dining plan

[OHIOVACATIONER]

Do you have to sign up for the DDP ahead of time or can we wait until we check in?

 

[DisBuckMan]

Folks, I'm editing this obviously incorrect information before a dozen more people feel the need to reiterate what's already been said.

It's been several years since we've done the dining plan due to the inability to find value in it for our family, and either things have changed (maybe), or my memory isn't what it used to be (likely).

My apologies.

 

[HopperFan]

I thought it had to be booked at least something like 48 or 72 hours before arrival.

 

[purple figment]

The dining plan has to be added no later than 72 hours before check in day with a regular resort reservation or no later than 48 hours in advance with a reservation through the DVC office.

The dining plan has to be booked through Disney or an authorized travel agency. It cannot be added to a room reservation booked through a third party site such as Expedia or Orbitz.

 

[DisBuckMan]

The dining plan has to be booked through Disney or an authorized travel agency. It cannot be added to a room reservation booked through a third party site such as Expedia or Orbitz.

Has that changed? I'm fairly certain we booked our complete package in either 2011 or 2012, including dining, through Expedia.

 

[bbak30]

I think it has to be added 72 hours before you arrive. Call and ask.

 

[Hopefully]

It has always been this way. You have to book directly through Disney.

Has that changed? I'm fairly certain we booked our complete package in either 2011 or 2012, including dining, through Expedia.

 

[aaarcher86]

Has that changed? I'm fairly certain we booked our complete package in either 2011 or 2012, including dining, through Expedia.

Expedia reservations can't even add the dining plan.

 

[sharonabe]

It depends on how you make your reservation. If you make it directly with Disney, you have until check-in to add it. If you book through a 3rd party, like Expedia, you have to add it when you book.

I know others have already said it, but since this is the first response, I want to make sure it is heard: This is NOT true.

Unless you are renting/using DVC points, you must add the plan 72 hrs before. If you are renting/using DVC, it is 48 hrs. However, if you are renting DVC, the owner is the one who gets the plan for you, and they will probably want to make sure the money is in their account before they add it, so don't wait until that 48 hr mark and expect them to do it for you.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

As for reservations booked through third parties, if you are booking through a third party acting as a travel agent (meaning they book a package through Disney on your behalf), then you can get a dining plan. If you are booking a resold room (meaning Disney has sold a certain inventory of rooms to a third party to resell), you would be booking those rooms directly via the third party and not through Disney. These can go back to Disney only as a room only reservation; so you can't book a Disney package; so you can't add a dining plan. They still sell at a pretty good clip because a reseller can and often does offer discounts above and beyond those offered by Disney. I've booked one through a reseller that carried an additional 20% reseller discount on top of the discount already added by Disney.

Some websites and companies can do both (acting as your travel agent, and acting as a reseller). It'll depend on what kind of reservation or package you buy. Usually package reservations for WDW including flights, room and tickets, booked in conjunction with airlines, the airline works as a travel agent, so package add-ons are available because they are still booking rooms through Disney using Disney's own inventory. Once Disney has sold room inventory to a reseller, they can't package up that inventory with tickets or any other add-on any longer.