Disney to require credit card guarantee for all table service restaurants

[jetdoctor]

I love it so many people horde ADR's hopefully this will keep people from doing that

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[maxiesmom]

I'm all for it! It is so nice to be able to check for a restaurant less than 180 days before your trip, and find availability.

 

[KatMark]

I say it's about time.

 

[Granny square]

I'm all for it! It is so nice to be able to check for a restaurant less than 180 days before your trip, and find availability.

Absolutely! I love anything that stops people from hoarding adrs. I like walking up it is only a winner in my book!

 

[LilyWDW]

I will say, even as a supporter of this, I do not think that it will increase walk up availability at all at most restaurants. Just because a restaurant has a no show doesn't mean they take a walk up on a 1 to 1 basis. They may simply seat the next ADR sooner. Tables will not sit empty or be waiting. They will still book up.

 

[Granny square]

If people quit making multiple adrs then there will be more available. And if people cancel the evening before, chances are that at least some that would have been turned away have a chance.

 

[maxiesmom]

The year they started the fee we went to WDW during Free Dining. And due to an illness ended up with extra credits to use. As a family of 6 trying to walk up during lunch time at Epcot we had plenty of restaurants to chose from. It was great!

 

[Mkrop]

I love it so many people horde ADR's hopefully this will keep people from doing that

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I'm all for it! It is so nice to be able to check for a restaurant less than 180 days before your trip, and find availability.

I dont think this is going to stop them, they will still hoard them and then cancel them closer to their trip...all in the name of I cant decide if I want Mexican or Italian 180 days out.

 

[Granny square]

I dont think this is going to stop them, they will still hoard them and then cancel them closer to their trip...all in the name of I cant decide if I want Mexican or Italian 180 days out.

They will still open up to other people closer to the date. Rather than staying tied up.

 

[maxiesmom]

I dont think this is going to stop them, they will still hoard them and then cancel them closer to their trip...all in the name of I cant decide if I want Mexican or Italian 180 days out.

I don't think so. I've noticed that after the fee was put in place it is much easier to get ADRs. And there are more restaurants to choose from..

 

[5DisneyNuts]

There are just too many variables to expect people to cancel the day before.

No show - fine, charge the card; cancel 6 hours before, no way should the card be charged a fee.

This doesn't have anything to do with how we feel about double bookings; this is a major issue for people with legitimate issues that arise (young children having a meltdown and the parents switch plans, transportation issues, new guests not anticipating how long it takes to get around, etc.)

Every time we go I ALWAYS see walk ups being turned away. The restaurants will not lose out, they will fill the seats.

Oh and I'm sure the abusers of the system won't call to say their kid is sick, right? How long before that exception is taken away?

 

[pigletto]

Yowza. Seems like a mighty big step. I guess it was inevitable with all of the abuse. And the 24 hours is kind of nice in one sense as it will open up things for people who are in the park for the day, or want a chance to make something on a moments notice but can't because Sally "book everything I can get my hands on" didn't bother to cancel the 12 back up reservations she had in case she decided to change plans.

The downsides are obvious. We'll see how it's handled I guess. It kind of stinks for people who don't or can't use credit cards though. They won't be able to book anything. They are still paying customers whether they want ,or are able to use credit.

Interesting development indeed.

 

[Granny square]

You can reserve with a prepaid card I would think.

 

[Farps]

Unfortunately there are always people who abuse the system, I personally do not over book but everybody knows it happens. And I'm sure many of the people who overbook do not even think about being courteous enough to cancel an ADR when they know that they are not going to make it, even if they cancelled an hour or two before ADR at least the restaurant could give a table to somebody else. The new policy was bound to happen.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I'm sure WDW has numbers on how many people have reservations and are no shows and clearly it's a problem for them. Funny though, most people I see walking around during busy times are clueless about even making reservations in advance.

I don't disagree with a fee for no shows or not cancelling within a more reasonable time frame.

This is a system issue that should be easily corrected. Instead of WDW doing that, they are going to take the draconian measure of charging families a $10pp fee at a theme park if they don't cancel the day before – ridiculous IMO.

They could have taken the right route but instead decided on the revenue generating fee, nice.

What is going to happen when exceptions are no longer made for people who have legitimate reasons because too many people took advantage?

I don't see how anyone can think this is an acceptable solution, sorry

Unfortunately there are always people who abuse the system, I personally do not over book but everybody knows it happens. And I'm sure many of the people who overbook do not even think about being courteous enough to cancel an ADR when they know that they are not going to make it, even if they cancelled an hour or two before ADR at least the restaurant could give a table to somebody else. The new policy was bound to happen.

 

[Mkrop]

I don't think so. I've noticed that after the fee was put in place it is much easier to get ADRs. And there are more restaurants to choose from..

Well sure there are people like my family who no longer book those places, expect for maybe 1 or 2 a trip. I decided we would try the places that did not require a CC or we would go CS. So instead of several character meals, we book 1 a trip. I am not gambling with our money and I am not paying a penalty if I want MY vacation plans to change for whatever reason. $40 because I dont want to go to AK in the pouring rain, I mean what if I dont have park hoppers, than I am stuck at that park, just bc I have an ADR for Tusker House.

If others have $40 or whatever amount to risk, then go ahead, I dont have that kind of money to lose. I rather spend it elsewhere.

 

[mcd2745]

I have no problem with this whatsoever. I think it's a good thing.

This is just further proof that rampant no-show rates were a HUGE problem for Disney, and that the initial CC guarantee policy has been extremely successful. By all accounts, on the whole, it is much easier to get ADRs ever since the initial policy went into effect. So it's only natural for them to expand this successful policy.

Just like I argued a few years ago when the original policy was announced (and those threads were doozies!), as long as you have all intentions of following through with your reservations from the time you make them, the CC guarantee should not bother you one bit. I would suspect - just like a few years ago - that those who have a problem with the CC guarantees are people who making ADRs knowing that there's a good possibility they won't be going to that meal for whatever reason - be it something innocent or something, say...less scrupulous (such as being double-booked somewhere else).

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I would suspect - just like a few years ago - that those who have a problem with the CC guarantees are people who making ADRs knowing that there's a good possibility they won't be going to that meal for whatever reason - be it something innocent or something, say...less scrupulous (such as being double-booked somewhere else).

Nope, not even a little bit.

Charge for no shows by all means, charge if cancellations are not made in a reasonable time frame, fine, charge if the reservation is not cancelled the day before at a THEME PARK restaurant, no good, IMO.

WDW could have used the no show cancellation policy in conjunction with technology to drastically reduce double bookings, but made the choice not to.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I know for myself, I'm still going to make reservations for the restaurants I really want. But I'll just wing it on the rest of it, probably just get CS more often,u nless I have free dining I guess. It all tastes like the same food anyway.

Not giving a $10 CC guarantee per person for 95% of the restaurants at WDW.

I don't understand why they just can't give the reserved tables away after 15 minute or so to walkups.

 

[LilyWDW]

The thing is... money talks. More people are not going to risk making a maybe reservation or a double booking if they run the risk of losing money due to it. People are less likely to just not show up to a reservation if they risk losing money. Losing money is a great motivator to keep people honest. This means a reduction of no shows.

It is obvious that Disney had an issue with no shows. Something had to be done. It is also obvious that Disney has seen a success in the fee at the limited restaurants they had it with before. If it works, then you do it.