DVC and Dining Plan

[plymouthmom]

Hi All,

I close on my 100 point OKW contract in 2 weeks and will be making ressies for next Spring Break at the end of April.

When we stayed on site last October, we utilized the Dining Plan. We did okay with it, not sure if we will do it again. Wondering if with DVC do you have to buy the dining plan for all the days or can you buy for only a few.

We plan to do Sea World and Universal our first two days then the WDW the other four days and would really only want DDP those days.

We are a family of 6, kids ranging from, at time of travel, 14, 10, 8 and 6. Biggest kid eats a ton as does the youngest. 10 year old, light eater, 8 year old picky eater.

Thoughts?

 

[luvindisneyworld]

You have to have it for every day and for everyone in your room.You could split it up into 2 reservations but you will not be gauranteed the same room if you did that.
Maybe try some of the signature restaurants with the extra credits you would have.I know thats what we are going to do.

 

[JimMIA]

On any DVC points stay, you can purchase DDP, without having to buy a package including room, park tickets, etc. However, the price and all of the other regulations are the same.

So yes, you DO have to purchase DDP for everyone on your reservation for every day of the trip. The only exception would be if you did a split stay, in which case you could get DDP for one part of the stay, but not for the other. If you go offsite to other attractions, you can apply the unused credits for some of the 2TS meals and events.

You should check the FAQ for the 2008 DDP, found here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1545287

The very first post on that thread will give you just about everything you need, including links to the official DDP plan brochures.

Study DDP carefully before deciding, because the plan has changed greatly since you used it. It no longer includes an appetizer with the TS meal, and the 18% gratuity previously included is no longer included. Since you have a party of 6, you will have to pay an automatic 18% gratuity at each TS meal out of your own pocket.

(That automatic gratuity actually has nothing to do with DDP -- you'll face that no matter how you pay for the meal.)

 

[plymouthmom]

Could I possibly make two reservations for the same resort. Say a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday without the Dining Plan. Then a Wed-Sat with it? Or does Member Services frown on that?

 

[Alexander]

Could I possibly make two reservations for the same resort. Say a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday without the Dining Plan. Then a Wed-Sat with it? Or does Member Services frown on that?

You sure can. They won't guarantee that you won't have to move rooms, but usually, they can accomodate you. I have to do this for our Dec. trip. DS and I are flying in a day earlier that DH and our other DS, so I don't need the dining plan for all of us for the first night. Sooo...I have to book one night on one reservation (no DDP) and then the next six on another reservation (with DDP).

 

[dianeschlicht]

Could I possibly make two reservations for the same resort. Say a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday without the Dining Plan. Then a Wed-Sat with it? Or does Member Services frown on that?

That's exactly what the others who responded to this thread were suggesting you do with a "split stay". You just can NOT have the reservations linked if you want DDP for one and not for the other. I guess I would do it all one way for the same trip though. It would mean buying groceries for part of the trip and using the dining plan for the other part, and that takes away a lot of the convenience of it, in my estimation.

 

[JimMIA]

Could I possibly make two reservations for the same resort. Say a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday without the Dining Plan. Then a Wed-Sat with it? Or does Member Services frown on that?

Yes you can. That's exactly what I was talking about with the term "split stay." It's no biggie to MS; it's commonly done for many reasons, including using DDP for only part of the trip.

 

[vbarry]

Can you get the dining plan if you use points to stay at other WDW resorts (non DVC)?

 

[plymouthmom]

Sounds good. I will do a 3 night ressie without DP as we will be arriving on Sunday, doing other parks Mon and Tues. Then I will do a 3 or 4 night ressie ( not sure if we are doing 6 or 7 nights) with DP and Park Hoppers so we can jump around and get all our WDW needs met!

 

[Alexander]

Sounds good. I will do a 3 night ressie without DP as we will be arriving on Sunday, doing other parks Mon and Tues. Then I will do a 3 or 4 night ressie ( not sure if we are doing 6 or 7 nights) with DP and Park Hoppers so we can jump around and get all our WDW needs met!

I think this is a good plan. We have used the dining plan several times. It seems like when we have it for 7 nights, it is just too much food. We really like it for shorter stays 4 nights or so, 7 just gets to be too much. We are using it for Dec. however (6 nights) because we are traveling with family and we all are using it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree that it gets to be too much food. We usually do split stays with part of the time in a 2 bedroom with guests and then part of the time with just the two of us in a 1 bedroom. We wont do the dining plan for the whole trip, but do like it for half. It depends on the whim of our guests whether we do it with them or when we are alone.

 

[JimMIA]

I think this is a good plan. We have used the dining plan several times. It seems like when we have it for 7 nights, it is just too much food. We really like it for shorter stays 4 nights or so, 7 just gets to be too much. We are using it for Dec. however (6 nights) because we are traveling with family and we all are using it.

If you haven't used it in 2008, you really should take a look at the DIS DDP board before making a decision.

DDP 2008 is considerably different from previous years. It's not just the major changes I mentioned above, which add about $10 per day per adult for significantly less food. It's also portion sizes, drastically reduced snacks, etc, etc.

The plan will still work for some families, but it is nowhere near the bargain it used to be.

We're skipping DDP and eating almost exclusively offsite (except for one character meal) during out May trip.

 

[JimMIA]

Can you get the dining plan if you use points to stay at other WDW resorts (non DVC)?

Yes. ANY points stay.

 

[starbox]

If you're AP holders, you may want to seriously consider the DDE card rather than the DDP. With the DDP changes in place, you don't save more than 20% on the plan - and with DDE you'll save 20% and can eat what you want when you want.

 

[Alexander]

If you haven't used it in 2008, you really should take a look at the DIS DDP board before making a decision.

DDP 2008 is considerably different from previous years. It's not just the major changes I mentioned above, which add about $10 per day per adult for significantly less food. It's also portion sizes, drastically reduced snacks, etc, etc.

The plan will still work for some families, but it is nowhere near the bargain it used to be.

We're skipping DDP and eating almost exclusively offsite (except for one character meal) during out May trip.

We aren't in it for the bargain, but the convenience. We have used the DDP this year (in Feb.). When adding all of the meals we will eat, we come out just about even with the plan (maybe a smiggen ahead). We're not looking to save money. We are also paying for MIL and FIL's first-ever vacation to WDW, so this is the absolute easiest way to do it.

We've had the DDE before too, and used it just enough to break even. DH is one to always look at prices on the menu before ordering (not me ) so with the DDP, he doesn't worry.

 

[bounceliketigger]

You have to have it for every day and for everyone in your room.You could split it up into 2 reservations but you will not be gauranteed the same room if you did that.
Maybe try some of the signature restaurants with the extra credits you would have.I know thats what we are going to do.

I believe you would be guaranteed the same room if you had MS "link" the reservations together.

 

[Chuck S]

I believe you would be guaranteed the same room if you had MS "link" the reservations together.

Linked reservations are considered one reservation for the length of the dining plan.

 

[brenalexacamp]

last aug we had the plan included in our stay.
We LOVED it-we were 5 of us- my son with down's would ONLY eat pasta.
Chef Mickey accomodated us. the only one that couldn't was coral reef so he had chix strips later-it was our 1st night and he was hungry-told him just like school and he was ok-----we ate everything-vacation is being able to go out and eat and not worry about shopping, cooking, and cleaning it.

We ate at awesome rests, counter services-and used our snacks

yes it was a lot of food-but we ate it-

I am going with my friend and her family and although it has changed-her husband said for them-it would not be worth it-whil I LOVE salmon, calamari, I said everything-my friend is more a sald-plain hamburger girl.

something about prepaying too-i would never order a 30.00 steak but since it was "prepaid" we ordered.

my sis saved the receipts for all of it. We definetely saved money and we weren't looking at the prices or telling the kids no that is too much.

I would look at the menus-you have to make adr's anyway-see what there is you would eat-if it is basically salads and burgers-may not be worth it.

 

[starbox]

I think it depends on how you want to eat. After numerous long DDP trips, we are about Disney CS/TS-dining-ed out. There are sonly so many times you can eat steak, chicken and ribs and the variety from restaurant to restaurant is limited enough to get old.

What we have discovered is that we really enjoy signature dining. On the "plan" signature meals cost two credits - a horrible value to begin with.

We also found that signature dining places have unanimously offered to let both of our kids use child or adult menus (DS is 11) - I think because the adult menu is upscale and less "kid-friendly". So our meal last year at the California Grill, which included Grilled Pork Tenderloin (26.00) and Grilled Buffalo Steak (31.00) for DH and I, a glass of wine (9.00), a shared blueberry bliss dessert for DH and I (9.00) and two kid's menu steaks (11.00 each) and rice crispy "sushi" (3.00 each) came to 94.00 total - with the DDE discount - that was INCLUDING TIP.


We are using the DDP for five nights that we are treating my parents to an anniversary trip - but only because if they think we are paying that much for food, they won't enjoy it. They have no idea how much the DDP costs and that's a good thing. The remainder of our trips are DDE and we'll be eating at signature restaurants every night .

 

[emutrackster]

This is our first DVC holiday and we need help! We booked a 9 night holiday in July and would like to use only 2-3 days of Disney Dining. When I asked if we could just use 2-3 days of dining, I was told that we had to use all 9 days for Disney Dining. Is there anyway around this? Everything is already booked. The sales people were very rude and didn't want to answer or explain questions. Is this common?