Leaving a reservation if wait (or other) reason prevents you from staying

[Nancyg56]

So what you're saying is 20 minutes is an acceptable time to be asked to wait, in your opinion, but 30 is not.

I did not say that. You say you only have 45 additional minutes in your budget. I suggested that if after 30 minutes passes you speak to the manager. I never book so tight that I need to cancel any ADR for time constraints. I plan at least 60 minutes, but I never book anything right after lunch, and I also plan on at least 90 minutes for dinner. I also do not feel it is my place to tell anyone what they should consider an acceptable or non acceptable wait time for an ADR. ADR's are not reservations, but booked like a "call ahead" in which guests are given a "place" in line. I know I have had to wait for quite some time for LTT lunch, along with what seemed to be hundreds of my new best friends, all of whom were waiting. My party waited, but if others chose to leave based on their own determination of acceptable wait time, that was their business. I will end this by stating that you get to choose what is acceptable to you, and if the manager agrees you are off the hook. If not you get to dispute it. I do not choose to worry about these things on vacation.

 

[RangerPooh]

We have shown up to some of our ADRs to find that we have an anticipated wait of 45 minutes past our scheduled seating time before being sat. Usually the host gives us the option to cancel without being penalized. You just double check with the host and watch your credit card/bank statement. But we've never had an issue.

 

[Stefien Quix]

We have shown up to some of our ADRs to find that we have an anticipated wait of 45 minutes past our scheduled seating time before being sat. Usually the host gives us the option to cancel without being penalized. You just double check with the host and watch your credit card/bank statement. But we've never had an issue.

Thank you!

 

[marielynn724]

I have 45 minutes in my "budget", but I also don't want to feel rushed and would rather just grab something from counter service or quick service instead.

I'm not saying that you're "doomed", but I agree that you may want to reconsider your plans if time is a big concern. At Disney, I've learned to accept that delays are inevitable.

 

[Stefien Quix]

I'm not saying that you're "doomed", but I agree that you may want to reconsider your plans if time is a big concern. At Disney, I've learned to accept that delays are inevitable.

The point wasn't the time budgeting. That was why I also have the example if the outdoor seating. The question was whether or not I could count on being about to walk away from a reservation if I needed/wanted to as long as I showed up for the reservation. I believe that's been thoroughly discussed.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

The point wasn't the time budgeting. That was why I also have the example if the outdoor seating. The question was whether or not I could count on being about to walk away from a reservation if I needed/wanted to as long as I showed up for the reservation. I believe that's been thoroughly discussed.

If you need to, you are in a good position to not have to pay for it.

If you just want to walk away, you aren't.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I've read reports of people getting sick in the park or their kid getting sick so they can't make their ADR. They show up at the podium to cancel and tell the hostess the issue and the fee has been waived.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So, I know there's a cancellation fee for no-shows to a dining reservation, but if you DO show and you then cancel, is the fee still applicable?

Like I show up for the reservation and they're like "The wait is 20 minutes or whatever" and I don't actually HAVE 20 minutes in my time budget. Can I leave and not be penalized?

Or any other reason really. Maybe I show up and I wanted outdoor seating and none is available. The real question is, as long as I show up, does that satisfy the no-show cancellation fee, even if I then leave afterwards?

"See right through me"? I'm not attempting to pull something over them. If I was, I'd make up some story they wouldn't "see right through". I'm trying to understand the rules and obey them.

I think your reasons are what people are balking at.

Not getting a table outside? No I wouldn't think that's a valid reason.

A wait to be seated? No I wouldn't think that's a valid reason unless it's obscene. 20mins is probably pretty normal as an average especially depending on time of year.

A child who is sick? Yes I could see that as a valid reason.

An obcene wait? I could see that as a valid reason.

Things out of your control specifically such as ride breakdowns, transportation (like the monorail or bus) breakdowns? I could see that as a valid reason.

As always discretion is up to the restaurant. I would go in expecting the worst (fee charged) and hope for the best (fee not charged).

As a cautionary note if every WDW guest requested the fee not be charged because they couldn't get the table they wanted or they had a minimal wait to be seated......I think we all know it would be a few bad apples spoil the bunch type situation.

 

[Stefien Quix]

As always discretion is up to the restaurant. I would go in expecting the worst (fee charged) and hope for the best (fee not charged).

This. This is the only piece of information I was looking for. No more, no less.

It's been said multiple times now so I really think this horse has been well and truly beaten.

I don't need any discussion over what counts as a valid reason and what doesn't.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

This entire thread is a joke.

 

[Stefien Quix]

This entire thread is a joke.

I don't disagree.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Along those lines, how does the 24 hour cancellation work? Is it the day before, or 24 hours before? So if you have a 12:30 lunch on a Tuesday, is it 12:30 on Monday, or Monday night? (Kind of like airlines that give you 24 hours. Many allow you until midnight the day after instead of exactly 24 hours.)

You can cancel up to the night before. It's doesn't have to be 24 hours before.

You


You misunderstand. I have 45 minutes on top of the 60 minutes budgeted for the meal. So, an hour and 45 minutes total.

I think this is a good time budget for a 1 TS meal. You will need more time for a signature restaurant. Both FF and Narcoosee's were three hour meals which felt absolutely laborious to me.

I've read reports of people getting sick in the park or their kid getting sick so they can't make their ADR. They show up at the podium to cancel and tell the hostess the issue and the fee has been waived.

Yes, this happened to us as well. My DS got sick and I simply called the dining line and they cancelled our dinner for that evening at no charge.

 

[Farro]

Along those lines, how does the 24 hour cancellation work? Is it the day before, or 24 hours before? So if you have a 12:30 lunch on a Tuesday, is it 12:30 on Monday, or Monday night? (Kind of like airlines that give you 24 hours. Many allow you until midnight the day after instead of exactly 24 hours.)

Last October we woke up with full on flu bug, we cancelled all the table service we had planned that day and no fees were charged for any of them.

 

[TCRAIG]

So, I know there's a cancellation fee for no-shows to a dining reservation, but if you DO show and you then cancel, is the fee still applicable?

Like I show up for the reservation and they're like "The wait is 20 minutes or whatever" and I don't actually HAVE 20 minutes in my time budget. Can I leave and not be penalized?

Or any other reason really. Maybe I show up and I wanted outdoor seating and none is available. The real question is, as long as I show up, does that satisfy the no-show cancellation fee, even if I then leave afterwards?

FWIW - one time we had a reservation - I asked for the menu prior to being seated - saw that there was just nothing I could or would eat (don’t eat chicken or seafood - allergic to mushrooms) went back to the podium and explained to the hostess - said No Problem - cancelled our reservation right there and no fee...

 

[StageTek]

And just because you don't like the table I don't think is going to be enough to get you out of the fee.

I would expect for a long delay (Say over half an hour) they would probably agree to waive the fee,

Are you certain of this?

At 30 minutes you won't be charged? If the table location isn't to your liking you cannot cancel without being charged?

I, too, am curious about this. Sometimes we just don't want to wait until 8PM when we have a 7:40 reservation. Waiting won't doom our plans, just that we don't want to wait 20 minutes.
At what point does Disney not charge you after you arrive tor your reservation?

 

[StageTek]

I don't need any discussion over what counts as a valid reason and what doesn't.

This did get quite contentious quick, didn't it? I think you asked a valid question. Of interest to at least one other person; me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If I was, I'd make up some story they wouldn't "see right through"

Unlikely. Disney restaurants are probably veryvery aware of excuses.

Yes. "20 minutes" was given as an example. I think I was pretty clear about that.

Not really as clear as is thought.

So what you're saying is 20 minutes is an acceptable time to be asked to wait, in your opinion, but 30 is not.

Neither. Awareness of the process of call-ahead seating is the responsibility of the diner: You will be seated at the next available table for your party size, at or after your selected time.

The point wasn't the time budgeting. That was why I also have the example if the outdoor seating.

Outdoor seating is a truly bad example, and it would be shocking if this were accepted as the excuse.

whether or not I could count on being about to walk away

No, you cannot.

 

[Stefien Quix]

This did get quite contentious quick, didn't it? I think you asked a valid question. Of interest to at least one other person; me.

Thank you. There does seem to be strong opinions about what constitutes an appropriate reason for attempting to get out of an ADR.

Unfortunately, there's no way to know what will happen when you approach a CM to request the cancellation as it's to their discretion.

That being said, every report so far seems to indicate that, in general, the CM leans pretty lenient. Likely trying to insure that the Disney Experience preserves the magic as much as possible for every guest.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You reserved a table. Not the table of your choice


And considering what this thread is becoming, I really think it should be closed. I was under the impression that is against the board ruled to post threads that were basically nothing but ways to circumvent Disney “rules”

 

[Dug720]

Unlikely. Disney restaurants are probably veryvery aware of excuses.

Yup. Kind of like the wardens when I got picked for Grand Jury a couple of Fridays ago. They said "If you have a problem with a date in the next 2 weeks, let us know NOW. Today, we might be able to do something. Monday... Well, ok. We'll make you the same deal one of our colleagues makes people. IF you can come up with an excuse we have NEVER heard before on Monday, we'll excuse you. BUT we've been doing this for quite a few years and have heard A LOT."