HELP! Problem switching ressie to brother

[GrumpysGal]

OK...here's the long story...bear with me. We currently have ressies for Cinderella's Breakfast next week under our name. Shortly after we made the reservation, my brother and his family of 4 decided to join us. They have never been to WDW (and it will probably be many years before they go again) and wanted to take their two daughters for a breakfast at the castle. I tried for a while to get a reservation, but no luck. So after reading all the posts of people transferring ressies on this board, I thought I would be happy to give them ours, as my family has already been on several occasions. I called the dining line twice and our Grand Gathering line once to confirm that this could, in fact, just be transferred over to them. Each time I was told yes, but that I would need my brother's cc number since the name on the ressie must match the cc number being held for the guarantee. Well, now that I'm trying to make that change, I've been told by two different CM's that it can not be done; however, one of them did finally say to me that the original ressie must be cancelled and then I could try to rebook under my brother's name and hope that the opening had not been snatched up by someone else.

So...my questions are...what's the real story? Should I be able to transfer this over no problem or, for those who have done this, do they actually have to cancel the original ressie and try to rebook it before it's grabbed by someone else? Not sure I want to take that chance as I would hate for my nieces to miss out. What are my other options? Would it be too risky for them to just show up for our ressie? They could possibly ask for ID, although we have never been asked for ID at Cindy's or any restaurant. Or could I just go with them to check in and then bide my time on Main Street until park opening (ressies are at 8:10)? Would they check the number at the gate and see that we had one extra and someone not be let in early? Or would this possibly not even be allowed once we got to the podium?

Any advice or personal experiences would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[jls886]

We just had a reservation "transferred" to us from someone from here on the Disboards. We both thought that it could just be transferred, easy as that. She just PM'd me and said that when the CM came back on the line to let her know that it was successfully transferred to us, she said she actually did have to cancel it and then go back in and find it and reserve it with our information. The person from the Dis said that had she known they were going to cancel the ressie at all she would have been nervous and not let them do it, but it worked out for us. So, I think the information you were given is correct, just going by what we were told. They make it sound really easy, so I guess they just assume that they'll be able to go in and find it again as soon as they cancel it.

As far as just having them go with your reservation, I don't have a lot of advice about that. I don't specifically remember them asking for our ID at the restaurant, but we went a year ago so I could have forgotten. I don't think they ask for ID at the gate, just your reservation #, from what I remember.

 

[mommyoftwo08]

If you have 3 way calling (or your brother lives close by), do it that way with him and his credit card info on the line.

 

[TDC Nala]

CRT may be different. I recall there was a rule that CRT reservations cannot be transferred. This was back when someone was actually doing business brokering CRT reservations, or something like that.

You might be able to conference call and do a cancellation and rebooking, with your brother paying for the new reservation.

 

[GrumpysGal]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I had my brother's cc info when I called today hoping that I could just get them to change it over in one quick phone call...wrong! I was just mistakenly under the impression that it could be transferred over without having to actually cancel and rebook it. While I realize the chances might be slim that someone else would grab up the opening in the short time before we would rebook under my brother's name, my nieces are so excited about having breakfast in the castle that I would feel horrible if I had to tell them we lost the ressie! So even if my brother and I did a conference call, we would still be facing the same potential risk.

Not sure what I'm going to do. If I can't resolve anything before we leave, maybe I'll try going with them to check in at CRT. I'll just have to hope they let us all into the park early and don't give me a hassle at the podium.

 

[Bob NC]

Just loan him your cc so he can show it to check in. I doubt they'll even look at it. Then when he gets the check he can pay cash or use a different cc or room card to pay for it.

 

[GrumpysGal]

Just loan him your cc so he can show it to check in. I doubt they'll even look at it. Then when he gets the check he can pay cash or use a different cc or room card to pay for it.

Do you think that just having my cc would work? I've been told each time we've booked CRT to be sure to bring ID with me when we checked in at the podium which I took to mean a driver's license. And when I had a problem changing things yesterday I asked if my brother's family could just show up instead with my confirmation number and was told by the CM that could not be done as ID would be required. I will say, however, that we have never been asked to show ID when checking in at CRT. But with my luck, this would be the one time they would. We are all on the DP so unless they were asked for ID at the gate or when checking in, I don't think it would even matter as they wouldn't be paying anything out of pocket.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I have eaten here for bk & din over a dozen times and never ever was ask for ID.

 

[tink fan]

I don't remember being asked for an ID at the restaurant.

About entering the park earlier. We had an early dining reservation last Monday at CP in MK and they didn't even ask for our name, number in party or dining reservation number. They just asked where we were dining, what time and they let us in. We were even already 10 minutes past our reservation time when we got to the gate, because the bus was very late.