Please help: Fined!

[Cat_M]

Hi guys

I don’t know what I’m looking for - a bit of reassurance or advice.

I booked a character meal for 11 of us on the Disney app for April....except I actually selected February

I’m in the UK so obviously couldn’t make it I only found out when I received the $110 fine.

I’ve tried calling to explain but the department I need have closed for the day.

Has anyone experienced this? It was a genuine error

 

[Weather_Lady]

I haven't heard of anything quite that extreme (in terms of the number of people), but by all means, call in the morning and explain. If the first person you talk to doesn't have the power to waive the fee (or refuses to), keep asking for employees higher up the chain until you get ahold of someone who can. The policy isn't meant to penalize people for honest mistakes.

 

[Cat_M]

I haven't heard of anything quite that extreme (in terms of the number of people), but by all means, call in the morning and explain. If the first person you talk to doesn't have the power to waive the fee (or refuses to), keep asking for employees higher up the chain until you get ahold of someone who can. The policy isn't meant to penalize people for honest mistakes.

Thank you. I’ll try again tomorrow

 

[EOD K9]

The policy was meant to keep people from booking multiple ADRs and canceling at the last minute as better ones pop up. I canceled BOG last year right when it was time to eat because the menu wasn't what my daughters wanted. (They were three by the way). I explained it to the nice CM and she waived the fee right there. There are honest mistakes and those that game the system. I believe since you are from the UK, it should be a no brainer for them to see the minor issue.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I'm sure they will credit you. I overslept a reservation one day by like an hour or so, but I called as soon as I woke up, and they got rid of the charge. They also refunded an entire trip when I had to cancel the night before because a relative had unexpectedly passed away.

 

[Cat_M]

The policy was meant to keep people from booking multiple ADRs and canceling at the last minute as better ones pop up. I canceled BOG last year right when it was time to eat because the menu wasn't what my daughters wanted. (They were three by the way). I explained it to the nice CM and she waived the fee right there. There are honest mistakes and those that game the system. I believe since you are from the UK, it should be a no brainer for them to see the minor issue.

Thank you, that gives me some reassurance. I’m doubly gutted because I was amazed to get a booking for such a big party on our last day as a thank you to my parents for organising the trip Not sure I have any hope finding one now after that took me ages to hunt down....

 

[Cat_M]

I'm sure they will credit you. I overslept a reservation one day by like an hour or so, but I called as soon as I woke up, and they got rid of the charge. They also refunded an entire trip when I had to cancel the night before because a relative had unexpectedly passed away.

I am so sorry to read about your relative - so glad they refunded the whole trip.

Thank you for your reassuring words. I felt like the only person who had made this mistake last night because I couldn’t find anything on Google about it!

 

[Calmdownnow]

I am so sorry to read about your relative - so glad they refunded the whole trip.

Thank you for your reassuring words. I felt like the only person who had made this mistake last night because I couldn’t find anything on Google about it!

I think there is a glitch with their website as I too found that I had made a reservation for the same day (rather than my actual visit). Even though I had put the right date in on the initial search screen, when I moved on through the process, the date reset to the date I made the booking and I didn't notice until I got a confirmation e-mail -- after the time the meal was supposed to take place.. It was a solo booking so I just wrote off the $10 rather than make an international call to try to get the fine waived.

 

[Cat_M]

Thanks to everyone for your advice last night - it was gone midnight here and I was really panicking so your words meant a lot.

Thankfully, they’re giving me the money back! No quibbling just straight away agreed to scrap the fee.

Thanks again guys and hope you all have a magical day!

 

[Cat_M]

I think there is a glitch with their website as I too found that I had made a reservation for the same day (rather than my actual visit). Even though I had put the right date in on the initial search screen, when I moved on through the process, the date reset to the date I made the booking and I didn't notice until I got a confirmation e-mail -- after the time the meal was supposed to take place.. It was a solo booking so I just wrote off the $10 rather than make an international call to try to get the fine waived.

That’s so frustrating! I think it was me - I was too busy checking restaurants, our itinerary, whether we could split our party and get tables, liasing with my brother and sister etc etc and must have clicked the wrong thing. I’ve just posted an update to say they removed the fee!

 

[Weather_Lady]

I’ve just posted an update to say they removed the fee!

Wonderful!

If you still want to try and get a new ADR (I know it's a long shot), I suggest giving the touringplans "reservation finder" tool a shot. It doesn't cost anything -- you just have to sign up for a free "basic" account with touringplans. If it detects a reservation for your date/party size, it will notify you, and then it's up to you to click through and actually make the reservation (hopefully before someone else grabs it). I've had good luck with it in the past, for parties of 4 and 6 at places like 'Ohana and Hoop-Dee-Doo... You can also just keep calling in to the disney dining line and inquiring. The CMs on the phone have the ability to do some things that the online system can't, like put your party at "split tables" (two different tables, but at the restaurant they'll still try and seat you all together if at all possible). I did this once with a party of 6 at CRT. The online system showed no availability for a party of 6, but when I called in the CM was able to make a single reservation for 4 and 2 at "split tables," and when we arrived at the restaurant they seated us at two adjoining tables that were pushed together.

Reservation finder: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder
Sign up for basic account: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/join/basic

 

[Otterhead]

Thankfully, they’re giving me the money back! No quibbling just straight away agreed to scrap the fee.

During my trip this past week, as various people got sick, we had to scrap a lot of ADRs at the last minute. Technically there's a fine for doing that, but all we had to do is explain the situation, and they refunded our fees every time.

 

[Cat_M]

During my trip this past week, as various people got sick, we had to scrap a lot of ADRs at the last minute. Technically there's a fine for doing that, but all we had to do is explain the situation, and they refunded our fees every time.

I was shocked how quickly they just turned around and said they’d give it me back. Glad to see you had the same service

 

[Cat_M]

Wonderful!

If you still want to try and get a new ADR (I know it's a long shot), I suggest giving the touringplans "reservation finder" tool a shot. It doesn't cost anything -- you just have to sign up for a free "basic" account with touringplans. If it detects a reservation for your date/party size, it will notify you, and then it's up to you to click through and actually make the reservation (hopefully before someone else grabs it). I've had good luck with it in the past, for parties of 4 and 6 at places like 'Ohana and Hoop-Dee-Doo... You can also just keep calling in to the disney dining line and inquiring. The CMs on the phone have the ability to do some things that the online system can't, like put your party at "split tables" (two different tables, but at the restaurant they'll still try and seat you all together if at all possible). I did this once with a party of 6 at CRT. The online system showed no availability for a party of 6, but when I called in the CM was able to make a single reservation for 4 and 2 at "split tables," and when we arrived at the restaurant they seated us at two adjoining tables that were pushed together.

Reservation finder: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder
Sign up for basic account: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/join/basic

That’s fantastic that they did that. My brother has managed to get us the date and meal we wanted - I couldn’t bear to look at the disney app! That’s a good idea for the other days though because it took sooooo long just to find this one table

 

[danyoung56]

It kinda sounds like Disney customer support people are told to refund this fee if anyone asks, no matter what. Good customer service, no?

 

[Cat_M]

It kinda sounds like Disney customer support people are told to refund this fee if anyone asks, no matter what. Good customer service, no?

Yes really good - especially after a midnight panic. Now if they could fix the time difference...

 

[danyoung56]

Yeah, and put an air conditioned dome over all the parks!!!