Many Guests Wrongly Pre-Charged for Akershus Dining
If you’re like most of the MickeyBlog team you were up early and pumped for the opening day of reservations for Storybook Dining at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall! It’s been a long time coming, but princess dining is finally returning!
While the morning held much anticipation, glitches made booking difficult for many Guests. The biggest snafu of all: many lucky Guests who snagged reservations found their credit cards already charged for the full amount of their dining experience!
This didn’t happen to all Guests. MickeyTravels agents across the board watched it happen to clients left and right…but not others. Yours truly has a reservation for 4 with no credit card charges. Facebook pages lit up with posts from Guests being charged unexpectedly with just as many replies that others were not.
Though this appears to be a glitch in the system and not an intentional surprise, Guests are rightfully upset. At $63 per adult and $41 per child, not including taxes and gratuity, Akershus currently ranks as the priciest Disney character dining in Walt Disney World. That’s not chump change to hit a credit card when one isn’t expecting it.
Now Disney is no stranger to prepaid experiences. Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table or seeing the Hoop-De-Doo Musical Review will cost you up front. But there was no notice given that this would be the case for Akershus. In fact the fine print on the reservation confirmation quite literally states that a credit card is used to hold the reservation only, as is the case for most dining reservations at Walt Disney World.
It is important to note that in almost all cases we’ve heard of, the charges are still a “pending transaction”. Disney is aware of the problem and is working toward fixing it. Most likely, the charges will drop off of Guests’ cards before they ever process. But refunds ARE being given to those that call and request them. (Pro tip: If you used a MickeyTravels agent, they’re likely already handling this for you!)
The reopening of Storybook Dining at Akershus on November 4th will mark the first reappearance of full princess dining since the Covid closure of 2020. Guests can expect family style favorites to share as their favorite princesses stop by.
While the morning came with challenges, Akershus has always been such a beloved experience. If you were among the lucky ones to book a reservation this morning you are in for quite a royal treat!
Ready to plan a Disney vacation and see the Royalty for yourself?
As a Vacation Planner with MickeyTravels I can help you on the road to a magical Disney vacation! Whether at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line or Aulani, I’m happy to help you with everything from date selection to dining reservations. (Including the beloved Akersus!) Let’s create an itinerary that gives you and your loved ones magical memories for years to come. All of my planning services are 100% FREE with no hidden catch! You can find more information here, follow my Facebook page, or email me at andra@MickeyTravels.com. I’d love to help you get back to the magic!