DVC - Dining Plan & Tickets

[hilltopper72]

Help please- new member- 9 months @ AKL - For Christmas I gave our daughter & family a week the Kidani for mid June this year - a few months ago we added the dining plan to the reservations @ about $930 for 2 adults and two kids. They now want to buy tickets and I thought they could save a few $$ by buying from Undercover Tourist, where I have been buying my tickets for last 8 years. UCT told them they couldn't buy tickets from them and use them, that they had to buy from Disney to be able to use the Dining plan. I think that is BS, I called member services and they told me that since they were already set up for the room under my free gift and because they already had paid in full for their dining plan, that they could get tickets from anywhere. I had my daughter call UCT back this AM and they told her the same thing that they could not use their tickets for this trip.
Someone is way off here and I don't want them to spend $1000 for tickets and not be able to use them. Who's right, UCT or DVC Member services.
Charlie .

 

[MdmMim]

MS is right. You can buy tickets anywhere.

 

[vicki_c]

UT is probably unaware that DVC members (and AP holders) can now add the dining plan without buying tickets. That is a relatively new thing vs. past practices and it sounds like they don't know that.

I'm sure they're trying to keep you from making a costly mistake - even if their information is no longer current. Also, if your family did not mention staying on a DVC reservation or an AP reservation, UT would be correct. Regular guests cannot get the dining plans without purchasing minimum tickets.

 

[bumbershoot]

UT is probably unaware that DVC members (and AP holders) can now add the dining plan without buying tickets. That is a relatively new thing vs. past practices and it sounds like they don't know that.

I'm sure they're trying to keep you from making a costly mistake - even if their information is no longer current. Also, if your family did not mention staying on a DVC reservation or an AP reservation, UT would be correct. Regular guests cannot get the dining plans without purchasing minimum tickets.

I totally agree with that, especially the bolded part. But I am shocked that UCT would not be knowledgable in this area. I also wonder how the conversation started off, to have this be a topic.

If I were in your daughter's shoes, I'd just order tickets online, then send in a carefully and precisely worded email detailing the conversation, the scenario, and why that employee was not correct. If she got a newbie on the phone, they do need to have proper training for the proper answers.

 

[hilltopper72]

Thank you all for your quick responses- hopefully my daughter will relax now.

Charlie

 

[ScottJayhawk]

Our last 2 trips have been on our DVC points, added dining plan both times and used UCT tix both times with no problem. Even had them added to my KTTW at hotel.

 

[gdrj]

Help please- new member- 9 months @ AKL - For Christmas I gave our daughter & family a week the Kidani for mid June this year - a few months ago we added the dining plan to the reservations @ about $930 for 2 adults and two kids

Just wondering why you are buying Dining Plan so far ahead or the tickets? Any savings are mostly lost when you are buying months ahead of time not to mention any credit card interest (if that applies).

 

[vicki_c]

Just wondering why you are buying Dining Plan so far ahead or the tickets? Any savings are mostly lost when you are buying months ahead of time not to mention any credit card interest (if that applies).

Some people would want to do that so they wouldn't have to pay in advance for the meals that require paying in advance. If you can connect your reservation that has a DDP to your ADRs, you don't have to pay when making the reservations. Others probably just like to have everything paid for as soon as they can.

 

[TDC Nala]

Not sure why there is any reason to mention the dining plan to UCT. It's totally separate, since this is a DVC reservation. Just call them and order tickets, don't mention the dining plan, if they ask say you have a DVC points reservation, that's all you need to do. Once you say you have a DVC points reservation, if they persist in asking whether you have the dining plan, repeat that you have a DVC points reservation, for which the dining plan is not relevant, and you'd like to purchase tickets.

Or just order the tickets online.

 

[lions1995]

We are DVC members and always do the dining plan and always buy our tickets third party (UCT or other providers). Never had an issue. Like PP stated, you can have the tickets placed on your KTTW card when you check in. I hope your daughter and family have a great time.