New AP Holder Dining Question

[LJERRY]

Good Morning! We recently purchased AP's for a quick trip over New Year's that we didn't need the dining plan for such a short amount of time. However, for our long annual trip in Sept., we always purchase the plan. I thought I had remembered reading that you can't do this with AP's, but figured if there was a loophole, I would find it on these boards!!!!! Thanks for all the help you have given us!

 

[SeaSpray]

The "loophole" if you want to call it that, is that you can still buy a "package" which include the room, tickets, and Dining Plan. However the loophole is that if you're going for a week, you only have to buy a Base Ticket for 1 day, you don't have to get the tickets for the entire trip. Then you just save that 1-day ticket for after your APs expire.

We're AP holders too and I considered this, but in the end it just didn't make sense, money-wise, for us to do this. Also, we eat mainly at sit-down restaurants for lunch and dinner, so the Dining Plan again is not the best choice for us.

We did do the Dining Plan a couple of years ago before we had APs and it was fine and gave the chance to try some counter service restaurants (which were surprisingly good), so I would never tell anyone to NOT get the Dining Plan.

Anyway, getting the 1-day Base Ticket with the package is the only "loophole" where a person with an AP could get in on the Dining Plan.

Have a great trip, hope it all works out for you

 

[NHWX]

We like table service restaurants too! We also tend to dine at Jiko's and Artist Point, in addition to our other favorite's. (Is it good or bad that your 11 year old's favorite restaurant is some 1300 miles from home? Or that he knows exactly what he likes to order? )

So we get the Disney Dining Experience card. It's paid for itself in our first trip on the annual pass. And we don't have to worry about appetizer or not, dessert or not, etc. We just order and then get 20% off. This year, the tip is being included for all size parties, so that is a change. We also don't have to worry about how many credits of this or that a particular restaurant charges to the card. For us, it's a no-brainer.

NHWX

 

[SeaSpray]

We like table service restaurants too! We also tend to dine at Jiko's and Artist Point, in addition to our other favorite's. (Is it good or bad that your 11 year old's favorite restaurant is some 1300 miles from home? Or that he knows exactly what he likes to order? )

So we get the Disney Dining Experience card. It's paid for itself in our first trip on the annual pass. And we don't have to worry about appetizer or not, dessert or not, etc. We just order and then get 20% off. This year, the tip is being included for all size parties, so that is a change. We also don't have to worry about how many credits of this or that a particular restaurant charges to the card. For us, it's a no-brainer.

NHWX

This is exactly what we do, too. I like the DDE card; I'm one of the people who don't mind the automatic 18% gratuity since we always tipped 20% anyway, and now when we get the check, we'll just pay that amount

 

[SnackyStacky]

Rather than spending $70 per person on a 1 day base ticket, spend $75 (is that it?) for the Disney Dining Experience. You'll get 20% off at most places. 18% gratuity will automatically be added - but if you would tip that much or more without the discount, it's still a savings.

With no more gratuity and appetizer on the dining plan, you'll probably save as much money with the Disney Dining Experience as you would with the dining plan.

Plus, if you get it now, you can use it for both trips.

Have a great trip!