Do I have to check into my Resort for the dining plan to become active?

[disprincess2213]

We have a split stay coming up with a dining plan attached to the second resort. Do we physically need to check into the second hotel for the dp to activate or can we just go straight from resort 1 to the park and use the dp for lunch?

 

[loves to dive]

It's been years since I've used the dining plan but I believe you don't have to check into resort #2 but make sure you check out of resort #1 when you leave. I just call from the room right before I leave.

 

[goofyintoronto]

It's been years since I've used the dining plan but I believe you don't have to check into resort #2 but make sure you check out of resort #1 when you leave. I just call from the room right before I leave.

I've had the opposite experience. I was at MK and was told to go back to my resort and check in again in order to active the DP. I did resort hop that one time, so I guess thats why there was confusion around it? I wasnt happy about going back to my resort via bus since i was already at MK, let me tell you! I figured guest services at MK should be able to do it, but nope!

When leaving disney, I never check out. Not once. And i never had an issue.

Nowadays with online check in and the resort sending your room number to your phone via text, apparently you dont have to check in to have your DP activated. You can go straight to the parks. Mind you i've never done this....every time i've done online check in, i go back to the desk and ask for a different room. What can I say, Im picky. But im sure others who've had this experience will chime in shortly.

 

[supersnoop]

1. You must check out of the first resort, especially if you have a dining plan on both reservations.
2. You must check into the second resort, but online check-in counts.

 

[disprincess2213]

Thank you for all of your responses...so to be clear, as long as I check out of ALK before going to MK, and I have done online check in for BLT, I can just go straight to MK and use the DP and it will be active (because I did online check in to BLT)?

 

[supersnoop]

Thank you for all of your responses...so to be clear, as long as I check out of ALK before going to MK, and I have done online check in for BLT, I can just go straight to MK and use the DP and it will be active (because I did online check in to BLT)?

Yes, at least that's how it should work. Nobody here can guarantee it will work like it's supposed to, or that we haven't missed a little "gotcha" in your plans. If, for any reason, it doesn't work, pay for the meal, keep the receipt, and get a refund at the front desk when you show up at your resort.

 

[michelleiada]

You have to check in before your dining plan will be activated. If you do online check in, and you receive your magic bands in the mail, you may be able to go straight to a park and the dining plan should work for you.

 

[cigar95]

I've heard it reported in a recent podcast that if you have the dining plan on your first stay as well as the second, any unused credits from the first stay will prevent the second stay credits from becoming active on the overlap day.
Any experience with this one way or the other?

 

[RedskinFan]

I've heard it reported in a recent podcast that if you have the dining plan on your first stay as well as the second, any unused credits from the first stay will prevent the second stay credits from becoming active on the overlap day.
Any experience with this one way or the other?

We had this happen in August of 2014 when my inlaws didn't follow my explicit instructions in how to use their dining credits. They still had snack credits and QS credits left from the first part of our stay and weren't able to use the TS credits from the 2nd part of the stay for breakfast on the changeover stay which happened to be at CRT. My husband was able to get the credits straightened out but it took an hour with guest services at the resort to do so. Of course this was over 2 years ago.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I've heard it reported in a recent podcast that if you have the dining plan on your first stay as well as the second, any unused credits from the first stay will prevent the second stay credits from becoming active on the overlap day.
Any experience with this one way or the other?

This is true, yes. We did a split stay with dining plan in October (couple days Poly DVC on points, couple days in a Standard room at Poly on cash). You have to use EVERY CREDIT from the first part by 11:59 of checkout day, and have to use it all before being able to use the second stay. You also cannot pay using both credits from the first plan and the second.

It wasn't an issue for us, because we had a couple snacks left and bought muffins for breakfast on our way to the park. But you have to really plan your credits on a split stay with 2 DDP instances.

 

[cigar95]

This is true, yes. We did a split stay with dining plan in October (couple days Poly DVC on points, couple days in a Standard room at Poly on cash). You have to use EVERY CREDIT from the first part by 11:59 of checkout day, and have to use it all before being able to use the second stay. You also cannot pay using both credits from the first plan and the second.

Is there a way around this? Can you, for instance, check out at the desk of resort #1 and ask "please zero out my dining plan credits"? I can see a situation where one might have a leftover CS credit, and a breakfast reservation on transition day.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Is there a way around this? Can you, for instance, check out at the desk of resort #1 and ask "please zero out my dining plan credits"? I can see a situation where one might have a leftover CS credit, and a breakfast reservation on transition day.

Nope. I don't think desk can do it. Just go to your hotel shop and blow it on snacks.

 

[cigar95]

Nope. I don't think desk can do it. Just go to your hotel shop and blow it on snacks.

I can't recall - is there a way to convert CS credits to snacks?