CRT HELP! First timer to WDW

[PrincessP]

DH and I are taking our two children DS (5) and DD (3) to Disney for their first trip! I booked ADRs at earliest possible opportunity....including CRT 6 months prior.

My parents and older sister (with downs syndrome) were planning to join us for some of our trip and the ADR at CRT. Now they are seriously considering backing out b/c of inconvenience for /with my special needs sister. She just likes to stay home.

So we have a 7 person ADR to CRT in May.

I have called.....and we cannot change to a 4 person ressie now (we've been assigned an 8 top table and all smaller tables are booked). They will only connect me w/Guest Services to TRY to accommodate my party of 4 if we are indeed ready to cancel the other 3 on the reservation.

How disappointed will I be (notice I say I - my kids don't know anything about the Cinderella lunch) and Dh doesn't care.....LOL....but I really wanted to experience this w/DD on her first trip to Disney. I'm sure we will return in the future so I hope to have the chance again if we don't get the chance this time.

So will I be super disappointed to miss this? I'm trying to tell myself it's a lunch w/an imaginary person! You're a mommy and an adult....get over it.

Or should we try to find 3 - 4 strangers to share our table with us (my parents would be willing to pay since they're backing out and causing the dilemma)?

This is crazy....

why is lunch in a fairytale castle w/an imaginary princess so important to this mommy of a long-awaited daughter....just part of the Disney magic?

Opinions please: wake up calls, firm smacks on the head, douses of water welcome...just tell me like it is. Thanks!

 

[goofygal531]

They will charge you a nomimal fee for the empty seats. If your parents are willing to pay the fee, I'd keep it and go that route.

Otherwise, you can cancel that ADR and call like a mad woman every few hours for months at a time to get another one. I went thru this for our Thanksgiving trip adding DxDDP at the last minute! It was a nightmare!! But I did score CRT for breakfast days before our trip.

People do cancel, and they have to call to cancel or they'll be charged.

If your flexible and determined, I'd call and try to get another ADR. It also helps with my disney addiction by having something to plan. I'm lost when I don't have anything to plan or do for a trip!

And your not crazy, it's magical dining in the castle! Even my two boys enjoyed it!

 

[Disneymom3304]

As a 30+ mom who loves CRT as much as her DD5 does I would hold on to that ADR and spread a little pixie dust on a family you may meet at the airport (don't laugh we actually met a couple at our airport going to the same Disney hotel as us), or your hotel. If this is too weird for you I would pay the fee and enjoy a great meal and characters!! I am willing to guess there is a family out there that would love to share this with you. Just my opinion. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Have a great vacation!

 

[squirrel]

As it is a lunch you booked, I would keep it.

If you can't find anyone else to join you, maybe go to CRT in the morning and explain it to the person checking families in. Let them know that you have a table for 8 at ____ time and you can only use 4 of the seats. They should have some walk ups and I'm sure some family of 3 or 4 would love to dine with you at CRT.

 

[Alesia]

They will charge you a nomimal fee for the empty seats. If your parents are willing to pay the fee, I'd keep it and go that route.

I'm almost certain that at CRT they charge you the full price.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

As it is a lunch you booked, I would keep it.

If you can't find anyone else to join you, maybe go to CRT in the morning and explain it to the person checking families in. Let them know that you have a table for 8 at ____ time and you can only use 4 of the seats. They should have some walk ups and I'm sure some family of 3 or 4 would love to dine with you at CRT.

That is a good idea, I am sure you could find a family of 4 that would be so happy to get a "hard to get" reservation for lunch at CRT, it does not matter to you to share your table.

Sometimes we have seen people down CRT waiting for a chance to eat there...... just think about it, you should make happy a family.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

I guess you could post a thread here offering the half of your reservation.

You could find an interested family............

 

[kato0627]

I am not sure of the specifics but I have cancelled some of our party in the past at CRT. Not sure if your party size changes the rules. I can't believe that they will not accomodate you with such advance notice. I would call and ask to speak with a supervisior.
Good luck