multiple ADRs -same day same time

[doug65]

...My guestion, for those planners holding multiple(likely to be unused reservations) for Christmas week-will you fess up and comitt to your plan and ADRs; in-turn cancel your redundant bookings and free up space for others. Or remain silent-you know, every man for himself? Food for thought(no pun intended)

Cancel redundant ADRs ASAP. Having had to plan for extended family trips, I know what a hassle it can be to get everyone on the same page at the same time and therefore have double-booked more than a few ADRs myself. When I've done so, I've always cancelled the unneeded ones as soon as plans gel (except for that one time, at CP -- my bad ).

That being said, lets remember that an ADR is NOT an Advanced Dining Reservation as it is so-very-deceptively called, it's nothing more than an Advanced Your-Place-In-Line Reservation; and as we have all probably learned, that may mean precisely NOTHING when dealing with the legendary inability of some to read ADR numbers correctly.

 

[bangzoom6877]

The only time I had 2 ADRs booked for the same time was for a couple of minutes, literally...it was back in 2008 when there were no online ADRs yet. DH and I had originally booked Ohana for dinner one night of our trip but then decided we would rather go to 1900 Park Fare instead. I called the dining line and booked 1900 Park Fare. As soon as I got the confirmation number, I asked the CM to please cancel Ohana and she did.

I agree that all ADRs should be cancelled if someone books ADRs that would overlap in time. Meaning, if someone books Le Cellier for 5:15PM and Les Chefs de France for 6PM, the system should cancel both ADRs. I don't think it is fair to others. I know many of these ADRs are hard to come by, but if people only had a choice to book one ADR for dinner and not multiple ones "just in case" then maybe some of the most popular restaurants would be easier to get for people who are really sure they want to eat there. Meaning, if you have to wait a little bit longer to make your ADR or change one, maybe something would be more likely to be available if people were unable to double-, or triple-book ADRs.

I would not mind having to give a credit card hold on ADRs at all, as long as there would be a reasonable cancellation policy. If I can cancel the same day without a charge I think that would be fair. Only because with children, you never know...they could literally become sick (although it is unlikely to happen) an hour before your ADR time. It would be kind of like a hotel cancellation policy...you know, where you can cancel up until a certain time the day of check-in (4PM or 6PM in my experience). I think people should be charged a certain amount for being a no-show and then we would see all the no-shows stop, people being able to book the ADRs they want, walk-ins not being turned away as much, and not seeing restaurants at WDW as empty as people currently report.

On the other hand, a couple of years back, a colleague of mine was booking 3 or 4 different places for dinner (because she didn't know which theme park they would be going to on a certain day), and I "yelled" at her. I said to her "you're going to cancel the other ones as SOON as you know right?" Her reply was "Why do I have to cancel? If someone didn't get it, that's their hard luck." Nice attitude, huh?!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I would never be so selfish as to double book . Others are waiting for the table that you are not going to use .

We have been in WDW and figured out that we were not going to make a ressie and called from the cell to cancel .

 

[The VWL Five]

I had a feeling people did this but really don't want to know how wide spread it really is for my mental sake.......and my blood pressure....lol.

Double booking is something we would 'personally' never do.

Now all you double bookers please cancel Le Cellier for next week. I need to get in...lol

 

[Missytara]

We saw this a great deal when we went the week after Thanksgiving.

We showed up one night 30 minutes early and were seated right away; we expected to sit at the bar and wait.

The restaurant was barely half full, but they were turning away people for walk-ups. When we left, the restaurant was still barely half full.

My prediction is that since the online system allows you to make multiple reservations for the same time, this will continue to happen and restaurants will not be meeting their goals or unfortunately, losing food because they ordered thinking they were going to be full every night.

My wish is that next year, the online system prevents this from happening, so that things like this don't happen and restaurants can again meet their goals.

I eat out every night and see how difficult it is for the restaurant industry. I would be livid if I knew people were making reservations and then not showing up for them, because they couldn't "decide" where they wanted to eat that night......it is just common courtesy to cancel ressies you know that you don't need and let others get in and enjoy the experience.

 

[stitch34]

Sorry, but 8-9 extra ADRs booked for a 4-night stay - wow, that's a LOT!

I'm constantly playing around with my ADRs, changing things around - once I make a new one, I immediately cancel the old one... usually immediately. If it is a tough to get one and I know I'm still undecided and playing with my schedule, I may wait a day or two to cancel that, making sure first whether going with plan A or B!

But to have that many extra adrs booked - wow! I'm sure there's a lot out there that have an extra one here and there booked - but sorry, 8-9 - that's a lot!

 

[happymomof1]

As part of a larger group, with the same last name traveling together, I certainly hope a Disney CM wouldn't see similar/same names(father/son) and just go ahead and cancel without checking. If we split up for dinner at different locations, how are they able to determine who will be where????That would be horrible for them to assume. Especially since if you are booking online, 1 person in the party is able to book different reservations all at the same time. The online prompts even say, "your times are within 1 hour, please proceed if it is for another person in your party". So how would a CM have the audacity to cancel going by their opinion only?????????? That would be very un-disneylike!

 

[happymomof1]

I agree, Disney should start requiring a credit card for making ADRs! It is too bad their computer system doesn't automatically decline an ADR if you already have one for the same time period.

As the coordinator for our large family trip, I am booking reservations online. Anything I do regarding ADR's online is in my name! That includes if we are all splitting up for dinner and I have taken care of everyones ADR for the same meal-time-frame. No one should assume a person is hogging up adr's because they are not very far apart!

 

[wezee]

Dh and I were on the DxDDP last Oct. for 10 days, and I am proud to report, with 20+ ADRs made......we NEVER made a double ADR at any time.

While I enjoy the ease of the online ADR system.....I feel it has greatly increased the amount of multiple reservations. I would also give a big thumbs up, if WDW would institute a credit card required hold for all ADRs.
I'm sorry, but I do not understand the fascination with "playing" with the online ADR system. If I change an ADR.......I turn right around and cancel the old one.
When we prepare for a trip, DH and I take several weeks, maybe even months, looking over the menus and deciding on ADRs, before I actually make the ADR online. In other words....we play on paper, not on the computer!!!
Even if you cancel 1 week before your trip......you are still causing un-needed stress for someone who has tried for weeks to get that ADR!!!!!

 

[zeferjen]

I agree, however their system is flawed. There is no way to just pull up all of my online ADRs without going back through all of their emails and pulling up your confirmation numbers. I keep pretty good track of mine so for me it's cutting and pasting out of a spreadsheet, but for others some may just fall through the cracks.

 

[SHG]

I agree that many ADR's are probably lost or forgotten about. Also, from previous posts it seems that people get frustrated trying to cancel them.
If Disney sent out an email, say a month before, with a reminder that there were two ADR's booked for the same time with a link to an easy way to cancel that would probably take care of most double bookings. That would be much more human than automatically cancelling, especially if you have are on DDP and have basically prepaid.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't double book...just don't feel it's fair. In fact, if I find that my plans change, I immediatly cancel that ADR.
It's easy to understand why we have to make alternative ADRs and then keep checking daily to see if anything we want comes available. But, it is what it is...and until the system changes, there is nothing we can do about those who take more ADRs than they are going to use.

And contrary to what some believe, a ton of people do NOT cancel those unused ADRs. They will say that it frees up space for walkups!!!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I really don't want to double book anything, but I'm not sure what to do. In my family, there is a party of 4, but my brother and his wife and daughter might be coming along with us. They just aren't sure yet so I was thinking about booking 2 reservations under one of each of our names for the different party sizes incase they go. We don't want to have to eat at "what's left" when the restaurants are filled up at the last minute and we don't want to make the ADR's for a party of 4 and then have to be seperated and have them eat at quick service places so I really don't know what else to do. Anyone have suggestions? I will be happy to cancel the ADR we won't be using when they finally decide for sure if they are going or not.

 

[igk]

I think a credit card should be required to secure all ADRs. There could be a 24hr cancellation policy. Most people wouldn't bother making multiple ADRs if they knew they would have to cancel to avoid getting charged. Since the online system has been running it seems much more open to abuse.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I have a few days that I have lunch and supper booked just until we decide what park we will be in each day, have a good look at the menus and decide what time will work better for us. But I will definatly cancel those that I do not intend to use ASAP to give someone else an opportunity to get them.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I think a credit card should be required to secure all ADRs. There could be a 24hr cancellation policy. Most people wouldn't bother making multiple ADRs if they knew they would have to cancel to avoid getting charged. Since the online system has been running it seems much more open to abuse.

The problem with that is, of course, if you have an ADR for the day you arrive, and then your plane is late. You shouldn't be punished for that.

I've had double bookings for a few minutes while I cancel the redundant ADR, no big deal.

I do think Dis should have the capability of *seeing* all your ADRs in one place. If you're trying to book Le Cellier at 6pm, and you already have Coral Reef at 7pm, it should say something like, "You have multiple reservations within a 1 hour period. Which would you like to cancel?"

 

[mbordeleau]

If you're trying to book Le Cellier at 6pm, and you already have Coral Reef at 7pm, it should say something like, "You have multiple reservations within a 1 hour period. Which would you like to cancel?"

If you book online, the systems does tell you that you have multiple reservations within a 1 hour period and advises you that if the reservations are not for multiple groups that you should cancel one of them but they do not enforce it.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

If you book online, the systems does tell you that you have multiple reservations within a 1 hour period and advises you that if the reservations are not for multiple groups that you should cancel one of them but they do not enforce it.

I've always booked online and never seen that. If it's there, it's not very big.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

wait, what do you mean multiple bookings?
Like I Was thinking of making a Chef Mickey's ADR for our party of 8 for say a Tuesday, I was also thinking of making an ADR for the same place/same time on say Thursday but with a party of 3 in case my extended family cancels. Of course I would cancel whichever one I am not using. Is this multiple booking?

I thought you couldn't make ADRs for the same time/day at a diff. restaurant, the computer would automatically cancel 1 out?

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

wait, what do you mean multiple bookings?
Like I Was thinking of making a Chef Mickey's ADR for our party of 8 for say a Tuesday, I was also thinking of making an ADR for the same place/same time on say Thursday but with a party of 3 in case my extended family cancels. Of course I would cancel whichever one I am not using. Is this multiple booking?

I thought you couldn't make ADRs for the same time/day at a diff. restaurant, the computer would automatically cancel 1 out?

I've heard that from some people, but it's not true. You absolutely CAN make two reservations for the same time.