ADR'S and no shows.

[Hodder]

I was reading a couple of posts (cannot find them now) which said that people make ADR's just in case but then don't show up. Is this common?

Reason why I am asking is that I would hate that I cannot get the ADR time I want and have to move it forward or back an hour or more and all because some people make them and don't cancel but just don't show up.

 

[Hodder]

can anyone answer my question?

 

[Lewisc]

Of course some guests just don't show up. Some guests double book ADRs. Some guests don't allow enough time, are having a good time doing something else or just find out the line for an attraction is longer than they thought. I calll to cancel if I know I'm not going but some guests don't think to do it or at a place where they can't.

Disney overbooks the ADRs, that's why sometimes you have to wait 15-60 minutes even with an ADR and other times there is some availability for walk ups.

There really isn't any guarantee if the "no shows" didn't make their reservation that another guest wouldn't reserved that time before you called.

 

[married@wdw]

I admit it! I've been known to double book an ADR here and there. The reason varies a lot -- it's usually because I have to make ADRs before park and fireworks times are announced, so I try to cover all my bases. I've also had the situation of not knowing who was joining us, so I make two reservations -- one for DH and I and one that includes his family, just in case (his family lives in the Orlando area and even though we're on vacation, they're usually not!).

In most cases, we cancel one of the double-booked ressies months before we leave. AND, if we're going to miss an ADR, we try to decide several several hours in advance so I can call to cancel, though sometimes things just get away from us.

 

[Kaycee]

If I can't make it to an ADR, I try to call and cancel.

It's just the nature of theme park dining that there will be times when an ADR doesn't fit into our plans. What looked good when we were at home making our plans isn't always practical when we are actually in the parks. We get wrapped up in having a good time, as well as dealing with crowds and individual temperaments and energy levels. So we sometimes have to adjust all those plans we made at the last minute. This is the very reason that WDW uses an ADR system rather than actual reservations. While WDW dining is important, the theme parks are the real focus. This isn't as true for the resort restaurants, and I would speculate that ADR no-shows aren't as common in those restaurants as they are in the park restaurants.

While ADR no-shows may seem irritating when you can't get an ADR you really want, I think it's just the nature of theme park dining, and I don't see any way around it. It would cause many more problems that it would solve if WDW went to a true reservation system or required a deposit for all ADR's.

 

[Hodder]

Thanks. I was just wondering how common this would be as I had read it a few times (not just here either) and I wasn't sure if it was a commom thing. I do plan on calling when I get there to see if there is anything closer to the times I want.

I know I am a little obssesive and would either call to cancel or make sure I show up...but I also understand not everyone is that way