Tusker House PPO

[xdan0920]

I don't think trying to combine reservations is a policy issue though. The policy is quite straight-forward make a reservation and show up or pay $10 if you don't give 24hrs notice to cancel.
It is a guest issue in trying to get more reservations than there are available.
If a local restaurant said we can fit you in at 8am and your friend had a 9am reservation would you say the restaurant has a policy problem when you want to both be seated at the same time? I would say either get the right reservation or try a restaurant that has better availability.

Yes, it's a policy issue. Disney expects you to be up at 7am 180 days before your vacation to make dining reservations. This is what's creating the issue. This doesn't happen in the normal world, because the normal world doesn't have the type of crazy nonsense going on.

In the normal world I would call the restaurant, ask if they could accommodate us, and if not, pick another restaurant near by. That's not an option at WDW. You are comparing Apples and Pears. Close, but not quite the same.

 

[Jon81uk]

Yes, it's a policy issue. Disney expects you to be up at 7am 180 days before your vacation to make dining reservations. This is what's creating the issue. This doesn't happen in the normal world, because the normal world doesn't have the type of crazy nonsense going on.

In the normal world I would call the restaurant, ask if they could accommodate us, and if not, pick another restaurant near by. That's not an option at WDW. You are comparing Apples and Pears. Close, but not quite the same.

I've never made a reservation bang on 180 days and not had a problem with getting most of what I wanted. Disney don't expect you to make reservations that early, it is sites like this and other "planning" fan websites that encourage it and the more sites that encourage early booking the more others need to book early. The issue is entirely guest made.

In your comparison with the "normal" world that is exactly how it should be at WDW, if you can't get a reservation then pick another restaurant.
But people making a big deal of Disney dining reservations is what causes the problems, people booking multiple reservations etc, they are just making it worse for everyone. If everyone treated Disney restaurants the same as any other restaurant there would be a lot fewer issues.

 

[xdan0920]

I've never made a reservation bang on 180 days and not had a problem with getting most of what I wanted. Disney don't expect you to make reservations that early, it is sites like this and other "planning" fan websites that encourage it and the more sites that encourage early booking the more others need to book early. The issue is entirely guest made.

In your comparison with the "normal" world that is exactly how it should be at WDW, if you can't get a reservation then pick another restaurant.
But people making a big deal of Disney dining reservations is what causes the problems, people booking multiple reservations etc, they are just making it worse for everyone. If everyone treated Disney restaurants the same as any other restaurant there would be a lot fewer issues.

Again, you are seeing a guest problem. I am seeing guests trying to make the best out of a ridiculous system. If Disney doesn't expect you to make reservations that early, why do they open reservations that early? How can a guest treat a Disney restaurant like a real world restaurant when they aren't treated as such by Disney themselves?

 

[Jon81uk]

Again, you are seeing a guest problem. I am seeing guests trying to make the best out of a ridiculous system. If Disney doesn't expect you to make reservations that early, why do they open reservations that early? How can a guest treat a Disney restaurant like a real world restaurant when they aren't treated as such by Disney themselves?

Why shouldn’t they open reservations that early? Airlines open flight bookings at 11 months before the date of the flight but they don’t expect me to book that far out.
If all the planning sites encouraged people to not to book at six months out then it would be a lot better. Disney don’t force you to book a long way in advance it is herd behaviour of everyone doing it causing issues.

 

[xdan0920]

Why shouldn’t they open reservations that early? Airlines open flight bookings at 11 months before the date of the flight but they don’t expect me to book that far out.
If all the planning sites encouraged people to not to book at six months out then it would be a lot better. Disney don’t force you to book a long way in advance it is herd behaviour of everyone doing it causing issues.

Good point. Why not move the reservations out to 11 months? Maybe 22 months? Why not just let you make a reservation for whenever you feel like? No One's forcing you to do it, so why have any cap?

We are probably just going to have to agree to disagree here. And to be totally honest, it doesn't matter. Disney isn't changing the system, and guests paying out the nose for their trips, dining, dining plan, whatever, will not stop trying to get the most out of it. It's crappy for a normal person, but it is what it is.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

And this is where I often think of a lot of questions on this board can be answered with "would this work at my local restaurant". Combining two reservations five minutes apart and being willing to wait for a larger table is reasonable. Trying to combine two reservations half-hour apart isn't something I would expect many places to accept. Adding two people to a group of 4 and being prepared to wait for the larger table, I think that is possible, but once you have waited of course it will be after 9am so any advantage of being up early and in the park is lost.

Agreed. Back to back time slots all works into the overall numbers they were expecting in that time frame. The adding 2 to a group of 4 can be more challenging since it typically involves a different type of table. Going from 3 to 4 or 5 to 6 usually involves greater success.

 

[nickys]

I have to say I’m struggling to see what the actual issue is in this case. The guy actually has a reservation for everyone, it’s just that his is early and he wants to be able to eat with the rest of his party. Lots more speople ask if they can simply turn up with one, two or more extra people and be seated.

I didn’t search his posting history though, and it sounds like some people are alluding to other posts he may have made. Or I might have missed something in the flurry of posts.

 

[Jon81uk]

I have to say I’m struggling to see what the actual issue is in this case. The guy actually has a reservation for everyone, it’s just that his is early and he wants to be able to eat with the rest of his party. Lots more speople ask if they can simply turn up with one, two or more extra people and be seated.

I didn’t search his posting history though, and it sounds like some people are alluding to other posts he may have made. Or I might have missed something in the flurry of posts.

If the party of two turned up when the six have a reservation that seems reasonable. But six people arriving 40 minutes early and expected to be seated with the party of two feels unreasonable.
Again, if you tried to do this at a local restaurant do you think it is reasonable and would work?

 

[nickys]

If the party of two turned up when the six have a reservation that seems reasonable. But six people arriving 40 minutes early and expected to be seated with the party of two feels unreasonable.
Again, if you tried to do this at a local restaurant do you think it is reasonable and would work?

The fact is that PPO (pre-park opening) breakfasts only take as many people as can be seated in that hour; they do not expect anyone to be finished within the hour and therefore do not have moe than one sitting.

And at several restaurants that do the PPO breakfasts they seat people in the order they check in. Garden Grill at Epcot for example will seat people in the order they are queued up at the podium.

So actually he and his entire party is very likely to be seated when they turn up, whether at 8:05 or 8:55.

WDW restaurants do not work like other restaurants.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Explain how booking a reservation with a dining plan for the number of people eating is out of bounds please? Do you suggest only getting a reservation for the exact number of people traveling with you and if they don’t have it, move on? For example if they don’t have 9 I’m just out of luck. That makes no sense. I could modify the res for two to one now I guess, but if a find another opening for three and add them to my two I’m still paying for the same amount of meals I wanted to in the first place. Again at this time, 68 days out I have reservations for 10 instead of 9.

Well, most people are "out of luck" when they try to buy tickets for a sold-out show or make a reservation for a specific time that's not available. They just say, "Oh well" and move on to the next best option (perhaps tickets for another showtime or reservations at another restaurant). What you appear to be doing is rejecting those sensible alternatives and asking for advice on how to cajole the Tusker House staff into not only pushing your three separate reservations closer temporally, but spatially as well.

For your situation, I just looked at MDE for every single Saturday in March and there are breakfast ADRs for parties of 9 available all over property and at a variety of times. Maybe not at Tusker House before the park officially opens, but it's not like you're being forced to use a TS credit on a QS meal. You're just not getting the specific ADR you wanted because someone got it first.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

The fact is that PPO (pre-park opening) breakfasts only take as many people as can be seated in that hour; they do not expect anyone to be finished within the hour and therefore do not have moe than one sitting.

And at several restaurants that do the PPO breakfasts they seat people in the order they check in. Garden Grill at Epcot for example will seat people in the order they are queued up at the podium.

So actually he and his entire party is very likely to be seated when they turn up, whether at 8:05 or 8:55.

WDW restaurants do not work like other restaurants.

Well, would the park security even let the other party walk to the restaurant at 8am if the park doesn't open till 9? I'm sorry but I was under the impression a lot of people covetef thatbearly morning slot so they can eat and be out by 8:45 and ready to get a jump on lines. And the people with the 8:45 reservations then come in. You said it yourself they can only seat so many people at 8:05. Also maybe they don't fully staff it at 8am? So some sections are closed.. no idea.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

I am going to be at WDW the same time. Spring break is so difficult to get advance reservation after the 100-day mark, but saying that, I was able to snag a reservation for Sci-Fi yesterday and the previously-mentioned BOG breakfasts last week.

Most impressive on snagging Sci-Fi.....one of the coolest joints in the Magic

 

[nickys]

Well, would the park security even let the other party walk to the restaurant at 8am if the park doesn't open till 9? I'm sorry but I was under the impression a lot of people covetef thatbearly morning slot so they can eat and be out by 8:45 and ready to get a jump on lines. And the people with the 8:45 reservations then come in. You said it yourself they can only seat so many people at 8:05. Also maybe they don't fully staff it at 8am? So some sections are closed.. no idea.

Anyone with a reservation before the park opening time is allowed in early. So although people may rush through their meal, the next block of diners won’t get there until 9am.
Some restaurants might seat people in blocks. Others, at least 3 of those who do PPO breakfasts, definitely just seat people as they arrive.
That is only the case for PPO reservations, not the rest of the time.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Anyone with a reservation before the park opening time is allowed in early. So although people may rush through their meal, the next block of diners won’t get there until 9am.
Some restaurants might seat people in blocks. Others, at least 3 of those who do PPO breakfasts, definitely just seat people as they arrive.
That is only the case for PPO reservations, not the rest of the time.

Fascinating. Really good info to know, so if I get an 8:50 seating at Tusker, I can be sat wherever I arrive even if it's 8:15? Thanks!

 

[xdan0920]

Fascinating. Really good info to know, so if I get an 8:50 seating at Tusker, I can be sat wherever I arrive even if it's 8:15? Thanks!

Sounds like you want to game the system now that you know a little tip. tsk tsk.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Sounds like you want to game the system now that you know a little tip. tsk tsk.

If what he is saying is that there is only one pool of tables, then I understand this and nobody is hurt by coming early. I do question why Disney has it set up this way and could only figure they don't want a hundred people checking in at the same time...
I don't care if someone does something that doesn't impact other guests, and if what he is saying is true I guess this doesn't.

 

[nickys]

If what she is saying is that there is only one pool of tables, then I understand this and nobody is hurt by coming early. I do question why Disney has it set up this way and could only figure they don't want a hundred people checking in at the same time...
I don't care if someone does something that doesn't impact other guests, and if what she is saying is true I guess this doesn't.

FTFY.

If they wanted to they could change things and only allow people to be seated 10 minutes early. But then they could be faced with a long line whilst waiting for groups that show up late. That risks a backlog by the time the 9am diners arrive.

Nearly all PPO meals are character meals, the only exception I can think of right now being the Plaza and BOG at MK. You should always allow at least an hour to meet all characters, so those wanting to rush off risk missing some of the characters. BOG is different in that it’s self seating; ironically that’s the one that has been reportedly restricting people to being seated more than about 15 minutes early recently.

But everyone with a PPO reservation are let through early, whether that be at the Hub at MK or any other “holding” point at the other parks.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Why shouldn’t they open reservations that early? Airlines open flight bookings at 11 months before the date of the flight but they don’t expect me to book that far out.
If all the planning sites encouraged people to not to book at six months out then it would be a lot better. Disney don’t force you to book a long way in advance it is herd behaviour of everyone doing it causing issues.

Good point. Why not move the reservations out to 11 months? Maybe 22 months? Why not just let you make a reservation for whenever you feel like? No One's forcing you to do it, so why have any cap?

We are probably just going to have to agree to disagree here. And to be totally honest, it doesn't matter. Disney isn't changing the system, and guests paying out the nose for their trips, dining, dining plan, whatever, will not stop trying to get the most out of it. It's crappy for a normal person, but it is what it is.

The ADR reservations 180 days out aren't the problem. The problem is the disparity between the restaurant reservations, the fastpass reservations (60 days), and then official park hours being released (routinely only a few weeks out, if that)

It makes guests horde reservations. You know you want to eat at Tusker House, but don't know when your fastpasses will be for that park, or what park hours are, so a lot of guests then make multiple reservations and only release them when their plans are more "set". A family planning to dine once may make three separate reservations and horde them until after they get fastpasses, or after park hours come out.

I don't see a problem with OP trying to combine smaller reservations they did find into one that fits everyone in their group. It's hard finding reservations that fit your group because everyone is booking things they don't actually need because the system has so much built in uncertainty.

 

[Jon81uk]

The ADR reservations 180 days out aren't the problem. The problem is the disparity between the restaurant reservations, the fastpass reservations (60 days), and then official park hours being released (routinely only a few weeks out, if that)

It makes guests horde reservations. You know you want to eat at Tusker House, but don't know when your fastpasses will be for that park, or what park hours are, so a lot of guests then make multiple reservations and only release them when their plans are more "set". A family planning to dine once may make three separate reservations and horde them until after they get fastpasses, or after park hours come out.

I don't see a problem with OP trying to combine smaller reservations they did find into one that fits everyone in their group. It's hard finding reservations that fit your group because everyone is booking things they don't actually need because the system has so much built in uncertainty.

Park hours are pretty firm at the 60 day mark.

The solution might be to change restaurant bookings to 60 days as well.

 

[nickys]

Park hours are pretty firm at the 60 day mark.

The solution might be to change restaurant bookings to 60 days as well.

Park hours are often changed in the middle of the preceding month.

This is why people should always watch park hours closely as you get closer to your stay, as if park hours are extended there will be more FPs released. That’s how many are able to grab FPs for rides like FoP, Slinky, 7 dwarves etc. or get better times than they could at their FP booking day. Even off-site guests can get these Fos because of hours changing after the 30 day mark.