ADRs- selling?

[LisaMc]

I've been trying to book anything at DHS for 1/15 since 60 days out. Only thing available at first was Oga's and now there is 50's Prime Time but no Mama Melrose or Brown Derby. It is infuriating! I have not idea why they must be holding these back. Mama Melrose is available literally every day except 1/15 and 1/16. WTH?

 

[HashberryOTG]

I don't know if it means anything, but while there before Thanksgiving, staying in BC, Cape May was available regularly. Not once from 60+10 and checking before & during trip did I see things like storybook, ohana, chef mickey, or most of the other really hard to get rezzies. Perhaps Cape May being available was due to their new change? I believe it did have walkup availability as well.

 

[Miffy]

I haven't read this entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating something.

We're going to WDW next week and we always have lunch at R&C on our Epcot day. But as of this moment, R&C is serving only dinner, not lunch, so the number of available ADRs is significantly decreased.

I wonder if other restaurants are doing this as well. Staffing issues?

It just seems weird to me since we were there in May and had lunch at R&C. There was plenty of staff then.

 

[AmyMac1109]

I'm sorry everyone else is having issues, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

My 60 days opened on November 23 and it was slim pickins for my entire stay (1/22-1/29). The one that was most important to me was Ohana breakfast for 1/29. There was NOTHING. I then expanded to the entire day, NOTHING. In fact, for the entirety of my trip, all I found was a 1/27 11:45AM breakfast at Ohana, which I panicked reserved. But when I realized that there was ZERO way for this to fit into our schedule, I let it go. So then I tried Kona Cafe for 1/29- NOTHING all day. We are really not interested in leaving our resort on 1/29- we're staying at the Poly, since we have to catch a flight that evening. So, I'll stalk the reservations to try to pick up an Ohana or a Kona. And if one never comes up, I guess we'll do mobile order for Kona (if that's still available) and eat in our room.

 

[jf256]

I'm sorry everyone else is having issues, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

My 60 days opened on November 23 and it was slim pickins for my entire stay (1/22-1/29). The one that was most important to me was Ohana breakfast for 1/29. There was NOTHING. I then expanded to the entire day, NOTHING. In fact, for the entirety of my trip, all I found was a 1/27 11:45AM breakfast at Ohana, which I panicked reserved. But when I realized that there was ZERO way for this to fit into our schedule, I let it go. So then I tried Kona Cafe for 1/29- NOTHING all day. We are really not interested in leaving our resort on 1/29- we're staying at the Poly, since we have to catch a flight that evening. So, I'll stalk the reservations to try to pick up an Ohana or a Kona. And if one never comes up, I guess we'll do mobile order for Kona (if that's still available) and eat in our roo

Sorry i just realised this was for December 29. Scrap that

 

[YodasMom]

I'm sorry everyone else is having issues, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

My 60 days opened on November 23 and it was slim pickins for my entire stay (1/22-1/29). The one that was most important to me was Ohana breakfast for 1/29. There was NOTHING. I then expanded to the entire day, NOTHING. In fact, for the entirety of my trip, all I found was a 1/27 11:45AM breakfast at Ohana, which I panicked reserved. But when I realized that there was ZERO way for this to fit into our schedule, I let it go. So then I tried Kona Cafe for 1/29- NOTHING all day. We are really not interested in leaving our resort on 1/29- we're staying at the Poly, since we have to catch a flight that evening. So, I'll stalk the reservations to try to pick up an Ohana or a Kona. And if one never comes up, I guess we'll do mobile order for Kona (if that's still available) and eat in our room.

This whole thing is so strange! 1-25-22 was my 60 +10 reservation day and I saw several Ohana breakfast times available (was checking for 2 people, though, so you may have more). I wasn't looking for Ohana so, of course, didn't make an ADR there. I was looking for the Boardwalk area where I'm staying and nothing! I'm leaving on 2/1 and wanted breakfast, like you, on my checkout day at my resort and .... nothing! In fact nothing for the entire 9 days!

 

[AmyMac1109]

Sorry i just realised this was for December 29. Scrap that

No worries. Thanks for looking though!

This whole thing is so strange! 1-25-22 was my 60 +10 reservation day and I saw several Ohana breakfast times available (was checking for 2 people, though, so you may have more). I wasn't looking for Ohana so, of course, didn't make an ADR there. I was looking for the Boardwalk area where I'm staying and nothing! I'm leaving on 2/1 and wanted breakfast, like you, on my checkout day at my resort and .... nothing! In fact nothing for the entire 9 days!

Okay, so even more bizarre- I found several Cape May breakfast reservations during our stay and even had one booked at one point as a last resort. I canceled it though because I'm trying to stay to the Monorail resorts for dining reservations. So, you're staying in the Boardwalk Area and could find Ohana but not BW area. I'm staying at Poly and could find BW, but not Ohana. I'm really trying not to be a cospiracy theorist here, but this is all very curious.

Also, I was looking for Ohana for 4- not huge and difficult to accomodate. In fact, I'd expect a 4 top to be the most common table they have.

Edited to add: I saw the Cape May reservations on Saturday 11/26 when I was reconfiguring all of our plans. So they were definitely there after your dining window opened. I wonder if they were not being shown to you or if someone cancelled. Either way, it's still so bizarre.

 

[SL6827]

The bot thing is unreal. I had no idea. $6 per person, wow!!

 

[Lsdolphin]

So many threads right now with people having way more trouble getting ADRs. I still think it's connected to this new thing they're trying, holding back some of the ADRs for resort based restaurants for people staying there. Still absolutely no idea how they will make those available to people.

Yes, I’ve seen people posting that with the new 2nd canceling option they are booking multiple ADRs and planning to cancel later...

 

[michiganfam]

I'm sorry everyone else is having issues, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

My 60 days opened on November 23 and it was slim pickins for my entire stay (1/22-1/29). The one that was most important to me was Ohana breakfast for 1/29. There was NOTHING. I then expanded to the entire day, NOTHING. In fact, for the entirety of my trip, all I found was a 1/27 11:45AM breakfast at Ohana, which I panicked reserved. But when I realized that there was ZERO way for this to fit into our schedule, I let it go. So then I tried Kona Cafe for 1/29- NOTHING all day. We are really not interested in leaving our resort on 1/29- we're staying at the Poly, since we have to catch a flight that evening. So, I'll stalk the reservations to try to pick up an Ohana or a Kona. And if one never comes up, I guess we'll do mobile order for Kona (if that's still available) and eat in our room.

They just got loaded tonight.

 

[sponica]

Yes, I’ve seen people posting that with the new 2nd canceling option they are booking multiple ADRs and planning to cancel later...

Gee, like we all thought would happen.

 

[MrWreckless]

I just had a look and dining fairy is $6pp per booking. Are people really paying that money on top of paying the already expensive cost of food. Id rather bring a samdwich into the park than pay someone for that.

It looks like a relatively new website hopefully disney will put a stop to this. Mouse dining have had to remove the calendar option which i really thought would be helpful for disney to have. So hopefully they will sort it out soon.

But PSA dont pay $24 for a family of 4 to get a reservation... that is ridiculous and if people didnt do things like that these people would make no money. Y

We used it to snag Space 220 which we had been hunting for 6 weeks now. Had no luck with the other sites and their alerts for two reasons. Even if we logged in the moment we saw the alert it was gone and also these reservations are being dropped often at 1-4am. For us 24 bucks is worth it for a table at the restaurant we want to visit the most during our entire stay. That’s less than what Disney was charging for Genie+ last week. On a $4000 trip, I’m not going to draw the line at 24 bucks when it’s somewhere we really want to go.


But back to the topic at hand. Yes reservations are being sold. There are Facebook groups that coordinate this. What they usually do is agree to a time where one party will drop the reservation and the other is logged in to grab it. These drops happen from 1am to 4am eastern usually to increase the odds of a successful transfer.

And to circle back around to dining fairy……it’s really screwing those people over. The bot sometimes grabs those dropped reservations before the other party can snag it. The Space 220 reservation we received due to the bot was dropped at 2:30 am eastern. I’m pretty sure that was from someone trying to trade. If you go to the groups coordinating the sales, you will see they hate dining fairy.

 

[Jerseyprincess317]

The bot thing is unreal. I had no idea. $6 per person, wow!!

Honestly I see both sides here. Yes it makes it harder for some people to get reservations but it makes it easier for others. Instead of having to stalk a reservation day and night you pay a fee and they do it for you. For some people $6 pp is worth the time and effort that they don't have to put into it.

 

[MrWreckless]

Honestly I see both sides here. Yes it makes it harder for some people to get reservations but it makes it easier for others. Instead of having to stalk a reservation day and night you pay a fee and they do it for you. For some people $6 pp is worth the time and effort that they don't have to put into it.

Exactly and you only pay if they successfully make the reservation. Other sites have you pay with no guarantee you will land anything.

Also dining fairy is so fast sometimes it grabs a reservation and the alert won’t even trigger for other sites. I tested it with dining fairy and mouse dining.

 

[AmyMac1109]

They just got loaded tonight.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I had my pick of times, and picked the perfect one.

So, yes, apparently they are holding back reservations. Maybe so they don't all get snatched up right at 60+10 days? I don't know, but I'm just glad I go the one we wanted. But now I'm off to check what else I can find for our trip. When we looked at 60+10, it was already slim pickings.

 

[lockets]

Oh my goodness. Pay for play and extra fees on every little tiny part of every travel minute has just gotten so out of hand. This is so crazy to me! I only hope Disney doesn’t join ‘em if they can’t beat ‘em bots.

 

[AmyMac1109]

And to circle back around to dining fairy……it’s really screwing those people over. The bot sometimes grabs those dropped reservations before the other party can snag it. The Space 220 reservation we received due to the bot was dropped at 2:30 am eastern. I’m pretty sure that was from someone trying to trade. If you go to the groups coordinating the sales, you will see they hate dining fairy.

Not that I'm in anyway advocating hording and selling ADRs, but what on earth happens in a situation like that? I assume money changed hands prior to the "trade", so what if the person buying didn't snag it? Do they refund and the seller just has no $$ and is now out their commodity (since the bot snagged the reservation, not the buyer)? Does the seller get to keep it since it's not the seller's fault the buyer wasn't quick enough? I just see so much potential for one party to lose on this type of trade. I wouldn't dare risk it from either side.

 

[SL6827]

We used it to snag Space 220 which we had been hunting for 6 weeks now. Had no luck with the other sites and their alerts for two reasons. Even if we logged in the moment we saw the alert it was gone and also these reservations are being dropped often at 1-4am. For us 24 bucks is worth it for a table at the restaurant we want to visit the most during our entire stay. That’s less than what Disney was charging for Genie+ last week. On a $4000 trip, I’m not going to draw the line at 24 bucks when it’s somewhere we really want to go.


But back to the topic at hand. Yes reservations are being sold. There are Facebook groups that coordinate this. What they usually do is agree to a time where one party will drop the reservation and the other is logged in to grab it. These drops happen from 1am to 4am eastern usually to increase the odds of a successful transfer.

And to circle back around to dining fairy……it’s really screwing those people over. The bot sometimes grabs those dropped reservations before the other party can snag it. The Space 220 reservation we received due to the bot was dropped at 2:30 am eastern. I’m pretty sure that was from someone trying to trade. If you go to the groups coordinating the sales, you will see they hate dining fairy.

This is unreal to me. I find it sooo interesting to read about. I have never even heard of the dining fairy site and I am a Disney pro for the most part.

Thankfully there are just a very few ADRs I will want when we return and they generally aren't too hard to get. But if TS dining was a huge factor with my Disney vacations, this could really suck.

 

[SL6827]

Will Disney ever go after the Dining Fairy site? Could they actually succeed if they did?

 

[lockets]

Will Disney ever go after the Dining Fairy site? Could they actually succeed if they did?

I’m sure they can legally but more importantly they have to update their tech to block the bots. That they most certainly can do.