Changing dining reservations

[Dominion]

I'm just about to book a trip for me and my daughters for October. my parents are considering coming with us, but aren't sure yet - they live 2 hours away in FL so its not a big deal for them to decide to come later on. If I book our TS meals and include them, will it be difficult to take them off if they decide not to come for the whole time? I'm assuming its better to book for 5 and then call later and reduce to 3 than to try and do it the other way around. But I wasn't sure if even reducing the number could be a problem?

 

[ErinsMommy]

there's no cancellation fee for having 2 less people show if thats your question.

 

[Dominion]

I'm not really worried about the cancellation fee b/c I would have enough advance notice. Its more that if I book for 5 now and a month before the trip my mom says they're not coming, will I be able to call up and change the reservation to 3? Or will they say they don't have tables for that number? I don't want to be sitting at a bigger table than we need when we get there...

 

[theduhaimes]

I have done what you are asking in the past with no problems. You just call and they will reduce the number in your party. Definitely easier than adding 2 to a reservation.

 

[TDC Nala]

Unless it's a prepaid reservation, it's far better to show up with fewer guests than with more.

if you book for 5 and then show up with 3 they will adjust your party size when you check in. It's not like they are holding a specific table open for you.

 

[samsteele]

If your party is only 3 people when you check-in at the restaurant, they will simply seat you at a 4 top. You should be just fine

 

[dallastxcpa]

I have done what you are asking in the past with no problems. You just call and they will reduce the number in your party. Definitely easier than adding 2 to a reservation.

That is a little miss leading. They cannot modify your reservation. I have a couple of reservations for November for 14 and part of the party cancelled. The only way to reduce the number is to actually book a new reservation and cancel the old one.

Like others have said though if it is not a prepaid meal then you will not be charged for having 2 less people.

 

[JJZMgailey]

That is a little miss leading. They cannot modify your reservation. I have a couple of reservations for November for 14 and part of the party cancelled. The only way to reduce the number is to actually book a new reservation and cancel the old one.

Like others have said though if it is not a prepaid meal then you will not be charged for having 2 less people.

It really depends on the specific reservation you have. I have had a party of 9 for 1900 Park Fare that I needed to take down to a party of 4 and called to open the spaces for other guests who might have been trying to book. The CM in dining very easily modified my reservation down to a party of 4 and it kept the same reservation number - there was no need to rebook it.

It's definitely a different story when you've got, for example, one of the prepaid dinner shows or CRT and you've used the Disney Dining Plan to secure the reservation instead of pre-paying in full. In that instance, they'll typically need to rebook the entire reservation.

 

[dallastxcpa]

The reservations I need to change are not prepaid. So maybe I need to call back because the cast member I spoke with said that a Reservation couldn't be modified

 

[Lucius Best]

The reservations I need to change are not prepaid. So maybe I need to call back because the cast member I spoke with said that a Reservation couldn't be modified

Definitely call back. We've had no problem modifying reservations over the phone. Recently we were trying to add 2 people to a 5 person ADR for CP at 8:05am. Online there were no opening for any size party any time in the morning, checked several times. Called WDW-DINE, they were able to easily change reservation from 5 people to 7.