No Dining Plan?

[lovetheworld]

I just called to book at room with my DVC pts....well the "DVC" resorts were sold out and I was offered room at the Port Orleans French Quaters. We have never stayed anywhere but the BCV and the Contemporary. We thought we would give it a try....BUT when we asked about adding the Dining Plan to our reservation we were told that were not eligible as DVC members to add the Dining Plan. Does any one else see a major problem with this? Ok so if I am a non-dvc member and stay there I can get the plan? I am paying more points and get no benefits.... I have spent more than $25K on my DVC and pay annual dues but I can not PURCHASE a dining plan for this reservation! I encourage each of you to email the following addresses if you also have concerns:

members@disneyvacationclub.com
wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

I won't even get started on the "Free Dining".

 

[Pluto 2]

it seems stupis to me why you cant add it they make money off the dining plan

 

[Love2Cruise]

The same thing happened to me. We couldn't get a DVC ressie for Nov but were able to get a room at CSR on points. I was told I was not eligible for the dining plan. I don't quite understand why either. It does seem a bit unfair.

 

[DebbieB]

Keep in mind for the first 15 months of the dining plan (1/1/05 to 4/1/06) DVC members could not purchase the dining plan at all.

I would just pay for the room and add the dining plan if you want it. Save your points.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The dining plan with DVC resorts is a DVC agreement. They don't have the same agreement with the non-DVC resorts.

 

[lovetheworld]

Keep in mind for the first 15 months of the dining plan (1/1/05 to 4/1/06) DVC members could not purchase the dining plan at all.

I would just pay for the room and add the dining plan if you want it. Save your points.

I have over 300 pts that I paid alot of money for so I am not sure I would want to pay for the room......

 

[Dean]

DVC points at none DVC resorts do not qualify for the DDP. Fair or not, it's the way it is and I doubt DVC has any control. You may want to look for cash with the DDP as a back up and wait list for DVC resorts unless you already made the exchange in which case your stuck.

 

[MarieA]

I sent an email to MS to find out whether you could add the DDP to a non-DVC resort reservation.

My question was:

If we were to book at one of the Disney Collection hotels (Contemporary Resort) using points, can we add the Dining Plan to our reservation?

Here is the response I received from them.

Thank you for contacting Member Services.

Unfortunately, at this time you can not. This is being addressed but due
to existing system configurations it is not available at this time.

We appreciate your interest in the Disney Dining Plan. We are pleased
to announce that Disney Vacation Club Members are able to participate in
the Disney Dining Plan when staying at one of the five Walt Disney World
based Disney Vacation Club Resorts.

****(the plan cannot be added to a Disney Collection reservation). ****

Please note that Members must add the plan to their existing
reservations prior to arrival as it cannot be added at the Front Desk,
and payment will be taken at check-in. The cost of this plan is $37.99
per adult or junior per night and $10.99 per child (ages 3-9) per night,
and includes one table service meal, one counter service meal, and one
snack per person per night of the plan (rates subject to change).
Certain restrictions on using and redeeming your meals may apply.
Additionally, the plan must be purchased for the entire length-of-stay
and for all Guests listed on the reservation.

For more information, you may wish to visit dvcmember.com.

Thank you again for your email. We look forward to speaking with you
soon.


Have a Magical Day!

Jamie
Vacation Advisor
Disney Vacation Club

 

[Cruelladeville]

I had the same thing happen to me, so I booked a room at POR for cash, and they GAVE me the dining plan free!! I thought that was odd. Here I am wanting to use points and pay cash for dining, and I can't, but if I pay cash for the room, they want to give me the dining plan for free. Go figure.

 

[OKWMom]

How would this work if you were splitting your stay at a DVC resort on a point/cash basis? Meaning, if we paid cash (and booked through MS) for two nights and used points for the others, would we be able to purchase the dining plan for the entire stay?

 

[Chuck S]

How would this work if you were splitting your stay at a DVC resort on a point/cash basis? Meaning, if we paid cash (and booked through MS) for two nights and used points for the others, would we be able to purchase the dining plan for the entire stay?

Yes, you can have the dining plan for cash stays at DVC resorts booked through Member Services...those rooms come from member inventory.

I suspect the reason that the DDP is not available for point ressies at non-DVC resorts is because th DDP was originally designed to be sold as part of a package through CRO cash resses at WDW resorts to bolster occupancy and sell higher priced packages. It is still not available for room only ressies and AP discounted ressies, only the higher priced packages. CRO considers DVC point ressies to be like AP discounted ressies, not a package.

As a previous poster said, it was made available to DVC point ressies at DVC resorts after 15 months of negotiation. The DDP is, technically, Disney Travel's (CROs) project, and they can make it available, or not, as they see fit to AP ressies, DVC ressies, etc.

 

[OKWMom]

Thanks Chuck.

 

[NMW]

I agree that it is probably a systems thing. The dining plan is added to the Magic your Way packages that include tickets and rooms for people booking through Disney Travel or CRO. They may not be able to just add the dining part at non-DVC resorts. Well, not yet anyway. I'm sure they will find a way.

 

[mmmcq]

OKWMom

Just a footnote to the above reply to your post. You can add the DDP to your DVC reservation and you pay cash at check-in. And you can add DDP to your cash reservations......BUT....in order to do the latter you have to have a least a one day ticket on that cash reservation. Don't ask me why....but that's their pkg.

We have a split stay coming up and want to pre-buy passes for the entire stay, so we can't add DDP to the last two days on cash. The cost for the one day passes for 5 of us would be nearly 1/2 what we're paying for the total 7 day pass. I tried every way possible to do the package and tickets and I can't make it work. It's ridiculous...but that's how their system is set up and they can't handle it any other way.

So we're paying OOP for meals for our last two days.

 

[Anewman]

OKWMom

Just a footnote to the above reply to your post. You can add the DDP to your DVC reservation and you pay cash at check-in. And you can add DDP to your cash reservations......BUT....in order to do the latter you have to have a least a one day ticket on that cash reservation. Don't ask me why....but that's their pkg.

We have a split stay coming up and want to pre-buy passes for the entire stay, so we can't add DDP to the last two days on cash. The cost for the one day passes for 5 of us would be nearly 1/2 what we're paying for the total 7 day pass. I tried every way possible to do the package and tickets and I can't make it work. It's ridiculous...but that's how their system is set up and they can't handle it any other way.

So we're paying OOP for meals for our last two days.

We stayed 7 nights at SSR in AUG.
5 nights on point
2 nights paid cash.
We were able to DDP to our entire stay without a ticket purchase.

I am guessing it is because our entire stay was one linked reservation at the same resort.

In your case why not do the CASH part of your stay first and purchase length of stay passes with the ddp for those first few nights. And then you do the points nights and purchase the ddp, and use the tickets from the cash package.

 

[bpmorley]

I have over 300 pts that I paid alot of money for so I am not sure I would want to pay for the room......

That's how I would feel. We already get ripped off when we don't stay in a DVC resort and now this. Some phone calls have to be made.

 

[wdwfan1]

If you really want the dining plan, maybe you could rent (or transfer) your points and use the $$$ to pay for the room. You would probably come out ahead that way!

 

[Anewman]

That's how I would feel. We already get ripped off when we don't stay in a DVC resort and now this. Some phone calls have to be made.

But no one is forcing the OP to stay at POR, it was offered because the dates requested were full(guessing) at all DVC resorts.

Sounds to me like they have already tried to accomidate the op for trying to book on short notice. Had the OP booked sooner and gotten into a DVC resort they would be happy to add the DDP.

 

[keishashadow]

I originally had upcoming stay @ BCV linked with 1 day cash res.(1st) then 4 days on points...was able to add DP to entire res. w/o tix requirement.

If you really want the DP on a cash ressie only anywhere @ WDW, you are permitted to just buy a base 1 day tix for each member on the res. As long as you don't activiate/use it, you can easily trade it in @ the gate when you purchase next AP & use DVC discount too.

 

[lovetheworld]

But no one is forcing the OP to stay at POR, it was offered because the dates requested were full(guessing) at all DVC resorts.

Sounds to me like they have already tried to accomidate the op for trying to book on short notice. Had the OP booked sooner and gotten into a DVC resort they would be happy to add the DDP.

I know that I am booking on short notice and am glad to stay at POR and pay the extra points but still feel that the DDP should be available. Seem like DVC members have to jump through alot of hoops to attach the plan -like pay cash for a night and buy a one day pass in order to work around the system.