We are going down for Christmas. Does anyone know if the DDE card can be used or if there are restrictions on it during the holiday? We want to book CRT using the DDE and use it for our alcoholic drinks in addition to the Dining Plan.
The Disney Dining Experience membership card is not accepted on holidays, including Mothers Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
Not good on major holidays such as Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We are going 12/19 - 12/29 and are carefully planning meals to get the most from our discount.
We're going down Thanksgiving week and because of the DDE restrictions on holidays (not to mention the upgraded "holiday meal pricing") we decided to book the DDP for the first time.
Plan on discovering the CM was wrong... It would not be the first time. CMs making dinner reservations are not normally familar with the DDE and I have had them confuse that with DDP!
The paperwork you get with the card CLEARLY indicates it's not good on holidays and I have had it denied on Mother's Day (which I don't automatically think of as a Holiday)
Use of the DDE is "supposed" to blacked out on most holidays. That being said, we have been able to use ours a number of times, most recently at Xmas. It doesn't hurt to ask, just don't count on being able to get the discount.
We had a NYE dinner at Restaurant Marrakesh a couple of years ago. We didn't realize holidays were blacked out and handed them our card. They did accept it. After the fact, we realized we got a lucky break. We have another trip planned over NY this year and are not planning on getting so lucky this time. I think it could be hit or miss as to whether they will accept it. I would plan to have it declined on the holiday dates so as not to be disappointed.
CRT definitely DOES take DDE. It's even listed on the DDE website.
CRT is normally a pre-paid meal, however, so you generally need to have the card when making the ADR, which isn't always true. I've heard that they will give you a gift card for the difference at CRT if you have the DDE card with you but had prepaid.
I actually had a conversation with WDW-DINE on this two days ago, and she even verified that CRT is DDE-eligible.
I was at CRT on Mothers Day a couple of years ago (when they had a regular menu) and tried to use DDE and they would not accept it because of the holiday.