An interesting discussion is taking place over on DISboards.com today concerning Advance Dining Reservations (ADR) and we’d like some thoughts from our readers on what they think might be going on.
In case you aren’t aware, dining reservations can [and should] be made up to 180-days in advance at most Walt Disney World restaurants. Some of the restaurants are incredibly popular and oftentimes, guests find that there is no availability for certain locations; even that far out. Guests who are staying at a Walt Disney World owned and operated resort have the extra perk of making their dining reservations for their whole vacation; up to 10 days.
Over on the Disney Dining Reservations sub-forum to our Disney Restaurants board, poster ‘JessRose‘ explains how she woke up at the crack of dawn, exactly 180-days prior to her arrival date at Walt Disney World to make her dining reservations. She was unable to find a single pre-park opening breakfast for her party of two during their entire 9-day stay. She decided to search for a party of three or four instead and was able to find quite a bit of availability at 8:00 a.m. – before the parks opened that day. The poster wonders if the reason for this is that “Disney could make more money if a larger party showed up instead.” She went ahead and made the reservations for a party of three and figured that she’d just go ahead and pay a cancellation fee for the third person who didn’t show up. She stopped by the boards feeling like the situation is unfair and to ask other Disney-goers what she should do from here; lots of advice is coming in.
Poster ‘melanielll‘ says, “they won’t charge you if you show up with less people. Also – you can modify the reservation to a lower number of guests after you make it.”
Poster ‘Betty Rohrer‘ claims, “there are very few tables that seat only 2 but a lot more that seat 4. So it is easier to make ressie for 3 or 4.” She also says that she has “never been charged when only part of [the] group showed up.”
“As someone who routinely makes ADRs for 2 people (& who sometimes also checks 3/4 people for an availability comparison), I find it to be hit and miss whether there are more ressies for 3/4 people than for 2. Sometimes, there are ressies available for 2 but not for 4. Two summers ago, we made all of our ressies for 3, because my significant other was going to go, but then couldn’t at the last minute due to work. I couldn’t get the ADRs changed at the last minute, so just explained my situation at each restaurant at check-in.” says poster ‘Shanti.’
Have you ever experienced this scenario? What worked and/or didn’t work for you? Let us know in the comments below or join the discussion on our Facebook page.
Source: DISboards.com
