FD credit when split-stay POP to DVC Question

[curemyreed]

Boy, here's a weird one for ya.....

If we have 4 days Free Dining while at Pop, then are transferring to BLT, do we need to use up all dining BEFORE checking-in and transferring tickets from POP KTTW to the BLT key/tickets?

Specifically, we want to check-out of POP at 7 a.m. and then go to the park and then check-in at 4 p.m. at BLT and then back out to the park again. At check-in, BLT will convert remaining ticket days onto a new KTTW, from what I have gathered. Will the transfer somehow erase the one TS credit I plan to save and use that evening? I understand the DP is good through close or midnight the day of check-out so if I weren't checking into BLT it would just be present on my KTTW. I need to know if that last credit will transfer onto the new KTTW and just be noted as expiring that night? Or do I need to use up all DP credits before I check into the BLT or lose them?

Anyone done this & can speak from experience?

TIA!

 

[TDC Nala]

Your meal credits expire at midnight on the day you check out of Pop Century. Maybe they can transfer your tickets to the new key cards but they can't transfer your dining credits. You'll need to keep the Pop Century key cards until you use up the dining credits. If you're still worried, don't have your tickets transferred until you've used up the credits. You also don't have to have the tickets transferred to the new key cards at all (BLT doesn't have to do that) but you'd then have to carry two key cards.

 

[curemyreed]

Thank you for helping me with this!

 

[drmommy]

I'm gonna have the same issue to deal with for our upcoming trip...so I think I'm going to buy tickets in advance and I'll have a separate card for them. I don't think it will be a big deal to keep track of two cards.

 

[curemyreed]

I'm gonna have the same issue to deal with for our upcoming trip...so I think I'm going to buy tickets in advance and I'll have a separate card for them. I don't think it will be a big deal to keep track of two cards.

BUT, if you are using the Free Dining code, doesn't that require you book package with rack-rate resort fee and MYW tickets for length-of-stay? So tickets would need to be part of package? Maybe not, I don't know. I've seen AP folks state they had to buy a one-day park ticket to do the Free Dining, but I still don't get what that means exactly.

 

[n2mm]

BUT, if you are using the Free Dining code, doesn't that require you book package with rack-rate resort fee and MYW tickets for length-of-stay? So tickets would need to be part of package? Maybe not, I don't know. I've seen AP folks state they had to buy a one-day park ticket to do the Free Dining, but I still don't get what that means exactly.

AP holders take advantage of this promotion by buying a 1 day base ticket per person with this package and we don't use the ticket during that trip. We all have APs and use that for the parks. We save our 1 day base ticket and when it's time to renew our AP, Disney lets us use the value of the 1 day ticket (80) towards the overall cost of our AP renewals. I take those tickets and write on them with a sharpie the date and what they are. So far, it's worked great. I'm doing the free dining in September and purchased 1 day tickets for us, so will be using those tickets for renewals in 2011.

 

[drmommy]

BUT, if you are using the Free Dining code, doesn't that require you book package with rack-rate resort fee and MYW tickets for length-of-stay? So tickets would need to be part of package? Maybe not, I don't know. I've seen AP folks state they had to buy a one-day park ticket to do the Free Dining, but I still don't get what that means exactly.

I think you're right. If you are taking advantage of free dining, you probably have to buy MYW tickets for the length of the stay. But...if you have a split stay, then you have two different reservations and two sets of dining plans. So then you probably have two sets of MYW tickets, which will probably be more expensive (i.e. two 5-day tickets is more expensive than one 10-day ticket).

Hope everything works out...sorry couldn't be more help

 

[TDC Nala]

You have to buy two sets of one-day tickets if you are on the free dining with both reservations and doing a split stay.

Remember annual passholders and DVC members don't have to buy tickets at all if they want the dining plan (paid, not free) so they can book as many split stays as they want without building up tickets. The OP's second reservation appears to be a DVC reservation so they need buy tickets only with their first stay. If they want a dining plan on the DVC reservation though, they'll need to pay for it.

 

[curemyreed]

AP holders take advantage of this promotion by buying a 1 day base ticket per person with this package and we don't use the ticket during that trip. We all have APs and use that for the parks. We save our 1 day base ticket and when it's time to renew our AP, Disney lets us use the value of the 1 day ticket (80) towards the overall cost of our AP renewals. I take those tickets and write on them with a sharpie the date and what they are. So far, it's worked great. I'm doing the free dining in September and purchased 1 day tickets for us, so will be using those tickets for renewals in 2011.

n2mm, does your 1 day base ticket only entitle you to 1 day of Free Dining or do you only need to buy a 1 day base ticket for the entire length of your stay and it is the number of nights you are staying in a Disney resort using the Free Dining code that determines how many days of Free Dining you get?

Hope that is understandable! I'm asking because I am considering an AP in the future.

 

[TDC Nala]

Dining plans are never based on tickets. That is why you can purchase only a one day ticket with your package reservation and receive free dining for the full length of your stay. Dining plans are exclusively based on the length of your resort stay.

If you are paying for the dining plan and you have an annual pass, you can book a ticketless package and you don't have to pay for tickets at all. You only need to buy the one-day ticket if you want FREE dining.

 

[curemyreed]

Thanks to everyone who helped me with this.

We are only planning to use the Free Dining for the Pop Century part of our vacation and then pay OOP for meals while we are staying at BLT. That being the case I understand that I can pay for length of stay Park Hoppers at Pop Century and transfer remaining days onto our new KTTW issued at BLT.

 

[sunnygal041]

Hi n2mm. I am also an AP holder. Where would I go on the AP site to purchase the 1 day base ticket in order to get free dining? I am planning a trip for 2 nites and 3 days. Thanks

 

[TDC Nala]

Hi n2mm. I am also an AP holder. Where would I go on the AP site to purchase the 1 day base ticket in order to get free dining? I am planning a trip for 2 nites and 3 days. Thanks

I would purchase this package on the regular site and not the passholder site, as for the purposes of booking the free dining package your passholder status isn't relevant and the passholder site may not have the option to book this type of package because it will assume you don't want tickets.

Also be advised that there's always been a 3 night minimum stay for free dining, so you couldn't book it for a 2 night stay.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks to everyone who helped me with this.

We are only planning to use the Free Dining for the Pop Century part of our vacation and then pay OOP for meals while we are staying at BLT. That being the case I understand that I can pay for length of stay Park Hoppers at Pop Century and transfer remaining days onto our new KTTW issued at BLT.

Just to be sure nothing gets messed up, I might wait until my 2nd day at BLT to have the tickets transferred to your BLT keys. You have to use a POP card that day for the meals anyway, and this just ensures nothing happens.

Once you know you have used up all the meal credits, then ask the concierge at the CR to transfer the tickets to your BLT KTTW cards.