dining plan and split stay--help

[Mousefan mom]

We have read so much about split stays, we decided to try one this trip and called to change last night. I had no idea it was so involved. We were on the phone with Disney for over an hour, and they had to book it as two packages. I'm a little worried now how our dining plan is going to work...I have a lot of the QS at the beginning of our week, and the table service at the end. Will it just work as one week (i.e. 7 nights) or does it see us only staying X number of nights on reservation 1, and we will run into trouble before we check into reservation number 2? Yikes...! How do refillable mugs work in this situation too? Although I'm super excited about getting to stay at our 2 favorites...I'm not worried. We love the "inclusion" feeling, and other than checking out/in I don't want to loose that. For those more experienced--HELP

 

[Marionnette]

We have read so much about split stays, we decided to try one this trip and called to change last night. I had no idea it was so involved. We were on the phone with Disney for over an hour, and they had to book it as two packages. I'm a little worried now how our dining plan is going to work...I have a lot of the QS at the beginning of our week, and the table service at the end. Will it just work as one week (i.e. 7 nights) or does it see us only staying X number of nights on reservation 1, and we will run into trouble before we check into reservation number 2? Yikes...! How do refillable mugs work in this situation too? Although I'm super excited about getting to stay at our 2 favorites...I'm not worried. We love the "inclusion" feeling, and other than checking out/in I don't want to loose that. For those more experienced--HELP

You booked 2 packages each with a dining plan?

If so, this is how it will work. The dining credits for your first stay will be good from the beginning of you check in day until midnight of the day that you check out from that resort. The dining credits from the second stay will not be available for you to use until the morning of the day that you check in for that stay and will expire at midnight on the day that you check out.
You will get 2 sets of refillable mugs, the first set can be picked up at the start of your first stay and then the second set can be picked up when you begin the second reservation. The refillable mugs from the first stay will be good for 14 consecutive days from when they are activated and can be used at any resort refill station.

There are also implications with tickets and FP+ that I won't get into.

 

[Mousefan mom]

Yes, this is what the CM directed us to do. I feel like we’ve made a huge mistake now. We are not planning to use our table service credits until the end of our total 7 night stay. We do the Disney Dining so you only get one TS and one QS per night—so I think we are going to get shorted a TA credit this way. I had no idea, and we were on hold most of the call while the CM was working with guest services and could not ask questions.

 

[Marionnette]

Yes, this is what the CM directed us to do. I feel like we’ve made a huge mistake now. We are not planning to use our table service credits until the end of our total 7 night stay. We do the Disney Dining so you only get one TS and one QS per night—so I think we are going to get shorted a TA credit this way. I had no idea, and we were on hold most of the call while the CM was working with guest services and could not ask questions.

Most people who do split stays do not book packages for both stays. They often book the package for the second half and then pick up their tickets early.

The dining packages are not going to work the way that you want them to as things stand. Could you possibly upgrade to the DxDP for the second stay and downgrade to QSDP for the first stay? That might help with the way the credits are distributed.

 

[Mousefan mom]

Most people who do split stays do not book packages for both stays. They often book the package for the second half and then pick up their tickets early.

The dining packages are not going to work the way that you want them to as things stand. Could you possibly upgrade to the DxDP for the second stay and downgrade to QSDP for the first stay? That might help with the way the credits are distributed.

I just did the math and to do it this way would cost us $1,107.55 more than we are paying now. I nearly fell over. However, at this rate, we will be paying out of pocket for a QS--maybe more depending on what hours the entitlements work on first reservation and what hours the entitlements work on 2nd reservation, and then also paying out of pocket for a TS and not being able to use all our QS--so by doing the split stay it has rendered our dining plan quite useless....Oh I am kicking myself. I had no idea. We need to try and call and see if we can get our original package back, or just bag the dining plan. I'm so bummed as the kids were so excited to stay at the Beach club part of our trip--but it isn't available the first part.

 

[Hopefully]

Yes, unless you rearrange your dining ADRs you have a mess

 

[Marionnette]

I just did the math and to do it this way would cost us $1,107.55 more than we are paying now. I nearly fell over. However, at this rate, we will be paying out of pocket for a QS--maybe more depending on what hours the entitlements work on first reservation and what hours the entitlements work on 2nd reservation, and then also paying out of pocket for a TS and not being able to use all our QS--so by doing the split stay it has rendered our dining plan quite useless....Oh I am kicking myself. I had no idea. We need to try and call and see if we can get our original package back, or just bag the dining plan. I'm so bummed as the kids were so excited to stay at the Beach club part of our trip--but it isn't available the first part.

Maybe it would be possible to get a RO at the one resort for the beginning of your trip (no tickets, no dining plans) but shorten the number of nights to maybe 2? Then book the second resort as a package. Pay OOP for the QS meals during those first couple of nights, pick up your tickets for the package a couple of days early.

 

[plutolovr]

I just did the math and to do it this way would cost us $1,107.55 more than we are paying now. I nearly fell over. However, at this rate, we will be paying out of pocket for a QS--maybe more depending on what hours the entitlements work on first reservation and what hours the entitlements work on 2nd reservation, and then also paying out of pocket for a TS and not being able to use all our QS--so by doing the split stay it has rendered our dining plan quite useless....Oh I am kicking myself. I had no idea. We need to try and call and see if we can get our original package back, or just bag the dining plan. I'm so bummed as the kids were so excited to stay at the Beach club part of our trip--but it isn't available the first part.

I realize this is closing the barn door after the horses escape, however, this is a situation where a travel agent that specializes in Disney, like Dreams Unlimited Travel, could have assisted you. They know all of the ins-and-outs of booking Disney vacations, and would have counseled you in the correct way to do this.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

We often do a split stay with dining plan on first reservation, then pay OOP for second reservation meals. We can still use our mugs from reservation #1 as they are good for length of stay. We do expensive TS meals on first reservation (such as character meals) and then pay OOP for cheaper meals on second reservation (Sci-Fi, The Plaza, ...). So maybe get a RO reservation for second reservation and move around ADR's if you still want to do a split stay?

 

[Mousefan mom]

Okay--called them...I *think* it will work out due to the timing of our meals and the fact that we have until midnight on "check out" to use our first entitlements. According to the CM I spoke with, the system will automatically use up all of our entitlements from the first reservation before moving to the second reservation. If that works, we should be okay--we may just end up paying for one QS out of pocket the first day. I can handle that. However, the previous post indicated this might also have consequences for our fast passes--can anyone help with that? They are already booked and we have annual pass so we didn't purchase tickets with the packages. I get to keep the fast passes I already had made correct?

 

[Mousefan mom]

I realize this is closing the barn door after the horses escape, however, this is a situation where a travel agent that specializes in Disney, like Dreams Unlimited Travel, could have assisted you. They know all of the ins-and-outs of booking Disney vacations, and would have counseled you in the correct way to do this.

I am laughing because I never used a travel agent before--but from here on out this will be the number one reason I use one! We've always kept our trips simple before. We did do a previous split stay--but we had room on reservation that trip and did not use the dining plan so it was seamless--they transported our luggage for us, etc. Yes, travel agents for the future!!!

 

[Marionnette]

Okay--called them...I *think* it will work out due to the timing of our meals and the fact that we have until midnight on "check out" to use our first entitlements. According to the CM I spoke with, the system will automatically use up all of our entitlements from the first reservation before moving to the second reservation. If that works, we should be okay--we may just end up paying for one QS out of pocket the first day. I can handle that. However, the previous post indicated this might also have consequences for our fast passes--can anyone help with that? They are already booked and we have annual pass so we didn't purchase tickets with the packages. I get to keep the fast passes I already had made correct?

Since you already have FP+ booked, you must be under 60 days until arrival. That, plus the fact that you booked a "ticketless dining package with your APs, there should be no FP+ implications.

The story would be different if you were more than 60 days away from arrival and had two packages with tickets attached to each.

You're fine. Have a good trip!

 

[Wood Nymph]

However, the previous post indicated this might also have consequences for our fast passes--can anyone help with that? They are already booked and we have annual pass so we didn't purchase tickets with the packages. I get to keep the fast passes I already had made correct?

You won't have any trouble with your fast passes. FP's are tied to tickets, not to room reservations. The only affect that a reservation has is to open up the fp booking window at 60 days. Once you make the fps, especially since you have annual passes, your fast passes won't change.

 

[Mousefan mom]

We got an email from them, literally after I posted saying that we have an inadequate number of Fast passes (or something like this) and one or more FP is subject to cancellation if we don't do something by a date of--last week....so I am guessing this is just a random email they send out to people who do the split stays. Oh my! Well, I'm trying to just relax and enjoy and not stress and worry about this now. Lessons learned in the future, use a travel agent--particularly if we plan on a split stay...and make sure I use all the entitlements from my 1st reservation by midnight the night we "check out"....eeks! Oh my!!

 

[Mousefan mom]

Maybe it would be possible to get a RO at the one resort for the beginning of your trip (no tickets, no dining plans) but shorten the number of nights to maybe 2? Then book the second resort as a package. Pay OOP for the QS meals during those first couple of nights, pick up your tickets for the package a couple of days early.

By the way, I just wanted to say thank you for your detailed explanation! You actually did a better job than the person on the phone via Disney explaining to me how this works, lol!!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

An important note is that before midnight of first checkout, you must use all your credits before the next dining plan starts, or by11:59 or they poof.

Practically speaking, this means if you have 2QS credits and 3 Snacks, you will not be able to access TS credits on the next plan on that transition day. When they say all credits must be used, they mean all.

 

[eileen2664]

Maybe it would be possible to get a RO at the one resort for the beginning of your trip (no tickets, no dining plans) but shorten the number of nights to maybe 2? Then book the second resort as a package. Pay OOP for the QS meals during those first couple of nights, pick up your tickets for the package a couple of days early.

Keep in mind though that you can't book FP+ in advance for that first stay. I'm dealing with that now, we have a free dining package with 2 nights beforehand. I was able to book FP+ at 60+ days from the check-in date for the free dining package, but not for the prior dates (because we don't have active tickets, they can't be activated until we're onsite). Not a huge deal for us as we're there for a total of 8 days/7 nights but it could be problematic for a shorter stay. (of course I enjoy making things more complicated so we also have 2 rooms with different dining plans for each room....it's been fun, lol)

 

[Marionnette]

Keep in mind though that you can't book FP+ in advance for that first stay. I'm dealing with that now, we have a free dining package with 2 nights beforehand. I was able to book FP+ at 60+ days from the check-in date for the free dining package, but not for the prior dates (because we don't have active tickets, they can't be activated until we're onsite). Not a huge deal for us as we're there for a total of 8 days/7 nights but it could be problematic for a shorter stay. (of course I enjoy making things more complicated so we also have 2 rooms with different dining plans for each room....it's been fun, lol)

The OP has APs, so they should not have that problem. For guests who do a split stay with no tickets in the first part, they would not be able to book any FP+ for the first stay until they have arrived and have activated their tickets.