Can't add our military daughter to our plan

[NewEnglandCamper]

We got good news yesterday that my daughter who is in the USCG got time off so she could join us at WDW. The only problem she has to leave 3 days early for work related reasons.

We went to AAA to add her on our plan for 5 days that she could attend (our room is big enough) but was horrified to find out that she cannot be part of the plan unless she orders ALL 8 days!!! A cost of $750!

Not only that she has order exactly what we are getting (including dining plan which she won't use for 3 days).

What should we do? Any advice?

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

What you COULD do to 'trick' the system is reserve two different trips.

It would be like those who split stay two different resorts.

Your first reservation would be for your family including your daughter - you all get the DDP - then the second reservation w/o your daughter.

This may be more of a hassle than it is worth, though.

Have you calculated what it would cost for her to have her own room?

You didn't mention where you were staying.

Another thought is if you end up having to pay for her DDP the entire trip, OTHER people can use them in your family....in other words, if you wanted to you could go to a Siggy restaurant that requires 2 TS's....

I would maybe just think of them as extra meals for you and the rest of your family to use after she leaves. They don't keep tabs on who uses them from your room...does this make sense?

 

[disney-super-mom]

We got good news yesterday that my daughter who is in the USCG got time off so she could join us at WDW. The only problem she has to leave 3 days early for work related reasons.

We went to AAA to add her on our plan for 5 days that she could attend (our room is big enough) but was horrified to find out that she cannot be part of the plan unless she orders ALL 8 days!!! A cost of $750!

Not only that she has order exactly what we are getting (including dining plan which she won't use for 3 days).

What should we do? Any advice?

Cancel your current reservation.

Then book a reservation (package) for all of you for five days. Then book another reservation (package) for just the two of you for the remaining three days.

Obviously you would have to go through checking out then checking back in (either at the same resort, or maybe you want to try a different resort for your final three days), but considering the occasion of your daughter being there with you, it'll be worth it.

 

[wdwnomad]

Another thing you can do is downgrade your tickets to exactly what she needs. When you get to Disney you can upgrade your tickets to what you need and pay the difference. She would still have to be on your package and you would have to pay for the dining portion of your entire stay. Like others said you can then use her dining credits that she doesn't use.

I would price it out this and the other options people mentioned. I am assuming you are also going to be paying the extra adult fee as well. If you are staying at a value resort then that fee plus dining it might be worth it. However, it you are staying at a deluxe when you combine the extra adult fee and the dining it probably isn't a good deal.

If you book two separate packages with dining on each of them, remember that you have to include tickets in both of them.

 

[disney-super-mom]

You could drop the DDP and just pay for food out-of-pocket.

Of course in order to do that, you'd still have to cancel your current package reservation, then book a room and buy tickets seperately with the appropriate number of days for each of you.

But if you really want to have the DDP, then you're going to have to book two seperate packages (one package for five nights, one package for three nights).

Regardless of what you decide, it's so exciting your daughter can join you. I hope you all have a wonderful time!

 

[Ilovestitch]

I would just use the dining credits she doesn't use. Or book some signature restaurants/dinner shows so you use them up while she's there.

I wouldn't want the hassle of doing two packages, buying tickets on both packages, checking in and out twice...

 

[NewEnglandCamper]

Wow this all sounds wonderful but our trip is in 2 weeks so I'm not willing of taking the chance of canceling things for our resort only to not be available. There is 6 of us and we are staying at Ft. Wilderness. We do have some extra dinners that we were planning on paying out of pocket so maybe this will work.

AAA said I could also just have her stay at our cabin and buy her Park Hopper tickets (through them) and they Pay Out of Pocket for her dinners.

The new question is....

Can she attend Extra Magic Hours if we do the AAA suggestion? Probably not, because she wouldn't be registered? Is this correct?

Tomorrow it is Disney Day at our AAA so I'm going in to find out more information and try to get this corrected within my favor


Seriously Disney should make this MORE easier! What a PITA!!! :angry:

 

[stellablue]

I don't see why they would deny her the EMH. As long as she is staying at a WDW resort, she should be able to access these. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

I would definately have her use up the extra DDP meals/snacks. You can use as many as you want on any day. As suggested by others, you might opt for a signature dining meal or use towards the meals you were going to pay OOP for.

Have a wonderful time with your family!

 

[PetesDragon]

I would say call Disney directly and see if they can help. It's always possible they could work something out. Or go to a AAA travel agent and be there in person when they talk to Disney.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Since it's so close to your reservation dates, and you don't want to take a chance of not having a room by cancelling the reservation you already have, then for her to get the perk of EMH, she would have to be added to your 8 night package w/DDP. (She has to be a registered guest at a WDW resort property to get EMH.)

I would do what Ilovestitch suggested and eat at some signature restaurants or do a dinner show. It would add to the fun too!

 

[Princess_Belle]

If you add her to the plan then yes she can attend EMH. If she doesn't have here own room key (if she isn't on the reservation) then no she can't get into the emh.

 

[NewEnglandCamper]

Ok -- It looks like we overbooked our Dining reservations and we are going to the CRT so all the extra dining is accounted for.

However our Counter Service meals we seem to be extra. Mayabe I won't be doing any cooking after all.

If I paid for it on my own:

For 5 dinner meals I averaged: $182 dinners (includes CRT)
+ 5 counter services $75 (average $15 per meal)
+ $15 for the snack option
+ $260 park hopper

This comes out to $517 not too far way from the new price of $645 they quoted me today

 

[Sea-Donkey]

EMH are overrated anyhow...that park ends up being more crowded than normal because of it...at least that's what I hear from reading on here.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Ok -- It looks like we overbooked our Dining reservations and we are going to the CRT so all the extra dining is accounted for.

However our Counter Service meals we seem to be extra. Mayabe I won't be doing any cooking after all.

If I paid for it on my own:

For 5 dinner meals I averaged: $182 dinners (includes CRT)
+ 5 counter services $75 (average $15 per meal)
+ $15 for the snack option
+ $260 park hopper

This comes out to $517 not too far way from the new price of $645 they quoted me today

The difference is probably the charge for having an extra adult in the room. If you can afford it...do it.

Question. Does your daughter have privileges to Shades of Green? It may not work out for this late date...but it may be worth it to check into it. It is a very nice resort "on" Disney property. Rooms are very reasonale and you are able to buy discounted passes.

 

[NewEnglandCamper]

The difference is probably the charge for having an extra adult in the room. If you can afford it...do it.

Question. Does your daughter have priveleges to Shades of Green? It may not work out for this late date...but it may be worth it to check into it. It is a very nice resort "on" Disney property. Rooms are very reasonale and you are able to buy discounted passes.

I'm not sure what Shades of Green is.

However we decided just to book her in our package for the whole eight days! I'm going to UPDATE our dining (hopefully) and counter service plans to make sure her un-unsed portions gets uses.

Thanks for all your help!!!

 

[catalexander]

Dont forget to adjust your ADR's to include an extra person! (you will have to cancel what you have and see if a new one is available).

 

[TLSnell1981]

Shades of Green is a beautiful resort across from the Polynesian at WDW. It is a military resort. The rooms are heavily discounted. There is no tax paid on anything at the resort. For further info the website is: http://shadesofgreen.org. This might not help for this trip but it may for another. The military has facilities similiar to this all over the world.