DVC Dining Plan

[Alexander]

Disney sets the rules and will decide how to enforce them. Since they are the only ones who will directly suffer from lack of enforcement, that is their right. So if they decide to allow adult meals purchased when paid for a child, so be it. But you can bet there will be those low life's that will try to cheat around the system. Now it's adding phantom kids and the like. If Disney tightens up, you'll see other tricks as well.

Or they may end up dropping the whole program all together. This would be unfortunate for those of us who find it a good value.

 

[DebbieB]

yeh, thats what it was. i knew there was something that had changed. still. i think that kids should be kids and it should be 12 and under. maybe not for the tickets, but for meals.

I think they changed it when they put the dining plan as part of the MYW package. Since the dining & the tickets are sold together (non-DVC), it would be hard to have different ages.

 

[Donna]

Yeh that does make sense. I forgot about the other dining plan having to have tickets incorporated into it. I am glad, as dvc members, we do not have to purchase the tickets to get the dining plan.

 

[Dean]

Or they may end up dropping the whole program all together. This would be unfortunate for those of us who find it a good value.

And this is actually my prediction for the outcome of this system. I think it's likely to track the FnF program which continued to evolve, usually in a negative way, until it simply was of no value.

 

[DebIreland]

Disney sets the rules and will decide how to enforce them. Since they are the only ones who will directly suffer from lack of enforcement, that is their right. So if they decide to allow adult meals purchased when paid for a child, so be it. But you can bet there will be those low life's that will try to cheat around the system. Now it's adding phantom kids and the like. If Disney tightens up, you'll see other tricks as well.

Are people actually doing this? Adding "phantom kids" just to cheat the system? Ugh!

 

[Dean]

Are people actually doing this? Adding "phantom kids" just to cheat the system? Ugh!

So I've heard, and it doesn't surprise me. I can think of a number of ways to cheat the system but see no reason to expand since it's not a direct DVC area and not a program that offers that much promise for me at this time, esp since I'd only use it legally.

 

[Tollerwalker]

I am a new member and have not been to the forum in the last few months. Sorry for the stupidity but what is this meal plan? Last I heard we did not have one available - we only had discounts??

 

[Pembo]

I'm going March 27 and was able to add the dining plan, so that April 1st date isn't accurate.

 

[Dean]

I'm going March 27 and was able to add the dining plan, so that April 1st date isn't accurate.

Here's the info from the member's website.

Disney Dining Plan Now Available to Members
Members can now enjoy the Disney Dining Plan when staying at a Disney Vacation Club Resort at the Walt Disney World® Resort on or after April 1 (this excludes Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney's Vero Beach Resort). Important Note: The Disney Dining Plan must be booked in advance of arrival and must be purchased for your entire travel party (ages 3 and over) for your entire length of stay. Call Member Services to add it to your reservation or to make a new reservation today. Learn more about the Disney Dining Plan.

I've wondered what would happen for someone staying over that date but starting prior to April 1. As for 27 March, I bet when you get there you won't be able to get it but as with all thing Disney, you never know. I would recommend you confirm by email so you have a record to show when you arrive.

 

[holcomb-mania]

I understand the 11-mo and 7-mo windows for DVC resorts, but does the 7-mo window also apply to other non-DVC resorts such and the Poly?

And I assume the Dining Plan is not available to DVC members?

 

[micki7337]

And I assume the Dining Plan is not available to DVC members?

Hello
As of April you can use the Disney dining plan that is used in the magic your way plans. I called member services last week and tinquired on that point and was told it is definitely available in April.


ON your other question: I was told by member services that the only place you have the 11 month window at DVC is in your home resort so my answer on that would be no but who knows they added features like the dining and the magical express; so you never know.

DH DW
Disney kids
Amber
our newest edition

 

[CarolMN]

I understand the 11-mo and 7-mo windows for DVC resorts, but does the 7-mo window also apply to other non-DVC resorts such and the Poly?

You can make a reservation for one of the non-DVC options as early as 11 months prior to check out. If you want to reserve a cruise, it's 11 months prior to departure.

And I assume the Dining Plan is not available to DVC members?

If you mean at one of the non-DVC WDW resorts, your assumption is correct. The Dining Plan is not available for points stays at any of the non-DVC WDW resorts. If you want the DP for a stay at one of the non-DVC resorts (like the Poly or the GF, for example), you need to book via CRO/WDWTC and follow their rules. (You have to add the DP to a room & ticket package and your stay must be for at least 3 nights).

The Dining Plan is available to anyone staying on points at a WDW DVC resort, as long as the stay begins on or after April 1, 2006.

Best wishes -

 

[holcomb-mania]

Many thanks. Will the DP cost the same amount per person as it does for room/ticket packages?

 

[CarolMN]

Yes - it is the same price.


FYI, in just a few minutes, I will be merging this thread with all of the other threads on the Dining Plan.

Best wishes -

 

[Disney-Kim]

I have not kept up on the dining plan. But got a letter now saying DVC can book. $37.99 day pp for 1 main meal, 1 counter meal, etc.

$78 per day for food/snacks SEEMS good.

but we don't eat counter service at all though...thats my concern.

has anyone else signed up to do it? is it a good deal? really?

we already have the DDE card and that saved us $100++ last yr for the week.

just curious....Kim

 

[dianeschlicht]

We decided it would NOT be a good deal for us. We NEVER eat counter service and rarely have snacks, so we would be wasting a lot of those vouchers. We do eat at sit downs every day, and our DDE card has been a BIG savings for us!

 

[Disney-Kim]

thats us. We eat sit down lunches/dinners every day. thats part of our fun.
I know you can combine for HDD and the Luau...but otherwise....

the DDE has been good and will be great on our upcoming trip

 

[bounceliketigger]

It definately depends on your habits. If you don't do counter service, it may not benefit you. We got the plan last year before joining DVC. We have a 3 yr old & just can't always do sit down meals. It REALLY paid off for us. We spent $532 for a 7 night plan (our son was 2 then & was free). I saved as many receipts as I could, which totaled over $1100!! I will say that we probably would not have ordered as much food at each meal if we didn't have the plan. Each person gets an appetizer, entree & dessert at each meal, which turns out to be alot of food. We had no problem breaking $100 at each sit down meal. Furthermore, we found that we ate in places we might not normally if we were trying to save money. The nice thing about the plan is that you can eat just about wherever you want and have whatever you want on the menu.

So, like I said, it just depends on how you like to do your Disney Cuisine!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Caution -- Merging threads ahead!

 

[Groucho]

There's a ton of threads over on the Disney Restaurants board about the Dining Plan, including a pretty thorough FAQ that you should read if considering it.

We did it in January and loved it. Our table service bills were often ~$50 or so without tip by themselves (for each person), so it was like getting counter service and a snack for free, plus saving money on the table service. We didn't use all the snacks (I think that's a common issue), but it was nice having the option - but we usually used the snack credits for water, etc.

We did usually end up buying some form of breakfast out of pocket, occasionally using a snack credit for a piece of fruit or whatever.

Of course, we ate more at the table services than we would have if we weren't on the plan... but that was part of the fun.

Alcoholic drinks aren't covered, so if you plan on drinking at most meals (and especially if you rarely do counter service), the DDE is probably a better option.

However, probably one of the best parts of the Dining Plan is how easy it makes it... on our trip, with six adults, it was guaranteed that if you had a regular bill (even with a DDE discount), that we'd spend 5+ minutes figuring out who ordered what, calculators would come out, tips would be figured out, and someone would probably end up paying more than their share. With the Dining Plan, we ordered anything we wanted (ignoring the prices) and when done, just signed the bill. No dickering, no discussion, no worrying about the tip, no lingering resentment because you just know that you had to pay more than your fair share of the tax/tip.

Even if it didn't save a penny, it would have been worth it to us for that alone!