Dining reservations can now be updated online on web site

[gaexsz]

Existing dining reservations can now be modified up to 20 minutes prior to the reservation time. This cannot be done on the My Disney Experience app at this time and must be done at mydisneyexperience.com. You can change the date, time and party size, but cannot change the restaurant.​

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm#news

I wonder if this means that we can get around the within-1-day no-show fee if we change the date of the reservation to some date in the future, and then cancelling that.

 

[SantaMonicaDisney]

Can you also add people easily the same day? Or can I do that last minute by showing up?

 

[beesly]

Can you also add people easily the same day? Or can I do that last minute by showing up?

I don't think this will make it any easier to add people - that will still be constrained by the restaurant's availability for the day/time you're looking for. I've read several instances on this board of people being allowed to add a person to their party at check-in, but if the restaurant is booked solid, they might not be able to accommodate the change. I'd recommend you keep checking for a new reservation for your party size, and crossing your fingers at the podium for some pixie dust if you can't find another reservation.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

It appears you can only add people to your dining party if there is a reservation available for that many people. For example, we have an 8:10 BOG breakfast ADR for three. My parents just decided to come on this trip. I cannot (either via the website or a phone call) just add them to our reservation - I have to get a new reservation for five people, or a separate reservation just for them. Neither of these are available, so I can't use the change feature on the My Disney Experience website.

It also seems you can change times if that time is already available for your party size.

 

[supersnoop]

It appears you can only add people to your dining party if there is a reservation available for that many people. For example, we have an 8:10 BOG breakfast ADR for three. My parents just decided to come on this trip. I cannot (either via the website or a phone call) just add them to our reservation - I have to get a new reservation for five people, or a separate reservation just for them. Neither of these are available, so I can't use the change feature on the My Disney Experience website.

It also seems you can change times if that time is already available for your party size.

BOG Breakfast (and lunch) is really a different animal. For dinner, I have seven people booked. There's no reservation available for any number of people, not even one. But it will allow me to change my reservation to eight people. So, it is a little better than before.

 

[1supermomsmd]

Very curious how this affects the no-show/less than 24 or 48 hr cancellation fee.

Also, does the future date have to be within the 180-day timeframe? Presumably, but this new policy raises some interesting strategy.

 

[supersnoop]

Has anyone actually used this new feature? I've been updating some of my reservations and have some problems. The main "My Reservations" information never updates. It keeps showing the original number of people. In some cases I had to move the time a little bit, and the times don't update either. I can see the "new" reservation when I select to change or update it, but the main "My Reservations" page continues to show the original information.

 

[pixarmom]

I tried to use this the day it was announced. And I've been back to the website to try it again several times. It allows me to select a new time, and then produces a "server error" page. Every time.

 

[supersnoop]

I managed to update 12 of my 13 reservations. It was slow and tedious, but it worked. And the main page seems to have updated this morning.

 

[TeresaWen]

If you can change the date and then cancel without penalty, Disney should just stop assessing a fee for anyone who has the decency to cancel and use it to penalize no shows only. Silly to make people jump through hoops to modify their plans same day to avoid the fee.

 

[supersnoop]

If you can change the date and then cancel without penalty, Disney should just stop assessing a fee for anyone who has the decency to cancel and use it to penalize no shows only. Silly to make people jump through hoops to modify their plans same day to avoid the fee.

Same day cancellations is the whole point of the fee. Just because you think you found a loophole doesn't mean the entire system should be eliminated.

 

[TeresaWen]

Same day cancellations is the whole point of the fee. Just because you think you found a loophole doesn't mean the entire system should be eliminated.

Did not say the entire system. A fee for a no show is very appropriate. And I did not "find" this loophole. It is being discussed in this thread, on other threads on these boards, and elsewhere.

For the record, in my 25 years of Disney travel and 50 or so trips, I have never ever (even once) made an ADR I did not intend to keep. Never had two or more on the same day in a different park, never used a "dining strategy"

Prior to the fee I have cancelled same day on occasion. Usually in person at my hotel or in guest services. These cancellations were met with glee by the cast members who at times would hold my cancel until they had a guest wanted it. Helped them make some magic. I have never been a no show. Ever.

since the fee, we make less ADRs to allow for being spontaneous. Twice we kept our ADR and only had drinks and an appetizer because we were just not hungry and were not going to pay $20 for nothing. A drink is always fun.

yes - now on those very rare occasions when we do not want to keep our ADR we will reschedule to another day and then maybe cancel that.

Since those in the know will be doing the same, maybe it is indeed time to adjust the fee policy to cover no shows and allow people on vacation to modify their plans - especially since the app does not allow double bookings. Unless you have a dining strategy that works around this. Way too much work for a vacation.