The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Disney is changing the policy for accepting reservations at Cinderella's Royal Table. You will now be required to give a credit card to hold the reservation, and the person showing up for the reservation and the name on the credit card must be the same.
Orlando Sentinel Article
Reserving seat with Cinderella will soon require a credit card
By Robert Johnson
Even a prince will need a credit card to make a breakfast reservation with Cinderella at the Magic Kingdom starting June 9.
Walt Disney World officials said Friday that "guest concerns" over a group of volunteers who have been locking up reservations at the popular Cinderella's Royal Table -- then handing them out on a travel Web site -- are forcing them to require credit card deposits.
"Disney World wants reservations at our restaurants to be available to all our guests," Disney spokeswoman Rena Callahan said.
Howard Ditchek, a Valley Stream, N.Y., veterinarian, was host of "The Breakfast Club," one of several message forums on a travel Web site called DisneyNation.com. He and other volunteers -- who dubbed themselves "Howie's Angels" -- dial into the Disney World dining reservation phone lines every morning when they open at 7 a.m. to secure reservations.
The practice, though, created a firestorm of protest on other Internet sites, prompting many complaints to Disney.
Under the current system, no deposits are required and the person who claims the reservation needn't be the same one who made it.
But starting next month, a credit card deposit will be required when making reservations -- and the person whose credit card is used must show up at the breakfast.
"This is a great step that Disney is taking," said Maria Pepe, a registered nurse in Voorhes, N.J. A regular Disney World visitor with two children, she said reservations wouldn't be so tough to get at the Cinderella breakfast if the Angels didn't jam phone lines every morning.
Ditchek, who couldn't be reached on Friday for comment, said last month that he and the other volunteers were simply trying to help frustrated tourists who had difficulty getting the coveted reservations.
Earlier this week, Ditchek e-mailed his followers that he is stepping down as host of "The Breakfast Club." His brief note said that although he "must pass the baton" of leadership, he would still be phoning Disney to make Cinderella reservations for others.
And an announcement on the Web site said the practice of securing reservations for others would continue, despite the new credit card rule.
But Disney World won't be making exceptions to the rule for Ditchek or anyone else. "The rule is for everyone," Callahan said.
The required deposits will be $10 for each adult in the party and $5 per child. The price of the meals are $15.99 plus tax for adults and $8.99 per child. Reservations for the 122 tables are often sold out 60 days ahead -- the maximum advance time for which callers are allowed to book