Can I buy the dining plan if I am booking a convention rate hotel?

[wishtdream]

DH is attending a convention on property in Sept. If we book our room at the convention rate can we buy the dining plan?

 

[Marionnette]

DH is attending a convention on property in Sept. If we book our room at the convention rate can we buy the dining plan?

I have never been able to include a dining plan with any of my reservations when I had a convention rate. As someone else pointed out, the assumption is that the convention/meeting planners will be feeding attendees at some point during the day (breakfast breakout sessions, roundtable lunch discussions, special dessert & fireworks viewing, etc.) In many cases, it just isn't smart to get the dining plan, too.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

The dining plans are usually offered on room only or Magic Your Way room & ticket packages at regular (rack) rates. Since convention/group bookings are already offered at deeply discounted rates.. the offers can't be combined.

 

[wdwmaw]

A couple of families could add the dining to their reservation booked through Dance World Travel last June. They did have difficulty booking Cindy's as Disney's system was not recognizing the dining plan till they actually checked in, but they did it with a group booking rate. They received, discounted room at POR, discounted tickets, and had dining plan on the reservation.

 

[Allison]

The dining plans are usually offered on room only or Magic Your Way room & ticket packages at regular (rack) rates. Since convention/group bookings are already offered at deeply discounted rates.. the offers can't be combined.

The FREE dining plan would require a rack rate room but you can certainly add on a dining plan to a discounted room package.

I agree it might not work with a convention booking but it does with regular discounts.

 

[wishtdream]

The FREE dining plan would require a rack rate room but you can certainly add on a dining plan to a discounted room package.

I agree it might not work with a convention booking but it does with regular discounts.

I am aware that free dining requires a stay with park tickets at rack rate. I am willing to pay for the dining plan if the convention rate is good enough. I do not need park tickets but would be willing to purchase them if they were required to buy the meal plan.

 

[kmb584]

I am aware that free dining requires a stay with park tickets at rack rate. I am willing to pay for the dining plan if the convention rate is good enough. I do not need park tickets but would be willing to purchase them if they were required to buy the meal plan.

You can't. In order to add a dining plan a person must have a MYW package, a DVC reservation, or do a room + dining option if they have an AP/PAP.

 

[Marionnette]

I am aware that free dining requires a stay with park tickets at rack rate. I am willing to pay for the dining plan if the convention rate is good enough. I do not need park tickets but would be willing to purchase them if they were required to buy the meal plan.

I understand what you wish to do. In the past, that was not an option for me whenever I booked a room using a meeting rate.

However, Disney has recently begun to allow the general public to add dining plans to room reservations without tickets. The reservation becomes a package and is subject to the same rules that govern package reservations with regard to the date when they must be fully paid and cancellation penalties. The dining plan cannot be added online, it must be requested on the phone. It appears to be a trial idea which could become a permanent package option in the future.

I have a room-only reservation at a convention rate but I have not tried to add dining to it, so I don't know if the aforementioned "package" is a possibility or not. I have also not attempted to add a dining plan to any other existing room-only reservation but I've seen comments about it on the restaurant board.

I don't plan to even try adding a dining plan because I feel that I make out much better paying OOP for each meal. If you manage to do it with a convention rate, please post. Someone might benefit from your knowledge.

 

[wiigirl]

The dining plans are usually offered on room only or Magic Your Way room & ticket packages at regular (rack) rates. Since convention/group bookings are already offered at deeply discounted rates.. the offers can't be combined.

That was my understanding also....

 

[wishtdream]

Thank you for the input. We will not be using the convention rate. The free dining bounce back we booked last year is a better deal.