Got the ADRs I wanted for ESPN the Weekend, then the CM told me...

[3PRINCESSMOM]

Firstly, I am thrilled that we got all of our desired ADRs. It will be a couple-only trip...can you believe that...!!!

Thu 3/1 Spoodles
Fri 3/2 Le Cellier
Sat 3/3 Wolfgang Puck Cafe
Sun 3/4 Whispering Canyon
~ these are all dinners
Per DH's request...and he asks for so little...
Tue 3/6 Crystal Palace (late breakfast)
~ apparently he and the omlette guy are on a first name basis.

Secondly, the CM told me if I add DDP, (which is likely), I need to call back and re-do all of these ADRs. Is this true? Why?

 

[Newfie2000]

Okay you've got me a little worried.... I made most of my ADR's months ago and have recently added a lot more all without the DDP. I just called Monday and wound up going with the dining plan. I specifically questioned the CM's on two different occassions both before I got the plan (when I first called for a quote) and then two days later when I actually called to get the plan and on both occassions was told that I did not even have to call dining back to tell them that I had switched over to the plan, just to tell them when we arrived for our meals. Now I understand that you were told differently.... oh biy this could be a real problem... we are leaving 2-9-07 and I know we will never be able to get all new ADR's! I hope someone will be able to answer this for sure...

 

[Newfie2000]

Okay...not sure if this will help you but... I just got off the phone with both the CRO and Dining! I spoke to different people at each and here are the results! CRO told me in no uncertain terms that I definitely needed to call Dining and inform them of the changes but that my ressies would in no way be affected meaning that I could keep all of the dates and times I previously had. But that I 100% had to call Dining and notify them! Okay...second call now to Dining... A wonderful CM answers and tells me that it is helpful to call and notify them of the changes but not 100% necessary, "but why don't we go over them as long as I have you hear on the phone with me". Okay now here is where the tricky part comes in, I have paid OOP for all the dinner shows as it was the only way to get ressies and we were going to the Luau, Cindy's Table and Hoop De Doo at the time of ressie I got Category 1 seating for both the Luau and HDD. When we decided to go with the DDP I knew that I could not use DDP for these two shows due to the category 1 seating but we were really looking forward to them and decided we would just pay out of pocket and then have more table service credits available elsewhere. But Cindy's Table I could go either way, remain paying OOP or convert it to the DDP. Depending on the rest of the week would depend on which option we would choose. I have made three ADR's for less popular rest. that I can take advantage of TS credits that are unused or cancel, depending on weather, what we decide to do etc. I was extremely honest with the CM and explained all this to him so he would understand my indecision on whether to apply Cindy's table or the other three ADR's to the plan or not. He told me just to leave them sit as is... there is absolutely no problem. I acn show up at the rest. and let them know I am on the DDP or I can pay cash or I can cancel... it could all be worked out - his exact words "don't worry about it, it is such a little easy thing!" He also went on to inform me that if I had in fact paid OOP for meals and then wound up having credits left they (the charges) could be reversed and applied as TS credits at check out of the hotel or if we applied to many to the DDP we could easily pay out of pocket for one which we had told them would be on the DDP. He had a perfectly happy easy nature about the entire thing. And we wound up leaving the four undecided and he told me there was absolutely no need to call back!

The conclusion I have come to on my own, is that although they would like you to inform them of changes re: the dining plan it is not necessary just appreciated. This theory seems to make reason to the different CM's stories and the variety of answers I received. At this point I did change all my 100% sure ressies but am not going to sweat out the other four! I will handle it as the time comes.

I hope this helps you and makes some sense! I know I made it sound awful confusing but I just could not figure out how to simply explain everything. If you have any questions you would like me to answer, just give a holler!

And if you do decide to call back, please let me know what kind of answers you get. Perhaps someone here on the boards will be able to help us even more!

 

[magsmom]

That is not correct.
For my upcoming trip, I was not sure if we were going to do DDP, or, if we were if we were going to pay for DD as an adult (we saw the menu changes while staying at the Dolphin in October and she was NOT impressed). When I called (back in December) I let the CM know my delimma and there was no absolutely problem with my uncertainty. DVC members do not have to add the DDP until 5 days before their trip, and pay at check-in.

 

[n2mm]

Another DVC member here and when I make my ADRs I never know if I'm buying the DDP or not, so I tell the CM that I don't know if I'll be doing the DDP and it's never been a problem. Sometimes I tell them yes and when I get to a restraurant I decide not to use my credits and use my DDE card instead. It's never been a problem and I've never had to reschedule any of my ADRs. I went to WDW 4 trips last year and did the DDP 3 out of 4 of the trips and never told CM Dining that I was on the DDP when making them. However, when checking into the restraurant you then tell your CM if you're doing the DDP or not.

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

I have done the DDP twice. In August (for "free") and in November. Neither time do I recall them asking when I made my ADRs. I certainly was never told I would have to change ADRs, one way or the other. The question did not make sense to me, based on the information I had. However, I was just wondering if anyone here could provide new information.

I think I am going to leave things as is, and let each restaurant know when we check-in.

 

[Brian Noble]

This is a guess, but it is a reasonably informed one.

Dining reservations wants to know because, on average, a DDP guest spends more time at their meal than a guest paying out of pocket. Why? Many cash guests don't order all three courses, but DDP guests almost always do. So, they want to make sure your "table" is taken out of the ADR rotation for the right amount of time.

 

[OurDogCisco]

We just got back on Jan 4th and had breakfast at CRT. I had to prepay for the meal when I reserved it 6 month earlier. At the time I had no clue if we were going to do DDP or not. We are DVC members. Eventunately, I added the plan on to our reservation. So when we were eating at CRT at the end of the meal the waiter asked if we wanted to use DDP for our meal. I told him no that we had planned to pay for this meal out of pocket. So he said great then, you are free to go. So to me it sounded like if I wanted to they would have given me my credit back on the meal and charged my DDP.

 

[SILLYANDI]

We ate at CRT in Dec and paid OOP for the ressie-because we had not decided on the DDP when I made the ADR. We ended up SPLITTING the bill-paying for adult meals on DDP and kid meals OOP. I asked the server if it was possible and she said sure.They credited our credit card for the 3 kids and charged us our 4 adult dining credits and we were done. No hassle, only a few signatures.