No one wants to ever think about canceling vacation to Walt Disney World. Man, just thinking about it makes me unhappy. But it does happen. There’s the tickets you’ve purchased, the Advanced Dining Reservations you’ve scheduled, and the resort room reservations as well. So, what does happen if you have to cancel a Walt Disney World reservation? Honestly, it totally depends on when you do it. Here’s the breakdown on Disney’s policy including what steps you need to take.
I’m going to be completely honest. I’ve had to cancel a Disney World reservation, both room and dining. Things happen, you know? Kids get sick. I got the flu. Or it was even as simple as deciding we didn’t want to eat somewhere. So, what are the steps on how to cancel a Disney World reservation? Here’s exactly what you need to know.
When You Can Cancel Without Penalty
No matter when you have to cancel a reservation, you’ll need to call (407) W-DISNEY and speak with a Disney Reservation Agent or cancel on the official website. Also, if you log into your account online, depending on how far ahead you’re canceling, if you see a “Cancel Reservation” option, you can simply cancel it via clicking the link. I’ve done that before (I found a better deal for an on-property resort) and it was very easy.
Room Only Reservation: At Least 5 Days in Advance. If you booked with a travel agent, allow for even a few days more if possible.
Disney Vacation Package: If you have vacation packages booked that include room and tickets, you have the option of canceling without penalty at 31 days or more in advance.
Tickets Only: Your tickets will never expire so you can hold on to them indefinitely. When you do use them, however, you have 14 days from the first use until they expire unless you purchase a no-expiration option.
Advanced Dining Reservations: If you cancel 24 hours or more ahead of time there’s no penalty.
When It Will Cost You
Room Reservation Only: If you have to cancel less than five days before your check-in date, you’ll probably be paying a cancellation fee, i.e., one night’s stay.
Disney Vacation Package: Cancel 30 days or less before your check-in date and you’ll have a $200 penalty. One day or less and you’ll be paying the entire package price as penalty. If you want to change your vacation package 30 days or less before you check in and the package price goes down, there’s a $50 fee. If you’re upgrading and the package price increases, there’s no fee.
Advanced Dining Reservations: If you have to cancel less than 24 hours before your dining reservation time, you’ll be subject to a $10-$25 per person penalty. To cancel, you’ll need to call (407) WDW-CNCL or (407) WDW-DINE or stop by any table service restaurant front desk and ask them to help you. Also, you can cancel via your My Disney Experience app as well.
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