Changes to table service dining cancellation policy
Disney is making changes to the reservation cancellation policy for some of the most popular restaurants at Walt Disney World. It has been a frequent complaint with guests that they are unable to dine at restaurants due to unavailability, that is in many cases caused by other guests making reservations and then not attending or guests double booking restaurants because they dont know where they want to dine.
Starting on October 26 2011, guests will be required to provide a credit card in order to make a reservation for signature dining restaurants. In the event that a cancellation is not made at least one day in advance, the credit card on the reservation will be charged $10 per person.
Signature restaurants requiring the credit card guarantee:
• 1900 Park Fare
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
• Artist Point
• California Grill
• Cape May Café
• Chef Mickey’s
• Cítricos
• The Crystal Palace
• Flying Fish Café
• The Garden Grill
• Hollywood & Vine
• Jiko – The Cooking Place
• Le Cellier Steakhouse
• Narcoossee’s
• ‘Ohana
• Tusker House Restaurant
• The Hollywood Brown Derby
• Victoria & Albert’s – $25 per person
• Yachtsman Steakhouse
Reservations can be cancelled at any table service restaurant podium, at a special number of 407-WDW-CNCL, at www.disneyworld.com/dining, or at any guest relations or resort front desk.
While I agree that it should be considered a common courtesy to cancel a dining reservation if you change your plans, I seriously doubt that no-shows have a negative impact on WDW restaurants. If you have ever tried to dine at the most popular restaurants without a reservation, you know it is almost impossible. Even with reservations you often have to wait a long time to be seated, leading me to believe that they overbook. Our trip last December coincided with record-breaking cold weather and by the end of the week my husband and I were both sick. We ended up cancelling our last two reservations several hours before, after it started raining. Had we incurred the fees they are now implementing, I would have been one very unhappy, sick guest.
I really can’t see that it will make reservations easier to obtain. And if that is not the end result, it’s just another money-maker for Disney.