AP holders who want dining plan...

[janets]

I need some advice or real world experience here.

We're going to WDW 11/5-11/12 and yesterday I found a great airfare for Easter week ($165/pp rt) so I booked it. That means that we'll have enough days to warrant an AP. Since we're new DVC members, I can buy the APs at a discount so that makes it even more attractive.

Since we already had our November trip booked and we want to save our points for our trip in Nov 2006, we'll be staying at a Mod in April. We are 2 adults and 2 kids bet 3-9. In order to buy the dining plan, I need to buy tickets. I have read several posts over the months saying to just buy the 1 day MYW basic ticket for all members of your party and use them against your AP renewal.

However, has anyone actually DONE this? I spoke with CRO twice yesterday and once to AAA and all told me that 1 day MYW basic tickets expire 14 days after you check in and you cannot buy a non expiration option for them. In order to apply ticket costs to my AP renewal, I would have to do one of the following:

1. Buy 2 day MYW tickets w/ non expiration options and hold them until my APs are due for renewal in Nov 2006 or:

2. Buy the 1 day MYW basic tickets and on the last day of our trip, advance renew my APs, applying the value of the tickets against the renewal. I'm told my renewal date will still be Nov.

Both of these require a large outlay of cash, either upfront (almost $500 for the 4 2-day tickets) or in advance (renewing early). And of course, I can only apply the adult ticket values to an adult renewal and the kids' to a child's renewal.

So anyone have any real world experience or advice? I guess in reality, if I have the AP and use the DDE, and end up getting an AP rate on the room, I might be able to break even with the food cost of the dining plan, but that would only be if we didn't order anywhere near the food allowed on the plan.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can respond.

 

[tclowe]

I can only answer part of your question. You can buy a 1 day ticket and don't worry about expiration since it is only one day ticket, it expires upon use. As long as you do not activate it, then it will not expire. That's way there are many AP holders who booked the Dining package with the one-day ticket (can always use the ticket on a later trip or upgrade to more days or AP renewal). I have a set of these 1 day tickets in addition to a 10 day non-expiring for future use (I am a current AP holder).

Hope someone can tell you about actual use.

 

[firstmickey]

You might want to just consider buying the Disney Dining Experience card for AP holders. The cost is $50 and by our third meal we had more than paid for having it. It is a 20% discount on all sitdown meals (including alcohol) plus some extra places at AK (since they dont really have TS restaurants). It is good for one year from when you purchase it.

Look Here for a better explanation of the plan.



oops....Just edited to add: I see you already have the DDE card!

 

[janets]

that if you try to use the value of the 1 day to an AP renewal, your AP effective date will end up defaulting to the date that the 1 day pass was purchased. I spoke with someone at Guest Services and was told that when you get to the park, you have to speak with Guest Relations and hope that they can work with you to "buy back" the 1 day ticket and apply the value of the ticket to a new/renewal AP.

I wanted to know if anyone had actually done this yet, and what their experiences have been. It doesn't seem to be as simple as walking up to the window and renewing, because of the dates and the 14 upgrade time frame.

Can anyone else give me some answers?

Thanks.