Originally posted by Leah's Dad
Hey Guys,
I thought I would share my plans on how to ensure our PS at Cinderella's Character Breakfast. Here is what you will need to MAXIMIZE your chances for your PS at Cindy's. Advice taken from tourguidemike.com and he deserves all the credit.
1. WHERE TO CALL - 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463), and Español: 407-WDISNEY (934-7639), opción #2
2. Learn the day this priority seating become available Very Important (more on this further down)
3. Have a credit card standing by to secure the reservation
Here's is my detailed plan that I will use:
Call the day before so you know what to expect: There are different versions of the 'we're open' messages, but if you're really concerned about it, why not call them during normal operating hours the day before your early morning and listen to what their current 'we're open' message is? The most important message to know is their 'we're closed' message so that anything different sounds different once it comes on -- which means they're open. Still ... it's easily worth the 30 seconds and $.07 to know it in advance isn't it
Begin calling a few minutes before what you 'think' is 7 a.m. Who knows what time the Disney Dining office goes by, right? Their '7 a.m.' (East Coast Time) may be different from yours and mine. That's important to realize. I begin dialing by no later than 6:56 a.m.
Program my redial button: Because I know I'm calling 'too early,' I listen for their "We're closed" message and then I hang up. I no longer dial the number from here on out - I just keep using the redial button(s).
Use as many available phone lines you have: I get both phones programmed for redialing and I actually practice using them at the same time. I hold one to each ear, making sure my fingers easily 'know' where both the redial AND hang up buttons are, AND how to return to the redial button, without having to look at it.
Know the difference between their two automated messages: As soon as I hear and/or recognize the "We're closed" message, I hang up immediately and redial! This is another reason why I begin calling early so I'm comfortable recognizing what I hear. If you need to begin even earlier than I do for 'ear practice,' please do.
Disney recently changed their phone announcements that you and I have to wade through when making a priority seating. Knowing what's said can work to your benefit because I'm going to show you what you can skip that will put you even further ahead in the "Cinderella Calling Game!"
Only say what you need to: I know this sounds ridiculous, but every millisecond counts even after you get through. There are up to 300 cast members answering the phones together, and 'your' cast member is in competition with all of them just as much as you are with fellow guests. The moment a 'real' voice comes on the line I say,
"Hi -- Cinderella's, party of 4, as early as possible please."
That's all the cast member needs to try and grab the reservation for you, and they want to be successful just as much as you want to dine there. For them, it's a personal challenge and sort of game to see if they can beat their fellow cast members.
Have 'Plan B' ready: I will have an alternate choice already chosen. Why? Because other excellent choices can be snapped up by all those hundreds of other guests who don't secure a Cinderella priority seating.
These are the guidelines I plan to follow and I will post how it went for me as soon as the PS window opens.
Again, I would like to thank TourGuideMike.com for this information and I highly recommend his website.
Hope this helps
Leah's Dad
:sohappy:
