Adding People to Reservation

[lumpydj]

I've done a search on this board for an answer to my question before I asked it, but I didn't find anything for my specific situation, so here goes...

We have a 2BR booked for 12/4 - 12/11. Right now, we have only 4 people on the reservation. At this point, we're thinking we'd like to add the DDP so assume that's there too. My Dad lives an hour away so we were thinking he could stay with us for a couple of days while we're there and we could celebrate Christmas with him. He won't be there for the whole trip, maybe only 2 nights and he'd probably bring his girlfriend. IF we get the DDP, would we be able to get them added to the reservation for only the days they'll be there and NOT get the dining plan for them? We'd want them to have room keys in case we end up staying at BCV (which I hear you need a room key to get access to the pool). First, is this possible? And second, how would we do it?

I did see a response to a post that said that we can add people AFTER we check in to get them room keys, but it wasn't clear if we would have to pay for the dining plan for them.

Thanks all-knowing DIS'rs

 

[wildernessDad]

No you won't. The DDP is for all on the reservation for the entire time.

 

[pmarlow]

I had the same question & found that the only way to accomplish this is to have dad & guest come at the end of your trip. Add them & the dining plan when they get there. it will have to be for the remainder of your stay. Everyone in your room has to have the plan for the entire stay. From the time he joins your room, the ddp will be added until you all check out.

 

[lumpydj]

Sounds like the best idea is to skip the DDP then IF we stay at BCV. I can't believe how inflexible it is - especially for DVC owners.

Another question - if we're staying at AKV - is there any drawback to not adding them to the reservation at all? Do they do the same thing at the AKV pool that they do at SAB - check EVERYONE's room key?

Thanks.

 

[Chuck S]

I had the same question & found that the only way to accomplish this is to have dad & guest come at the end of your trip. Add them & the dining plan when they get there. it will have to be for the remainder of your stay. Everyone in your room has to have the plan for the entire stay. From the time he joins your room, the ddp will be added until you all check out.

Be aware that adding the DDP late in the stay also means that the front desk has to manually cancel and rebook the reservation. This often throws points into holding status, or has them borrow points from the following year without your knowledge. Resort personnel can not fully access the MS booking system, and when they make changes, it makes a mess of your account. I would definitely just skip the DDP for any trip where additional guests arrive later, unless you personally plan on using the extra meal credits.

Sounds like the best idea is to skip the DDP then IF we stay at BCV. I can't believe how inflexible it is - especially for DVC owners.

Another question - if we're staying at AKV - is there any drawback to not adding them to the reservation at all? Do they do the same thing at the AKV pool that they do at SAB - check EVERYONE's room key?

Thanks.

You should always add additional guests to your room reservation, it is DVC/Disney policy, and is a safety issue in case of fire or other emergency. It may even by FL law.

As far as the DDP being inflexible for DVC members, remember that the DDP was NOT designed wih DVC in mind, and wasn't even available to DVC for the first year or so. It was designed to be part of a cash resort package, and most people do not add/change guests in a normal hotel room. Nor is the DDP designed to save money. It is a convenience package, a way to pre-pay meals, similar to the growing popularity of all-inclusive vacations.

 

[wildernessDad]

One thing you could do is make two separate reservations, but there is no guarantee that you won't have to move to the second room.

 

[backyardponder]

From your countdown, it looks like you are making 2 trips. Are you planning on getting Annual Passes? If so, then you might want to consider a TIW card which gives you 20% off table service meals PLUS 20% in most lounges for drinks. DDP doesn't include drinks.

Just a thought.

 

[lumpydj]

We went on our first trip of the year last week so we have only one more trip this year (my trip counter was wrong so I took it off). We tried the DDP last week and really liked it for the convenience. However, if it will make the rest of the trip inconvenient, than it's not worth it. I think we still may get the TIW card (we did buy APs) and will save us some money. That will just make things easier all around.

I didn't really want to keep people off the reservation. I'm kind of a "by the book" type of person. For example, DD10 came with us last week but everyone assumed she was a "child". I had bought her an adult DDP because she was 10 and had to keep telling all the restaurants that she needs to order off the adult menu - not the child. I'm sure we wouldn't have had an issue passing her off as a "child", but I didn't feel comfortable with that.

 

[dzorn]

From your countdown, it looks like you are making 2 trips. Are you planning on getting Annual Passes? If so, then you might want to consider a TIW card which gives you 20% off table service meals PLUS 20% in most lounges for drinks. DDP doesn't include drinks.

Just a thought.

DDP does include drinks it does not include alcoholic drinks.

Denise in MI

 

[PurpleTurtle]

Just did this with my MIL who lives an hour away from Disney. The six of us were on our reservation with the DDP. Checked in, paid for the DDP. The day after we checked in, we went down to the front desk and told them DMIL would be coming to stay that night and one night the next week. They added her for the rest of our stay (their idea), and gave me a KTTW card for her as well as a parking pass for her. We did not pay DDP for her, they actually said that we couldn't change our DDP after check-in anyway (I didn't want to). This was at BLT. They were very nice about the whole thing, seemed like standard operating procedure. Couldn't have been easier.

I'd say keep your DDP and add the extra person(s) AFTER you have checked in. Worked like a charm for us.

 

[lumpydj]

Just did this with my MIL who lives an hour away from Disney. The six of us were on our reservation with the DDP. Checked in, paid for the DDP. The day after we checked in, we went down to the front desk and told them DMIL would be coming to stay that night and one night the next week. They added her for the rest of our stay (their idea), and gave me a KTTW card for her as well as a parking pass for her. We did not pay DDP for her, they actually said that we couldn't change our DDP after check-in anyway (I didn't want to). This was at BLT. They were very nice about the whole thing, seemed like standard operating procedure. Couldn't have been easier.

I'd say keep your DDP and add the extra person(s) AFTER you have checked in. Worked like a charm for us.

This was what I was hoping to do...although now we're thinking we'll just do the TIW card. Oh the dilema! Plus I'd hate to try to go the route you did and end up with a situation similar to what Chuck S mentioned.

 

[Sandisw]

This was what I was hoping to do...although now we're thinking we'll just do the TIW card. Oh the dilema! Plus I'd hate to try to go the route you did and end up with a situation similar to what Chuck S mentioned.

I think that is one of the things that can be frustrating about WDW. Things are handled differently.

The policy is that the person should be charged for the DDP, even after check in. It is great for the person who wasn't, but counting on that could be an expensive wish.

I agree--go with the TIW card for this trip.

 

[PurpleTurtle]

The policy is that the person should be charged for the DDP, even after check in.

This is all so interesting to me. When we did this a couple of weeks ago, after adding MIL, I double checked to make sure she was not added to the DDP (didn't want to pay an extra ~$300 for her to stay one or two nights.) Both the check-in desk and concierge desks were adamant that we would not have been able to add someone to the DDP after check-in, even if we had wanted to. That it would not even be possible. They said no dining plans could be added after check-in. This was at BLT/Contemporary.

We did not in anyway alter our DVC reservation when adding MIL to the room. We were 6 in a 2BR with a max occupancy of 9, so adding one didn't affect that in any way, so maybe as long as you don't change your original DVC room reservation when adding the person it's fine to add the person(s) to the room w/o adding them to the DDP??? I'd just make sure that you don't mess with your DVC points/reservation so that your points don't go into holding or anything strange like that.