New Dining Cancellation Policy On Hold

Disney had planned to implement a new cancellation policy for Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) beginning tomorrow, October 31. This policy would require a credit card to hold ALL table service reservations, and a fee of $10 per guest would be charged for any no-shows. The obvious reason for this policy is the rampant practice of guests making multiple reservations, often in multiple parks, for convenience (ensuring multiple options in case plans change) and cancelling (or not) with little or no notice. This practice wreaks havoc on the dining system, prohibiting other guests from snagging ADRs that go unused. And it's selfish. (That last bit is just my opinion.)

That said, I am now reading that this policy will NOT go into effect tomorrow as originally planned. No date has been given, but I do believe this is a delay, rather than a change, in the new policy. Previous cancellation fees that were already in place--those for Signature Dining and certain character experiences--are still in effect as they were before.

 

Thursday's Tip

I shared many tips over the years on how to save money on food at Walt Disney World. But even the cheapest among us (yes, I'm speaking of myself) likes to splurge every now and then. While we're not big fans of spending too much time (or money!) in table service restaurants while on vacation, our family usually tries to splurge on at least one new dining experience each trip. So my tip is two-fold: First, make your ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations) as early as possible--in most cases, you can do this 180 days in advance of your arrival. This step has become increasingly important in recent years, as "Free Fall Dining" promotions have become the norm. And second, be sure to know about any dining closures for your travel dates. Obviously, when you call to make ADRs, you will be alerted to closures for table service restaurants, but it's also good to know if your favorite counter service eatery is going to be closed too. Here's a list of current and upcoming closures:

• ESPN Club (BoardWalk Resort): closed now and will re-open late spring


• BoardWalk Bakery, BoardWalk Resort: currently closed and expected to open late spring or early summer


• Main Street Bakery (Magic Kingdom): currently closed and will re-open May 18 as a Starbucks location


• California Grill (Contemporary Resort): closed now through late summer


• Fountain View Cafe (Epcot): closing in March and will reopen sometime this summer as a Starbucks location


• Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom): closing briefly for refurbishment May 13-16