Could you really do this?

[momhmmx2]

I was reading another thread and this is what was proposed:

Disney requires DVC members and perhaps all guests to add dining plan 48 hours prior to arrival.

So, what if there are only 2 guests on the reservations at the time. BUT when you check in you actually have 4 guests

Can you REALLY only pay for 2 guests because of the 48 hour cut off, or will Disney make you purchase the ddp upon check in for the other 2 "last minute" guests?

Please don't flame me!! I read this elsewhere and it seems like quite the loop hole! and figured you all would know the truth!

THANKS!!

 

[MsPeggySue911]

I think since Disney requires everyone in the room have the same ticket options/days and same dining plan that if they really want to enforce the 48 hour thing that they would say you cannot add 2 more ppl at the last minute since they will be ineligible for the dining plan.

In reality, I don't see Disney turning down more guests or more money. I think they may let you add the 2 new ppl and buy the dining plan for them to add them to your res.

But if the original 2 never bought the dining plan then tried to show up at buy it last minute, they would not let you because of the 48 hour rule. You would be SOL.

 

[Skylarr29]

I was reading another thread and this is what was proposed:

Disney requires DVC members and perhaps all guests to add dining plan 48 hours prior to arrival.

So, what if there are only 2 guests on the reservations at the time. BUT when you check in you actually have 4 guests

Can you REALLY only pay for 2 guests because of the 48 hour cut off, or will Disney make you purchase the ddp upon check in for the other 2 "last minute" guests?

Please don't flame me!! I read this elsewhere and it seems like quite the loop hole! and figured you all would know the truth!

THANKS!!

As far as I know, what you heard is correct for DVC members. DVC is very different than buying a vacation package and is subject to different terms. DVC members are not required to purchase tickets so it's not actually a package.

I don't see how this is a loophole since you can only use your credits for those on the plan, you can not share with others who are not on the plan, and it will state on your room key how many guests are on the plan. You'd have to pay OOP for those people so I'm as to how that would be advantageous. You also can NOT (I repeat NOT) use Disney's Magical Express service if you are not listed on a reservation. There are no ifs ands or buts to be had.

 

[Faldred]

As a theoretical exercise in what Disney would do in such a situation, I don't know. They'd have every right to refuse access to the resort to anyone not listed on a reservation in advance, but they might be reluctant to do so.

From a more concrete view, discussions of loopholes and how to exploit them are frowned upon here, so expect this topic to be locked and/or deleted.

 

[TDC Nala]

For DVC it is somewhat correct. But it depends on when you add the extra guests.

If you add the other guests before arrival, they will automatically be put on the same dining plan and you will have to pay for them.

If you add them after arrival, you can get keys for them but they will not have dining plan. The guests with the dining plan will not be able to purchase meals using their credits for the guests who are not on the dining plan, as there will only be the number of ddp guests on the key card who are getting the plan. Plus, if you do not add the extra guests until you arrive, then they will not be on the reservation if they need to use DME transportation from the airport and they'd have to pay for transportation.

I also do not see how it is a loophole, as the guests with the plan won't be able to buy meals for the guests who don't have the plan. I wonder if the OP is thinking they will only book the parents in the room and then show up with the two (dining adult) kids, then share all their DDP meals with the kids so they don't have to buy the plan for the kids. Since you can't use your DDP to provide meals for those not on the DDP, it won't work very well. If the kids don't eat much and you want to buy them OOP meals instead of paying for the plan, you could do that by registering them at check-in. The only problem would come when the family arrives at the airport and the kids can't access Magical Express to the resort because they're not on the reservation yet, so one or both parents has to pay to ride to the resort with them on a paid transportation service.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

As a theoretical exercise in what Disney would do in such a situation, I don't know. They'd have every right to refuse access to the resort to anyone not listed on a reservation in advance, but they might be reluctant to do so.

From a more concrete view, discussions of loopholes and how to exploit them are frowned upon here, so expect this topic to be locked and/or deleted.

Even if you have a package, you can add people at check in. There was one thread where someone didn't add one of their kids since they already had NE tickets and would pay OOP for their meals. They were even able to get them added to DME.

 

[momhmmx2]

I read this statement on the disAbilities board where a family has a child who cannot eat anything by mouth. It was suggested by someone that they can just add their child at check in and thus not have to add them to the dining plan that the others in the room were paying for. It was not about me and trying to get out of paying for something etc... I was just curious if this was true.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes, it is true, including the part about Magical Express, but by calling Magical Express directly it may actually be possible to arrange transport for the person who is not on the resesrvation. Don't know, but there was a poster who said they were able to arrange it for their 7 year old whom they were going to add to the reservation at check-in because they didn't want to pay the package prices (tickets and dining plan) for the child, since the kid already had park tickets.

I have added people to a DVC reservation at check-in and even a day or so after check-in and gotten keys for them, although they didn't need DME and I haven't had any dining plans on my reservations. If you're on a package and the extra persons are adults 18 or over, and you already have two adults registered, you'd be charged the extra adult fee for that resort (that's not applicable to DVC reservations).

It is also true that even if a guest is unable to eat anything by mouth, if the party wants a dining plan they have to pay for the dining plan for that person if they are registered in the room at booking.

If the guest is not planning to use the pre-registered guests' DDP to feed the extra people, which they couldn't anyway, I still don't see how it is a loophole.