Help! AP Dining Plan Emergency

[DisneyBarlans]

I am so frustrated right now! I tried to add the dining plan to my AP room only reservation, and I've been told that since I have an AP discount that we can't add the dining plan. The CM's (2) that I talked to told me that I can't combine offers, but I'm not trying to get a discount on the dining plan-I'll pay full price for it-I just want to add it on to my existing reservation. When I booked the reservation, the CM pushed the dining plan and told me that if we changed our minds we could call back and add it as long as it was at least 3 days before we checked in. Now I'm calling back to add it and they won't let me. Has anyone else had this same problem? If so, how did you resolve it?

 

[septbaby]

The dining plan is a discount. The AP rate is a discount. If you want the DP you have to give up the AP rate. CMs are correct and consistent, Disney won't allow you to combine those discounts.

 

[sorul82?]

Actually, there was a period earlier in the year where you could get the DDP with AP discounted rooms. I never saw anymore details about it being continued past May. Just call back and see of you get different results.

 

[Disbug]

Disneybarlans,
You most certainly CAN add on the Dining plan, since you are asking for the regular paid plan and NOT the Free Dining. I think that is where the CM's are making a mistake. Disney would LOVE to take your money. We are FL Resident AP holders and have done this. So call back and ask to speak to a supervisor. If you can, ask them to research the CM's notes who booked this for you (or better yet, give them her name yourself, if you remember). Good luck to you!

 

[TDC Nala]

You cannot add the DDP to a room only reservation, AP holder or not. You must be able to convert the room only reservation to an annual passholder room/dining package booking. At times, you may apply an AP discount to a room/dining package. If either the package or the discount is unavailable for the dates and resort you want (they do not have unlimited availability), you may strike out in your attempt to get both or either. When you call back, make sure you state that you want an annual passholder room/dining package and you want to apply an annual passholder room discount to the package if one is available for that package on those dates for the resort you want.

If you are able to change the reservation to a package, you are then subject to the deposit, cancellation and change rules that apply to package reservations. These are different from the rules for a room-only reservation.

 

[Disbug]

Sorry to disagree with you TDC Nala but I just got off the phone with a Cast Member and was able to do it with an AP discount. I was told if I wanted to avoid the 45 day package cancellation penalty, I could call 3 days before the beginning of my vacation to add on the Dining Plan. So I think my information (and the OP's) is correct.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

We originally booked SSR with an AP rate and basic dining plan in October. We called back a few weeks later and tried to upgrade the basic to the deluxe and the CM tried telling my DH that we couldn't combine rates. But seeing that we already had the basic DH went a couple of rounds and then gave up and called back. The CM he talked to next knew right away which code to use and all was well. OP, sounds like maybe you may have talked with the first CM we got, I'd keep trying.

 

[TDC Nala]

Sorry to disagree with you TDC Nala but I just got off the phone with a Cast Member and was able to do it with an AP discount. I was told if I wanted to avoid the 45 day package cancellation penalty, I could call 3 days before the beginning of my vacation to add on the Dining Plan. So I think my information (and the OP's) is correct.

Your room is not a room only reservation anymore - it is a package. You cannot add the dining plan to a room only reservation unless you convert it to a package - and you have booked a package. I don't see how that is different from what I said. If the OP called and asked for the DDP to be added to a room only reservation, then depending on the CM they get they might get back as an answer "You can't do that" and it would be technically correct. If they know to ask for the package, they might avoid that sort of answer.

You can get the dining plan, but you must rebook the package from the room-only reservation. These are not the same type of reservation. If the package isn't available (that is, the dates or the resort you want are sold out on that particular package), they won't be able to book it for you. Because your new reservation will be a package, you have to make the change at least 3 days before you check in to add the dining plan. You can't change a package, or convert a reservation to a package, within 3 days of checkin.

I also never said you couldn't get a discount - I said the discount had to be available for the room and resort before it could be applied to the package. AP discounts are limited availability and they do book up.

As no one on this thread mentioned that it's necessary to book a package (even for AP holders) rather than a room only reservation to get the dining plan, I thought I'd mention it.

 

[jenjersnap]

TDC Nala is exactly correct about it converting to a package. We've done the DDP or DxDDP twice now with AP discounts. Waiting until the last minute to add dining might be theoretically allowed but, as it's based on availability, that is a very risky move if it is important to you!

OP ... this last time, I had to call several times before I got a CM who knew what the heck I was talking about, they do not seem to be well-informed about this option. Keep trying! Oh, and just FYI, the AP discount/dining package is now available to be booked online through mid-February. Maybe try it that way? Disney will charge you the $200 package deposit and credit you the one night room-only reservation deposit anyway, if both are booked over the phone ... at least, they did for me. So, you could book online and then call to cancel your original reservation.

 

[JackieLand]

OP, the CMs you have been talking to are wrong. You can book your AP room only reservation and turn it into a package with DDP, paying full price for the DDP. I just did it this past Friday to 2 back to back reservations for January '09 using a MPH code. I don't know what the orginal room only code was but it was for the 40% off AP rate for January-February. One of the reservations (AKL standard view) she was able to re-book for the first part of our January trip with no problem since the room was still available. The second reservation (also booked under code MPH) took some time since she had to make a call to overbook the room and release the room I had since there was none (WL woods view) still available with the AP code rate. I called 3 times before I got a CM I trusted to do this for me. I just asked all of the CMs how to go about adding the DDP to my AP discounted room only reservations and based on the response I got from the third CM, I let her do it. The other CMs I just told I had a bad connection and needed to call back later. Good luck and don't give up!

 

[mbanks21]

Okay people, you CAN get the DDP with a discounted AP room as a few people stated above. If you have the discounted room only booked it will have to be cancelled and refunded and your AP discounted room plus DDP PACKAGE has to be paid in full if within 45 days. You WONT lose the discount if you do this but if you wait until the last minute, guest services will have to "open" inventory to put on the new res before they cancel your room only. Whoever said you cant get the DDP with a discounted AP room is dead wrong

 

[jenjersnap]

You WONT lose the discount if you do this but if you wait until the last minute, guest services will have to "open" inventory to put on the new res before they cancel your room only.

Question about this part ... is it possible there won't be any inventory, i.e., it's sold out, so they can't do this? Or, since they are exchanging your first room reservation for a new one, even if there's no availability, they can do some behind the scenes wizardry to make it happen? Thanks.

 

[TDC Nala]

Question about this part ... is it possible there won't be any inventory, i.e., it's sold out, so they can't do this? Or, since they are exchanging your first room reservation for a new one, even if there's no availability, they can do some behind the scenes wizardry to make it happen? Thanks.

want to know also...always thought there had to be availability for the discount when switching the reservation to a package.

 

[mbanks21]

As long as you have the room reserved you will NOT lose the discount. What will happen is the CM will start the new package with the discounted AP room and they call guest services who asks them for the original room only res to verify its booked. Theyll "open" inventory to put on the new res and then the CM will cancel the old room only res. Its called overbooking.

 

[jenjersnap]

As long as you have the room reserved you will NOT lose the discount. What will happen is the CM will start the new package with the discounted AP room and they call guest services who asks them for the original room only res to verify its booked. Theyll "open" inventory to put on the new res and then the CM will cancel the old room only res. Its called overbooking.

Cool! Thx.