News My Disney Experience and website to become the only way to make dining reservations

[MrPromey]

... Yes you can walk into mcdonalds and order from a kiosk now verse talking to someone...

... Will it impact what training they get? Will it impact staffing levels and wait times?

I my experience, service at all of the McD’s near me has taken a huge nosedive in the years since the screens were implemented.

When there is an issue and you have to actually get an employee’s attention (like when they mess up an order) it’s a challenge and they often treat you more like a nuisance or a hindersnce to their job than as a customer.

I don’t blame the employees for this. I’m sure the change in staffing levels thanks to theses additions has drastically changed the priorities for those positions.

As for Disney, if this wasn’t going to affect staffing levels and training needs, what motivation would they have to even do it?

 

[VaderTron]

The last time I went, it was my young daughter's birthday. I plastered her from head to foot in birthday stuff so that she'd get a lot of attention from the CMs, but to my surprise, almost no one said anything. I found myself prodding people -- hey, it's her birthday today! -- and then they'd often say, 'happy birthday, princess' (although she hates being called 'princess,' but anyway). I wonder if the special attention thing is dying out. I was really disappointed. Didn't really inspire me to do it again.

It definitely has. For anniversaries I have gotten countless special desserts, celebration confetti on the table, champagne, and even special edition tequila all for free with our meals over the years. In 2017 we got two free cupcakes at 2 of the 5 TS's and in 2018 we got one cupcake at 1 of 3 TS's. This year we got nothing but a "congratulations" at the 4 TS's.

The death of "Disney Magic" is well under way.

 

[jaxonp]

If you are paying $20K, you wouldn't care about $40. And if you put up a huge stink, you'll get a few FPs which is free to WDW.

Common mistake in thinking. Most people that have that kind of money don't carelessly spend it. $40 to a multi-millionaire wasted on nothing is something many in this club care about.

 

[CJLove79]

Personally, I don't have a problem with this because I use the website & MDE app for my dining reservations anyway. BUT this can be bad also because that means more people will go online or use the app now than they ever did in the past. This increases the possibility of their servers being clogged up and us getting either the Donald, Stitch or Lady & the Tramp Paws error msgs. We all know that their app & their website tends to crash on a regular basis. I hope that Disney will add more servers that can handle the increased traffic so these crashes happen less often.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I hope this means they'll allow people to prepay for dessert parties and dining shows with gift cards online.

That's the number one reason we always had to call the dining reservation line.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

I can’t even remember the last time I called for reservations for dining. Haven’t had and big problems either the app or online in years. Guess I’m lucky.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Really, this makes sense - assuming a FUNCTIONAL Website. That could be a very large assumption .

 

[RSoxNo1]

Still no word on getting rid of Fastpass+?

 

[ThatMouse]

Can restaurants and concierge still make the reservations?

 

[LittleBuford]

Humm. Plenty of times, I have tried over and over to get a dining reservation on-line only to be denied..but I call and *poof* there is is.

Does calling really get you different options from what you see online? I always thought they were just different ways of getting to the same booking system.

 

[aladdin2007]

Does calling really get you different options from what you see online? I always thought they were just different ways of getting to the same booking system.

not sure but we had to call for the candlelight package because that now requires payment up front, and wanted to pay with disney reward points,,,it would not give that option in online payment but they easily did it over the phone....so how are they going to handle that type of payment for now on...

 

[LittleBuford]

not sure but we had to call for the candlelight package because that now requires payment up front, and wanted to pay with disney reward points,,,it would not give that option in online payment but they easily did it over the phone....so how are they going to handle that type of payment for now on...

Oh, I can certainly see how you would have more options in terms of payment, but what I’m really curious to know is whether phoning can get you reservations that appear to be unavailable online.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Can restaurants and concierge still make the reservations?

We walk up quite a bit and change things at concierge at our resort. The app stinks at modify ADRs or canceling, or at least it did in late August still. When you walk up and ask, we have been seated immediately when App or website shows no availability. We did it with Ohana at 5:30 on a Friday in May. They hold tables for walk ups. In my experiences anyway. We also easily bumped up many ADRs when the app showed no times available by asking or having the front desk check for us.

 

[Jambo Joe]

If you are paying $20K, you wouldn't care about $40. And if you put up a huge stink, you'll get a few FPs which is free to WDW.

I have had to cancel bookings because we were late due to transport delays, my wife got ill, or we were on the other side of the world and didnt want trek back. In each case I called the line and told them I didn’t want to be charged. If necessary I have invoked the amount I was spending at Disney. They have been accommodating - I have never had to pay the fee. I think it helps if you call before the reservation time.

 

[LittleBuford]

I have had to cancel bookings because we were late due to transport delays, my wife got ill, or we were on the other side of the world and didnt want trek back.

Regarding the bolded specifically, I think in such cases you should be charged the fee. It's your responsibility to plan your day around the reservations you've made (and prevented others from making).

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

Can restaurants and concierge still make the reservations?

I can confirm at Le Cellier, this week, CMs were turning people away who were wanting to make reservations and telling guests that reservations could only be made through the app or online.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Regarding the bolded specifically, I think in such cases you should be charged the fee. It's your responsibility to plan your day around the reservations you've made (and prevented others from making).

The TWO times I've had to do anything like that in my entire life (canceling within 24 hours) I called and made another reservation for later in the day, and there was no issue and no charge. Once it was just because the reservation we really wanted opened up at the last minute.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

We walk up quite a bit and change things at concierge at our resort. The app stinks at modify ADRs or canceling, or at least it did in late August still. When you walk up and ask, we have been seated immediately when App or website shows no availability. We did it with Ohana at 5:30 on a Friday in May. They hold tables for walk ups. In my experiences anyway. We also easily bumped up many ADRs when the app showed no times available by asking or having the front desk check for us.

I wish more people understood this and didn't feel devastated when they didn't get an ADR at an ungodly morning hour months in advance. Just because there aren't reservations doesn't mean there aren't tables.

 

[phillip9698]

The last time I went, it was my young daughter's birthday. I plastered her from head to foot in birthday stuff so that she'd get a lot of attention from the CMs, but to my surprise, almost no one said anything. I found myself prodding people -- hey, it's her birthday today! -- and then they'd often say, 'happy birthday, princess' (although she hates being called 'princess,' but anyway). I wonder if the special attention thing is dying out. I was really disappointed. Didn't really inspire me to do it again.

Things like that are supposed to be extra surprises on a trip. If a CM gives you something for your birthday then it's just a welcomed addition, it shouldn't get to the point where people are trying to manipulate pixie dust.

Nothing worse than going to the Whispering Canyon and you are sitting next to the family that is systematically going down the list of phrases to maximize interactions and then gets upset when anything is missed.

 

[CAV]

Does calling really get you different options from what you see online? I always thought they were just different ways of getting to the same booking system.

What did I say? I've tried booking on-line and couldn't get a reservation. I called and did. Pretty basic.

My latest was last week. I tried getting a reservation for Ohana on January 12 (my traditional dinner after the marathon). I used the on-line booking at least a dozen times a day for at least 10 days. Nothing. I decided to call and I got multiple options.