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Disney Completely Changes Dining Reservation System – Here Are the Details

Family Dining at Be Our Guest at Night
Credit: Disney

Disney has changed the rules again.

Across Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as Disney Springs and the Resort hotels, Disney offers an array of cuisines to try on your Disney vacation.

Any sit-down dining location on Walt Disney World property, however, has an Advanced Dining Reservation option on the My Disney Experience app, and for those trying to cancel their reservation, it can prove costly.

Now, the Walt Disney World Resort has changed how Disney dining reservations work. So, here we go again as we explain another Disney change.

Cinderella Royal Table

Credit: Disney

From ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to the character dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, Disney Guests try desperately to snag coveted reservations across the Disney Parks and Resorts.

Making a dining reservation in advance on the My Disney Experience app is always your best chance at scoring that sought-after table at places like Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom, Boma – Flavors of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Space 220 at EPCOT.

The only issue that arises with this option is if your plans change. If you have a reservation that you wish to cancel, you must do so beforehand, or else you will incur a fee of $10.00 per person. With crowds increasing since the pandemic reopenings of theme parks, many popular restaurants are unavailable for walk-ins at peak times of the day, as reservations often fill all slots.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, you could make an Advance Dining Reservation for a table service restaurant 180 days in advance. Now, it’s 60 days. You also had to make sure to cancel your reservation 24 hours in advance or pay a fee. Disney has since allowed Disney Park Guests to cancel a reservation 2 hours in advance without penalty. Now it seems the Disney rules have been changed again.

Yak & Yeti Interior

Credit: Disney

If you had attempted to cancel within 2 hours, you would have noticed that the app does not let you and provides a number you can call to cancel. It also notes that you may still be charged even if you cancel, as it is within their chargeable period.

Originally, Guests on the My Disney Experience app could just click the “Modify” button, select any other date and time available in the future and cancel the dining reservation, as they were no longer in the 2-hour period. This trick helped Guests save a lot of money depending on party size and allowed more flexibility during a Disney vacation.

Disney has now closed this secret little way of canceling ADRs. Modifications cannot be made online within 2 hours of your reservation. Disney’s website was updated to say:

“Restaurants offering advance reservations do not allow modifications within 2 hours of the reservation time, and most charge a $10 per-person fee to cancel within 2 hours of the reservation time, or if you don’t show up for your reservation. Each restaurant’s policies are provided when you make your reservation. If you’ve already booked, the policies can be found in your email confirmation.”

my disney experience app screenshot

Credit: Disney via Screenshot

It appears this change may have stemmed from the increased crowds in the Disney theme parks, with Advance Dining Reservations becoming harder and harder to come by for the most popular restaurants, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table and Space 220.

Closing the modification loophole ensures Disney Park Guests will actually turn up to their restaurant reservation and Disney will make money.

So, remember, if you think you’re going to miss your Disney dining reservation, modify or cancel it in the Disney app before the 2 hour mark – otherwise you’ll be paying $10 per Guest!

About Melissa Cannioto

Melissa is an author, adventurer, and chatterbox, who has worked at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Adventures by Disney! A British native, she has traveled the world seeking new experiences, and now resides in Florida with her husband, an Air Force pilot. Find her children's book at @bear.hug.book