Advanced Dining Reservation Changes Effective 10/27/09: Official Announcement & FAQ's

[Figment!]

180-day Booking Window
8/11/2009

As a part of our normal course of business, we regularly evaluate feedback from our Guests and adjust our offerings accordingly. As a result, we have made the decision to adjust to a 180-day booking window for dining, recreation and tour offerings (+10 days for Resort Guests). At the same time, the Theme Park Operating Calendar will be published to Guests 180 days out as well.

This adjusted booking window will go into effect, Tuesday, October 27, 2009.

This change will not impact existing dining, recreation and tour reservations. These reservations will be honored as booked.

We feel this will offer Guests a better service in order to coordinate and plan their vacations.

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FAQs:

Q: Why is the booking window transitioning to a 180-day window?
A: As a part of our normal course of business, we regularly evaluate feedback from our
Guests and adjust our offerings accordingly. As a result, we have made the decision to
adjust to a 180-day booking window for dining, recreation and tour offerings (+10
days for Resort Guests). We feel this offer provides our Guests with a greater window
of time to pre-plan their vacation.

Q: Will park hours also be going to a 180-day window?
A: Yes, park hours will also reflect a 180-day window for Guests on our Disney.com
website.

Q: How will Guests who have a current reservation be notified that they can now
book 180 days out?
A: Guests who have already booked future resort reservations for arrivals after January
25, 2010, will be notified via phone or email of the upcoming policy change for
booking 180 days in advance (+10 days for Resort Guests).

Q: Will this 180-day booking window also apply to Resort room reservations?
A:No, reservations for Walt Disney World® Resort hotels may be secured up to 500 days
in advance.

Q: Will this 180-day booking window apply to bookings made online for both Guest
and Cast reservations?
A: Yes, it will apply to all our Walt Disney World® Resort booking venues.

Q: Will Walt Disney World Resort Guests still receive the 180-day plus 10-days
benefit?
A:Yes, Walt Disney World® Resort Guests will have the 180-day plus 10-days benefit.

Q: What is the 180-days plus 10-days benefit for Resort Guests?
A: Walt Disney World® Resort Guests are able to book 180 days out from their arrival
date and up to an additional 10 days of their stay. This allows Resort Guests to
potentially book dining, recreation and tour reservations for their entire stay and not
have to call back every day after the initial booking.

Q: Does the change impact existing dining, recreation and tour reservations
currently booked?
A: No, all existing dining, recreation and tour reservations will be honored as booked.

[Dsnygirl]

Just sent Disney a long letter about what a bad idea I think this is, based on what I had read on another post.

If they are doing this in response to people's complaints about not getting ADR's, they need to re-consider, and realize that the problem is with all the double-bookings they are allowing, not the timeline.

Most people I know prefer the 90-day timeline... who really wants to be sitting down 6 months in advance, trying to figure out what & where they want to eat?? (Yes, we all did it before, but didn't most of us like it better when it became 90 days??) I am guessing that Disney will see the double-booking of ADR's increase, as people will be even more unsure of where they want to eat, and will book everywhere "just to have a spot in case we're in the mood". Totally selfish, yes, but that's what we're already hearing people are doing for September. So, I can't imagine Nov/Dec and school vaca's being any better.

All that being said, it will be interesting to see what happens with holiday bookings... imagine the furor that is going to come when families are trying, in JUNE, to book their Christmas meals, and they can't, b/c all the good spots are taken. Disney thinks it has upset guests now???

(Hmmm... also just realized that we were considering going next August. Six months out from that is February. Well, there is NO way we will have decided if we're travelling to Disney by February... and I can assure you, if we decide by May to travel in August, and there's no good dining left?? We're going nowhere near Disney! I'm wondering if this 180-day window, if double-bookings continue, will radically decrease people's "last minute" trips?? Not good for Disney on that front, either.)

[Mickey'sGirl]

Honestly, we have NEVER had a problem securing the ADR's we want, regardless of the time of year we were travelling, or whether we are on the Dining Plan or not, or if it was at 90 days or 180 days. That said we are flexible, and don't care for places such as Cali Grill, Le Cellier or The Rose and Crown, so perhaps our palettes have been working for us.

I do know that in past editions of various tour books, the authors have recommended "double booking" as a strategy (Can you imagine?! ) . I don't think the problem with double booking lies with the days out from check in that reservations can be made, but with the system as a whole...and unfortunately, I can not imagine how to solve that problem. Ignorant people will be ignorant people. Personally, I curse the day that the Dining Plan was born.

[Dsnygirl]

I don't think the problem with double booking lies with the days out from check in that reservations can be made, but with the system as a whole...and unfortunately, I can not imagine how to solve that problem. Ignorant people will be ignorant people. Personally, I curse the day that the Dining Plan was born.

Jenn, I whole-heartedly agree... but it seems the problem has come to a head with the online system. I'm wondering if people were better before re: double-booking when they were actually calling and talking to a person who would question them on it, vs. being on an impersonal computer, and they just blow right through the pop-up that asks you if you really intend to have 2 meals at 2 places at the same time.

We have never had a problem, either, no matter the timeline... but I'm concerned that the online system will just ge worse with 180 days b/c people will be that much more unsure of what they want.

And I agree with you on the DDP... we weren't fans of it in December, although our palettes aren't as flexible as you & your guys' are, either. But I'm working on it!!

[mickey&missy]

I cant believe they're going back to 180 days! I suprises me that people liked 180 days better then 90!

I'm almost positive that if you took a poll on the various message board the majority of people would pick 90 days!

We normally book our reservations far in advance so it's not all that important to me.

I just wonder if going to 90 days had something to do with seeing how the new computer system could handle it and now that everything is up an running without glitches they decided to go back to 180!

[SurferStitch]

I can't believe the people I've talked to who say they hate the 90 day window because they can't get any places they like. Really, 90 or 180 doesn't make a difference at all. Why can't they understand that???

It's the system that's the problem, not the time span.

I love the 90 day window, and wish they would keep it. At least this change won't affect our trip in December.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

It really doesn't matter to us.

We book our trips well in advance, and I don't really have a better idea of where I want to eat at 90-days vs 180-days.

Either way, we'll plan and I'll be on-line at 6am sharp, hoping and praying for what we want.

I do wish they would stay with one or the other, it is the changing that will confuse people!

[sisterslovindisney]

I like that park hours will come out earlier but I can't imagine knowing what I want to eat 180 days out - plus we don't get the dining plan but if it happens to be free dining we would. Will free dining promotions be known 180 days out so people can plan or will we just have to guess?
Also I would be really mad if I was one of the people whose 90 day window was October 27th. Now if I understand correctly everyone from 90 days to 180 days from October 27th will be able to book on that day..I'm glad our 90 day window opens October 5th!

[JPL]

I hate the 180 Day window! Most of the time I never plan a trip more than 6 months out. So this leave people like me out in the cold when it comes to ADRs. I really don't see why Disney would switch back the same people who couldn't get what they wanted at the 90 day mark will have the same problems at the 180 day mark. All this does is punish people for not planning their trips 6 months out

[Aggie97]

We've never even booked a WDW resort reservation 180 days out, let alone made our ADRs. Unfortunately our work schedules have never been conducive to planning vacation time that far in advance! The 90-day window suits us perfectly.

I just can't imagine that the park calendars that Disney will release at 180 days will have any level of stability or accuracy, which will be really frustrating....

[tinksmom02]

We've never even booked a WDW resort reservation 180 days out, let alone made our ADRs.

Our trip next month is the ONLY one that we booked more than 180 days out, and couldn't take advantage of booking right at 180 days. LOL

I thought I would hate the 90 days out, but it's really not too bad. I agree that the problem is the system.

[Maleficent's Dad]

I hate the 180 Day window!

Jeff, I do agree with your points. 180 days out is a long, long, long ways away to plan your "dining experiences."

I just hope that Disney does release their park schedules at least that far in advance, and then they keep to the schedules that they release! Can't tell you how many times they "revise" the schedules based on what, ahem, guests need/want.

I believe that the guests want 180 day ADR's like they want more and greater price increases...

[wdwnomad]

I guess I am in the minority here but I am happy they are going back to the 180 day window. I almost always have my trips booked well in advance of that time frame. The past two years I have booked the bouceback deal for the next year. I am hoping they do another bouceback deal again. With the time frame I go by the time the 180 days opens up free dining hasn't been offered to the general public yet. This makes ADR's must easier to get.

[elmjimmlm]

It comes down to a hope and a prayer to get the reservations that you want despite the timeline...I would love to be able to decide when I get there and what I am in the mood for at that given moment not 6 mths. out...

[JPL]

Jeff, I do agree with your points. 180 days out is a long, long, long ways away to plan your "dining experiences."

It's actually is a long long way out to plan a trip especially in this economy.

I know for me a a lot of things factor in when planning a trip.

• DVC Availabilty
• AP Room Rates
• Airfare Rates
• Time Off
• Special Events
• Annual pass expiration date
• Friends and Family

To name a few. These things rarely come together within the 180 day window.

[Sunshine1010]

Sooooooooo, I'm gonna be there Dec. 5th. Am I now allowed to make reservations?

[Dragongirlx]

I hate that they are going back to 180 days. I find it really difficult to know where I want to eat that far in advance. However at least they have online booking so I don't have to make the pricy call from the UK

[Carolanne]

I guess I am in the minority here but I am happy they are going back to the 180 day window. I almost always have my trips booked well in advance of that time frame.

I'm in the same minority. I'm that person that books the trip 6 or more months out and I already know where I want to eat when booking. I already knew where I wanted to eat for my upcoming September trip back in March, and had the hardest time getting the places I wanted and the times I wanted when I called on my 90-day mark--it was frustrating, more so because I never had to deal with that in the past (even with free dining).

I do understand I'm in the minority & not everyone knows (or just can't book ADRs) so far in advance. And I can see how maybe it isn't just the time-frame itself that blocks people out, but also those that make double (and triple) bookings to ensure they get somewhere (maybe it's a little from column A & a little from column B).

[TheDuckRocks]

Sooooooooo, I'm gonna be there Dec. 5th. Am I now allowed to make reservations?

180-day Booking Window
8/11/2009
This adjusted booking window will go into effect, Tuesday, October 27, 2009.

Between now and Oct. 27, 2009 it will still be the 90+10 day time frame.

[SurferStitch]

I'm in the same minority. I'm that person that books the trip 6 or more months out and I already know where I want to eat when booking. I already knew where I wanted to eat for my upcoming September trip back in March, and had the hardest time getting the places I wanted and the times I wanted when I called on my 90-day mark--it was frustrating, more so because I never had to deal with that in the past (even with free dining).

I do understand I'm in the minority & not everyone knows (or just can't book ADRs) so far in advance. And I can see how maybe it isn't just the time-frame itself that blocks people out, but also those that make double (and triple) bookings to ensure they get somewhere (maybe it's a little from column A & a little from column B).

It wasn't the 90 day window that contributed at all to your problems booking your ADR's. Everybody is in the same boat whether it's 90 or 180 days.

One big contributor is that you called in (at 7:00 am ET I would guess), and online booking opened at 6:00 am ET. You basically lost an hour there.

Also, like you mentioned, the double bookings don't help at all.