Should Disney Impose Penalties for missed ADR's

[JPL]

What if the parks put confirmation numbers on guest passes? You need those numbers to make an ADR? No, that's like phone numbers, if you have two guests that's two numbers to make two reservations at the same time...

Actually a reservation number for people on the Dining Plan wouldn't be a bad idea. Even if you have 2 different names and phone numbers staying in the same room you still would only have one Reservation

[disneymom2000]

Those really hard to get ressies at Cinderella's Castle are a bit easier to get since you have to cough up the payment up front. If they did this for the other hard to get restaurants it might cut down on people making more than one reservation. You can always reverse the cost if you have the dining plan once you get there. Or if you book two in hopes of making it to one of them, your dining plan would be cut for a table service each time you skipped your reservation. Of course, if any of this happens you know Disney will take the hit for being the corporate bully and only wanting to make more money and of course it will be the selfish people trying to make them look bad.

[dtootsie42]

I personally feel that some type of penalty should be imposed. I think with the dining plan alot of people want to eat at places they have never eaten at before and having people book multiple ADRs just because they are not sure of their plans is kind of silly. If your plans change cancel your ADR and then try to get another....you may have to do some extra planning but whats the big deal?

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[SurferStitch]

It's not so much the restaurants it's other guests that are getting blocked out by no shows. I walk up they say sorry we are booked for the night. A party of 5 doesn't show and noone else gets that table. They are giving all available seats to ADRs now so it is more than just priority seating.

Trust me....someone else is getting that table. It's not sitting empty for an hour until the next party shows up. The next equal (or not so equal sized) party to show up gets the table that the no-show party gave up. And, they would rather a party of two takes that table rather than let it sit empty with no revenue being collected. I know...DH and I have gotten big tables at places like Le Cellier and 'Ohana before.

Besides, the restaurants don't really care if someone can't walk up and get a table, or wasn't able to make an ADR. Most restaurants are at capacity or very near capacity all the time, even with some no shows. Sounds harsh, but it's true. They are making money hand over fist, and that's what matters.

[bradk]

okay, for some reason this hasn't been mentioned. DISNEY ALREADY DOES THIS. when they feel it's warranted.

take CRT for example. now you need to pay in full at time of booking, like any other dinner show (yes, I quantify CRT as a dinner show on the dining plan). but back in the day, what would happen was that people would make bookings for CRT for every day they could 90 days out. so if they didn't go to MK one day, they'd have another reservation to fall back on another day.

So Disney implements a deposit system. It now (then) costs you to book ADRs at CRT. I think it was like $10 per person? The idea, let people continue to do what they were doing, but let them be accountable for not showing. Either they have to cancel in time, or they lose their deposit.

Akershus does the same thing (I don't think they require a deposit up front, but they require a credit card which will be charged if it's a no-show). I believe California Grill does the same thing.

So Disney is well aware of what's going on and adjusts accordingly. You may feel it infringes upon your choices, but when it comes down to to it, everyone has the same chance when the clock strikes 7 am 180 days out.

and they don't expect people to cancel if they decide they don't want to show up at an ADR if there's no financial risk. and even if you do cancel, depending on the restaurant and scenario, that table may not go back into inventory.

as for people making bookings that overlap, i've heard of CMs forcing people to make choices, not the system forcing it. and they do keep track based on phone number. they also use caller ID, so if your number comes up on their system, they will automatically see who you are and what ADRs you have.

[May524]

I feel some sort of penalty should be in play due to missed ADR's. However, I think booking 2 ADR's for the same day is even worse, and there should be a system to check this out.
The thing about phone numbers though can be sketcy..b/c think about it. My sister still lives at home with my parents, so one night my sister and her bf may go out to eat at cali grill, where my parents may go to O'hanas...2 different ADR's..but same number...hmm

[Katiebell]

Rather than charging deposits or penalizing for missed ADR's, I think they could make it more full-proof to prevent multiple bookings.

When I first started trip planning, I was shocked to read some people saying they made dinner ADR's for every single park, because they didn't know where they'd be that day Or one lady said she got around the phone number thing by using her sister's cell phone number to book multiple ADR's.

They should tie every single ADR to a dining reservation number. All info that can be used to look up or book an ADR -- name, home or cell #'s, room #'s and dates of stay, package reservation #'s -- all should be cross referenced and kept under that master dining reservation #. If a new ADR is made that overlaps or conflicts with an existing ADR, the guest should be advised that the new ADR will cancel the previous one -- period. The only exception would be if the party is splitting up, and it could be noted (ie: party of 10, 6 are dining at Spoodles, and 4 are dining at O'hana).

Wait, that seems too simplistic. If it would work, Disney would have done it already. So...what am I missing?

[bicker]

I am sure this has happened to others besides us. I do not think it would be fair to charge people in this type of situation.

While I doubt that Disney will assess penalties for missing reservations, I don't think that it would "unfair" for them to do so, even in this circumstance. When you are aware that you're subject to a penalty if you aren't somewhere at a specific time, then it is your responsibility to get there, or accept the penalty.

[Seasonscraps]

I think it would be a hard undertaking to control how many ADRs people make - not everyone that dines in disney restaurants are disney resort guests or on the dining plan that would have a unique reference code. And the average family of 4 could probably have 5-7 valid phone numbers to use for making ADRs.

Since we are making ADRs and not traditional reservations, the penalty-free cancellation window should be short which really wouldn't benefit people trying to make ADRs for future trips.

FWIW, I would agree to paying a penalty for missed ADRs if I could get penalize restaurants for waiting so long for tables with an ADR - we check in early and frequently wait 30+ minutes after our adr time for a table (a couple of times it was an hour).

[Spaceship Tigger]

I think making people pay for missed ADRs would be a really bad idea. Having to plan an entire trip around ADRs in this day and age is bad enough, but then accidentally missing/being late for one and then being charged for it would be really upsetting. There's a lot of things that happen at WDW that a guest can't control - ride breakdowns, family emergency, etc that can cause a missed ADR. Now if someone misses a number of ADRs within a certain timeframe, then maybe WDW should have some system to cancel their remaining ADRs.

On a side note, I was on the phone with WDW Dining last night changing an ADR. The cast member added an ADR over the exact same time I already had one, then cancelled the old one. So the system definitely allows multiple ADRs at one time.

[Snowwite]

I could be mistaken since I've never tried to do it myself, but I thought it was posted here on Intercot quite some time ago that Disney Dining was not allowing guests to book two conflicting ADRs within the same timeframe?

I called 1 407-WDW-DINE and the nice Cm confirmed the system will not allow them to enter duplicate reservations. It will kick it out but if someone books a 5pm one place and a 7pm elsewhere it would not necessarily catch that but the CM's try to. She reminded me these are not reservations.

[Marker]

I would imagine, that they've learned to overbook to a level that will mostly take care of no-shows.

We had a time a few years ago, that we cut time a little too close. We had ADRs for Tony's, and after going back to the room to "clean up", we found ourselves at the bus stop waiting as our time approached. I simply grabbed my cell phone, dialed 1 407-WDW-DINE to let them know, they gave me a time an hour later. No problem, no worries.

We all understand circumstances. But I don't think I'll ever understand (or excuse) the attitude that allows people to do it on purpose, because they "might" want to eat, but could care less about it if they don't. I hope I never have an attitude that allows me to be that self centered and uncaring. But that's just me.

[allie_to_you]

I think the whole issue just boils down to courtesy and respect for others. If you make several reservations for the same time period (which is plausible if you are a big group) then you should either keep those or cancel them.

I do believe that there are times when you just can't cancel a reservation. I have heard so many stories of parents and children, on thier way to an ADR when the child got sick or the bus got delayed, whatever. It's just not always possible, but if you can cancel, then you should do it.

But whether people cancel or not, it just doesn't seem to matter too much to some people. Somebody is going to find somethign to complain about all the time whether the dining plan and ADR's works flawlessly or not.

[bicker]

On a side note, I was on the phone with WDW Dining last night changing an ADR. The cast member added an ADR over the exact same time I already had one, then cancelled the old one. So the system definitely allows multiple ADRs at one time.

Definitely. When the dual-booking cancellations started happening, it was very clear that it is an after-the-fact effect, i.e., they were running an overnight process to match phone number or hotel reservation numbers, and then canceling those that show dual-bookings. No idea if they're doing it differently now.

[bicker]

I think the whole issue just boils down to courtesy and respect for others.

Absolutely, and that's really the crux of a lot of issues: Disney does a lot of things the way they do them in response to the fact that some (or in some cases, many) guests don't behave with courtesy and respect, for other guests and/or for WDW itself. It's a real shame when that happens, and it would be far better if everyone did behave with courtesy and respect for others, so we wouldn't have to deal with a lot of the nuisances and annoyances we have to deal with.

[Tinkerfreak]

I do believe that there are times when you just can't cancel a reservation. I have heard so many stories of parents and children, on thier way to an ADR when the child got sick or the bus got delayed, whatever. It's just not always possible, but if you can cancel, then you should do it.

We have missed an adr before because it took us an hour and a half to get from one resort to another. We had given ourselves over an hour to get there so I think we planned ahead but we could not control the bus system. We do call and cancel if we know we just don't want to go or there is a change of plans but sometimes things happen that are out of your control. The year before last my DH, DMIL and DD all ended up with the stomach flu just hours before our ressies for The Spirit of Aloha Show, we had no way of knowing they were going to get sick. I did call as soon as they got sick to let them know that they could not go and they did not charge me for their seats. As stated above if everyone was courteous enough to call ahead and cancel when they could then it would not happen as often and would not be such an issue.

[rsumrall]

I know that this wouldn't alleviate the situation, but why couldn't Disney try this:

Issue a reservation ID # to people on the Disney Dining Plan. For example, My family of four would have four numbers. When you call to make ADRs, they always ask if you are on the DDP. If you are, they ask for your Reservation ID #. The system could be set to flag any duplicate Res. ID #s during one meal period. Still, if my wife and daughter wanted to go to Askerhaus while my son and I wanted to go to Chef Mickey's, we could do that because we would have separate Reservation ID #s.

I know this doesn't address those not on the DDP, but I have a hunch that most of the abuses to the system come from those who are on the DDP b/c of the affordability of TS Dining. Maybe this would help.

[bicker]

This problem has existed before there was a Dining Plan to some extent, and I think it is presumptuous to think that Dining Plan participants are the ones who are transgressing, just because of some perception that it is a lower-priced way of dining. Besides, the financial advantage with the Dining Plan is mostly illusory. We saved about $120, for four adults, over five nights, over what we would have spent out-of-pocket (based on what we would have ordered if we were paying out-of-pocket), so we each saved just $6 a day on dining.

Regardless, any solution must affect all patron's equally. One of the big selling points of the Dining Plan is that you get treated just like any other guest. If they take that away, they might as well stop offering the Dining Plan: No one wants to be a second-class citizen while only saving $6 per day.

[vamaggie]

Is it possible to book 2 separate ADRs for the same meal if your party is separated? I was thinking of booking a princess meal for me and DD and another character meal for DH & DS (both for breakfast and hopefully around the same time) Is this possible with the system? Not trying to "beat the system" just trying to keep both kids happy and not force DS to sit through princesses (he's in that pre-tween phase that all girls are gross! )

[merlinmagic4]

Is it possible to book 2 separate ADRs for the same meal if your party is separated? I was thinking of booking a princess meal for me and DD and another character meal for DH & DS (both for breakfast and hopefully around the same time) Is this possible with the system? Not trying to "beat the system" just trying to keep both kids happy and not force DS to sit through princesses (he's in that pre-tween phase that all girls are gross! )

I would think you could explain that you are a party of four and you are making 2 different ADRs for two. I think you'll be fine!