DVC, DDP and MG, oh my!

[MinnesotaChill]

Okay, let's see if I can ask this clearly. I will highlight the actual questions in red.

My family owns DVC (dh, dd, 2ds, me). We invited my cousin's family of four (two small kids) and MY parents to join us in a GV at SSR next Jan. Now HER parents are also joining us and staying in a 1BR at SSR. I am considering linking us via Grand Gathering or Magical Gathering or whatever, so that we can have rooms together and eat one or two meals together. Any other advantages to MG? I've heard it is the only way to ensure rooms are together.

Now, we've never done DDP, we usually have the DDE card and use that since we feed the kids in the room a lot. We are constantly watching what we eat and would rather splurge on a few big meals and get the 20% off than feel like we "have" to be eating all the time. In 1995 we had a food and fun package that included meals and we felt like we spent all of our time in restaurants. Now that we have kids, this is not the experience I am looking for.

My cousin, however, thinks this will be a great option for her family. I do see how it would be a savings even if we weren't to eat until we were sick, but I hate wasting food. I hate spending money on breakfasts for kids even more when I have a kitchen. Yogurt is so fast and easy (and cheap)!

My question is: If my cousin decides to get DDP, does that mean that anyone that chooses to eat with her family must also have it? Or does it mean that anyone that STAYS with her must have it? It says "in the same party" but I'm not sure what that means. Also, could we have it for the five days we are with her and not for the rest of our trip? I know the grandparents will go either way...

My thinking is that with the DDE, everyone will benefit from the card and we won't be spending unnecessary money... or coming home weighing 10 lbs more than when we left! I just hate it when my clothes don't fit on the last day!

Final question: Considering our group, I was thinking I'd request the Springs. Close to everything, not a lot of walking for the 'rents, etc. Any downsides?

Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Everyone in your GV would be required to get the dining plan. Anyone in the stand alone studio (reserved on other points???) could do as they pleased, as long as everyone in the studio did the same.

DDP must be purchased for every guest for the entire length of stay of the reservation.

Finally, if the points making the reservation for the GV belong to you, you will have full control over the reservation. Your cousin cannot add DDP, DME, add room requests, etc. She cannot just decide to get the dining plan without you telling MS that everyone wants it.

 

[MinnesotaChill]

I did not know that! Thank you for pointing out to me that she can't make any changes/additions to the reservation. I was thinking that when she buys their park passes that she could add it on then. Wow, she already thinks I am a planning/control freak this outta really push her over the edge!

Actually, we've having a great time putting this trip together and I might just have to point out the SHE'S the one who bought the Passporter!

Thanks for your help!

 

[graygables]

Just one more thing about the DDP...they now have a system in place that keeps adult and child credits seperate. In addition, if you have 3 adults on the plan, you can't pay for 4 adults even if you have enough credits (keeps people from "treating" guests who are not on the DDP).

 

[mickeywho?]

I wondered when they would be able to do this.
Quick question...
If on day 1 I used 3 adult credits and 1 child for my family of 2 adults and 2 children would day 2 only have 1 adult credit available and 3 child credits?

 

[graygables]

I wondered when they would be able to do this.
Quick question...
If on day 1 I used 3 adult credits and 1 child for my family of 2 adults and 2 children would day 2 only have 1 adult credit available and 3 child credits?

If you only have 2 adults, you can only use 2 adult credits. If your child ordered an adult meal, you would have to pay OOP.

 

[mello]

if your cousin is only going to be with you for 5 of your days, would be to split your reservation into two parts, and do the DDP during the time they're with you and the DDE during the time they're not (since the plan is for everyone in the room for the duration of each ressie). That might give you the best of both to some degree - you could even use your DDP points to do a couple two-point things (such as a dinner show or one of the Grand Gathering or Magical Gathering events) so you're not feeling like you have to eat sit-down every day, but still get some good use out of the plan. We're planning to do something like that with our big group next year, depending upon circumstances. Just a thought anyway.

 

[Cruelladeville]

If you only have 2 adults, you can only use 2 adult credits. If your child ordered an adult meal, you would have to pay OOP.

Is this recent? When we were there in the fall, you could eat 20 adult credits in one day if you wanted to. One day we would use our counter credits for all our meals, the next day we would use our sit-down credits. We felt that one of the benefits of the plan was its ability to use the credits any way you wanted to.

 

[graygables]

As of January 1st, there are adult credits and child credits. If you have 2 adults in your party, you cannot "purchase" 3 adult meals at your TS with your pool of adult credits. This prevents you from inviting people who are not on the plan and feeding them with your credits. If you want to have 2 or 3 TS in one day, that's fine, but no more credits used per meal than persons there are on the plan. I think it would be impossible to track the CS the same way, but TS is where most people take guests.

 

[CarolMN]

if your cousin is only going to be with you for 5 of your days, would be to split your reservation into two parts, and do the DDP during the time they're with you and the DDE during the time they're not (since the plan is for everyone in the room for the duration of each ressie). That might give you the best of both to some degree - you could even use your DDP points to do a couple two-point things (such as a dinner show or one of the Grand Gathering or Magical Gathering events) so you're not feeling like you have to eat sit-down every day, but still get some good use out of the plan. We're planning to do something like that with our big group next year, depending upon circumstances. Just a thought anyway.

I don't think you can "split" your DVC reservation like you suggest unless you also change room types or resorts. So if the OP wants to stay in the SSR GV for the whole trip, everyone in the GV would have to buy the DP for each night of the reservation (or no one would be able to buy the DP).

 

[dianeschlicht]

Just another word of caution. The DDP is a LOT harder to control the more people you have in a unit. We found having more than one family group made point tracking difficult at best. I would likely advise against it with a large group in a GV. The other suggestion might be to get one 2 bedroom unit and additional smaller units for the different family units. This way, the families who want DDP can have it, and the rest wont necessarily be tied to it. We have only done the DDP once (in December), but we will not do it again with more than just our family.

 

[MinnesotaChill]

Thanks to everyone. We ARE only having them stay with us in the GV for 5 nights, then we go our separate ways. One of the rules we have when we host other families is that we get 2-3 nights alone at the end with just our family. THAT way, if the first part of the trip is a disaster, we end on a good note. So, yes, I could split the ressies, something to think about. I think it will be easier to just go with DDE, however. I hate figuring out points... takes me back to Weight Watchers days... (not that WW was a BAD thing, just not something I want to think about at Disney)