DDP credits expiration

[redoschi]

I've been to WDW some times already, but never been on the DDP. But now, with this "Pay for 4 - Get 3 Free" promotion at the hotels I was thinking of maybe booking a vacation for 14 nights in 2 separate reservations to pay then for 8 nights and get 14! And getting DDP for the first of those reservations only.

We always visit the other orlando parks as well such as USO, IoA, SW and BG (and on this next visit I was planning a day for KSC as well as it has been a very long time since I was last there, and my DGF and her brothers which would be accompanying me this trip never been there at all!)

I prefer to spread the WDW days throughout the trip and mix Disney days with off-site days to avoid having a magical week and the next also thrilling, but less magical.

I imagine something with a distribution (not exactly in this order) like this:
1 half day (arrival day) at DTD and Disney Quest
7 full days at WDW (basically 2 to each park, with some park hopping after AK closes and also for a DHS to Epcot boat hopping on one of the days stopping at Beaches and Cream for a nice burger at lunch!)

2 or 2 and a half days at Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure
1 or 1 and a half days at Sea World
(this half day would be the last day to drop by a park closer to the airport for a little more fun before actually having to leave FL and return to Brazil )

1 day at Busch Gardens
1 day at Kennedy Space Center
1 day for shopping (Premium Outlets and back to DTD I think)

This adds up to 13 full days + half arrival day + half departure day (14 nights)


Well, now, after explaining this, I get to my actual question: Do DDP credits have an expiration date or they are like the tickets, which expire 14 days after first use (so we wouldn't have a problem with those).

As we're don't stay at WDW parks on all days, I never used the DDP, but this time I thought it might be worth trying it as 7 TS, 7 CS and 7 snacks wouldn't be too hard to use on 7 days at the parks and, maybe, even some extra dinners at some resort restaurants (we went to Jiko last time and it was pretty good!) on days we don't go to the parks. But if this means that we could use them only for the first 8 days (counting the arrival day and the change reservation day) then we would be forced to do all of WDW first and then head off to the other parks.

Thanks for the help!

 

[pigby]

Unfortunately you can't use 7 DDP days over 14 nights. We too are splitting our vacation - first 9 nights at ASMu and the last 5 at BCV - we have decided to pay for DDP for the ASMu stay (the last few nights we prefer to be more flexible anyhow).

As I understand the DDP credits will expire at midnight on the day we check out of ASMu (and check in to BCV) - which means we will still be able to have dinner at Cape May that evening.

Last year we had a few CS over which we let expire as we were travelling home, but this year if we have any CS credits over, I will buy them on our BCV check in day and put them in the fridge for the day after (cheap? - maybe)

I hope you can get the plan to work for you

 

[mbanks21]

Thats right. The credits expire midnight of the day you check out of the res that has the ddp on it which would be your first res

 

[redoschi]

I was afraid of that... I thought those credits would expire on the night you check out like the extra magic hours and other guest perks even if you will checkin again and continue with another reservation.

Well, I'll have to think this one through a bit more cause there really may be good to spend the first week on WDW parks and then rent a car (stay the first days with WDW transportation only) and enjoy the other parks. (It may be worth it to save some extra money as we would rent the car a single week and with the DP)

The only thing I also need to worry about is if we would use all 7 TS as we're all young (me and DGF will be 25, and her brothers will be 22 and 14) and I suspect most our meals would be CS (though I really want to prepare well in advance and make ADRs for some restaurants I always wanted to try like Le Cellier).