What is going on with Disney parks?

[DGsAtBLT]

Honestly, even though I am currently in the planning loop, jumping through the hoops to have my preplanned relaxing trip, and, I do think that putting the effort in before the trip makes the trip better, I ALSO believe that a relaxing vacation should not involve this much effort.
I have particular reasons to want to go to WDW this one more time though.
I don't think Disney should give step by step guidelines, but I do think a small thing once you are booked, like a small calendar with Your ADR Date is x - while we do have options available all the time, if you really want specific meals, character meals etc, you are advised to book early. Check www..... for menus and info. Your FP+ date is y. See www... for which parks have which rides available to FP. FPS make the queue shorter for you, so, it is worth making some.
Everything after that is really about experience and personal preference, and there is also joy in being able to discover YOUR Disney holiday,

They already do similar, don’t they? They sent us booklets and I’m 90% sure they had our FP and ADR dates in them. Ive gotten emails in advance of booking windows letting me know when they begin. I’ve gotten emails the day booking windows open reminding me (you know, incase my 5 AM alarm didn’t ).

I think that’s sufficient. They’re not going to advertise the need to be up at dawn to book popular attractions or you may not get a FP. They’re not going to tell you some of their FP options are terrible. The complications come from Disney allowing these things to be booked and planned in advance in the first place. If they want to make things less complicated the answer is eliminating the need to make decisions like what you’re going to ride at 10:30 AM 60 days from now at a place you may never have even been before.

 

[DrunkJam]

I have constant glitches while on site. Works great at home which is funny. I have had glitches while making or changing same ADR’s. Couldn’t figure out if I had an ADR or not and continued to get thrown out of MDE so couldn’t even check. Lovely.

I don't know if it is different now, but in 2017, it was not possible for non USA guests to use the app once at WDW to change / book ADRs. The same as it was not possible to be texted while waiting to be seated, so, the app is useless for that once I am there, so I basically TRY to stick with my plan (although the concierge were wonderfully helpful last time if we ever needed to change anything.)

 

[DrunkJam]

They already do similar, don’t they? They sent us booklets and I’m 90% sure they had our FP and ADR dates in them. Ive gotten emails in advance of booking windows letting me know when they begin. I’ve gotten emails the day booking windows open reminding me (you know, incase my 5 AM alarm didn’t ).

I think that’s sufficient. They’re not going to advertise the need to be up at dawn to book popular attractions or you may not get a FP. They’re not going to tell you some of their FP options are terrible. The complications come from Disney allowing these things to be booked and planned in advance in the first place. If they want to make things less complicated the answer is eliminating the need to make decisions like what you’re going to ride at 10:30 AM 60 days from now at a place you may never have even been before.

MY TA actually DID send me this information this time, so I hope they have got better, because NONE of the previous times have they sent anything that even suggests such things may be useful to look at or do. But maybe that's just us being not American, we got different / less info. Maybe a lot of people pointed this out to the TAs.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

MY TA actually DID send me this information this time, so I hope they have got better, because NONE of the previous times have they sent anything that even suggests such things may be useful to look at or do. But maybe that's just us being not American, we got different / less info. Maybe a lot of people pointed this out to the TAs.

I’m not American either. My email reminders have come straight from Disney Destinations. We got them for our most recent trip we just got home from and an upcoming one in March. I’m fairly sure we’ve gotten some form of email reminders since the advent of FP+. I remember being peppered with reminders the first trip when it was just rolled out, although that may just have been my brain exaggerating it since I was already annoyed with FP+’s existence lol.

 

[snappy]

I don't know if it is different now, but in 2017, it was not possible for non USA guests to use the app once at WDW to change / book ADRs. The same as it was not possible to be texted while waiting to be seated, so, the app is useless for that once I am there, so I basically TRY to stick with my plan (although the concierge were wonderfully helpful last time if we ever needed to change anything.)

I sure hope that’s no longer the case. Stuff happens! And it can happen when you are not at your hotel and do not have access to concierge services.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I don't know if it is different now, but in 2017, it was not possible for non USA guests to use the app once at WDW to change / book ADRs. The same as it was not possible to be texted while waiting to be seated, so, the app is useless for that once I am there, so I basically TRY to stick with my plan (although the concierge were wonderfully helpful last time if we ever needed to change anything.)

Last week I modified and made new ADRs on the go and it worked. Not sure if it was ever a problem for Canadians, I don’t think I’ve tried specifically with ADRs in the past. The texting was spotty. At check in they offered to email us when the room was ready because they wouldn’t text a Canadian number, a couple restaurants took our number but didn’t know if it would work (it did) and one (Boma) would only take American numbers.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Honestly, even though I am currently in the planning loop, jumping through the hoops to have my preplanned relaxing trip, and, I do think that putting the effort in before the trip makes the trip better, I ALSO believe that a relaxing vacation should not involve this much effort.
I have particular reasons to want to go to WDW this one more time though.
I don't think Disney should give step by step guidelines, but I do think a small thing once you are booked, like a small calendar with Your ADR Date is x - while we do have options available all the time, if you really want specific meals, character meals etc, you are advised to book early. Check www..... for menus and info. Your FP+ date is y. See www... for which parks have which rides available to FP. FPS make the queue shorter for you, so, it is worth making some.
Everything after that is really about experience and personal preference, and there is also joy in being able to discover YOUR Disney holiday,

MY TA actually DID send me this information this time, so I hope they have got better, because NONE of the previous times have they sent anything that even suggests such things may be useful to look at or do. But maybe that's just us being not American, we got different / less info. Maybe a lot of people pointed this out to the TAs.

I'm wondering if they are or were in the past sending things differently to non-U.S. customers. I mean that would be sucky to get less information

I know on my MDE account it did tell me my dates for my ADR, my FP and my MB customization date (which I believe for Canadians they have their MB shipped to the resort IIRC). Did your MDE account not show your dates/reminders?

Here's a few screenshots from my 2017 trip in terms of e-mails I got.

3/12/17 was my ADR date and I got this e-mail:

And it had this as well:


My FP date was 7/10/17 and I got this e-mail:





Now as far as e-mails for ADRs I don't know what you would get if you booked AFTER the 180 days opened up. Maybe they just send a "you can made ADRs now" e-mail? IDK. But your MDE profile should still show I would believe that you would be good to go to book if you're within the 180 days as opposed to outside it where it's reminding you this is your ADR date.

 

[DrunkJam]

In 2017, SOME of my ADRs showed up in MDE. I had occasion to swap some of them while we were there, and it was not possible. I went to the front desk, and they said it was because the system couldn't cope with UK mobile phone numbers. So they made the reservations for me.
For my first trip, if I hadn't come to the DIS I would have known NOTHING, not even that I needed to book anything much less how far out...

 

[DrunkJam]

Last week I modified and made new ADRs on the go and it worked. Not sure if it was ever a problem for Canadians, I don’t think I’ve tried specifically with ADRs in the past. The texting was spotty. At check in they offered to email us when the room was ready because they wouldn’t text a Canadian number, a couple restaurants took our number but didn’t know if it would work (it did) and one (Boma) would only take American numbers.

One restaurant tried to take my phone number for a text and couldn't get the system to accept the UK mobile number format at all. Everywhere else just knew it was impossible. Maybe it's different now, maybe it's a UK thing, I don't know.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

In 2017, SOME of my ADRs showed up in MDE. I had occasion to swap some of them while we were there, and it was not possible. I went to the front desk, and they said it was because the system couldn't cope with UK mobile phone numbers. So they made the reservations for me.
For my first trip, if I hadn't come to the DIS I would have known NOTHING, not even that I needed to book anything much less how far out...

Did you get emails from Disney? Did they have any if the information from my screenshots above?

Is the UK website really different from the U.S. one? FWIW I found the DIS long after going to Disney's website.

 

[DrunkJam]

Did you get emails from Disney? Did they have any if the information from my screenshots above?

Is the UK website really different from the U.S. one? FWIW I found the DIS long after going to Disney's website.

I got e mails from Disney confirming reservations, but they had no bearing on whether or not they showed up in MDE.
Our first trip we booked as a package with an agent, and, since I was getting married at WDW, we were directed to the wedding choices, I googled for more info, and the DIS board was what I found. We ended up having to make a fair few transatlantic calls that year, because we ended up in a lottery for wedding space.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I got e mails from Disney confirming reservations, but they had no bearing on whether or not they showed up in MDE.
Our first trip we booked as a package with an agent, and, since I was getting married at WDW, we were directed to the wedding choices, I googled for more info, and the DIS board was what I found. We ended up having to make a fair few transatlantic calls that year, because we ended up in a lottery for wedding space.

I was more asking about reminders MDE reflected for when your ADR date, FP date,etc, would be like a countdown, for us at least, in comparison to the UK site.

Did any of the emails sent say "it's time for booking your dining reservation" "it's time to make your FP" and with any of the buttons or links to take you there?

Does the UK site not contain any information that the U.S. site does? My first stop whenever I vacation somewhere is the actual website for the place I'm going to. I was curious if the UK's site had zero of the same information as the U.S.

***That's awesome BTW that you got married at Disney ***

 

[DrunkJam]

I was more asking about reminders MDE reflected for when your ADR date, FP date,etc, would be like a countdown, for us at least, in comparison to the UK site.

Did any of the emails sent say "it's time for booking your dining reservation" "it's time to make your FP" and with any of the buttons or links to take you there?

Does the UK site not contain any information that the U.S. site does? My first stop whenever I vacation somewhere is the actual website for the place I'm going to. I was curious if the UK's site had zero of the same information as the U.S.

***That's awesome BTW that you got married at Disney ***

No, we have *never* got any emails like that at all. We only ever got confirmation e mails for actual reservations made.
All our info and booking comes from the travel agent. It is only this time that they have sent info about registering with MDE, and ADR / FP dates. Up until now, nothing. We get no contact from Disney / the disney website until / unless we register with MDE, and even then, no emails until we actually make dining reservations etc.

 

[Moliphino]

Now as far as e-mails for ADRs I don't know what you would get if you booked AFTER the 180 days opened up. Maybe they just send a "you can made ADRs now" e-mail? IDK. But your MDE profile should still show I would believe that you would be good to go to book if you're within the 180 days as opposed to outside it where it's reminding you this is your ADR date.

I booked a trip for March yesterday (145 days away) and I haven't gotten anything yet about booking ADRs. I also haven't gotten an email with my booking confirmation, though it does show up in MDE.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I booked a trip for March yesterday (145 days away) and I haven't gotten anything yet about booking ADRs. I also haven't gotten an email with my booking confirmation, though it does show up in MDE.

Ah so no e-mail for you when under 180 days.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No, we have *never* got any emails like that at all. We only ever got confirmation e mails for actual reservations made.
All our info and booking comes from the travel agent. It is only this time that they have sent info about registering with MDE, and ADR / FP dates. Up until now, nothing. We get no contact from Disney / the disney website until / unless we register with MDE, and even then, no emails until we actually make dining reservations etc.

I wouldn't get e-mails from Disney either unless I had an MDE account. You cannot make an ADR on Disney's website without having a MDE account. You either sign-in or create a new account.

Did your TA never tell you to set up a MDE account? Did they set one up for you but not give you the login information?

Looking at the U.K site at the moment nowadays at least it looks very similar, has very similar information as the U.S. site (no idea what it looked like in comparison in 2017 though). I know it for sure says now when going to book a hotel:
Again no idea what it said when a person would go to book their hotel back in 2017 through Disney's website. Totally possible they've improved over time (well one would hope so )

Now I'm a bit jelly because UK people can get up to 21day tickets (I know 14 day tickets but 21 is amazing! lol )

 

[DrunkJam]

I wouldn't get e-mails from Disney either unless I had an MDE account. You cannot make an ADR on Disney's website without having a MDE account. You either sign-in or create a new account.

Did your TA never tell you to set up a MDE account? Did they set one up for you but not give you the login information?

Looking at the U.K site at the moment nowadays at least it looks very similar, has very similar information as the U.S. site (no idea what it looked like in comparison in 2017 though). I know it for sure says now when going to book a hotel: View attachment 448227
Again no idea what it said when a person would go to book their hotel back in 2017 through Disney's website. Totally possible they've improved over time (well one would hope so )

Now I'm a bit jelly because UK people can get up to 21day tickets (I know 14 day tickets but 21 is amazing! lol )

Yeah, before 2017, we just rang in our ADRs. In 2017, I got MDE.

 

[sponica]

I was more asking about reminders MDE reflected for when your ADR date, FP date,etc, would be like a countdown, for us at least, in comparison to the UK site.

Did any of the emails sent say "it's time for booking your dining reservation" "it's time to make your FP" and with any of the buttons or links to take you there?

Does the UK site not contain any information that the U.S. site does? My first stop whenever I vacation somewhere is the actual website for the place I'm going to. I was curious if the UK's site had zero of the same information as the U.S.

***That's awesome BTW that you got married at Disney ***

I feel like even state side I get those emails far too late to be helpful.

Like thanks for sending the email at noon when the ADRs are bookable at 6 AM...

 

[Heather07438]

Now I'm a bit jelly because UK people can get up to 21day tickets (I know 14 day tickets but 21 is amazing! lol )

I've always been jealous They usually have "get one week free' offers for UK. Buy 7 days get 7 free, or buy 14 days and get 7 free. I costed out CBR a few months back for a full package with resort/tixx/food between the best offers in US and UK. UK prices were 40% less than US. I was tempted to go to the Dibbs and find someone to stay with us for the trip, lol. I'd still save money if I paid for their trip.

 

[DrunkJam]

I've always been jealous They usually have "get one week free' offers for UK. Buy 7 days get 7 free, or buy 14 days and get 7 free. I costed out CBR a few months back for a full package with resort/tixx/food between the best offers in US and UK. UK prices were 40% less than US. I was tempted to go to the Dibbs and find someone to stay with us for the trip, lol.

Yeah, it's usual to get 14 days for the price of 7 etc.