Large Party with Multiple DDPs

[luvmyguyz]

We are going to WDW in November, and will be joining several family members throughout our 7-to-10 day trip (length will depend on whether or not FD is extended through November.)

The first half of the trip will consist of my family of 6 on one DDP, and my inlaws on a second DDP. The second half of the week will be my family of 6 on one DDP and my cousin's family of 4 on a second DDP. My cousin's inlaws may also come for the 2nd half of the week, but we don't know yet.

Because I will be there the longest, and arriving first, I want to make all of the ADRs so we can benefit from the 180-day ADR booking policy. But I'm not sure how it works when there are several DDPs at the same table.

1. Can someone please let me know how that works? Are there seperate checks? Is gratuity figured out automatically and applied to the seperate checks, or will we need to figure it out on our own?

2. Can some people pay OOP and others use the DDP for a meal?

3. What happens if I book for 10 and then my cousin's family of 4 decides not to go at the last minute? Per the revised credit card cancellation policy, am I responsible for their no-show, or do I only pay for my family?

4. I am going to book the ADRs with a credit card because I only have a room reservation right now - I'm not adding on the DDP until later because the cancellation policy is much easier with room-only ressies. However, will I be able to use my DDP if I've booked the ADRs with a credit card?

5. How does the Grand Gathering experience work, and how do I go about booking that?

Any help you can provide would be MUCH appreciated!! And any other tips you have for dining with big parties would also be super helpful. Thanks so much!!

 

[Faldred]

1) WDW wait staff are quite familiar with doing multiple checks for the same table; just tell them which meals should be on which check. Automatic gratuity is based on table size, and will be applied to each check individually.

2) Yes. Same story as separate checks.

3) I'm not sure how this would work under the CC reservation policy, but I imagine it would be charged to the card used to confirm the reservation.

4) Yes. You always have until the time of payment to choose between OOP and DDP.

5) That's a separate reservations line, I believe. Unless the resort reservations are linked together, you may not have the "party of 8 or more" you need to qualify. I'd suggest calling the GG line with these questions.

 

[Cafeen]

1. Can someone please let me know how that works? Are there seperate checks? Is gratuity figured out automatically and applied to the seperate checks, or will we need to figure it out on our own?

2. Can some people pay OOP and others use the DDP for a meal?

3. What happens if I book for 10 and then my cousin's family of 4 decides not to go at the last minute? Per the revised credit card cancellation policy, am I responsible for their no-show, or do I only pay for my family?

4. I am going to book the ADRs with a credit card because I only have a room reservation right now - I'm not adding on the DDP until later because the cancellation policy is much easier with room-only ressies. However, will I be able to use my DDP if I've booked the ADRs with a credit card?

5. How does the Grand Gathering experience work, and how do I go about booking that?

1) Before you order, just explain to the server the situation. They will split the checks according to the different plans (or, in reality, however you please). The 18% will be applied individually per check (so, if you order $100 worth of stuff, and they order $50 worth of stuff, your check will have $18 extra, theirs will have $9 extra).

2) Yep, same deal as above, just ask the split the check however you need. Doing it before ordering is typically recommended as it's easier for the server to enter it that way. It's not a big deal afterward either though if you forget!

3) Since your name and CC is on the ADR, you are responsible for it. You can either make them give you the money to cover it in that case, or just make sure you cancel ahead of time.

4) Yes. The Dining Plans really don't have any effect on your ADRs. The exceptions are CRT, HDDR, SoA, and Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Since these are all pre-paid events, tying them to a reservation with an appropriate dining plan will change them into CC-guarantees rather than full pay in advance. Other that those there will be no effect (and even with those, if you can wait to be reimbursed at the meal, it's fine too)

5) This... I don't know. My traveling party of 1 does not qualify for any GGs