COVID-canceled - ADR priority?

[Eniale]

This is just a straw grasp, but here we go.

In July 2020, I had reservations at Victoria & Albert's. I held out hope that it would go through, but obviously it didn't. I didn't keep any of the cancellation emails, but I feel like there was something about how those who had their ADRs cancelled would get priority to rebook.

Questions:
Did I imagine this entirely?
If I didn't imagine it, were they just referring to "when ADRs for any restaurants reopen" - which passed back in 2020, but didn't include V&A?

I saw a rumor that they may be reopening in summer, and while I'm excited for the possibility, the date I had the reservations for (my wedding anniversary) is on a Saturday this year. That combined with the restaurant being closed for two years has me dreading whether or not I will actually be able to secure a reservation, and I was wondering if there is any grace whatsoever for those of us who had these cancelled.

 

[littledebbie335]

Not sure if it still works, but their website has an email address - you could try to send them a message and see what they say! WDW.Victoria.and.Alberts@disney.com

 

[Betty Rohrer]

This is just a straw grasp, but here we go.

In July 2020, I had reservations at Victoria & Albert's. I held out hope that it would go through, but obviously it didn't. I didn't keep any of the cancellation emails, but I feel like there was something about how those who had their ADRs cancelled would get priority to rebook.

Questions:
Did I imagine this entirely?
If I didn't imagine it, were they just referring to "when ADRs for any restaurants reopen" - which passed back in 2020, but didn't include V&A?

I saw a rumor that they may be reopening in summer, and while I'm excited for the possibility, the date I had the reservations for (my wedding anniversary) is on a Saturday this year. That combined with the restaurant being closed for two years has me dreading whether or not I will actually be able to secure a reservation, and I was wondering if there is any grace whatsoever for those of us who had these cancelled.

not sure your idea would work with all the rescheduled trips it could be just if not harder if rescheduled got firsts as I bet you are not the only one wanting that

 

[Eniale]

not sure your idea would work with all the rescheduled trips it could be just if not harder if rescheduled got firsts as I bet you are not the only one wanting that

What an incredibly helpful and insightful response.

 

[gharter]

Agree with sending them an email to ask. Worst case, you are told no.
This far out, I would be surprised if they honor that (if indeed that was what was sent out). I don't recall anyone mentioning that in any of the V&A threads, but that may have been when they were hoping to be closed only a short time.

 

[kylenne]

What an incredibly helpful and insightful response.

It was honest and she wasn’t wrong tbh. I mean, emailing them certainly can’t hurt—the worst they can tell you is no—but this is the first I’ve heard of such a policy and I was following news around the closures like a hawk as someone who ultimately cancelled 2 CL trips in 2020 and worked with DSS and our TA to get all of that sorted. Even if there was such a policy at the time, given just how many people cancelled ADRs since then, I can’t imagine it’s realistic to think folk who canceled going on almost 2 years ago would get priority booking.

 

[mickey916]

I do recall when things reopened and they announced the implementation of park reservations that those who had canceled/rescheduled trips were given priority for making park reservations. I think that may be where the confusion is coming from. I had a canceled May 2020 trip and was able to make park reservations for my rescheduled August 2020 trip that ultimately I also canceled.

 

[GirlfromTN]

I do recall when things reopened and they announced the implementation of park reservations that those who had canceled/rescheduled trips were given priority for making park reservations. I think that may be where the confusion is coming from. I had a canceled May 2020 trip and was able to make park reservations for my rescheduled August 2020 trip that ultimately I also canceled.

Same thing happened to me and I am guessing this is the communication that OP is remembering. There was some window of time where people who rebooked their canceled reservation got to book before others. That would have only applied to trips right after the parks and hotels reopened.

 

[Eniale]

It was honest and she wasn’t wrong tbh. I mean, emailing them certainly can’t hurt—the worst they can tell you is no—but this is the first I’ve heard of such a policy and I was following news around the closures like a hawk as someone who ultimately cancelled 2 CL trips in 2020 and worked with DSS and our TA to get all of that sorted. Even if there was such a policy at the time, given just how many people cancelled ADRs since then, I can’t imagine it’s realistic to think folk who canceled going on almost 2 years ago would get priority booking.

Honest doesn't mean helpful. The question was, was there any such communication, and did it only apply in a specific situation? "You aren't the only one wanting that" doesn't answer either of those questions.

 

[dez1978]

Honest doesn't mean helpful. The question was, was there any such communication, and did it only apply in a specific situation? "You aren't the only one wanting that" doesn't answer either of those questions.

lol if Disboards and really any message board fb group has taught me anything is that if you ask a question, you should know that you will get responses that don't answer that question or have anything to do with your question. Thats how the internet works.

 

[Eniale]

I was going to post screencaps of my own sleuthing, but I believe because I am a new member I'm not allowed to post photos.

Summary: I found one site that mentioned Disney promising priority rebooking for ADRs. I continued to dig, and based on comments from mods(?) at Disney Food Blog, my second scenario above is correct: there was priority rebooking for ADRs, when the entire system reopened back in 2020. That is, if you had your ADRs canceled, you would have priority access to the ADR system when it reopened, not to specific restaurants/ADRs. (In other words, if your ADRs were for any of the establishments that didn't reopen then, it was useless to you.)

It's a pretty garbage move, because it isn't guests' fault they didn't reopen for two years, and I guarantee they still have record of who had those reservations - I worked at a small hotel that closed its entire operations (unlike Disney) including being without power for a year and a half and even they still had records of unfulfilled reservations when they finally reopened - but it is what it is. The question is answered so I won't bother them with an email as I'm sure they are inundated, though I appreciate the poster who suggested it. On to plan B.

I'm only responding here with the answer to my own question to save someone else time if they have the same question, as the information wasn't as easy to find as I'd have expected it to be.

 

[gharter]

It's a pretty garbage move, because it isn't guests' fault they didn't reopen for two years,

I'm not sure why you feel this is a garbage move. By your post, when they reopened, you had priority access to make ADRs when they reopened, if you had a reservation. I think that's fair. Expecting priority treatment months or a year after they reopen doesn't seem reasonable and logistically would be a nightmare to manage.
A similar scenario - when the airlines cancelled my trip due to Co-Vid, I got a voucher to use for a future flight. There was no free upgrade (that everyone would want), I couldn't book my flight before everyone that didn't have a flight cancelled. Nor would I have expected them to.

 

[Sunnywho]

new members who can't post screencaps telling dis veterans of ten years how to post
oh my