Can you get less days on the DDP than you have booked nights?

[SunBearLewis]

We're thinking of going to DW in October from a Saturday to a Saturday. 7 nights, but only buying 6 days worth of park tickets. Last year we found it got our vacation off to such a tiring start to feel like we needed to make it to a park on arrival day.
My question is: when I get a quote through the disney website my impression is it's giving me my DPP plan based on being there 7 nights - thus 7 days worth of meals, but we're only planning on being in the parks 6 days and I figured we'd fend differently that first day. (I hope I'm making sense) I guess my real question is - if we're staying seven nights, can I just get 6 days worth of the dining plan? (we're going in late Oct, so I'm not counting on the DDP being free.) Or is it automatically figured on how many nights you're staying?
Thanks!:)

[Faldred]

It's based on the number of nights of your reservation.

You could make two reservations, just be aware that whichever one has the DDP would require a minimum 1-day ticket purchase.

[MelanieC]

Yep - you must take it for all days of your reservations. Easy way around that is to book the first night room only. You will have to go to the front desk the next morning though, so it may not be worth the hassle.

[TDC Nala]

The dining plan is never based on the number of days for which you have park tickets. It is based on the number of nights you stay at your resort. If you stay 7 nights you will have 7 nights' worth of credits. However, 7 nights worth of credits is not necessarily 7 days worth of meals.

You are not required to use (using the basic plan for an example) 1 TS, 1 CS credit and 1 snack per day of your vacation. You can mix up the credits however you want. If you have enough TS credits, you can try a signature meal or room service/pizza delivery, which take 2 TS credits per person (or per pizza). Getting the dining plan means you have to plan your meals in order to use up all your credits.

There are also a LOT of restaurants that aren't located in parks, so if you don't feel like you have to go to a park on arrival day but you wouldn't mind visiting a restaurant, you can work in a restaurant meal.

If you really just want 6 night's worth of credits, you can take the previous poster's advice and book your first night room only since you won't need any tickets, then buy a room/tickets/dining package for the next 6 nights. You would have to check in again, which might mean having to change rooms, but you could ask to remain in the same room (you may not be able to). I'd advise to take a look at the restaurants and menus and plan where you'd want to eat first - it might turn out that you need 7 nights worth of credits.

[Symans3honeybees]

I would make my last night, a room only reservation. All of the DDP credits left over from your first 6 night's package will still be valid on the 7th day. You will be in control of how you would use your dining credit more efficiently this way. JMO:thumbsup2

[mickeyluv'r]

Three thoughts:

One, you can use up extra credits by doing a double credit dinner. If you aren't into somethign like Narcoosee's, you could have fun at one of the two dinner shows.

Two, if you are going to do a room only reservation day - to it on the tail end. Not only can you use up dining credits (and you may well have some left over) until midnight of the day you check out of the package you had with the dining credits, you can also verify that you'll get to keep your room in advance (or have to change rooms - no promises on those.)

Three, as another poster said, you don't have to use the table service credits in park or on the first day. You can go to a resort, or just stick with quick serve credits the first day. You can double up another day.

[SunBearLewis]

Thanks for the advice. Looking through UG has made me realize that you do need two credits for some TS meals. I didn't pay any attention to this the last time we went because we ate in the parks very little. This time we're bringing the in-laws so it will be slower paced and more focus on trying different places to eat. I already knew I wanted to try California Grill, so I'm guessing the extra credits will come in handy.

[fireman1]

We're stating 7 nights/6 days and from what I gathered from the lady we talked to on the phone, we get 7 days worth of meals..I even asked her twice to make sure I understood her correctly. She said it's based on nites your staying, not the days on your park tickets.

[buzyanne]

We're stating 7 nights/6 days and from what I gathered from the lady we talked to on the phone, we get 7 days worth of meals..I even asked her twice to make sure I understood her correctly. She said it's based on nites your staying, not the days on your park tickets.

That is correct that gives you the option of doing at least 1 2 ticket meal 2 if you use one of the quick quick serivces for dinner on another day and apply that table service with another. By going by nights It also means you can have breakfast your final morning? Just idea things that are all options

[design_mom]

We did 6 days/7 nights on our most recent trip. We spent 6 days in the park.

We arrived in the evening on a Saturday. After we checked in, we had a counter service dinner at Downtown Disney (or, if you just want to chill out, you could do it at your resort.)

On our departure day, we didn't go into the parks. Instead, we booked a character breakfast at a resort hotel and used our remaining table service credit. After that, we headed for the airport.

Essentially, we split that 7th set of credits between our arrival and departure days, but did not go into a park on those days. It worked out really well for us.