DDP Overcrowding/ADR Solutions?

[Phantod]

Okay, we've all been reading about the problems getting ADRs unless you call the very first day you can, whether that be 90 or 180 days out.

So what happens when you decide at the last minute, say 45 days out, and every TS restaurant is booked and you call and you call and you still can't find ANY dinners, and maybe some or no lunches.

On another thread it was discussed that if you try to get a rezzie the day of, you are going to be flat out of luck. So here you are, you've paid for some number of TS meals, and the only thing you can get is your local resort (maybe).

I don't know about you, but this is getting to be a real pain. If it was me, and I paid that money for the DDP and couldn't get ANY TSs, I'd be unhappy and complaining big time.

Okay, so that's the background. But what's the solution? My DW and I have been wracking our brains trying to figure out a resolution. I'm guessing this DDP program came about because the TS restaurants weren't filling up. Now, you flat out can't get into any of them on any kind of short notice, so the pendalum has swung the other way. How do we find that happy medium where you can still find a dinner at at TS restaurant a day or 2 in advance?

My idea is to limit the number of DDPs given out for any period of time. Once the limit has been reached, you can go Quick Service with discounted rooms or something else, but you can't get the DDP. There might be some complaints, but I think people are going to start rethinking the whole DDP thing if they can't get any TSs. When we did if for the first time back in 2006, it wasn't too big of a challenge. Now it's a nightmare...especially if you ever want to change things after the 90 days. For example, we ended up adding 2 days to our trip several weeks after the 90 days. Do you think we could get any TS for dinner? Not on your life. If we ever have to do a short notice trip (less than 180 days?), we'll probably forgo the DDP or get the Quick Service....we did that before and we can do it again.

But does anyone else have any ideas toward addressing the issue?

[FriendsofMickey]

I think a partial solution would be to start requiring a credit card hold for all dining ressies and charging a small fee per diner if they are a no show.

I think a large part of the problem is that there a so many people out there that are making ressies to 'save' a spot for themselves (just in case). This would eliminate a lot of this and free up dining ressies for those who want them.

[Seasonscraps]

They could open more restaurants that take the dining plan. I believe that's part of the re-vamp PI plan.

FWIW, ESPN and Beaches & Cream take the DDP but not ADRs so you can get into one of those places even during free dining periods.
And maybe Big RIver Grill but I am not sure.

[MistressGracey]

It wouldn't hurt if the person taking your ressies asked at the end of the call, "Are there any dining reservations you need to cancel?" About 10 days after I made our DDP ressies, I switched our plans around just a bit and had to change two reservation times. I did this over the phone, but (as always) logged into the internet later to verify that they had gotten them right. They did, but they also left on the original 2 reservation times that I no longer needed. Keep in mind, I was pretty specific on the phone that I was *changing* reservations. I ended up calling back and cancelling the two I didn't need, thus freeing them up for someone else. I couldn't help but wonder though, how many reservations are being tied up this way.

As a side note, I called the very first day allowed to make our ressies and didn't have too much trouble with any except Ohana. All they had was a 9:30PM, so I took it with the idea that I could try to get it bumped up closer to the trip. Well, we are 30 or so days out now from leaving, and STILL nothing earlier at Ohana. I guess we're eating at 9:30 at Ohana!

[MistressGracey]

[QUOTE=FriendsofMickey;1939450]I think a partial solution would be to start requiring a credit card hold for all dining ressies and charging a small fee per diner if they are a no show.

I think this is an EXCELLENT idea! Not only would it keep people from making reservations they are not really sure they even want, but it would give them some motivation to cancel them when/if they change their mind!

[Seasonscraps]

That seems unfair to people that can't or don't use credit cards. I can understand having credit card holds for the extremely popular places to prevent double booking, but a place like Boatrights?

[Disney Doll]

I think the main problem is free dining. Tons of people take advantage of that offer making dining in September a real hassle. We had no problems last October when we decided the day of that we wanted dinner at Boma. In fact making the ADRs for October was a breeze compared to the hassle we've had for this September. We're not even using the free dining plan so it's extra irritating to me.

I don't really have a solution though. Free dining does what it's meant to do, entice visitors right about the time the back to school lull starts. Plus, since Disney gets rack room rates for every person using free dining it's pretty good for business. People feel like they are getting a super bargain, but Disney isn't loosing much.

Personally, I just plan to avoid September in the future.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) There are only two solutions
. . . WDW stops the DDP
. . . Guests stop being greedy
2) Neither are probable.

3) WDW is making too much money from DDP
. . . most people lose money when buying DDP
. . . fixed costs (burden) are over-absorbed
. . . net profits are way, way up in each eatery
4) Guests want to pig-out
. . . they don't care about quality of food *
. . . they don't care about the uniqueness of the food *
. . . they don't care about atmosphere *
. . . they want to just shove down the food

5) So, count on future ADR problems.
6) To quote that famous comic strip philosopher, Pogo
. . . we have met the enemy, and it is us

* I accept flames for the statement, but WDW has changed menus and food items, and the buying public doesn't care. They think they got a bargain, so they just chow-down. Meanwhile, the eateries dumb-down the menu items, reduce the atmosphere, and generally lower the dining experience. And, now, not only is WDW increasing the cost of DDP, they are increasing it for busy seasons. As WDW, politicians and PT Barnum have known for some time, never overestimate the intelligence of the public.

[It'sWDW4me]

I think a partial solution would be to start requiring a credit card hold for all dining ressies and charging a small fee per diner if they are a no show.

I think a large part of the problem is that there a so many people out there that are making ressies to 'save' a spot for themselves (just in case). This would eliminate a lot of this and free up dining ressies for those who want them.

This is the exact solution that I was thinking too - your card gets charged for a no-show. Thinking on this deeper, though, I can think of some potential issues:

1. Guest calls to cancel extra ressies and either the CM doesn't complete the cancel or there's a glitch and the ressie somehow doesn't get canceled. I can only imagine how many irate calls Disney would get from people insisting that they did cancel that ressie but they were charged the "no-show" fee. Possible solution - ressie confirm/cancellation emails? And it goes on and on with "I didn't get the email...."

2. Guest waits until last minute to cancel extra ressies based on where they feel like going that day. The no available ressie problem remains until the very last minute. Possible solution - tier the "no-show" fee. Ressies canceled within 24 hrs are charged premium fee which is reduced the farther out cancellation occurs (days, weeks). And I still see problems within this possible solution.

What if Disney charged a fee to make a ressie and that fee was then refunded to your cc or credited to your TS bill when you did show? Credit/refunds could also be given if a ressie was canceled within a reasonable timeframe - say, a week before the ADR time? Would a $10, $20 fee per ressie whittle down the double and triple ressies? Probably. It would probably also cut down on ADR's made at-all since some people wouldn't be willing/able to afford to pay for DDP and the ressie fee in advance.

[Seasonscraps]

* I accept flames for the statement, but WDW has changed menus and food items, and the buying public doesn't care. They think they got a bargain, so they just chow-down. Meanwhile, the eateries dumb-down the menu items, reduce the atmosphere, and generally lower the dining experience. And, now, not only is WDW increasing the cost of DDP, they are increasing it for busy seasons. As WDW, politicians and PT Barnum have known for some time, never overestimate the intelligence of the public.

We don't even consider the dining plan because of this reason.

We may eat in one or two disney restaurants but for the most part seek out places that don't take DDP on property like Shula's or House of Blues. Or we just go off property to eat. It probably takes less time to do that then it does to take a bus to another restaurant on property and get seated.

[green ranger]

I'm a little confused because whether you are on the DDP or not, you need to make ADR, right? So why is the DDP being pointed at for the problems of not being able to get into restaurants? When we were not on the DDP in 2006, we still had problems with getting into places. Doesn't it just have to do with the way they accept reservations so far in advance?

[Seasonscraps]

I'm a little confused because whether you are on the DDP or not, you need to make ADR, right? So why is the DDP being pointed at for the problems of not being able to get into restaurants? When we were not on the DDP in 2006, we still had problems with getting into places. Doesn't it just have to do with the way they accept reservations so far in advance?

The DDP has drastically increased the volume of people that eat in TS restaurants. Now that so many of the guests are paying for their meals in advance they are of course going to make sure they get their money's worth.

I read tons of posts where people said they didn't eat in TS restaurants before getting the plan since it made it affordable especially back when the plan was less expensive and the tips & appys were included. Or they would only have one or two TS a trip but now go every day because of the plan.

[goofysbabe]

How do you check your dining rezzies on line? I went to the wdw website, but I couldn't find anything there

[redleg96]

1) . . .
* I accept flames for the statement, but WDW has changed menus and food items, and the buying public doesn't care. They think they got a bargain, so they just chow-down. Meanwhile, the eateries dumb-down the menu items, reduce the atmosphere, and generally lower the dining experience. And, now, not only is WDW increasing the cost of DDP, they are increasing it for busy seasons. As WDW, politicians and PT Barnum have known for some time, never overestimate the intelligence of the public.

Couldn't agree with RustyScupper more. Last summer we sat in Boatwright's for dinner, and a family next to us was forcing the kids to eat everything on their plate. Toward the end of the meal, one of the young boys in the party (aged 7 or so) got up, braced himself against a wooden beam and threw up several times. His parents stayed at the table and continued to keep filling themselves instead of taking the child to the bathroom after the first time he threw up. The boy sat down and started eating again. These people left the staff at Boatwrights to pick up the vomit, and it was right next to the hostess poidium. The parents acted like nothing had happened. I have never witnessed anything like it before. I guess they wanted the most value out of their dining plan at the expense of their child and all the dinners that witnessed the event. And because they were on the dining plan they didn't leave a tip. (We shared the same waiter.)

[MNNHFLTX]

1) There are only two solutions
. . . WDW stops the DDP
. . . Guests stop being greedy
2) Neither are probable.

3) WDW is making too much money from DDP
. . . most people lose money when buying DDP
. . . fixed costs (burden) are over-absorbed
. . . net profits are way, way up in each eatery
4) Guests want to pig-out
. . . they don't care about quality of food *
. . . they don't care about the uniqueness of the food *
. . . they don't care about atmosphere *
. . . they want to just shove down the food

I'm not flaming you, Rusty, but I don't totally understand the logic. How are guests being greedy? They were offered an incentive for booking a package (especially if it's free dining). Room-only discounts are similar incentives. This is all because Disney wants to fill up their inventory of rooms. And you also state, on the other hand, that Disney is making loads of money on the DDP, so isn't it Disney that's being greedy? As far people getting their money's worth with the DDP, I think it's a toss-up since they changed the program (eliminating the appetizer and not including the gratuity). I, for one, am not a dessert eater, so am far less likely to come out ahead on the deal. I do concede that the quality of the food may suffer due to Disney management wanting to maximize their profits, but I ask again--how does this actually make the guest greedy? I use coupons at the grocery store. Does that make me greedy because I want to try and get a good deal?

Eventually I do think guests will get wise to the actual benefit of the dining plan, especially with the difficulty in getting an ADR. Then I guess Disney will have to use another tactic.

Couldn't agree with RustyScupper more. Last summer we sat in Boatwright's for dinner, and a family next to us was forcing the kids to eat everything on their plate. Toward the end of the meal, one of the young boys in the party (aged 7 or so) got up, braced himself against a wooden beam and threw up several times. His parents stayed at the table and continued to keep filling themselves instead of taking the child to the bathroom after the first time he threw up. The boy sat down and started eating again. These people left the staff at Boatwrights to pick up the vomit, and it was right next to the hostess poidium. The parents acted like nothing had happened. I have never witnessed anything like it before. I guess they wanted the most value out of their dining plan at the expense of their child and all the dinners that witnessed the event. And because they were on the dining plan they didn't leave a tip. (We shared the same waiter.)

Unless you heard for a fact that they forced the boy to eat due to the dining plan, I would have my doubts. I would think most parents would have more of a problem with a kid not finishing their meal if they were paying the regular price for it. Plus, I don't think there was even free dining offered until the very end of summer and beginning of fall, was there? Anyway, my guess (and it's just a guess, of course) is that this was probably typical behavior for this family, even at home. But I doubt it represents the average person utilizing the dining plan at Disney World.

[liz12303]

I think...
They limited the number of TS reservations to the number you are allowed on the plan. So if you are staying 6 nights you cannot make more than 6 TS ADRs. If you need to change then you need to cancel one first.

Also, they should require a credit card for people who are not using the Dining Plan.

I think anyone can just sign on and get an ADR even if they are not staying in Disney, so maybe they should require some sort of reservation number if you want to make an ADR.

[green ranger]

I think...
They limited the number of TS reservations to the number you are allowed on the plan. So if you are staying 6 nights you cannot make more than 6 TS ADRs. If you need to change then you need to cancel one first.

Also, they should require a credit card for people who are not using the Dining Plan.

I think anyone can just sign on and get an ADR even if they are not staying in Disney, so maybe they should require some sort of reservation number if you want to make an ADR.

The problem with limiting the number of TS reservations to the number you are allowed on the plan is that some people do more than one TS a day and may pay out of pocket for some. Believe it or not, there are some days that we do a TS breakfast and a late TS dinner putting us over the limit of our TS per night. Disney makes us hungry!

[luvDaMouse]

This may not work but...What about eliminating ADR’s all-together?? When we went back in 2004 (my first time since my honeymoon in 1986) I did not have all the information about dining, park passes, fast passes etc that I do now. When we checked in the CM at the front desk asked us if we wanted to make any dining/tour reservations at that time. We made them then. Unless you are a huge party of 10 or more couldn’t you just make your reservations when you are checking in??

[Seasonscraps]

I think...
They limited the number of TS reservations to the number you are allowed on the plan. So if you are staying 6 nights you cannot make more than 6 TS ADRs. If you need to change then you need to cancel one first.

This won't work since not everyone that eats at Disney restaurants are on the dining plan and some people have more then on table service meal a day.

Also, they should require a credit card for people who are not using the Dining Plan.

I think anyone can just sign on and get an ADR even if they are not staying in Disney, so maybe they should require some sort of reservation number if you want to make an ADR.

What kind of reservation number? Are you saying that only disney resort guests should be able to make ADRs?

[MNNHFLTX]

Why yes, thank you...I do know it for a fact. Thank you for asking. The parents continually verbally reprimanded the child for not eating faster and finishing everything. I can also confirm that they were on the DDP. You can safely put your doubts aside. I never made any claim that they received free dining as you imply. This goes back to one of the posts regarding greedy eaters. You reinforced my claim I have no doubt that this was probably average behavior at their home as well. The parents were also unfotunately victims of the global obesity epidemic and due to forced eating, no matter what the reason, have their children on this path as well. Regardless if they paid out of pocket or on DDP, it is not appropriate to continue to fill your face as your child vomits between tables.

I meant no offense and I apologize if it came across that way. I made the comment about free dining only because I have a hard imagining that most people buy into the dining plan at the regular prices--I know I wouldn't. And I agree that their behavior was atrocious. I look at it as not so much greedy but gluttonous.

I can imagine it was a very distasteful situation (to say the least) to be in the middle of.