Are Silver or Gold Plan Add-on available to points-stay?

[Chari910]

We had bought and loved the Disney Gold Key Plan years ago before buying the BWV. Are these plans available as an add-on if you don't need accomodations in the package?

Anyone has experience with these plans?

 

[DebbieB]

No, it's not available with DVC points stays. It has to be with a dream maker package with room and tickets included.

 

[Chari910]

Thanks, Debbie...for the info.
Where can I find info on meal plans available to DVCers?

Disney should try to accommodate us too!

We have points coming out of our ears why would we have to pay for the rooms??

 

[DebbieB]

There are no meal plans for DVC members staying on points. I don't think a large number of members are asking for them, so let your guide or member services know you are interested. If there's enough interest, maybe they would work on setting something up.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Chari910
Where can I find info on meal plans available to DVCers?

There are none at present and haven't been in 4 or 5 years since the Food n Fun card. I suspect from Disney's standpoint, it's not worth bidding for a group that has access to a partial or full kitchen. Don't expect any plans in the near future.

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by Dean
There are none at present and haven't been in 4 or 5 years since the Food n Fun card. I suspect from Disney's standpoint, it's not worth bidding for a group that has access to a partial or full kitchen. Don't expect any plans in the near future.

The "Plans" tend to work best for people who don't like to do any of the dirty-details planning. Most of us tend to be somewhat obsessive planners due to the nature of the 11/7 month window. It's easier to entice us with minor discounts to a restaurant where they want to increase traffic than to get us to pay a premium for paying our dining fees in advance.

Still, how much would it cost Disney to offer this to us?

-Joe

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by jmminarik
The "Plans" tend to work best for people who don't like to do any of the dirty-details planning. Most of us tend to be somewhat obsessive planners due to the nature of the 11/7 month window. It's easier to entice us with minor discounts to a restaurant where they want to increase traffic than to get us to pay a premium for paying our dining fees in advance.

Still, how much would it cost Disney to offer this to us?

-Joe

Other than very early renditions of the Food n Fun Card, most Disney packages with meals and the like over the years have been more expensive than the individual components. In Disney's own words to me, "we do it for the convenience, not for savings".

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Originally posted by Dean
"we do it for the convenience, not for savings".

I would love a package again. Yup, it may cost more, but man the convenience of it is great. We loved having the "pluses", trying a new restaurant just because, photo op with Mickey, boat rentals, etc. I really don't know why they just don't offer the same packages without the rooms, I would think plenty would opt for it.

 

[rocketriter]

A contrary view: we've tried the "wish" meal plans twice and will never do it again. The plans make meals very expensive; they're only a bargain if you eat as many meals as possible at high-end restaurants. But those are the very restaurants most likely to require PS. What happens is that you wind up reserving all your lunches and dinners months in advance, and then you're pinned down to a commando plan and can't improvise.

The other downside is caloric. In order to get your money's worth, you tend to order the appetizer, the salad, the entree, the side dish, the add-on and the dessert for meal after meal. That makes every meal take 90 minutes, it porks you up, and it makes you feel logey all day. Pretty soon food loses its appeal and you start to dread yet another munch marathon.

Now we PS most of our dinners and perhaps one character breakfast. We make all our other breakfasts in the room and catch lunch on the fly. The freedom and the ability to pace ourselves on the fly is wonderful, and we spend at least 1/3 less on meals than the cost of the plan.

 

[jmminarik]

I agree with the arguments against using a "plan", but I also buy Macs and iPods so I also know the value of paying a premium for something I don't have to fiddle with much.

My question is, why don't they just offer them? How much can it cost them to add this to the MS system?

-Joe

 

[Chuck S]

I agree that meal plans aren't for us, and we're pretty hefty eaters. The current Lunch discounts at some EPCOT pavilions work well for us, and we don't feel we're "forced" to order huge meals (unless we want to ) Plus the flexibility of eating the occasional lighter meals at counter service works well for our needs.

Oh, and the meal vouchers at AK are something we do use, they don't save us a LOT as we tend not to order the most expensive things on the menus, but they do save us a couple dollars.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'd love a meal and recreation plan similar to what the Food n Fun card was. Boy was that a great plan back in the early 90's. Boy did we ever take advantage of it.

I agree, the Silver, Gold, etc. plans don't seem to be a very good value and work best for convenience.