Advance dining reservation $ penalty?

[Princess_Lisa]

We have never been charged and we have been late many times. Sticking to disney's rigid schedule of booking everything in advance doesn't help things. We've been 30 minutes late before and while they weren't thrilled and made us wait a bit, we weren't charged.

I also read I believe on here, that you can just move the reservation to another day further out and then cancel to avoid the fee as well.

There is some sort of time limit on how close to your time you can do this. I tried to move the time for one of my ADRs the morning of and it offered me other times, but all worse than what I already had. I checked back an hour or two before my ADR and the modify option was completely gone.

NOTE2: IMPORTANT
If you show up 2-hrs before your reservation, you still might get the penalty fee.
The "Ala Carte" dining reservation system
. . . the system only shows/allows only 2-hrs of ADR's for check-in purposes
. . . if you show within that time, the SEATER (aka, host/hostess) checks you in with no problem
. . . if you are earlier or later, the SEATER must write your name and confirmation number down in long hand
. . . the long hand note is given to the manager
. . . the manager, then, will look at the non-shows at the end of the day and not charge you
Why doesn't this happen all the time?
. . . some SEATER's are simply lazy
. . . others just don't care
If you show up 2-hrs early for your ADR, ask the SEATER if they have noted your confirmation number that you have appeared to the ADR.
If the SEATER does not note your arrival, you can bet you will see a no-show penalty-fee on your credit card.

This is good to know. I showed up 30 minutes early for a Lunch ADR and they weren't too busy, so they got me in without too long of a wait. I was worried at the time that I might be charged if they took me early, but I was not charged. I did make sure to let them know I had an ADR for 30 minutes from then.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

hey took me early, but I was not charged. I did make sure to let them know I had an ADR for 30 minutes from then.

1) Excellent follow-through!
2) If you are early, sometimes the CM at the podium (aka: SEATER) forgets to mark you or leave a note for others.
3) The podium people do try, but people-are-people, and err sometimes they forget.