No-Show Charges for all Table Service ADR's

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

Three years ago this policy would have effected me. While on vacation my brother-in-law passed away very unexpected. My husband left to be with his parents. We had reservations for the Luau and MNSSHP. I did not expect our money back, but Disney was great and gave us a refund for both. I agree with the policy and under the circumstances I still would have been ok with paying the $10.00 pp. It's not Disney's fault.

I believe this would classify as an extenuating circumstance and you would not be charged.

[AgentC]

That said, I did say this has good and bad on both sides. But overall, it's just another small thing that contributes to the bigger picture of why I would rather go to Disneyland.

I definitely agree with Mel on this. (Well not the Disneyland part since I've never been but someday . . . ) There is good and bad. I realize as someone who is local who goes to the parks fairly frequently my opinion may not be the same as someone who can only go every couple of years and has their heart set on something special.

I very seldom make ADRs more than 60 days out. I very often make them the week I am going. I have frequently made them same day.
Have I ever not been able to find any option for a table service meal? No.
Have I ever not been able to get my first choice? Sure.
Has it bothered me? Not really.
Will I ever get to eat dinner at BOG? Probably not until the demand dies down but I can live with that.

Is there some good in the policy? Sure. It is good that it stops the abuse of people who book multiple ADRs for the same time though (and I might be naive ) I don't think the majority are doing that.

I agree that several years ago ADRs were out of control and it was very hard to book meals. I fully supported the cancellation/no show charges for the character meals and Signature table service. I think that has made a big difference with availability though I realize if someone is booking at a very busy time of year such as Easter, Christmas etc it may be tough to get what you want.

However there are many times of year where it is easy to eat just about anywhere. I was at Epcot on 9/21. Almost every restaurant had cast members outside with menus trying to entice people in-even Le Cellier. We had ADRs at Marrakesh and were one of 5 parties in the restaurants. Should someone really have been penalized if they cancelled their Marrakesh ADR that morning?

I do think 24 hours is a little harsh. Should someone really be penalized if they decide during the day that instead of going to back to their resort, they want to stay at Magic Kingdom or that instead of going to DHS they want to go to Epcot? Should they really have to pay $40 because they cancelled 3 hours ahead instead of 24? Again I have no problems with fees for no shows as a general rule. And should it really be all table service? I don't think I have ever been turned away from the Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club for not having an ADR? Do we really need a fee for a same day cancellation there? What about Olivia's, the Turf Club, and some of the other less popular resort table services?

As I write this there are 60 table service restaurants with availability for dinner for a party of 4. The restaurants without availability for the most part already have the cancellation fee. So is adding a fee really going to have any effect other than to make planning more difficult for some and potential give Disney more money on a day like today. My opinion is no.

[GoBlueLacheta]

Not that I have ever had an issue with this, we never really would make the ADR unless we fully intended on eating there unless something drastic happened...but

What is there definition of No Show? What if a person in your party would show up to the dining location and simply explain you no longer able to utilize the ADR cause of XYZ etc.?

[TheDuckRocks]

Fire up the flamethrower! I know I'm the odd duck out here - I love, love, love ADRs. I also love spreedsheets. I love being in control when traveling (OK, true confession.....I'm a control freak period ). I love knowing what time and where we are eating every evening at WDW. I love not having the, "Where shall we eat tonight?" "I don't know. Where do you what to go?" battle while at Disney.
All that said, when I first read this latest news from on high I was totally freaked out. After much deep breathing and trying to find a Zen place, I asked myself "Just when have you had an ADR that you didn't show up for, you old bat?" The answer was 1 time for breakfast when we didn't get a wake-up call. Solution take a travel alarm or wait until morning of and see what is available. If nothing is available that's what Mickey Waffles at the resort or a trip to DTD for breakfast at Wolfies Express can cure.
Magic Bands
FastPass Plus
Deposits for ADRs
New rules for guests with disabilities
Any knows what will be announced next!
Breath in, breath out.

[cer]

Magic Bands
FastPass Plus
Deposits for ADRs
New rules for guests with disabilities
Any knows what will be announced next!
Breath in, breath out.

- Don't forget the new rules for the pools....

And depending on when the last time was that you went....
-Shorter evening EMH
-Monorail shutting down an hour after park closing....

[BugeyedMuggy]

So happy Disney has finally done this. We make a couple of advanced ressies for resorts and hope day of to make a dinner plan for that day or do a walk up. I do not like to plan 6 months out for every park I will be at and will not make multiple reservations just to have a place to eat where ever I am. Hopefully this will stop this practice. It will only work if Disney enforces the rule.

[Disnamic Duo]

I agree as well They make you plan 180 days for a dinner you’re going to have when your there. Plan you FP tickets in advance for what rides you want to do when your there. Pretty soon they are going to assign you a number for the time of year your state can come to the parks... Not cool taking the fun out of it real fast...

Why don't they just do away with ADR's this way everyone has a chance to eat in a nice place? I can't think of any place here in Miami that takes reservations anymore. It's show up put your name on the list and wait.. This way if you don't feel like going, you won't be charged for changing your mind. And we all know the restaurants will be packed no matter what, so they aren't losing anything..

Last trip I had reservations at Chef Mickey's and when we got to the park my DS didn't want to leave. I would have been charged $20 for not showing up. Not good! Also I didn't like the fact that I had to keep track of the time not to miss our dinner. I don't think I will do that again. It really wasn't worth it in the end. Now if I had just walked up and got a number or whatever when we were ready to eat then I think that would have worked better..

No one makes you plan anything. You do not have to make a single reservation. But...if you want to be sure you'll get to do something you want to do, then you CHOOSE to make a reservation. If you choose that route, then you should honor it. Because if you don't you've just cheated someone else out of a time they could have possible reserved.

[minnie04]

No one makes you plan anything. You do not have to make a single reservation. But...if you want to be sure you'll get to do something you want to do, then you CHOOSE to make a reservation. If you choose that route, then you should honor it. Because if you don't you've just cheated someone else out of a time they could have possible reserved.

I get that, that is why I think they should do away with it. This way if you feel like eating at 7:30pm then you can go and sign in and wait it out. It's not like the reservations are on time anyway. We arrived 15 minutes early and still had to wait about 15/20 minutes to be seated, so what’s the use in making them 180 out. When you get there your table isn't ready anyway. If I would have known that I would have cancelled. because my DS was having fun and didn't want to leave the park. Like I said I probably won't do it again. It’s not worth the hassle to me.

[NJGIRL]

A Disney vacation is becoming too much work to plan.

I agree with you also. Between booking dinner 180 days in advance, now we have to book fast passes and parades in advance. And to top it off if you have to cancel they are charging you too.

We don't park hop and always keep our ADR's, but what if you wake up in the morning and one of the kids are sick???

[EeyoresBestFriend]

I noticed the wording of "per guest". Would there still be any penalty if a couple of members of the party couldn't make it? Say taking an ADR for 7 adults down to 5 adults? We all know how quickly somebody can fall ill on a vacation. . . .

For the record, I have ALWAYS made only 1 reservation per meal (if at all) and am there before the time. Just plain courtesy in my books . . .

Although, in passing time, we have often spoken with other Disney vacationers who have laughed and said they make at least 3 or 4 ressies (one lady had 8!) for the same meal slot and decide that afternoon. And no, not one of them said that they cancel the other ressies. I'm sure that they'll be griping now!!

[DNS]

I totally get why Disney implemented this, but I can see a lot of people getting charged for not making a meal due to circumstances beyond their control.

Yes, I agree. I can see why Disney needed to implement this. I got so tired of not being able to get reservations even 3 or 4 months out, but it will be very unfortunate for some. Last year, the last day we were there, I got sick and we could not leave our room. Just DH and myself, he would not go without me, but we had to cancel just that morning. Guess that does not happen a lot. The dining plan has been a favorite of some and is here to stay, but that seems to be when the walk-in's ended.
I wonder how the free dining will work. Take points off, or still charge a c/c.

[disneynarula]

I agree that charging for no shows might be called for.I still think the 24 hours is rather harsh. Maybe make it 12 or even 8? I don't think cancelling a ADR in the morning that was set for dinner time is abusing the policy.

We don't double dip the system, however, sometimes we change our mind about what park we want to go in the morning and that can affect where we want to eat that night.

Last trip we ate at the Captain's Grille on our first night. Later in the trip,over breakfast one morning, we were remarking how much we really enjoyed it. We decided to cancel our ADR for the Sci Fi Dine in Theater and eat dinner at Captain's Grille instead. I don't think this put anyone else out in any way. Anyone could have done the same thing in reverse.

While I do think that it's unfair not to cancel an ADR or to make several at the same time the 24 hour time slot is crazy.

I would like to have some flexibilty in my VACATION. I don't want to go blind staring at my computer screen with park schedules, etc. 180 days before my vacation even starts. I am not going to create a binder with color coded tabs planning every minute of a vacation. I have to plan my everyday life. I usually create a general plan 180 days out and do make my ADRs as soon as I can. However, we often change our minds.

I also think that Disney Dining should allocate a certain number of tables for walk ins. Not everyone wants to plan in advance. And as far as the poster who said that Disney does not force you to plan in advance, it's total bunk. We booked a last minute trip once and had to scramble to find any TS venues that were available. If you want to eat TS (especially at the parks) you are pretty much forced to make an ADR. I can see the same thing happening for fast pass plus.

[gerald72]

No one makes you plan anything. You do not have to make a single reservation. But...if you want to be sure you'll get to do something you want to do, then you CHOOSE to make a reservation. If you choose that route, then you should honor it. Because if you don't you've just cheated someone else out of a time they could have possible reserved.

Exactly what I was thinking. You don't have to make any ADRs. Ever. You don't have to get any fast passes. Ever. Life is just easier if you do.
But don't expect everyone else not to.

[Goes4FastPass]

I've long heard selfish "insiders" brag about their methods for tying up the places they may decide to eat at even explaining, "Since we don't know which park we'll be at that day I booked a lunch 3 different parks."

I've had to pay for a last minute cancel a few times (not at WDW) and I remembered I balance the convenience and security of a reservation with the responsibility of showing up or cancalling.

I only hope tricksters don't succeed in cheating this change. I worry that, "We stayed for late EMH then decided to sleep in" will be too often translated into, "sick child.'

[disneynarula]

I still think it's ridiculous. I am so sick of having to pay the price for people who cheat the system.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

I will do what I always do, make 1 reservation for dinner each evening and go where I want the rest of the day. I admit that I research and know which parks are least crowded but sometimes its fun to just hop on the first bus that comes. I know where I need to be each evening and that is fine. Hopefully the $10 charges will make it easier for me to get the reservations I want.

[wildernesslady]

Here's a thought. As long as you are replacing your current ADR with a new one, they shouldn't charge you. If you do not want to leave the park or resort where you are to make your ADR, call and change it to your current location as long as there is one available. Disney is still getting your money and it opens up another ADR.

It's a shame that guests with multiple same time ADRs have ruined it for those that follow the rules.

[Jared]

Love the idea, hate the execution. Disney should crack down on missed reservations and abuse of the system. There is no doubt that plenty of people book make multiple dining arrangements on a given day and never cancel.

But the policy is unfair. To me, all no-shows should be charged. I don't think it is right to penalize people who make the effort to cancel, even if it is just a couple hours before. At least that way, Disney can offer that table to another party.

Things happen. Plans change. There is no reason to punish people that are trying to do right.

[Disnamic Duo]

And as far as the poster who said that Disney does not force you to plan in advance, it's total bunk. We booked a last minute trip once and had to scramble to find any TS venues that were available. If you want to eat TS (especially at the parks) you are pretty much forced to make an ADR. I can see the same thing happening for fast pass plus.

Logic check: To even get into WDW you need to pay money. Applying the same logic as above...does that mean WDW "forces" you to get a job (to earn money to pay for your vacation)?

It's life. To get "A" you must do "X". To be guaranteed a table at a restaurant of your choosing...you must plan ahead. If you want that guarantee...you are forcing yourself to make an ADR.

[Janmac]

Just to clarify-it's $10pp


Prior to the credit card required for restaurants and MDE, I had called to cancel a reservation we had made for dinner, since we were going to be in a different park. I was on hold our entire bus ride and then some (20+ minutes). I gave up. I hope they have fixed this since then.


Does any one know if it's that your reservation falls on a date after 10/31 it is affected, or is it if you book after 10/31 it is affected?


I am glad my kids are getting older.As a PP mentioned, seems like WDW is less and less in my future (not really we have a trip in Nov, but after that....).
I love researching and gathering the information for our trip (park hours, crowd calendars, parade and firework times etc). I don't love planning every minute and everything that we do.

This $10 per person no show charge has been in effect for character meals at least for this year. Trying to remember if it was in effect in 2012 but not having much luck with it.

If we were only 4, I doubt I'd make many ADRs but when we have 6 or 8 or more, ADRs become more necessary, and part of the fun for me, as I love the planning part. So far, with that many, we have only once had to cancel an ADR. But a $10 per person charge quickly becomes a lot when the group is large.

Hopefully, as one poster mentioned, if most of us showed up for a meal, we'd be ok. We have occasionally shown up for a breakfast ADR short one person and had no problem.

I thought a new enhancement of the ADR system a year or so ago had fixed the problem of folks making multiple ADRs for one meal?

For our extended family we have gone from 3 table service meals - with reservations (whatever they were called back then) per day for 7 days back in the '90s to no more than one per day now, in 7 days. Mostly due to Disney's various fixes of the system. Not that Disney is missing our money.

Jan