Cancellation Policy for Day Of ADR

[MaybeMaybeline]

Hey DISers! I'm having an ADR dilemma. I'm travelling with my fiance but will be attending a conference with coworkers. I have not gone to one of these conferences before and am not sure if and how much everyone gathers afterwards. I don't want to end up without decent ADRs as we're also using the trip to celebrate our engagement but I know my fiance won't go to a table service restaurant without me. What's the cancellation policy on a same day reservation? I assume I'd still get charged for cancelling but I figured I'd check. Anyone have any suggestions or do I just have to roll the dice with either not having an ADR or taking the cancellation fee?

 

[wilkeliza]

You get charged if you cancel.

One way you can possibly prevent the charge is modifying to a date later out waiting a day and then canceling. This only works more then 2 hours in advance though.

 

[FelisLachesis]

For most restaurants, it's $10/person as a no-show or day-of cancellation fee. Now if you call to cancel, and explain the situation, the CM might waive the fee, but there's no guarantee of that.

If it's just the two of you, I would say $20 is a decent gamble to see how your timing goes.

 

[MaybeMaybeline]

You get charged if you cancel.

One way you can possibly prevent the charge is modifying to a date later out waiting a day and then canceling. This only works more then 2 hours in advance though.

I was wondering if that would work. I saw somewhere else on the boards that said the policy is if you change or modify. But it's worked for you before?

 

[wilkeliza]

I was wondering if that would work. I saw somewhere else on the boards that said the policy is if you change or modify. But it's worked for you before?

I did it for several reservations this weekend at Disneyland and several at WDW and in all that time the only time I've been charged was when I did it with in 2 hours of the reservation. A CM let it slip this weekend that their system updates reservations on a 2 hour window so if you change with in 2 hours your name will still show up as a no show but if you change it in the morning by the time you are a no show it drops off their registry.

 

[violakat03]

If you end up having to miss it, go directly to that park's guest relations (or any park's guest relations if it's at a resort) as soon as you can. I've had them rebook me for the same day, change me to a different day, and even cancel it without charging me, depending on the situation. It never ever hurts to talk to them, as the worst they can say is no, but any time I've ever gone and spoken to guest relations I've never ended up with a cancellation charge. I'm not saying that is always the case, but they have always been so good at helping me out with things. I've even had a CM call over to a restaurant that had no availability showing in the computer and have a manager get us in because it was due to a transportation issue when I was using an ECV with a broken foot. Blew me away!

 

[Jaime4004]

I was wondering if that would work. I saw somewhere else on the boards that said the policy is if you change or modify. But it's worked for you before?

It has worked for me also, just changed it to the next day and canceled. Not hit with any fees.

 

[TiffanyA]

I've always called to change and the fee has always been waived. Granted, I've only done it about 3 times.

1. One time was for a valid injury and the cast member I spoke to was very apologetic.
   
2. The second time I booked BOG last minute and needed to cancel Skipper Canteen (reservation about 2 1/2 hours away) - the cast member seemed non-phased - upbeat even.
   
3. The third was in Epcot where my family decided they didn't want to walk all the way to France and we ended up booking Teppan Edo instead. This one was much closer, ~10 minutes to reservation time. Cast member seemed confused actually, but made the change and didn't charge me.

 

[MaybeMaybeline]

Thanks everyone very helpful. I think I'll hold on to my ADRs and take the risk. Seems like pretty low odds I'd actually have to pay the fee and if I do $20 isn't the end of the world.

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

Making those early morning 6am 180 day reservations I have accidentally made a reservation for that same day instead of 6 months out. I freaked out, then modified the reservation to a future date, and then once that was confirmed cancelled it immediately. I was never charged. I hoped they would take pity on me if the charge went through and reverse it, but it never came to that.

 

[soccer mom]

I modified just a time to a couple of hours later on the day of and was charged $10 pp.

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

I modified just a time to a couple of hours later on the day of and was charged $10 pp.

That's quite annoying. I did this at Liberty Tree just last Wednesday and was not charged the fee. We wanted to spend more time at the resort and could move the reservation to an hour later so we did. This post made me nervous though so I double checked and luckily was not charged a fee.

 

[TiffanyA]

I modified just a time to a couple of hours later on the day of and was charged $10 pp.

Was the modification made within 2 hours of the original reservation time?

 

[Pumbaa_]

Can you ask around at work and find out the general convention protocols?