Dining Plan Quandry - Will this work???

[Derf]

DW and I would like to do the dining plan, but feel like it would be too much food for both of us for the duration of a trip. So, my question is this:

Could only one of us sign up for the dining plan by only making the reservation in one persons name through MS? Assuming that's possible, can you use multiple credits from one KTTW card/dining plan during a single meal?

 

[Tara]

DW and I would like to do the dining plan, but feel like it would be too much food for both of us for the duration of a trip. So, my question is this:

Could only one of us sign up for the dining plan by only making the reservation in one persons name through MS? Assuming that's possible, can you use multiple credits from one KTTW card/dining plan during a single meal?

Everyone in the room must be listed on the reservation and everyone on the reservation must have the same DP. Furthermore, doing what you describe would mean one of you won't have a KTTW and will therefore be unable to take advantage of EMH.

I also believe that you can't use credits for more people than are listed on your plan. Your KTTW must be presented so they can deduct credits, and that KTTW tells how many people are in the plan. Whether or not this is enforced, I can't say.

If it's too much food for you both, then doing the DP won't work for you.

 

[hot_mama]

We also were wondering about the DDP. If you are doing a split stay (example..5 nights at BLT and 2 nights at AKV) can you book the DDP for only the first reservation? It is a ton of food and we would like to cook a few meals. Would this work? Also we thought of doing a split stay all at BLT (example 3 nights mk view and 4 nights lake view) could we do the DDP for only the first half of that trip?

 

[kimberh]

We also were wondering about the DDP. If you are doing a split stay (example..5 nights at BLT and 2 nights at AKV) can you book the DDP for only the first reservation? It is a ton of food and we would like to cook a few meals. Would this work? Also we thought of doing a split stay all at BLT (example 3 nights mk view and 4 nights lake view) could we do the DDP for only the first half of that trip?

You can book the DDP for only one confirmation number. As long as you are checking out and then checking back in. I have done this. You will get new cards at the new check in. Just don't add it on the new confirmation, AKV or the second one at BLT.

 

[hot_mama]

Awesome! Thanks for the info.

 

[Dean]

DW and I would like to do the dining plan, but feel like it would be too much food for both of us for the duration of a trip. So, my question is this:

Could only one of us sign up for the dining plan by only making the reservation in one persons name through MS? Assuming that's possible, can you use multiple credits from one KTTW card/dining plan during a single meal?

Even if you had a person staying 1 night in the middle of your trip, they are supposed to be on the plan for the entire time. It is a lot of food but works best for shorter stays, with planning to the more expensive options and for those with kids 3-9. A split stay or short stay can be ideal to get the DDP, esp if arriving early day 1 and departing late on the last day so you get full use on those bookend days.

 

[Deb & Bill]

There is a lot of talk at DVC about linking stays into one reservation, so using the dining plan for a portion of the trips (first stay) may not work in the future. Also you will be paying for the dining plan when you add it to your reservation instead of when you arrive.

 

[disneybride96]

We also were wondering about the DDP. If you are doing a split stay (example..5 nights at BLT and 2 nights at AKV) can you book the DDP for only the first reservation? It is a ton of food and we would like to cook a few meals. Would this work? Also we thought of doing a split stay all at BLT (example 3 nights mk view and 4 nights lake view) could we do the DDP for only the first half of that trip?

Also remember that your dining plan expires at midnight on the night you checkout, therefore you cannot save your credits to use later in the week.

 

[rentayenta]

We think the DDP provides too much food and do it only if we are doing a split stay.

 

[Sammie]

I will be the voice that says, no one makes you eat any more than you want on the dining plan.

Surely people go to buffets and never eat all that is offered or on a cruise. Did anyone ever turn down a cruise because there is too much food?

We got the regular plan and it has one QS, one TS and one snack.

We used all our snack credits for bottled water or sodas.

We used most of our QS dessert credits for fruit.

We ate an early QS breakfast or lunch and then had TS that we used for either signature meals, which uses two, or one dinner TS. If you use your QS for breakfast since there is no breakfast dessert you are allowed another beverage, which we got bottled water or juice. These we put in our frig in the villa.

At TS if we did not want the dessert we did not order it, it was really not a deal breaker for us. With the DDP, most of the desserts are one bite now anyway.

Now maybe I could understand if someone wants to be really frugal while on vacation and not spend the money, but as to the amount of food you really are in control of that. I just do not still understand the too much food. Do people not eat on vacation.

We enjoyed the convenience and as Dean said we arrived early and moved to the Grand Floridian on our last day of the plan and used it there for dinner. We also used two signature meals.

And Derf, no, you can not order two meals from the same card and feed another person. Meals are not transferable.

 

[Dean]

I will be the voice that says, no one makes you eat any more than you want on the dining plan.

True but the value one gets is often linked to the choices one makes including which restaurant, entree, dessert, drink, etc.

 

[Pig Pen]

It's too much food for us and I consider myself a pretty big eater. For some reason I just eat less at WDW. Maybe it's the heat or something. Also I am uncomfortable walking around or doing rides when I am full.

 

[dclfun]

They do look at the KTTW card to see if the count is right. We had four adults in our party at dinner and they looked to see if AD4 was listed on our cards and even discussed it with us..."okay, there are four of you and four are listed on your card". I'm sure if there were less guests it would be okay ( as we might have gone our separate ways) but not more.---Kathy

 

[Sammie]

True but the value one gets is often linked to the choices one makes including which restaurant, entree, dessert, drink, etc.

Oh I totally agree it might not be a good value for everyone. But I guess I am baffled at the "too much food" comments.

I guess I am the only person that does not over eat just because its paid for. We treat the dining plan like we do a cruise, or all inclusive. I am not going to pig out, just because I can.

We just enjoy the convenience and it does save us money based on what we select.

 

[rentayenta]

Oh I totally agree it might not be a good value for everyone. But I guess I am baffled at the "too much food" comments.

I guess I am the only person that does not over eat just because its paid for. We treat the dining plan like we do a cruise, or all inclusive. I am not going to pig out, just because I can.

We just enjoy the convenience and it does save us money based on what we select.

For me the too much food is with regard to wasting it. I don't need that much food- I just don't. I hate to waste food though- I just do. The DDP and I don't make a good couple for more than a few days.

 

[Tara]

Oh I totally agree it might not be a good value for everyone. But I guess I am baffled at the "too much food" comments.

I guess I am the only person that does not over eat just because its paid for. We treat the dining plan like we do a cruise, or all inclusive. I am not going to pig out, just because I can.

We just enjoy the convenience and it does save us money based on what we select.

In some ways, I agree with you here. If I think about 1TS restaurants in general, everything they serve is "too much food." The portion sizes are WAY out of whack. At the signatures, the irony I guess is that the food is generally so much better, but there's less of it. (There's a great David Sedaris line in which he describes his almost masochistic attitude during a bad dining experience saying, "The food was terrible, and there was so little of it.")

I've found that the DxDP works pretty well for us in certain circumstances - buffets for breakfast (where we serve ourselves only what we want to eat) and signatures for dinner, where the food is very good and the portions are somewhat reasonable. It worked very well when we ate all our meals out because we were in a moderate, and on paper it looks like it will work well on our next trip (on Friday!!!) when MIL is joining us and DH wants to take her to all our favorite restaurants. Otherwise, it's TIW all the way.

 

[Sammie]

In some ways, I agree with you here. If I think about 1TS restaurants in general, everything they serve is "too much food." The portion sizes are WAY out of whack. At the signatures, the irony I guess is that the food is generally so much better, but there's less of it. (There's a great David Sedaris line in which he describes his almost masochistic attitude during a bad dining experience saying, "The food was terrible, and there was so little of it.")

I've found that the DxDP works pretty well for us in certain circumstances - buffets for breakfast (where we serve ourselves only what we want to eat) and signatures for dinner, where the food is very good and the portions are somewhat reasonable. It worked very well when we ate all our meals out because we were in a moderate, and on paper it looks like it will work well on our next trip (on Friday!!!) when MIL is joining us and DH wants to take her to all our favorite restaurants. Otherwise, it's TIW all the way.

Totally agree Tara, I can think of many reasons the DDP does not work for some, such as prefer to eat in the villa preparing thier own food, do not want to take the time for a FS meal as most time is spent in parks, not a good value for the cost of the plan versus what the guest usually eats at WDW, but too much food is always one that throws me for a loop.

We enjoy the Signature restaurants and during a 5 night stay will have two of those and one TS meal, so truly at the week's end it's not a lot of food. Most of our QS were for breakfast as I do enjoy eating breakfast out while on vacation.

Also after going to the parks for years and years, we spend on average about 4 hours in a park a few times a week. So we have plenty of time for a leisurely meal.

 

[roelongo]

Something else to consider: You will not be able to use magical express if you aren't listed on the reservation either.

 

[bobbiwoz]

When I say or think "too much food" I know that I am thinking exactly about the desserts that come with the counter service as well as the sit down dinner. Also, I often bring some of the food from a sit down meal back to the villa to eat as a lighter meal that day or the next.

I am not one who disparages WDW food. There are restaurants, like Chef de France that I and many in my family enjoy a lot!

The dining plans just don't work for me. I used to get it for the Candlelight Processional visit. That worked because the dinner was only 1 credit, and another use of the DP was that it applied to Fantasmic dinner. Those are 2 things that TIW don't cover. We did the DP last year again, even though the CP was "worth" 2 TS credits. That in particular is the one thing that I think is over priced especially on the dining plan.

Bobbi

 

[hot_mama]

Wow, when I asked the split stay dining question I did'nt imagine it would turn in to what "alot of food" meant to everyone. Let me just say that I am a DDP fan actually. We have had it on ALL of our WDW trips. We are just brand new DVC members and are excited about being able to cook if we want to. We know we like the DDP, we just will be traveling with another family and will have a total of 5 kids. We don't spend ALL day in the parks either and do enjoy a good TS. We like to enjoy our resort during the heat of the day and think we might like to prepare a few lunches while the kids swim and such. The family we are traveling with also loves to cook so that is a bonus for me. We are just trying to figure out what will work best for us on this particular trip.