Beware and take if from me: If you "double book", both will cancel...

[bclover]

I have been pretty much a "lurker" on these boards for a while, and can't believe how much I have learned from everyone. Planning for a Disney vacation is a full time job!

I thought I would share what I found out today. As we all know, the online system for booking dining reservations has been having it's problems. Well, late last night it seemed to be working well, so I booked some ADR's for my family for our August trip. On 2 of our days, I did book 2 reservations for the same time with full intentions of canceling them today when I had time to go over our schedule one last time, and figure out where we would be. This morning I called (online kept freezing on me) to cancel where I had "double bookings", only to find that BOTH reservations had been canceled. The Cast Member I spoke with said she had been with Disney for over 5 years and that they have known for a long time that people are double booking, and with the new system (and its glitches) they have finally figured out a way to stop to it, slowly but surely. I guess I am the perfect example. Now I have nothing for those dates, as there was no longer any availability at any of the restaurants I was booked at. Totally my fault for gettiing caught up in all the ADR panic and being greedy. Live and learn. The cast member told me I was her second call today where both reservations had been canceled on a "double booking".

So, my best advice to any of you out there that have made more than one reservation for the same day and time, call asap and cancel one, before Disney cancels BOTH for you. And for what its worth, I can't blame Disney one bit. I was totally wrong to book two places at once, but, as I said, reading about the dining nightmares, I panicked.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Sry this happend to you. I did hear this but some ppl on here didn't believe it was happening. Hopefully what you want will open again for you.
Good Luck

 

[shruley]

Thank you so much for sharing. Good to have a first hand account, as these "rumors" have been going on for some time and no one seemed to know.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I have told folks that this was coming.
2) CM's have "unofficially" canceled double bookings when they spotted them.
3) Now, the system can do it.
4) THIS IS A GOOD THING.
5) Let's people who used to be frozen out to be able to now get ADR ressies.

NOTE: Wait until some of the other "features" of the new system come out. The boards will be lit up with the negative chatter.

 

[carmiedog]

I don't have a problem with double bookings being canceled. I *do* have a problem if they are canceled without warning. It would be easy enough to program a pop up box warning that you have a conflicting reservation, and if you accept the new one, the previous will be canceled. To just automatically cancel both is very unfair on Disney's part.

 

[bclover]

1) I have told folks that this was coming.
2) CM's have "unofficially" canceled double bookings when they spotted them.
3) Now, the system can do it.
4) THIS IS A GOOD THING.
5) Let's people who used to be frozen out to be able to now get ADR ressies.

NOTE: Wait until some of the other "features" of the new system come out. The boards will be lit up with the negative chatter.

I totally agree that it is a good thing. IMHO the whole ADR thing is out of control. It reminds me of when the PS3 came out and even if you didn't want it, because of all the hype, you felt like you had to have it!!! Its sad to think that I was basing the "success" of our trip on where we are going to eat.

 

[wdwmaw]

1)

NOTE: Wait until some of the other "features" of the new system come out. The boards will be lit up with the negative chatter.

 

[Happy99]

1) I have told folks that this was coming.
2) CM's have "unofficially" canceled double bookings when they spotted them.
3) Now, the system can do it.
4) THIS IS A GOOD THING.
5) Let's people who used to be frozen out to be able to now get ADR ressies.

NOTE: Wait until some of the other "features" of the new system come out. The boards will be lit up with the negative chatter.

Totally agree with everything you listed. I am looking forward to hearing about the "other features"

I don't have a problem with double bookings being canceled. I *do* have a problem if they are canceled without warning. It would be easy enough to program a pop up box warning that you have a conflicting reservation, and if you accept the new one, the previous will be canceled. To just automatically cancel both is very unfair on Disney's part.

I disagree - I don't think it is unfair at all. If people are purposely double booking they should get their reservations cancelled. Disney is not going to sit there and call each and every person that double booked. People know they aren't supposed to double book ADRS but until now the system allowed it and people kept doing it.

I do think that there should be a pop up box for the people booking ADRS online from here on out letting them know if they are double booked they will get both cancelled. It is only fair to warn people. I know that now it gives a warning if two ADR's are too close in time but if the amount of people are different that shouldn't matter. If you are booking different restaurants for different people in your party they should be in the name of one of the persons going. Example is Mom and Dad are going to X restaurant at 6pm on 9/1 then Grandma and Grandpa going with the kids to Y restaurant at 6pm should be in Grandma or Grandpa's name to avoid the double booking issue.

I had a friend that was at WDW during this last Christmas season and she told me that at one restaurant they had 200 people as no shows for that New years eve. This is a time when many couldn't find any availability at any restaurant. It also affects the restuarant because they have to make sure they have the staff, food, etc on hand that all cost money and when they aren't bringin in the $ to offset that their food cost and labor goes out the window. If they see enough of this it comes back around to higher prices.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

I don't have a problem with double bookings being canceled. I *do* have a problem if they are canceled without warning. It would be easy enough to program a pop up box warning that you have a conflicting reservation, and if you accept the new one, the previous will be canceled.

Why do you need a warning if you already know that you have another reservation at that time? I don't expect a police officer to pull me over and "warn" me if I'm going 30 miles over the speed limit- I'm almost sure that I'd already know I was speeding & deserve any resulting consequences.

OP, I totally understand getting "caught in the excitement." It's very honorable that you've taken the blame- regardless of how hard it is to swallow that pill. I hope that you can get similar ADRs for your trip.

 

[Bobump]

I wish they would make everyone put up $10.00 a head on every reservation on a credit card. And you would have up until 24 hours prior to that reservation to cancel. If you do not you get charged if you do not show up. And if you do cancel in a timely manner this would create openings for others. As a late call or even a walk up.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

What about situations that look like double bookings but aren't?

Example:

Let's say I have Kona Cafe booked for myself and a friend at 7:30.

I also have Ohana booked for my parents at 7:30.

Both reservations are associated with my reservation and they are both at the same time. 1 under Megan 1 under Warren.

What would they do if the system just cancels both because they are the same night, the same time, under the same reservation.

Also, I've mistakenly double booked before. I ended up with California Grill & Jiko on the same night, when i has asked for them on two different nights. I caught that "mistake" weeks after having the CM make the reservations.

 

[carmiedog]

Why do you need a warning if you already know that you have another reservation at that time? I don't expect a police officer to pull me over and "warn" me if I'm going 30 miles over the speed limit- I'm almost sure that I'd already know I was speeding & deserve any resulting consequences.

Simple. If you're pulled over for speeding, you already KNOW the consequences. If they've allowed double bookings in the past, then people will not be aware of the consequences (unless they happen to read the right thread on an online forum), as in the case of the OP. It's only fair to alert them. I've only played around with the system for a few minutes..does it clearly state somewhere that double bookings will be canceled? It would also help people catch errors if they accidentally put in the wrong date for which they already have an adr.

 

[RMulieri]

Sorry this happened to you.....but I am glad they are finally starting to address the problem more than they have.

 

[carmiedog]

I disagree - I don't think it is unfair at all. If people are purposely double booking they should get their reservations cancelled. Disney is not going to sit there and call each and every person that double booked. People know they aren't supposed to double book ADRS but until now the system allowed it and people kept doing it.

I do think that there should be a pop up box for the people booking ADRS online from here on out letting them know if they are double booked they will get both cancelled. It is only fair to warn people.

confused. You said you disagree then said you DO agree that there should be a warning, which is exactly what I wrote. So you mean you agree with me?

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I really wish that with every ress a cc went along with. I bet we be suprised how many ress would open up. Hopefully someday Disney will due this and it will be in my opinion the cure all. Now if your going to honor your ress you really shouldn't have a problem putting up a CC.

 

[livndisney]

I have no problem with them cancelling the double bookings. I say it is about time. Some ADRS are hard enough to get without people abusing the system. If you don't kow when or were you want to eat, don't book. When you figure it out calla nd book. Simple.

 

[HeatherBelle614]

What about situations that look like double bookings but aren't?

Example:

Let's say I have Kona Cafe booked for myself and a friend at 7:30.

I also have Ohana booked for my parents at 7:30.

Both reservations are associated with my reservation and they are both at the same time. 1 under Megan 1 under Warren.

What would they do if the system just cancels both because they are the same night, the same time, under the same reservation.

Also, I've mistakenly double booked before. I ended up with California Grill & Jiko on the same night, when i has asked for them on two different nights. I caught that "mistake" weeks after having the CM make the reservations.

I'd like to know the answer to this, too.

I'm planning on doing a dinner with just my mom at Akershus, while DH and DF are going to OHana, hopefully at the same time so we can meet up right after dinner.

Am I going to be punished for that by having my ADRs cancelled? Do you think spacing them apart 10 minutes is going to make a difference?

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Sorry it happened to you. Thank you for sharing this information to us.

 

[debster]

I don't have a problem with double bookings being canceled. I *do* have a problem if they are canceled without warning. It would be easy enough to program a pop up box warning that you have a conflicting reservation, and if you accept the new one, the previous will be canceled. To just automatically cancel both is very unfair on Disney's part.

I disagree with this, I think it is unfair that some people feel it is OK to book double reservations "just in case".

There are so many other people that need dining reservations and are not able to get them for this reason.

Also, do you think Disney likes all the empty tables that there will be with the no-shows?

I think its a way to keep people honest. I think it is totally fair of Disney to do this.

Once again, people trying to "cheat" the system and they get caught, then are mad because its "not fair".

 

[Colleen27]

Personally, I think this is the worst possible time for them to start enforcing it. How many people who got the blank confirmation error and redid their ADRs are going to get to Disney in the middle of the free dining craziness to find all their ADRs were cancelled with no warning and through no fault of their own? Not everyone reads the DIS, and those who don't have no reason to think that their ADRs were made despite the errors.