I saw a post from a year ago, but with so many restaurants now having the charge for cancelling, what happens at the restaurants that make you wait FOREVER? Can you show up for your reservation, decide the wait is too long and not have to pay the cancellation fee? I think it would be silly for them to charge it if you actually showed up and they were running terribly late... experiences?
Will Disney still charge a no show fee if the wait is an hour after check in?
- Thread starter fairy8i8
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LilyWDW
Going to My Happy Place
- Joined
- May 7, 2006
By the rules, you will be charged the fee. Now, if it happens in reality is a case by case situation and you could plead your case. What needs to be remembered though is that an ADR is not a reservation. It is simply giving you priority for a table of a specific size.
Mickey1Fan
<font color=magenta>He had five fingers and was we
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2004
We were seated and decided we really did not like the menu (one member of the party was not feeling well). We left with no table service credit being used.
jennylyn_b
Disney Fan for Life :)
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2009
If you choose to leave you will be charged the fee. However, in all honesty we have never had a wait that long. One or two were 45 mins but most are within 10 mins.
Disneychix
When you wish upon a star...
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2007
Absolutly correct!
We had an ADR for Paradiso 37-this place NEVER fills up. We decided to change our plans for the day and not go to DTD. I called to change the ADR and was told it would be $50 fee (party of 5)! I was beyond annoyed that I was locked into going to DTD when I really really didn't want to.
Eastern
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
Yeah that's what I would do. I am making minimal reservations so that I don't have to worry about last minute changes. If we have to eat at CS, oh well. It saves me a lot of money with a party of 5.
AndyFL
This is my tag....one day I'll be all big and my c
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2010
That's a rather curious statement when ADR stands for "advance dining RESERVATION"
when you make an ADR you are basically agreeing to the terms and conditions of that reservation. If you do not like the new rules then it is best to no make reservations ahead of time and make them as you go which you can decide at that time where you prefer to dine. Without the cc gty some restaurants had a lot of no shows
LilyWDW
Going to My Happy Place
- Joined
- May 7, 2006
Disney does use off terminology, but no matter what it is called, it is not a reservation in the traditional sense. There is no table being held for you at that specific time. It simply gets you seated at the next table available for your party size (after those with earlier ADRs).
Disney used to call them Priority Seatings but changed it for whatever reason. However, I think the new name causes expectations from guests who do not read all the fine print that it is a "real" reservation.
TDC Nala
1937, what a year that was
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2001
If you already checked in they will not charge you.
However, if you leave without being seated, they will.
You would have to request that the fee be waived if you intend to leave.
The credit card hold and cancellation policy now applies to ALL restaurants at WDW. Even the unpopular ones. It is not going to be so easy to change your mind the same day anymore. If you think that on the same day as your reservation, you'd prefer to eat somewhere else, you're going to be charged for not going to the first restaurant you had booked.
By the way, they used to call this process "priority seating" and changed it to "advance dining reservation" to avoid confusing guests, they said. However, the change in terminology did not equal a change in procedure - it's the exact same procedure they used when they called it "priority seating." You get the next table to open for your party size; they don't hold one open waiting for you to arrive.
However, if you leave without being seated, they will.
You would have to request that the fee be waived if you intend to leave.
The credit card hold and cancellation policy now applies to ALL restaurants at WDW. Even the unpopular ones. It is not going to be so easy to change your mind the same day anymore. If you think that on the same day as your reservation, you'd prefer to eat somewhere else, you're going to be charged for not going to the first restaurant you had booked.
By the way, they used to call this process "priority seating" and changed it to "advance dining reservation" to avoid confusing guests, they said. However, the change in terminology did not equal a change in procedure - it's the exact same procedure they used when they called it "priority seating." You get the next table to open for your party size; they don't hold one open waiting for you to arrive.
maxiesmom
The Mean Squinty Eye Works
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
But it is an accurate statement. Disney used to call their reservation system Priority Seating, which is more how it works. I think it confused people though, so they changed to Advance Dining Reservation. And you are getting a reservation--for the next table available for your party size.
Twice on our trip (Nov 30-Dec 12), we had waits that we felt were too long and decided to leave without being seated (well once, it was the long wait combined with DS standing up and knocking DH's full Guiness out of his hand, covering both DS and DD with dark brown beer 
). Anyway, we politely stated we felt the wait was too long and would they please waive the fee and they did.
). Anyway, we politely stated we felt the wait was too long and would they please waive the fee and they did.
Colleen27
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2007
Unfortunately, the policy is that yes, you will be charged. You might get lucky and get a helpful CM that will waive the fee. There have been quite a few recent reports of that happening. Or you could get a CM with a "too bad' attitude and get stuck waiting around for over an hour with hungry kids, tethered to the restaurant by a pager that seems like it will never go off.
We had the latter happen at Crystal Palace when the policy still only applied to character/signature meals. Discussing the issue later with another, more sympathetic cast member (at another restaurant, just in conversation) left us with the impression that cast who are too free with exceptions could be disciplined for it, so you have better odds if you're the only one asking than if - as was the case for us at CP - you're one among dozens of families making the same request.
We had the latter happen at Crystal Palace when the policy still only applied to character/signature meals. Discussing the issue later with another, more sympathetic cast member (at another restaurant, just in conversation) left us with the impression that cast who are too free with exceptions could be disciplined for it, so you have better odds if you're the only one asking than if - as was the case for us at CP - you're one among dozens of families making the same request.
Srbright
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2012
Then why is it called "advanced dining reservation"?
Also, I went through everything but the charge for CRT just now and it says specifically that these are reservations. There is nothing that says that it isn't a reservation and that it is "priority" seating for a table. The Guest Services Policy specifies that it is a reservation but that specific seat assignments (outdoor, fireworks) can not be guaranteed.
Why would they call it it a reservation on the page AND in the fine print if it wasn't a reservation?
Stacy
maxiesmom
The Mean Squinty Eye Works
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
Easy. Advance dining reservation is easier for people to understand than Priority Seating.
TDC Nala
1937, what a year that was
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2001
Disney said specifically way back when they made the change, that they were changing from the term "priority seating" to "advance dining reservation" because they felt the previously used term was confusing to guests.
Which doesn't really make a lot of sense, as an Advance Dining Reservation at Disney World is not a reservation as most people understand the term (table held open in advance of your arrival). It is, in fact a Priority Seating (you get to jump the queue when you check in and will be assigned the next table to open that will fit your party.)
My guess is that they wanted guests to stop asking what Priority Seating meant, which would mean that time would have to be spent giving them an explanation. They have a good idea what a dining reservation is (even if it's not the same idea Disney has).
Which doesn't really make a lot of sense, as an Advance Dining Reservation at Disney World is not a reservation as most people understand the term (table held open in advance of your arrival). It is, in fact a Priority Seating (you get to jump the queue when you check in and will be assigned the next table to open that will fit your party.)
My guess is that they wanted guests to stop asking what Priority Seating meant, which would mean that time would have to be spent giving them an explanation. They have a good idea what a dining reservation is (even if it's not the same idea Disney has).
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