Changes to dining cancellation policy

[MinnieMSue]

I saw something on FB about changes to dining cancellation for the more expensive meals. For a lot of these they will charge the full amount now if you cancel and they are not allowing any modifications at all. Also includes dessert events too. Here is the Disney world link if I can attach it.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining-reservations/restaurant-reservation-cancellation/

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thanks for this information!

 

[Ariel620]

By looking at some other sources, I'm not sure that the change is just limited to these few restaurants. If you search, there is new news yesterday in general for all restaurants on this, stating that no modification of anything within 2 hrs anymore:

New change From WDW website:

Restaurants offering advance reservations do not allow modifications within 2 hours of the reservation time and most charge a $10 per-person fee to cancel within 2 hours of the reservation time, or if you don’t show up for your reservation. Each restaurant’s policies are provided when you make your reservation.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I wonder if the app will continue allowing you to add or delete a person on the reservation at check in like has been frequently an option lately. I also wonder if you will be charged for individual no shows if one person doesn’t make it to the reservation or if you had to say reserve for 2 people to get a table for a party of one (at a regular table service )

Edit: Looking at my email confirmations from Wednesday it says no modifications within 2 hours but only mentions a charge if you don’t show up at all for the reservation or cancel within the two hours. So I don’t think that is a change. Of course it is possible something changed after I made my reservations and one of mine is Hoop De Doo and it does say full charge if cancel within one day or a no show so I guess this isn’t a brand new change as far as that goes. We have never once cancelled a reservation while on a trip so I don’t pay a lot of attention to it.

 

[CarolynFH]

I wonder if the app will continue allowing you to add or delete a person on the reservation at check in like has been frequently an option lately. I also wonder if you will be charged for individual no shows if one person doesn’t make it to the reservation or if you had to say reserve for 2 people to get a table for a party of one (at a regular table service )

Within the last year, there have been reports of being charged for the "missing" person at Rose & Crown fireworks package when the guest had to reserve for an extra person in order to get a table. Some people have reported being able to modify down to the actual number online after making the initial ADR, others have reported needing to call to modify the number down. I hope such modifications will continue to be accepted, by phone if not online, given the ADR system's apparent rigid requirement to fill the table with 2 or 4 guests, etc.

 

[Dakota731]

So what is new with the policy? It seems the same as it was for several years?

 

[starry_solo]

So what is new with the policy? It seems the same as it was for several years?

For certain restaurants, there is a 2-hour window to be able to cancel the reservation without penalty. This is the change, where it used to be by 11:59 p.m. of the night before your reservation.
For others (looks pre-paid), the 24-72 hour window still remains.

 

[Ariel620]

So what is new with the policy? It seems the same as it was for several years?

I think the new change is that you can't modify with in 2 hrs of the reservation anymore. So if your reservation is 10am, and you are running late, you can't go on the app at 9am and change it.

 

[Dakota731]

For certain restaurants, there is a 2-hour window to be able to cancel the reservation without penalty. This is the change, where it used to be by 11:59 p.m. of the night before your reservation.
For others (looks pre-paid), the 24-72 hour window still remains.

Thanks! Won’t that make it easier for people to hoard multiple reservations? Now instead of having to cancel the night before they can now hog them until two hours before?

 

[shpooey]

For reservations where you have to cancel days in advance, does anyone know what time you have to cancel by?

For example, for a Rose & Crown Fireworks Package reservation at 8PM on a Wednesday, the cancellation policy is 2 days before. The wording is "There is a 2-day cancellation policy. Full price will be charged/forfeited if the Guest cancels within 2 days or is a "no show" for the reservation." What time would I have to cancel by to not be charged?

1. 7:59PM on Monday (48 hours prior)
2. 11:59PM on Sunday (midnight 2 full days prior)
3. 11:59PM on Monday (midnight 2 days prior)

 

[JodyK]

Thanks! Won’t that make it easier for people to hoard multiple reservations? Now instead of having to cancel the night before they can now hog them until two hours before?

Yes, but the 2-hour cancellation policy has already been in effect since Nov '22. Before this change within 2 hours you could modify still your reservation to a later date and then cancel it with no penalty so I think that is the loophole they are trying to close here.

 

[mikeuno]

Seems like this will result in many cancellations for those stockpiling difficult to get ADRs