adding the DDP but already made ADR

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

Is this a problem? The CM I just talked to said I cannot make ADRs until getting my DDP (wanting to first pay our trip, then add the dining plan later in the month about 2 weeks before we leave)

She told me that they would have to cancel all my ADRs and then I would have to make new ones if I wanted to use the DDP

WHAT? Can I tell you how horrible that would be

Why can't I just tell the restaurant when we get there we are on the dining plan?

I didnt book any of the ADRs off my reservation number anyways

I hope this isnt true

 

[vinotinto]

How can they enforce this? I mean, anyone can make an ADR and it does not need to be linked to your resort ressie. You just need to do them 180 days out (or less).

However, if you already know you will be adding DDP, why not just go ahead and do it now, that way you can verify that your ressies are still there (which I'm sure they will still be).

 

[SHOREDAD]

My understanding is that you can book your ADR's without the dining plan. If you weren't on the dining plan you would be able to book right? When we went last year it was our first on the dining plan and we told them at the restaurant we were on the DDP. I think the CM was trying to discourage people who book ADR's and hold up the reservation and then don't show up. Hope this helps and if I am wrong please correct me!

 

[Faldred]

You can book ADRs separately from your room/dining package. The CM is flat out wrong in this case.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

seriously she scared me lol- she was like- well if you are planning on adding the ddp then you have to do it now, and then you can book your ADRs

I told her I first wanted to pay off the trip and she told me that I shouldnt be making ADRs until I get the DDP or I will lose all of my previous reservations.....

this better not be true!!!

EDIT: I just called WDW again and talked to another CS in Dining Plans- I told her that we were thinking of adding the dining plan but worried that if we did we would lose all of our pre-existing ressies- and that if that was the case then we wouldn't be adding- she quickly and politely said, oh no, no, no, you wont lose any of your reservations, it wont be a problem at all-

Phew- solved!

 

[SiAmCrAzY]

I just had the same thing happened to me! I have spoke with 3 Cast members about this and they say it is a NEW POLICY!

I have been booking my room then adding the DP on for several trips now, but no more. I agree it helps to do it this way then you get the room rate, and the ADR'S you want without haveing to dish out thousands of dollars 180 days in advance.
The last cast member I spoke with was very helpful, ahe made it sound like they just wanted all of your information linked and she did re-book most of my ADR's once the DP was added and my res paid in full. Although there were some she could not , and she told me to keep calling back to get them added and that if I could not to try and explain it to them once I arrived.

She made it sound as if Disney would try to be accommodating during this transition period, but that eventually that if you don't book an ADR after the DP is added expect to pay out of pocket.

I would love to hear more about this from a CM here on the boards. This is definitely going to effect the number of trips per year I take to WDW. I like to pay for my trips one at a time, but with this new policy I would have had to pay for 3 trips in full at once (Apr POFQ, Aug YC, and Oct YC) and that is not going to happen . So maybe it's time to check out Tables in Wonderland again.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

so did you lose those ressies- or do you just have to tell the server when you get there that you are on the ddp?

edit: nevermind- i get it- the ones you can't reschedule you are going to just try to tell the server that you are now on the ddp.

so odd that it never asked me for my reservation number when booking my adrs

 

[SiAmCrAzY]

so odd that it never asked me for my reservation number when booking my adrs

I thought the same thing as I just finally got Le celier online! Now I feel like I need to call back and make sure its linked to my res. Although, if you are logged into the WDW when you make those ADR's after adding the DP it should be ok right? I may call and ask as I am utterly confused by this.

 

[mjp12831]

The ADR and the payment have to remain separate.

For example, if you dont have an ADR but are on the DDP and go to a TS "standby" are they then going to not allow you to use your DDP TS credit?

Not sure what the reservation has to do with the payment method

In addition, how is the table server going to know you made your reservation before adding the DDP or after?

I understand them trying to link everything. Dis podcast a few weeks ago discussed how they were implementing a new computer system at WDW, and the difficulty was transitioning to the new without losing the data in the old systems. I am sure this confusion is part of this upgrade, but the logistics of mandating payment method based off of when an ADR is made seems impossible.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

"For example, if you dont have an ADR but are on the DDP and go to a TS "standby" are they then going to not allow you to use your DDP TS credit?"

that makes so much sense! I will not rush into booking the DDP right this second now. Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

OK, so if you stay off site, are you allowed to make ADR'S??? I always thought you could, just not 180 + 10.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Your dining reservations are not linked to your reservation.
You do NOT have to have the dining plan to make ADR's.
You do NOT have to link your ADR's to your reservation (unless you want to book 180+10).
You do NOT have to stay on Disney property to make ADR's.

 

[mjp12831]

OP - you also referenced wanting to pay off your trip.

From what I understand, you should always leave a balance on your trip until you have to finish paying it off. As explained to me, if you have a balance due you are able to cancel and rebook if a better deal comes out, but if you have already paid the entire trip you cannot rebook.

Others may be able to either confirm or refute this - Like you I also like to get things paid for and out of the way, but I just leave around $500 payable until I have to pay it.

 

[LucyMEWS]

I had made ADRs based on our package deal that had not included any dining plan. Then when free kids play/eat Visa deal came out, I changed to that with an upgrade to regular dining plan. All my previous ADRs were fine except for my CRT lunch which they said they had to rebook (which I did to a CRT dinner that I had wanted to change anyway) due to being on a credit card already. (We didn't have any dinner shows booked). They said it was due to the charge on the credit card.

My other ADRS were for Boma, Chef Mickeys, Whispering Canyon, Fantasmic - H&V, Narcoosees, Cali Grill, and Ohana.

Hope this helps.

 

[TDC Nala]

It makes absolutely no difference if you add DDP on later. All you have to do is say when you arrive at the restaurant that you are paying with dining credits. They will not say you can't use DDP unless your restaurant reservation is linked to a room reservation. I am not even sure the restaurant itself, once the reservation is transferred to them from the dining reservation system, can even tell whether or not you are linked to a resort reservation.

The only difference is that if you have a dining plan on your reservation you should be exempt from prepayment for Cinderella's Royal Table and the three dinner shows. If you've already prepaid, you can't add the dining plan later and get refunded. You would get refunded only when you go to pick up the tickets or arrive at the restaurant/event and change your payment method to dining credits. In this case, and this case only, you would not be able to get the refund ahead of time unless you cancelled and rebooked the reservation.

ANYONE can make ADRs through Disney if they are 180 days or less from the day they want to dine. ANYONE. Dining plan, no dining plan, onsite, offsite, locals, anybody.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

This may be OT and I know I asked this before, but not it seems that disney is trying to change things around!
But my mom has a package w/ DDP booked and has ressies for our whole party (11 people) if free dining comes out she would like to apply that to her package, are we going to lose our ADRS now?

Sorry to thread jack

 

[TDC Nala]

If you cancel or alter your resort reservation, it will not affect any ADRs you have already made. If you want to cancel any ADRs you need to do that separately. Cancelling or altering your resort reservation will NOT cancel or alter any dining reservations you have already made. This includes changing a package reservation from paid dining to a free dining promotional package. No one at the restaurant has any way to know if you paid for the dining or you got it free, it's the same plan.

 

[southcarolinagirl]

Every time we went to a TS in June 09, the server always asked if we were on DP. No biggie.

 

[CruisanSusan]

I have made my ADRs for my September trip. I do not have the dining plan although my TA said that if free dining is offered, she would get that for me. I have a ressie for CRT and have pre-paid w/ my Disney Visa. I also used it for a guarantee on the HDDR. Now if I get free dining, what exactly do I do to get refunded for CRT on the day of my ressie? Do I tell the server that I'm on the dining plan and will she/he then issue a credit on my Visa? I don't need to be refunded ahead of my trip but I want to make sure that I will be able to get a refund at the restaurant if the free dining is in play.

I'm sorry if this has been answered already, but I just made my ADRs yesterday and now this issue has come up. Thanks