Disney to expand cancellation fees to all table service restaurants at Walt Disney World

[Lucky]

Most of the "good" restuarants already have the policy...has it been easier to walk in since implemented?

Walk ups are less likely to get in under this policy.

 

[nytimez]

How much does any of this really matter when you can walk up to a Disney restaurant that's clearly only half full (or less) - and has no one waiting - and be told that they're all booked up and can't seat you?

 

[RandomPrincess]

Do people really make several reservations??? Seems silly & selfish

Also - with the MME stuff you can't overlap reservations - it was incredibly hard to make two separate reservations when my group was going to split up one night - We couldn't do so on the computer - needed to call it in since the site insisted we couldn't do 2 reservations at the same time. We couldn't even overlap FP+'s with our dining reservations without it at least notifying us.

There are people on another DISney site that brag about hording ADRs. they have several accounts and will make ADRs for each park, for each meal, everyday of their trip so they can eat when they feel like it in which every park they happen to be.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I have no problem with this!. It makes it better for everyone trying to get a reservation.

The people to blame are the selfish ones who caused the problem by making multiple reservations and not giving the dam or courtesy to other people.

AKK

 

[PhotoDave219]

What a giant pile of BS.

I'm being charged if I cancel a ressie? Then why on earth should I even make a ressie? Oh, nobody takes walk-ups, ever.

Trying to find a restaurant to eat at in the Walt Disney World resort - one that is convenient to my plans - is darn near impossible anymore.

This will keep me even farther from Disney Dining.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I have cancelled at current fee ones within 24 hrs and not been charged. If you have a reasonable excuse for cancelling (ie. we had a sick member in our party) they have the discretion to waive the fee. At least that's been my experience.

This has been reported as happening many times.

AKK

 

[RandomPrincess]

Most people report getting the fees waved due to illnesses etc but every once and a while you will get a CM who is going to charge you no matter what the reason you are missing the ADR.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

While I like that this MIGHT keep people from double booking, I disagree with the 24 hours cancellation notice. Things happen and you can't control when. What if someone has an emergency and needs to fly home? Or what if someone gets sick? I understand that they may not charge you and it's up to their discretion, but if I cancel and they don't refund me cause I'm sick, why should they refund someone else, cancelling at the same time for the same reason?

In my opinion, all dining should be secured with a CC. If you just fail to show up, you should be charged. No shows only. If you have the decency to call ahead of time and cancel, why should you be punished? I know most of you will disagree with me on this but this is just my opinion.

 

[Lucky]

There are people on another DISney site that brag about hording ADRs. they have several accounts and will make ADRs for each park, for each meal, everyday of their trip so they can eat when they feel like it in which every park they happen to be.

People here have bragged about it too. I won't name names.

 

[COProgressFan]

How much does any of this really matter when you can walk up to a Disney restaurant that's clearly only half full (or less) - and has no one waiting - and be told that they're all booked up and can't seat you?

I have seen this happen numerous times. Most recently, families walking up to the podium at Sci-Fi Theather at DHS at 5pm were told the only available seats were at 8:45pm. Then, lo and behold, when we were seated the restaurant was less than half full.

It's all about the labor savings! Those geniuses that run TDO must have somehow figured out that turning away hundreds of customers who are actually willing to pay for Disney's overpriced, mediocre food is a real profit center.

Back on topic, the 24 hour cancellation policy is harsh, especially if you are traveling with children. There are just some things that are out of your control. Will there be refunds when the reason you can't make your reservation on time is due to being evac'd from Space Mountain, or when you get stuck on a broken down monorail for an hour?

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Do people really make several reservations??? Seems silly & selfish

Also - with the MME stuff you can't overlap reservations - it was incredibly hard to make two separate reservations when my group was going to split up one night - We couldn't do so on the computer - needed to call it in since the site insisted we couldn't do 2 reservations at the same time. We couldn't even overlap FP+'s with our dining reservations without it at least notifying us.

We were able to book FP+ that overlapped our dining. They don't know how long you'll be dining for. We had a FP+ for Ariel at 11:55am and lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern at noon and it let us book them both.

 

[COProgressFan]

Exactly.

When this roled out in Oct '11, I told my horror story repeatedly. I won't dredge it up again. But I have been on the wrong end of a Disney World cancellation fee and I'm bitter about it 3 years later.

I remember reading about your situation, and it was outright ridiculous. I'd still hold a grudge too.

 

[Lucky]

If you have the decency to call ahead of time and cancel, why should you be punished?

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think it's about punishment, or even about trying to extract more $$$ from guests. I think they're trying to deter people from double or triple booking.

 

[CRO-Magnum]

Walk ups are less likely to get in under this policy.

I'm not convinced that's true. There are people who egregiously violate any sense of fair play as discussed, but there are also those who make reservations without any sense of surety they'll be able to take advantage. Some of those people will make reservations and manage their time appropriately, others will decide to forgo the risk not to make a reservation at all. With a family of 6, kids ages ranging from 7 - 15, I can tell you there's no way I'll make a table reservation and risk the fee. Life has too many variables to risk $60. What if two of my kids decide to go off for the day so only 4 show up? What if we can't make it to the reservation due to an issue on the monorail, or a ride going down (both have happened to us)?

Much of what's happening at WDW is dis-incenting spontenaeity. To me a "magical" vacation includes making spontaneous decisions. I don't want to schedule my time out to the nth degree on where I'll be, what times I have fastpasses for which attractions and meals on top of that too. It sucks the fun right out of it and makes the vacation look a whole lot more like my average work week.

I'm sure I'm in the minority. But I have to wonder how many people will willingly make reservations in the future after getting hit for the non-cancellation fee.

 

[jklakeview]

I'm on board. We always made multiple reservations but cancelled them always 24 hours (if not more) before the date. I never failed to cancel or simply didn't show up and keep someone from getting that spot. I think its a great policy. Thank god they didn't go overboard and say that if you cancel a reservation after showing up for your vacation, you will be charged, which they could have done. Everyone I knows makes multiple reservations especially since it's so hard to get one as the trip gets closer. This just assures that people will cancel their extra reservations so others can take them. I also truly believe 24 hour notice is more than fair enough.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think it's about punishment, or even about trying to extract more $$$ from guests. I think they're trying to deter people from double or triple booking.

I see your point. I still don't agree with the 24 hour ahead of time policy though. If someone calls an hour ahead of time, chances are they are probably still going to fill that table. Especially at a busy time of year.

 

[Lucky]

The more popular restaurants will still be fully booked most days of the year. Now more of the bookings will be from people who really want to go there, instead of by people who are just keeping their options open. Fewer no shows, so fewer opportunities for walk ups.

 

[WinstonFl]

The night of the villains party we had dinner reservations in DHS for 7:45. When We arrived at the park at 6:30 it became apparent we weren't getting in. We called the hotline In the car to inform them. Would have hated to be charged $10 for that...but then we asked if there were other restaurants anywhere on property that had reservations available and were told there was nothing anywhere! We drove to Animal Kingdom Lodge to Boma's, and walked in with a 5 minute wait...the place was half empty. Crazy!

 

[menamechris]

Yep. This will probably keep me from making further reservations. I have now been trained to not only go to a Disney World that is targeting itself to toddlers, but to be treated like one, as well.

People will always abuse systems and try to come up with ways to make things easier on vacation - which is essentially why people make multiple ADR's - they want more flexibility on their trips. Dining reservations 180 days out does not offer flexibility. Disney's answer to this problem is to force more rigorous vacation planning and punish those who do not do so. Now, it is right down to dining - and the punishment will be charged directly to your credit card. It's quite pitiful, but yet another example of how Disney truly is not concerned with the guest - they know most can be pacified with a seemingly sympathetic ear at Guest Relations and a FastPass of your choice. Totally worth the extra thousands of dollars they will make every day off this new cancellation policy/

 

[ford91exploder]

What a giant pile of BS.

I'm being charged if I cancel a ressie? Then why on earth should I even make a ressie? Oh, nobody takes walk-ups, ever.

Trying to find a restaurant to eat at in the Walt Disney World resort - one that is convenient to my plans - is darn near impossible anymore.

This will keep me even farther from Disney Dining.

Many, many steaming piles of Bravo Sierra these days, The next thing will be the flexibility to waive cancellation fees will be pulled, Disney has just found a new profit center