New Dining Rules

[Supermatt70]

New dining rules start on August 4th. If you have a package booked with the Walt Disney Travel Company with a PAID deposit, then you can make a PS for MOST locations 180 days in advance. If not, then you can make your PS 90 days out. This is a HUGE change. It now means that AP reservations, FL resident reservations, Cast reservations, AAA reservations or room only booking in Central Reservations can only make PS after WDTC guests have made theirs. To be clear, there will no longer be a 120/60 days out policy. It's now a 180/90 days out policy depending on what kind of reservation you have booked. Disney will now have a two tiered dining schedule it would seem. Where you fall in the tiers depends on how much money you spend (ie. book a package).

No character dining for me anymore, I guess.

Matt

 

[disneydawg]

Well, that doesnt really surprise me, but it does seem like they should make more of an effort to offer these kind of options to AP holders, DVC members, etc. After all, arent these the people who usually drop the most money, and they're your return customers.

 

[s25843]

They must have included Provisions for AP Holders etc...

 

[Supermatt70]

Originally posted by s25843
They must have included Provisions for AP Holders etc...

Yeah, the provision is that you can call 90 days out. Early dining bookings are now a feature of WDTC packages.

Matt

 

[Yellow Shoes]

10 years ago, advance PS's were a perk for resort guests ONLY, and as I recall, you could only make them from your hotel room. You could not call WDW-DINE from home like you can now.

Off-site guests could make a PS only for later that day. There were kiosks at Innoventions in Epcot that were mobbed with people trying to get their dining arrangements made.

Actually, it looks like they're going back to the 2-tier system.

 

[LivefortheMouse]

Thats not fair. Its not always the fact of having money its the fact of who in there right mind would pick staying in a Disney resort for 300 something when the can stay for 114 like florida residents can in select deluxe resorts. That deal of not being able to do priority seating on time is really not fair and i hope Disney doesnt become like universal just out for the money. Universal Valet parking 12 dollars for resort guests Disney free. Universal no early entry but u can skip ahead in line if u stay at thier resort Disney early entry for resort guests and fast pass for everyone both get perks the ones that can affored disney resorts and the ones that cant they had a good heart when they came up with that fast pass for all park guests. So if disney now is like oh well u get the scraps cause u didnt spend 1000 dollars on ur reservations thats not right.

 

[cymbaldiva]

Heck, I think I prefer Universal's approach -

At least when you stay in their resorts you know you're definately getting a perk for staying on property! :animwink:

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by LivefortheMouse
That deal of not being able to do priority seating on time is really not fair and i hope Disney doesnt become like universal just out for the money.

Disney is a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS. Therefore, everything they do is about the money. If more people book their vacations using Disney Travel, guess who gets more money?

How do they get u to use Disney Travel? Perks available to no one else.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Originally posted by niteobsrvr
Disney is a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS. Therefore, everything they do is about the money. If more people book their vacations using Disney Travel, guess who gets more money?

How do they get u to use Disney Travel? Perks available to no one else.

I used Disney Travel UK a couple of trips ago, they were very good. However the following year their prices went up 20% so I went independant. Now (i think their struggling) they leave you to find your own flight they just make resort ressies. And no they dont do room only or offer any of the discounts. So again ive gone on my own.

As for dinner ressies in the past I used to wait till we were there but following a couple of dissapointments I started doing it as soon as i could. If this is no longer possible Ill go back to taking my chances, whats the worst that can happpen, being forced to eat off property at a lot lower cost.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

I have never made priority seatings more than a day in advance let alone 90 and I have never really had a problem except on Thanksgiving and Easter. Again I never really tried for the really popular character meals but I know they take walk ups at Chef Mickeys, Liberty Tree Tavern and Garden Grill.

 

[DVC_Couple_PA]

I have never made priority seatings more than a day in advance let alone 90 and I have never really had a problem except on Thanksgiving and Easter.

I have to agree with you. I typically make them a day in advance, or even the same day, and have never had a problem.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Disney is just trying to give guests a reason to book reservations at their expensive Resorts, which I say is a good thing. Much like Disneyland giving Resort guests an unlimited Fastpass, added perks like this make stomaching the pricey rates a little easier. It makes sense to me--people staying at Disney Resorts are probably planning out their Disney vacations a heck of a lot earlier than Florida guests going out for a day trip. I don't think someone who lives in Florida plans their weekend outings to Disney six months in advance, whereas someone in New York who only takes one trip every year or two would be more likely to do so.

 

[cindy_k]

Really what this says to me is that a lot of people are going to be closed out of Cinderella's Castle if they allow the WDTC people to book that at 180 days, a whole 90 days before the rest of us.

While that really doesn't effect me, there are a lot people who will be crying about that if its true.

TTFN!

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by Pumbas Nakasak
I used Disney Travel UK a couple of trips ago, they were very good. However the following year their prices went up 20% so I went independant. Now (i think their struggling) they leave you to find your own flight they just make resort ressies. And no they dont do room only or offer any of the discounts. So again ive gone on my own.

Is there a website, or a way for me to find out if there's a Disney Travel representative down here? I'd like to know all my options before my next trip...

 

[Erika]

Originally posted by Yellow Shoes
10 years ago, advance PS's were a perk for resort guests ONLY, and as I recall, you could only make them from your hotel room. You could not call WDW-DINE from home like you can now.

Off-site guests could make a PS only for later that day. There were kiosks at Innoventions in Epcot that were mobbed with people trying to get their dining arrangements made.

Actually, it looks like they're going back to the 2-tier system.

I thought I was going crazy! I remember those rules, running to the kiosks/calling from the hotel room :lol: It was a little hectic but I liked it better than having to call 3 months in advance trying to get a reservation.

 

[spr0m]

What about DVC members that book 11 months in advance at their home resort. I can't see them leaving the DVC people out they are staying onsite right? This could hurt DVC sales if this was the case. I staying at OKW in early December and wanted to get my 3 yr old daughter into Cindy's breakfast again and if this is the case this may be impossible .. I was all set to start calling for my PS in October.. I called the WDW DINE number this morning and they had no knowledge of this new policy so maybe it's not true..

 

[cindy_k]

Seems sad but true.

Deb Wills who runs www.wdwig.com
and Scott who runs pscalculator.net are both confirming this is true, though several people on another board I read have called wdw-dine and so far they are denying it as a rumor.

Usually these sources are very good, so I would probably take this new policy as soon to be fact.

I'm waiting to see if perhaps it gets better clarified.

Cindy in NY

 

[919Florida]

We called Walt Disney Travel Company today and she called WDWDine while we were on the line. Neither of them said they new anything about this. They said there is nothing in there computers to confirm this and they have not heard a thing about it.

 

[RogueHabit]

Confused now. I want to get some PS for Chef Mickey, Garden Grill and Crystal Palace. We're still 80 days out from out trip and I really don't want to make an expensive transatlantic phone call to be told that I'm too early.

On the other hand I don't want to wait until 60 days and find I can't get the days I want.

 

[charabby]

Actually, I think you can book those now. . .

Chef Mickey's and Garden Grill can currently be booked 120 days out - I have both of them booked and we're about 95 days or so out. I think Crystal Palace is 60 days out - isn't that in MK?