Disney Dining with DVC

[castleri]

We can use TIW in combination with the DDP, right?? So we could get drinks (or in my best drawl 'libations') and appetizers with the TIW and the meal and dessert with DDP....using DVC...need an answer ASAP.

Dang that sounded crazy!! These initials we use are crazy

You are absolutely right - When I do this I tell the server before we order that we have both. They ring it up separately that way to start with instead of having to redo it if you don't mention it before ordering it. Be sure to check your checks before you add a tip to see if it has already been added. I almost paid an extra $27 last year on one bill because I forgot to check the itemized bill. Fortunately it just seemed like it made the total more than I anticipated and it was caught before paid double. I think they automatically add the tip on the TIW portion no matter how many people are on the tab.

 

[heaven2dc]

I hope you don't mind me borrowing your thread to ask a DDP question (and I really wish they would offer free dining or at least a discounted price to DVC owners/renters!). My question is can I pay for the DDP before I arrive? I am renting points from a great DVC'r and I hate to ask him (again) but do I have to wait until I arrive to pay for the plan? And who and where do I pay? (the front desk, concierge, etc.) Can I call the hotel reservation line and give a credit card ahead of time? I should post this in another thread, I guess...

 

[Chuck S]

I hope you don't mind me borrowing your thread to ask a DDP question (and I really wish they would offer free dining or at least a discounted price to DVC owners/renters!). My question is can I pay for the DDP before I arrive? I am renting points from a great DVC'r and I hate to ask him (again) but do I have to wait until I arrive to pay for the plan? And who and where do I pay? (the front desk, concierge, etc.) Can I call the hotel reservation line and give a credit card ahead of time? I should post this in another thread, I guess...

Currently, no, you can not pre-pay the DDP. You pay for it at the from desk when you check-in. The DVC owner, however, has to add the DDP to your reservation through Member Services. System changes are coming on line this summer or fall, where the DDP will have to be paid at the time it is booked...but that option is not yet available.

 

[quirty30]

Do you honestly think housekeeping would continually see a Do Not Disturb sign on a door for 24 hours a day for days at a time without becoming concerned and report it a manager? People do become injured or worse in hotel rooms.

It wasn't at Disney, but on a recent business trip, I had the "do not disturb" sign on my door for the entirety of my 4 night stay. There was no room safe and I didn't want to drag my laptop with me everyday, plus I just didn't need housekeeping (it's very easy to tidy up after only myself.) That being said, I did order room service several times, so they knew I was there. But I think in most large hotels, it could easily go unnoticed. I'm not encouraging anyone to book a room to get free dining and honestly, I agree with you Chuck; if I really wanted to take advantage of free dining, I'd probably "slum" a few days at a moderate and save my DVC points for another trip.

 

[dmoore22]

Well, since a room at a Value costs about $85+/night, and since the Values are now only getting the free CS plan (or were with the last offer), you really aren't saving anything. For our family of three (2 adults, 1 child), we pay about $96/day for the regular DDP, but to get the comparable free dining plan, we'd have to upgrade to a Moderate and pay $120+/night. I guess if you were a family of 5 it might work out, but, if I recall, there aren't any Values (except the Family Suite) or many Moderates that allow more than 4 to stay in one room...so you'd have to then upgrade to a Deluxe. The math just doesn't add up (but I haven't had coffee yet this morning, so I might be missing a key factor - LOL). Either way, I'll take having my accommodations paid for (which, for my 2010 trip would have been $7,700) over free dining any day! I love my DVC!

We are a family of eight and have lived to tell the story. Two rooms are the minimum we could survive on. DVC changed all that for us. We did crunch the numbers using free DDP and two value rooms. We couldn't get it to work for our situation. We do better with DVC and TIW.