dining plan and renting pts from dvc member

[connorsmom911]

Can I add the dining plan if we are renting pts from a dvc member ? I wasn't going to, because this was supposed to be a cheap trip, but I went through the menus and approximating what we will eat, I think we'd be stupid not to add it. It worked so well for our trip in April!

Anyone know how I would go about doing this? I don't need park passes because we have leftovers from April and we bought tickets for MNSSHP for our MK evening.

Thanks,

 

[sistertrip]

As long as you're staying at a DVC resort, you should be able to add the dining plan.

 

[BCV23]

The word on the DVC boards is that you contact the member from whom you are renting and then they call Member Services and add it to your reservation. You don't need to buy tickets. You pay at checkin but it must be added to your reservation before checkin.

 

[JimMIA]

Yes, you can purchase the dining plan if you are renting a ressie from a DVC member. You do not have to buy any park tickets; other than that, everything is the same as the regular pay dining plan.

You don't need the member to call MS for you. You can do that yourself if the member gives you their telephone number...and that's a lot easier and more efficient than going back and forth with the member. Your ressie will be in your name and you just give MS your confirmation number and tell them to add the dining plan. As mentioned, you do not pre-pay -- you pay at checkin.

If you're flying in, you can alse get DME and you follow the same drill with that -- call MS and make your arrangements.

Have a great trip!

 

[stavidt]

We originally decided not to opt for the dining plan during our last trip in May. We split our stay b/c of the weekend being so expensive and did Friday and Sat night at a moderate and the rest of the trip renting from a DVC member. Friday and Saturday night killed us!!!! Meals were much more than the dining plan would have costed us. So....when we checked in to the DVC on that Sunday we asked to have the dining plan added to our stay and they did it no problem.

Go for it!! I have no problem admitting I am a penny pincher...and thought I was ahead of the game....boy was I wrong and much happier with the dining plan.

Good luck

 

[BCV23]

So....when we checked in to the DVC on that Sunday we asked to have the dining plan added to our stay and they did it no problem.

Good to know...despite the direction to book it ahead through MS I had wondered if in fact it could be added last minute. Obviously so in your case.

Where were you staying... I wonder if it varies between the DVC only properties like SSR and OKW versus the ones where checkin and billing is through the hotel (BC, WL and BWI)?

Jim, thanks for the info about a renter calling themselves. You are right that it would be much simpler to eliminate the middle man.

 

[beth_cam]

According to the info on places like disney's web site and talking to the oh so reliable (lol) cm's on the phone dining must be added before you arrive. Now we all know that a lot of these 'rules' are easy to get around and are not programmed into the system. However if you know you will most likely want to add it it is better to do so before you go since if the 'rules' state you must and you get one of the cm's who refuse to be helpful you may not manage to get it added when you get there. I know DVC is different in some ways and maybe has more helpful cm's but it seems to me I have seen a post where someone in a regular room tried to add it after arriving and couldnt. Several people have reported issues with going by what has been allowed for some ddp people only to have it not work for them...as well as some cm's who want to have their own interpretation of how things should work.

 

[jsmla]

We're renting points in October and the owner sent me the confirmation letter for the reservation which had a phone number for member services on it. I just called and added the plan, no problem at all. I told member services that I was renting points and not a DVC member and it wasn't an issue.

Hope this helps!

 

[BCV23]

According to the info on places like disney's web site and talking to the oh so reliable (lol) cm's on the phone dining must be added before you arrive. Now we all know that a lot of these 'rules' are easy to get around and are not programmed into the system. However if you know you will most likely want to add it it is better to do so before you go since if the 'rules' state you must and you get one of the cm's who refuse to be helpful you may not manage to get it added when you get there. I know DVC is different in some ways and maybe has more helpful cm's but it seems to me I have seen a post where someone in a regular room tried to add it after arriving and couldnt. Several people have reported issues with going by what has been allowed for some ddp people only to have it not work for them...as well as some cm's who want to have their own interpretation of how things should work.

I agree that it would be silly not to add the plan before going if you are a DVC member or renting since those are the guidelines given to us.

I did find the post interesting. I just wonder if it was a renegade CM or a policy that we just don't know about yet. DVC was first able to add the DDP starting this January and for stays beginning this April so it is still rather new.

 

[stavidt]

Before we arrived the person we were renting from asked if we would like to add the dining plan and I declined. I know that you cannot add the dining plan in the middle of your stay. So we requested and added the dining plan upon check in at the VWL. I hope that helps.

 

[BCV23]

Thanks for the details.

 

[Sammie]

I too, was told my DVC Member Services that I had to book it 48 hours prior to arrival.

If you want it, I would not take a chance they will allow you to get it when you check in. You will surely get the CM that is not going to be flexible if you do.