Didn’t Disney crack down on “dining alert” services?

[Mrs~Incredible]

I seem to remember that just a few years ago, the only alert system I knew of still active was touring plans because it was free. I had read there were several others that were shut down because they charged people money for the alerts.

Was just remembering this recently as there seems to be no end of the for-pay dining alert systems, and also so much harder to get a ressie before a bot grabs it.

Am I just making this up lol or was it a real thing?

Thanks!

 

[DaviVascaino]

no idea, but for the past several years there are SEVERAL out there.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I don't know either but *********** charges for alerts and is one of the most popular ones out there. I see it recommended all the time on social media.

If you don't want to pay for a dining alert system, I find that constantly checking the app, especially the night before works well enough. I also find a lot of success finding ADRs by checking the app when people in EST are asleep, so around 12-5 am.

 

[DLgal]

I thought Disney cracked down on companies that were literally selling reservations. Not dining alerts.

 

[Sparkly]

That seems incredibly unfair on people trying to get dining reservations when bots from the alert services can snap them up before people can. Disney TS isn't that great!! I don't know what all the hub bub is about.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

I thought Disney cracked down on companies that were literally selling reservations. Not dining alerts.

Ooooooh. I thought it was just the alerts, and that was why the TP free service was the only game in town… for a while.

It’s nuts now. I have really struggled more than ever for this trip, and there are probably around 10 companies that I found that do the dining alerts for a cost!

It’s not so much the cost that bothers me. It’s the fact that there are all these bots scouring the reservation system, which makes it harder for my good ole fashioned personal stalking strategy to be effective.

 

[DLgal]

That seems incredibly unfair on people trying to get dining reservations when bots from the alert services can snap them up before people can. Disney TS isn't that great!! I don't know what all the hub bub is about.

The bots aren't holding the reservations, though. They are just looking out for availability and notifying people.

 

[Aela]

Keep in mind, the bots only check every X minutes per reservation. So you can still find them the old way, at least I have. But honestly, I paid for one that has worked great for me (Not TP) in the past, and it was worth it.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I think there are just few ADRs to go around as well, in terms of alerts, both because of reduced availability due to staffing issues and because people are making their initial ADR bookings closer to their trips so they already have their park reservations in place and are more sure of what they want. There is still a lot of hoarding to be sure, but I think plans are more locked down with less movement than there used to be. I'm going to the parks next week and haven't gotten a single alert for Space 220, the only ADR I am looking for still, and I've signed up for a few different paid alert services. I would consider it a total waste of money except they helped me get 2 other less popular ADRs that were all booked up on my 60+ day. We've always been able to get hard ADRs in the past using TP, *********** or good old-fashioned stalking, but things are different now.

 

[lorileahb]

Keep in mind, the bots only check every X minutes per reservation. So you can still find them the old way, at least I have. But honestly, I paid for one that has worked great for me (Not TP) in the past, and it was worth it.

Same here - I can usually pay for one month of a subscription for less than $20 that searches for 5 restaurants/packages with multiple dates/times. Within 30 days, I usually get what I want (or pretty close) and cancel subscription. So, less than $20 is worth it for me. Seems to alert me to more of my reservations than the free ones... maybe it searches more often...

And, like previous poster, if there is something I haven't gotten - I stalk a bit the day or two before and a good bit pops up since people are finalizing their plans and canceling to avoid the $10 per person penalty for not canceling a day in advance.

 

[lorileahb]

I think there are just few ADRs to go around as well, in terms of alerts, both because of reduced availability due to staffing issues and because people are making their initial ADR bookings closer to their trips so they already have their park reservations in place and are more sure of what they want. There is still a lot of hoarding to be sure, but I think plans are more locked down with less movement than there used to be. I'm going to the parks next week and haven't gotten a single alert for Space 220, the only ADR I am looking for still, and I've signed up for a few different paid alert services. I would consider it a total waste of money except they helped me get 2 other less popular ADRs that were all booked up on my 60+ day. We've always been able to get hard ADRs in the past using TP, *********** or good old-fashioned stalking, but things are different now.

Agreed - plus a lot of restaurants have removed breakfast, which puts even more competition on those restaurants for lunch and dinner.

 

[han22735]

I thought Disney cracked down on companies that were literally selling reservations. Not dining alerts.

This was it. The companies were actually booking the adrs not just alerting.

 

[peabody58]

Stalking still working for us. Just snagged a FF dinner in Dec which was unavailable for the past 3 weeks.

 

[lorileahb]

Stalking still working for us. Just snagged a FF dinner in Dec which was unavailable for the past 3 weeks.

Remind me - what is FF?

 

[NJlauren]

Also I think most of the current companies have a free option, ie it doesn’t text for free just emails. I though as long as they offered a free option it was ok?

There is one that is pay and they book for you, but I’m not sure how Disney is going to crackdown on that one… but they only charge you if you get the reservation, I only found out about it yesterday so no idea if it works or not.

 

[Marrila]

Remind me - what is FF?

Flying Fish

 

[lorileahb]

Flying Fish

On the Boardwalk - still on our bucket list. Enjoy!

 

[Shughart]

I'm grateful for those still doing alerts. I have a paid to a certain animal dining and 50+ alerts. No ADRs when my day opened up and they are the only reason I have any and we go in 26 days.

 

[nikmasteed]

I don't mind paying for alerts, and am/have been doing so for my trip starting this weekend. My main frustration is that I could have my phone open and directly looking at it, receive an alert, click within 2 seconds, click one more time to sign in, and within 15 seconds the res is already gone. I have a high-end smartphone that is less than 6 months old. This has happened to me over a dozen times. Smells like bot making a reservation to me.

Anyway, I'm trying out the other tried-and-true methods also and only have 1 or 2 missing that I'd like to get still, but so far at least the above occurrence is pretty frustrating that I'm actually paying for that and getting little/nothing for it but it's minimal cost.