Do most people bother to cancel PS if they can't make it?

[niceblueeyedwoman]

I was curious about cancellation habits of people who make Priority Seatings. I thought I had read that it is not necessary to call and cancel. At home if I have made a reservation and cannot make it, I always call and cancel so that the restaurant can accept other reservations. Since my husband and I have not been to Disney in a long....time, I want to just go and wing it but after reading some of these posts I'm afraid we will not get into the restaurants we want to try. But on the other hand, I can't predict how our visit will go until we get there. Should we just make a bunch of PS's? Then just not show up(if it's not a big deal to the restaurants) or call and cancel? Thanks!

 

[stacilee]

I have no idea what the "official" rules are on this but we always call if we are not going to make it, just as of courtesy, to free up that time for the next family of weary travelers.

We have tried to make last minute PS for meals (party of 6) and been told, sorry we are booked up until late. I know that if I was hot, tired and hungry I would appreciate your table if you weren't going to be needing it!

Also, having young children, there have been many times where by the time we were seated for a late evening PS dinner the two little ones have fallen fast asleep at the table while waiting to be served or only after a few bites. Not only do they not get to eat their meal but we still have to pay for it.

 

[jwfla422]

I try to cancel any PS ressies I know I won't be able to keep, especially the ones at the more popular restaurants. I can tell you though sometimes it is very time consuming.

I cancelled a PS yesterday-just one-and it took the guy almost 10 minutes because they spelled my name wrong and I had the wrong cf #. But, it was a popular dinner and I wanted to make sure someone else could get in since we couldn't.

 

[patsal]

I always call and cancel, that way they can let another person make a PS, or they can let a stand by in.

 

[Shells9]

I call.
I do it in hopes that other people will too -- maybe someone will benefit from my cancellation and want to pass it on.
What comes around goes around.

 

[disneyfanatic60]

I also call. On this last trip, I even stopped by the restaurant as soon as it opened and cancelled due to last minute itinerary changes. Always hoped this made it possible for someone else to get in that otherwise would not.

 

[beattyfamily]

I also call and cancel even if it's an hour away (like we over slept or something).

Common courtesy for those who couldn't get in to that restaurant and might try for a last minute spot and for the emoployees with the PS lists. I just wouldn't feel right not doing it.

 

[undertheradar]

30 days out we verify all PS and then if plans change, we call and cancel to open up space for others. I hate the thought that if I don't cancel, that someone else who wanted that table is unable to do so.

 

[Kaycee]

Originally posted by disneyfanatic60
I also call. On this last trip, I even stopped by the restaurant as soon as it opened and cancelled due to last minute itinerary changes. Always hoped this made it possible for someone else to get in that otherwise would not.

Me too. We had a lunch PS for Le Cellier, and when we decided it would work out better not to keep it, I stopped by the restaurant when it opened to let them know. Hopefully, someone who was calling last-minute to check for a PS got it!

 

[suzannews]

Unfortunately the majority does not call to cancel their PS when they can't make it, atleast where I work. The worst is on a holiday. I know the dining people have tried to crack down on those making multiple PS but we had a lady proudly tell us she just made them under different names and when they were ready to eat, they went to the closest place they had a PS for.

 

[suzannews]

On a side note, we've been able to do a walk up at Chef Mickey's when the dining line said no PS was available. We got there right when they openned and said we would wait how ever long needed. Doesn't happen all the time and we had a plan B if they were not able to seat us.

 

[TwingleMum]

You are always going to encounter people who are inconsiderate or have no manners. Like the woman who bragged about multiple PS under assumed names. We always cancel an PS we won't be able to make.

 

[Tamickey]

I will always try to cancel. It does seem easier to cancel when you can walk up to the place. However, usually the reason for cancelling is that we end up in another park. Sometimes I forget, but usually I remember. I too think of the pooped out family hoping to get in so they can finally sit down, eat, relax and regenerate.

 

[cinmell]

There were only a couple of times we were not been able to make it to a meal with a PS and we did call to cancel.

 

[babybunrab]

I call to cancel figuring that the more people who actually show the courtesy to do so, the less likely that the "credit card required" for PS will happen in the future (no inside information, just an assumption of my own). Also, it's just nice to cancel if you know you can't make it.

 

[MaryJ]

It's pretty obvious to me that people don't cancel their PS's. Two years ago we had PS for a party of 8 at Artist Pointe. Our son-in-law has a friend that lives in Melbourne, and he had come up to WDW to hang out with us for the weekend, so we called Disney dining that morning to see if we could change the PS to a party of 9. We were told that it wasn't possible....no more PS's were available for Artist Pointe that night. We ended up spliting our party....5 went to Le Cellier and 4 to Artist Pointe. When we arrived at Artist Pointe, the restaurant wasn't even half full! We told the hostess what had happened, and she said she wished we would have called the restuarant directly. She would have told us there was plenty of room!

 

[crs7568]

I think that part of the confusion stems from it being a "priority seating" as opposed to a reservation. Since it is technically not a true reservation, many people probably do not feel like they need to cancel.

 

[EEyorelover22]

I always cancel mine. I want Disney to continue to offer ps so I cancel if we aren't going to go.

If Disney went to the FDP/CRT rules I'm sure people would cancel.

 

[BCV23]

I always cancel mine too. In fact I still feel sort of guilty about one for Flying Fish a year and a half ago. We decided we were too tired and would just do room service. I started calling at I think 15 or 20 to 6 for a 6:00PS...was on hold until around 6:10. It had been removed from the system by then!

 

[Mich Mouse]

I am guilty of not cancelling...I remember asking about this once when I made my priority ressies and the CM said "It is not necessary to call and cancel."

I just figured on the rare occassion (two times) that we did not go, it just provided a tired, hungry, walk-in family with a needed table.

I'll remember this info. for August!