DVC, Allergies, and extra people

[Jperiod]

I'm planning a 2 week trip (first time to WDW), exchanging thru RCI. When we've time-shared in the past, sometimes our parents come for a few days and stay in the condo with us. We've never worried about telling the resort we had more people. I'm not sure how this would work with WDW and these "keys to the world" I hear about? Is that just a room key with your info on it? Do kids have them too? Anyway, I'd like to buy the dining plan, but what about my mom if she comes for only 5-7 days of our trip? I know she won't want a dining plan. She would probably stay at the resort a few of those days with our youngest, eating in the room. Could she just use one of our "room keys" to enter/exit our room while we're at the parks with our oldest? And is it possible to opt out of getting a plan based on food allergies (my oldest -- I usually have to pack his meals everywhere we go), but still get it for me & DH? I know Disney is known to accomodate allergies, but my son has food adversions to top it off, so only "mom's diner" will do most days.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

1) All guests staying in the villa will need to be registered with the front desk.
2) The KTTW is necessary for EMHs in the parks and to use the pool (in some resorts). Even the kids will get them and need to show them.
3) The dining plan is required for everyone in the room. You cannot get it for you and DH and not your child even if its due to allergies. Your best bet is paying for meals OOP. Also in cases where you are going to character buffets you will most likely have to pay for your child even if he doesn't eat.
4) You can try to add your mom to the reservation when she arrives but CMs on the resort board have said it's difficult to do with the new system.

Just wanted to say congrats on the trade. We also traded via RCI for our upcoming 2 week vacation in September (also 1st trip). Where are you staying?

 

[squirrel]

The chefs at Disney are wonderful. When booking ADR's have them note what allergies your son has. The chef will come to the table and make suggestions on what s/he can make. If it's a buffet then the chef will walk you down the line and tell you what is safe/unsafe for him to eat.

My niece is lactose intollerant. She loves going to WDW. She was able to eat pizza, waffles, tofutti ice cream. We go for 2 weeks, the chefs at Pop all knew her-she always asked for pizza. The have nut free, dairy free desserts available at CS and TS. Silk milk is available most places.

Head over to the DisAbilities Board and you will find a lot more information on allergies.

 

[TDC Nala]

On an RCI exchange, you will not be able to segment your reservation to get DDP for some days and not others, and to add your parents and get them DDP for the days they are there. Here is what you can do.

If you want DDP, you must get the same DDP for the entire trip for all guests registered in the room. You will have to buy DDP for your child, there is no way around it whether the child has allergies or not. You may not use your DDP credits to buy meals for your parents unless you register them in the room and buy them DDP for the whole trip, including the days they won't be there. You've indicated that the parents will not want DDP and will stay with the child while you eat out. What you can do is, when your parents arrive, ask for key cards for them at the front desk. They will have key cards for the room but they will not have DDP.

If adding the parents puts your party over the room capacity, you will not be able to get keys for them.

 

[Jperiod]

Thank you! I imagine my mom will get a 3 or 4 day park hopper. If we are eating together at the parks, I assume it's okay for her to pay for her meal OOP while we use our dining plan, right? I understand there's no sharing (and don't plan to, we want all the yummy food to ourselves! We love disney food!)

 

[TDC Nala]

I assume it's okay for her to pay for her meal OOP while we use our dining plan, right?

yes, this is fine. But remember that if you get the dining plan you will also have to get it for your child, unless you are considering not registering the child. If you go that route, the child will not be able to do rides at EMH and will not be able to use Magical Express from the airport if you are intending to use it.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

yes, this is fine. But remember that if you get the dining plan you will also have to get it for your child, unless you are considering not registering the child. If you go that route, the child will not be able to do rides at EMH and will not be able to use Magical Express from the airport if you are intending to use it.

Just to add to what TDC Nala said. Without KTTW cards they will NOT be able to use the pools that check key cards (at BCV, BLT, maybe AKL). There is a CM on the resort board that told me it's very difficult to add a person to a reservation after check in with the new system. They can add them as a day guest and get them a room key to get in and out of the room, but not a KTTW with resort privileges.