Please excuse my ranting...

[E.Jane]

There will be 8 of us on our trip in Feb/2019. Since our last trip, the rules have changed and I am now required to give a cc # to secure every single dining reservation.

I'm a planner, and I especially love to plan my Disney trips. But all of a sudden, I am feeling less than enthused about planning this trip. We have 6 adults and 2 kids - I can guarantee there will be a day or two where, for whatever reason, plans will need to be changed (switching parks; pouring rain so leave park early; someone not feeling well, etc. etc.....any number of reasons). But unless I know what those changes are 24 hours in advance, I'm gonna be charged $80 to change things up "on-the-go".

It's making me think I should just forget about making dining reservations altogether. Except we all know what it's like trying to find a table service in Epcot without a reservation. Does anyone know what happens if I modify a reservation within the 24 hour window - lets say, I have a reservation for 8, and 4 have decided to go off someone different. If only 4 of us show up, do I still get a table? Will I be charged $10 a head for the missing 4, or $10 a head for all 8?

Ugh...I really hate this new policy!

 

[orangecuse]

As long as 1 member of your party shows up no matter how large the reservation, I believe you are fine. You can also modify it to further than 24 hours away and cancel, or modify the resturaunt/time if you know you want to do something else.

 

[pattyw]

Yep @orangecuse is right- as long as anyone shows up no charge! Also, you can get so many ADR's at the last minute. We find most of ours the few days before, day before, and day of! If you go to the website and do some checking now, you'll find even the most coveted ADR's for today or tomorrow! So plan what you can and you will also be able to "wing it" as well!

 

[Nancyg56]

There will be 8 of us on our trip in Feb/2019. Since our last trip, the rules have changed and I am now required to give a cc # to secure every single dining reservation.

I'm a planner, and I especially love to plan my Disney trips. But all of a sudden, I am feeling less than enthused about planning this trip. We have 6 adults and 2 kids - I can guarantee there will be a day or two where, for whatever reason, plans will need to be changed (switching parks; pouring rain so leave park early; someone not feeling well, etc. etc.....any number of reasons). But unless I know what those changes are 24 hours in advance, I'm gonna be charged $80 to change things up "on-the-go".

It's making me think I should just forget about making dining reservations altogether. Except we all know what it's like trying to find a table service in Epcot without a reservation. Does anyone know what happens if I modify a reservation within the 24 hour window - lets say, I have a reservation for 8, and 4 have decided to go off someone different. If only 4 of us show up, do I still get a table? Will I be charged $10 a head for the missing 4, or $10 a head for all 8?

Ugh...I really hate this new policy!

I would look back on previous trips. How many times did you ditch an ADR on the fly? How often were family members ill so no one could go to dinner? If this has not been an issue, than I would relax in terms of booking the ADR's you want. I know it is not always easy to commit to ADR's in advance if a family is just not used to doing so, or if the family was one tha tbooked a slew and then chose the one that worked that day, however for the most part, if you knwo how you tour and normally manage to get to teh ADR I would relax and book what I wanted. IF as you tour you find the ADR's are cumbersome, then cancel them. If someone is ill and no one can go to the meal, then I woudl call and ask for an exception to be made regarding the penalty.

 

[E.Jane]

As long as 1 member of your party shows up no matter how large the reservation, I believe you are fine. You can also modify it to further than 24 hours away and cancel, or modify the resturaunt/time if you know you want to do something else.

phew...that's good to know! I know I can change anytime between now and then...it's the "last minute" changes that worry me. We always end up with a day or two that get completely changed from the original plan.

 

[E.Jane]

Yep @orangecuse is right- as long as anyone shows up no charge! Also, you can get so many ADR's at the last minute. We find most of ours the few days before, day before, and day of! If you go to the website and do some checking now, you'll find even the most coveted ADR's for today or tomorrow! So plan what you can and you will also be able to "wing it" as well!

good suggestion! Never thought to "play" with the system now to see how spots might be open for "day of" booking.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

This has been a point of contention. There is no comfort for you totally missing the ADR. You could call them and explain or just plans QS. We never over plan TS when we have younger family members with us. Too much can go wrong.

 

[MikeNamez]

Also, if your looking for dinning at Disney Springs some of the restaurants you can make reservations through Open Table with no cancellation fee.

 

[bphilb]

We cancel a reservation within 24 hours just about every trip. Park days never go as planned. We call the dinner reservation line to cancel, usually telling them we have a sick child. Sometimes they won't budge, but we just call back until they do. It never takes more than a couple of calls.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As far as I found this policy was initiated back in October 2011.

According to the article on that October 2011 date the following places went to this policy:
• 1900 Park Fare
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
• Cape May Café
• The Crystal Palace
• The Garden Grill
• Hollywood & Vine
• ‘Ohana
• Tusker House Restaurant
• Artist Point
• California Grill
• Cítricos
• Flying Fish Café
• Jiko – The Cooking Place
• Le Cellier Steakhouse
• Narcoossee’s
• The Hollywood Brown Derby
• Victoria & Albert’s – ($25 per person charge for cancellations within the time window)
• Yachtsman Steakhouse

Overtime they added more until I believe all TS require a CC guarantee (or for some require pre-payments).

 

[Joyful Jamie]

This makes me nervous too! I hope our plans don't change the day of!

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Dining must be cancelled by midnight on the night before to avoid the penalty, not 24 hours ahead. Once you’ve passed midnight the night before, you won’t be able to cancel the reservation online- it will tell you to call. When you call, they will likely tell you there’s nothing they can do (I say this from experience, and they may offer to move to an open time later that day if one is available but don’t count on that).

The best chance at getting out of the $10 fee (which is becoming less and less heard of) is to go to the restaurant and plead your case to the CM at the check-in desk. I would never count on them doing this, but it is always “free to ask.”

Also if one person shows up, the “obligation” is fulfilled and that’s generally the best way out of an ADR you couldn’t cancel.

We just don’t book many TS (especially on park days) because it’s too many variables beyond our control. If the weather looks at all iffy for the following day, I cancel our TS (which annoys me when I’ve possibly stalked the reservations to get it in the first place).

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

We cancel a reservation within 24 hours just about every trip. Park days never go as planned. We call the dinner reservation line to cancel, usually telling them we have a sick child. Sometimes they won't budge, but we just call back until they do. It never takes more than a couple of calls.

Do your children generally get sick at Disney?

 

[bphilb]

Do your children generally get sick at Disney?

Nah..it’s usually just something like us being tired or going to a different park than planned. My kids have never been sick during a trip, thank goodness.

 

[Nancyg56]

This makes me nervous too! I hope our plans don't change the day of!

Do you usually change your plans? I am not trying to be snide, however if you normally do keep ADR's you should be good. If something unforeseen occurs, then you can address it at the time. I would not look ahead and "borrow" trouble.

Nah..it’s usually just something like us being tired or going to a different park than planned. My kids have never been sick during a trip, thank goodness.

We have had a few things happen as well. My DD called in a panic two years ago. She had overheated in Epcot and got sick, but the family had an ADT that night. She was too sick to go. I was able to reschedule it for her, and then I canceled it. I don't know if you can still do this, but if not, I would have suggested her DH go to the concierge desk and ask for help.

On our last family trip we just really overestimated how hungry we would be in the middle of August. We had a late lunch at R&C, and returned to the resort. Between the heat, humidity, and how much we ate, I knew we could not possible keep that evening ADR> I asked the concierge to cancel, and told him it was our fault, I would take the CC penalty. although I was inwardly cringing. There were 9 of us! He did cancel and told me under the circumstances the fee would be waived. WE do not make a habit of this, but it was nice to know that at times, allowances can be made. I have no idea if Disney tracks last minute cancelations, but since we are not habitual, I think it may make a difference.

 

[beck00]

We have cancelled within 24 hours in the past due to sick kids and they did not penalize us. But I get it...you just never know.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

My experience: We almost always keep our reservation, but I have had 2 last minute dinner cancellations at both Akershus and BOG. Both times I walked up to tell them that I would honor the reservation solo (the first time we simply weren't hungry, and the second, a kiddo meltdown). Both are very busy and trying to work in walk ins, and both were very happy to take my cancellation. This may not always happen, but both times I needed to cancel at the last minute, I was able to. At BOG, I was standing behind someone who had inquired a few times about openings, and was being told no availability, when I politely stepped up and said I would be thrilled to give her my reservation. At Akershus, it was Christmastime, and they had people waiting. The family standing behind the velvet rope looked very happy to hear me cancel, and the manager was only too pleased and even told me she would give me any time the next day I wanted. She said that since we had come in person rather than no show, it would be fine and no charge. It must be frustrating for them to turn people away only to have empty tables because of no shows.

 

[crabbygal902]

Even with 8 people, I'm willing to bet you could still get some last moment ADRs. Looking at tonight's choices for 8, here's just some of what is available: 1900 Park Fare, Akershus, Biergarten, Liberty Tree Tavern...there's about 50 restaurants with openings.

Unless you're looking to have dinner on New Year's Eve or you *must* eat at a particular restaurant, I'd wait until you have a better sense of who will attend and what type of food and atmosphere you want before booking those ADRs.

We wait until the last minute all the time and we have had only great experiences doing that. So much less stress!

 

[buzznina]

Like others have posted, you should be fine. I cannot blame WDW on this one, it was all the people that would make multiple ADRs all over the place and/or times and then not show up. This does not totally prevent this from happening but it helps.

 

[VickiVM]

Does anyone know if the same policy of not charging the fee when fewer people on the ressie attend also applies to Candlelight Processional package? I booked for 8 and there will only be 7 of us. However, on MDE, there wasn’t an option to change it like my other ADR’s.