Disney Dining Experience Questions

[KellyJ]

We currently have new 10 day hoppers that we will be upgrading to annual passes when we arrive in October. Since I have to visit guest services to do this, I can't do it before our arrival.

Once I have the AP, I'd like to order the DDE card. I know that I must call and do this over the phone, and I know that a temporary card/letter can be picked up at Guest Services at Epcot. How much time to they need to be able to do this? Can they do it on the same day if we order early enough? The next day?

Thanks in advance for any help with this!

Kelly

 

[kandlsutton5]

Subscribing - thinking about doing the same thing....

 

[Luv2Roam]

The temp card cannot be picked until 5:30 p.m. (Maybe 5:00.)
So best to get your tickets and DDE paid for first thing. I am sure they will do the best they can. But I would get it done as soon as you can in order to possibly pick it up that day. I think they use to do same day, within reason. I think if you order it late afternoon it would probably be the next day.

 

[KellyJ]

Thanks! So it probably wouldn't be more than the next day, right? I think we should be on property around 1 - 1:30 and I'd take care of this first thing. I really wouldn't need it until late afternoon of the second day which is our first ADR.

You say the card can't be picked up until 5:00 or 5:30... is that any day? In other words, if I order it around 2pm on a Tuesday and they say I can pick it up after 5:30 that same day, but I can't get there until Wednesday, do I have to wait until after 5:30 on Wednesday? Did that make sense?

K

 

[Luv2Roam]

The DDE office is open during normal M - F business hours. During the week should be fine, unless it is a holiday, hurricane , whatever.
Just judging by what I have read here previously, guests have been able to pick up their temp cards the same day, unless they wait until late afternoon. And Ithink they may still have been able to pick them up even then.
I really think you may be able to pick up the temp card later that day. However I would not know if it is a guarantee.
I would think the next day would certainly work.
I assume someone from the DDE office takes temp cards to the front at (Guest Sevices outside of Epcot) on their way out, since 5:30 seems to have been the magic time normally given.
Oh -- and as long as the card is there you can pick it up any time Guest Services is open.
So say you arrived Tuesday and ordered the card, you could pick it up Wednesday morning if you chose to.

 

[KellyJ]

Thank you, Luv2Roam! That's just what I needed to know!

Now let me ask a question about using the Card... do you need to tell the waiter that you have the card before the ticket is rung up, or do you just present the card at the end of the meal when you get ready to pay?

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Thank you, Luv2Roam! That's just what I needed to know!

Now let me ask a question about using the Card... do you need to tell the waiter that you have the card before the ticket is rung up, or do you just present the card at the end of the meal when you get ready to pay?

Thats up to you we did it both ways as DW sometimes forgets she has it or it can be used until I remind her.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have a tendency to lay my card out at the beginning of the meal just so I won't forget. (Like I would. )
But I don't think it matters as long as you give it to them even after they bring the bill.
Often the server will ask if we are on the DDP. And I just state we have the DDE card.

 

[SeaSpray]

I just did this a few weeks ago and it worked out great!

DH and I arrived at the Polynesian resort at around 2pm on a Friday. After checking in we headed over to the MK where we upgraded our 2-day tickets to Annual Passes. I immediately got on the phone with the DDE department and ordered our DDE card. They told me that the temporary card would be at Guest Services at Epcot at right around 5:30pm that same day. The DDE offices are located in or near Epcot, and they do one drop-off each day, at around 5:20pm, that's why they tell people that the temp cards will be ready around 5:30pm, to be picked up.

We weren't able to get there that same evening, but we went the next morning (A Saturday morning) and they had our temp card waiting for us

We've always given the DDE card to our server after they bring the check, unless they happen to ask, OR if we happen to remember to give it to them beforehand.

P.S. My permanent DDE card just arrived in the mail yesterday, so that was about 2 1/2 weeks later.

 

[KellyJ]

Thanks, everyone, for the wonderful information!!

And SeaSpray, thanks especially, that's the exact situation I needed to know about. We should be arriving, also at the Poly, around 1:30 or so and I'll just hop right over to MK and get all that taken care of immediatly!

Fantastic!

K

 

[GEM]

It sounds like the answer to this questions is no, but I thought I'd try anyway . . .

Is there any place else you can pick up the letter, or is Epcot it? Would they fax a copy to you?

We just got our AP vouchers and I want to get the DDE for our trip (leaving next week). However, we hadn't planned to be at Epcot until the evening of the second day of our trip, and if I wait until then to pick up the card I will have paid full price for four meals I could have used it on!

 

[Praise2Him]

It is only at Epcot, but the Guest Services window is outside the park, so you could drive over or take the bus the day you get there and pick it up. That's what I was planning on doing, but I actually got my permanent card in the mail yesterday (we leave tomorrow!)