3:00pm UPDATE:
We’re being told by readers that at this point, reservations made for Be Our Guest via the automated system that do not have a credit card guarantee will not be cancelled (thank goodness). It’s still a roller coaster ride, my friends. I was told this morning that they would be cancelled, but many readers have written to let me know that the tune seems to have changed this afternoon. Call to be sure, but it looks like we’re out of the weeds.
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Well, what a morning it’s been! For those of you who have battled the phone lines as I have, I feel your pain. Here are a few learnings and warnings from this morning…also some action steps:
Automated Booking Service and Credit Card Numbers
For those who booked reservations for Be Our Guest Restaurant through the automated booking service this morning (i.e. you did NOT speak to an actual human being), these reservations have not been held with a credit card guarantee and may be cancelled today due to a glitch. You will need to call back on the dining line today and modify your reservation, adding a credit card number guarantee.
My personal experience: I booked via the automated line and ended up battling busy signals for over an hour before finally getting back through to the system. The dining reservation agent I spoke to put me through to the Dining Help line. The Dining Help line agent added my credit card number to the reservations and gave me new confirmation numbers.
If you do this, continue to confirm your reservations today and tomorrow as a precaution.
Current State of Reservations
Currently, I’ve heard nothing negative about reservations that were booked through an actual agent today. Those should still be in place.
For those of us still trying to get reservations, from what I can tell many Disney dining and reservations lines are still busy, and many dates in November and December are booked up. Depending on how many of the automated reservations are cancelled today and tomorrow, there may be slots opening up.
Keep calling, and if you’re a DVC Member or Annual Passholder, you may have better luck getting through by using those dedicated service lines. If you can’t get through, online reservations open up on Wednesday — keep checking for cancellations.
I’ll update this post as I hear more information.
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Sounds like most people had the same problems I did getting through. Started at 7:00AM and hit redial repeatedly and finally got to the dining line around 9:15. Then waited about an hour only to be told that the day I was looking for in December was not available. I did manage to get a reservation for another day and will make it work into our trip. My travel agent said she had been trying for over three hours and still hadn’t gotten through. Best wishes to everyone trying to get through.
I had started calling at 6:58 am this morning and was on the automated system. It asked which restaurant, which date, how many guests, and what time. Then it began to search… next thing you know CLICK they were gone! I immediately began calling back and from that point 7:05 or so, the line has said “We’re sorry, all circuits are busy.” UGH I am so upset, especially since I was so close when the system dumped me! Now I will be lucky to get anythingbefore March, probably!
I made 2 through reservations through the automated service this am. After reading my reservations might be canceled I called back to add my credit card information. The first reservation I had made they had another opening at the same time so they made a new reservation, took my credit card info and canceled the first reservation. The second reservation there were no available times on that date so they transferred me to another person and that person took my credit card information and added it to the reservation I had already made but did give me a new confirmation number. They told me at the time they would not have canceled my earlier reservations but to be honest – and no disrespect to Disney – I have found that not everyone always gives you the same information. You can call down multiple times and get a different answer every time you call – they are not always consistent in their information. Anyway I was happy I called back – they were very apologetic for all of the mix-ups and I got everything straightened out. So I would say to be on the safe side if you went through the automated service and they did not ask for a credit card it is worth it for the peace of mind to call back and give them you credit card number.
It’s 4:30 pm est, I just got off the phone with Disney Dining and the cast member assured me that my reservation was booked without a credit card and would not be cancelled.
She said they recieved information to let guests know that everything was fine.
We’re planning to go for lunch, not dinner, which makes me a) glad we didn’t have to try to muddle through the ADR system this morning, and b) very, very scared of what the lunch crowd is going to look like when we’re there. But Belle is my daughter’s favorite, so we’ll give it our best effort.
I called and got through to the system at 7:00 am EST. Waited on hold for 1 hour and two minutes. The agent asked how she could help and as I said I want reservations I was all of a sudden listening to the end of the call survey with no way back. Called all morning just to hear busy signals……..
Finally at 11:45 am I got through to hold again for 45 more minutes just to be told that I could not make reservations for the first week in January as that was not open yet.
In the meantime I had called customer service and was tol they could not help.
So, when told I could not book January I was calm and said that I was terribly sorry but it needed to happen. After a few minutes I was able to book……………
I am so totally NOT impressed!!!
Sooo, I finally got through to a CM using the passholder line and had them search every weekend in December and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. No Luck.
It’s 5:10 pm here on Monday, Aug 20th. My husband and I tried the entire day w/a busy signal . A few min ago I finally got thru to an agent and she ask the dates. Unfortunately for us for the 10nts we are going to be there Be Our Guest Restaurant is totally booked. Thank god I had other reservations for dining since I have the dining plan. I was looking forward to this restaurant since I recently retired as well as my husband to celebrate my b.day, anniversary and our retirements together during our stay. I’ll keep the restaurant in mind in the future when the New Fantasyland is completed in 2014 and I’ll go back then. Maybe by that time it won’t be such madness trying to get a reservation. 🙂
I dialed continuously from 7 ET to about 9 ET with no luck. Called sporatically when I had a chance from work. After 382 tries (my phone kept track) it finally rang and I was on hold for 29 minutes to speak to a human. I thought that was ridiculous at the time, but after reading this it seems I did OK. Got the day and time I wanted to celebrate the 4 family birthdays that all fall on February 13th. I plan to try the gray stuff–it’s delicious!
I definitely recommend to anyone that is a DVC member to make their reservation through DVC. My husband tried the regular line at several times after 7:00 with no luck. He opted to wait until 9:00 for DVC to open and got right through.
We got reservations for 12/20, which is also the night we are doing MVMCP for the first time! So flopping excited, it is going to be the highlight of our trip!
I just got off the phone (6:30 pm EST) with a dining agent, because I happened to call back to add on my daughter’s dairy allergy, not knowing about any of these issues. The agent told me that if I had not called back my reservation would have been cancelled after 24 hours. She also told me that in order for me to add a credit card they would have to cancel my reservation and rebook it, and there might not be anything available on the same day. So, it seems like there is still a rather large risk of losing reservations. Call back now, if you did it through the automated system this morning!
Just called to confirm my automated reservation earlier, and a dining agant assured me that they caught the glitch with the non-credit card reservation issue and they located and resolved the issue. She also said they will be keeping all reservations intact for today. So basically if you booked via the automated system you are “Golden”, according to the agent I spoke with.. Booked my Reservation for Mardi Gras Day (Feb. 12).. Whoaboy!! Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!!
I have to say my eyelids are very heavy from being up half the night trying to get through but I was successful at 3am NZ time (I think that’s 11am EST) after being on hold for just over 1hr. The wonderfully friendly lady I spoke with searched everyday of our trip and finally we struck gold for December 1st! If you’ve been unlucky getting a reservation AJ your welcome to join us 🙂
Good Luck everyone still trying and I have my fingers crossed that ya’ll (and me) don’t lose your res’s through any glitch.
Happy Dining!
Very disappointed with this whole process. Didn’t see the updated blog in time, so didn’t start calling until 9:30 this morning, finally got through and actually spoke with an agent who checked all 10 days of our December trip only to find out that there were no openings. I thought it odd that a 500+ seat restaurant was completely booked all 10 days, only 2 1/2 hours after reservations began being accepted, so did the agent I spoke with. She mentioned that currently agents are only being allowed to book 4:00-5:30 slots (she said they weren’t given a reason) on numerous dates, as well as said there are several dates that are currently blocked (December 5 & 6 during our trip), again with no explanation. The agent said all we can do is continue to call back – frequently. She also told me the agents had been told that online reservations were not going to be opening August 22 – don’t know if that is true or not, but when I tried to leave a post asking about this on the Disney Parks Blog, it was withheld.
I managed to get through after 20 minutes, then made my two ADR’s effortlessly! My CM was so cheerful- I was sleepy-and after I got my ADR I could not go back to sleep because of the excitement!!
I can’t wait! November can’t come soon enough!
I made an automated reservation and called later to add a credit card, but the agent said all automated reservations did not require a credit card due to their error. I had him confirm and it’s all good!
Called at 8 AM PST (11 AM EST) and was able to make a reservation for 1/3/13 via the automated system with no credit card #. I added the reservation to my account and it showed up online. Hopefully they don’t cancel!
Got through to automated line at 7amthe first try. After seeing the blog called back last night through the dvc line as suggested. Added my credit card via a manager, reservations on December 25 for dinner are confirmed. So sorry there have been so many problems. Must have been a lucky fay for me! Enjoy!
Just called at 7:30 A.M. Central time on 8-21-12, got the automated system, made my reservation for Be Our Guest, and it asked for my credit card info. Less than 6 minutes and I was done!
I called back this morning to add my CC to my ressie and had the same experience as Jonathan. I even asked him to check again for me. His name was Shawn and he was super to deal with. Now I just have to wait a little over 4 months to enjoy!
Just now tried to make a res for dinner for any hour during our 12/7-12 upcoming trip using the DVCMember line. No luck at all. Will just have to keep trying for a cancellation. Fingers crossed. This is our 36th anniversary trip.
@Victoria – Haha! My partner actually chose Coral Reef and I’m pretty sure the only reason was that she’ll be able to watch fishes swim around. Ha.
I just called back today to double check my reservation and the cast member told me reservations made yesterday without a credit card would not be canceled. relief!
I tried from 7:58 AM on Monday morning through 5 PM finally got through around 5:15 was on hold for 15 minutes only to find out that there are no openings through the month of December. Most dates were totally booked by 9 AM. Also tried this morning via online reservations and there is absolutely nothing for December – was a little disappointed but will hope I can get them when I am down in March.
Pathetic. Disneyland gets Cars Land and WDW get’s a watered down Fantasyland expansion and new third-rate reservations technology that must have been made in China. Next time we are going to Universal Studios.
Well, Charlie, I for one am glad you’ll be over at Universal. Your negative opinion is quite a bummer.
I used the Automated system, made my reservation with no difficulties and then chose the option to ask a live person for more help. It was quick and easy. It used voice recognition and it worked really for me (understanding everything I said with no difficulty).
The technology is not to blame. There was a setting issue that was probably one box or drop down menu user mistake that the CC# wasn’t asked for. Alot of restaurants at WDW don’t require the CC to hold the ADR.
And Disney, during a madhouse of a day (hundreds of thousands of calls per hour) corrected the issue, came up with a solution (to forego the CC hold which may end up costing them money) and for those not getting an ADR for dinner there is always lunch which looks to have an excellent menu as well.
We had no problems. We went with the flow and all went well. I’m happy the negative attitudes have chosen to spend their time elsewhere. My family can hardly wait to visit Fantasyland and dine at BOG. Enjoy the journey to the Happiest Place on Earth, Disney friends.
This was a total blunder.
I never got any email saying it had been changed from 12 to 7 am I was at the Vero Beach Resort Sat thru Monday and wasn’t checking the disney sites, 🙁 so like a dummy I called at 11:58 and of course nothing) SO MAD they, I have been monitorin the sites for months. Also posted was the number they were using. HAD I KNOWN I could have called in on my DVC line, aauugghh!!!!!! Didn’t want to chance it by trying to call another number and missing out on the posted number thinking that was the only line available for BOG ressies. Of course when I did get thru nothing for the dates I would be there in Dec. Guess I will have to chance Lunch and the Huge lines that I am sure will be the case for many months to follow.