If there is a first timer, then they know no different. This isn't new to them, it's just the way it is.
You are not being excluded from anything. You would make the choice that you wouldn't want to experience those particular places using ADR's under the new policy.
I did adjust it down a bit. Once the first timer pays out the behind for late cancel fees, they'll be less likely to return as adding an extra amount to their first time expensive vacation (since they're also less likely to know about the discounts we know about) is going to leave a bad taste in their mouth.
And yes, I am being excluded. If I cannot, or will not, post my CC over the phone or internet, then I can't book ANY character or signature experience. Whether it's my choice or not, I'm still excluded. There is no way around this, except picking up a pre-paid card, something that not everything is going to think of. If there were an alternative way (e.g. sending a check within 7 days, like they do for resort reservations), that would solve that, but they don't.
First timers. they're less likely to know the exclusions are in place
If they give their card number, they know the policy at that point
The policy may not publicly state that there are any exclusions, and I doubt it will. It doesn't do that now, why expect it to? Hence, they may know about the cancellation policy, but they're more likely to be hit by it unexpectedly due to not knowing how they, or their children will react at Disney. It also does not state that the fee is per person, only if you don't cancel before the time. They are much more likely to be hit by $10-$20 charges for a single, or single + young child not showing up due to illness, and then not knowing they can get it refunded. Again, bad show leaving a bad taste.
For example, back over at Yachtsman and I figure out I'm not hungry.
Everytime I think I can agree with you, you throw out the "I'm not hungry reason" I am just not buying that one. Don't eat so close to your ADR
I keep throwing out the "not hungry" thing because it happens. In fact, it's happened to me a couple times (out of ~35 DxDDP meals), and I do space my meals out (no less than 6 hours, sometimes more than 8). It's a good example of how, even with proper planning, the unexpected can happen without relying on the "Sick Child Defense" as it was called earlier in the thread. If it happens 1 out of 18 reservations (I think I had 19 this last trip), then I'm charged, but doesn't mean that I didn't plan the other 16 (18 minus the couplet of these two) out well.
As a note, this last trip I all spent snack credits (18 + 6 extra due to a mistake on Disney's part) with the exception of 5 on drinks, smart water and vitamin water to be specific (Smart Water is more expensive and thus a better credit use
, Vitamin Water because I like the taste). Of the remaining 5, 2 were bananas (for Mom), and 2 were Dole Whip floats (both after I had eaten dinner). So it's not like I was spoiling my meals by snacking before them.
For me, normally, after 6-7 hours I would be hungry, but there have been a couple times where I'm done for the day after breakfast. Is it normal? No, nor is it anything I can count on or plan for, but it does happen. If I figure out it would be one of those days a couple hours before my ADR, I could cancel it. Or, if there weren't the CC hold on the non-popular locations, I could cancel it even closer, still freeing up my spot. As it sits now, I'm going to have to show up and waste food and time to pay OOP less, or waste my own money. I know I'd be more apt to show up and order a drink, maybe an app, use my credit and end up tipping like $3. So, instead of a $60 meal plus $12 tip. I now have a $15 meal plus $3 tip.
Keep in mind that, as it sits now, the policy is not ONLY for those that don't show up, but also for those that cancel the same day. So if I wake up in the morning with my back hurting and decide to sleep it off some, I'm out $10 for breakfast, whether I call or not. So what's the impetus to call?
[color]I don't really think so. People who come for the first time will just accept it as is. Just like when I planned my first trip I just dealt with the fact that I was going to have to make plans so far in advance[/color]
The stopping from going altogether is an extrapolation of this, since they're going to be charged extra for good intentions, they may as well not go in the first place.
I don't really think so. People who come for the first time will just accept it as is. Just like when I planned my first trip I just dealt with the fact that I was going to have to make plans so far in advance
See the adjustment above about the first timers. Since they won't know, I agree that they'd take it more in stride, but it would leave a bad taste in their mouth and they'd be less likely to return. The vast majority of first timers do not do their research and won't likely know about ways to avoid the fees, or how to properly judge what their family can handle. They're more likely to be hit with the fees than anyone else. You can plan ahead all you want, but if you don't know how your party will react to Disney itself, then all that planning means far less. I also experienced this with my 10th or 11th trip (2009, my first trip as a "grown up" and one I planned for my friend and her 2 1/2 year old). I had done a ton of research, and lots of it was way different than expected.
TBH, I'm already considering dropping my normal 10 day DxDDP trips in favor of a 5-6 day, OOP trip
If you are too full for ADRs the regular DDP might be a better choice for you
Except that, this may be one or two meals out of 18 or so on the trip, with the fact that I don't really care for most of the CS out there, it makes DDP a VERY bad choice for me. Again, normally I'd be hungry for the next meal close to meal time, but sometimes, albeit rarely, I'm good after breakfast or lunch until the end of the day.
But now, if I feel I may have to pay if this happens again, I'm more likely to just not do any of them in the first place, knocking my package price from ~$2.5k (solo) down to ~$1.8k (I wouldn't do normal DDP, so I'd be more apt to drop a plan altogether.) I'd also likely shorten my trip, since food won't be the focus, I don't have to plan as much restaurant time, so that would drop another few hundred from the price, let's put it around $1.5k. So, simply because of this change, Disney is making ~$700 less on my vacation than they would have. (Figure $300 for food, since I'd be eating cheaper most of the time).
While that works out for me, my experience is lessened and Disney doesn't get as much money. Of course, I'm only one out of millions that visit per year, so it's very likely they simply wouldn't care.
I agree. I think this is something the CM's will explain in greater detail when you call to make the ADRs or will be noted online and in your email confirmation for ADRs made online.
Really?
See, I don't agree with that at all. The phone CMs barely know their behinds from Disney Property. (Yes, I'm VERY negative on them, after all the misinformation they've given regarding dining over the past few years that I've been watching threads). They don't even go into any sort of detail now, why would they add more information? They don't know that the charges are per person, and that if some of your party shows up, you CAN (not always will) be charged for each person missing. They often don't know the amounts charged for this either.
I don't expect much out of the phone CMs other than stating the "This reservation may have a cancellation policy" text that comes up when we make them online. I also would hazard to guess that nowhere will there be any sort of "This fee may be waived under extreme circumstance" to be made any more public than someone posting the information from the hub. So all these "Well, if someone's sick just call them and they'll waive the fee" could very well be very wrong. Plus, again, it goes on the guest's permanent record as a "Guest Recovery" item. Something that I know from certain CMs posting about, gets taken into account with future guest issues (legitimate or not), and not in a good way.
- but I wouldn't be opposed to making dining reservations once on site if we were all on a level playing field.
That's always been our tradition and now we can't risk a travel delay. That may fall under the exceptions so I guess we can see how it plays out for others first since we are not every year Disney on-site guests. 
