Question about 180 day timeframe

[demiurgician]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post after lurking on this forum for over a year. I am planning our first Disney vacation for Jan. 29 - Feb. 6, 2011. I have my ADRs all planned out (well, mostly!) and can't wait to book everything. I am planning to use a travel agent, not because I don't like to plan but because I want someone to call if something goes wrong. Now my question:

My 180 days starts on Monday, August 2nd, but from what I understand there is a good chance that 2011 packages won't have been released yet. If that's the case, how do I make my ADRs? And how will going through a travel agent (Small World Vacations) impact on this?

Thanks for your help!

Elizabeth

PS: I know I could ask my theoretical travel agent, but I haven't actually started working with anyone yet, and the planner in me just can't wait any longer!

 

[tinka-belle]

Except for the really popular places, like LeCellier and O'hana to name two, ADRs shouldn't be a problem within the 180 day window, UNLESS a super promo comes out for your dates. That's a "value" season time frame so booking meals less than six months out should be fine. Park hours should be out for Jan & Feb by the time you book ADRs, but can change up to your travel day.

If you want to make ADRs yourself, your TA can give you the Disney reservation number, which you'll need to associate to your dining ressies to open the 180 + 10 window. The dining res screen is allowing 190 days for some places, but no official word from Disney if that is a glitch or a planned enhancement they are testing. If you book ADRs before making a Disney reservation, you'll be limited to one day at a time unless some of the major glitches that have been reported (like fictitious res numbers and dates being accepted online) aren't fixed yet. My feeling is that these tech-burps will be fixed by the time you can make your ADRs.

Some clients ask me to make their ADRs, others are fine to make them themselves with a little input from me. One thing I've noticed for online ADRs though. Those that clients make themselves I haven't been able to pull up when I'm logged in to my Disney TA screen, and they haven't been able to see ADRs I've made through my TA site. When phoning Disney the dining CM's can see them all to make any cancellations or notes though.

It's best to phone for CRT or other ADRs that require pre-payment if you're on a dining plan and intend to use credits. The online site frequently does not recognize that your credit card is just a guarantee and charges the entire amount to your card. Better to call and get those done properly.

OH! And welcome to the DIS community!!! We're all here to help!

 

[Tricia1972]

There is a glitch in the computer system right now, so there is no 180 +10, but everyone is able to make a dining reservation 190 days before the day dining there. (No real benefit to resort guests until they get the confirmation number glitch fixed)


There is a long thread explaining it here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2474755 (most information is recapped on the last few pages)

 

[demiurgician]

Thank you both for your help!

So just to clarify, assuming everything is working as it should be by then, I can start book on day 180 and then later have those reservations "linked" to my package? Or is that necessary? FYI I do not think we will be using the dining plan.

And thanks for the info. about the current glitches. Really I hope that they fix it so that everything works as it should, but I will definitely be checking at day 190 just in case!

Thanks!

Elizabeth

PS: Wouldn't you know I had planned on going to Ohana on our second night? I will have to be sure to have a backup plan!

 

[demiurgician]

Thank you both for your help!

So just to clarify, assuming everything is working as it should be by then, I can start book on day 180 and then later have those reservations "linked" to my package? Or is that necessary? FYI I do not think we will be using the dining plan.

And thanks for the info. about the current glitches. Really I hope that they fix it so that everything works as it should, but I will definitely be checking at day 190 just in case!

Thanks!

Elizabeth

PS: Wouldn't you know I had planned on going to Ohana on our second night? I will have to be sure to have a backup plan!

 

[Cafeen]

Thank you both for your help!

So just to clarify, assuming everything is working as it should be by then, I can start book on day 180 and then later have those reservations "linked" to my package? Or is that necessary? FYI I do not think we will be using the dining plan.

And thanks for the info. about the current glitches. Really I hope that they fix it so that everything works as it should, but I will definitely be checking at day 190 just in case!

Thanks!

Elizabeth

PS: Wouldn't you know I had planned on going to Ohana on our second night? I will have to be sure to have a backup plan!

Assuming the system is working properly... you are correct with one caveat.

You will not need to link your Dining Reservations to your Resort Reservation after it is made. The only time the Resort Reservation comes into play with Dining Reservations (geeze, now I see why "ADR" has stuck, maybe I should go with my "CWAS" ("Call Way Ahead Seating") naming!*) is when booking them. It determines 180+10 eligibility as well as Dining Plan associations for pre-paid stuff (CRT and Dinner Shows) and changing the pre-payment to a credit card hold (both of these things are currently broken for online Dining Reservations, of course )

*I'm making a push, at least for myself, to use the official naming as much as possible, to keep things a bit clearer in my typical rambling posts. Hence me shying away from my own use of "ADR" (erm.. ignore it in my tutorial thingy kthnx!).