Changes to table service dining cancellation policy - credit card requirement expands

[Master Yoda]

That's the only explanation. And like I said, if it blows up in their faces, I'm sure they will course correct.

I try to always see business decisions from the standpoint of the business. I get the refillable mug situation, for example. But I'm having a hard time seeing past the guest point of view in this case. I (obviously) have a very strong, negative reaction to this decision on a gut level.

I may even write a letter. And I never do that.

If Disney went straight to the CC guarantee right out of the gate I would go with the letter. But they did not. They have tried several other, much less intrusive ways, to curb the problem and one would assume that they have not worked or caused other problems. (I know that caused other problems is quite true)

 

[Master Yoda]

One note....Many signature restaurants have had this CC guarantee policy in place for a good while now. In their case, this is nothing new.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

I think this is a step in the right direction and should definitely make people who book multiple reservations per day think twice, or at the very least, have them cancel far enough out to free up their space at a restaurant.

I get the sense that what Disney is trying to do is find a balance between those who want to plan every little thing 180 days out and those who would normally be more flexible and make their decisions during their vacation but were sucked into using the system because it was the only way to have some guarantee of a table service restaurant. You still have the ability to make reservations 6 months out, but it forces you to choose them more wisely. Its almost like Disney is making you prioritize your bookings so that you plan two of three meals of you vacation but not EVERY meal. Go ahead and make your reservation for CRT or Cape May or Brown Derby, but no more making multiple reservations for every lunch and dinner during your trip.

I wish this would actually be extended to all table service restaurants because it would free up availability and make it so that you wouldn't need to make a reservation months in advance. Having the credit card fee forces people to a) refrain from making multiple reservations and b) prioritize which restaurants they want to eat at. And by choosing to opt out of using the system because you want to avoid the fee, you actually make the situation BETTER because that's fewer long term reservations, making it easier for people to make short notice reservations or even walk up to a restaurant.

 

[lebeau]

If Disney went straight to the CC guarantee right out of the gate I would go with the letter. But they did not. They have tried several other, much less intrusive ways, to curb the problem and one would assume that they have not worked or caused other problems. (I know that caused other problems is quite true)

Disney has every right to institute this policy. But I want to document my objection to it as a semi-frequent customer. If I don't tell them, they won't know. They probably won't listen in any case. But I'll feel better for having made the gesture.

 

[beefog]

Now get rid of the 180 DAYS out and life will be GRANDER THAN GRAND

 

[WDW1974]

I'm glad that I eat very few meals at those locations anymore. Much easier to just walk into a Swan/Dolphin/DD/Hotel Plaza location when I want a fine meal (usually at much better price points) and not have to make a reservation 180 days out (or 2-3 price increases in advance!)

But this is a problem, no doubt. Sure, it's people (largely entitlement mentality folks that are going to have their overpriced steak at Le Cellier NO MATTER WHAT ... even if that means making four PS's and using one) overbooking ... some people.

BUT ... this also is Disney's own fault ... for having the DDP ... for pushing people into dining at locales they never would have before (sorry, but the chicken fingers and burger crowd didn't use to regularly feel like it belonged at California Grill or Narcoosee's -- because it didn't!) ... for chasing locals away ... for booking every table or leaving half a location empty while turning away walk-ups because you understaffed based on the projections by PS's etc.

One thing that always burned me about WDW's 'system' to begin with is it isn't a traditional reservation system to begin with. If I reserve a table for four at 7 p.m. at a fine restaurant near me, that table is open and left waiting, but not at Disney. At Disney a 7 p.m. means you might get in at 7:33 depending on when the 'first available table for a party of your size' becomes available. That's even why Disney went to calling them PRIORITY and not reserved.

I wish them luck with their latest guest unfriendly move cloaked in a desire to make money off of people whose plans change and make it seem like its all to make a more MAGICal vacation experience for all.

I'll just take my restaurant.com certificate over to Shula's and take $25 right off my tab, while people fight with some 22-year-old Canadian college student about getting into EPCOT's ONLY place for steak.

While I'm having that steak, I might chew on Universal's upcoming plans versus Disney's since the place won't be overrun by the loud stroller brigade anyway.

Getting hungry ...

 

[twinnstar]

This. And as someone who lives in Orlando, there have been plenty of days that I have made a reservation at Cape May's - and like you said, plans changed or something came up - and I went back and canceled the reservation the day of. Unfortunately, now it also guarantees that when a location is booked, there will be no last minute cancellations to be found on the reservation system. Why am I going to bother canceling if I am going to be charged anyways?

I agree. I've never ever done the book multiple places and then not show up thing - but I have canceled a breakfast once, and a dinner once the night before because i was like exhausted and there was no way i could go without dropping dead. Now if I did that I will be charged $10? that kinda blows. I understand that its a necessary evil - but I think maybe it should be 12 hours instead of 24.

 

[drp4video]

I can't recall but it seems to me that Disney didn't have this big of a problem with no shows before the DDP. DDP does not work for just me and my daughter, and I get itthat it might work better for a larger family, but the service and food quality has also gone down since the DDP began. I just wish they would do away with it, and that will help the problem as many people will not eat at TS restaurants or signature ones without the DDP. But I know I am probably in the minority on that thought.

That being said, I think $10 per person is a little steep. Why not make it a certain amount per reservation. What if you are dining with another family, or a group of non-related people, does the family who booked the reservation eat the cost? Or have to collect from family and friends? It will be interesting to see how disney handles the question posed, where say only 4 out of 5 people show up. Is there a $10 charge for the one non-show.

I generally have no problem getting into most TS restaurants at the last minute, especially as we are usually just two people, but I absolutely hate having to plan my dining in advance as I never know where I will be in a park, or even what park I will be on a specific day. I vote to do away with the whole priority thing anyhow..it is NOT a reservation, and you usually have to wait way past your priority time to be seated anyhow.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

One note....Many signature restaurants have had this CC guarantee policy in place for a good while now. In their case, this is nothing new.

Not really. Of the signatures, only California Grill had this specific policy (V&A and CRT required pre-payment).

For most signatures (Artist Point, Jiko, Narcoossee's, Citricos, Brown Derby, Le Cellier, Yachtsman, and Flying Fish), this policy didn't exist. I didn't even think most signatures needed something like this since they always have availability when I check (except Le Cellier, Cali Grill, and Narcoossee's), but I guess I was wrong.

 

[George]

My concern is what happens when people decide to create "valid excuses" to avoid paying the charges...will Disney then refuse any excuse. Everyone thinks is a great way to combat the cheats - but if they're already cheating the system and finding the loopholes they'll continue to do it with this policy.

Yes, but you must understand human nature. The fact it takes any work/organization at all to avoid the $10 charge will discourage a great many people. I know it sounds nuts, but a lot of stuff work likes this. There will still be cheats, but there will be less of them and it will take more work.

 

[John]

WOW! so many different perspectives on this issue. This policy might not make everyone happy but it is the best they can come up with right now. Could they tweek it later....sure. But honestly, when has Disney not accomadated issues that arise when it has needed to. I am sure we could find a lot of things wrong with the policy but as Yoda has said...."for them to come to this point" it must have been a bigger issue then we realize. I for one hardly think it is a policy trying to squeeze more money from its guest.

It might not be perfect but for now it is the best they can come up with. So many people say..." this dosnt work for ME...because" well Disney has millions of guest each year. They cant make a policy just for the ME's For those of you who do not like to decide 160 days out....I understand but I for one do not want to have to schlep resturant to resturant to find a table. Some guest are spending $3,000 to $4000 and up to visit WDW...every minute is precious. Having to make ADR's 160 days out is a nesscesary evil.
Making multiple ADR's is just evil.

 

[lebeau]

Having to make ADR's 160 days out is a nesscesary evil.

No it's not.

Things are the way they are because of policies Disney created. There's nothing "necessary" about this evil.

 

[goofysgurl]

Yes, but you must understand human nature. The fact it takes any work/organization at all to avoid the $10 charge will discourage a great many people. I know it sounds nuts, but a lot of stuff work likes this. There will still be cheats, but there will be less of them and it will take more work.

I do understand and I know this will be a deterrent to some but not all. I don't want to the be the person that gets told I will be charged a fee of $60 (because there are 6 people in my family) because one of my children gets sick and Disney is no longer making exceptions to the rule. It takes on a whole new view when it's no longer $10. I think it's bad enough I have to try and guess what I'll want to eat 6 mos from now just so I can be guaranteed a seat somewhere.

 

[wdw71fan]

I do understand and I know this will be a deterrent to some but not all. I don't want to the be the person that gets told I will be charged a fee of $60 (because there are 6 people in my family) because one of my children gets sick and Disney is no longer making exceptions to the rule. It takes on a whole new view when it's no longer $10. I think it's bad enough I have to try and guess what I'll want to eat 6 mos from now just so I can be guaranteed a seat somewhere.

thats the idea, yeah..


sorry, but i'm a local and the people that book 3-4 restaurants in a night all at the same time are the scum of the earth.. They take space away from other guests, the servers earn less in tips because the tables are held, etc..

If people can't be adults and decide in advance what they would like to do, then eat counter service every night, I really don't care.

 

[lebeau]

I do understand and I know this will be a deterrent to some but not all. I don't want to the be the person that gets told I will be charged a fee of $60 (because there are 6 people in my family) because one of my children gets sick and Disney is no longer making exceptions to the rule. It takes on a whole new view when it's no longer $10. I think it's bad enough I have to try and guess what I'll want to eat 6 mos from now just so I can be guaranteed a seat somewhere.

Yeah, $10/head is stiff!

With little kids, there is a good chance you're going to have to make some schedule adjustments on the fly at least once during your vacation. After my personal experience, I don't want to have to rely on Disney's willingness to make an exception if I have a legit reason for canceling.

I feel like I need an insurance policy to book a lot of these meals during one trip.

 

[goofysgurl]

thats the idea, yeah..


sorry, but i'm a local and the people that book 3-4 restaurants in a night all at the same time are the scum of the earth.. They take space away from other guests, the servers earn less in tips because the tables are held, etc..

If people can't be adults and decide in advance what they would like to do, then eat counter service every night, I really don't care.

I would probably reserve "scum of the earth" for murderers, rapists and pedophiles...

However, I understand the reasoning behind this and I don't make more reservations than I will use and I will admit I am extremely put-off when 180 days out from my trip I can't get a seat at 'Ohana for first 6 days. I also agree the food has gone down hill since the DDP took over. But, I believe, a flat rate of $20 would be just as much of a deterrent (since I see very few people dine by themselves anyway). It seems like a reasonable fee - and if my kid gets sick (while I'm on my $8000 vacation) I probably won't make a stink if I get charged for canceling last min. over that.

But if TDO would have come up with something reasonable what would we write about?

 

[COProgressFan]

No it's not.

Things are the way they are because of policies Disney created. There's nothing "necessary" about this evil.

Exactly what I was about to say. Disney created the situation with the dining plans (and the lure of "free" dining for many months of the year), the 180 day booking window, and the overall culture of a WDW vacation where everything must be planned, scheduled and paid for months before the vacation even starts. It is a "necessary" evil only because Disney designed it that way in the first place. It doesn't have to be that way.

And there is absolutely nothing necessary (or customer friendly) about penalizing families whose plans may legitimately change at the last minute and charging them a fee even if they do make an effort to cancel.

 

[wdwfan22]

Yeah, $10/head is stiff!

With little kids, there is a good chance you're going to have to make some schedule adjustments on the fly at least once during your vacation. After my personal experience, I don't want to have to rely on Disney's willingness to make an exception if I have a legit reason for canceling.

I feel like I need an insurance policy to book a lot of these meals during one trip.

I guess i'm in the minority here, because I don't think $10 is steep at all. Failure to show up for a dining reservation should be result in a fee, and $10 per person is not bad at all, especially since an entree is $30+ per person.

 

[JWG]

I guess I'm not sure on this idea. In general, I like it. I hate the current Disney dining process of being expected to know where I want to eat 180 days ahead of time.

It's easy for me to say I want to eat at Tusker House today, but in 6 months in the midst of my vacation, maybe somethings happened and I don't.

My concern isn't the change, I like that, but that it will simply drive people to canceling 24 hours in advance, still making the resrevation process a pain. I just feel people may still make their many reservations but simply cancel the day before versus not making them at all. Essentially, meaning you need a walk-up to fill the slot anyway.

I've never tried to make a reservation within 24 hours of dining unless at a traditionally empty restaurant such as Olivia's at OKW.

 

[theguitarman]

I think all this talk of Disney creating this situation is a bit off. To start, Disney will make policies to try and keep the restaurants fully booked all day long, or come as close to that as they can. This new policy is not to make reservations easier to get (tho it will do that), it's to make the reservation mean something again; a commitment that yes, I will be eating at your establishment at this time. Sadly, I guess too many people abused it and now a credit card replaces your word.

As for the 180 day window, I would be very interested in a Disney historian writing a brief history of the the reservation process. Was it instilled because people were booking reservations more than 180 days in advance? Or maybe people were complaining that they could book their whole vacation so far in advance, they want to be sure they got a reservation to their favorite restaurant (perhaps the plan being make a few reservations, but turned into make reservations for every meal, every deal, and sometimes multiple). That would be interesting to see the evolution, and that would help us determine why things are the way they are. Maybe this already exists somewhere?