Reasons why some people may cancel an ADR the day before or day of the ADR

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I mentioned in another thread how in December 2004 my family & I had 2 ADR's for Boma & how we had to cancel the 2nd ADR the before it was scheduled. Before you all flame me or cancelling an ADR that close to the date we were supost to go back to Boma, the night we came back from Boma I threw up 3 times during the night & thought something I had at Boma made me sick. So because I did not want to get sick again the next morning we cancelled our 2nd ADR at Boma, which was to be the next night. So that is a very good reason when it's ok to cancel an ADR that close to the scheduled ADR date & since we did not plan on me getting sick, we would have kept the ADR. So I am sure you will all agree that we were right to cancel the ADR eventhough it was for the next day & I am sure someone was able to get our slot. Anyway what I am saying is there might be situations like mine when people have to cancel an ADR even if it's the next day or the day of. So we should all keep that in mind & not flame people who wait to the last minute because problems can happen. People may have ADR's set for the day they arrive, but what if they got delayed at the Airport? They would have had no choice to cancel that close to their time.

 

[deany]

There will always be extenduating circumstances when people have to cancel an ADR on short notice. I am sure nobody would flame you for cases like that. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control. I think people only get annoyed when they just "don't feel like driving over there" or "they aren't as hungry as they thought they would be" or something to that effect.

 

[DebbieB]

I cancelled a breakfast ADR at Cape May last month the day before. I was with my 12 year old niece and found out while we were there that she really wasn't into breakfast, so I cancelled it and rebooked for dinner.

I think it's OK as long as you cancel instead of just not showing up.

 

[Anewman]

No one would be upset if you have to cancel an ADR that you intended on keeping regardless of time.

I do have issues with those that make an ADR with no intention of keeping it, and on top of it some dont even call to cancel period.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

That is why I created this thread. I have read a lot of threads where people say they have read threads people who cancelled an ADR on such short notice, but they give a stupid reason like you said. So it's important to remember that once & a while people will have a real good reason to cancel on such short notice, however there does not seem to be a lot of threads when it comes to ligament reasons to cancelling ADR's on short notice.

 

[Allison]

I have never seen anyone say there aren't situations that warrant cancelling an ADR. I'm not sure why you would even bring it up as something people you think people would upset about.

 

[lovmy2girls]

We cancelled an ADR once, because we were so tired, and didn't want to go. The girls were tired, the day didn't go as planned. I can only think of doing it that one time. I look foward to them too much to make it a habit.

 

[Kycha]

No flaming from me. Even if you cancelled within the hour of the ADR, I wouldn't care. Hey, life happens. Who in their right mind knows where they will be or where they want to eat a week from now, let alone 6 months from now?

 

[Uncleromulus]

Trusting and assuming that you mean "in their right mind" as sort of a good hearted jest(??), I'm quite sure now where we want to eat in September. The ADR's have long since been made. In fact, we always make our ADR's months in advance. Lots (well-at least some) of us actually plan our WDW trips around where we want to dine. And I can probably count on one hand the ADR's we've had to cancel in all those trips.

But back to the original post--which is that from time to time there WILL be reasons to cancel an ADR.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I think it all comes down to intent - if you make an ADR with the INTENTION of keeping it but something comes up (I would even give someone the "I didn't feel like driving all that way" or "We were too tired" - I mean you have read the threads about misbehaving children - and if you and/or your family don't want to be in the restaurant, I don't think you should feel an obligation to go there) which prevents you from making the ADR then I think that is acceptable.

I planned two different ADR's for this last trip which we did not keep. When I made my reservations I wanted to eat at 50's primetime diner so I made an ADR for dinner. However, the day was so hot (it was May, the first weekend of SWW and it hit around 95 degrees) that my mom and I were fried by 3:30 in the afternoon. We went back to the hotel and there was no way either one of us was prepared to leave again that night. I called and cancelled the ADR and ordered room service.

If when you book your adr's you intend to eat at those restuarants and decide not to when you are actually at WDW, as long as you call and cancel I don't see where the issue is. If you book more than what you intend to use, that may be an issue.

I akin this to a buffet. When I take a plate of food I intend to eat it but I am not going to feel bad or guilty (or make myself sick) if i don't finish what I took.

 

[LeesyUD]

I actually responded to your other post...though my post was oh so confusing...but I mentioned I completely understand situations like this bc I had to cancel my ADR for Chef Mickey's last minute on my last trip bc I was sick. I think what makes people upset, myself included sometimes, is when people book ADR's just so they have something booked "just in case" they want to do a sit down meal...they just aren't sure if they want to do that meal but book anyway and don't cancel until the last minute (or don't show up) bc they decided after all they just dont feel like going. And I think WDW can wear you out and sometimes you are too tired to do a meal and need to cancel last minute bc you know you won't enjoy it. And I understand that happens. But some people do that several times during their trip and I don't agree with that. And the other problem is that there are people that know several days ahead of time they are not going to a certain meal but wait until an hour before to cancel or just don't show for no good reason. I agree there are some very good reasons to cancel last minute but there are also some really bad ones. But unless you are in the hospital a no show just isn't neccessary, at least make the call.

 

[aubriee]

I agree there are legitimate reasons for cancelling an ADR at the last minute. We like TS so have a tendency to make alot of ADRs. We have every intention of keeping every one of them. However I can think of a few times when I've had to cancel. May '05 I went to bed the night before with a sore throat and some congestion. The next day I dragged myself out of bed and spent about 1 1 1/2 hours at AK before I gave up and went back to the resort where I spent the next two days in bed. I had no choice but to cancel my ADRs for the next two days. In Dec '05 my mom got deathly ill after eating at Flame Tree Bar b' que so we cancelled the Biergarten for that night and then had to cancell Chef Mickey's the next morning. But other than those two instances I can't think of a time I didn't make a scheduled ADR. No matter how busy we are it's just good manners to keep scheduled ADRs. For our Sept trip we have twelve ADRs scheduled for our eight night trip and have every intention of keeping all of them. I can't understand people making ADRs they have no intention of keeping just because they want to have several choices for certain nights. To me that's just plain rude to both the restaraunts and to the diners who want to really dine in those establishments.

 

[CarolA]

I cancel if I change plans and that is generally the day of...

I realize that to some of you I am being rude, but I figure that is NOT rude it would be RUDE not to cancel.

(There is a subculture on the DIS who thinks that if ANY of us "book" anything and then don't use it we are STEALING LOL! You should have read the thread on the Resort board where folks booked rooms or campsites at Disney for Free Dining with NO intention of ever spending the night there... by paying Disney money they were "Stealing" LOL!)

 

[CEDmom]

We're going down in Nov and I've made ADR's for 1 meal each day. The other meals we'll just wing it or do CS. We have every intention of keeping our ADR's but if we're just not in the mood that day we won't bother. I'll make every attempt to cancel as soon as possible but I'm not going to fret over it. I think what gets people upset is when someone make multiple ADR's for the same meal and then cancels at the last minute. Make up your mind in advance and cancel the excess.

 

[scanne]

I would cancel an ADR last minute if my kids were not able to sit at a table service meal/buffet. We have an ADR for Alfredo's for dinner this coming Wednesday. If my kids are cranky, hot, tired, etc. and I feel they will be distracting to other diners, I will cancel the ressie - even up to 5 minutes before. Sorry if that is seen as "rude" to those who wish to dine there and cannot get a ressie, but I think it would be more impolite to subject diners to the meltdowns of a 2 and 4 year old. Hey, there's always a CS place to grab some grub - and in Epcot, it doesn't have to be burgers and fries!

 

[Krissalee]

I have cancelled ADR's, because our plans changed, we were able to get into another restaurant we wanted to go to more, or we knew we would not be hungry enough for a sit down restaurant.

If you cancel an ADR, it opens it up for someone else, or it is one less turn-down the restaurant has to do.

I always cancel my ADR's, rather than being a no-show! It is just being considerate.

 

[tolookaa5]

I had to cancel about an hour before an ADR. My DS2 at the time had a 104 temp and had to be taken to the hospital. Ended up having bronchitis and was miserable pretty much the whole trip.

 

[byoung]

We decided that we wanted to eat somewhere else. We where able to get an adr there. It's better to cancel than not cancel at all.

 

[jiminyfan]

Having to go in high seasons and not know what will be available we usually do make our ADRs close to 180 days in advance with all intentions of making them. But, due to changes in attitudes drung the trip. New menu of a restaurant and even we just do not feel like eating there now. We cancel the ADR, I do not see a problem with this as it opens up a space for a family who would not have had the chance to get an ADR.

I was helping a friend from work plan his first WDW trip and he and his wife did not listen when I said that he needed to book ADRs as soona s possible especially during FREE FOOD packages. Guess what, he could only get 2-3 of his first choices. I told him to always check a day or two in advance for a cancellation.

We always do this if we are shut out. I have attended two separate wine dinners at the last minute due to a cancellation.

Remember, it is much nicer and polite to cancel and give someone a chance at it, than just not showing up.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't think anyone has an issue with a guest that cancels an ADR, even with short notice, because their plans change for whatever reason.

Many (most?) of us have an issue with guests that book multiple ADRs for the same meal and either wait until the last minute to cancel the extras or in some cases just don't show up. At the time the ADR is made the guest knows there is no chance both ADRs will be used.