Is it common

[Kerryn]

I was just checking out the cancellation thread and there are people canceling very hard to get resevations for 3 or 4 days. Is it common for people to take all the reservations and then cancel when they figure what they are doing. I have been checking 3 to 4 tines a day for up to 2 months for a o hana ressie, I hope this means hope for me.

 

[JimmyV]

Yes. Any time that you have a system that encourages people to lock in their plans 180 days (or more) in advance, there are going to be many, many cancellations as plans coalesce closer to the arrival date.

 

[ncc1701]

People cancel all the time for various reasons.We've gotten ADRs while we were at WDW that weren't available when we left home. It never hurts to keep trying , worst case is that the ADR never opens up.

 

[memakwed]

hold out hope. Last trip which was only planned 8 weeks out I was able to snag a CRT ADR with daily diligence and Ohana for my bday

 

[CraftyMommy]

I have canceled more ADR's for my upcoming trip than I care to keep track of. I keep redoing the schedule based on new restaurants opening up. Switched our dates due to a good deal on airfare. Decided to MVMCP so I rescheduled a dinner reservation elsewhere and booked dinner for in MK that night. So many reasons to reschedule.

Sometimes I'm playing around with the reservation system and something real good pops up. I'll reserve it and then see if it fits into our touring plans. I'll move other things around or end up canceling it.

 

[danceintherain]

Part of the reason Disney changed their cancellation policy for many restaurants is that there were many people who were scheduling multiple reservations, and not cancelling at all. This left some restaurants with empty tables that could have been filled by last minute reservations and/or walk ups.

People still overbook restaurants, but they'll be much more inclined to cancel, at least the night before, in order to avoid being charged.

I definitely have more ADRs than I'll end up needing for our next trip. I made the ADRs for tentative dates around 180 days in advance, because I knew that some of them would be more difficult to get after we finalize our plans, whenever that is.

So, yes, it's very common, and worth it to check for cancellations up to and during your trip.

 

[Colleen27]

In a word, yes. There are plenty of people who book Le Cellier or Chef Mickey or CRT for every day of their trip and then cancel the unneeded ADRs as their plans firm up (especially on those occasions when park hours or special event details aren't available at 180 out), and there are travel agents who recommend that strategy to their clients. That's why persistence is so essential if you're looking for an ADR you couldn't get on the first try.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes, it is a common method of trip planning. This is why guests who want a reservation are urged to check back often for availability.

 

[snowcupid]

Yes - keep checking. I just got two I have been trying to get for months. One this morning and one two days ago. I am beyond excited now.

 

[River Country]

Happens all the time. I am looking to book BoG even though i already have an ADR for 12/12. My plans have changed slightly and need it earlier than the 12th so i check back multiple times a day every day to see if anything opens up so yes it is a common occurence. Just need to be diligent about it, its on my to do list every day