Mickey's backyard bbq on dining plan

[Malibustyle23]

We will have the dining plan on our next visit. We are interested in going to Mickeys Backyard Bbq for the first time. In addition to wanting info, reviews, etc on the dining experience itself from those who have attended, I would like to know if I can book it without having to prepay with a credit card just using dining plan credits?

I can't do it online as far as I can see but can that easily happen with a call to their dining adr line?

 

[AndiMarie]

We just ate there on 4/21 and booked (over the phone) when we had the deluxe dining plan but they still charge your cc to hold your reservation (for us it was around $250 for two adults and kids 10, 10, and 8). When you eat they refund your credit card and use your dining plan credits. Same as CRT for us this visit.

It was a really fun event but it takes a while to get there unless you are staying at Ft. Wilderness. We drove from OKW but after parking had to wait for an internal bus which took about 20 min. There is also a lot of walking after the bus so be sure everyone in your party can handle that.

Lots of music (country) and a lasso performer that my kids enjoyed. The dancing seemed geared for younger kids but everyone is welcome. I would do it again but not with grandma because she had a hard time walking everywhere and it is very crowded with kids running everywhere and you may get bumped around a bit. It is pretty crazy but in a fun way.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Thank you for the info. How were the seats with the dining plan? I know they aren't as great as they could be if paying oop. Super noticeable difference?

In 2014 when we went to crt I don't remember having to prepay. I guess they update the procedure. Silly I know but I just hate to have that much tied up in the "Disney accounting world".

 

[GillianP1301]

I have the BBQ booked for our upcoming trip and my credit card was not charged. When you make the ADR, it will give you the choice to either charge to your card or use your dining credits, just choose dining credits and you won't get charged. If you decide you want to pay OOP, you can let them know that at the time you check-in and they'll release the dining credits & you can pay yourself.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

All you're doing is signaling the reservation system about how you intend to pay for your meal. If you will be paying for it in the regular way, you'll pay when you book. If you already have a dining plan on your room reservation, the restaurant reservation system is supposed to recognize that, and not charge you. You don't actually have any dining credits until you check in to your resort and the restaurant reservation isn't "holding" any dining credits. When you pick up the tickets to a dinner show is when the dining credits are actually deducted from your room account. At that time you'd still have the option to pay in another way.

If you have a dining plan on your room reservation, and the system isn't recognizing it when you try to book a dinner show online, you may need to call WDW-DINE. If you don't have a room reservation with a dining plan at the time you book the dinner show, you'll need to pay for the dinner show and then later on switch your payment method to dining credits and get the previous payment refunded.

 

[Amanda999]

... How were the seats with the dining plan? I know they aren't as great as they could be if paying oop. Super noticeable difference?

There isn't assigned seating at Mickey's Backyard BBQ - they have CMs there who seat people as they walk in (like on an airplane: they fill the tables the farthest from the entrance first (which is good: its next to the beverages)).

You might be thinking of Hoop De Doo and/or the Spirit of whatever at Poly - those have assigned seating with different prices. Backyard BBQ is same price for everyone (if OOP); same # of credits for dining plan people.

 

[AndiMarie]

Well when I made my adr over the phone they did charge the credit card and then refunded it even though we did have our dxdp already on our reservation. The cm on the phone asked if we would like to use dining credits for that meal, I said yes, and she said when we check in for dinner they will refund our card and deduct our credits which is exactly what happened. Not sure if this is a new procedure or what but that's how it went for us just under a week ago on 4/21.

We were one of the last families seated and didn't get a good seat it was on the outer area. Some were worse. Ours had more to do with limited mobility issues with grandma. I've heard reports of people moving aroud after the cm seats them and they go back to the buffet. It surely seemed like you could snag a spot any where there was room after the initial seating. They are long picnic tables so you probably will have people sitting close by.