Quick stop at Disney

S

Stryker412

Member
We're going to the Shuttle launch on the 13th then Disney for the rest of that day and leaving on the 14th.

I know it's really close to our trip but I just called for dining and didn't have much luck. Anyone know if there's anyway to get into Crystal Palace for breakfast if it's all booked? Is there a way to get on a cancellation list or something?
 
No cancellation list that I am aware of, but I would try dining at least 3-4 times a day until you go. ; If there is a cancellation, you just have to get lucky and catch it.
 
I HATE the new dining system. We couldnt even get into the wave at the contemporary. It shouldnt be that hard to get into a restauarant.

Maybe, if you get to the park as early as possible you can just wait to be seated. Thursday shouldnt be to bad of day as opposed to a Saturday or Sunday?
 
i have had success just going up to the window and telling them that i don't mind waiting if something becomes available.
 
"Craig" said:
I HATE the new dining system. We couldnt even get into the wave at the contemporary. It shouldnt be that hard to get into a restauarant.
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Time to start another mafia group? ; ;)


Until Disney begins charging for missed reservations not cancelled in a timely manner the problem will continue. ; I know that they are trying to make things better by now linking ADR with a hotel stay, but with the free dining plan, the old standbys are filling up.

Makes me yearn for the days when you couldn't reserve a seat until the morning of. ; Had to do that for the Blue Bayou - went to DL at rope drop on Mother's Day ; so I could get lunch reservations.
 
"Roger" said:
Until Disney begins charging for missed reservations not cancelled in a timely manner the problem will continue. ;
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right you are. ; been saying that for years, unfortunately.
 
Dina and I used to eat 2-3 times at Chef Mickey's every summer trip.
We haven't eaten there in at least 3 years now. We never want to wait over an hour for a table and never can get a table reserved.
I just cant get used to having to make dining reservations 6 months out.
 
Agreed - I'll join that mafia. ; Can't stand the way the dining reservations are run now. ; The whoel concept of planning entire trip itineraries and schedules 6-8 months out already mystified me, but allowing reservations that far in advance, which inevitably is being taken advantage of by folks booking multiples at a time and then deciding which to actually use when they get there...well that is just stupid. ; And it really ruins it for everyone else, who just want to make a normal reservation same-day, or walk up and wait for a seat...it's definitely getting noticeably harder every trip. ; I used to go to Le Cellier and walk up with no reservations, wait 30-40 minutes, and get in even at Memorial Day weekend. ; Then it started getting bad enough where we'd call a day or two before to book it, as same day walkups were extending past 1 hour with no guarantees. ; Then, calling the first day of our trip, 3-4 days out, we were batting 50/50 on getting one of our top 3 restaurant choices - often Le Cellier the first victim to fall off the list. ; The past year, Le Cellier has been a flat NO at every time of year I've gone - busy season, empty season, winter, summer. ; Booked already many months out. ; Even the crazy European dinner hours that I tend to eat. ; Lately, even standbys like San Angel and Nine Dragons have been a bust.

I fortunately am so unplanned and relaxed when I go to Disney that I don't mind - I can always get in somewhere - and have a few backup backups to use when all else fails where I can still get a very good meal in a nice atmosphere (Maya Grill, Restaurant Marrakesh, Turf Club, Shutters). ; But I wonder if even those are going to start disappearing to the 6-month planners! ; Future trips could see me at the turkey leg carts or counter services for dinner...unless they start booking THOSE 6 months out too! ; ("Yeah, hi...I've got reservations for December 3-7, and I'd like to reserve an order for a #3 combo with a large coke from Cosmic Ray's at 1:33pm on the 4th please")
 
"zackiedawg" said:
("Yeah, hi...I've got reservations for December 3-7, and I'd like to reserve an order for a #3 combo with a large coke from Cosmic Ray's at 1:33pm on the 4th please")
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I'm sorry, Cosmic Ray will be switching to a different combo system on December 1, so we won't be able to process your request until after that day. ; Thank you for calling and I hope you celebrate with us again!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
 
LOL, I agree that the system does need to change. ; I however am one of those folks that are on the phone, 6 months out because I want to eat where we want to eat. ; For the first time in 3 or 4 attempts (3-4 years) I finally got a reservation at Le Cellier! ; We are also booked at Chef Mickey's, Hoop De Doo and Spirit of Aloha. ; There might be one or two others, but the rest will be counter service or we're going to try bringing a bag lunch. ; Which by the way, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts, experience or comments on.

I agree though, the system does need to penalize people for making and then not keeping reservations, or just go back to the video call system from Epcot Center, and do it the day of.
 
I proposed on Twitter awhile back that Disney should make the following changes to make more money:
  • All current dining plans exist but no ADRs allowed except for what are known as premium dining locations (need 2 TS credits)
  • For an added surcharge, you get the right to make ADR's 90 days out
  • For an even more expensive surcharge, you get the right to walk up and get the next available table that will support your party (size limitations apply)

I wonder how many people would actually pay a surcharge (albeit it cannot be trivially small) to get the right to make ADRs. ; I doubt it will be many in propoprtion to the total number of DDP participants
 
Count me in as a member of the Mafia. I tried making my dining reservations 3 - 4 weeks prior to our trip in January & did not have much luck. I was prettly flexible on everything save Breakfast on my son's Birthday. We ended up having to do a lot of compromising. In the end we were able to get a late seating for his Birthday Breakfast at O'Hana which was great. While we do love O'Hana, he really wanted Crystal Palace on his Birthday. I even tried lunch & dinner, but was informed that it was all booked on that day. I never used to have any trouble getting what I was looking for. I guess I too will have to start planning my dining further out.

Let's see... March 2011 is ONLY 21 months away, Already! I better get started now. Going to get my calendar...... ; ;D ;D ;D
 
"PolynesianMedic" said:
we're going to try bringing a bag lunch. ;
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I heard that Disney's bag lunch can be replicated by making it yourself (using the same food found in the park) rather than by ordering it in advance, and waiting for your turn for them to bag it for you.
 
So far it looks like all the good places are booked. I did manage to get:

Sat 4:30pm Rose and Crown
Sun 6:20pm Liberty Tree

I'll call each day to try for Crystal Palace.
 
I called again just now, and the woman I spoke with was very nice. She said the best time to call is between 8:30-10pm the night before since so many people cancel last minute. Also she said to call the morning of around 7am.
 
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