No more segmented vacations for ddp

[hakepb]

So I called and talked to MS today and they told me I had to pay for the dp for the entire stay. At SSR and AKL.

Has anyone else heard this??

I was nice, polite, didn't raise my voice, didn't demand a supervisor. Just asked questions. Used my please and thank you's. The woman I talked to was just rude and told me" You have to pay it for the entire time". I tried to explain I was checking out and then back in at another hotel and she didn't want to hear it.

I was frustrated and let it be for now.

I will call again on Monday.

I'm not paying another $530 for a dining plan. Looks like we will use some of that money and get a rental car and go to the store and get groceries.

I was afraid this could happen. The "upgraded" software automatically bundles reservations under one number, even when they are at different resorts

This didn't happen before the "upgrade"

if done properly it would help someone with a split stay pool the entire stay's points, but I'm sure that is a infrequent desire

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

:UPDATE:

I called MS yesterday and told them i want to add dining to my stay from 12-17 to 12-20. At first he said i would have to add it to all six nights. I asked what had happened and acted like i knew nothing about the change. I was real nice about it and asked him for suggestions on what might be some alternatives. It turned into one of those uncomfortable you're not getting rid of me that easy phone calls. But because i was very nice to him about it he put me on hold and came back after a few minutes and said he could do the dining for the first 3 nights. He rebooked my first 3 nights under a different reservation number. He did state emphatically that i might be forced to change THV's in the middle of my stay. I said that it was worth the risk and went ahead and paid for the dining. I have never had a bad experience calling MS and i believe that if you are reasonable with your expectations then they will work with you if you had a prexisting segmented reservation. If you want to switch dining plans 5 times during a 7 night stay they will probably just tell you no. Make things easy on them and they will return the favor.

I put my chances of having to switch THV's at about 0% but who knows.

I've tried to make things easy on them, but I'm getting nowhere. I have tried several times over the last several days. I have 3 nights booked, segmented 2 nights and then 1 night. I want the DxDDP for the first 2 nights. I just talked to the nicest person at MS (which was not the case the other times). I explained I did not need it the last night since I would be checking out early. Some posts have stated that this could possibly be done. She even went to talk to a supervisor, but I was still told I couldn't do it. So I waitlisted for a BWV Standard studio so that I could be able to add the DxDDP for the nights at AKV. If it comes through, someone will have a chance at a value studio! Btw, I'm going to keep trying! I don't easily give up, especially when I hear that some people are successful.

 

[disneynutz]

I was afraid this could happen. The "upgraded" software automatically bundles reservations under one number, even when they are at different resorts

This didn't happen before the "upgrade"

if done properly it would help someone with a split stay pool the entire stay's points, but I'm sure that is a infrequent desire

We have not had to get the DDP for the entire stay under the travel plan "upgrade" when more than one resort or even room type was booked. If they are forcing us to have the DDP for the entire travel plan then this is a major downgrade and another slap in the face for DVC Members.

Bill

 

[Sammie]

Call it what you will but the "segmenting" clearly violates the spirit of the DDP.

The DDP is a volume purchasing program. It's a way to induce guests to commit to dining at Disney restaurants for the entire length of their stay. It was never intended as a means of granting $20-40 discount (per person) off menu prices for just one day's worth of dining expenses.

Disney doesn't want your $75 per person for one day--in exchange for $100+ worth of food--they want $75 per person for every day of your trip.

Perhaps it wasn't a loophole, rather an experiment to see how members would respond. Some have long argued that they would use the DDP for their partial stay if the LOS mandate were not in place.

But loophole or experiment, the fact that this ability lasted less than a year confirms that Disney was not pleased with the results. The one thing it definitely was not intended to be was a money-saving "thank you" perk for Disney Vacation Club members.

Very accurate statements.

Very possible that DVC members were the guinea pigs on this one. In discussions with Disney friends in upper management they are always amazed that when they release a new program; be it fast pass, free dining, or segmented dining, that people will tweak it, abuse it, twist it, loophole it, etc. They say they know it's going to happen, but the how, is something that at times they can not even fatham.

Usually when something offered and then taken away or modified it is almost always due to some type of abuse of it that Disney is not liking. Which almost always has to do with loss of revenue.

 

[Tiger926]

Still interested in how this whole thing got communicated to members...as I remember it was not by DVC.

With all due respect to Tim, he is not an official Disney site, so his info is as a third party site. I realize that he received the info from MS people, but it is not his site's job to notify members of program changes.

I have a great memory (photographic too), and I know that I first read about this "segmenting" here on the DIS. Not even sure where the term "segmenting" came from either?

As I mentioned, when I called MS after the news broke, to ask an unrelated dining question, they had no idea what I was talking about.

I do not rememer reading any formal DVC announcement on this whole "segmenting" process. It seemed to come from the new software, and I'm sure it was not intentioned to happen this way. Especially since Disney created the dining plans as a way to package up vacations, thus making more money for them, as DP had to be purchased for each night of vacation.

It's still interesting to me to see how upset people are, and I do understand the anger, but it was not a formal program policy. A few hundred DISers, if that, probably knew about it.

Such an interesting thread, Tiger

 

[disneybirds]

I segmented our trip for next June at BCV just so we could add the dining plan for a few days! I guess we will be eating in the room more. I was looking forward to just a few days on the dining plan. I can't do 6 days - way too much food!

 

[Sandisw]

I was afraid this could happen. The "upgraded" software automatically bundles reservations under one number, even when they are at different resorts

This didn't happen before the "upgrade"

if done properly it would help someone with a split stay pool the entire stay's points, but I'm sure that is a infrequent desire

I just booked the 2nd part of my trip for next August and the CM booked it with a different reservation number instead of the same travel plan--the way it was this year. The first two nights are a studio under one number and the last 3 nights are at 2 bedroom under a different number. Its booked that way because we are going to be changing those first two nights at the 7 month mark, but it was interesting that she did it this way.

We are not planning on using the DDP next summer, but I think because its booked this way, I could for one part if I wanted.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Ok, I guess I'm one of those who like to "abuse" the system and find the loopholes. But I'm just thinking here, so please no flames. I've decided that I might be willing to do a split stay as some people do to get the DDP on only one part of our stay. I was told today by MS that this is possible to do (at least as of now ). AKV is our home resort, and we enjoy staying in 2BR savanna view rooms. We enjoy both Jambo and Kidani. If I book a trip for 2 nights in a 2BR at Jambo, then book 3 nights in a 2 BR at Kidani, since I'm changing rooms (even though they are the same room type), would they be 2 separate reservations? Would I be able to get the DDP for the first 2 nights at Jambo, and no DDP on the last 3 nights at Kidani? Like I said, just thinking...hmmm....

 

[papamouse1]

Ok, I guess I'm one of those who like to "abuse" the system and find the loopholes. But I'm just thinking here, so please no flames. I've decided that I might be willing to do a split stay as some people do to get the DDP on only one part of our stay. I was told today by MS that this is possible to do (at least as of now ). AKV is our home resort, and we enjoy staying in 2BR savanna view rooms. We enjoy both Jambo and Kidani. If I book a trip for 2 nights in a 2BR at Jambo, then book 3 nights in a 2 BR at Kidani, since I'm changing rooms (even though they are the same room type), would they be 2 separate reservations? Would I be able to get the DDP for the first 2 nights at Jambo, and no DDP on the last 3 nights at Kidani? Like I said, just thinking...hmmm....

Yes... no problems with this plan.



Technically, you should be able to book same type room in same resort, but just book them completely separate... then when you arrive you can "request" to stay in same room, but no guarantees..

We have done this split stay approach for last 4 years ( including this Dec) and always enjoy it. We get up, take bags down and they have guest services transfer them to new resort during day while we are in the park. We have heard of others having probs with bag transfer, but ours has always been smooth as silk.

Have a Magical Trip!

 

[UConnJack]

So I called and talked to MS today and they told me I had to pay for the dp for the entire stay. At SSR and AKL.

Has anyone else heard this??

I was nice, polite, didn't raise my voice, didn't demand a supervisor. Just asked questions. Used my please and thank you's. The woman I talked to was just rude and told me" You have to pay it for the entire time". I tried to explain I was checking out and then back in at another hotel and she didn't want to hear it.

I was frustrated and let it be for now.

I will call again on Monday.

I'm not paying another $530 for a dining plan. Looks like we will use some of that money and get a rental car and go to the store and get groceries.

I just did the same thing today with a BWV / AKV split under the same reservtion number, but they gave me no problems.

 

[TisBit]

Ok, I guess I'm one of those who like to "abuse" the system and find the loopholes. But I'm just thinking here, so please no flames. I've decided that I might be willing to do a split stay as some people do to get the DDP on only one part of our stay. I was told today by MS that this is possible to do (at least as of now ). AKV is our home resort, and we enjoy staying in 2BR savanna view rooms. We enjoy both Jambo and Kidani. If I book a trip for 2 nights in a 2BR at Jambo, then book 3 nights in a 2 BR at Kidani, since I'm changing rooms (even though they are the same room type), would they be 2 separate reservations? Would I be able to get the DDP for the first 2 nights at Jambo, and no DDP on the last 3 nights at Kidani? Like I said, just thinking...hmmm....

Yes... no problems with this plan.



Technically, you should be able to book same type room in same resort, but just book them completely separate... then when you arrive you can "request" to stay in same room, but no guarantees..

We have done this split stay approach for last 4 years ( including this Dec) and always enjoy it. We get up, take bags down and they have guest services transfer them to new resort during day while we are in the park. We have heard of others having probs with bag transfer, but ours has always been smooth as silk.

Have a Magical Trip!

It appears that the best thing to do is request that they be under separate reservation numbers in order to avoid confusion. I am sure that after a couple of weeks it will be less of an issue, but I am thinking right now many of the MS Cast Members are confusing the new length of stay mandate to mean for the entire reservation (which they see as a number regardless of resorts, etc) and are insisting that DP must be on all parts of that reservation.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Yes... no problems with this plan.



Technically, you should be able to book same type room in same resort, but just book them completely separate... then when you arrive you can "request" to stay in same room, but no guarantees..

We have done this split stay approach for last 4 years ( including this Dec) and always enjoy it. We get up, take bags down and they have guest services transfer them to new resort during day while we are in the park. We have heard of others having probs with bag transfer, but ours has always been smooth as silk.

Have a Magical Trip!

Interesting. So based on your second paragraph, I could book 2 nights in a Kidani 2BR savanna room at 11 months out. Then 2 days after that, I could call back and book 3 additional nights in a Kidani 2BR savanna room. Then they are 2 separate reservations even though they are in the same resort and are the same room type. I could then add DxDDP to the first 2 nights. I could request to stay in the same room, but there's a good chance I will have to move. I think that may be worth the risk even though I'm not a big fan of moving. I think that may a good solution for my family. We have come to love the DxDDP, but the difference in it for 5 nights and 2 nights is $1031.88, something I'm not willing to pay, especially since we would have wasted credits. Thanks for the insight!

 

[kamgen]

WOW...no flames please...but..I can't believe all this 'segmenting' talk...it's crazy. We have been members for 11 years and go at least 4 times a year and have NEVER segmented to use DDP. Disney allowing DVC to use DDP at all is a perk, like it or not. They don't have to offer it. I believe in trying to always find the best deal, but to blatantly abuse the system on purpose seems crazy to me. Just book your vacation instead of making it more complicated than it needed to be. And stop trying to find a loophole in everything so things get taken away. JMHO.

 

[nadiakim]

Just got off the phone to book next summers vaca and asked about segmenting our upcoming November adults only vacation for purpose of DDP. Was told that we can no longer do that. I asked if this was a recent change within the last week and was told yes it is. I will call back to see if I get the same answer from a different cm. Has anyony else heard anything about this?

YESS!! I just called and heard the same thing and now I have to reconfigure my whole trip. Any suggestions for a family of five who has the DDP trying to get in to restaurants for TS and all are booked up? Im thinking that we just wont be able to get the DDP and will have to shell out the money for the few nights we have TS ressies. Ugg why couldnt they have made this change months ago when Adrs were still possible.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

WOW...no flames please...but..I can't believe all this 'segmenting' talk...it's crazy. We have been members for 11 years and go at least 4 times a year and have NEVER segmented to use DDP. Disney allowing DVC to use DDP at all is a perk, like it or not. They don't have to offer it. I believe in trying to always find the best deal, but to blatantly abuse the system on purpose seems crazy to me. Just book your vacation instead of making it more complicated than it needed to be. And stop trying to find a loophole in everything so things get taken away. JMHO.

I'm totally with you on this..

MG

 

[kamgen]

Thanks MG!!! This just boggles the mind

 

[DHar]

WOW...no flames please...but..I can't believe all this 'segmenting' talk...it's crazy. We have been members for 11 years and go at least 4 times a year and have NEVER segmented to use DDP. Disney allowing DVC to use DDP at all is a perk, like it or not. They don't have to offer it. I believe in trying to always find the best deal, but to blatantly abuse the system on purpose seems crazy to me. Just book your vacation instead of making it more complicated than it needed to be. And stop trying to find a loophole in everything so things get taken away. JMHO.

what about those who have people coming later in the trip or leaving early...is it fair for them to charge those people for the dining plan for the days that they wont be there? they also will not let you make a reservation in the same room category for those days so you dont have to pay for the people that wont be there until they get there, or in our case the people are leaving early but they wont give us another reservation for the days at the end of the trip they wont be there...that doesnt seem right......

 

[kamgen]

DHar- most of your concerns seem to be about room size...
I guess we don't encounter those situations in our bookings. But it seems many people are so-called segmenting to save money on DDP....just an observation.

 

[Chuck S]

what about those who have people coming later in the trip or leaving early...is it fair for them to charge those people for the dining plan for the days that they wont be there? they also will not let you make a reservation in the same room category for those days so you dont have to pay for the people that wont be there until they get there, or in our case the people are leaving early but they wont give us another reservation for the days at the end of the trip they wont be there...that doesnt seem right......

They are treating DVCers exactly the same as cash guests. I really don;t see a problem. Now, if theylet cash guests pick and chose days and/or when they can add guests to the plan, DVC may have a complaint...but as long as the same rules apply to cash guest, I have no problem. AGain, the DDP was never intended to be a $$ saver. In fact, DVCers weren't even allowed to add the DDP for several months after it was introduced to cash guests. The DDP was designed for the way cash guests travel, by the cash reservation division of Disney....they control the program, not DVC.

If the DDP rules don't work for you, don't get the DDP. Seems pretty simple. That is the way it was prior to the system upgrade loophole less than a year ago.

I've never used the DDP, and we've eaten quite a bit onsite. I've always come out cheaper paying cash and being able to order what we really want to eat rather than being forced to have entree, beverage and dessert at every TS location.

 

[DHar]

DHar- most of your concerns seem to be about room size...
I guess we don't encounter those situations in our bookings. But it seems many people are so-called segmenting to save money on DDP....just an observation.

we are staying in a 2 br the whole trip...my concern is that people are leaving and we will still be charged for them

They are treating DVCers exactly the same as cash guests. I really don;t see a problem. Now, if theylet cash guests pick and chose days and/or when they can add guests to the plan, DVC may have a complaint...but as long as the same rules apply to cash guest, I have no problem. AGain, the DDP was never intended to be a $$ saver. In fact, DVCers weren't even allowed to add the DDP for several months after it was introduced to cash guests. The DDP was designed for the way cash guests travel, by the cash reservation division of Disney....they control the program, not DVC.

If the DDP rules don't work for you, don't get the DDP. Seems pretty simple. That is the way it was prior to the system upgrade loophole less than a year ago.

I've never used the DDP, and we've eaten quite a bit onsite. I've always come out cheaper paying cash and being able to order what we really want to eat rather than being forced to have entree, beverage and dessert at every TS location.

i guess we see it different ways. we dont want to do only a few days here and there during our trip, we just dont want to pay an extra 200 bucks because they wont let us have a seperate reservation for the last 2 days when 2 people will have left and then have 4 ts meals and 4 counter service meals to worry about using...maybe we'll let some lucky family of 4 have a nice treat and use 4 ts on them and then us 4 cs on another family