Ready to throw in the towel!

[KatieCharlotte]

Our decision is to spend one day "soaking up the ambience," at MK using only our Visa rewards so our value for the money is very high.


May I ask what this means? Are you getting tickets using "Visa reward" points?

Yes. It makes it so much easier to talk DH into going to Disney. That is the entire reason I signed up for the card.

We've used our rewards toward tickets before, but that time we hadn't been saving as long and went for a full week, so it just covered child's ticket. We've been saving our rewards from pretty much every purchase, including gas, groceries, furniture, other travel, etc. for quite awhile, so we'll have enough for a day at MK for the whole family and a night onsite. Then we'll head off for a short cruise and a day on the darkside (IoA). I don't like all the uncertainty of FP+ when I'm investing our travel budget (onsite is more than twice the cost for a family of five), and honestly, my DH and older kids are getting bored of Disney after many week-long trips. {Please add a Star Wars land...please add a Star Wars land...}

 

[Mkrop]

I have been reading Marty Sklar's book, he was a Imagineer for 54 yrs, and his book shows obviously the success of the Disney parks, but also the missteps along the way. Some the public knew about, some they didnt. And some things that needed to be tweaked along the way. This is how I see these Magic Bands and FP+s.

I have also reached a point in the book where he talks about the beancounters (and I am a beancounter!)and sometimes how they did not always understand the vision and how the parks worked, and there were clashes btw the bottom line and guest experience. I can totally see the beancounters seeing the $$$$ signs with some of these changes, $10pp fee for no shows, being able to have you not see your money departing your hands with MBs.

 

[ArwenMarie]

People are just going to make sure they cancel the ADRs that they don't plan on using before 11:59 the night before (I think that's how the new policy is going to work? Not actually 24 hours ahead).

The only thing that will stop ADR hoarding (can't think of a better word right now) would be if they required a $10 pp booking fee that would go on your CC at that point when you make the ADR and then would go towards your actual bill or refunded. But that would probably be too much paperwork for Disney.

 

[disnut1149]

We get all of that at Hershey Park too but not when we have to stand in really long lines...that is NOT fun for us. That is what made WDW different from HP. We have worked it even at HP so we wait in minimal lines. That is my concern, it is not about getting X number of rides done, it is that standing in line for us is not fun, we get cranky, we have done it PLENTY of times to know. FP had us avoiding that, but I still want us to be able to ride what we enjoy, if you enjoy different things about WDW besides rides that is totally fine, we have done the other stuff too, but rides are a key component of our vacation. You say you enjoy pool time, we dont, we have a pool, we dont want that on our vacation and rarely go, but for others a pool day is a must, so to not understand that not everyone finds the same things enjoyable is puzzling to me. And the fact that FP+ might change the way we enjoyed the parks in the past, and why you can not understand why this is disconcerting to me and my family is puzzling as well.

I agree with this. We hate waiting in lines, so we never did with FP. I postponed my trip till August or at least till I see how the wait for the lines are. We do a lot of different things too, but I don't want to spend half of my park time waiting in lines. It would be nice to reserve three rides in advance, but also have the regular FP. If we saw a line that was 20 minutes, we wouldn't even wait. Just grabbed a FP. It was so easy. And the people that talk about leveling the playing field, don't make sense. They all have the same opportunity to get up early in the morning and make rope drop. We're not thrilled about getting up early, but we can sleep when we're home.
I'm not spending thousands of dollars to sleep late. Another Broomall opinion!!

 

[Mkrop]

I agree with this. We hate waiting in lines, so we never did with FP. I postponed my trip till August or at least till I see how the wait for the lines are. We do a lot of different things too, but I don't want to spend half of my park time waiting in lines. It would be nice to reserve three rides in advance, but also have the regular FP. If we saw a line that was 20 minutes, we wouldn't even wait. Just grabbed a FP. It was so easy. And the people that talk about leveling the playing field, don't make sense. They all have the same opportunity to get up early in the morning and make rope drop. We're not thrilled about getting up early, but we can sleep when we're home.
I'm not spending thousands of dollars to sleep late. Another Broomall opinion!!

My favorite ones that is if they agree with me!

 

[maxiesmom]

People are just going to make sure they cancel the ADRs that they don't plan on using before 11:59 the night before (I think that's how the new policy is going to work? Not actually 24 hours ahead).

The only thing that will stop ADR hoarding (can't think of a better word right now) would be if they required a $10 pp booking fee that would go on your CC at that point when you make the ADR and then would go towards your actual bill or refunded. But that would probably be too much paperwork for Disney.

You may think that people will just hoard ADRs until 24 hours out, but that hasn't been the case with the restaurants that have had the credit card guarantee for a while now. It has never been this easy to book a character meal or a signature meal.

I think most people don't care enough to play the game of booking a bunch and then having to remember to cancel then. Which, to me, is great!

 

[Angel Ariel]

You may think that people will just hoard ADRs until 24 hours out, but that hasn't been the case with the restaurants that have had the credit card guarantee for a while now. It has never been this easy to book a character meal or a signature meal.

I think most people don't care enough to play the game of booking a bunch and then having to remember to cancel then. Which, to me, is great!

I don't think they would hoard them until 24 hrs before. But I don't see it stopping the people who book multiple adrs at 180 days and cancel them over the course of those 180 days as they firm up what parks they will.be in.

I actually think its possible we will see.more.multiple adr bookings at 180 days now, and lots of cancelling around 60 days once people are able to schedule their fp+

 

[sunset7132]

My kids and I went for the first time in August 2012 and I will admit that I was overwhelmed after spending many, many times on these boards. When we arrived in Disney things were completely different. I ditched my touring plan and we enjoyed our vacation! No we did not see and do EVERYTHING. That's why we are planning to go next summer. Just we use the ideas and suggestions on the boards as a guide and enjoy yourself in Disney.

I agree I was thinking when we arrive if things not go as written oh well. Some people are way too uptight. This is vacation relax and enjoy

 

[mom2rtk]

I actually think its possible we will see.more.multiple adr bookings at 180 days now, and lots of cancelling around 60 days once people are able to schedule their fp+

I agree. I don't double book now. But with FP+ coming online, for my next trip, I will like double or triple book a couple of key ADRs until the FP+ options open up and I see if I can indeed keep my park days as I initially intended.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I actually think its possible we will see.more.multiple adr bookings at 180 days now, and lots of cancelling around 60 days once people are able to schedule their fp+

I agree. Even on our upcoming trip, which is a short one, I found myself dumping ADRs to get a better ride schedule for the day rather than other way around (putting my rides around my ADRs). Having multiple choices would help.

 

[Mkrop]

You may think that people will just hoard ADRs until 24 hours out, but that hasn't been the case with the restaurants that have had the credit card guarantee for a while now. It has never been this easy to book a character meal or a signature meal.
I think most people don't care enough to play the game of booking a bunch and then having to remember to cancel then. Which, to me, is great!

I swear I think I live in a parellel universe or something bc it was not one ounce easier getting ADRs for this trip than any others with this stupid CC in place.

If people were going to double book, they still will, they will just cancel as some are saying when the FP+ window opens up, at 45 days when the money is due, or even a week or so before when they have a better idea of their trip plans. Or if the app makes it wasy to cancel (I dont know havent tried) than they can just press a button the day before and volia they can eat where they want and the other one goes away. This is nothing but a money grab. WDW could have done all this a different way to avoid no shows or charge for true no shows.

 

[rebbyparker]

I would have preferred they just charge the $10 upfront for no-shows. Refund if the higher-ups think someone has a good excuse but put people's money on the line and all the double/triple bookings will go away. This weak "we're going to charge you if you don't cancel 24 hours in advance" hasn't changed anything except to put a few more dollars in the coffers for Disney. If they're going to make a firm policy, then for heaven's sake, make one, don't tiptoe around it.

 

[no1steelerfn]

My oh my, I managed to get great ADR's just because people have cancelled. Signing off of this thread because it's depressing and sad and not getting me excited for my trip to disney next week. With that, goodbye, I will be going to be happy.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would have preferred they just charge the $10 upfront for no-shows. Refund if the higher-ups think someone has a good excuse but put people's money on the line and all the double/triple bookings will go away. This weak "we're going to charge you if you don't cancel 24 hours in advance" hasn't changed anything except to put a few more dollars in the coffers for Disney. If they're going to make a firm policy, then for heaven's sake, make one, don't tiptoe around it.

I still make (and keep) many overpriced ADRs per trip. But I would stop cold turkey if they expected me to pay a per head fee up front (as opposed to a CC guarantee) since I would have already paid for those meals by prepaying the dining plan.

 

[kmarie99]

I agree, I think people will still double dip ADR but now that they have to cancel 24 hours instead of just not showing up you may be able to get more walk up seating. Just a thought!

 

[maxiesmom]

I swear I think I live in a parellel universe or something bc it was not one ounce easier getting ADRs for this trip than any others with this stupid CC in place.

I guess we must live in parallel universes then. I'm on the dining plan for my next trip and had many different time slots to pick from at both Le Ceiller and The California Grill. And then I went crazy and made more ADRs that I even have dining credits for!

Just for fun I went and put in the first day of my trip next month, and for dinner there are over 94 choices of restaurants and times. Character meals and signature restaurants included! Compared to before where you had to constantly call and check for openings, only to be told No all of the time. Being able to get The Crystal Palace at less than 6 weeks out was unheard of before.

I am more than pleased at how having the credit card in place has opened up dining.