WDW is canceling Jan. 31st reservations at CRT to hold event for more $

Delgado

Active Member
I'd love to hear what they did for anyone who had a reservation cancelled. I am guessing they move the time/date and give out three fastpasses to use whenever. This takes out the "I had to plan" factor. I will even guess if they weren't on the DDP they received a gift card.
 

Grimley1968

Well-Known Member
oh they are making memories alright... just these days they aren't always the right ones
20 years from now this might be the memory of a family:

Father: "Remember, little Johnny/Janey when you were 6 and we planned and planned and planned to take you to CRT for dinner one night? Well, that was the PLAN, but 14 days before we were called and told there were 'operational difficulties' and that CRT was unavailable that night. We took the magical offer of a reimbursement of our pre-paid reservation, and Disney's offer of Tony's as a replacement, because CRT was not available at any time the rest of the week (which was the reason we booked it 6 months before). You met no pre-planned princesses that night. But that was okay, because we saved a bunch of money by going somewhere off property that night."

Johnny/Janey: "That sure was fun Dad. But now that I'm older and a bit more cynical, can you tell me what the 'operational difficulties' really were?"

Father: "<cough><cough><cough>I can't really remember. Disney found out a way to charge other people several times more than what I agreed to for the same thing. <cough>"
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Is there some official "rule" that one's vacation must be ruined before they can express displeasure with a decision like this?
I don't know where or why the number "30" came from, it seems odd. Are there exactly 31 tables at CRT?

Let's just say that there is-
So out of 31 families, how many booked that specific time because it is the exact time that they wanted? How many booked it because it was the only available? (Which sounds to be the case of the person who posted about it) How many of those people really care if they have lunch or dinner? How many are open to breakfast? How many say, you know what, I would take it or leave it, just refund my money and throw in some anytime fast passes? (This is probably a slim minority, but could be a few)
If all of the ones are given new times and any conflicting reservations/FPs adjusted accordingly.. is it really a reason to start a hashtag campaign? Or is it just an annoying situation that got fixed?

The "vacation ruined" comment was bc not all guests take everything so seriously. Some don't notice cabanas in Tomorrowland, some are ok if a ride breaks down, some don't care if the Yeti is working, some are ok if last minute changes happen. A Disney vacation is planned and viewed differently by all. Some can handle this situation without a meltdown or needing or wanting a hashtag campaign treating them like refugees.

Anyway, as I thought, the actual situation and outcome is being ignored in this thread and now it's all about Disney bashing and ignoring the facts. Disney made a mistake. No one is saying that they didn't. Wow though, campaigns and boycotts are taking it a little too far. I'll let you guys continue in your hate. Have fun :).
 

COProgressFan

Well-Known Member
It's very unlikely that any contract wouldn't have this covered (maybe why it was said to be the result of 'operational issues'). Does anyone else remember a few years a go when Disney was changing couples' wedding venues due to construction (or some such)? Their wedding.

While I agree that was a much bigger impact... it's also much more acceptable that construction ultimately has to happen. It's not like they closed the beach to the wedding party 3 weeks before the wedding... so they could hold a party for someone else..

Regarding weddings, the contracts with Disney weddings state that they have the right to move venues without compensation for any reason. (Basically, if a company wanted to come buy out the GF convention center for a conference, they would move your reception to another location).

Back when I knew some people at Disney weddings, I heard this happened very, very, rarely and when it did even though the contract said the couple wasn't entitled to anything, they usually comped a portion of charges and/or added extra things to the event at no charge to make up for the hassle.

I don't know if this still happens today.
 

DisneyPan

Active Member
As I noted, when the same thing happened to me two years ago, there was no adjusting or accommodating on Disney's part. The offer was "Let's see what other restaurants have availability that night". Perhaps Disney has learned since then and now does provide adjustments and accommodations when they cancel reservations for a special event, but none was offered in 2014.

That's my point. It's happened before. That means there's no repercussions on Disney to cancel. And as Disorbust said: this is a unique dining experience that people plan well in advance. Yes, there is the family that stumbles upon an opening, but I feel most people plan. Isn't that why Disney released MDE? I personally feel it was wrong and they should've figured out another way to make that night work without canceling guests' ADR.

And yes, they tried to fix the problem, but it's not like it was an honest mistake. This is a repeat occurrence that they know they can get away with...
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Wow.


I would completely agree with you if we knew for certain that people were unhappy and their vacations were "ruined". Not everyone has a minute by minute spreadsheet. I don't think everyone even makes a reservation or even plans a trip at 180 days out. No one that I (personally) know does. My family doesn't either. Somehow we still get all of the restaurants we want..CRT was available a while I was planning my trip, I debated but decided against it.
Of all of the reservations I did make, most of the time/days were chosen by me bc of restaurant availability. If Disney would have called and offered me another time then I would have been good with that. If it conflicted with my other plans I would have expected them to make the necessary adjustments to handle that.
From the one personal account that I have read- adjusting and accommodating is exactly what they did. The change actually worked out better for that person, and maybe worked out better for others. Some were furious I'm sure, but not all guests have a meltdown if a change in the itinerary needs to be made.

Disney made a mistake. They handled their mistake. The party was not during regular park hours, but somehow reservations were made during a time where set up would be going on. Human or computer error, who knows.
You can stare and scream at spilled milk, or you can just clean it up.

If it was a mistake, then they had two choices, inconvenience the people who booked the newly planned event that were paying a lot more, or inconvenience the people who had potentially booked their reservation 180 days ago but are paying less. It's interesting what choice they made.
 

Grimley1968

Well-Known Member
I don't know where or why the number "30" came from, it seems odd. Are there exactly 31 tables at CRT?.

Didn't you say before that you had read the OP? In case you forgot:

From the DisBoards:

"Here is the update...

I received a call from the proprietor of CRT this morning. He worked with me to move our BBB and CRT dinner reservations to 1/30. He was very helpful and seemed to be sincerely sorry for the incident.

I explained that I had learned why we were bumped and understood the reasoning. He said that 30 parties were unconvinced. I asked him to whom I could express my comments / concerns about these actions and he referred me to Guest Services. I will be writing them a letter shortly.

In the end, I feel that I was provided an acceptable replacement for what I had lost. I am disappointed that this was allowed to happen and will express my disappointment. I really don't expect to receive anything more.

I want WDW to know that as a guest, a stockholder and big Disney fan, that I am disappointed in the way that this was initially handled, when I had done everything to ensure my family had a great experience.

Thanks for sharing information and your comments."


The poster is far more patient than I would have been with this, and even he was not happy with the initial treatment.
 

Bandini

Well-Known Member
I don't know where or why the number "30" came from, it seems odd. Are there exactly 31 tables at CRT?
That's what the guest was told by management when the CRT reservation was cancelled. 30 reservations had to be cancelled.
The "vacation ruined" comment was bc not all guests take everything so seriously.
You are the only person who said this. But you seem incapable of empathizing with anyone else. Picture this: You have a 7 year old girl who loves the Disney princesses. You have one day at MK and you have managed to get a reservation for BBB and CRT afterward. Then Disney calls and tells you your reservation for CRT is canceled. Not because of "technical difficulties" but because of greed. Would you be disappointed?
I'll let you guys continue in your hate.
Bye @21stamps. Something tells me you'll be back...as usual.
 

Brad Bishop

Well-Known Member
CRT is a character meal, nothing more.

I took my daughters there back in 2008. I was pretty excited to not only go myself, but to share it with them.

My thoughts after:
- Cafeteria food. This wasn't anything to brag about. I'd argue it was sub-par to similar restaurants at WDW.
- The inside setting looks way better from the outside looking in than from the inside. It felt like a cafeteria with painted walls that were trying to be the inside of a castle and a few banners hanging down.
- Certainly didn't feel like I got my money's worth on it.
- Overall I was disappointed in it. I wouldn't do it again. Yeah, they characters came around and all that but it could have been so much more inside. I'd say that it was below average for theming which is really strange considering it's in the castle.

I'd say that you'd have a better meal and experience over at the Crystal Palace and it's cheaper (by about 1/2 at the time).
 

drizgirl

Well-Known Member
I don't know where or why the number "30" came from, it seems odd. Are there exactly 31 tables at CRT?

Let's just say that there is-
So out of 31 families, how many booked that specific time because it is the exact time that they wanted? How many booked it because it was the only available? (Which sounds to be the case of the person who posted about it) How many of those people really care if they have lunch or dinner? How many are open to breakfast? How many say, you know what, I would take it or leave it, just refund my money and throw in some anytime fast passes? (This is probably a slim minority, but could be a few)
If all of the ones are given new times and any conflicting reservations/FPs adjusted accordingly.. is it really a reason to start a hashtag campaign? Or is it just an annoying situation that got fixed?

The "vacation ruined" comment was bc not all guests take everything so seriously. Some don't notice cabanas in Tomorrowland, some are ok if a ride breaks down, some don't care if the Yeti is working, some are ok if last minute changes happen. A Disney vacation is planned and viewed differently by all. Some can handle this situation without a meltdown or needing or wanting a hashtag campaign treating them like refugees.

Anyway, as I thought, the actual situation and outcome is being ignored in this thread and now it's all about Disney bashing and ignoring the facts. Disney made a mistake. No one is saying that they didn't. Wow though, campaigns and boycotts are taking it a little too far. I'll let you guys continue in your hate. Have fun :).

The people who could "take it or leave it" never book there anyway. The price weeded them out already.

The number "30" came from a report from one of the affected people. The Disney rep who called mentioned that 30 other parties were not as understanding as him. That's how we know at least 30 other parties were affected. It was a first hand account.

I personally think the "vacation ruined" comment is a technique used to shut down conversation. You're not supposed to complain about something unless your trip is "ruined". Then I can guarantee that if someone posted that this ruined their trip, they would be raked over the coals for an overreaction.
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
The people who could "take it or leave it" never book there anyway. The price weeded them out already.

The number "30" came from a report from one of the affected people. The Disney rep who called mentioned that 30 other parties were not as understanding as him. That's how we know at least 30 other parties were affected. It was a first hand account.

I personally think the "vacation ruined" comment is a technique used to shut down conversation. You're not supposed to complain about something unless your trip is "ruined". Then I can guarantee that if someone poster that this ruined, they would be raked over the coals for an overreaction.
Right. I read the report. I posted about it here last night...including the initial phone call.
I'm saying it was a weird number for the manager to say, and I'm still not sure why he said anything at all. It wasn't very smart. So assuming there are 31 tables at CRT, edit here- or 31 reservations that were able to be made at a time that was supposed to be blocked out-that is the only info we have..so I used it that number to break it down.

If I would have booked it when originally debated, It wouldn't have been the highlight of my trip. I realize that for a lot of people, especially little girls, it is. Apparently Disney realizes this too, which is why they were so quick to offer a solution, and fall back to Solution B when A didn't work for a guest.

Alright, I'm out. There's no where else to go with this besides being stuck on a carousel. Have fun :)
 
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Bandini

Well-Known Member
I took my daughters there back in 2008. I was pretty excited to not only go myself, but to share it with them.

My thoughts after:
- Cafeteria food. This wasn't anything to brag about. I'd argue it was sub-par to similar restaurants at WDW.
- The inside setting looks way better from the outside looking in than from the inside. It felt like a cafeteria with painted walls that were trying to be the inside of a castle and a few banners hanging down.
- Certainly didn't feel like I got my money's worth on it.
- Overall I was disappointed in it. I wouldn't do it again. Yeah, they characters came around and all that but it could have been so much more inside. I'd say that it was below average for theming which is really strange considering it's in the castle.


I'd say that you'd have a better meal and experience over at the Crystal Palace and it's cheaper (by about 1/2 at the time).
True, I think everyone knows the food is meh. But it's not about the food. It's about taking your kids, who still believe in Princesses to CRT. It's about watching their expressions as the enter CRT and interact with the princesses. It's all about those memories.
None of my WDW memories are about food. They are about the experiences and atmosphere of WDW. Those are great memories.
 

SorcererMC

Well-Known Member
I don't get it. What other kind of error is there?

Technical error in their reservation system. In this case, I'm assuming that an actual person (eg special events coordinator or their assistant) has to go into the system to block out times for the special event. (Meaning I think this is an old-fashioned ID-10-T mistake or lack of communication)

In the absence of facts or more information, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt - even though Disney probably doesn't deserve it.....it depends on where on the totem pole the decision to cancel was made. From the other site, it seems that in the past Disney has cancelled reservations for anniversary events like this, so regular guests should be advised that it can and does happen. It doesn't make it right or excusable, but it is the reality.

I'll reiterate that I think that this could and should have been avoided, and I certainly wouldn't agree with it as standard operating procedure.
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
The people who could "take it or leave it" never book there anyway. The price weeded them out already.

The number "30" came from a report from one of the affected people. The Disney rep who called mentioned that 30 other parties were not as understanding as him. That's how we know at least 30 other parties were affected. It was a first hand account.

I personally think the "vacation ruined" comment is a technique used to shut down conversation. You're not supposed to complain about something unless your trip is "ruined". Then I can guarantee that if someone posted that this ruined their trip, they would be raked over the coals for an overreaction.

"He said that 30 parties were unconvinced"

"unconvinced" may have been a typo or auto-correct issue. It was probably supposed to say "inconvenienced", meaning 30 other parties had their reservation's canceled, not that 30 parties were not happy with the resolution.
 

Grimley1968

Well-Known Member
I'm saying it was a weird number for the manager to say, and I'm still not sure why he said anything at all. It wasn't very smart. So assuming there are 31 tables at CRT-Which that is the only info we have..so I used it that number to break it down.
The manager said 30 other parties were unconvinced. That means something entirely different than that there are 31 tables in CRT. I took it to mean that 30 other parties were, well, unconvinced, by the manager's explanation, and that they were able to get away with the explanation to other parties.
 

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
Would you wait to blow until after alternatives were offered? I'd like to think that Disney would handle this in the right way, reschedule, move things around. Change FPs if need be, BBB as well... I could be wrong, but it seems odd that they would just say "We're sorry. You're screwed. Enjoy your trip and good luck finding a good reservation."
And yet, that is precisely what they did to me 2 years ago. And while I never "blew", I did wait to express my anger until the alternatives were offered. Sadly, there were none.
 
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Kingtut

Well-Known Member
I've done that a few times myself. I'm always completely embarassed when I finally come down. If possible, I will actually find the person I went nuts on and apologize personally. I've actually done this a few times. In your case, I could see me doing the exact same thing and I would've felt terrible once Krakatoa was done erupting.

I'm pretty certain cancellation of my CRT reservation several weeks before my trip would've caused an eruption. If it was the year I was going there for my daughter's 4th birthday......all bets would've been off.

This is becoming typical of the way they run. You need to plan waaay in advance, but maybe nighttime shows won't be every night...maybe theme parks won't be open late or they will. Now we can add the small, but real possibility, that your dining reservation will overlap with some ridiculous last second event. Customer service just slowly becomes less and less a Disney thing. Of course, they now know there is no need since a large fraction of their fan base will defend any action and actually pay a premium for any crap they throw out. The onus is on the customer. If you're hosed, you need to be flexible. Your problem, get over it. Don't expect anything. That dude over there is paying $50 for the realistic Frontierland Dysentery experience and any normal consumer expectations have gone by the boards.
I suppose that Disney has hired Crusty the Clown away from Universal Springfield to handle everything involved with "guests" ( or are we now more appropriately called cattle?) If someone is paying for the Dysentary Experience - does that mean I now need a Magical Fastpass for the ( hopefully minimally clean) restrooms?

All sarcasm aside - it appears that Disney now has determined that they don't have any obligation to their customers , except to take their money. As you say we have to plan everything 180 days out without knowing just what will be available to us when we finally get there. It is just so sad to see this happen to a place we loved.
 

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