Canceling ADR's ?

[Lynn CC]

I've made many sit down ADR's for our party of 7. If I find that I want to cancel a lunch one or two days it says I can cancel the day before the reservation.
My question is what do they mean by the day before, does it have to be 24 hours before on the dot or once it's after 24 hours they will charge the fee?
We did keep all our ADR's at Disneyland last year, even if some of us just ordered a salad for lunch, but we might just want a snack type lunch some days this time.
Hope this isn't a ridiculous question

 

[Pumbaa_]

Before midnight day prior if online. Or if on phone up to the end of phone hours

It is not a strict 24 hours prior

 

[bellefan7757]

On our last trip, DH and I discovered that you can cancel an ADR on the day of with no penalty - if you do it in person. We were at Hollywood Studios and decided to leave several hours before our dinner reservation at Sci Fi. When we asked about the penalty for cancelling the CM told us we were good since we spoke to them in person. I may be wrong, am assuming that would be true at other restaurants too.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

On our last trip, DH and I discovered that you can cancel an ADR on the day of with no penalty - if you do it in person. We were at Hollywood Studios and decided to leave several hours before our dinner reservation at Sci Fi. When we asked about the penalty for cancelling the CM told us we were good since we spoke to them in person. I may be wrong, am assuming that would be true at other restaurants too.

I wouldn't count on this at any restaurant.

 

[GillianP1301]

On our last trip, DH and I discovered that you can cancel an ADR on the day of with no penalty - if you do it in person. We were at Hollywood Studios and decided to leave several hours before our dinner reservation at Sci Fi. When we asked about the penalty for cancelling the CM told us we were good since we spoke to them in person. I may be wrong, am assuming that would be true at other restaurants too.

We had the same experience at Hollywood Brown Derby, they even gave us our Fantasmic passes still (it was a dining package), but I considered that pixie dust and not the norm. The not charging the no-show fee really is at the discretion of the restaurant and I'm sure in many cases if you go to the podium and explain that you need to cancel will help your cause in having the no-show fee waived, but I wouldn't assume it's a for sure thing.

 

[stsomewhere]

We decided to leave Hollywood studios last week because the crowds were so bad. My daughter was not feeling well from heat/crowds. The brown derby waived cancellation fee.( in person) and my daughter called WDW dining to cancel Mama Melrose. Both waived cancellation fee.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Thanks for sharing your real life experiences

It can never hurt to ask!