Can't Add Dining to Room Only Reservation Anymore?

[BrittyRo]

I have a Bounceback RO reservation for December and was told that we can not add the Platinum or Premium plan without having a 2 day ticket. I thought I remember being able to add dining to room only reservations if you have an AP? Is this new? Should I call and talk with someone else?

 

[DisMommyTX]

We have not done so, but were told that we could when we booked our Bounceback in March. I would definitely call back and talk with someone else. I have spoken with some remarkably uniformed (though always polite!) people answering the phone for Disney lately.

 

[BrittyRo]

We have not done so, but were told that we could when we booked our Bounceback in March. I would definitely call back and talk with someone else. I have spoken with some remarkably uniformed (though always polite!) people answering the phone for Disney lately.

I was curious so I went to rebook the room and I see this:


Great Disney way to screw your AP holders.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Call (you have to call) and ask about a Ticketless Package. May only be valid for the standard Dining Plans, but you won't know if you don't try.

 

[BrittyRo]

Call (you have to call) and ask about a Ticketless Package. May only be valid for the standard Dining Plans, but you won't know if you don't try.

Yeah we did call they claimed we needed a minimum 2 day ticket to add Premium or Platinum Plan...

 

[beesly]

Yeah we did call they claimed we needed a minimum 2 day ticket to add Premium or Platinum Plan...

I would try calling again - you may get a different answer with a different CM. However, this might explain your issue (from http://www.wdwinfo.com/discounts/discounts-ap.htm):

"Availability of the Disney Dining Plan add-on is limited and cannot be combined with any other discounts. It can be applied to a AP discounted room as well as one that's rack rate."

 

[cutigerlady]

In order to use the Premium or Platinum dining plan, you must pay rack rate for the rooms. Any discount on the room makes you ineligible for those dining plans. I'm not sure if they will let you create a ticketless package with this either. You can hold onto the two two day tickets and apply them towards an upgrade to your annual pass though.

 

[supersnoop]

I have a Bounceback RO reservation for December and was told that we can not add the Platinum or Premium plan without having a 2 day ticket. I thought I remember being able to add dining to room only reservations if you have an AP? Is this new? Should I call and talk with someone else?

When we talk about adding the dining plan to a room only reservation, we're talking about the quick-service, regular, and deluxe plans. The premium and platinum plans are a completely different animal with completely different rules. Nobody has ever been able to add those plans to a room-only reservation.

 

[BrittyRo]

Thanks for all the info guys! I guess I will just have to pay OOP I suppose

 

[verleniahall]

We do ti - but it is a special military package becuase we get the 4 day parkhoppers for 200 up at Leisure Travel - we get our military discount room and then add the dining package

 

[plutolovr]

The Platinum and Premium plans are different than the regular dining plans. Park tickets are required.

 

[Lehuaann]

Premium and Platinum plans do not qualify for ticketless packages. And no additional discounts can be applied since discounts are considered built within the plans themselves with unlimited recreation, etc. Also, the minimum ticket requirement went up to 2 day base.

 

[Lisa F]

Thanks for all the info guys! I guess I will just have to pay OOP I suppose

why not add deluxe and then figure out how to utilize it well and pay oop for the rest?

 

[purple figment]

Guests book the Premium or Platinum Plans to take advantage of the tours, sports and recreational activities, spa treatments and other activities that they can choose from. It is an expensive add on, but if the main sticking point is the required minimum ticket purchase, I am pretty sure you can save those tickets to put towards renewing your APs or to use on a trip after your APs expire.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

The Premium and Platinum are not dining plans, they are meant to be all inclusive vacation packages. No room discount or any other discount is allowed, and yes, tickets must be purchased too. This comes up too often. I blame Disney for including the info on their website under the dining plan link. People don't realize how truly expensive it is, they think it is another dining plan with more stuff included, let's do it!
Too often people post Disney won't let me do this. No, they won't. They will if you buy the entire plan as is, they won't let you cut it up and change it for your purposes. I really wish Disney would take it out of the dining plan area altogether, it really does not belong there at all. Then they would not keep having this misunderstanding and unhappy possible customers. It is a very expensive option, and people don't realize it is not just another dining plan. Even some of the CMs on the phone don't realize it.

EDIT:
Are you really wanting the tours and recreation? They are easy to book and do. You have to plan and reserve them as well, just like ADRs. You can make reservations for parasailing, waterskiing, golf lessons, horseback riding, tours, fishing, etc. There is ALOT to do besides parks. It is easy to schedule and do. Timing is the problem. A lot of the tours are all in the morning, for instance, so you can't do 3 or 4 a day to make best use of the Platinum Plan. And parasailing, waterskiing, fishing excursions, etc are subject to weather. It is really hard to "get your money's worth" from the Platinum Plan, versus just pay as you go, and do what you want when you want or are able to do.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Guests book the Premium or Platinum Plans to take advantage of the tours, sports and recreational activities, spa treatments and other activities that they can choose from. It is an expensive add on, but if the main sticking point is the required minimum ticket purchase, I am pretty sure you can save those tickets to put towards renewing your APs or to use on a trip after your APs expire.

OP has a RO bounceback. They would have to cancel that and book a whole new package, losing their room discount.

 

[purple figment]

You're right. It is probably better to book the Dining Plan and any additional activities separately and save the Platinum or Premium Plan for a future trip.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Thanks for all the info guys! I guess I will just have to pay OOP I suppose

BrittyRo, you can add the dining plans--QSDP, DDP, or DxDDP. You cannot add the Premium or Platinum Plans, which are vacation plans, not dining plans, to your reservation. You could book a new reservation at rack rate at a deluxe resort for a minimum of 3 days and add a minimum of 2 day tickets and pay additional $260 per person per night (again a minimum 3 night stay) to qualify for the Platinum Plan. It is something to do when you plan to take full advantage of the tours and recreation, really feel pampered, and have extra money to spend. It will almost always be more expensive than just paying for everything as you go, and adding on what your really want to do.

 

[msb578]

OP has a RO bounceback. They would have to cancel that and book a whole new package, losing their room discount.

Can't a room-only discount be applied to the room portion of a package? Or maybe not with a bounceback? I realize this is somewhat off-topic in terms of platinum/premium.

 

[purple figment]

Can't a room-only discount be applied to the room portion of a package? Or maybe not with a bounceback? I realize this is somewhat off-topic in terms of platinum/premium.

If there are no other discounts on the package you can apply a room rate discount to the package. If there is already a discount (e.g. free dining) you would have to do the math to see which discount is the best because you cannot stack discounts or special offers. For the Platinum or Premium Packages the room will be at rack rate and no other discounts will apply.