Cancelling a reservation being held by a credit card

[beachfan]

We have put a credit card down for a reservation for the character breakfast at the Beach Club. If we decide to cancel, how much notification do we have to give? If it is a last minute decision, are we charged? Thanks Beachfan

 

[jagafen]

Less than 24 hours notice is a $10 charge/pp

 

[TDC Nala]

According to current reports it is not 24 hours, but a full calendar day. If your reservation is on Monday, for example, you must cancel it by close of business on Saturday. And I have not yet seen any reports of an excuse that would get the charge waived for a later cancellation.

 

[jagafen]

According to current reports it is not 24 hours, but a full calendar day. If your reservation is on Monday, for example, you must cancel it by close of business on Saturday. And I have not yet seen any reports of an excuse that would get the charge waived for a later cancellation.

When I made my ressies today, the CM said that if we cancelled "with less than a day's notice" we would be charged the fee....so you're saying that a Disney day is more than 24 hours??Are they being intentionally obtuse with their definition?? I'll have to call back to get clarification...I'd like to think that if my child is sick, it's not going to cost us $30 in the event we have to cancel

 

[ambgoph]

I'd like to think that if my child is sick, it's not going to cost us $30 in the event we have to cancel

Yes, unfortunately the reports out there right now are you will be charged regardless of the reason for cancelling if less then a day's notice.

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Having booked several character meals for our summer trip, I asked specifically if 24 hours meant a full day or simply 24 hours after being read the script they recite after making each ADR on the phone.

CM told me if for an ADR for Sat at 3pm, then 24 hours would be at or before Fri at 3pm. "You're sure it's not by the close of business on Thurs?" I specifically asked. This CM reiterated that 24 hours mean 24 hours prior to your ADR. She was quite certain it was precisely 24 hours in advance with EXCEPTION to the fantasmic meal, which was 48 hours advance cancelation.

FWIW, that's what I was told by the ONE and only 1 CM that I spoke to that particular day. I have not called again to recheck this answer with a second CM. As you know, results may vary per CM

 

[TDC Nala]

That's not what we are getting so far. We're getting a full day in advance. Of course it is possible that they have since changed it to 24 hours but we need reports from those who have tried to cancel. And there was one reported instance where illness was not accepted as a reason for late cancellation.

 

[cigar95]

....so you're saying that a Disney day is more than 24 hours??Are they being intentionally obtuse with their definition??

I specifically contacted Disney dining with this question - namely, "can you be specific about how 'at least one day's notice' should be interpreted?"

The response that they actually gave me *in writing* (which is often hard to get from anyone at Disney) was:

". . . the cancellation does mean a full calendar day in advance; not
counting the day of reservation or the day of cancelation (sic)."

Thus they do indeed require a full calendar day in between the day that the cancellation is made and the day of the reservation. In the case of a late dinner, this could mean almost 48 hours.

Having said that - have we seen any reports of the fee actually applied to cancellations that were made more than 24 hours in advance, but did not meet the stricter criteria? It does not surprise me that the policy they were willing to put into writing is the strictest possible interpretation of "one day in advance", but that does not mean in practice a somewhat more lenient policy might actually be used.

Given that the stated cancellation policy that appears on the web site and on the confirmation emails is unquestionably ambiguous, anyone charged for a cancellation more than 24 hours in advance would do well to fight the charge in one way or another.

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Good point, because you can easily call your CC company & tell them you are disputing the charges. I could see people doing this if dining gets snotty about the policy without having spelled it out specifically in advance

 

[Anal Annie]

I just recently made a late (9:10) ressie for O'hana because it was the earliest time available for any of the nights on our next trip...and although we typically do eat late at home I am not sure I want to schlep over there that late for a dinner. I called to ask about the timing & the CM told me to just cancel it before the 24 hour mark the day before. I asked if she was SURE and she insisted yes. I hate these misinformed CM's.

 

[cigar95]

I just recently made a late (9:10) ressie for O'hana because it was the earliest time available for any of the nights on our next trip...and although we typically do eat late at home I am not sure I want to schlep over there that late for a dinner. I called to ask about the timing & the CM told me to just cancel it before the 24 hour mark the day before. I asked if she was SURE and she insisted yes. I hate these misinformed CM's.

Unfortunately, a verbal confirmation is worth the paper it's written on.

The only thing they're going to put in writing is the most restrictive possible interpretation.