Booking dining at 180 day mark w/out tickets or resort booked yet...

[kpearl]

First off let me apologize if this has been asked before! I tried filtering through and didn't see it - but I'm tired so who knows, I could have skipped a thread.

My boyfriend's sister and brother-in-law just recently became DVC members. We're planning on taking a family trip in November and next Monday (5/19) our 180 window opens up for the time frame we're planning on going. We haven't purchased tickets or booked the hotel reservation, but know we're going 11/15-11/22 since we already purchased our flight tickets. We couldn't pass on the deal we got for them. So that is basically all we have right now - flight tickets, lol.

I already have an MDE account and I'm in charge of making reservations for our party of 7 for meals. Since I don't have a resort or tickets linked to this MDE account at this time can I still make the reservations for dining through the website and/or calling? I've never done it this way before so I am totally clueless and I don't want to be running into any problems when I ry to book Monday morning.

TIA!

 

[vicki_c]

You can make dining reservations 180 days out from each day you want to dine. So if you have 5 different dining days, and you want to book each as soon as you can, you would call 5 different days, 180 days out from each reservation.

Or you could wait until 180 days out from the last and do them all at once.

You can do it on the phone or online.

 

[AmyB2006]

You're using DVC points and you haven't booked yet for the week before Thanksgiving??

You said they just bought DVC. Have they checked availability? Timeshares aren't something you can typically book last minute especially for the week before Thanksgiving.

Anyway, anyone can book dining 180 days out. There is a CC guarantee that you would get charged $10 per head if you don't cancel by 11:59pm the night before if you're not going to show up. So, you can by all means make the reservations now if you want. Just cancel them if you end up not using them.

 

[kpearl]

You can make dining reservations 180 days out from each day you want to dine. So if you have 5 different dining days, and you want to book each as soon as you can, you would call 5 different days, 180 days out from each reservation.

Or you could wait until 180 days out from the last and do them all at once.

You can do it on the phone or online.

Thank you Vicki! I just want to make sure I'm clearly understanding this. If 5/19 marks 180 from 11/15 I can go online at 6AM EST or call at 7AM EST and book only for 11/15. Then on 5/20 I can book for 11/16, so on and so forth? I'll have to do this for a week straight, oh goodness :-x but I'll do whatever to be able to get all my ressies! I just wanted to be sure not having a resort booked or tickets purchased yet would throw a wrench into my plans. Finding this out last minute the morning of would make me a not so happy camper!

 

[vicki_c]

Yes, that is correct. Without a resort reservation, you have to do one day at a time as you described (I didn't check your date accuracy though).

 

[kpearl]

You're using DVC points and you haven't booked yet for the week before Thanksgiving??

You said they just bought DVC. Have they checked availability? Timeshares aren't something you can typically book last minute especially for the week before Thanksgiving.

Anyway, anyone can book dining 180 days out. There is a CC guarantee that you would get charged $10 per head if you don't cancel by 11:59pm the night before if you're not going to show up. So, you can by all means make the reservations now if you want. Just cancel them if you end up not using them.

Still waiting for the closing to finalize. The offer was accepted so it's just the waiting game. Believe me, we're all on edge.

 

[kpearl]

Yes, that is correct. Without a resort reservation, you have to do one day at a time as you described (I didn't check your date accuracy though).

I personally counted AND used a website calculator, lol. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge on this matter. I appreciate it!

 

[AmyB2006]

Still waiting for the closing to finalize. The offer was accepted so it's just the waiting game. Believe me, we're all on edge.

Ooooh ok. Is it a resale or did you buy direct from Disney?

 

[kpearl]

Ooooh ok. Is it a resale or did you buy direct from Disney?

They purchased through a resale.

 

[Mikie]

I believe you could also book a hotel room (on property) for your dates - requires a $200 deposit - and then you'd be able to make one call on the morning of your first night of stay and book all the reservations for the length of your stay (usually referred to as 180+10). And then you can go back and cancel the room reservation & get your deposit back. I don't believe in "cheating the system" but you WILL be staying on Disney property those dates. . . Just not that particular Disney hotel

 

[AmyB2006]

They purchased through a resale.

Does it still have to go through ROFR?

Yes, I'd be very nervous. Especially since you bought non refundable airline tickets.

I'd consider making a cash reservation as well like pp just suggested..... juuuuust in case. You can always cancel it. Then you can get the 180+10.

 

[smbowtie]

I personally counted AND used a website calculator, lol. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge on this matter. I appreciate it!

You don't really have to count, when you go into the dining site calander it will only let you choose up to 180 days from present day. As of today, 5/13, it will only let you book up to 11/9.

 

[kpearl]

Does it still have to go through ROFR?

Yes, I'd be very nervous. Especially since you bought non refundable airline tickets.

I'd consider making a cash reservation as well like pp just suggested..... juuuuust in case. You can always cancel it. Then you can get the 180+10.

yes it did. it was sent on 4/1 and passed on 4/30. oh i know, i know. it is nerve wracking but we're all trying to be very optimistic!

 

[AmyB2006]

yes it did. it was sent on 4/1 and passed on 4/30. oh i know, i know. it is nerve wracking but we're all trying to be very optimistic!

Well fingers crossed for you. There is still availability. Just may not be exactly where you were expecting or the accommodations you were expecting.