Question on Dining Reservations when going through DVC request

[MsHanSolo]

Hi all-

Forgive me if this has been addressed somewhere else and I just can't find it. It's essentially a bunch of questions wrapped up in one. I am putting together a trip for 5 of us and I'd like to go through the DVC Request so I can buy points to get us a villa. On the site it says that the vacation club member has to set up dining for us, and now they've made a requirement that the dining plan be paid in full at the time of reservation. This isn't a problem, but I'd rather not give my credit card info to someone I don't know, so the site suggested to get a Disney gift card, load the money, and send the Disney gift card info to the member instead of the cc.

Here's my question(s)-considering receiving the gift card might take a few if I have to order it (no store around here that I know of), can I go ahead and make reservations without having the dining plan in place yet? Also, would I need to get the gift card prior to going through buying the points so that when the member makes the reservations they add the dining plan on too? Or can it be added later?

Hope that isn't convoluted! Thanks everyone!!

 

[TDC Nala]

You can make reservations anytime as long as you are within 180 days. Without a resort reservation in place, you just can't make them at your first 180 day mark all at once. The other thing you would have to do is pay for any prepaid reservations you want to make (CRT or dinner shows). You would have to do that if you do not have a room reservation with a dining plan added to it - so even if you have the room reservation, you'll have to prepay if the reservation doesn't include a dining plan at the time you make the restaurant reservation. You can change your payment method to dining credits. Sometimes you can do this by calling ahead of time, other times you may end up having to do it when you arrive at CRT or pick up your tickets for a dinner show.

You can add the dining plan anytime up to 48 hours before arrival, just remember that the member has to add it for you and pay for it when they add it. It will just depend on how comfortable you are asking the member to make another phone call on your behalf at the time you are ready to forward payment for the dining plan.

 

[MsHanSolo]

Thank you!!