Loving the new ADR policy...

[lauralong81]

I may be alone, but I am LOVING the new ADR policy. It really does seem to be affecting the over-abundance of early ressies. I just got a new CRT ADR (we changed the day we wanted) for April and we're ~130 days out, and I had a lot of open times to choose from. That was unheard of this time last year, and I can only guess it's because of the new policy. I've also been able to get my other wanted ADR's, without being on the phone at 180+10 days out.

Maybe, I'm just lucky... but I assume the new policy is really affecting things. It has not been this easy the past three years.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Good to know! My 180 days is tomorrow...I'm hoping we can get what we want!

 

[maxiesmom]

I noticed the same thing when I made my ADRs. I was able to get The Crystal Palace, The Garden Grill, and Le Ceiller. I really hope this is not having a negative impact on Disney's bottom line, because it is really nice to be able to get ADRs without having to fight for them.

 

[Missyrose]

I've been shocked at how many ADRs I'm finding less than three months from my next trip. I got Le Cellier at lunch, with multiple choice of peak times for my group of 6!!!!

 

[Colleen27]

Well, the new policy shouldn't effect CRT at all... Nothing changed there. But I have noticed a difference with other restaurants. At about 45 out I can get just about any character meal on property but can't get Kona or Yak & Yeti, so it does seem like demand has shifted in favor of non-guarantee restaurants. I hope there's enough of a drop-off at the CC restaurants to see the policy modified because I'm one of those that won't risk having a CC hold for every single dinner so the new policy is the end of our signature-dinners-every-night habits.

 

[dimndgal1]

We're closing on our ADR window and I am nervous because this is our first summer trip in years

That said, I know it's hard an impact on people switching around a lot -- my friend planned a somewhat last minute trip over Christmas week last month and only took two calls to get some of the rezzies she wanted -- people made them before the cut-off but when they went to change them they didn't want to pay the deposits/guarantees and just dropped them altogether.

I hope it helps us but we only have two high-demand rezzies... the rest are non-guarantee

 

[cajunbaby1]

Isn't it great? I went online this morning like about 8:30am and was able to book Fantasmic! pkg, LeCelier (for noon, if u can believe it),Coral reef-lunch and Tusker house bkft the 1st week in May. There was a TON of character meals and other high demand. That c.card guarantee sure made a deference, allowing us to make ADR's.

 

[sjs314]

I am happy to hear that the new system of cc holds seems to be having a positive effect on ADR availability.

My 180 day was before the new policy, I changed resorts and so also found I needed to change some ADR's and I am not having any luck with finding 'Ohana(except for after 9:15pm), CP(Before park opening), or Le Cellier(lunch or dinner) I am sure people who booked for my travel dates are holding onto their reservations since if they rebook they will now need to do so with the new policy in effect.

I did make an ADR for Cape May on our arrival day for dinner which before did not require a cc hold and now does and I am keeping my fingers crossed our flight is not delayed.

 

[want2bamommy]

I agree. I just booked our vacation last week (it's four months away) but I was able to get every ADR I wanted including LeCellier lunch. There were multiple times available for each place too when I made them. Normally I would have preferred to book my trip further out but we just found out the dates for Hubby's vacation.

 

[aubriee]

But I have noticed a difference with other restaurants. At about 45 out I can get just about any character meal on property but can't get Kona or Yak & Yeti, so it does seem like demand has shifted in favor of non-guarantee restaurants. I hope there's enough of a drop-off at the CC restaurants to see the policy modified because I'm one of those that won't risk having a CC hold for every single dinner so the new policy is the end of our signature-dinners-every-night habits.

This is my thinking. We are taking my grandson to WDW in Feb and have the DxDDP. I just switched around some ADRs last week. All were restaurants that did not require the CC guarantee, but when I put in the dates and meal times that we wanted I was surprised at all the restaurants that showed up that require the cc guarantee. Even for Feb Le Cellier, CRT, and just about all the character meals and Signature restaurants had lots of openings. I refuse to book those restaurants now. I did book alot of character meals for my grandson, but booked them prior to the new policy taking effect. The ones I changed are the ones that didn't require a cc guarantee. Those are the ones that are hard to get now.

I go to WDW several times a year and because I don't care for very many CS restaurants always booked an early TS lunch then a later TS dinner. We did alot of Signauture restaurants every trip. Those days are over. For my upcoming May trip I have TS ADRs booked for an early TS lunch and a later TS dinner just like I always do, but none of them required a cc guarantee. I'll be doing the same thing for my upcoming Sept and Oct/Nov trips too. I usually keep my ADRs but am not willing to take the chance.

 

[Colleen27]

This is my thinking. We are taking my grandson to WDW in Feb and have the DxDDP. I just switched around some ADRs last week. All were restaurants that did not require the CC guarantee, but when I put in the dates and meal times that we wanted I was surprised at all the restaurants that showed up that require the cc guarantee. Even for Feb Le Cellier, CRT, and just about all the character meals and Signature restaurants had lots of openings. I refuse to book those restaurants now. I did book alot of character meals for my grandson, but booked them prior to the new policy taking effect. The ones I changed are the ones that didn't require a cc guarantee. Those are the ones that are hard to get now.

Yep. We just changed our dates and rearranged some ADRs, and I can't believe the availability... We're a party of 7 so usually it is pretty slim pickings at 45 out but I found openings at Le Cellier (lunch and dinner), Chef Mickey and Ohana on multiple nights, Crystal Palace, openings every 15min at Cape May for dinner (guess that one isn't worth the guarantee to many people?). But I couldn't get Kona for dinner on any night of the trip.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I hate the new policy and am happy that I will not be affected this vacation as my ressies were already made without credit card. Next year I will make fewer ressies at the restaurants that require credit cards as I think it would drasticly affect my vacation sanity. I always try to keep my ressies. I worked hard to get them BUT I dont want to be bound to them to the extent that my credit card will be charged. I have two committments this vacation that required a credit card, Candlelight processional and California Grill. Dont want that type of committment for the majority of my ressies. Happy some of you got some ressies though

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I am sure people who booked for my travel dates are holding onto their reservations since if they rebook they will now need to do so with the new policy in effect.

This is me to a T! We are going in April and my 180 days was just before they changed the cc guarantee policy. I am holding tight to my ADRs whereas normally at this point I'm sure I'd be waffling around with changes. Under the old policy, we only had to CC guarantee Akershus. If the new policy had applied to us, we would've had 4 more ressies that required a CC.

 

[kelleigh1]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not sure what the big deal is and why so many people hate the new policy and are saying they just won't make reservations for places anymore.

I might be missing something, but I don't think it's unreasonable to require a 24-hour cancellation notice. Sure there may be times when someone gets sick last minute, but if I know I have a reservation someplace, I am going to show up.

So what am I missing?

 

[Colleen27]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not sure what the big deal is and why so many people hate the new policy and are saying they just won't make reservations for places anymore.

I might be missing something, but I don't think it's unreasonable to require a 24-hour cancellation notice. Sure there may be times when someone gets sick last minute, but if I know I have a reservation someplace, I am going to show up.

So what am I missing?

First and foremost, you're missing the actual facts of the policy. It isn't 24 hours. You have to cancel with one full day of business in between your cancellation and your ADR, so for dinner reservations it is more like 48 hours.

My primary issue with it is illness. I have a normal, healthy family of 5 but have had a few trips impacted by someone getting sick, and we often travel with my 60-something mother who has some chronic health and mobility issues. We always cancel if plans change and someone isn't feeling up to a particular meal but we don't always know 2 days in advance that that will be the case, and since we usually do the DxDDP with a lot of signature dining it wouldn't be unusual to have 10+ ADRs at restaurants that now require holds... With a party of 5 or 6 that's a lot of risk of fees.

My secondary issue with it is the implementation. It is bad customer service, pure and simple. Dining line CMs are still telling people the cancellation deadline is "24 hours" or "by close on the day prior" and Disney is sticking to their vague "one day" wording in the ADR fine print, so people are going on their trips with bad information that can/will get them charged even though they think they're following the rules. Others are being charged because of errors at check-in, the lack of a late check in grace period that was supposed to be built in, hostesses checking them in incorrectly or under the wrong name, etc. So now having ADRs at those restaurants adds the extra hassle/stress of needing to watch your CC for fraudulent no-show fees even if you don't miss a single one.

 

[nkereina]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not sure what the big deal is and why so many people hate the new policy and are saying they just won't make reservations for places anymore.

I might be missing something, but I don't think it's unreasonable to require a 24-hour cancellation notice. Sure there may be times when someone gets sick last minute, but if I know I have a reservation someplace, I am going to show up.

So what am I missing?

On our first trip, we did DxDP and found the lunches filled us up more than we expected so we ended up cancelling a few dinner ADRs late in the day. Even for first timers who do regular DDP or no dining plan at all, if they aren't familiar with how much food they will get at meals or how long it takes to get places, it really hurts them if they can't cancel last minute. I don't have a problem with Disney charging a cancellation fee, but do it for people who are true no shows rather than those who take the time to call and cancel, regardless of the time.

 

[kelleigh1]

On our first trip, we did DxDP and found the lunches filled us up more than we expected so we ended up cancelling a few dinner ADRs late in the day. Even for first timers who do regular DDP or no dining plan at all, if they aren't familiar with how much food they will get at meals or how long it takes to get places, it really hurts them if they can't cancel last minute. I don't have a problem with Disney charging a cancellation fee, but do it for people who are true no shows rather than those who take the time to call and cancel, regardless of the time.

Thanks! That makes perfect sense.

 

[jaman12]

This is my thinking. We are taking my grandson to WDW in Feb and have the DxDDP. I just switched around some ADRs last week. All were restaurants that did not require the CC guarantee, but when I put in the dates and meal times that we wanted I was surprised at all the restaurants that showed up that require the cc guarantee. Even for Feb Le Cellier, CRT, and just about all the character meals and Signature restaurants had lots of openings. I refuse to book those restaurants now. I did book alot of character meals for my grandson, but booked them prior to the new policy taking effect. The ones I changed are the ones that didn't require a cc guarantee. Those are the ones that are hard to get now.

And I was trying to get ressies in February at a CC place (Ohana) and have no luck. I do realize that Ohana is quite popular so I am not surprised.

 

[Akliebert]

You are not the only one. I haven't book any reservation since ADR started but I was excited when I saw they were starting it. Sometimes I don't decide at 180+10 if I want to eat somewhere. I'm glad to hear that there it more available now. I think the only people that are really upset are the ones who would make the reservation and not show up.

 

[luvmy2babies]

You are not the only one. I haven't book any reservation since ADR started but I was excited when I saw they were starting it. Sometimes I don't decide at 180+10 if I want to eat somewhere. I'm glad to hear that there it more available now. I think the only people that are really upset are the ones who would make the reservation and not show up.

Actually the main problem people seem to have from reading the thread on the policy is the 24 hour restriction. That is exactly my issue with it. On our first trip I cancelled 2 reservations due to illness (stomach bug). I cancelled each one 5 hours before the scheduled time, which I feel is plenty. Now, if I did that I'd be charged the fee as I hear they are only willing to waive it for illness with a doctor's note.

With children ages 9 and 2.5 on our next trip, character meals are our main thing and my daughter wants them on our next trip and my son is crazy for Mickey so the best I can do is only schedule 1 a day and pray we don't pick up anything.