online vs. over the phone reservations for character meals, charged differently?

[Cad0587]

When I made my first dining reservation for a character meal I made it over the phone and the lady said you need to pay right away for this type of reservation since the price is already fixed and what not... so I made the reservation and I saw the charge show up on my credit card RIGHT AWAY, right after the phone call. Then I go and make an online reservation for a character meal and it's been over 3 weeks and I still haven't been charged. When I log on to the Disney website it shows this reservation under the list of reservations, it's got a confirmation number and everything. Has anyone else experienced this? Or did something slip through the cracks and I'm just not getting charged for this particular reservation.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Which character meal did you get fully charged for?
Some charge right away, like Cinderella's but some just use a credit card as a hold.

 

[Cad0587]

I got fully charged for lunch with Cinderella at the Magic Kingdom, I haven't yet gotten charged for breakfast with Sleeping Beauty at Epcot.

 

[minnie mum]

What you had happen is correct. CRT requires payment in full at the time of booking unless you are on the DDP. The same is true for the dinner shows.

Other ADRs may require a credit card hold in case of no-shows.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Yep, that's right. Cinderella's charges in full at the time of booking and Akershus typically just puts a hold on the card. I believe Akershus will charge $10 per person for no-shows.
I'm pretty sure Cinderella's charges in full because it's so hard to get in there and they want to guarantee that you won't be a no-show.

 

[Cad0587]

Okay... what? lol can you just spell out what you're trying to say here? I am on a dining plan but none of the character meals are being taken from it. Are you saying the Cinderella meal is the only character meal that required payment in full right away?

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Oh, if you are on the dining plan they should have just taken your CC to hold.
I would call back and talk to someone else and tell them you are on the dining plan.
You shouldn't be charged.

But if you are paying OOP (out of Pocket) then yes Cinderella's and the dinner shows require full payment up front.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Okay... what? lol can you just spell out what you're trying to say here? I am on a dining plan but none of the character meals are being taken from it. Are you saying the Cinderella meal is the only character meal that required payment in full right away?

Yes. Cinderella's Royal Table requires payment in full, not so much because it's a character meal, but because it's a fixed price dining experience. Dinner shows like Spirit of Aloha also require prepayment. Other character meals require you to put a credit card number on file when you make a reservation, but only because they'll charge you $10 per person if your party is a no-show.

 

[Cad0587]

But the Sleeping Beauty meal at Epcot has fixed prices as well, so why wouldn't you get charged for that in full right away? I was able to call the lady and get the exact price I was going to be charged total for the Sleeping Beauty meal. I just was never charged it.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Found this on Mousesavers.com

Restaurants That Require a Credit Card Guarantee or Prepayment

These locations require full prepayment in advance, using a credit card:

Cinderella’s Royal Table
Hoop Dee Doo Revue
Spirit of Aloha Luau
Mickey’s Backyard BBQ


Other table service dining locations began requiring a credit card to hold a reservation. You will be charged $10 per person if a cancellation to this reservation isn’t made at least one day in advance.
Dining locations participating in the credit card guarantee policy include:

1900 Park Fare
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Artist Point
California Grill
Cape May Café
Chef Mickey’s
Cítricos
Crystal Palace
Flying Fish Café
Garden Grill
Hollywood & Vine
Hollywood Brown Derby
Jiko
Le Cellier
Narcoossee’s
‘Ohana
Tusker House
Victoria & Albert’s (cancellation policy is $25/per person)
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Disney will charge your credit card if you don’t cancel on time. Call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) or (407) WDW-CNCL to cancel.

Restaurants You Really Must Book in Advance

If you want to attend the Cinderella's Royal Table Character Breakfast, it is critical to call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) at 7:00 am ET, 180 days in advance. It sells out within minutes each day when reservations open. (Lunch and dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table sell out quickly, too.) Full prepayment in advance is required for Cinderella's Royal Table.

The Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's in the Grand Floridian Resort also sells out every morning, exactly 180 days in advance. There is only one Chef's Table seating each night and it is not available Wednesdays and Fridays.

Reservations are required for these locations -- you will never get a walk-up table:

California Grill in the Contemporary Resort (but see below for a tip on eating in the California Grill Lounge)
Victoria and Albert's in the Grand Floridian Resort
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and Mickey's Backyard BBQ dinner shows at Ft. Wilderness (both require full prepayment in advance)
Spirit of Aloha Luau dinner show at the Polynesian Resort (requires full prepayment in advance)
Reservations are virtually required for any of the restaurants that require a credit card guarantee. Your chances of getting a walk-up table at those locations is extremely small.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

But the Sleeping Beauty meal at Epcot has fixed prices as well, so why wouldn't you get charged for that in full right away? I was able to call the lady and get the exact price I was going to be charged total for the Sleeping Beauty meal. I just was never charged it.

It's mostly because Cinderella's is such a hot commodity. They have very limited seating and bookings get snatched up in a heart beat. They want to guarantee you are going to be there.

Akershus, while popular, is not as popular as the Castle.

And I rescind my previous statement. I can't find anything online about them not charging if you are on the dining plan. I was told by a CM the other day to use a dining plan member to book my CRT reservations for our party of 12, but now I'm not sure if that's possible.

 

[Cad0587]

Hmmm, interesting. Thanks for all the info! The one person I talked to over the phone just must have been misinformed because she definitely acted as if I'd be charged for both right away. We do have a dining plan but it's just the quick service dining plan so it's not being used for any of the character meals.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Yeah, unfortunately there is no consistency with the knowledge of CM's.

If you want to see rough idea's on cost for meals go to allears.net they have menus that are updated pretty regularly which include pricing. allears and Mousesavers.com have pretty accurate info.

 

[juliebug1997]

Hmmm, interesting. Thanks for all the info! The one person I talked to over the phone just must have been misinformed because she definitely acted as if I'd be charged for both right away. We do have a dining plan but it's just the quick service dining plan so it's not being used for any of the character meals.

Yes, quick service will not get you any table service meals.

Yes, the CM you talked to must not have known that you would not be charged for Ankershus (Sleeping Beauty in Epcot) until you actually go.

 

[Fire14]

It's mostly because Cinderella's is such a hot commodity. They have very limited seating and bookings get snatched up in a heart beat. They want to guarantee you are going to be there.

Akershus, while popular, is not as popular as the Castle.

And I rescind my previous statement. I can't find anything online about them not charging if you are on the dining plan. I was told by a CM the other day to use a dining plan member to book my CRT reservations for our party of 12, but now I'm not sure if that's possible.

I was on DDP and booked CRT had to put in cc info but card was never charged as I was on DDP. And for that matter day we ate there place seemed like ghost town.

 

[TDC Nala]

It is standard operating procedure for Cinderella's Royal Table to be charged in full at booking. Used to be these reservations were SO hot that people were booking them and then brokering them to others. Disney wanted to ensure that it would be most likely that the person booking the reservation would also be the person who would use it. Best way to do that is to require a big cash outlay right away at booking.

No, they won't charge in full if you have a dining plan, but you must have the dining plan on your room reservation at the time you book, and you must tell the phone agent that you have a dining plan. They don't know you have one unless you tell them. If you book online you have to supply a room reservation number and you must have DDP on the reservation. A quick service dining plan will not allow you to avoid prepaying for a TS restaurant; it must be a dining plan with table service allotments.

Akershus is NOT a prepaid reservation. The only prepaid reservations are CRT and the three dinner shows.