FAQ about the Disney Dining Plan

[harleyquinn]

Hey OP!!!
Can you please change your post to show the increase in price for 2006?

Adult: $37.99

Child: $10.99


Awesome thread!

 

[DisneyFreq]

The spoon full of sugar is a room only discount...not a great deal in my opinion (at least where the values are concerned). The "whole bowl full" combines the cost of your room with tickets and the MYW dining plan. You pay full price for the tickets and dining, but b/c you're buying a package, the room has an extremely generous discount. It's only offered for certain dates but if you want to know if it its a good deal for you, go the disney world's home page and click on the little box in the lower right hand corner (believe it says spoon full of sugar) and then click "book" and plug in your dates and ticket preferences. Then when it comes back with the offer, all you have to do is click "alternative offer" and it will give you the price of the same package (hotel and tickets), but with dining added on.


Yes, as far as I know, DISers are either upgrading one day bases at gate or holding on to them to use as a credit towards AP and SP renewals. I haven't done this yet but I plan to. I don't have current SPs so I plan to upgrade upon arrival on my Dec. trip. I asked the CM when I booked the package if it were possible and he said "you can always upgrade." I told him I was booking it this way so that I could get both the room discount and purchase the dining plan. He said he understood and that I shouldn't have a problem. The passes, assuming you don't scan them during your trip (they put them on your room key) won't expire b/c they're only one day tickets. Just save your room key and don't loose it! You should have no problem having a credit applied in the future. If for some reason they change their policy (which with disney is ALWAYS a possibility) and won't allow me to upgrade them, plan B is to use them for a one day visit to MK on a future universal trip (once our SPs expire, so probably 2007). I will say this, one thing that has never changed with disney: unused days on passes don't go bad (with the exception of multi day MYW passes purchased w/out "no expiration" option). My mother used a partial child four day hopper from me for my brother (roughly 6 years later). The hopper was only for epcot and magic kingdom (MGM hadn't been built when I was considered a "child" ) so the only restriction was that he couldn't use it for entry to the MGM...but the pass was still good! That was back before they put your name on the passes and the same person had to use it! A little blue card with the date hand stamped

 

[mike222]

Hi, I had a look at the Disney World home page and couldn't find anything about spoon full of sugar, I even did a search & nothing came up. Does anybody know where to find it? Even though we have already booked via Disney for Jan is the Whole bowl full is likely to be cheaper? Also does anybody know when these specials would came out for Jan?

regards,

Mike

 

[Disneyhappy]

DisneyFreq-
I think you just answered my question I posted on the Codes board. I'm glad I read this because no one responded on the other board. I want to get the dining plan but I don't need the tickets for my DH's surprise 50th birthday trip in January. I understand that I will need to purchase one day tickets per person. I figured I would use the tickets some time in the future. My sister lives in Tampa and her family is now going to join us for a couple of days. I was going to give her the tickets but she was planning on buying the FL Res 3 day pass (I think that is what she called it). It sounds like she can use my one day tickets for credit towards her three day passes? I will have 4 one day tickets and she will be buying 3 -three day FL Res passes for her family. I think the price of the one day tickets are around $63 so I could basically give the approx $250 credit to my sister for her tickets. Also, where do you do the exchange. Can it be done at the hotel when she checks in or must it be done at the parks? I apologize if this is a little off base but it is loosely related to the dining plan! TIA

 

[DisneyFreq]

Mike222: sorry it doesn't say spoon full of sugar on the homepage, it says 5 days/4 nights for $999. Thats just a "marketing" number for a family of two adults, one junior, and one child at a value with five day base passes. Once you click on it you have the option of how many nights, what hotel, and types of passes.

Disneyhappy...that may not work. Remember your passes are put on your room key. The room key has YOUR name on it. I'm not sure they'll let you use it for someone else's upgrade. The pass she is buyings is called the three day play pass...good deal but for $89 more (for an adult) she can come back all year minus the blackout dates (but who wants to come in the summer?)

 

[solferino]

I've got a question about kids beverage at the TS meals. DD (almost 7) hates soda. (Not that it bothers me!) Are there other options available as a beverage at the TS meals for kids- such as cranberry juice, hot tea, or maybe even milk?

The first time she ever tried soda was last year at Coral Reef when the waiter brought her a sprite in error. She tried it and was horrified, LOL. The carbonation was something new to her and she was NOT impressed.

 

[dbogen]

I don't know about cranberry juice, but I myself had chocolate milk a few times when there. I believe hot tea is an option as well as unsweetened iced tea. Congratulations on raising a child who doesn't like soda.

Deanna

 

[riaesq]

Going in a week and a half, and I am spending WAY too much time trying to figure out if the dining plan is worth it for me or not. I can get room only at POR for $114 (381 total) OR the plan with the discount code for $822 or $942 with insurance for 3 nights. A few questions that I don't think I have seen answers to in yet:

1) Does the plan brochure currently on the wdw site seem to be current/updated regularly?

2)Has anyone used their CS in Pepper Market? That seems like far and away the most bang for your buck, with grilled tuna and steak -- or might they limit those choices?

3)According to Mousesavers, you can use your snacks at the Food and Wine kiosks. Has anyone actually tried this?

4)I will have 3 1-day tickets that I don't actually have use for- at least, not for a very long time. (AP holder). Has anyone successfully had theirs upgraded, and if so, what value was given? Can I apply all 3 (1 for me, 1 each for DS12 and dh) to my renewal or a multi-day for myself for when my AP expires- and if so, how and where, so that it doesn't happen until mine expires on 1-2-06? Dh and ds have 10-day tix from Ticketmania.

5. Is the insurance worth getting?

TIA!!!

 

[MommaX3]

We used the wonderful Disney Dining Plan in September. It was awesome because we used it for character meals and the California Grill.

One thing about the card that serves as your room card, ticket card, and dining plan card. DO NOT KEEP IT NEAR YOUR CELL PHONE!!! The CM did not mention this when we checked into the hotel. I keep my cell phone attached to my pocket, and I had at one point put our cards in that pocket. Well, we found out that two out of four of our cards were cleared when we tried to get Fastpasses for a ride. The CM at the Fastpass told me it was my cell phone that demagnetized the cards. It took us two tries for the CM at the Front Desk of our hotel to finally get the right count on our meal plan. Thankfully, it happened on the first day, so I was able to tell them what the number should be. If it had happened toward the end of our trip, it would have been a big problem.

Hope this helps!

 

[thelittlemermaid]

Has anyone bought Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Dining Guide 2005 or 2006?

If so what is it like and do you think it was worth it?

We plan on going to WDW in June 2006 with a package from AAA with dining, and was wondering if this is a book I should buy with the other ones I plan to get.

Thanks!!!

 

[riaesq]

Ok, got a partial answer to the ticket question; I can use mine to upgrade to an annual but NOT a renewal; I can't use dh's and ds's for my upgrade. BUT my next question for you guys is: how does this ticket/room key thing work? Do you still have to go to Guest Relations to get I.D.'ed and finger scanned? Would I be able to use dh's and ds's for entry on different days once my AP expires? Does this have anything to do with the group scan people were discussing a while back?

Also wondering if anyone who has eaten in Mama Melrose recently could tell me if Osso Bucco is still on the menu (one of my faves!) and if a flatbread qualifies as an appetizer for the dining plan? (and if so, how big is it?)

 

[Valjean13]

I am going to be booking my hotel through disney, but had planned on buying the park passes from ticketmania (and getting a free one with my airmiles!). Can I still qualify for the dinning plan, or do you have to buy the passes with your hotel booking?

 

[Camping Griswalds]

My understanding with the dining plan is that you can only get it if you have a package with Disney which means...room, tickets and then add on dining.

 

[jjan]

I am going to be booking my hotel through disney, but had planned on buying the park passes from ticketmania (and getting a free one with my airmiles!). Can I still qualify for the dinning plan, or do you have to buy the passes with your hotel booking?

You only have to buy a one day base ticket to qualify as a package and be able to get dining. So, you can buy your discounted tickets and then just get the one day to save for another time even and upgrade it to a longer stay.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Anyone know if on person in the party can upgrade that one day ticket during that stay, while the other person in the room doesn't? My cousin is going with us, sharing a room with my sister. We all have APs, but she doesn't. So, she has to buy a ticket while there. Can she use her one day towards that without forcing my sister to get the same ticket?

 

[tink2020]

Anyone know if on person in the party can upgrade that one day ticket during that stay, while the other person in the room doesn't? My cousin is going with us, sharing a room with my sister. We all have APs, but she doesn't. So, she has to buy a ticket while there. Can she use her one day towards that without forcing my sister to get the same ticket?

Any of the Magic Your Way packages say that each person in the room must be on the same package.

 

[zippehsmom]

I have the same question about upgrading one or two of the tickets. I hear people say all the time that they will upgrade their one day to an AP when they need to renew. So, what's to stop someone from going to guestservices and upgrading their ticket while there? I know that when the package is purchased everyone has to have the same ticket, but what's to stop someone from upgrading while there.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[lisaanddenny]

fyi, the free dining plan offer is OVER, it was for travelers traveling 8/20-104.............I am getting so many emails on how to get it for free,,,,,we did get it for free but its over

here is my low down
disney came up with the meal plan, plain and simple you pay for each night ur there, 35 per person per adult and 10 per kid, this is each night. like us, it was me and my hubby and 8 year old, so that was 80 per day prepaid for food....... (we got it free for a promotion though, what a freaking deal) we got there thursday eve, left tues afternoon, so we had 5 nights, right now, disney isnt distinguishing kids and adults so when i checked it we all got our dining cards for my family (we went with 4 families, they each got what i got depending on number of people in party), so the plan offers 1 table servie and 1 counter service and 1 snack per person per night your booked, table service is your more expensive restau, counter are you lesser but some are REALLY REALLY GOOD, and snacks are either 20 oz pop anywhere in any park or hotel, popcorn, big big bottled dani water, rice krispie mickey, or ice cream bars.............food is not cheap, so 80 bucks per day is a steal at disney, including a sit down.........MAKE RESERVATIONS EARLY SO YOU GET NICE SITDOWN MEALS, I.E. TONY'S TOWN SQUARE, LE CELLIER, NINE DRAGONS, CONCOURSE STEAK HOUSE, CHEF MICKEY, HOOP DEE DOO, ETC, THE LIST goes on and on and i would say, 94% of all the restaurants and stands in all the parks participate........and keep in mind taxes and gratuity, YOU DONT PAY THEM, IT IS AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDED IN DISNEY DINING, YOU BASICALLY GET A RECEIPT LIKE YOU PAID AND YOU SIGN AND WALK AWAY, OUR LAST NIGHT WE ALL GOT UP, OUR BILL WAS $400.00 FOR 9 OF US, THAT INCLUDED A $70 TIP AND TAXES. if you use the kiddies credits and pay out of pocket, basically you and hubby can eat breakfast liunch and dinner at wonderful places for 80 per day....hoop dee doo review is a musical show, they take 2 table service credits from EVERYONE, KIDS AND ALL BUT ITS ALSO 55 BUCKS PER ADULT AND 30 BUCKS PER KID, ALL YOU CAN EAT, AND ALL BEER AND WINE YOU CAN DRINK, SO WE WALKED AWAY FROM THAT $300 BILL TOO, SO IT PAYS FOR ITSELF IN NO TIME. THEY SWIPE A CREDIT CARD TYPE CARD AND EVERYTIME YOU USE A CREDIT, YOU BALANCE SHOWS UP.........ANYTHING ELSE? HEE HEE

lisaanddenny030604@hotmail.com

 

[lisaanddenny]

triple AAA gave me it, will sell......... 2005 yes its very worth it

 

[speakupjc]

Magic Your Way Disney Dining is still available according to a CM and will be in 2006 as well.