FINED for not showing at Cali Grill!

[Yen Sid]

What I would do is call your credit card company and dispute the charge.

I don't see a reason to dispute the charge, it was a legitimate charge and calling the CC company to complain is not the right answer I would think like others have said that it is a lesson learned.

 

[mom2grace]

Is there a list somewhere of restaurants at WDW that have these cancellation charges? TIA

Basically the ones that require a CC to hold it, if it's not already pre-paid (such as HDDR).

 

[MickeyNicki]

When I booked my Cali Grill and Princess Breakfast is was specifically explained that my credit card will be charged for a no show. Sorry your CM didnt explain it to you.

What I do on my planning sheet is make a note next to those ressies so I know if I need to cancel I better make sure I do it 24 hours or more prior to dining time

 

[tink too]

Sorry you have learnt this lesson the hard way, but that is why WDW ask for your CC to hold your ressie. If you don't show, they charge you a fee.

Personally, I would have gone ahead and had dinner at CG regardless - fireworks or not - for the dining experience.

I also have to agree that you would probably have been able to see Hallowishes which is a fantastic fireworks display!

 

[sotoalf]

To the original poster: I'm sorry, but this was your fault. And you missed a great meal too.

 

[kstatefamily]

It should be common courtesy to cancel a reservation.

 

[serene56]

Sorry you have learnt this lesson the hard way, but that is why WDW ask for your CC to hold your ressie. If you don't show, they charge you a fee.

I have to agree that you learned your lesson in a very expensive way. I'd be curious to know if they refunded your money back.

Sad to say we live in a society where people dont take responsilbity for their own actions- you should have cancelled to avoid all this mess.

 

[centurythree]

Is there a list somewhere of restaurants at WDW that have these cancellation charges? TIA

The ones I know of are the California Grill, any dinner show, and Cinderella's Royal Table.

Don't worry, though, the dining CM's tell each person making reservations about the late cancellation/no show fee if there is one.

 

[DISNEY1975]

They always explain the policy to me. I believe if you cancel outside of 24 hours, there is no fee. There are charges at various restaurants, but the CM should tell you which ones while you are reserving.

 

[doconeill]

I'm actually surprised its ONLY $20 at CG...I think at CRT its the amount of the meal...

There are cancellation charges at all the harder to get signature dining locations, and they are usually very clear about the per-person charge - at least they always have been with me.

It sounds like the OP was also mistaken about the fireworks...there certainly would have been some that night. I don't know if they intended to be at the park for the fireworks (but couldn't because of MNSSHP), and THEN CG...I think most people book CG to see the fireworks from there...

 

[Tisha_PA]

The ones I know of are the California Grill, any dinner show, and Cinderella's Royal Table.

Don't worry, though, the dining CM's tell each person making reservations about the late cancellation/no show fee if there is one.

There's a $10 charge at Akershus as well and I also had to give a cc guarantee for Narcoossee's - just don't remember how much it is.

 

[nocruisecontrol]

This is from the Disney website:

A cancellation policy applies and may result in charges if you cancel with insufficient notice. Specific policies related to this facility will be detailed at time of reservation booking.

Unlike the original poster I did call and cancel but it was the morning of our reservation (as soon as I realized we wouldn't make the reservation). I'm sure the policy was explained to me when I had made the reservation months before but I hadn't written it down and this took me by surprise, which I'm guessing is what happened to our original poster. She probably had no clue she'd want to cancel (although calling would have certainly solved the issue if the policy is 24 hours out). Wouldn't have helped me as I had to cancel the morning of.

Barbara

 

[thesupersmartguy]

The CC# booking is sort of like a credit check. They should have informed you properly of the US$20 cancelation policy.

 

[julierocks]

Does anyone know if Narcossee's charges this same fee. We're going through a travel agent and I know she took my CC # for the Aloha show, but wondering if it applies to Narcossee's as well. Not that we plan on skipping out on Narcossee's by any means, but it's the day we fly in and so I'm worried about delays and such...

 

[aubriee]

There's a $10 charge at Akershus as well and I also had to give a cc guarantee for Narcoossee's - just don't remember how much it is.

Not only is there a $10.00 cc guarantee at Akershus, but if you show up with less people than you have listed for your ADR, they will charge for the missing person. We were on the free dining plan this past Sept. I woke up ill one morning, but sent my mom and husband on to Akershus, just so we wouldn't be charged. Lo and behold, a $10.00 charge appeared on my credit card after we got back. I had not used that credit card down there and seldom use it here, so noticed it immediately. I called and was informed that the charge was because we had showed up one person short at Akershus. The fact that the others showed up didn't matter.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way, but Disney does tell you when you book certain places that there will be a charge if you don't show up. Any time they take your credit card meal for an ADR, there is a charge if you don't show. The "something vague" was most likely the whole spiel on how you would be charged if you didn't show up.

 

[oybolshoi]

I feel for you, to an extent. We were dinged at a Food and Wine event last year that we prepaid for and then my husband became ill during the trip and we had to cancel. Disney Dining was sympathetic and initially told me that they'd refund the money but then changed their minds - falling back on the "we told you about the cancelation policy when you booked."

I didn't really argue with them because they had told me and it was all over their website as well as places like the DIS and Allears, but it still upset me that for a legitimate reason we couldn't attend and were out more than $100.

On another note ... I don't understand why people book a table at CA Grill just to see fireworks. I would think that people would make a dinner reservation to enjoy a good meal ... the fireworks are incidental. But that's just my opinion, which I know is in the minority around here.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Not always
I happen to agree with the fireworks. Many folks are far more eager to see the fireworks than they are to get a good meal. I'm sure a few would just drink water and eat crackers to get a window seat.
Not that fireworks AND a good meal are bad--they are great when combined together. But fireworks do seem to be the overwhelming concern in almost every CG post we see.

 

[MissyDVC]

You've should have called to cancel your reservation when you decided you didn't want to show up. IMO anyone with holding an ADR should call to cancel regardless if there was a cancellation fee or not.

Agreed

 

[mdhkitten]

On another note ... I don't understand why people book a table at CA Grill just to see fireworks. I would think that people would make a dinner reservation to enjoy a good meal ... the fireworks are incidental. But that's just my opinion, which I know is in the minority around here.

I couldn't agree with you more! I eat at CG for the dining experience, not the fireworks. It's a great added bonus if I happen to get to see them at dinner, but certainly isn't the main reason to eat here.