Confused about DVC dining plan...

[donaldsgal]

We are a group of 8. One family has 2 adults and 2 kids (under 3) and our family has 3 adults and 1 child (under 3). We will be staying in a 2-BR villa next June for 5 nights, then moving to a 1-BR villa for 4 nights because the other family is leaving after 5 nights.

We have read on this forum and on other unofficial Disney sites that in order to use the dining plan, everyone in the room must have the same ticket, same arrival and departure dates, and same dining plan for anyone to purchase it. We are unclear if these rules apply to people staying at non-DVC resorts on a package purchased at rack rate, or if this also includes DVC members. If it does include DVC members, this doesn't make sense to us as DVC must know some guests sharing the larger accomodations will not always stay in the villa for the same length of time or want to go to the parks every day.

That being said, here our questions:

a) Is the dining plan tied to the number of days you are in a park, or the number of nights at the resort?

b) Does the fact that our cousins (the other family) are leaving after 5 nights prevent all 5 adults from using the DVC dining plan for longer than 5 nights?

c) If this does not deny all 5 adults to ability use the plan for more than 5 nights, will our cousins be paying for more days than they will use (again, seems unfair) since the villa is in our name and tied to our points?

d) Could this be avoided by making two separate reservations: check-in 6/3 with departure 6/8 in the 2 BR, check-in 6/8 with departure on 6/12 in the 1-BR? This seems like a lot of work, but we'd be willing to do that to get the DP.

e) Can our mother, who is staying with us for the entire 10 day/9 night trip purchase a shorter dining plan (as in based on 7 instead of 9)?

f) Last but not least, is the plan tied to your ticket or the room? In other words, if our mother only used 7 points out of her possible 9, could the other 2 adults in the room use her last 2 points, or does it not work this way?

Forgive the length of this post and the number of questions; this will be our first DVC resort stay and our first experience with DVC dining plan, and the information isn't easily found just by searching various websites.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Sammie]

If it does include DVC members, this doesn't make sense to us as DVC must know some guests sharing the larger accomodations will not always stay in the villa for the same length of time or want to go to the parks every day.

I asked Member Services the same thing and was told, that "if" I wanted the Dining plan that was the requirements, if it did not fit my plans, then do not purchase it. For DVC members the DDE card is probably a better fit and less restrictive.

However if you are staying on points there are no tickets involved in purchasing the dining plan for DVC. You get whatever tickets you need.

However everyone on your DVC reservation must be on the plan, all or none. You must purchase the plan for your entire stay of your reservation. You can have more than one reservation and therefore choose to not have the plan on both.

I an confused about one question. If you have a 2 bedroom when your friends are there, and you have a one bedroom when they leave, you are going to have two seperate reservations anyway.

 

[Deb & Bill]

All the guests staying with the member on points will be required to be on the plan or not. No one can opt out if you are doing the plan.

You will automatically have two reservations since you are not in the same accomodation for the entire trip. You will have to check out and check back in on June 8. You may or may not be able to stay in the same one bedroom portion of the two bedroom villa. If you don't get a lock off and you do get a dedicated villa for the first nights, you will be required to move to a one bedroom.

You will purchase the plan for the number of nights you stay. You will be there for one day more than nights, so you have an extra day to use the credits. You won't be able to carry them over if you don't have the dining plan for the one bedroom stay.

They may consider it all one stay, but I doubt it since you will have to check out and check in when you change villas.

 

[LTDaveCass]

For DVC resorts on points, you can purchase the dining plan as a stand-alone item. This is different from the dining plan offered at other resorts, which must be purchased as part of a package that includes room, park tickets, and dining plan. So, for DVC members staying in a DVC resort on points, there's a little more flexibility in what you have to purchase.

All other rules of the dining plan are the same.

You'll need to ask Member Services your question about the two reservations. That may be a way to avoid paying the extra days for your friends who are leaving.

As to your question about your mother, everyone must be on the plan for the full reservation. You can't select the number of days you want to purchase. This doesn't mean that your mother's extra credits will necessarily go to waste, though. You can use the credits however you like. If your mother misses a few meals, someone else can use them by either having an extra meal or by choosing a signature restaurant or show (which cost two credits) as one of their meals.

 

[Dean]

technically the 1 BR and 2 BR are separate reservations. You could purchase for all 5 adults for the 5 nights and/or the 3 adults for the 4 nights. Those are the only choices for those that are honest.

 

[*elaine*]

I'm not sure what whether or not someone goes to the parks everyday has to do with the dining plan. Most of the restaurants at all the resorts are also on the plan, so, technically, you could stay at a DVC resort, never go into the parks, and still make good use of the dining plan - it would give you a chance to try out the food service at various resorts and might be fun!

 

[btrim]

We used the DDP when we were at SSR in April. You pay for everyone in your room when you check in and the total credits are loaded on your room keys. That way if someone in your party wants to eat at a different place, or if your party splits up for the day, anyone with a room key can eat on the plan. I believe because you have to check-out and then check back in for your different accommodations, you will have two reservations and if you want to use the DDP for the first part of your stay and not the last part of your stay you can do that. However any left over meal credits you have will not carry over for the last part of your stay. They expire at midnight on the day you check out. Hope this helps alittle.