New credit card guarantees. Restaurant list, policy & common questions in 1st post

[mom2rtk]

It is not $10. It is $10/person which adds up quick. Even a regular family of 4 is losing $40. If it were a $10 flat fee for the whole reservation while I might not like it I could handle but not $70.
And no some have posted that they would charge for the missing part of your group at an ADR.

Yeah..... that part about maybe charging for a missing person in your part makes me really start to think this is a money grab. I mean, if you were a party of 4, then cancelled, that table might have been taken by a party of 3 ANYWAY. So you showing up with 3 instead of 4 should not make money for Disney.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

And THIS is why we're upset.

I do NOT make more ADRs than I could possibly want or need.

However, it's entirely possible that I could get dinged with paying $$ for missing an ADR.

That is EXACTLY what's upsetting.

Right now people get mad at hoarders because it makes it harder for the rest of us to get the restaurants we want.

Under this new policy, we can be mad at hoarders because it's STILL hard to get the restaurants we want AND we're getting dinged with fees.

Thank you, I'm not sure why people refuse to understand this.

 

[Cafeen]

I have been going to Disney numerous times a year for about 20 years in a row now & have never experienced this. I'm not saying we've never had to wait a bit for our table to be ready, but it's always been a reasonable amount of time.

Just because you haven't been sat that late does not mean it doesn't happen.

2009, CP dinner ADR at 7pm. We showed up at ~6:45 and waited in line for 15 minutes to check-in. Told they were running behind. Sat by around 7:35-7:40.

Same year, Le Cellier lunch at 2:10pm. Arrive by 2pm and check in. Not told anything. Sat by around 2:45 pm.

2011, Tusker House 10am ADR. Arrive around 9:40am and wait in line to check in until 9:52. Sat at around 10:30am.

Of course, it's not the norm. Many of my other reservations were on time or early, but just because most of mine are reasonable does not mean they all are. We hear stories here every week (at least) of people being turned away and told to come back WITH ADRs. Even in this thread, there was a FIRST PERSON account of being told to come back to Le Cellier in 45 minutes JUST TO CHECK IN (putting the time to check in at around 30 minutes past their ADR time).

In other words, you're lucky and that's great. Some others, not so much. So unless under this policy Disney can guarantee that you'll be seated within 15 minutes of your ADR time, it's VERY one sided. Even if the wait is 45 minutes to get a pager, you have zero recourse but to pay the fee and go somewhere else, or wait potentially over an hour past ADR time to eat.

Again, since this is getting heated a bit, I do want to say that I am by no means disbelieving or discounting your own experiences. Just saying that your experiences aren't all there is.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I don't see why people are so hung up on hoarders being responsible for this change. Is it because they're guilty of no-shows, but not hoarding? To me, an empty table is an empty table. I don't think it really matters to WDW, why you didn't show up. The fact is you didn't. Hoarding really only matters to the guests, when making ADRs. From WDW's perspective, those who don't show for any number of reasons are equally responsible. The fact that you don't hoard doesn't make it okay for you to leave a table empty that someone else could have booked. Most people make ADRs intending to keep them. If you are someone who has missed one in the past, you have affected their bottom line as much as the hoarder. They'd rather you not have made that ADR. I think that's pretty obvious.

You can still have flexibility on vacation. Make the few ADRs that are most important to you. Plan your day around them. Don't push the kids too hard, don't eat close to that meal, go to the park or area you need to be in, plan your last ride to assure you arrive in time, etc. For the others, when the kids are well rested, everyone feels well, you're all hungry, you know where you'll be, the rain has stopped, etc., call (if possible), go to GS, visit a concierge, or walk-up to find a place to eat. There should now be more options available to you than there would have been, when they weren't doing anything to discourage the no-shows. The people who deal with these situations on vacation should be the ones who are happiest about this change.

My guess is a large majority (not all) of people are really upset that they'll no longer be able to fill their ADR dream list ahead of time then decide when they arrive, if they will work for them. The sick card keeps getting played mostly because it's the only legit reason to miss an ADR. Yes, people get sick, but not as often as some people are making it seem. The fact that one person in a party got sick on one trip doesn't really mean we're all in real danger of missing ADRs for sickness. We've been too many times to count, with people of all ages. Never once have we missed an ADR due to illness. People have flaked on us, because they were tired, wanted to ride another ride, wanted to go somewhere else, etc. My guess is the ability to no longer do those things are really what people are upset about.

It seems they're sending a very clear message, with the policy change. If you have any reason/excuse why your family may not show up to an ADR, they don't want you to make them. If you choose to make them anyway & don't show, they'll make you think twice about it next time.

I think people are saying they won't even make the character meal ADR now because of the odds that their child will get sick without enough advanced warning at some point (they don't know when, but it will happen) and they don't want to risk the $40-$60 cancellation fee they know they're going to experience at some point (based on their past experience with their trips and children).

That's a reasonable position, given an individual's financial position.

Do you not think that's one of the things they're trying to accomplish with this policy change? If that family that foresees problems doesn't book the ADR, it is now left open for those who will definitely show up, or for walk-ups.

You apparently have a much stricter view/belief of what a dining reservation is. A lot of us don't view them as strict contracts, as you appear to.

Not picking on you, but this is the problem. Many people made ADRs sitting at home in front of their computer, but didn't make showing up a top priority. They want to change that way of thinking.

 

[Colleen27]

Wow, really? You would force your kids to suffer thru a meal when they didn't feel well, just to somehow prove a point to Disney?That is beyond sad. It is not up to Disney to see to kids and their needs. That is the job of the parent. Their trying to run a business and keep from losing money in no way strips any parent of the responsibility of parenting. And too many posters seem to think that it does. A very sad statement on parenting, that they value a few dollars over their childs health.

The thing is, even when they're tired or not feeling well my kids WANT to keep going. I wouldn't push them if they were miserable or outright sick, but I do think with this penalty in place I'll be more reluctant to put my foot down when they want to keep going against my better judgement because the chance of a good meal is better than the certainty of paying for nothing.

There's more than a little sarcasm in my previous post, but there's a point there too - this is a disincentive for parents who would otherwise be proactive about avoiding potentially bad situations (not the certainly-bad like a kid who is clearly sick or having a meltdown, but the "gray area" of a kid who is looking a little off/sluggish or who missed an expected nap).

We already see threads calling for bans/limits on kids at signature restaurants. Is a financial penalty for cancelling those meals if a child doesn't seem to be up for it going to do anything but make that situation worse?

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

Ah ok, I'll agree its somewhat reasonable. However things can happen, and $40-60 shouldn't be a horrible expense to handle, not one anyone wants to handle mind you.. heck I get upset when I can find that $5 bill I stuffed in my pocket the other day... but overall if you're that worried about illnesses or a $40 hit to your vacation budget is too much then maybe ADRs aren't for you. Finances aside, Disney is not a cheap place to go.

Or you could simply use the math-logic that people use with the Dining Plan, sure you pay $40 cancellation fee, but you saved $80-240 by not going to dinner. [/
Even if I were Bill Gates I wouldn't set fire to $70 and that is what this fee is $70 for nothing given. I guess I am surpised in this economy that so many people think $40-$70 is no big deal? And I know some wealthy people they didn't get wealthy by throwing away their money.
Yes, we like nice meals on vacation and yes we don't like to waste money. They shouldn't have to be mutually exclusive.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It is not $10. It is $10/person which adds up quick. Even a regular family of 4 is losing $40. If it were a $10 flat fee for the whole reservation while I might not like it I could handle but not $70.
And no some have posted that they would charge for the missing part of your group at an ADR.

And again, someone on the parallel thread on the Community board has said that if part of your party shows up, no no-show fee will NOT be assessed.

 

[Colleen27]

For anyone interested, I just called Dining to verify the cancellation window timing.

According to the CM and their supervisor that I spoke with, your ADR only needs to be canceled by 11:59 pm EST the calendar day prior to the day of the ADR (if done online, otherwise by 10:00 PM EST via the phone when the call centers close for the night) - it is not a 24 hour cancellation policy. That means that you're clear on canceling a 8:00 am CP ADR 8 hours and one minute prior.

So, given this clarification, I come back to the question of what is Disney incrementally gaining by the day prior cancellation vs. a 3 hour window? 3 hours still allows you to know how many seats you have filled (or getting a cancellation fee for) and how many walk-ups you can take to keep the restaurant full. The only incremental advantage I see is the ADR will show open from the start of the day for same day bookings. And I don't know how valuable/important that is vs. filling the restaurant with walk-ups (there certainly seems to be a large supply of walk-ups to fill the restaurants).

If that's the case it is one more mark in favor of the hoarders/indecisive and against people who have genuinely unexpected situations come up. If you book ADRs for all four parks you're fine as long as you sit down the evening prior and decide where to go in the morning, but if you have a kid wake up sick you're going to be penalized.

 

[Cafeen]

And again, someone on the parallel thread on the Community board has said that if part of your party shows up, no no-show fee will be assessed.

They can say that all they want, but do they know that for the reservations that require guarantees already that they DO charge for partial parties? (And I'm not talking about pre-paid stuff like CRT or the dinner shows, I'm talking Akershus and CG).

There are many reports here, and elsewhere on the boards of just this. So what makes you, or this person, think that Disney's going to change that? If they do, great, but it won't solve the underlying issue.

 

[MSLRAC]

And again, someone on the parallel thread on the Community board has said that if part of your party shows up, no no-show fee will NOT be assessed.

At this point, that is speculation at best because that is NOT how it works now with cc hold meals. Maybe they are going to change it but we will have no way of knowing for sure until it happens.

 

[Colleen27]

And again, someone on the parallel thread on the Community board has said that if part of your party shows up, no no-show fee will NOT be assessed.

At this point I'm not sure I'd take that as anything more than CM inconsistency, because it runs contrary to current/past reports (though it does agree with others). And to me, that's part of the problem with this policy - if there were clear guidelines for exceptions and we knew how it would work out it wouldn't be such a problem. But as of right now it looks like getting the fee waived for illness or other issues will be a matter of CM roulette; get someone sympathetic on the cancellation line and you'll be fine, but if not expect to pay.

 

[NLD]

The fact that you don't hoard doesn't make it okay for you to leave a table empty that someone else could have booked.

I am going to be very blunt.

I have taken 2 trips to Disney. I missed one ADR each trip, for a total of 2 ADRs missed.

Both times the decision to miss was made the day-of the reservation.

Both times I contacted Disney dining and cancelled.

Under this new policy, if something happens day-of that will make me miss an ADR, I will not call to cancel. I will simply no-show.

In the past I've called to cancel so that Disney COULD fill the table with someone else. Under this new policy, I won't. If they care so little about my vacation experience, if they want to nickel-and-dime me this way, then I don't care to take time out of my day to call and cancel so they can get the table filled.

I won't drag myself or my child miserably sick into a restaurant. No way, no how. But I WILL no-show rather than cancel if I'm getting charged the fee no matter what.

 

[NLD]

You know, this thread has gotten me thinking about ADR hoarders and ADR skippers and I've realized that I don't really care about them at all. Really, they don't impact my vacation. If someone wants to make 65 reservations over a week, and skip all of them, that is there prerogative, it does not really impact the enjoyment I derive from my vacation.

Let me explain it this way, my mom and I decided last month to take a WDW vacation in Dec. I took a look at what dining was available and I wasn't able to get an ADR at CP or Chef Mickey's, both which I think DS would have enjoyed. Am I upset at hoarders, or am I going to get angry at people who have those reservations and don't use them, no! I know that I should have planned in advance and I didn't, so I get what available. I believe that the people who planned ahead have the right to make whatever ADRs they want.

Now here is the crux of the matter- do I wish that there was some availability at Crystal Place or Chef Mickeys- sure I do! However, I do not want the reservation bad enough to make it worth putting up with this policy. I'd rather not get the reservation this time around, then have to worry about penalties when I DO manage to secure those coveted ADRs.

I'm guessing that those who don't like the policy don't think that the trade off is worth it, but those that do like the policy think that it is.

Excellent post, Candle, thank you.

 

[Pumbaa_]

gentle reminder - please be kind to others. everyone has an opinion, it is neither right nor wrong. Please respect the right of others to have conflicting opinions

you will not dissuade their opinion no matter how hard or long you argue , you will however be granted points if it goes too far


carry on

 

[MELSMICE]

If they care so little about my vacation experience, if they want to nickel-and-dime me this way, then I don't care to take time out of my day to call and cancel so they can get the table filled.

I believe that Disney does care about the vacation experience of all their guests and that is one of the reasons they are instituting this policy.

The thing is, you do have a choice. Not every Disney restaurant is on that list. In fact, numerous ones are not. They are not forcing you to make ADR's at the restaurants on the list. There are many other options available.

 

[Mkrop]

I'll go back on record that it's not just about someone being sick (for me) - not deathly projectile vomiting sick, but even just not feeling well sick (though that is a reason). It's about realizing your children may need a break/nap from either overstimulation or they're just tired and cranky. It's about not wanting to go out in a rainstorm if I don't want to experience that miserableness (and cloud my overall experience). It's about having fun at one park and not wanting to stop the fun because we have to be over at XXX by 5:00 to eat. It's about we're having fun, eating different snacks through WS all day and don't feel like eating a full dinner now.

Yes, I view my vacation differently than a lot you apparently do. I used to schedule everything down to the gnat's...eye, didn't matter whether DD was tired or not - we had a schedule to keep. Our trips became a lot more enjoyable when I let off the gas and got more flexible though. We have an 8:00 ADR at CP and DD's still asleep at 7:30 because we were out late last night - ehh, I'll just cancel.

So this is a takeaway from the way I like to vacation. It may not be a takeaway from your regimented vacation style, but it does take away from mine. I don't know how I'll ultimately react in action to the new policy. My guess is I'll be voting with my wallet and eating a lot less $100+ sit down meals and have a lot more $20 snack/CS meals.

Another nonhoarder, rarely cancels ADRS but likes flexibilty on a vacation and HATES this new policy checking in.


I have always cancelled, therefore allowing WDW to reschedule or give my table to a walk up. I would be ok with a 3hour window or them charging for complete no shows. But if I am considerte enough to call, for whatever reason, I should not be charged.

I am also another poster who values a dollar (or$40) and does not want to hand over my money for a valid reason for cancelling.

I also dont think that this policy is going to help servers at all, if someone is going to no show, and then be charged $40 that doesnt go into the server's pocket, it is still an empty table.

I also think that WDW can make bad business decisions and this might be one of them. I mean they changed their policy of running monorails after parties, why bc customer's complained, although I am sure some exec thought this was a terrific cost saving measure.

I am also amazed with social media and other technologies that they couldnt make it a 3hour window and then post it somewhere in the parks on a social media site that they have walkups available at this particular restaurant.

Win/win, you are not alientaing guests who cant dine at that place, and you fill up a table with a walkup.

 

[eliza61]

gentle reminder - please be kind to others. everyone has an opinion, it is neither right nor wrong. Please respect the right of others to have conflicting opinions

you will not dissuade their opinion no matter how hard or long you argue , you will however be granted points if it goes too far


carry on

Gotcha.

 

[eliza61]

this is exactly the reason this new policy is being implemted, not for collecting an extra fee, but to deter people from making multiple reservations so that they have choice on any particular day just because they think they are entitled to this and then have many people not able to get that reservation due to this.

How will this new policy deter them?

Example: My coworker last week made her ADR's for her trip in March. She has a party of 7 and found on the website it was easier to make 2 reservations at the same place for a party of 4 and a party of 3 then it was for a party of 7. many times a party of 7 came up unavailable. I was in the office when she did it. a couple of nights she made another reservation for just a party of 2 because she thinks a few nights her and hubby will be able to sneak off sans kids (her mom and dad are going). So she's got 2 nights with 2 adrs. very easy to do and all she has to do is cancel one within 24 hours. totally doable as her trip gets closer and her plans firm up.

Now I'm not going to get into the ethics of doing it because I doubt very much if she cares what folks her think so calling her entitled does babuskas but this new policy has done zippo. those adr's are still firmly her's.

Like I said, I'm not trying to start a fight about whether multiple adr people are selfish, entitlers like Puumba said, doubtful you guys calling them that is going to change any thing. I'm just not a fan of silly fees that don't really work.

 

[mcd2745]

__________________

So long spontaneity at Disney...

That horse left the barn a long time ago.

 

[MikeSF]

In the past I've called to cancel so that Disney COULD fill the table with someone else. Under this new policy, I won't. If they care so little about my vacation experience, if they want to nickel-and-dime me this way, then I don't care to take time out of my day to call and cancel so they can get the table filled.

I don't blame you. However you might be doing the walk-ups a favor by doing that, as I've been told your reservation, really isn't one. Its a time slot, for the next available table often based off some formula on how fast the average person eats. If you don't show up, a walk up that may have had an hour or so wait gets seated quite a bit earlier, they don't hold a table for you.

However someone who is trying to make last minute reservations (a few hours before) wouldn't have any luck, and more often than not not even try to be a walk up.