Reservation Finder Worked For Me!

WHen you get notified that there is a reservation, you go online at MDE and book it. The problem is the reservation finder doesn’t “hold” or “book” the reservation, it just notifies you that one is available. It is possible that somebody else has booked the reservation before you get there. Especially for high demand ADRs and high demand times. The TP reservation finder is not the only such program out there, and, obviously it is possible that more than one person is being notified of the same ADR you are looking for. So, when you get the notice… book fast!!! And good luck!

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So basically it’s just a keep trying type thing? I’m currently trying for 1900 Park Fare on a Saturday morning, around 9.

It is, but don’t forget that you have to restart the Reservation Finder. Every time it notifies you, it stops looking.

Right. So you don’t use the link in the text, you just go and login? I’ve tried both ways.

I don’t know as much about the link in the text, or I can’t remember. Usually the email finds me first and I just click on that link. So, I assume the link in the text would work similarly. Due to my job (chained to a computer) I am able to see the email and click on it right away. Had lots of success for last trip - but I was booking for mid September (then had to cancel - IRMA) which as you know is very low demand.

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I believe I’ve had success using the link. I tried for a while though and kept missing them. I’d get most of the notifications over night and not see them until it was too late. I was eventually able to score what I wanted though. I wanted an earlier reservation for two breakfasts (Tusker House and Hollywood and Vine) and was able to get both. It sure took a while for Hollywood & Vine, though.

I got the text and immediately grabbed my laptop and logged onto MDE. I did not use the link in the text. I went through the “make reservations” option under “things to do” and searched for Trattoria Al Forno. I put in my date and it popped up. I was lucky because my computer was right beside me and it was 9:15 pm, central time. Had it been during the day, I would have never gotten it. I have horrible cell service at work.

I’ve been on the lookout for a Bon Voyage and a BOG dinner since just past 180 days. I’ve missed A BUNCH even when I click on the link immediately after text. So, here’s what I’ve found . . .

  1. How good is your cell service? Depending on where I am it can be several minutes before the text makes it to my phone.

  2. There are other reservation finders, yes, and I have used them as well - but the good news is I have always received the text from TP FIRST!

  3. What texting app are you using; what phone are you using; what service are you using? On my old phone (Motorola), I got my texts quickly via the Verizon Msg app and I could click the link, it would take me to the MDE website in my Chrome app. My username and password were already there and I could simply hit the login button and it would take me to the exact available reservation within MDE. On my new phone (Samsung) the Verizon Msg app doesn’t work correctly so I have to use the Samsung Msg appl. It does not take me to MDE via Chrome. It takes me to MDE within the texting app, so my password is not autopopulated. I have yet to get a reservation since changing phones. I assume because, as you know I’m going the same week as you and ADRs are already scarce, and I want two popular reservations. So by the time I get my password in there (by the way I don’t see well close up, so often I struggle with passwords on my phone) some one else has taken the reservation

  4. OK, last one, and I don’t know about this one for sure. I read somewhere, can’t remember if it was on the forum or the blog, but I had read that the link is only good once. Which means the first person who clicks on it will deaden it for all others, meaning they will get the “Paws” screen even if the reservation is still available. That makes no sense to me and maybe I was confused by what I read, but that is the way I understood it. So, if you click on it, and get the “Paws”, then go in via normal MDE and see if you can get it that way. Or just do that first, I guess. What I read said that they were trying to correct it so it wouldn’t deaden the link, but I don’t even remember when the information was distributed so it could be outdated.

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All of this! Brilliant! I agree with everything you said and have had similar experiences.

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The link is only good once. I don’t think that there is a way to correct this problem.

http://forum.touringplans.com/t/reservation-finder-link-problem/37016

Thank you for sharing that post/discussion. I knew I had seen it, but I couldn’t remember where.

I have used reservation finder many times, it has helped me snag many hard to get ADRs. You just need to act fast when you get the text. I have even had it wake me at 2am with a text. I don’t use the link, I go right to MDE on my laptop or phone, whatever is closer.

Out of curiosity, I have never made ADRs using the MDE app on my phone. I have always used Chrome on my computer or iPad. What are people’s experiences with the app? Does it work just as well as the browser/computer combo? Better? Worse?

I have used it a few times. It is easier if you are looking for anywhere that has an opening for a specific day. So you put in the number in your party, the date and time you are looking for and it will give you all ADRs available around that time. If I am looking for a certain restaurant I will just use the regular WDW site.

I was convinced that my 4:08 am “tweedle-tweedle” phone Reservation Finder notification would be pointless to respond to (someone else would surely have already snagged the PPO BOG, of course!), but I went straight to my computer, logged into MDE, then into “Make Dining Reservations” and ta-da, it was still available. Thank you, you wonderful people behind the Reservation Finder! I was terribly tired at work all day, but it was worth it! I didn’t want to even attempt the phone app, so I’m sorry to say I don’t know if that would have worked out. But as others have said so many times, “Don’t give up trying!” I had two failed attempts under my belt already before ultimately being successful. Good luck!

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I got a BOG dinner at 3am yesterday morning by clicking the link in the text - first tIme that has happened since I got my new phone.

It is now on the correct DAY, but at 9:05pm. Still looking for a better time, but maybe the 9:05 won’t be terrible since we already plan to be in the park late for evening EMH and we were planning a light meal anyway. Maybe the soup and a sweet will not be too heavy that late? Or truly, we only are going for The Beast actually. How keen are the TS on ADRs that only order a press pot and a dessert? I don’t even know if BOG offers press pot. Guess I will go check on that option…

I posted on a different thread a while back, but at our 180 mark, there was no availability for an Akershus breakfast that is the only character meal we are doing on our December vacation. We have a party of 10 - 5 adults, 5 kids under 6. Honestly, I was a bit crushed not to get this ADR since it was a splurge for us and the only one we really wanted to do. I signed up for Reservation Finder and I forget how long it took, but it DID happen! My phone texted around 3am in the morning, and thankfully it woke me up. My desperate, exhausted self went downstairs to the computer immediately & signed on to MDE via our laptop. I scheduled the ADR that way & it went right though! This trip is a once in a lifetime holiday event for multiple generations of family & I definitely teared up that we managed to snag it. Cannot thank Touring Plans enough!!!

Don’t give up & keep looking, and if you are up in the middle of the night, it might be worth checking online to see if something is there.

Just ordering dessert and coffee shouldn’t be an issue. Some people go there specifically to order “the grey stuff” only.

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Oh, and the grey stuff at lunch is a cupcake. The grey stuff at dinner is more of a tart.

Oh, OK. Thank you for letting me know. I was expecting a cupcake, but DH isn’t a big fan of cake, so he will be happy about the tart option!

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