"Satisfying" a Disney ADR (Dining Reservation)

[OhanaMoana]

I read somewhere (but cannot remember where) that in order to not be penalized as a no-show for an ADR, you only need at least one person to show up for the reservation and dine. Is this accurate? Are there any other nuances to this (like does it only applies to certain types of TS restaurants, etc.)? I am asking because I have a reservation for 4 tomorrow night and two members of our party are starting to feel sick. They may feel better by tomorrow night for dinner, so I'd like to keep the option for them to join us open rather than modifying the reservation to a two-person reservation preemptively before the cancelation deadline tonight at midnight. I just would like to be sure that we won't be penalized $20 ($10/person) for showing up with only two people to a 4-person reservation if that ends up being what we need to do due to the illnesses. Thanks!

 

[leebee]

As long as one person shows up at the restaurant for the ADR, they won't charge a no-show fee.

 

[JZCubed]

I read somewhere (but cannot remember where) that in order to not be penalized as a no-show for an ADR, you only need at least one person to show up for the reservation and dine. Is this accurate? Are there any other nuances to this (like does it only applies to certain types of TS restaurants, etc.)? I am asking because I have a reservation for 4 tomorrow night and two members of our party are starting to feel sick. They may feel better by tomorrow night for dinner, so I'd like to keep the option for them to join us open rather than modifying the reservation to a two-person reservation preemptively before the cancelation deadline tonight at midnight. I just would like to be sure that we won't be penalized $20 ($10/person) for showing up with only two people to a 4-person reservation if that ends up being what we need to do due to the illnesses. Thanks!

If one person arrives at the podium to 'honor' the reservation, you will not be charged.

As I understand the policy, the person arriving to 'honor' the reservation does not even need to eat.

I'm gonna' give you a way around feeling nervous - if you decide to not 'honor' the reservation, simply change (MODIFY) your existing reservation to a future date. Then simply cancel this modified reservation long before that new date. Yes, this works.

 

[RealBlast3]

If one person arrives at the podium to 'honor' the reservation, you will not be charged.

As I understand the policy, the person arriving to 'honor' the reservation does not even need to eat.

I'm gonna' give you a way around feeling nervous - if you decide to not 'honor' the reservation, simply change (MODIFY) your existing reservation to a future date. Then simply cancel this modified reservation long before that new date. Yes, this works.

Since I have discovered this work around, I, too, have been doing this as well for the last couple of years. I never have felt guilty, much, since I am only a solo diner, anyway, and I still used a dining reservation during that time slot, I has just changed my mind about where I wanted to eat and made it for somewhere else for that same period. I am sure some other party quickly scooped up my ressie anyway.

I mean, I think the policy is overly rigid and penalizing people with costly punishments like this is unreasonable and stupid, so I am not losing any sleep over same day dining cancellations or changes. I think if the guests of Disney World had an opinion or say on this policy, an overwhelming majority would all vote to do away with being penalized for last minute dining reservation changes/cancellations. Disney knows people will need to cancel at the last minute due to exhaustion or illness or any other myriad of other reasons, so they have this policy in place to exploit that as a cash-grab, in my opinion. So circumventing the policy with the modify function is absolutely a valid decision, to me.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Since I have discovered this work around, I, too, have been doing this as well for the last couple of years. I never have felt guilty, much, since I am only a solo diner, anyway, and I still used a dining reservation during that time slot, I has just changed my mind about where I wanted to eat and made it for somewhere else for that same period. I am sure some other party quickly scooped up my ressie anyway.

I mean, I think the policy is overly rigid and penalizing people with costly punishments like this is unreasonable and stupid, so I am not losing any sleep over same day dining cancellations or changes. I think if the guests of Disney World had an opinion or say on this policy, an overwhelming majority would all vote to do away with being penalized for last minute dining reservation changes/cancellations. Disney knows people will need to cancel at the last minute due to exhaustion or illness or any other myriad of other reasons, so they have this policy in place to exploit that as a cash-grab, in my opinion. So circumventing the policy with the modify function is absolutely a valid decision, to me.

I’m pretty sure they did it in order to discourage people from hoarding dining reservations so that more people have the opportunity to obtain ADRs. I’m all for the policy, honestly. Many, many people have reported the cancellation fee being waived when they canceled for a legitimate reason.

 

[RealBlast3]

I’m pretty sure they did it in order to discourage people from hoarding dining reservations so that more people have the opportunity to obtain ADRs. I’m all for the policy, honestly. Many, many people have reported the cancellation fee being waived when they canceled for a legitimate reason.

Well, an alternative to that would be to limit the number of reservations anyone makes on any given day. They could easily put that into their program, after all they already have something in place that alerts you when you make a reservation at the same time of another one or with an overlap and on the fast pass program, it doesn't even let you have an overlap with another reservation, so all they have to do would be to tweak the dining reservation system program to prevent guests from "hording" up all the dining reservations.

I will never believe this policy is about anything else other than making extra bucks at people's misfortune, though, sorry. I love Disney and support them in terms of the product they put out but I also believe their corporate greed is a genuine thing, and this policy is an example of that, in my opinion.

 

[ColonialMouse]

It is always OK to show up with fewer people. Did this quite a few times when our youngest was a baby. And even the signatures are happy to pack a dinner to go for Mom who stayed back in the room. We’ve also just shown up at the restaurant and said we’re here but please cancel b/c we can’t eat now (I had messed up plans for that day and not noticed when Garden Grill came through for a 1030 breakfast that I had a Teppan Edo reservation at 1:30).

But if your whole party is really sick, call the number and let them know what is happening and ask them to waive the penalty. They do have discretion to do that; Disney doesn’t want someone with active stomach flu showing up at Narcoosee’s. I wouldn’t abuse doing that, but if you need to, call and ask.

Bruce

 

[KrazeeK120]

Well, an alternative to that would be to limit the number of reservations anyone makes on any given day. They could easily put that into their program, after all they already have something in place that alerts you when you make a reservation at the same time of another one or with an overlap and on the fast pass program, it doesn't even let you have an overlap with another reservation, so all they have to do would be to tweak the dining reservation system program to prevent guests from "hording" up all the dining reservations.

I will never believe this policy is about anything else other than making extra bucks at people's misfortune, though, sorry. I love Disney and support them in terms of the product they put out but I also believe their corporate greed is a genuine thing, and this policy is an example of that, in my opinion.

Have you actually heard of anyone calling with a legitimate reason and Disney refusing to waive the cancellation fee? It seems to me, based on what I’ve read here, that they’ve been fairly liberal with waiving the fee.

I absolutely agree that there are examples of corporate greed to be found at Disney, but this isn’t one of them. They don’t profit off of anyone’s misfortune because they don’t charge those who really have a good reason for not showing up.

 

[B-Ride]

I have been able to modify reservations to a different restaurant using the Disney app sometimes very close to the ADR time.

 

[Hopefully]

Since I have discovered this work around, I, too, have been doing this as well for the last couple of years. I never have felt guilty, much, since I am only a solo diner, anyway, and I still used a dining reservation during that time slot, I has just changed my mind about where I wanted to eat and made it for somewhere else for that same period. I am sure some other party quickly scooped up my ressie anyway.

I mean, I think the policy is overly rigid and penalizing people with costly punishments like this is unreasonable and stupid, so I am not losing any sleep over same day dining cancellations or changes. I think if the guests of Disney World had an opinion or say on this policy, an overwhelming majority would all vote to do away with being penalized for last minute dining reservation changes/cancellations. Disney knows people will need to cancel at the last minute due to exhaustion or illness or any other myriad of other reasons, so they have this policy in place to exploit that as a cash-grab, in my opinion. So circumventing the policy with the modify function is absolutely a valid decision, to me.

I couldn’t disagree with you more

 

[RealBlast3]

Have you actually heard of anyone calling with a legitimate reason and Disney refusing to waive the cancellation fee? It seems to me, based on what I’ve read here, that they’ve been fairly liberal with waiving the fee.

I absolutely agree that there are examples of corporate greed to be found at Disney, but this isn’t one of them. They don’t profit off of anyone’s misfortune because they don’t charge those who really have a good reason for not showing up.

Having to find the time to call and complain about the fee and requesting for it to be waived is annoying and inconvenient, when you are on vacation, though, and Disney knows most people aren't going to do that. Either because they are too busy, too tired, or too sick or what have you. And then there's those who might not even be aware of the policy of the fees for not showing up. Or who will forget. And some won't call even if they know they are going to be charged because they will figure that it won't be reversed since that is Disney's official "policy".

 

[KrazeeK120]

Having to find the time to call and complain about the fee and requesting for it to be waived is annoying and inconvenient, when you are on vacation, though, and Disney knows most people aren't going to do that. Either because they are too busy, too tired, or too sick or what have you. And then there's those who might not even be aware of the policy of the fees for not showing up. Or who will forget. And some won't call even if they know they are going to be charged because they will figure that it won't be reversed since that is Disney's official "policy".

It’s not THAT big of an inconvenience. No more inconvenient than not being able to get ADRs because people are hoarding them. If you don’t know, forget, or simply choose not to call, that’s on you.

I still think this was done as a deterrent to hoarding ADRs. And it’s not as simple as a programming change. People could be splitting their party, inviting others to eat with them, etc. There are a lot of legitimate reasons for holding multiple ADRs, and there’s no reason to take that away because some people abuse it. I like the route that Disney took - punish the abusers, not the innocent.

 

[TeresaWen]

I would fully support a no show fee. Far too many people would make an ADR in each park and then simply not show for three. Back in the day, if I changed ny mind I would usually go to the concierge at my hotel before heading out. If it was a particularly difficult to get adr they would put mine aside so they could help out another guest looking for a last minute ADR later.

I do not believe I have ever just not showed for any reservation. That is just rude. But not being able to cancel a reservation the day of is frankly ridiculous.

 

[Disneylover99]

Having to find the time to call and complain about the fee and requesting for it to be waived is annoying and inconvenient, when you are on vacation, though, and Disney knows most people aren't going to do that. Either because they are too busy, too tired, or too sick or what have you. And then there's those who might not even be aware of the policy of the fees for not showing up. Or who will forget. And some won't call even if they know they are going to be charged because they will figure that it won't be reversed since that is Disney's official "policy".

Without the fee in place, there would be no incentive for people to ever cancel. I remember the days before the fee was implemented. It’s necessary IMO and one of the best things Disney’s rolled out.

 

[Nancyg56]

Well, an alternative to that would be to limit the number of reservations anyone makes on any given day. They could easily put that into their program, after all they already have something in place that alerts you when you make a reservation at the same time of another one or with an overlap and on the fast pass program, it doesn't even let you have an overlap with another reservation, so all they have to do would be to tweak the dining reservation system program to prevent guests from "hording" up all the dining reservations.

I will never believe this policy is about anything else other than making extra bucks at people's misfortune, though, sorry. I love Disney and support them in terms of the product they put out but I also believe their corporate greed is a genuine thing, and this policy is an example of that, in my opinion.

SOme folks have multiple MDE accounts and could sidestep that guardrail easily. I have mine and my DD's because I often make two ADR's that overlap due to our pary size. Sometimes I need the two ADR's to accomodate our party size, and other times we split off to separate restaurants but dine about the same time. Imagine the number of people who woudl book ADR's around the parks and then just take the one that suits them at any given time, ditching the rest if there was no financial consequence.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I mean, I think the policy is overly rigid and penalizing people with costly punishments like this is unreasonable and stupid,

Clearly, with the examples just in this thread of getting the fee waived, it's not at all rigid, never mind overly so. But it's necessary due to years of bad behavior by guests - neither unreasonable not stupid.

Well, an alternative to that would be to limit the number of reservations anyone makes on any given day.

Ah. Because Disney IT operates so smoothly, consistently, and without issue? Parties consisting of multiple people can make multiple reservations, which would be missed by any programming.

will never believe this policy is about anything else other than making extra bucks at people's misfortune, though, sorry.

No. Disagree. The policy is designed to encourage people to provide the restaurant with advance notice, or else, yes, he penalized.

Having to find the time to call and complain about the fee and requesting for it to be waived is annoying and inconvenient, when you are on vacation, though,

Avoid the need to find [all] that time. Cancel in advance. Call. Or stop at your resort's Front Desk. Or stop at Guest Services at any park. Or in any TS restaurant.

I don't believe anybody is scheduled so tightly that they can't spend five minutes to save $10 to $100 or more.

and Disney knows most people aren't going to do that.

Again, disagree. Disney is clear and open about the cancellation fee.

And then there's those who might not even be aware of the policy of the fees for not showing up.

And again, Disney is clear and open about any cancellation charges. Not the audience's responsibility to force-remind the customer. Of anything.

 

[RealBlast3]

I think the policy should be to only punish guests with fees who simply don't bother to show up and don't cancel at all. If you cancel the same day, there shouldn't be a fee, I mean, we're not talking about doctor's office visits here. There are no other restaurants in the world who charge people no-show fees, that I am aware of. I'm sorry but it is ridiculous.

 

[Disneylover99]

I think the policy should be to only punish guests with fees who simply don't bother to show up and don't cancel at all. If you cancel the same day, there shouldn't be a fee, I mean, we're not talking about doctor's office visits here. There are no other restaurants in the world who charge people no-show fees, that I am aware of. I'm sorry but it is ridiculous.

I have honestly never heard of anyone being charged for cancelling ahead of time, even day of. Disney seems pretty reasonable about this. But I’m guessing this is not something Disney wants to advertise. They want you to cancel the day before, so others have an opportunity to pick up the ADR. It seems fair to me.

 

[MomOTwins]

The problem Disney solved with the fee was people who would book a hot ticket ADR every day of their trip so they could “play it by ear” and go whenever they felt like it. And, people who hoarded and then tried to sell ADRs to people (by cancelling at a pre-agreed time so the buyer could pick it up). Yes, people did that. They don’t care in the least if someone is a no show because they are sick.

 

[jberndt10]

We had a breakfast ADR and DS woke up sick. A direct call to the restaurant desk was all it took to cancel without penalty.