Le Cellier: Cancel your unused ADRs, please!

[ILuvDVC2]

After a frustrating experience this week at Le Cellier, I'm starting this thread to vent a little about people who are booking multiple ADRs at this restaurant for the same day/week and not canceling their unused ADRs.

This past week we tried to secure an ADR there upon arrival at our resort, hoping to take a cancelled slot in any were available. Alas, no such luck. We were also told to show up when the restaurant opened for lunch, or when the menu changed from lunch to dinner in the late afternoon to see if they could accommodate a walk-up. Again, no luck on both counts. We were not even allowed to wait to see if any no-shows happened, as the hosts told us it was impossible because they were overbooked every day of the week!

I have spoken with a manager at Le Cellier, and with a resort concierge, about this experience, and both expressed their frustration at the fact that they are turning people away from the restaurant almost every day because the ADR system shows a fully-booked restaurant, yet they still wind up with a decent number of empty tables. Both the manager and the concierge blamed the multiple bookings and the guest's failure to cancel unused ADRs as the biggest frustration they face because of the number of disappointed guests they have to let down.

While it's understandable that people really want to be sure they don't miss out on their opportunity to dine at Le Cellier, the multiple ADRs bookings and or/failure to cancel unused ADRs are preventing other guests from sharing in the opportunity to enjoy this restaurant. In my way of thinking, it's common courtesy to cancel an ADR if you know you won't use it and you have the ability to do so. I understand that emergencies happen and sometimes people can't actually make the call to cancel their ADR, but in most cases, people can take the time to free up the slot for another guest.

Now, before anyone starts a "lack of planning on your part does not constitute an 'emergency' on my part" reply to this post, I will take full responsibility for not securing an ADR prior to our trip. I consider what happened last week to be a "lesson learned" experience, and now that I know better, I will make ONE Le Cellier ADR for any of my planned WDW visit dates, and will plan that day around my ADR. I just hope others who have multiple bookings at Le Cellier who only intend to eat there once during their stay will take the time to cancel their unused bookings so that others can enjoy it, too.

In fact, here is what I found in the "Advanced Dining Reservations Tips" on the DIS Dining page:

Be polite. Please cancel unwanted reservations. There is a family just like yours waiting for the reservation that you will not be using. Along the same line…making duplicate reservations for the same time frame so you having dining options rather than a single reservation is frowned upon and bad form.

Thanks for letting me vent...

 

[kathie859]

I've read on occasion that WDW may be taking the bull by the horns and try to deal with this problem by cancelling obvious duplicate bookings. I hope that is true, frankly. It drives me NUTS when I read a post that says "well, we can't decide between Chefs or LeCellier so we booked both" or some such nonsense. Make up your minds already

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

And really, it doesn't matter if you try to plan...we tried to get this restaurant 5 months in advance and at least 15 times since (hoping for a cancellation) to no avail. I'll be booking this one at 180+10 for our 08 trip and crossing my fingers!

Gotta see what all this buzz is about, and agree its a problem if tablea are going unused when people are being denied an ADR 5 months in advance...

I do get a chuckle from the posts where people try to book this and are told to come back in Feb!

 

[simonkodousek]

I agree with you completely. People REALLY need to cancel double bookings; it is such a hassle to get any good ADR's what with double bookings.

 

[ReneeA]

From what I've read and heard from CM's on our trips, that's not the way ADRS's work.

I understand ADR's to be that if you have an ADR, then you get the next available seating that opens up, ahead of walk ups. They don't "hold" tables for anyone...if there is a table available, they plug it with whoever is there - either an ADR if they show or a walk up if not.

Obviously, if they are completely booked up with ADR's then there isn't much possibility for getting the chance walk up, however, there shouldn't be any empty tables because it isn't the "traditional" reservation where they HOLD a table for you.

It was explained differently to us at Coral Reef one night than it was to you, obviously.


ETA: For the record, I agree with you...there should be a limit on ADR's made for a meal and it's in good taste to cancel if you aren't going to show.

 

[ILuvDVC2]

From what I've read and heard from CM's on our trips, that's not the way ADR's work.

I understand ADR's to be that if you have an ADR, then you get the next available seating that opens up, ahead of walk ups. They don't "hold" tables for anyone...if there is a table available, they plug it with whoever is there - either an ADR if they show or a walk up if not.

Obviously, if they are completely booked up with ADR's then there isn't much possibility for getting the chance walk up, however, there shouldn't be any empty tables because it isn't the "traditional" reservation where they HOLD a table for you.

You are correct, they aren't necessarily "holding" tables, except that I was told at Le Cellier that the overbooking of ADRs prevents them from even allowing walk-ups to wait for potential no-shows. Even if you have and ADR, the decks are already stacked against you because you may still have to wait to see if any other ADRs booked at your time are no-shows before you can get in. They will eventually seat you because you have an ADR, even when they are overbooked (if all ADRs for the day show up), but your wait may be longer to actually get seated due to the overbooking conditions.

I'm now all in favor of Disney instituting the credit card guarantee program at Le Cellier that they use at the California Grill and other restaurants that charge you if you don't cancel your ADR 24 hours prior. This would definitely curb the issue and hopefully reduce the multiple bookings.

 

[DLBDS]

It is annoying.

If I'm able to change my ADR time, I always cancel the old one before hanging up with the CM. On a trip back in Feb. we asked the club level CM to cancel 2-3 ADRs we knew we wouldn't be needing.

As far as the cc hold....I think it should be charged only if you don't show up. When you're at WDW you don't always know that the ADR you booked isn't going to work until the day of. A 24 hr. cancellation policy would not be good for me. For example: My mother and I had afternoon tea at the GVL at 2:00 one afternoon. We were supposed to be eating dinner just a few short hours later but we weren't the slightest bit hungry and decided the club level lounge would be sufficient for dinner that evening. (We each had the Buckingham Palace.) When we got back to the WL after tea, I asked the CM there to cancel our ADR that evening.

 

[Forevryoung]

Well I cancelled a 5pm Le Cellier ADR for Jan 4th today

I may have too many ADRs but none are double booked! I just don't know if DBF will want to wake up for breakfast some mornings.

 

[julm26]

I realized about a month ago that I had somehow double booked O'hanas for the same day different times. When I called to cancel one ADR the cast member told me Disney would have called me to ask me to cancel one anyway. Has anyone had this happen.

 

[ElizabethB]

Disney bears some responsibility in this as well. Twice last week, I called to cancel ADR's we realized we wouldn't be using (once by cell phone from the parks and another day from our hotel). Both times, I was put in an extremely long cue to hold. After holding for 10 minutes or so each time, I simply gave up. Disney needs to make cancelling easier. The whole system should be moved online, IMO, or at least one ought to be able to cancel online.

Sorry to those who missed out because I didn't cancel (neither ADR was for Le Cellier by the way, which we never managed to book), but I tried.

 

[my3disneygirls]

I saw here, that someone had an ADR cancelled, by Disney. They had two dinner times booked at two different restaurants and a flag went up apparently. If this post was true, then it does happen.

 

[Joan1]

I can see this restaurant going to a credit card guarantee like California Grill
I think this would be a welcome addition to this restaurants

 

[eeyore45]

I think it is all to easy to double book - you do not have to give your room ressie (and not all guests stay on site)) so you can give multiple names, numbers - -

next thing you know you'll see adr's for sale on ebay!!

(ITA i've been trying to get a ressie at Coral Reef - I have an adr, but golly I changed my mind and thought at 45 days out, 30 days out, 14 days out 7 days out - I could get some rearranging... but no - - it may be due to the Teppynaki closing - I understand if you've had a call because you originally had tepyanaki booked - you could get Le Cellier - so dont ask me how the whole system works - but it was explained to me similiar to the above poster from CR CM)

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

I saw here, that someone had an ADR cancelled, by Disney. They had two dinner times booked at two different restaurants and a flag went up apparently. If this post was true, then it does happen.

for those who know the system, its really easy to double book and ADR...as those who do have posted openly how to do so in my short time here on the Dis on several occasions...

 

[Winston1204]

I definitely agree with cancelling the ADR's you aren't going to use. Just a week or 2 ago I had posted that I was looking to get a LeCellier ADR in October (I know...I'm crazy...but I thought I'd give it a try)...and a fellow DISer PM'ed me saying they were going to cancel for the exact date and time I wanted!!! So...I GOT A LECELLIER ADR!!! I have a few ADR's I'm going to cancel..so I posted the list here 2 times....and I will post 1 more time...and if nobody replies...I will call and cancel. I figured I'd give it 1 more try and as it gets closer to the date (October) if nobody wants my ADR's from this Board...then I'll call and cancel them. IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPECT! If you know well in advance that you won't be using the ADR....just call and cancel. It's one phone call....and you might make a family's wishes come true!!

 

[LMO429]

so im confused you mean to tell me people book more than one ADR at a time??? How does that happen doesnt the disney computer let them know. I know that my disney reservation has all the names of everyone staying in the room. Wouldnt a red flag go up if someone in the party made duplicate adr and then disney could cancel it.

I guess disney has no control on guests staying off site.

i think the biggest reason for the lack of adr's at L'Cellier is the fact that the space of the restaurant is just too small to accomodate the demand...maybe its time for a expansion....

 

[LMO429]

Disney bears some responsibility in this as well. Twice last week, I called to cancel ADR's we realized we wouldn't be using (once by cell phone from the parks and another day from our hotel). Both times, I was put in an extremely long cue to hold. After holding for 10 minutes or so each time, I simply gave up. Disney needs to make cancelling easier. The whole system should be moved online, IMO, or at least one ought to be able to cancel online.

Sorry to those who missed out because I didn't cancel (neither ADR was for Le Cellier by the way, which we never managed to book), but I tried.

I have to agree with you! This past May we canceled reservations a couple of times..It was annoying walking around the park with my cell phone going through all the prompts just to cancel a reservation.

towards the end of the trip i realized i could just walk to the nearest restaurant walk in and cancel and rearrange there...hopefully that will help you next time instead of having to wait on the phone

 

[Dafnaf]

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[bntrdntht]

I miss the good old days when you didn't even need ADR!!! I just don't get it.

 

[penjen]

I think that the overbooking of some Epcot restaurants is Disney's fault. They have over extended reservations since Teppan Edo is taking longer to complete. Disney has been adding reservations to the already booked restaurants.