WDW character dining reservation cancellation (cost, reservations, castle, photos)

[kcam213]

I have reservations for Garden Grill lunch. I really had my heart set on some Princesses breakfast but I waited too late to finalize my travel plans.

My question is, so many people reserve for spots 190 days in advance... I am wondering if all those reservations are actually kept.

I mean I can make a reservation 190 days from now, and I have no intentions of being at WDW at that time.

There was no money or credit card to reserve... just name and phone number. I didn't even need proof of reservations to resort.


Soooo, what are the chances of someone not actually making reservations?

I was told that I could call the day before... should I wait until I am there to call the night before, just try to show up and get seated, or should I continue to call the reservation number dailiy to see if there were any cancellations?

My daughter is 8 and of course loves the princesses. To her credit she has taken this bit of disappointment well. I think I am more upset than she is.

[golfgal]

If I read you right you are trying to get the Princess Breakfast and hoping that someone cancels so you can get it, right? If that is what you are asking, people cancel all the time. Keep calling back, daily, to see if there is an opening.

If you are asking if you made a reservation and just don't go, that happens all the time. They like you to cancel in advance so they know the spot is open but they don't charge you anything (except for a few select places where you do have to put it on a credit card--the Princess breakfast in the castle is one). If you cancel that in advance they don't charge you anything.

[5FLgirls]

I have booked Princess breakfasts the day before many times. Have you thought about trying Norway in Epcot for breakfast. We didn't get into our first choice last year and we ended up there. The food was good and I got TONS of princess photos for my girls. If you call, just tell them your open to anything and they usually find you something.

[kcam213]

Thanks to both!

I will keep calling daily for Norway and the castle.

I was open to anything for the entire 6 days I am there, breakfast lunch or dinner and there were only 2 choices.. the Ohanna and Garden Grill. This is in the middle of the week before school is out of session. I was pretty surprised that everything was booked. I figured that not all those people would actually show for their reservations.

I will call daily. Thanks!

[srhudson06]

Cinderella's Royal Table is either credit card guaranteed (if you are on the dining plan) or pre-paid, that said, people cancel all the time. Keep calling back and see if you can get in and good luck!!

[golfgal]

If you eat dinner in the Castle, it isn't well advertised but Cinderella usually makes and appearance in the lobby. Sometimes it is easier to get a reservation there for dinner. Are you staying onsite with the free dining plan? When we ate at the castle our meal for the 5 of us would have cost over $200 if we were not on the free dining plan.

[kcam213]

No, I thought hard about the dining plan. Some advised yes, others, no.

I decided against it because I am thinking my daughetr will want to get quick bite to eat at the burger grills and corn dog type items.

I know it is junk food, but we plan to have good breakfast at the buffet type breakfast.

I have a lunch reserve at Garden Grill for character meal On Tuesday... and just scored a late dinner at Princess table for the Norway Diner in
Epcot on monday night.

I am going to continue to call for an earlier meal for the Princess dinner and may skip the character lunch the next day.

I can imagine my DH balking at 2 expensive meals in a row (monday night, tues afternoon).

Hoping to score a princess breakfast reserve then I will cancel the expensive lunches and dinners and just go for the WDW version of McD's for other meals.

WDW also suggested that I call especially 3 - 4 days before my trip and then call while at WDW.
those Pricnesses breakafast reserves has to be cancelled 48 hours advance or a charge goes on your credit card.

My first reserve didn't ask for a credit card number.

[golfgal]

You might want to reconsider the dining plan. Go to Disney World - The Largest Unofficial On-Line Guide to Disney World, Walt Disney World and look into the information there. The kids pay so little on the dining plan and it works out to be SO much less expensive then paying as you go. They have a children's menu available for the kids too. We saved about $1000 by using the dining plan when we went to Disney (there were 5 of us). The burger grills are included in the plan. What you can do is get a good breakfast, use your 'snacks' for mid day and then eat at a sit down restaurant in the evening for a little rest time before you do the evening at the parks.