New credit card guarantees. Restaurant list, policy & common questions in 1st post

[pinkerbell]

Why would they be getting flak? I thought everybody LOVED all the changes that punish the paying customer? Someone needs to explaing to these people that it's more fair somehow this way and then maybe they will see the light.

off topic, but my husband loves your Beverly avitar! I told him about it and he jumped out of his seat to see it. And I thought nothing got him to jump out of his seat

 

[2disneyland]

Well, I think I have a new one....the CM I talked to told me you could modify your reservation to another day and you wouldn't get charged.

I said...are you sure? She said she had been doing it a lot the last month or so.

She also told me that if you were sick you wouldn't get charged. hmmm.

Hope you got her name, lol.....we all know that some of the CMs don't have a clue about the policies. I've had CMs tell me things like this that I just don't feel is correct, so I will hang up and call back a couple of times trying to confirm it. Now...if several CMs start telling folks this it would be nice to hear!

 

[mcd2745]

I love it! I also love the new FP rules...even though it is not as convenient for me, I think it is better for the greater good of fairness for all.

I agree, but I think that's exactly why so many DISers have a problem with the new rules/policies. I believe a lot of them felt like they had an "insider's edge", for lack of a better term, and they see these new policies as chipping away at that. It's somewhat understandable as a WDW trip is a substantial cost and we all feel the need to try to maximize the amount of fun/value (or whatever word you want to use) we have on a WDW vacation. That's the main reason so many of us are on the DIS to begin with - or at least why we first signed up.

 

[mom2rtk]

........... and "fairness" seems to be the catch word of the day. So I'm SURE that's what it's all about.

 

[jkstewart1800]

I was on the phone the other day finalizing some plans for our upcoming trip and I happened to ask the CM about the 1 day (24 hr) cancellation policy. I told her that some people were saying that it meant literally 24 hours from the time of the reservation and that others were saying it could be even more....

She assured me that the 'official' policy for all 24 hour cancellations (including cabana rentals, massages, carriage rides etc) means the day before. ANY time the day before even if it is less than 24 hours......

 

[cigar95]

She assured me that the 'official' policy for all 24 hour cancellations (including cabana rentals, massages, carriage rides etc) means the day before. ANY time the day before even if it is less than 24 hours......

Was she willing to put that in writing?

They can say anything they want on the phone, but if you don't get it in writing, the response when you dispute the outcome can always be "you must have misunderstood".

Plus, dining reservations are not given as "24 hour cancellations", but the much more ambiguous "one day".

 

[jkstewart1800]

Was she willing to put that in writing?

They can say anything they want on the phone, but if you don't get it in writing, the response when you dispute the outcome can always be "you must have misunderstood".

Plus, dining reservations are not given as "24 hour cancellations", but the much more ambiguous "one day".

Yeah, I take all info via phone with a grain of salt.
She used the terms 24 hours and one day interchangably and assured me that they all mean the day before.....

we shall see though!

 

[TDC Nala]

She also told me that if you were sick you wouldn't get charged. hmmm.

There was already one reported story (which I did not read but other posters were referring to, so I haven't put it in the sticky thread on cancellation policies) that a person whose husband was taken to urgent care from the resort was charged for missing a reservation. I don't know whether they tried to cancel it or just didn't show up though.

 

[catne]

when we were there mid-February, there were several meals that had the credit card on it...we were supposed to be a party of 3, but I was very sick and skipped a couple of the meals. AT both places I skipped, hubby and son made the meal on time, and were told there would be no charge for no-show unless the entire party didn't show up.

So far, there's been no $10 charges on our credit card from Disney.

 

[maxiesmom]

when we were there mid-February, there were several meals that had the credit card on it...we were supposed to be a party of 3, but I was very sick and skipped a couple of the meals. AT both places I skipped, hubby and son made the meal on time, and were told there would be no charge for no-show unless the entire party didn't show up.

So far, there's been no $10 charges on our credit card from Disney.

That is good to hear about the charges, not good at all that you were unwell.

 

[cigar95]

Thanks for the report - there have been a few reports now of not being charged for partial parties, and I have not yet heard of any reports of the charge being applied in that case.

Until we see something in writing, this doesn't mean that it isn't going to happen to the next guy, but so far this is encouraging.

 

[mcd2745]

Having just passed the 180-day mark from when this policy took effect, and therefore every ADR currently outstanding is subject to the policy, seemed like a good time to revisit this (I figured it would be better to resurrect this thread than to start a new one).

By just about every account I've seen, ADR availability is vastly improved overall. That being the case, I would have to say this policy change is extemely successful and is definitely something Disney got right.

 

[Mkrop]

Having just passed the 180-day mark from when this policy took effect, and therefore every ADR currently outstanding is subject to the policy, seemed like a good time to revisit this (I figured it would be better to resurrect this thread than to start a new one).

By just about every account I've seen, ADR availability is vastly improved overall. That being the case, I would have to say this policy change is extemely successful and is definitely something Disney got right.

Availability could be better because there are people like myself and about a dozen others I have talked to who refuse to book at places with a credit card hold. We are going in July, have one CC place booked, all the others are nonCC places, and we have talked about trying the Swan and Dolphin. I refuse to get caught paying if something happens while on vacation and we need to cancel.

 

[maxiesmom]

Availability could be better because there are people like myself and about a dozen others I have talked to who refuse to book at places with a credit card hold. We are going in July, have one CC place booked, all the others are nonCC places, and we have talked about trying the Swan and Dolphin. I refuse to get caught paying if something happens while on vacation and we need to cancel.

Even if that is the case, I like that I don't have to book at the exact instant booking opens up for my vacation. It is nice to have a bit of flexibility.

 

[Colleen27]

By just about every account I've seen, ADR availability is vastly improved overall. That being the case, I would have to say this policy change is extemely successful and is definitely something Disney got right.

For those who value the availability, sure. For those of us avoiding restaurants we used to enjoy because of the new policy, not so much.

As with most changes, it all depends on which side of the coin you're on.

 

[Mkrop]

Even if that is the case, I like that I don't have to book at the exact instant booking opens up for my vacation. It is nice to have a bit of flexibility.

And I liked the flexibility of cancelling my ADR within a reasonable amount of time if someone gets sick, or if for some reason we can no longer make that ADR. So I agree with Colleen it depends what side of the coin you are on. If we find when we are down there in July that we can walk up to the CC places than maybe that flexibility will be replaced with the inflexibility of being charged.

 

[maxiesmom]

And I liked the flexibility of cancelling my ADR within a reasonable amount of time if someone gets sick, or if for some reason we can no longer make that ADR. So I agree with Colleen it depends what side of the coin you are on. If we find when we are down there in July that we can walk up to the CC places than maybe that flexibility will be replaced with the inflexibility of being charged.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but as was said on another thread, it is what it is. People can continue to be upset, but that won't enhance their vacation or make this new policy suddenly go away. I also agree with Disney and think a days notice IS a reasonable amount of time to know if you want to keep an ADR or not. People don't play the dining reservation shuffle outside of the parks, I'm not sure why they think it is acceptable to do at WDW.

I have to say too when we were at the parks last month we somehow had dining credits that we needed to use up. We decided to try and get a last minute ADR in Epcot, and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of restaurants we had to choose from. Another plus for the new system, in my eyes.

 

[DJFan88]

Not sure this is really the big deal either side is making here. When you really get down to it, it's certainly a small percentage of places that are requiring it, mainly character type meals. I though it sounded like a big deal when I first read it, but when I went to make my ADR's for 8 days, I found it only affected one that I wanted to make. I suppose for some this could amount to alot more if you desire alot of those ADR's, but I'm not sure the policy change is making as big a "difference" as proponents wish you to believe.
As far as people not playing "the dining shuffle" outside of Disney, I agree. I can't even remember the last time I've even had to make a dining reservation outside of Disney, never mind credit card guarantee it.

 

[DJFan88]

One thing I neglected to add was that a previous poster said something about not having to know at 180 days your exact plans. This is true. With the other ADR's you have to make them early (to get them) , but then you can fine tune them according to your actual plans as time gets closer (based on availability). 6 months out, I'm basically guessing. 3-4 months out, I've got it set and can re-adjust. I'm sure there are some of you extraordinary people out there who have everything down to what color underwear you will be wearing each day, I'm just not one of them. While I'm sure you can still do this with these guarantee places, it seems like more of a pain in the you know what, and just another opportunity for someone to mess something up with you CC. (Lucky for me, the one place I wanted who needed the CC had availability at 3-4 months out!

 

[SmallWorld71]

The availability is definitely improved. Interestingly, it seems to have improved across the board, not just at CC hold places. (At least from what I've seen.) We actually stopped at DTD this past Friday on our way home from relatives in SW FL and we were able to get a walk-up at T-Rex Cafe for lunch and were seated almost immediately. I was quite surprised as DTD was packed.