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

[DisneyCowgirl]

Now I'm probably going to really irritate a few people (sorry Tarheel, but I know you're one of them). I'll own up to canceling ADRs for not being hungry, having a good time at the pool, DD sleeping in towards the end of the trip, rainstorm, and all of the other poor/invalid "excuses" that have been cited. That's a vacation to me.

No flames from me because this is exactly how I feel. If I'm having a good time at the pool and I call 2 hours ahead and say I'm not coming, that should be good enough.

 

[Colleen27]

Disney lets you book 180 days in advance....they are only asking for ONE day to cancel. I don't see why this seems to "selfish" to everyone. It's a business. They just want their restaurants full right? So they keep making money? If you leave their table empty then they take a fee from you for not showing up. Right?

But they have a virtually endless stream of people looking for those tables that they turn away at the podium. It isn't as though my table will sit empty if I cancel my ADR unless Disney chooses to let it do so (and they do - look at the thread about being turned away at the podium only to log onto the dining site and get an immediate ADR). Basically they're asking us to bear the financial costs of their commitment to a no-walk-ups policy.

I don't have a problem with a no-show fee. I do have a problem with a policy that says I have to cancel Thursday's dinner by Tuesday night or be charged.

 

[HeatherLassell]

But they have a virtually endless stream of people looking for those tables that they turn away at the podium. It isn't as though my table will sit empty if I cancel my ADR unless Disney chooses to let it do so (and they do - look at the thread about being turned away at the podium only to log onto the dining site and get an immediate ADR). Basically they're asking us to bear the financial costs of their commitment to a no-walk-ups policy.

I don't have a problem with a no-show fee. I do have a problem with a policy that says I have to cancel Thursday's dinner by Tuesday night or be charged.

I don't know for a fact but I would assume that the most popular restaurants have people wanting to get in at all times. Is it only in busy season or in all seasons? Can they not fill the seats with walk ups? As long as you cancelled so they know they aren't holding the table? I will say I don't understand why they seem to want to avoid walk ups and only take ADRs.

 

[mcd2745]

Now I'm probably going to really irritate a few people (sorry Tarheel, but I know you're one of them). I'll own up to canceling ADRs for not being hungry, having a good time at the pool, DD sleeping in towards the end of the trip, rainstorm, and all of the other poor/invalid "excuses" that have been cited. That's a vacation to me.

No flames from me because this is exactly how I feel. If I'm having a good time at the pool and I call 2 hours ahead and say I'm not coming, that should be good enough.

I think everyone understands that type of attiude - I know I sure do. But if that's how you like to carry out your days, with a "play it by ear" element...then you probably should not be making ADRs. It's a choice that has to be made. What is more important to you? The "flexibility"...or making sure you have that meal at that particular restaurant? Certainly for some, that dinner at 'Ohana is the most important thing, and for some, the flexibility to let the day take them where ever it decides to takes them is the priority. It would be nice to not have to make that choice (and waaaaaay in advance, as well), but that's just not the way it is unfortunately.

 

[Mkrop]

Disney lets you book 180 days in advance....they are only asking for ONE day to cancel. I don't see why this seems to "selfish" to everyone. It's a business. They just want their restaurants full right? So they keep making money? If you leave their table empty then they take a fee from you for not showing up. Right?

I don't understand why there aren't tables that are NOT reserved so that guests would be able to make an ADR that morning or walk up and get seated in a reasonable time frame.

I haven't been to Disney World in over 15 years but I don't see why this new thing is a big deal. I will make my ADRs on the days I want and then I will show up for them.

So your ok with forking over $50(assuming by your pic a family of 5) if one of your little ones wakes up at 8am with a fever, and you need to cancel your ADR for 6pm:confused

 

[mom2rtk]

But they have a virtually endless stream of people looking for those tables that they turn away at the podium. It isn't as though my table will sit empty if I cancel my ADR unless Disney chooses to let it do so (and they do - look at the thread about being turned away at the podium only to log onto the dining site and get an immediate ADR). Basically they're asking us to bear the financial costs of their commitment to a no-walk-ups policy.

I don't have a problem with a no-show fee. I do have a problem with a policy that says I have to cancel Thursday's dinner by Tuesday night or be charged.

This is 100% how I feel about this. I think we can all agree that SOMETHING needed to be done. But just because SOMETHING needed to be done does not mean that THIS was the answer.

I don't know for a fact but I would assume that the most popular restaurants have people wanting to get in at all times. Is it only in busy season or in all seasons? Can they not fill the seats with walk ups? As long as you cancelled so they know they aren't holding the table? I will say I don't understand why they seem to want to avoid walk ups and only take ADRs.

But if they can fill those seats AND get the $10 per head fee, they make even more cash. That's a winner by Disney bean counter standards.

So your ok with forking over $50(assuming by your pic a family of 5) if one of your little ones wakes up at 8am with a fever, and you need to cancel your ADR for 6pm:confused

Apparently they are choosing not to get sick on vacation.

 

[HeatherLassell]

So your ok with forking over $50(assuming by your pic a family of 5) if one of your little ones wakes up at 8am with a fever, and you need to cancel your ADR for 6pm:confused

Does everyones kids get sick that much that this is the major concern? My kids have great immune systems. They take vitamins and they wash their hands and luckily they rarely get sick. But really even if one of them catches a slight cold they still need to eat something so we would still be going to dinner. They may only have some soup but they still need to eat. But if (heaven forbid) one of them was THAT sick that we couldn't make it I would understand why the $40 fee would be applied. It's the policy. I'm not saying I'd love to be out $40 but if my kid was that sick I would worry more about how to make them better than $40.

 

[kaligal]

YEP....that's already been confirmed on several other boards that people are thinking this way....multiple people have said if they're going to have to pay the cancellation fee anyway, then no way will they cancel so that Disney can fill their seats and get paid for another family using "their" table. I see the point, but it's rather selfish, because the one really losing by this is that other family who could have enjoyed the pixie dust of getting a walk up they weren't expecting.

Disney will fill the seat, anyway.

If it is busy, they turn people away from those restaurants left and right.

They'll get your money and they'll put someone else in your seat and get their money, too.

No table will sit there empty while people ask to sit down. If there is a spot to be filled and a person to fill it, a happy marriage will be born.

 

[HeatherLassell]

But if they can fill those seats AND get the $10 per head fee, they make even more cash. That's a winner by Disney bean counter standards.

True. Key word is "if".

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I think everyone understands that type of attiude - I know I sure do. But if that's how you like to carry out your days, with a "play it by ear" element...then you probably should not be making ADRs. It's a choice that has to be made. What is more important to you? The "flexibility"...or making sure you have that meal at that particular restaurant? Certainly for some, that dinner at 'Ohana is the most important thing, and for some, the flexibility to let the day take them where ever it decides to takes them is the priority. It would be nice to not have to make that choice (and waaaaaay in advance, as well), but that's just not the way it is unfortunately.

But if I ever want a sit-down meal at Disney, which I do, I HAVE to have an ADR because they don't allow for walk-ups.

Adding that I do alway call a few hours in advance to cancel if we do change our mind, and I'd be fine with a policy that allowed that.

 

[Mkrop]

Does everyones kids get sick that much that this is the major concern? My kids have great immune systems. They take vitamins and they wash their hands and luckily they rarely get sick. But really even if one of them catches a slight cold they still need to eat something so we would still be going to dinner. They may only have some soup but they still need to eat. But if (heaven forbid) one of them was THAT sick that we couldn't make it I would understand why the $40 fee would be applied. It's the policy. I'm not saying I'd love to be out $40 but if my kid was that sick I would worry more about how to make them better than $40.

My kids have rarely gotten sick but I just dont like the idea of having to fork over money bc of it. And to assume that one cant worry about a sick kid and worry about the money doesnt line up for me. I would be doing BOTH. I think it is pouring salt in the wound. My family member is sick, I shouldnt have to worry that now I am out addl monies.

I guess I am leary of this bc of having my mom be sick on our trip (even though no ADRs were affected), DS8 throwing up last trip bc of eating chocolate cake at 9pm, but we didnt know at the time if it was sick or too much cake(once again we lucked out with no ADRs), and then not at WDW but DH got incredibly sick in Vegas when we went there to see the Grand Canyon, he was really sick (stomach virus) practically the whole trip.

So yes even though it has been rare, I know it can occur and I should not have to worry about the sick one and worry about a fee as well. Sometimes eating is not the best idea depending on the sickness, and hiking all the way to a park may also not be in the best interest of the sick person, maybe having something light back in the room would be better.

 

[mom2rtk]

Does everyones kids get sick that much that this is the major concern? My kids have great immune systems. They take vitamins and they wash their hands and luckily they rarely get sick. But really even if one of them catches a slight cold they still need to eat something so we would still be going to dinner. They may only have some soup but they still need to eat. But if (heaven forbid) one of them was THAT sick that we couldn't make it I would understand why the $40 fee would be applied. It's the policy. I'm not saying I'd love to be out $40 but if my kid was that sick I would worry more about how to make them better than $40.

So how OK will you be with it if you miss dinner one night and breakfast the next morning, bumping your fee to $100? Oh, and you lose use of your dining credit if you're on the DDP and you have to buy CS for everyone else to replace that meal.

It's "the policy" only because some Disney bean counter decided it would be "the policy". They could have just easily set it at a 3 or 6 hour advance cancellation. Heck, they could have chosen 12 or 24 hours and STILL been more reasonable than what they settled on.

 

[HeatherLassell]

It's "the policy" only because some Disney bean counter decided it would be "the policy". They could have just easily set it at a 3 or 6 hour advance cancellation. Heck, they could have chosen 12 or 24 hours and STILL been more reasonable than what they settled on.

Right it COULD have been less. The fact of the matter is that it's one full day. Unless mass amounts of people refuse to book ADRs because of this do you really think it's gonna change?

Is everyone writing to Disney about this? Best way to voice your concerns is to them.

And I do agree that 12 hours should have been the time frame. I don't think that one full day makes much sense from everything I've read. 12 hours would then open up ADRs to those guests who go to the front desk at their hotel for help making a dinner reservation.

But even then someone is gonna complain that it's still not early enough.

I would like to know: Why one full day and why doesn't disney seem to like/want walk ups?

Man am I ever happy I found the Dis. I would have got to Disney and had no idea about this whole 180 days in advance thing!

 

[mcd2745]

But if I ever want a sit-down meal at Disney, which I do, I HAVE to have an ADR because they don't allow for walk-ups.

So you feel you HAVE to have an ADR...but you don't feel at all that you have to show up for it?

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

True. Key word is "if".

We almost always go during one of the slowest weeks of the year and these restaurants are always PACKED with a wait. So I don't think it's a very big "if."

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

So you feel you HAVE to have an ADR...but you don't feel at all that you have to show up for it?

I always call at least 2 hours in advance to cancel if we're not showing up.

 

[Mkrop]

True. Key word is "if".

I find it hard to believe based on when I have traveled that WDW cant find someone to fill that table. Most of these restaurant are very popular. Chef Mickey's could easily have a walkup. I betcha they could fill that table by leaving messages in the CR itself, or using a text system or social media etc.

The only evidence I have seen where park restaurants may not have the walkups available were some of the super cold nights in Dec and Jan that I experienced, but the resorts were packed, CS and TS. People were complaing about not being able to eat in their own hotel!

 

[HeatherLassell]

I find it hard to believe based on when I have traveled that WDW cant find someone to fill that table. Most of these restaurant are very popular. Chef Mickey's could easily have a walkup. I betcha they could fill that table by leaving messages in the CR itself, or using a text system or social media etc.

But from what I can tell they don't want to have to search out people to fill your table. If the ADR is for 1pm they want someone in that table at 1pm. Not having to text people (hire extra staff for this task?) who may be on the other side of the park or hope that someone walks up at that moment to see if their is a table available.


They tell you to cancel your ADR a full day in advance or they will charge you a fee which makes them money. Regardless of whether they can or do fill your table.

 

[mcd2745]

I always call at least 2 hours in advance to cancel if we're not showing up.

Well, that's not going to work going forward. You're going to have to change your MO. Question is, how?

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Well, that's not going to work going forward. You're going to have to change your MO. Question is, how?

Yes, I know that I will now have to change my MO but I don't have to like it, and this thread seems to be the right place to discuss that.

But to answer your question, for 2012's trip I already had all my ADRs made before the policy went into effect, so we'll go with our old MO for this trip (call and cancel as soon as we know we're changing our plans).

In 2013, I won't make as many ADRs and we'll eat more counter service. DH won't like that and he'll threaten not to go back in 2014.

In 2014, maybe they will have a whole new policy anyway, so I'm not going to plan that far ahead.