DDP and ticket combo activate separately?

[Spencerfamily]

Doing all our costings and with the heavy amount of character meals we are planning on doing this year it looks like the dining plan could be a good option. However, I am getting mixed messages as to whether we can actually get it from our travel agent!
We will be off site for the first week of using our UK 14 day tickets, then move onsite and would potentially want DDP for those 7 days. Is that possible?
One agent said yes, one said no- the tickets and dining plan both have to start when you check into disney resort so tickets could not be used for the first week offsite. This rings a bell with me, but thought I would check with the real experts here and will ring Disney tomorrow to add their opinion to the mix!
Thanks in advance

 

[pickers1982]

Doing all our costings and with the heavy amount of character meals we are planning on doing this year it looks like the dining plan could be a good option. However, I am getting mixed messages as to whether we can actually get it from our travel agent!
We will be off site for the first week of using our UK 14 day tickets, then move onsite and would potentially want DDP for those 7 days. Is that possible?
One agent said yes, one said no- the tickets and dining plan both have to start when you check into disney resort so tickets could not be used for the first week offsite. This rings a bell with me, but thought I would check with the real experts here and will ring Disney tomorrow to add their opinion to the mix!
Thanks in advance

That s my understanding but I may be wrong!

 

[wilma-bride]

If you have a package which includes tickets, you cannot collect and activate those tickets prior to check in.

 

[chmurf]

The dining plan can only be purchased as part of a paxkage (hotel + tickets)
Basically it has to start on the same dates

As previously said you can't pick up your tickets ahaed of time, so booking 1 week offsitee and then 1 week onsite with 14 days tickets means you won't have tickets for your first week

There are ways you can acheive this though

Book 1 week offsite and book 14 days tickets separately. Then for the onsite week, buy a package on the us site with the minimum requirement for tickets and add dining (you have to buy a 2 days throwaway ticket per person, this is in case you gt free dining on the us site)

Second option is to buy 7 days magic your way ticket for the week offsite and then a package for the week onsite, so 2 sets of tickets

Third option is to stay onsite for the first week with dining and 14 days tickets, then move offsite for the second week. Your dining only extends through the first week and your dining credits expire the night after you check out of your disney hotel, but you get to use your tickets for the remainder of their validity

Note that if you buy your tickets as part of the second week package you WILL NOT be able to use them for the first week
A dining plan must be purchased along with tickets and accomodation. It cannot be added to a booking without tickets. So if you purchase 14 days tickets separately to use during your week offsite, you would be required to purchase a new set of tickets to be able to add dining to the second week's onsite booking regardless that you would stiml have 7 days worth of entry left on the 14 days tickets

You might as well purchase 14 days tickets as standalone, so you can use them for the first week, and book a room only (discounted) with disney, and pay for your meals OOP
Even if you had free dining you'd have to purchase another set of tickets or go without tickets for the first week

Hope this is not too confusing

 

[Spencerfamily]

Thank you all- I appreciate everyone's responses. Think we will stick with the set up we have as got a great room rate but thought I may have been missing a bonus trick for the past few years!