Group dining question re party size and cancellation ....

[U2_rocks!]

Our party size for several ADRs will be 10, but possible also 11 or 12. I plan to use group dining to book them. However, I read somewhere that if you go through GD you have to give a CC to secure the bookings. If that's the case, how will we handle the 1 or 2 extra people that might end up coming? If I call much nearer the time to amend the reservation, it will probably mean having to cancel and rebook with new party size, and we may not get what we want.

If we book for 12 but show up with a lesser number, we may be charged a "no show" fee.

So, what do you think our chances are of booking 10 and then showing up with an extra or two? Think they could squeeze us in? If we have 1 extra, our young children could squeeze up and make room - 2 extra might be trickier. Or, should we book the extra 2 as a separate reservation for a similar time, and then ask to be put together if possible? I'm trying to work out my approaches before I call GD.

 

[Shellee999]

I'm very new to the ADR thing, but I have made several reservations for our group of 11 and have not had to give CC (except for restaurants that make everyone do it, like Fantasmic dinner package or Hoop Dee Doo).

 

[U2_rocks!]

You went through group dining to make those? I swear I read that group dining was different - that they wanted a CC to hold them. I'd love to book them online, but I don't think you can do that for parties bigger than 8 (or 9?).

 

[Shellee999]

Yes, you can only book parties up to 9 online, including infants/children. So to book bigger parties, you have to call 407-WDW-DINE. That's not the group dining number, just the general phone number to make restaurant reservations. If you want to make a Grand Gathering experience reservation, that requires a credit card guarantee.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I did some further reading and discovered that each restaurant has its own maximum after which they send you to GD. So for some ADRs we might get away with booking through regular dining without a CC. I guess I'll wait and see. I was just hoping to be prepared with a plan of action. If necessary I could also split some reservations and hope to be seated together - I do have 2 different reservation numbers at my disposal.

 

[Shellee999]

Glad you got that cleared up. The biggest party I booked for was 11, because that's the size of our group. I never had to give a credit card unless that was the rule for any size party to eat there.

 

[U2_rocks!]

That's good to know, since that's practically our group size!

 

[rebster]

Some of the places allow you to book 10 people online (I have done it). Also we just got back and one evening an extra person decided to tag along and so we had 11 instead of 10. I was nervous they wouldn't accommodate us since they were completely booked up, but they were super nice at Tony's the night before the half marathon. They said it was no problem to add an extra person. I think if Disney can make room for you, they will...another evening they were not able to accommodate us so I really think it depends on what kind of mad house exists that particular evening. Good luck with your reservations!

 

[Pakey]

We have traveled in a group of 17 and a group of 11. Almost all reservations were made through regular dining.

 

[U2_rocks!]

We have traveled in a group of 17 and a group of 11. Almost all reservations were made through regular dining.

That's great news!

I read some advice somewhere else that said to make all ADRs possible via regular dining first (i.e. if any have to go to GD, ask to skip them for now), and then at the end let them transfer you to GD. That way you minimize the number of them that might have to be held with a CC.

It sounds to me like we might not really have this problem anyway - we might get to make them all through regular dining.