Dinning Plan in BW Vilia

[Mikeytuff89]

Hi there,

A group of us are staying in my uncles BW Villa in late spring this coming year. I know we are not eligible for free dinning if offered but are we eligible for the dinning plan at all? We are still getting park tickets so I don't see why not. Also my uncle tells me that we can ride the ME from MCO to our resort but we must handle our own bags. Has anyone else had this experience before when staying in a villa?

Thanks For the help

 

[BCV23]

Guests staying in villas can purchase the dining plan and even the deluxe dining plan. The owner must add the plan and I think the new rules are that it must be paid for at the time the owner books the dining plan.

You may use ME and the same rules apply for DVC guests as other WDW resort guests. ME will handle your bags if you arrive during the day. There is a cutoff time? Perhaps that's why your uncle said you'd need to handle your own bags?

 

[goofy4tink]

Hi there,

A group of us are staying in my uncles BW Villa in late spring this coming year. I know we are not eligible for free dinning if offered but are we eligible for the dinning plan at all? We are still getting park tickets so I don't see why not. Also my uncle tells me that we can ride the ME from MCO to our resort but we must handle our own bags. Has anyone else had this experience before when staying in a villa?

Thanks For the help

You can purchase the dining plan (any of them) when staying at a DVC villa. You're correct in that you can't get free dining, unless you booked your room as part of a pkg that includes free dining. But, if you are staying on points (yours or someone else's) you can't get free dining. You just have to let Disney know prior to your arrival. The dining plan is then paid for at the time you book it.

As far as DME goes, anyone can tag their bags and get them delivered to their room. Not sure how your uncle got that info. You must make the reservation for DME prior to arrival though....and if you want to get the packet with your luggage tags and vouchers in it, you should book no less than 2 weeks before you leave. Now..if you are using someone else's points to stay at BWV, they will have to make the DME reservation for you. You won't be able to do it yourself, but that shouldn't be an issue.

So, basically, your uncle is going to have to call MS (member services) and get the dining plan added for you (and again, it must be paid for in advance), and also make the DME reservations. He can then send you the DME packet if he can't have it sent directly to you. But again.....he has to do these things for you.

 

[BCV23]

goofy4tink, I had to look up the hours but according to the transportation sticky, if you arrive between 10pm and 5am, ME doesn't transfer your bags.

Also last I knew, DVC reservations were not eligible for the Platinum plan. Has that changed?

 

[TDC Nala]

guests on DVC reservations can purchase any dining plan, but everyone registered in the villa must purchase the same dining plan for the entire duration of the stay - so everyone staying with you on your uncle's reservation has to get the dining plan in order for you to get it.

Park tickets are completely irrelevant. DVC reservations do not require a park ticket purchase to get a dining plan added to the reservation. The only requirement is that everyone get the same dining plan.

DVC reservations are not currently eligible for either the Premium or Platinum package plans (which are not Disney dining plans, it's a separate program).

 

[BCV23]

guests on DVC reservations can purchase any dining plan, but everyone registered in the villa must purchase the same dining plan for the entire duration of the stay - so everyone staying with you has to get the dining plan in order for you to get it.

Seriously, the platinum plan, too? When did that change?

 

[goofy4tink]

goofy4tink, I had to look up the hours but according to the transportation sticky, if you arrive between 10pm and 5am, ME doesn't transfer your bags.

Also last I knew, DVC reservations were not eligible for the Platinum plan. Has that changed?

Absolutely true about DME grabbing bags if you arrive between 10pm and 5am. I'm not sure when the OP is arriving though.
And DVC guests don't get the Platinum plan, as noted. In fact, I sometimes forget it even exists!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

Hasn't changed, I'm pretty sure DVC guests were never able to get either the Premium or Platinum plans. As noted, they are not dining plans.

And DVC no longer allows segmenting of reservations to allow for different dining plans on different days - so either the entire party needs to get the same dining plan for the duration of the stay, or entirely separate room reservations must be made.

 

[BCV23]

Absolutely true about DME grabbing bags if you arrive between 10pm and 5am. I'm not sure when the OP is arriving though.
And DVC guests don't get the Platinum plan, as noted. In fact, I sometimes forget it even exists!!!

LOL about the platinum. It would be nice to add it for a short DVC stay. V&A, here we come.

I didn't know when they were arriving either which is why I asked if that could be the reason the uncle told them they needed to collect their own bags.

 

[Mikeytuff89]

Thank you so much for all your help, we will be arriving around 11 am so time should not be a factor. Oddly enough i called an spoke to a CM about adding the dinning plan and he said we weren't eligible bc of the villa. This was about a month ago tho. Perhaps he was just confused about what I was asking him. When you say the dinning plan needs to be paid for in advance, do you mean at the time of booking the Villa or just before you go down and all at once. Everyone in the party is intending on getting the same plan and paying all at once asap so that shouldn't be a problem either as long as its not to late, the rooms already booked. Thanks again!

 

[BCV23]

The CM was wrong but in his/her defense, the folks at DVC Member Services have to book the dining plans for a DVC reservation not those your reach through WDW reservations.

The dining plan must be paid for when it is added to a reservation but not necessarily when booked. Last I knew, it had to be added no later than 48 hours before the reservation begins. So if everyone pays your uncle, he could then add the dining plan for you. He'll need the address to which you want the ME vouchers mailed, too, along with the names of everyone taking ME.You don't want to wait too long to do that. goofy4tink would know the latest on that people's experiences getting their ME packet but I would do add it ASAP.

Have fun!

TDC Nala, I too don't think the premium or platinum plans have ever been available for DVC or at least not since the advent of the regular DDP, etc.. We used to do the Gold Key plan years ago which was similar to the current premium. We would have done a short premium or platinum in a heartbeat a few years ago. We've slowed down now so not sure we have the energy for all that dining, golf, boats and touring now.

 

[TDC Nala]

Thank you so much for all your help, we will be arriving around 11 am so time should not be a factor. Oddly enough i called an spoke to a CM about adding the dinning plan and he said we weren't eligible bc of the villa. This was about a month ago tho. Perhaps he was just confused about what I was asking him. When you say the dinning plan needs to be paid for in advance, do you mean at the time of booking the Villa or just before you go down and all at once. Everyone in the party is intending on getting the same plan and paying all at once asap so that shouldn't be a problem either as long as its not to late, the rooms already booked. Thanks again!

Who did you call?

If you called Disney Central Reservations, they will have no access to or information on DVC reservations. And you likely didn't call DVC Member Services because they won't deal with anyone who isn't an actual member.

As soon as the dining plan is added to the reservation, it must be paid for in full. The dining plan must be added to the reservation no later than 24 hours before arrival but can be added any time before that. Your uncle, if he is the DVC member, will need to call DVC Member Services and add the dining plan for all members of the party for the full stay, then pay for it (if you want to pay for your own plan you will likely need to pay him back), so you need to ask him to do this.

It is my experience that DVC will not mail DME luggage tags to anyone but the member. Your uncle will need to request extra tags and then get them to you if you want tags.

 

[Mikeytuff89]

Who did you call?

If you called Disney Central Reservations, they will have no access to or information on DVC reservations. And you likely didn't call DVC Member Services because they won't deal with anyone who isn't an actual member.

As soon as the dining plan is added to the reservation, it must be paid for in full. The dining plan must be added to the reservation no later than 24 hours before arrival but can be added any time before that. Your uncle, if he is the DVC member, will need to call DVC Member Services and add the dining plan for all members of the party for the full stay, then pay for it (if you want to pay for your own plan you will likely need to pay him back), so you need to ask him to do this.

It is my experience that DVC will not mail DME luggage tags to anyone but the member. Your uncle will need to request extra tags and then get them to you if you want tags.

I think i did call the regular reservation number. Thats probably why they didnt have a proper answer for. I live a half mile from my uncle not to mention my cousin is coming too, so it doesn't really matter who they get mailed to. Just as long as its do able. Thanks for all the info, you guys are a lot of help.