New Reservations Cancellation Policy

[Colleen27]

Not the case at all. Regular FP is still working as far as we all know. No one knows exactly what the future of FP+ will hold, but in the very beginning it was said that you will be able to arrive the day of and make FP+ reservations if you feel at the kiosks throughout the park, or from your phone on the MDE app. We all know it's a little glitchy, but I still have some small glimmer of hope that it will work itself out.

If you think your only option is to stand in hour plus stand by lines, I think you haven't been paying attention to all the FP+ talk out there.

Regular FP is working *for now*. Right from the start it has been clear that this system is a replacement, not an enhancement, and eventually FP as we know it is going away. Even in the terms and conditions on the site, it states that the two systems are mutually exclusive. They haven't been able to achieve that (typical of Disney tech) but the current 'double dipping' is a glitch, not intended functionality. The only unknown is if they'll hold back any FP+ capacity for same-day booking or if it'll be like ADRs where popular choices are fully booked in advance. Sure, you will be able to get something day-of, but if you want to ride Space Mountain or Toy Story Mania you'd may well have to plan ahead for that just like you have to plan ahead if you want to eat in the castle or at Le Cellier.

 

[aaarcher86]

I never double book, but we do cancel with a few hours notice sometimes. Rebooking last minute at any of the more popular restaurants is pretty much impossible. We will use cs from now on or eat in the villa. You can email guest communications to voice your concerns.

What? Did I seem concerned?

 

[aaarcher86]

We're thinking the same. I'm glad these things started coming at the end of our "Disney phase" rather than years ago, because now it doesn't hurt to say we'll just go elsewhere. Disney's been our go-to destination for years, but between my youngest getting to school age and much more travel-friendly and my oldest finally reaching an age where I don't need my ex's permission to get him a passport we're ready to go elsewhere anyway. That isn't the case for me at all. It doesn't happen often and I never make "just in case" ADRs, which to me implies having less than full intention to be there. But I do want a degree of flexibility when I travel; telling the kids to "suck it up" and dealing with "a minor meltdown" to get to a meal is ridiculous, especially of a family oriented destination. I've never had a problem with my kids' behaviour in a restaurant, but it only took The Trip of the Creeping Crud to forever embed the illness "what if" in my mind. My kids are rarely sick at home but that one trip 4 of the 5 of us had a particularly vicious stomach bug, and it made quite an impression. I'd have been nothing short of furious if, in addition to losing a couple of days of a very expensive trip and more dining credits than I care to count (we were on the DxDDP), we also had to pay for the cancellations we made last minute when someone was too sick to get to the parks. .... in hour plus standby lines. That would be my ideal. I'm happy to make 1-2 special ADRs each trip and "wing it" for the rest. On my next trip I have two ADRs, one at California Grill and one for the Candlelight Processional package. I had planned on doing the rest day-of via the MDE app - we seldom eat counter service, but we're not picky and many of our Disney favorites are those with excellent last-minute availability - but now I'm debating how best to handle it. The app can't do reservations that require a credit card and I don't want to take the time out of my days to find a place that is quiet enough and with good enough reception to call in to make reservations, not to mention the security concern of having to recite your CC info out loud in a busy theme park. But I've seen from personal experience that at least some restaurants have a no-walk-ups policy even when they have empty tables (seriously... turned away at the podium, got on the app, made an ADR for 20 minutes later), so I'm not sure I want to count on that being an option. I'd be more positive about this, I think, if Disney had a better tech track record. If, for example, there was an update to the app rolling out along with the new policy so that the mobile booking option didn't go away, and if I thought that new version would be stable and fully functional, and if I had any confidence in the security of needing to enter my CC# into a mobile app every time I want a sit-down meal, I could see this being an improvement in the guest experience. But right now, it seems like just another change being made before the framework to support it is in place.

Hopefully they'll allow for credit card reservations in the app in the. It too distant future. I've been jumping on the website and just doing it that way for the time being via my phone or iPad.

 

[Cafeen]

One thing I keep seeing repeated is that there'll be more chances for walk-ups now. I'm not totally understanding how you think that will be the case?

Look at the current locations that require CC-guarantees: Signatures and Character/Popular locations.

Historically, outside of CG, walk-ups at signatures weren't really a problem. Before they went to CC-guarantees, most of the time they were relatively easy to get with little to no wait. Adding a cc-guarantee did not change things and open up availability that didn't exist before.

Character meals, and other super-popular locations (e.g. 'Ohana, BOG) are still unable to take walkups the vast majority of the time. This was true both before and after cc-guarantees went into place (note: BoG is a bit of an exception here, since they opened after the first wave of these guarantees was in place, so they simply always required them).

What's making you think that anything will change on these two fronts? Those with 0 availability will likely still have 0 availability, and those that have room for walk-ups will likely still have room for walk-ups.

If you don't like the policy go somewhere else!

That's the plan.

So instead of making advanced reservations and then deciding last minute which to keep, why can't you make no reservations and then about an hour before you want to eat make a brand new reservation based your mood?

This would work, if the system wasn't as front loaded with ADRs as it is today. If it's a restaurant that has issues with availability (we'll use 'Ohana again), then you really have to lock it in super early in order to even have a shot.

1) ONLY if the ADR becomes a reservation, which is is not.
2) Since it is a theme park, I doubt that to EVER happen.
. . . people frequently stay over the estimated "table time", to cool off or relax
. . . Disney cannot possible estimate the delay times of diners
. . . thus, "table turns" are hard to predict
3) Additionally, there are HUNDREDS of Dining Overrides every day. *
. . . overrides are given to VIPs, Exec's, Marketing Guests, and fav guests
. . . this allows people to get into totally-sold-out eateries
. . . these overrides take eateries over capacity
. . . so, ADR's get backed-up and short-to-long delays result
4) If not comfortable with ADRs, one has the option of only eating QS or trying for TS walk-ups.

Going to preface this with the statement that I understand where it's coming from and absolutely not doubting your expertise with the Disney systems.

However, this is as much part of the problem as the no-shows are. We see many people on here railing against the idea that someone would be late for an ADR, but no responsibility is given for the restaurants to honor the ADR times themselves. Perhaps if the restaurants were made to given a $10 per person discount if they're sat after 15 minutes of the ADR time (or 20 minutes of check-in time, if that's later). Unfortunately, something like that is never going to happen, as the general shift in American business is to the bottom line over the customer experience. It used to be that the guest experience drove the revenues, but that's now flipped around (and not just at WDW either...)

Overall, it's just another in a series of let downs by upper management that I'm feeling lately, which is most definitely souring my opinion of the company in general and WDW in particular.

The app can't do reservations that require a credit card and I don't want to take the time out of my days to find a place that is quiet enough and with good enough reception to call in to make reservations, not to mention the security concern of having to recite your CC info out loud in a busy theme park. But I've seen from personal experience that at least some restaurants have a no-walk-ups policy even when they have empty tables (seriously... turned away at the podium, got on the app, made an ADR for 20 minutes later), so I'm not sure I want to count on that being an option.

I'd be more positive about this, I think, if Disney had a better tech track record. If, for example, there was an update to the app rolling out along with the new policy so that the mobile booking option didn't go away, and if I thought that new version would be stable and fully functional, and if I had any confidence in the security of needing to enter my CC# into a mobile app every time I want a sit-down meal, I could see this being an improvement in the guest experience. But right now, it seems like just another change being made before the framework to support it is in place.

These are some other issues that I didn't think of first (and I didn't know about the MDE app CC issues) that make my concerns/distaste grow even more.

With the increase in reliance on technology for keeping these systems operating together, it seems lately that not every aspect is on the same page. We see many tech-based issues regarding the bands and FP+. What's there to make us believe that app-based ADRs will work any better given the history of the MDE/MDX app as a whole? (Even the PC-based MDX app has many issues with losing and desyncing of information).

 

[quandrea]

What? Did I seem concerned?

Just clarifying that I'm not one of those guest who makes several adrs with the intention of keeping only one.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I would love it if Disney could come up with a fool proof way to stop double bookings in addition to having the no show fee.

I agree 100% with you, but this isn't a no show fee, it is a "you need to cancel a day before fee"

Everyone who has a problem with this policy seems to use the excuses of "Out of control kids", and "Vomiting and sickness."

Flat out, completely false, misleading statement.

If you don't like the policy go somewhere else!

Thanks for the helpful comment.

One thing I keep seeing repeated is that there'll be more chances for walk-ups now. I'm not totally understanding how you think that will be the case?

What's making you think that anything will change on these two fronts? Those with 0 availability will likely still have 0 availability, and those that have room for walk-ups will likely still have room for walk-ups.


Overall, it's just another in a series of let downs by upper management that I'm feeling lately, which is most definitely souring my opinion of the company in general and WDW in particular.

(Please forgive my editing) I agree with your ENTIRE post.

I do not understand why many times when anyone disagrees with a WDW policy, they are made to feel like they are doing something wrong.

WDW could have fixed their code and taken a common sense approach.
This is a revenue grab.

 

[Colleen27]

Hopefully they'll allow for credit card reservations in the app in the. It too distant future. I've been jumping on the website and just doing it that way for the time being via my phone or iPad.

My phone is so barely "smart" that it doesn't like me doing that. It does everything I need it for and then some at home.. Facebook, Twitter, even YouTube and Grooveshark. But point it to a Disney site and

These are some other issues that I didn't think of first (and I didn't know about the MDE app CC issues) that make my concerns/distaste grow even more.

With the increase in reliance on technology for keeping these systems operating together, it seems lately that not every aspect is on the same page. We see many tech-based issues regarding the bands and FP+. What's there to make us believe that app-based ADRs will work any better given the history of the MDE/MDX app as a whole? (Even the PC-based MDX app has many issues with losing and desyncing of information).

It continues to amaze me that a company as innovative and forward thinking as Disney is when it comes to Imagineering can be so inept when it comes to the essential guest-relation technologies of the 21st century.

I do not understand why many times when anyone disagrees with a WDW policy, they are made to feel like they are doing something wrong.

Because this is the DIS. No matter what the change, no matter how it diminishes guest experience, some posters here will argue Disney is never to blame and that it is entirely inconceivable that they might be putting the bottom line above guest satisfaction or coasting on their reputation rather than maintaining the above-and-beyond traditions that built the legend.

 

[AuroraRora]

Is anyone finding they're unable to make cancellations online? I have some ADR's I need to cancel for later this month (BOG, Le Cel) and whenever I try to do it online it pops up that "this dining experience cannot be cancelled online at this time".

 

[maxiesmom]

I find it laughable when people get mad at any Disney policy, and post It is A Revenue Grab or Just Another Way To Get More Money. What business doesn't like to make money? And when you have many people not showing up for their ADRs, coupled with having to turn people away because you don't know if the others are coming or not, then yes. You do something to stop losing so much money. If you have any kind of business sense.

And the only thing Americans seem to understand is a shot to their pocketbook.

 

[CatandMouse]

Is anyone finding they're unable to make cancellations online? I have some ADR's I need to cancel for later this month (BOG, Le Cel) and whenever I try to do it online it pops up that "this dining experience cannot be cancelled online at this time".

Yes - I had that happen. I needed to completed logout of the Disney account and then log back on again. Then I was able to cancel the reservation. Hope this works for you too.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

That's the way you look at it. WDW reads these boards and other fan sites. For those of us that disagree with a new policy, this is a way to get our opinion out there, regardless of whether it is "laughable" to you or not.
Another way is to write/call WDW directly.

Everyone seems to agree with a no-show or fair cancellation window fee charge to cut back on empty tables, etc.

If WDW has any kind of business sense, they will put their money into increasing their "laughable" IT infrastructure.

Since the dis is one of the biggest fan sites out there, I'm frankly surprised that WDW doesn't do more to crack down on this site. EVERY work-around for every WDW policy has been discussed right here, including now using virtual credit cards for cc holds.

I find it laughable when people get mad at any Disney policy, and post It is A Revenue Grab or Just Another Way To Get More Money. What business doesn't like to make money? And when you have many people not showing up for their ADRs, coupled with having to turn people away because you don't know if the others are coming or not, then yes. You do something to stop losing so much money. If you have any kind of business sense.

And the only thing Americans seem to understand is a shot to their pocketbook.

 

[TeresaWen]

To me having to tell my kid to suck it up in order to head to an expensive meal we don't really want at that moment isn't my idea of a fun holiday. Dr's appts, family holiday dinners, school appts--these things need to be sucked up. Dinner on vacation. Not so much. Disney is turning vacation time into a regimented proposition. In my daily life I have to be places at an appointed time. On holiday I'd like the freedom to cancel. At the last minute if need be.




Agreed. Agreed. Agreed.

This! I agree a no-show should get penalty but we are on vacation not in a prison camp. Diners should have the option to call and cancel an ADR a few hours prior. To compare an ADR on vacation to a doctor's appointment is kind of silly. There are always diners there to fill a spot as long as the ADR is actually cancelled.

I would love to get a walk-up that became available because another family decided to go back to the hotel, swim, and enjoy burgers by the pool. win-win.

I do like the credit card hold as it would deter some people from making multiple ADRs for the same meal...we may have several email addresses but I suspect we have less credit cards so linking credit card numbers to ADRs could help reduce this level of abuse.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

This! I agree a no-show should get penalty but we are on vacation not in a prison camp. Diners should have the option to call and cancel an ADR a few hours prior. To compare an ADR on vacation to a doctor's appointment is kind of silly. There are always diners there to fill a spot as long as the ADR is actually cancelled. I would love to get a walk-up that became available because another family decided to go back to the hotel, swim, and enjoy burgers by the pool. win-win. I do like the credit card hold as it would deter some people from making multiple ADRs for the same meal...we may have several email addresses but I suspect we have less credit cards so linking credit card numbers to ADRs could help reduce this level of abuse.

And we have a winner in the just how much overstatement can one thread take


Prison camp LOL

 

[richflour]

The good thing about money, you can choose how you spend it!

 

[cluvsdisney]

The good thing about money, you can choose how you spend it!

Exactly! On principle we stopped making ADRs for the restaurants which required a credit card for not canceling. That excluded a lot of their more expensive restaurants. Except for maybe LTT for lunch (DH loves their pot roast), I don't see making ADRs in the future. We might take our chances walking up or we'll go off sight. We've been doing that more frequently already since we don't enjoy disney food all that much. We don't really care how much time we spend in the parks so the little bit of extra time it takes to eat off sight doesn't concern us.

 

[xfiles3010]

Not sure if this has already been asked but will Disney run a $1.00 authorization to verify valid credit card?

 

[disney1990]

One thing I keep seeing repeated is that there'll be more chances for walk-ups now. I'm not totally understanding how you think that will be the case?

Probably no more walk ups available because people are now showing up, because they have a vested interest to not cancel.

I've never had a problem with my kids' behaviour in a restaurant, but it only took The Trip of the Creeping Crud to forever embed the illness "what if" in my mind. My kids are rarely sick at home but that one trip 4 of the 5 of us had a particularly vicious stomach bug, and it made quite an impression. I'd have been nothing short of furious if, in addition to losing a couple of days of a very expensive trip and more dining credits than I care to count (we were on the DxDDP), we also had to pay for the cancellations we made last minute when someone was too sick to get to the parks.

I'm happy to make 1-2 special ADRs each trip and "wing it" for the rest. On my next trip I have two ADRs, one at California Grill and one for the Candlelight Processional package.

So you are worried about losing $10 per person for restaurant reservations, but will continue to make reservations for Candlelight Processional. Really, now here is something that you cannot cancel at all and you lose all you money if you don't show up.

For the one trip we took in over 20 years that somebody was too sick to go to a restaurant for dinner, I will take the chance and gladly put up my $10 per person. Chances are, nobody will be sick.

 

[Colleen27]

So you are worried about losing $10 per person for restaurant reservations, but will continue to make reservations for Candlelight Processional. Really, now here is something that you cannot cancel at all and you lose all you money if you don't show up.

For the one trip we took in over 20 years that somebody was too sick to go to a restaurant for dinner, I will take the chance and gladly put up my $10 per person. Chances are, nobody will be sick.

To me there's a difference between a one-day event and it being a day-in, day-out concern for the entire duration of the trip. I've been a huge fan of the deluxe dining plan since its' inception (in fact, we postponed our fall '07 trip to Jan '08 just to try it out in the first month it was introduced) and we used to make 2 ADRs per day for our entire trip. I'm willing to play the odds on one specific day, though I think you're confused about the CP package - it isn't prepaid, though it does have a two-day cancellation policy rather than the standard one day. I'm not willing to play those same odds for every meal of a weeklong vacation. Unfortunately that rules out the DxDDP for future trips and makes it problematic to enjoy our trips the way we prefer (meaning actually sitting down to most meals).

I'm not naive enough to think that Disney cares - I'm sure they've crunched the numbers and realized they make far more per day from once in a lifetime guests than from us regulars anyway. But I'm glad that we're reaching the end of our Disney stage of life and that these changes are coming at the end of my AP year because it simply doesn't fit with the way we travel. We don't want to fight the counter service crowds, nor do we want to spend our day going from one appointment to the next (that's too much like being at home!). So we'll see how this plays out... If it means more same day/walk up availability that can be booked conveniently (via the app or some other automated system), we'll likely continue our Disney visits between our other travels. If it means "accept the penalty conditions or settle for counter service", we'll just move on completely to other destinations.

 

[Nancyg56]

To me there's a difference between a one-day event and it being a day-in, day-out concern for the entire duration of the trip. I've been a huge fan of the deluxe dining plan since its' inception (in fact, we postponed our fall '07 trip to Jan '08 just to try it out in the first month it was introduced) and we used to make 2 ADRs per day for our entire trip. I'm willing to play the odds on one specific day, though I think you're confused about the CP package - it isn't prepaid, though it does have a two-day cancellation policy rather than the standard one day. I'm not willing to play those same odds for every meal of a weeklong vacation. Unfortunately that rules out the DxDDP for future trips and makes it problematic to enjoy our trips the way we prefer (meaning actually sitting down to most meals). I'm not naive enough to think that Disney cares - I'm sure they've crunched the numbers and realized they make far more per day from once in a lifetime guests than from us regulars anyway. But I'm glad that we're reaching the end of our Disney stage of life and that these changes are coming at the end of my AP year because it simply doesn't fit with the way we travel. We don't want to fight the counter service crowds, nor do we want to spend our day going from one appointment to the next (that's too much like being at home!). So we'll see how this plays out... If it means more same day/walk up availability that can be booked conveniently (via the app or some other automated system), we'll likely continue our Disney visits between our other travels. If it means "accept the penalty conditions or settle for counter service", we'll just move on completely to other destinations.

I have always believed that DIsney targets those first time visitors and once in lifetime guests because they already have us hooked. No real frequent flyer perks offered to keep us coming, not really. AS far as the DxDDP, I agree, I would be very careful booking so many meals in advance, and that makes prepaying so much money risky. I think that unless you use it for signature dining and reducing the number of reserved spots in your plan, you are taking a chance.

My family has always booked plenty of ADR's and still ended up making one or two more once we are in Disney, but on the last trip we were so unimpressed with teh dining that for the first time I agree with my DD and discussed CS on our next trip. I have no idea how DIsney feels about return guests opting out of planning every meal, but I doubt it is a problem for them. I do think that there will be a pendulum effect with CC guarantees on every restaurant but that the policy will help keep folks who double and trip book ADRs in order to accommodate every scenario in their touring plans from doing so. AS we can see, there are still people who are going to try to circumvent the system, but those people will always manage.

In any case, this policy will work itself out, and time will tell if DIsney's respose helps or hinders those people who have been struggling to find openings fro meals.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

This is only "pissing off" some customers. It is make still others of us very happy.

Precisely! I do find it interesting - and implausible - that there is not one preson on this thread who is willing to admit they make duplicate bookings for the same time at different restaurants and then just don't turn up for the ones they haven't chosen. I've SEEN numerous threads on here in the past where people proudly admit they have double booked. I don't suppose for a minute any of those would dream of not cancelling but the Dis only accounts for a small amount of the people who go to WDW in any given year so it would be naive at least to think there isn't a problem that needs adressing. I too have seen half empty restaurants whilst people are turned away at the door...if people can't see this is a problem then....