Ahhhh...Now what do I do? Now what?

[Lorelai]

I'm 2 days away from making my ADRs for a March/April trip and my parents have decided to try and come to WDW with us. Only problem is they are staying in a timeshare and the search was just put in, so we don't know if they'll get one or not.

Can I make all ADRs for 7 people, and then call back and remove two if they can't make it? Is there a risk of having the reservation person take away our ressie if they can't scale it back to 5?

It is a busy time - pre-Easter week - and I'm afraid that if I have to remove two folks from each ADR that my three kids will end up not getting to go to all of the character meals/special places because we'll be forced out of our ADRs.

Please advise. I'm stumped.

 

[Bob P]

Hi Lorelai,

No, you'll have no problem changing an ADR from 7 to 5. There might be a problem if you were going from 5 to 7 though!

 

[LOLA2]

I had pretty close to the same problem. My parents kept procratinating about going and it was time to make ADRs. I called and gave my home phone number and made reservations counting parents. I then called back and made reservations under cell phone number without parents. This way I had two sets of reservations and was safe either way. I was told there could be problem from going 7 down to 5 because if all the 5 tables were booked when I called back I would be out of luck. I did not want to take chance. I found out last month that my parents are going so I called Disney back and cancelled the confirmation number I did not need as to allow someone else to get that table.

 

[Lorelai]

I had pretty close to the same problem. My parents kept procratinating about going and it was time to make ADRs. I called and gave my home phone number and made reservations counting parents. I then called back and made reservations under cell phone number without parents. This way I had two sets of reservations and was safe either way. I was told there could be problem from going 7 down to 5 because if all the 5 tables were booked when I called back I would be out of luck. I did not want to take chance. I found out last month that my parents are going so I called Disney back and cancelled the confirmation number I did not need as to allow someone else to get that table.

Thanks so much for the information. It's a tricky situation to be in, isn't it? I really want them to come with us, I just wish they had decided earlier so that they could have their place secured by ADR time. Is it okay to do that though - make two sets of ADRs with the same name? Because they always ask names before you start making the ADRs.

 

[Lorelai]

Hi Lorelai,

No, you'll have no problem changing an ADR from 7 to 5. There might be a problem if you were going from 5 to 7 though!

Thanks Bob! I hope you are right. I don't know what to do though because another poster was told that it might be tricky to do. Do you have any info, or input, on this booking for both party sizes idea?

 

[Bob P]

Hi Lorelai,

We often go with a group of 9, sometimes 7.

In many situations we have had last minute cancellations by one or more people in our group and it has never been a problem.

I'm not trying to say Lola is wrong, I'm just giving you my own personal experiences.

We have never had a problem taking the numbers down at an ADR...in fact, a few times it happened at the very last minute and we did not even call in advance, we just showed up with fewer people. We have always been seated immediately.

 

[Lorelai]

Whew, okay I feel a bit better now. Maybe I should make just one set of ressies for 7 and cross my fingers that they come along. And if not, then perhaps it won't be a problem. Thanks for the input.

 

[kvogel11202]

We had a group of twelve going at the end of October, one person had to drop out, and we were told just leave it alone. I certainly wouldn't make two sets of reservations, that would really be wrong, in my opinion of course, which may or may not matter to you, since i'm a complete stranger. I just think if you hold two sets of reservations another responsible person who calls the 180 days ahead time may not be able to get in. That's just me though. I try to be courteous to my fellow vacationers. Either way, enjoy your trip!

 

[Ms. WDW]

I've had to reduce the number in the party and it's never been a problem. As one of the posters mentioned, it might be a problem if you were add on at the last minute. I actually had a CM tell me that most of the restaurants don't even "blink" if you arrive with less people without changing the ADR.

But I usually call. I figure it possibily gives someone else a chance to pick up my cancellations!

 

[raidermatt]

I've also had to reduce our number on quite a few occasions and never had a problem. A couple of times, we showed up with fewer because somebody cancelled on us last minute, and still no problem.

If push came to shove, and when you called to reduce they said they couldn't do it, you could just leave the reservation at 7 and show up with 5. Because of the way they do ADRs, they will just put you in line for the next table of 5 instead of the next table for 7. These aren't "hard reservations", where they actually hold a specific table for you.

But I've never heard of anyone ever having a problem reducing a reservation at WDW.

 

[mrzrich]

I agree, make it for 7. We walked up to CM with 5 after reserving a table for 8 because my neice got sick forcing DSIL and DBIL and my neice to go home early. We were seated quickly.

 

[LOLA2]

Thanks so much for the information. It's a tricky situation to be in, isn't it? I really want them to come with us, I just wish they had decided earlier so that they could have their place secured by ADR time. Is it okay to do that though - make two sets of ADRs with the same name? Because they always ask names before you start making the ADRs.

I used my name and my husbands name. I personally don't see anything wrong with this as long as you call back to cancel as soon as you find out.
After all I have to do whatever is best for my family not for 1 stranger that may not get a table. I'ts one extra table I'm holding not twenty. And I would tottaly understand if someone else had to do it given the same situation.

 

[Lorelai]

I wonder if anyone actually has been turned away for reducing their party size. Maybe even though Lola2 was told that it could happen, the chances of it actually happening are slim??

I still understand her reasoning behind making two sets of reservations. And she did cancel as soon as she found out her exact party size. So a table was openend up way in advance for other patrons. But I also understand why someone might feel that making two sets is unfair - if only because someone might not be as courteous as to cancel as soon as they knew their party size.

So has anyone ever been turned down a table due to a reduced party?