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

[Snurk71]

Does anyone know how/who/what area actually administers the charges for no-shows on the past ADRs that required deposits or up-front payments (CRT, Akershush, Cali Grill)?

I have a hard time believing the phone reps are going to be doing the charging. Even though it seems Disney's systems are less than desirable in a lot of areas, I would expect the charging process to be some kind of batch job that is automatically run and there won't be any actual human review/intervention to the charge process. So if the CM at the podium of the restaurant checks you in, you're clear. If you have an open reservation at the end of the day of the ADR or if your cancellation is processed less than two calendar days prior - your ADR will be picked up in a batch charge process that runs overnight. I would hope/assume there's an override function to the charge that the dining CM can enable for the serious cancellation issues.

Again I don't know Disney's systems, but that's the general way I would design it.

 

[Cafeen]

This is the 2nd time I've heard this now (about charges for partial no-shows). Unbelievable if Disney is going this route ...

Not all that surprising though, they charged for partial parties under the old system to. I'm not too horribly shocked by it, or the lack of consistency with what CMs have been saying.

 

[CandleontheWater]

You really have to push to get the correct answer. I have been calling time and time again, and I will get inconsistent responses, but if I ask them to be sure and to check the answer with the supervisor, then they all have come back saying the same thing- that you will not be charged if some individuals in your party do not show up for a reservation.

I think it is really bad that you have to have them check, and push to be sure that they are handing out correct information, but they obviously have not had training about the new policy. It is a giant train wreck.

keep calling, keep asking!

 

[LSUDis]

I still have difficulty seeing how, as brilliant as Disney is, this is the best solution that they could come up with. I mean, after 20 mins., your ADR (remember when they firmly told you that these were NOT reservations but that you'd be seated at the next availability) is no good anymore. OKay, then seat the next walk-up family. Everyone's happy and Disney hasn't lost any money to empty seats.

Some would say that Disney would lose money for the 20 minutes that someone could be eating....but how many of us are seated instantly when we arrive or is it more like a 10 to 20 minute wait anyway while we take pictures, etc.?

I see so many people who are really clueless about making ADRs being turned away at restaurants every time that I visit. (I know that they should research, but because they should doesn't make it so.) I feel so bad for them and having a real "standby" line would help this group, too.

 

[SLJ6974]

I just keep thinking that this is a money making scheme for Disney. It seems they are getting desperate. With this, the peak dining surcharges, the 50 million new "seasons" that resorts fall into now, the horrific price increases for their cruise line in 2013, just ridiculous.

 

[Marshay]

I think that CandleontheWater probably has the most accurate info because she specifically requested a supervisor for clarification, but I've been told the same as you by dining line CMs so for right now I think it is unclear at best. I will offer this, though, on the off chance it might be relevant to how the new policy will be implemented - we went to Akershus a person short in '09 because that was DH's turn to be sick on our trip of the creeping crud and were not charged for him, even though they've had the $10 no-show fee for a long time.

I forget is Akershus is one of those you had to pay in advance under the old system?

Not all that surprising though, they charged for partial parties under the old system to. I'm not too horribly shocked by it, or the lack of consistency with what CMs have been saying.

I guess I'm just not aware that they charged for no-shows under the old policy. I'm not talking about CRT or HDDR where you pay in advance. I'm just talking about Chef Mickey's or O'hanas. I really don't recall ever being told we would be charged $10 no-show fee for missing party members...and yes, we went with a party of 10 in two different years (2008 and 2010) and had one person missing for foot problems and one time the other family of 4 just plain forgot all about the ADR. The rest of us were there for both. We were never charged or even told we would be charged.

So yes, this is surprising for me.

I just keep thinking that this is a money making scheme for Disney. It seems they are getting desperate. With this, the peak dining surcharges, the 50 million new "seasons" that resorts fall into now, the horrific price increases for their cruise line in 2013, just ridiculous.

It does make you wonder...I know the parks are still pretty crowded or full. I read trip after trip report showing how 'we went this time last year or the year before and could walk right on rides' ... now they were more crowded.

So it seems like the people are still coming and even more than in the past.

I guess it's the old supply and demand. As long as we all accept these new prices, policies, etc by going and spending, the more Disney will find new ways to charge us.

Wait until Disney charges for bags, strollers and scooters, too! You know those diaper bags and purses and Baggalinis take up soooo much room in the restaurants and don't forget about the strollers and scooters in the parks! They could get more people in the restaurants/parks if it wasn't for all those bags, strollers and scooters!!!

 

[Cafeen]

I forget is Akershus is one of those you had to pay in advance under the old system?

Not, Akershus was (and is) a CC guarantee only. It was one of the bigger "offenders" of the per person charges though. CG (the other previous CC guarantee) was a bit more lenient to partial parties. More than likely, this is due to the pricing structure at the two meals, fixed price vs standard menu.

I guess I'm just not aware that they charged for no-shows under the old policy. I'm not talking about CRT or HDDR where you pay in advance. I'm just talking about Chef Mickey's or O'hanas. I really don't recall ever being told we would be charged $10 no-show fee for missing party members...and yes, we went with a party of 10 in two different years (2008 and 2010) and had one person missing for foot problems and one time the other family of 4 just plain forgot all about the ADR. The rest of us were there for both. We were never charged or even told we would be charged.

Akershus and CG were the only ones to do it. However, with the added restaurants, I don't see why they would change the existing system (in regards to partial parties). I'm aware of what the memo says and the supervisors and such say, I'm just skeptical until it goes into full effect to see what turns out.

 

[n2mm]

I think that CandleontheWater probably has the most accurate info because she specifically requested a supervisor for clarification, but I've been told the same as you by dining line CMs so for right now I think it is unclear at best. I will offer this, though, on the off chance it might be relevant to how the new policy will be implemented - we went to Akershus a person short in '09 because that was DH's turn to be sick on our trip of the creeping crud and were not charged for him, even though they've had the $10 no-show fee for a long time.

Yep, this is the one I had issues with too. I was making an ADR for 6 (a couple of years ago), but there was a chance my then 15 yo grandson MIGHT come with us. So I called and was told if I make the ADR for 7 and my GS does not come, I would indeed be charged the $10 no show for just him. So I made the ADR for 6 and left him off. He did come with us on that trip, but could not eat at Norway with us (which probably was OK with him). So we fed him CS and left him at the resort (BCV). While this didn't kill him, it was not a very family friendly thing to do.

Fast forward -- last week we ate at Narcossee's. We had our favorite server that we always request. We talked briefly about the new policy and I told her what the Dining CM's have told me about the $10 no show -- partial party guidelines. Our server was really ticked and told her manager how wrong this was. That's when she said that "their" restraurant would never do that. This is why I think it may be a grey zone and the restraurants will decide how to deal with this policy. I then asked her, if Narcossess's gets that many "no-shows" and she said absolutely. She was glad about the policy so that they didn't have to turn guest away while there are empty tables, but she was not happy to hear the info I had received about party size changes/penalty. She felt that would impact negatively. I hope that they will outline the policy on their dining website. I'm sure others will run across some of the same issues as our family. Us DVC members can make our room reservations 11 months in advance and even at 6 months, it's hard to know who might be coming with us. Things happen--just last year, my 17 yo grandson was suppose to come with us for our trip in November which included a cruise. One week prior we had to cancel his airfare and his cruise, which we had to eat a big $$ loss. He was nominated for a full schlorship for college and he HAD to go for an interview the weekend of the trip/cruise. Yes the $$ was nothing compared to what he received. But the rest of us went on the trip and we were one less for each ADR. No chance of changing any of our dining for a party of 10 seven days out. I just hope that they do not chanrge us for the missing members of our group as some dining CM's have stated. That would really start our meals off on a negative note for sure. Heck, I still havn't gotten over my last visit to Liberty Tree -- my SIL got ice tea and it was awful...he could not drink it. He asked the server to take it back and bring him soda instead. Yep, she charged us for TWO drinks for him! Now that was truly petty. Granted I only noted a couple of negative things, but we eat at WDW often as we go to WDW 7 weeks a year and have many, many wonderful dining experiences.

 

[Lewisc]

We don't know exactly what Disney will do with groups that show up with fewer guests then people listed on the ADR. My opinion. Charge them.

A party of two cancels, because one person is ill. They're charged $20. A party of 10 drops down to 8 because one person is ill. I'm not sure why posters think it's OK to charge the couple but not the larger party.

Four people show up but the reservation was for 10. Disney may have actually left a table empty so the group could be seated at two tables (pushed together or next to each other).

The guest making an ADR is told there is nothing available for a party of 2. They go ahead and make an ADR for 4. The correct thing would be to charge them $40 and not seat them. Obviously Disney wouldn't have enough information to do this.

The reasons why a group will show up with fewer guests then people on the ADR are the exact same reasons why a smaller group won't show up at all.

Disney may decide not to charge shrinking groups but there isn't a logical reason for that policy.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

nevermind....

 

[mom2rtk]

We don't know exactly what Disney will do with groups that show up with fewer guests then people listed on the ADR. My opinion. Charge them.

A party of two cancels, because one person is ill. They're charged $20. A party of 10 drops down to 8 because one person is ill. I'm not sure why posters think it's OK to charge the couple but not the larger party.

Four people show up but the reservation was for 10. Disney may have actually left a table empty so the group could be seated at two tables (pushed together or next to each other).

The guest making an ADR is told there is nothing available for a party of 2. They go ahead and make an ADR for 4. The correct thing would be to charge them $40 and not seat them. Obviously Disney wouldn't have enough information to do this.

The reasons why a group will show up with fewer guests then people on the ADR are the exact same reasons why a smaller group won't show up at all.

Disney may decide not to charge shrinking groups but there isn't a logical reason for that policy.

Better yet....... let's think like the Disney bean counters. Every chair in the restaurant is now a potential revenue source. If you're a party of 3, you'll need to pay $10 for the empty chair at your table whether you ever wanted it or not. As a party of 2, I will now need to eat only at restaurants with 2-top tables or risk being assessed a $20 penalty fo the 2 seats not producing revenue for Disney. Maybe we'll see new threads here on the DIS wanting to share tables to avoid this "empty chair/loss of potential revenue" charge!

Now, this COULD get ugly if a party of 5 needed to be seated at a 4 top and borrow your spare chair........

 

[Cafeen]

Better yet....... let's think like the Disney bean counters. Every chair in the restaurant is now a potential revenue source. If you're a party of 3, you'll need to pay $10 for the empty chair at your table whether you ever wanted it or not. As a party of 2, I will now need to eat only at restaurants with 2-top tables or risk being assessed a $20 penalty fo the 2 seats not producing revenue for Disney. Maybe we'll see new threads here on the DIS wanting to share tables to avoid this "empty chair/loss of potential revenue" charge!

Now, this COULD get ugly if a party of 5 needed to be seated at a 4 top and borrow your spare chair........

Crap, I better stop my solo trips! I was seated at four tops a couple times... phew, extra $30 right there, guess I better skip that entree! And don't forget that this gets added as a bill item that you're expected to tip on, after all, the servers are missing out on that chair too and they deserve our money for specifically not serving the no one sitting there.

Or going the other way, now a party of 1 gets seated with a party of 3 at a 4 top. This way no chairs will go wasted. Communal dining for all!

 

[mom2rtk]

Crap, I better stop my solo trips! I was seated at four tops a couple times... phew, extra $30 right there, guess I better skip that entree! And don't forget that this gets added as a bill item that you're expected to tip on, after all, the servers are missing out on that chair too and they deserve our money for specifically not serving the no one sitting there.

Or going the other way, now a party of 1 gets seated with a party of 3 at a 4 top. This way no chairs will go wasted. Communal dining for all!

Sorry about that. Want me to delete my post before someone in DisneyAccounting gets any ideas?

 

[Colleen27]

Better yet....... let's think like the Disney bean counters. Every chair in the restaurant is now a potential revenue source

Well, in a sense they already do that. The system will only accept "short" tables up to a certain point, after which you start finding no availability for 1 but plenty for 2, none for 3 but plenty for 4, etc. Odd-numbered parties have had a harder time securing dining reservations at least as long as the online system as been available (and potentially longer, but that's when it became transparent because you are doing the searching yourself).

 

[Colleen27]

Disney may decide not to charge shrinking groups but there isn't a logical reason for that policy.

Sure there is - someone who decides to eat elsewhere can cancel, but there's no way to modify ADRs. I know there's been some disagreement on that point and that sometimes if you call when the planets are properly aligned and you get the mythical well-informed dining CM it can be done, but 9 times out of 10 if you call to ask about reducing the number of people on an ADR you'll be told you have to cancel and rebook. Until that changes and people have the option to do the right thing and adjust their ADRs, there's very good reason not to charge guests for their inability to do anything about correcting their ADRs.

 

[Lewisc]

Well, in a sense they already do that. The system will only accept "short" tables up to a certain point, after which you start finding no availability for 1 but plenty for 2, none for 3 but plenty for 4, etc. Odd-numbered parties have had a harder time securing dining reservations at least as long as the online system as been available (and potentially longer, but that's when it became transparent because you are doing the searching yourself).

Then why should Disney waive a "no show" fee if a party of 3, which was always intended to be a party of 3, has an ADR for 4 guests? JMO but those guests are more at fault (working the system) then a family who wants to cancel with little notice for a variety of valid reasons already listed in this thread.

That's my issue with the policy. Guests who have valid reasons to cancel an ADR with little notice get charged. Guests who want to "work the sytem" can still do it.

 

[Colleen27]

Not, Akershus was (and is) a CC guarantee only. It was one of the bigger "offenders" of the per person charges though. CG (the other previous CC guarantee) was a bit more lenient to partial parties. More than likely, this is due to the pricing structure at the two meals, fixed price vs standard menu.

Akershus and CG were the only ones to do it. However, with the added restaurants, I don't see why they would change the existing system (in regards to partial parties). I'm aware of what the memo says and the supervisors and such say, I'm just skeptical until it goes into full effect to see what turns out.

I suspect that on that count it will remain up to the restaurant. When we showed up to Akershus without DH the hostess said she could take care of it at the podium. My guess is that when checking people in they have the option/field available to note any change in party size and thus have some discretion in waiving the fee by choosing not to indicate the partial no-show, because when I called WDW-DINE I was told that there was absolutely no way to modify the reservation and that we absolutely would be charged for the no-show (1 person out of 5), but the hostess had a completely different attitude - no problem, I can take care of that for you, no you won't be charged. And we weren't.

 

[Marshay]

Not, Akershus was (and is) a CC guarantee only. It was one of the bigger "offenders" of the per person charges though. CG (the other previous CC guarantee) was a bit more lenient to partial parties. More than likely, this is due to the pricing structure at the two meals, fixed price vs standard menu.

Akershus and CG were the only ones to do it. However, with the added restaurants, I don't see why they would change the existing system (in regards to partial parties). I'm aware of what the memo says and the supervisors and such say, I'm just skeptical until it goes into full effect to see what turns out.

Thanks for the info! Last time we ate at Norway and CG, we didn't have to leave a CC.

Better yet....... let's think like the Disney bean counters. Every chair in the restaurant is now a potential revenue source. If you're a party of 3, you'll need to pay $10 for the empty chair at your table whether you ever wanted it or not. As a party of 2, I will now need to eat only at restaurants with 2-top tables or risk being assessed a $20 penalty fo the 2 seats not producing revenue for Disney. Maybe we'll see new threads here on the DIS wanting to share tables to avoid this "empty chair/loss of potential revenue" charge!

Now, this COULD get ugly if a party of 5 needed to be seated at a 4 top and borrow your spare chair........

Crap, I better stop my solo trips! I was seated at four tops a couple times... phew, extra $30 right there, guess I better skip that entree! And don't forget that this gets added as a bill item that you're expected to tip on, after all, the servers are missing out on that chair too and they deserve our money for specifically not serving the no one sitting there.

Or going the other way, now a party of 1 gets seated with a party of 3 at a 4 top. This way no chairs will go wasted. Communal dining for all!

Hey, -- you just solved the problem of empty seats and more revenue for Disney!! All those people who just love or support the new policy should readily agree to this one, too. Let's listen for all those "amens" ... hmmm, I'm not hearing any....

Sure there is - someone who decides to eat elsewhere can cancel, but there's no way to modify ADRs. I know there's been some disagreement on that point and that sometimes if you call when the planets are properly aligned and you get the mythical well-informed dining CM it can be done, but 9 times out of 10 if you call to ask about reducing the number of people on an ADR you'll be told you have to cancel and rebook. Until that changes and people have the option to do the right thing and adjust their ADRs, there's very good reason not to charge guests for their inability to do anything about correcting their ADRs.

I hear ya! Because you know as soon as you cancel that ADR, it's no longer available to rebook. But wouldn't Disney want to know exactly how many are coming? Isn't this the whole point of charging for no-shows, charging for partials, etc?

Then let us modify our ADRs ahead of time. Have a working WDW-CNCL phone number.

Just when I think I've heard it all re: this new dining policy and how bad it is, the whole thing gets even worse.

 

[SmallWorld71]

We are a party of 5 who has, more often than not, been seated at a 4 top. I will be looking for my $10 credits on our next trip.

 

[SmallWorld71]

A party of two cancels, because one person is ill. They're charged $20. A party of 10 drops down to 8 because one person is ill. I'm not sure why posters think it's OK to charge the couple but not the larger party.

.

They don't. The overwhelming majority of posters who are against this policy would say that they first group shouldn't be charged the $20 because of a circustance beyond their control and it has been demostrated over and over and the last few pages why it would be in both Disney's and the guests best interest not to do this.