Dining Reservations

[jsh...Joyce 11]

We're go with the flow kinda people, but I'm thinking I may need to make dining reservations for Christmas. Not sure how it works. If i make them and we don't show up do we have to pay a penalty? I was going to make some at different parks for days we think we will be there, but the weather usually decides what we do. We're not AP holders. We have park hopper tickets left over with about 4 days on them (no expiration date). DH loves Prime Time Cafe and I was looking at the dinner with candlelight procession option. Is there any place special for Christmas Day dinner? I usually have Christmas at my house for about 30 people and this will be my first year in 12 years not having to cook. Any suggestions would be helpful. If I don't find something I know I will end up trying to cook a full Christmas dinner for 5 people!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

There is now a $10 per person penalty if you don't show up for an ADR at selected restaurants, unless you cancel at least 48 hours from the time of your reservation.

There are a few places that require payment at the time you make the ADR (like Cinderella's Royal Table). If you don't show up for those, you will not get a refund.

It's important to note if you're there during Christmas-New Year's week when park closures are common, policy is that even if you aren't able to get into a park for your ADR because of a capacity closure, you will not be refunded - point being to get there early and stay there!

[jsh...Joyce 11]

Thanks for the info. If there a site where I can find out about the different cancelation fees? As much as i hate schedules, i may need one for this trip. We usually go early Feb and don't have to worry about reservations.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Just edited my last post - it seems it's not every restaurant that has the $10 cancellation policy. See below...

From the WDW site...

What is the credit card guarantee policy? Will my credit card be charged if I cancel a restaurant reservation at Walt Disney World Resort?

On October 26, 2011, select table-service locations began using the credit card guarantee policy, a policy that was already in place at select restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort. When booking a reservation at these restaurants, Guests are required to provide a credit card to hold a reservation and will be charged $10.00 per person if the cancellation isn't made at least one day in advance.

Locations that require the full amount to be pre-paid at the time of reservation will continue to retain the full, pre-paid amount if Guests are unable to honor the reservation and are unable to cancel the reservation one day in advance. Guests are reminded that the restaurant will charge the full pre-paid amount for each person in the party if the Guest is unable to cancel the reservation at least one day in advance. Special dining events and packages may have different cancellation requirements.

Why are additional table-service locations participating in the credit card guarantee policy?

Guests are able to book dining reservations 180 days in advance at Walt Disney World Resort restaurants. Because Guests may not be certain of their vacation plans 6 months in advance, they often book multiple dining reservations during one meal period. Guests are recommended to plan in advance for their vacation—and they are also encouraged to cancel any unwanted reservations in order to open availability to other Guests. The credit card guarantee policy helps ensure that more Guests can enjoy the dining experiences available at Walt Disney World Resort restaurants.

How do I cancel a reservation at a restaurant that uses the credit card guarantee policy?

A special phone line that only handles dining cancellations is available for Guest convenience: (407) WDW-CNCL or (407) 939-2625. Alternatively, dining reservations may be booked or canceled by visiting any table-service restaurant podium, the front desk or concierge at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, or by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463. Guests may also make and cancel reservations online.

I have a dinner reservation for 10 Guests at a restaurant that uses the credit card guarantee policy. Only 8 Guests are able to make it to dinner. Will I still be charged $10 each for the 2 Guests who were unable to attend?

No. As long as you honor the reservation, then there will be no charge to your credit card.

According to the credit card guarantee policy, I must cancel my reservation at least one day in advance. What does this mean?

At restaurants with the credit card guarantee policy, all cancellations should be made at least 1 day in advance of your reservation. For example: if your reservation is on Thursday, you must cancel your reservation no later than Wednesday end of day. Cancellation fees will be assessed for cancellations made on the day of your reservation.

http://disneyworld.d.../#subCategory16

This is also from a post here...

Effective October 26, 2011, additional Walt Disney World restaurants will be requiring a credit card to hold reservations. The reservations will need to be cancelled no later than 24 hours prior or a charge of $10 per person will be applied to the credit card on hold. This change is being implemented to cut down on the number of reservation no-shows that occur at the most popular Disney Dining locations.

This will reduce the cancellation penalty window to 24 hours instead of the 48 hours for some locations... Here is the list of Dining locations anticipated to have this new requirement:

• 1900 Park Fare
  
• Akershus
  
• Artist Point
  
• California Grill
  
• Cape May Cafe
  
• Chef Mickey's
  
• Citricos
  
• Crystal Palace
  
• Flying Fish
  
• Garden Grill
  
• Hollywood & Vine
  
• Hollywood Brown Derby
  
• Jiko
  
• Le Cellier
  
• Narcoossee's
  
• 'Ohana
  
• Tusker House
  
• Victoria & Albert ($25 per person cancellation penalty)
  
• Yachtman Steakhouse
  

A special cancellation line will be set up to call your cancellations in if necessary. That number is 407-WDW-CNCL.

http://www.fortfiend...tee/#entry91601

[CarolP 3]

We're you able to even find availability over Christmas? I looked yesterday for a place to go on Christmas Day (Outside of the parks) but couldn't find anything...which is fine I guess..was just looking at taking Christmas Day off and letting someone else do the cooking...

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

The ADR window doesn't open until 180 days out.

If you're staying on site, the ADR window will open up 180 days from your check-in date plus 10 days.

[CarolP 3]

Ahhhh, Thank You! All hope is not lost!!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

If I remember correctly, lots of Christmas day meals are "special" meals, so MOST if not all will have full payment up front policies or at the very least, the credit card guarantee

[AuburnJen 772]

And don't forget, they are also at special holiday INFLATED prices. Include that in your budget, as they are not regular prices at all.

They also won't take things like Tables in Wonderland during holidays either.

[jsh...Joyce 11]

I expected the higher prices. The family is still trying to decide. We are also looking at places outside the parks. Hubby still thinks i'm nuts for booking xmas to new years, but hey you don't know unless you try it! I just hope it doesn't bite me in the butt and have to listen to him say i told you so!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I expected the higher prices. The family is still trying to decide. We are also looking at places outside the parks. Hubby still thinks i'm nuts for booking xmas to new years, but hey you don't know unless you try it! I just hope it doesn't bite me in the butt and have to listen to him say i told you so!

Christmas at Disney is wonderful!!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Is there a Christmas 2012 thread out there yet?

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

... Hubby still thinks i'm nuts for booking xmas to new years, but hey you don't know unless you try it! I just hope it doesn't bite me in the butt and have to listen to him say i told you so!

7 keys to being at WDW during crazybusy weeks like Christmas-New Years...

1. Realistic Expectations

2. Get to the parks early

3. Fastpass!

4. Patience

5. Arm yourself with info or a decent touring plan

6. Flexibility

7. Realistic Expectations

Yup - that one bears repeating :)

As long as you realize that you won't be able to do EVERYTHING, and that there will be lines and waits for most things - and you're ok with that - then just LET IT GO AND ENJOY BEING AT WDW FOR CHRISTMAS!!

[Lou... 3,118]

1. Realistic Expectations

2. Get to the parks early

3. Fastpass!

4. Patience

5. Arm yourself with info or a decent touring plan

6. Flexibility

7. Realistic Expectations

8. Disregard the previous 7 and just go for it.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

:raspberry:

Normally I'd agree, but Christmas week is a whole other animal if you don't have the right mindset. And if you've got people in your group already second guessing...

Friends of ours that have been to WDW a bunch went Christmas week for the first time this year with their 2 kids - 7 and 3. They said "never again"

They were going to try and do NYE at Epcot, figuring that it was the biggest park in terms of how many people it holds, and it and would probably be their best bet. They said by 7pm it was shoulder-to-shoulder and you couldn't even move.

They managed to get out, went back to the Fort, ate at Trails End and were in bed by 10. :)

Now minus the kids may have been a different story but pushing little ones in a stroller in crowds like that is just plain scary.

They said in generally that they did manage to have fun and do stuff with the kids, but only be getting into the parks early and they still said it wasn't as much fun as other times of the year because of the crowds.

I keep saying that I want to be there for Christmas week one of these years, and I do. But I expect to just walk shuffle around and soak up the atmosphere - not actually DO anything.

Of course I'll be doing it alone, because Brian thinks I'm insane and he'll likely be back at the Fort relaxing in a lounge chair with a beverage (probably visiting with Lou!)

:rofl2:

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I would go at Christmas week, BUT I would plan little to no time at the parks, spend most of my time hanging at the Fort with Fiends, and go out for the occasional meal, and watch fireworks from outside the parks.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Hey speaking of dining reservations...

Has anybody been able to snag a reservation for the Garden View Tea room the first few weeks in November?

I've tried every day as my 180 day window opens up and so far there is NOTHING open, even just for 2 people, from Nov 12th all the way through November 24th.

I know the place is small, but that seems really strange.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

7 keys to being at WDW during crazybusy weeks like Christmas-New Years...

1. Realistic Expectations

2. Get to the parks early

3. Fastpass!

4. Patience

5. Arm yourself with info or a decent touring plan

6. Flexibility

7. Realistic Expectations

Yup - that one bears repeating :)

As long as you realize that you won't be able to do EVERYTHING, and that there will be lines and waits for most things - and you're ok with that - then just LET IT GO AND ENJOY BEING AT WDW FOR CHRISTMAS!!

Extra Magic Hours

We did Christmas at the Fort two years ago. Granted Christmas was on Friday but we only went to the parks with Early Extra Magic Hours the week leading up to it. We still managed to, at MK, to do Buzz, Dumbo, Snow White/IASW all with less than a 15 minute wait and get to HM just after normal park hours started. After that we just went with the flow and did whatever we wanted but I had reasonable expectations! Expect the crowds to be horrible and hopefully they will be better than you expect. We figured at that time a year 45-60 minute wait for a ride was more than reasonable. We also avoided Character Meets that trip.

EPCOT WAS CRAZY on Christmas Eve! Oh, we did not go into the parks on Christmas Day!

[Brent... Just Brent 83]

:raspberry:

Normally I'd agree, but Christmas week is a whole other animal if you don't have the right mindset. And if you've got people in your group already second guessing...

Friends of ours that have been to WDW a bunch went Christmas week for the first time this year with their 2 kids - 7 and 3. They said "never again"

They were going to try and do NYE at Epcot, figuring that it was the biggest park in terms of how many people it holds, and it and would probably be their best bet. They said by 7pm it was shoulder-to-shoulder and you couldn't even move.

They managed to get out, went back to the Fort, ate at Trails End and were in bed by 10. :)

Now minus the kids may have been a different story but pushing little ones in a stroller in crowds like that is just plain scary.

They said in generally that they did manage to have fun and do stuff with the kids, but only be getting into the parks early and they still said it wasn't as much fun as other times of the year because of the crowds.

I keep saying that I want to be there for Christmas week one of these years, and I do. But I expect to just walk shuffle around and soak up the atmosphere - not actually DO anything.

Of course I'll be doing it alone, because Brian thinks I'm insane and he'll likely be back at the Fort relaxing in a lounge chair with a beverage (probably visiting with Lou!)

:rofl2:

It really is all about your travel party. I was with a friend. We knew Epcot would be mobbed for NYE this year, and it was, but we meandered in about 4pm. We decided we might as well wait 70 minutes for Soarin' since we really didn't have a lot else to do. We rode Ellen's Energy Adventure (it broke down, so we walked off) and we had counter service food. We also had drinks. Probably more than we should have. We sat and talked (after 2 days of vacation together, there wasn't much to say or catch up on) and generally enjoyed the shows (France, America). It also took 2 hours to get out of the parking lot... which is why I'll NEVER go and not stay on property again. We actually had a good time and would probably do it again.

[jsh...Joyce 11]

Since we have been to disney about 20 plus times, we r just going to hit certain things. Granddaughter will be 13 so she wants roller coasters. We were planning on epcot for nye but might have to rethink that. Hubby will probably stay at the motorhome, with his scooter. It will probably be to hard to get around.

[Lou... 3,118]

and generally enjoyed the shows (France, America).

France has show?

It also took 2 hours to get out of the parking lot.

Two hours, were you blind folded or something? Can we say exit signs?

Since we have been to disney about 20 plus times,

Ahh, a WDW newbie.

Granddaughter will be 13 so she wants roller coasters.

If it's roller coasters she wants, Universal is much better.

Hubby will probably stay at the motorhome, with his scooter. It will probably be to hard to get around.

Wait a minute, you're going to abandon hubby on NYE? He must love that scooter.

There are ways to do things, we'll talk.

[jsh...Joyce 11]

Is there a Christmas 2012 thread out there yet?

There are a few posts out there.

[jsh...Joyce 11]

France has show?

Two hours, were you blind folded or something? Can we say exit signs?

Ahh, a WDW newbie.

If it's roller coasters she wants, Universal is much better.

Wait a minute, you're going to abandon hubby on NYE? He must love that scooter.

There are ways to do things, we'll talk.

He actually hates the scooter, but with MS his walking ability is limited. I like the scooter, makes a great place to store all the stuff I don't want to carry! But as you know when it's crowded it a challenge to get around people. I usually try to walk in front so if he's going to run into anybody it will be, but people still try to get in between us. In 20 plus years we have always stayed at the Fort except for when I had a meeting and the bank was paying. Then we stayed at the Boardwalk. It was nice, but we ended up going to the Fort to check things out. I guess you could say we're hooked on it.

[ftwildernessrick 10]

During the holidays we ride and do what we can, then just relax and enjoy the atmosphere. I generally will quit riding rides if the line is over 30 minutes long.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

France has show?

Isn't the guy who does that weird stuff the chairs considered a show?