Can someone explain the NEW dining plan for DVC?

[kristenrice]

Ok, so here's my plan. We generally arrive on Sunday afternoon and we depart before noon on Friday.

Sunday (night #1) with DxDDP
-> Dinner at Boma
Monday (credits from night #1 so no DP for this night)
-> Breakfast at Boma
-> Dinner at Chef Mickey's
Tuesday (Night #3) with DxDDP
-> Breakfast at O'Hana
-> Dinner at 50's Prime Time
Wednesday (night #4) with 1 credit left from night #3
-> Breakfast OOP
-> Dinner at Crystal Palace
Thursday (night #5) with DxDDP
-> Breakfast at Akershus
-> Dinner at Sanaa
Friday
-> Breakfast at Boma

*If* the new system is set up to handle reservations like this, wouldn't it make sense to only book a dining plan for every other day? This plan would cost my family of four about $780 including tips. (And, we'd have a total of 12 refillable mugs...8 of which we could sell on eBay) It's only about $100 more than if we booked the regular DDP for all five nights, but we'd have 9 TS meals instead of 5....AND all those mugs.

This is WAY more food then my family would eat and we would probably just do one night on the DxDDP and eat OOP the rest of the week. I just thought I would throw the scenario out there to see if it could be done with the "new" system.

 

[alldiz]

If I'm able to alter my existing ressie to have DxDDP and basic DDP on one ressie....that would be awesome and
Kerri

 

[tjkraz]

I'm not doubting what you were told but until it officially comes out, it could change. Wasn't the original rumor that you could have the dining plan for only some of the people in your room? Sounds like that has changed.

Fair enough.

Yes, that original poster was incorrect in implying that members would be able to essentially purchase as many credits as they wished for a given day. Personally I would chalk that up to either a miscommunication or misunderstanding. Credits can vary during a trip but still must match the number of listed occupants for the guest room.

That said, the people educating me about the new system knew exactly why I was asking and exactly what I would do with the information. They have been very confident in their responses and seem to know the new systems inside-and-out. It's certainly too late in the game to start alterning functionality in such a complicated upgrade.

I'm sure there is still a need for Member Services reps to be fully trained. That's part of why MS is closing for a day-and-a-half later this month. And, as Sammie suggests, it may take a period of weeks for the changes to be fully integrated at the resorts. But my understanding is that DVC intends to allow members to begin splitting the DDP effective October 14. Perhaps there will be a period of time in which DVC resorts need to use minor workarounds to fully support the new system. Maybe they will have to issue two sets of cards in the interim until the resorts can support the consolidated room key.

Could this particular feature be held back after 10/14? Yeah, I suppose it could. But all signs point to us having such flexibility--if not on 10/14 then in a few short weeks.

This is a pretty significant upgrade to the reservation system designed to save guests time and Disney time & money. It may not be fully implemented on October 14...but it's coming. Resort front desk staff will be trained to help guests work through the idiosyncrasies during the transition period.

 

[edk35]

The whole business about splitting the reservation up is just a system necessity which happens behind the scenes. All a member needs to do is say "I like to book 7 nights at Saratoga Springs but only want the Dining Plan for the first two nights" and Member Services will take care of the rest.

Even the number of guests staying in the room (and charged for the dining plan) can vary mid-stay.

The party will only have to check-in once. There will be only one set of room keys and there is no risk of having to change rooms mid-stay.

This is not a rumor--it's a confirmed policy change.

THANKS

 

[edk35]

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

Ahhhhh good question. I am just now reading the replies.

 

[edk35]

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.

YIKES I am getting confused again. I will continue to READ....

 

[edk35]

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.

This is exactly WHAT I was hoping for. Dining Done You Way!! Hmmmmm ..okay I will continue to read.

 

[edk35]

Okay I don't have a trip planned right now..so I will sit back and RIDE THIS OUT.....waiting to see how it ends up working out. Hopefully people will start posting about it after their trips. I am still confused but maybe with time we will all know what exactly this new deal is. THANKS everyone!!!

 

[mvc1997]

Wow!!
Think we could just buy the DDP for the kids??

 

[Sammie]

Wow!!
Think we could just buy the DDP for the kids??

No, as TJ has stated, everyone has to be on the same plan on the same days based on occupany on those days.

While it would allow you not to get the plan for your entire stay, it will not allow you to pick and chose who does get it.

It will also allow you to add guests, say you had grandparents joining you for only two days.
It won't allow you to exclude some of your group and others get it.

Also you have to decide when you book the plan which days you want the plan and which days you don't. That will not be changed unless you make changes prior to 48 hours prior to check in.

 

[CarolMN]

Count me in the group that does not doubt for a nano second what TJ was told.

But just because the system CAN do something, doesn't mean that POLICY will allow it.

I will be very interested to see how this actually plays out as I do not see how allowing members to chose one of the dining plans for only the days the member selects can benefit Disney.

I'm betting that eventually the POLICY will allow members to drop either the first or last day, possibly both, but NOT just pick and choose days within their stay as some here are hoping.


We'll see, I guess.

 

[Sammie]

My understanding and this can certainly change, that the option is only specific to DVC.

That DVC guests wanted the flexibility.

It will benefit Disney in that it costs them nothing to allow, as TJ said the new system allows it to be offered and yet they will gain some new participants in the program that might have avoided it in the past.

Hundreds of DVCers booking it for a couple of days is better to them, than none.

Pick and choose would be no different than first and last. It is simply a situation of putting the dates in your reservation. All the info will be coded on your KIK. Now it will be up to the member to keep up with what days you have it booked for.

 

[lauralw]

Fair enough.

Yes, that original poster was incorrect in implying that members would be able to essentially purchase as many credits as they wished for a given day. Personally I would chalk that up to either a miscommunication or misunderstanding. Credits can vary during a trip but still must match the number of listed occupants for the guest room.


Hi guys,

I am the original poster that you are referring to here. I am not sure that it is correct that we can not purchase the plan for less than all of the members in a room. It might be, but I am not sure; Tjkraz and I were each told conflicting information.

The orignal MS representative I spoke with said that you could purchase the plan for less than all of the people in the room. I also just got off of the phone with another MS representative who also said that you could.

In fact, we just had a long and interesting discussion about it. He explained that under the new system, if you purchased the DP for only 2 people but 4 are in the room, you will not be able to share the credits. The way that this will be enforced is that under the new plan, at any table service meal you will be able to pay for only two meals using your credits.

I also again asked whether I needed to break up my reservation (this is how I was told the news in the first place -- I was breaking up my reservation into three parts and they told me I would not need to). I asked whether I would risk losing some of my days when I added the dining plan if I did not break up the reservation now. He said that there was no risk and that that the modification would be added without cancelling any of my days to do it.

I am not doubting at all that Tjkraz is correctly reporting his conversation with member services. It also sounds like he asked to speak to those in positions of authority and I did not. But I am sure of what I was told (twice), by those who answered the phone. I am not sure about what the ultimate answer is or will be, but just wanted to add this.

 

[Sammie]

I think as is always the case with anything new at Disney that not everyone is one the same page.

Time will sort it out, but I have been told several times this week the same thing TJ was told and by management staff, that the plan will not be offered to just some of the party.

 

[lauralw]

I think as is always the case with anything new at Disney that not everyone is one the same page.

Time will sort it out, but I have been told several times this week the same thing TJ was told and by management staff, that the plan will not be offered to just some of the party.

I hear you. It will be interesting to see where the dust all finally settles.

 

[vicki_c]

under the new system, if you purchased the DP for only 2 people but 4 are in the room, you will not be able to share the credits. The way that this will be enforced is that under the new plan, at any table service meal you will be able to pay for only two meals using your credits.

This is also how it works now for anyone - if you dine with people not on the DDP you can't buy them a meal because the server is only to let you use the # of credits at one meal that your DDP allows.