Has it been officially announced? I don't see anything on the member website.
I got confirmation from a Member Services manager and a PR rep. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the information. The person who started one of the other threads was also informed by a random MS rep.
Honestly I don't know if they even plan to announce this in any detail. They may just let word filter out via websites and MS representatives. It's probably easier to explain verbally than in writing anyway. "Did you want to add the dining plan? Yes? For the entire trip or just a portion?"
In a way, I sort of got the feeling that this is less of a "policy change" and more of a fortunate byproduct of the computer system changes. In other words, it's not so much that Disney was actively championing such dining plan flexibility, rather the flexibility just happens to be POSSIBLE under the new system modifications. That's just my opinion, though, so I may or may not be correct.
TJ, do you know if you will have to specify which days you want.
For example if one is staying Nov. 7 thru 12 for 6 nights and only wants the DDP for 3 nights, when you book do you have to give 3 specific dates or can it be any 3 days during your stay?
Thanks
Yes you do. The credits will still be linked to specific nights and they will expire at midnight following the last night.
When does the new policy kick in?
The computer system changes will be implemented by October 14. These changes will impact all future reservations from that point forward. You could also call to alter an existing reservation to take advantage of this new flexibility.
I don't understand how there can only be one set of room keys, if the DDP or room occupancy changes during a stay, isn't the number of people on the DDP and the level of DDP printed on the room keys? Otherwise how would they be able to go to a manual system if the computers go down? And they do go down occasionally.
I can't speak to the reliability of the system not having used the DDP myself. But I did specifically ask if there would be multiple check-ins or multiple room keys if guests opted for variations in the dining plan options or party size. The response confirmed that it would be one check-in, one room key as long as the member is staying in the same type of accommodation (resort/room size/view.)
Room keys do have dates on them so that would address the issue of people joining the group mid-stay.
I have no idea how they would handle the dining credits if the computer system went down.
What I was wondering is could we get the DxDP for say 3 nights and then have our entire week to use all the meals. If I understand the DxDP you get 3 sit down meals correct? If this can be done then we could use these meals throughout our stay rather than trying to do 9 table service meals in 3 days.
As I said, dining plan credits are still linked to specific days. So, no, you can't just buy "X" credits and use them for the entire trip.
However it does sound like you could make a really complicated reservation and spread the credits out over the entire trip. Something like this:
Day 1: Buy Dining Plan. Credits are valid for all of Day 1 and Day 2
Day 2 & 3: No dining plan purchase.
Day 4: Buy Dining Plan. Credits are valid for all of Day 4 and Day 5
Day 5 & 6: No dining plan purchase.
Day 7: Buy Dining Plan. Credits are valid for all of Day 7 and Day 8
Day 8: No dining plan purchase.
Something like that would give you credits scattered throughout the trip--not on all days but most days. Or you could do every-other-day to give you some credits available on a daily basis.
Don't know that I would want to be a tester for a situation like that, though. Pretty complicated. I'd wait and let others try that approach first.
Someone mentioned using a single room key even for multiple resort stays. I did not specifically ask about that so I don't know whether it is true or not. Seems like the guest would have to at least stop by the front desk when arriving at a new resort so I don't really see the benefit of that myself.
