDW resort..).. but if that loophole currently exists then I'm sure its a matter of time that if you use the 180+trip to get a reservation and then cancel(i.e. getting reservation prior to the 180 days out), your reservation is cancelled.. I just thought that safeguard was already in place for people who wanted to skirt the system based on what I was told.. Thanks for the correction! TIL!

It is a loophole of sorts that existed pretty much since the beginning of time. I can only assume that it has not been closed either due to the potential problems it could cause and/or it simply does not get abused enough to warrant it.

Disney has made great strides in closing the other dining loopholes (multiple reservations at different places at the same time, no shows, etc) so my money is on it not being that big of an issue.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

Your statements about how difficult to get into BOG are greatly exaggerated, based on my experiences. We typically go to WDW twice a week for lunch (note, I did not try dinner), and decide where to go based on which restaurant we feel like going to. So we ask to see availability for an appropriate time (generally between noon and 1) resortwide, and more often than not, BOG shows up as available. Not necessarily at the time we want, and not for high traffic days, but over the year we've had the ability to book BOG a significant number of times. (We didn't book any because we don't like the food or the atmosphere, but the availability was present.)

I guess since I only get there a few times a year and its already completely booked for every night of each trip of mine my experience is far different than quick service for lunch for someone who goes day of and it may or may not be available. I would contend those are 2 very different things.. 1 is planning for a full family dinner during a 1 week trip, and 1 is going on a whim and seeing if a 2 or 4 top at quick service lunch is available. Even if say BOG opens up on Wednesday when we are at MK on Thursday so we need to change our plans, then the other restaurants, like Homecoming etc that we got reservations for, now may not be attainable.. I am not saying WDW must change these policies because they dictate how much, or how little of something the market can be saturated with. I was just stating it's very hard to get into, and pretty exclusive, especially with big parties(4 or more), to only those who have 180+10 planning.

I was being a bit sarcastic(I'm an engineer with a dry sense of humor) that it is the same(I know it's different).. but the majority of people would agree it would seem to be just about as likely to get into for a family of 5 or 7 for sit down dinner at BOG as getting into club 33 would be.. almost 0 chance.. at least at Club 33 if you know the right people it can be done.. at BOG, for a large party it almost certainly has to be 180+10.. and now that I know that work around actually exists I will be taking advantage of it when needed.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

In just looking, I can get into BOG for lunch on Oct 26th - less than a week from now. May have to be flexible, but it can be done.

Quick service lunch for 2 is not the same as a family dinner for 5 or 7 people.. I just don't see them on the same level, maybe I'm in the minority here

 

[Master Yoda]

Quick service lunch for 2 is not the same as a family dinner for 5 or 7 people.. I just don't see them on the same level, maybe I'm in the minority here

You are quite correct on that one.

Having 5 or more people in your party increases the difficulty of getting an ADR by orders of magnitude.

But....there is a trick.

You will need 2 separate MDE accounts and what you will need to do is break the party up in to groups of 4 or less. You will then make 2 separate reservations for the smaller parties at around the same time (the closer the better) When you check in at the hostess stand let them know you would like to try and sit close together. Nine times out of ten they will seat you at adjoining tables, especially if you let them know you don't mind waiting a few extra minutes to make it happen.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

You are quite correct on that one.

Having 5 or more people in your party increases the difficulty of getting an ADR by orders of magnitude.

But....there is a trick.

You will need 2 separate MDE accounts and what you will need to do is break the party up in to groups of 4 or less. You will then make 2 separate reservations for the smaller parties at around the same time (the closer the better) When you check in at the hostess stand let them know you would like to try and sit close together. Nine times out of ten they will seat you at adjoining tables, especially if you let them know you don't mind waiting a few extra minutes to make it happen.

I would never have thought to do that.. this would work out great for us..

Now back to the original topic at hand.. Can I hope one lounge at MK is above the carousel of progress? with a nice view of tomorrowland and the WEDWAY?

 

[Master Yoda]

I would never have thought to do that.. this would work out great for us..

Now back to the original topic at hand.. Can I hope one lounge at MK is above the carousel of progress? with a nice view of tomorrowland and the WEDWAY?

I was thinking more along the lines of a glass dome suspended from the top of the ceiling in Space mountain.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Quick service lunch for 2 is not the same as a family dinner for 5 or 7 people.. I just don't see them on the same level, maybe I'm in the minority here

No, you are right that it isn't the same level, but if the plan is simply to eat at BOG, then lunch is much easier. And as @Master Yoda stated, larger parties are much harder for any ADR, not just BOG.

We've had both lunch and dinner there, and the food is excellent no matter which time we went.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

No, you are right that it isn't the same level, but if the plan is simply to eat at BOG, then lunch is much easier. And as @Master Yoda stated, larger parties are much harder for any ADR, not just BOG.

We've had both lunch and dinner there, and the food is excellent no matter which time we went.

I know.. my nephew will want the croque monseiur for dinner when we are there.. but don't think the lunch food is available for dinner, but will ask..

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I know.. my nephew will want the croque monseiur for dinner when we are there.. but don't think the lunch food is available for dinner, but will ask..

That one is available for lunch as well.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

That one is available for lunch as well.

Yeah that's how he has tried it.. and loved it.. but my wife's mussels etc are not so available for quick service lunch..