Dining Cancellation/Change Policy

[las3888]

Hi all,

I realize that WDW now requires a credit card for any online dining ressie, can anybody please remind me of the fee and timing for cancellations? What if you decide to change your ressie from one restaurant to another, will they charge a fee? Can you do this online or would you need to call? We like to be flexible and have decided to take this trip with NO dining ressies and just wing it, but if we can make a few and CHANGE them, even at the last minute with no penalty, I might make a ressie or two. TIA!

 

[Mikie]

You're charged a $10 cancellation per person if you don't cancel by midnight the night before. If you have a larger party and want to split up, as long as part of your party honors the reservation, you will incur NO charges. (Polite to call and reduce your party size in advance if possible, though)

Dinner shows/packages like Fantasmic! Require TWO days notice to cancel without charge. CRT is a full price charge if you cancel without notice (not just $10).

I believe you can change a reservation without incurring a penalty, assuming you find availability for another restaurant, but I don't think you could do this online. On the site, I don't think there's any such thing as "change reservation" just an option to "cancel". I believe you can do it on the phone though.

 

[gawrsh2008]

All Dinner shows have a one day full cancellation policy, as does CRT.

Fantasmic! packages have a two day cancellation policy.

The Tomorrowland Terrace Wishes Dessert party has a five day cancellation policy.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I remember not to long ago a thread about someone who made a day of ressie and was charged no show when they later tried to change ressie to different restaurant.

 

[isabellea]

All Dinner shows have a one day full cancellation policy, as does CRT. Fantasmic! packages have a two day cancellation policy. The Tomorrowland Terrace Wishes Dessert party has a five day cancellation policy.

On my ADR it's written 2days for CRT.

 

[gawrsh2008]

The policy that I stated in my previous post is from the WDW HUB. I am a Dine agent.

 

[bumbershoot]

The policy that I stated in my previous post is from the WDW HUB. I am a Dine agent.

Perhaps you could let your bosses know that the hub info is different than the info given with CRT ADRs?

 

[gawrsh2008]

Perhaps you could let your bosses know that the hub info is different than the info given with CRT ADRs?

I will definitely bring it to their attention Monday, thanks! BTW, when you call in for ADRs, the spiel that is given is one day full cancellation. Full price will be charged if you cancel the ADR the day of or do not show for the reservation.

As of January 1st, guests are also unable to switch venues without a cancellation fee on the day of the ADR.

BTW - Hi, Bumbershoot! Are you planning a WDW vacation this year? I don't know how I remember this, but I helped you with a couple of your ADRs last year. I hope your trip was Magical!

 

[starousse]

I just had to say that I was very pleased with how Disney handled our situation. Unfortunately on day 3, my 5 year old daughter woke up in the middle of night sick throwing up and was not feeling well the whole day after. We were staying at WL and went down to the front desk an hour before our Chef Mickey reservation and they canceled it for us with no penalty.

We also had a dinner reservation for Flying Fish that night which we were very close to cancelling because my daughter was still not feeling that great. The hosts there went out of there way for us, got her some ginger ale and crackers and said that they would definitely not penalize us for not staying.

So to answer anyone's question about being penalized when someone is not feeling well, no they will not.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I remember not to long ago a thread about someone who made a day of ressie and was charged no show when they later tried to change ressie to different restaurant.

They did so online same day, and they did it as a cancellation and rebooking.

If you cancel and then rebook for a different time or restaurant, the system doesn't have the slightest idea why you cancelled the original reservation and you will be charged for a late cancellation.

If you want to do this, make sure you call WDW-DINE and speak to a human, or do it at Guest Services or a resort concierge. if they can't do it without your being charged a fee, they will tell you so. Right now it looks like you can't, as the previous poster said

As of January 1st, guests are also unable to switch venues without a cancellation fee on the day of the ADR.

 

[Mac4life30]

With all do respect to everyone. The policy is ridiculous. I understand signature restaurants and dinner shows must have a policy. It is however not necessary for places like breakfast at Kouzzina. Things happen and you sometimes can't make it somewhere. You shouldn't be penalized.

 

[las3888]

Yes, I agree with you Maclife30, I am terrified of having to cancel, so I won't make any ressies. We are hoping to find some last minute availability when we go. On our last trip, 4 of 7 out of our party got the stomach flu--we couldn't make any of our ressies for the rest of the week. Luckily they were made before you had to give a credit card. I have heard that they might not charge you if you call to explain, but I just wouldn't want to take that chance...

 

[aaarcher86]

Bottom line is that the restaurants that previously had this policy in place had a much smaller percentage of no shows. Because this policy works, they implemented it onto all restaurants. People take advantage and Disney changes the rules to keep them from doing so - FP return times, refillable drink mugs, etc. I think Rusty has the percentage of no shows that have decreased park wide. It's really kind of unbelievable how high the number is.

If you don't like the policy and want the flexibility of choosing something each day, just don't make reservations. Do walk ups or schedule the day of.

 

[cattywampus]

For reservations like CRT, can you use a different credit card (or, in my case, gift cards) to pay once you are there or do they charge your card before you arrive?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

For CRT you pay when you book the reservation, unless you are on the dining plan. You can use gift cards to pay when you book the reservation.

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Just as an FYI, even if you call and rebook you may get charged the cancelation fee. In Jan we were booked at Chef Mickeys. We had been hanging around the pool (staying at AKL) and the kids asked if we could eat at Jiko instead. I called WDW Dine, spoke to a real live human, spent twice as much at Jiko than I would have at Chef Mickey, and payed $50 no shoe fee.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

A cancellation same day is considered a late cancellation, even if you are switching to a different restaurant.

When you call, you should be sure to ask specifically if you can waive the no-show fee for switching restaurants, but I think that it's no longer allowed just for a restaurant switch, so plan accordingly. Ask for the waiver first, before you do any cancellations, and if they tell you no, then you can decide what you'd want to do.

 

[TwoAtDisney]

Re: 1/1 change - In 2013, we didn't want to keep our ressie for Cape May that evening. I called Dining from our room. Asked if there was a way of avoiding the fee if we didn't show up. Was told to just reschedule the same ressie # for a future date & then if we don't want to keep that new date, cancel 24 hours in advance.

We did that & did not get a penalty fee.

Is that still possible, or has that changed too?

 

[gawrsh2008]

It's been changed.

 

[juliebug1997]

Just as an FYI, even if you call and rebook you may get charged the cancelation fee. In Jan we were booked at Chef Mickeys. We had been hanging around the pool (staying at AKL) and the kids asked if we could eat at Jiko instead. I called WDW Dine, spoke to a real live human, spent twice as much at Jiko than I would have at Chef Mickey, and payed $50 no shoe fee.

It's not supposed to be per person. At least that's how I understand it.