Confusion about our 2013 trip

[Squeakypippi]

Friends of mine are heading to Disney in October of 2013. They've already booked their trip. They are coming from England and staying for three weeks.

I am coming from the US, and want to stay with them for a week.


Here's where the confusion lies:

I called Disney and asked them if I could stay with my friends for 1 of the weeks without having to have a dining plan. (I'll explain why later). The person who was helping me said yes, I could stay as their guest for $25/day that I was there and wouldn't have to get a package plan.

Great. I relay said information to friends. Fast forward a week. There is some concern because the information they are getting (not sure where from) is saying that this is impossible and that I would have to be on a dining plan because I'm staying with them and it'd have to be three weeks, despite me staying with them for only a week.


So I ask a former Cast Member who is a good friend of mine and she basically said the same thing that Disney told me.


So I figure I'd take it one step further and see if anyone here has any thoughts or opinions on the matter.


Now for why I'm not wanting to get a dining plan ... I had surgery in may for a Gastric Sleeve. So basically my stomach is 1/4 the size it use to be. Therefore I don't eat a lot of food, and I feel the dining plan would be completely useless for me. *shrugs*

Any thoughts and opinions are welcome, I am not trying to cheat Disney out of money, I just am trying to be economical here.

Thank you!

 

[Tink415]

If your name is added to the reservation AFTER your friends have checked into the hotel you could stay for a week with no dining plan. If your name is added to the reservation BEFORE your friends check into the hotel everyone has to have the same exact package for the same exact number of days.

Basically, phone/online/travel agent reservations cannot accomplish what you want to do. The resort front desk can add a guest with differernt length of stay/no package/ different park tickets.

So, if you plan to arrive the same day as your friends, it will be easier if you find your own way to the resort rather than use Magical Express.

 

[minnie mum]

The PP is correct. Everyone named on a vacation package must all be on the same package. So if they just add your name now, you would be on the hook for the entire 3 week package.

If your name is added to the room AFTER your friends have checked into the resort, then you are fine. You can stay for as long as you like, buy whatever type and length of ticket you want, and pay OOP for meals. And you would need to pay the daily 'extra adult' charge.

The easiest way to do this would be to arrive a couple of days after them- that way they could arrange ME for you. If you want to be there the same day, then you would have to make your own arrangements for getting from the airport, but you would be able to get ME on your departure day.

 

[Squeakypippi]

Thank you! This information helps a lot and really takes a lot of stress off us!

 

[Squeakypippi]

The easiest way to do this would be to arrive a couple of days after them- that way they could arrange ME for you. If you want to be there the same day, then you would have to make your own arrangements for getting from the airport, but you would be able to get ME on your departure day.

Perfect! Thank you!