On
Dec 5, 2010
Catherine from NS
Asked
Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.
Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.
“
Any problem with holding 2 reservations for supper and cancelling one a day or prior , depending on that days anticpated schedule ?”
Catherine:
You touch on something controversial in the Disney dining world: hoarding reservations.
While Disney does allow you to make multiple reservations for the same time and does not penalize you for a no-show, the hope is that guests will not abuse the system.
I am not assuming that you have done this, but if, for example, everyone who made Advanced Dining Reservations made duplicate reservations at another locale, in another park, for another time, many guests may not be able to get reservations, possibly souring their Disney planning experience, but worse, it creates a customer service problem for Disney. As last-minute cancellations come in along with no-shows, Disney is left having to spend time re-arranging seating to accommodate stand-by customers, rather than seating guests they've anticipated and for whom tables are set.
While it's considerate to cancel those reservations 24 hours in advance (believe me, some Stand-by customers who do not plan ahead will be very appreciative), there will be many guests who are planners like you and me, who have been anxious that they couldn't get into their favorite restaurant for reservations weeks or even months ago. This would describe my family, who couldn't get in to Chef Mickey's, and I probably called three to four times a day for two months prior to our trip, finally landing a table 48 hours ahead while waiting in line for Kilamanjaro Safaris...yes, I was so glad someone canceled, but a lot of time was wasted dialing and staying on hold multiple times.
To some, the "savvy" thing is to have multiple reservations so you have "choices," but, in my opinion, the Golden Rule is to make a choice, be content, and allow others to enjoy the same peace that comes with also getting an ADR.
Wishing y'all a magical vacation!
Whitney