Question regarding dining plan

[goaliewife]

Good morning from California, hope someone can help with my question.

We are planning to get a 5-day regular dining plan for our trip in November. Is it possible to add 1 day Delux dining plan to our 5-day regular dining plan?

Trying to fit one 2-table service character breakfast into our already planned out days and meals.

We already have two days where we are playing for meals out of pocket; these are days not spent in the parks.

Hope I have been clear with my question and that someone can answer.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TDC Nala]

No, it has to be the same dining plan for the full stay.

The only way to do this is book two separate resort reservations.

 

[goaliewife]

Thanks TDC Nala.

I thought that was a stretch. Have never had this come up on past trips to the world, but guess there is always a first time.

Will have to figure a new strategy, or pay out of pocket for a couple of other meals.

 

[catne]

How many nights are you staying? You mention getting a 5-day regular dining plan, but Disney actually sells the dining plan based on how many nights you're staying in your hotel...so if you're staying 4 nights/5 days the plan you buy will actually be for 4 nights worth (i.e., you'll get components based on 4: 4 table service, 4 counter service and 4 snacks. ) you can use the 4 nights' meal plan over the 5 days you're there, but you will not get 5 days' of components.

If, on the other hand, you're staying 7 nights, but thinking you'll just buy 5 night plan since you'll be eating elsewhere on 2 non-Disney-park days...well, that won't work either. If you're at a Disney hotel 7 nights, and want to have the dining plan, you'll pay for all the nights you're at the Disney hotel, whether or not you plan to be on Disney property for your meals those days. So if you're there for 7 nights, you'd buy 7 nights' worth, and get 7 of each component per person.

In order to get both kinds of dining plans on the same trip, you'd have to have 2 separate reservations...and since dining plans are part of a package deal, you'd have to buy park tickets on each section...which would be very expensive way to get tickets. (Disney tickets are most expensive the first few days, when you get to 4 day and 5 day ticket it's far less pricey to add additional days. Two separate 3 day and 2 day tickets would cost a lot more than one 5 day ticket.)

 

[TDC Nala]

Not everyone is booked with a package and has to buy the tickets with both reservations - DVC, annual passholders and those eligible for the military room discount don't have to buy tickets with their reservations at all. Not knowing what type of reservation the OP has I can't say for certain they'd have to buy tickets twice, but they'd still have to book two separate room reservations, and most guests don't seem to want to have two reservations and risk moving rooms or changing resorts just to have a different dining plan on one night.

 

[goaliewife]

Thanks for all the input.

We are staying 7 nights, but were not planning to use the plan for the first night or the last night of our stay. I know that we could pay for those two nights and have the 2 extra TS's that we need for the breakfast and then we would have two extras QS's to deal with also which would not be hard to use either.

This has been a harder trip for me to plan. On our previous visits we have brought our grandchildren and they just come along for the ride and do what is planned.

This trip we are bringing two other couples and it has been quite a challenge. Some are more open to doing some things than others. Two couples want to do the Character breakfast and one didn't. Whew, I am worn out and we are still 8 months out.

It will all work out, I have no doubt.

 

[purple figment]

We are staying 7 nights, but were not planning to use the plan for the first night or the last night of our stay. I know that we could pay for those two nights and have the 2 extra TS's that we need for the breakfast and then we would have two extras QS's to deal with also which would not be hard to use either.

As catne said, you have to have the dining plan for the length of your stay. So, if you're staying at a Disney resort for 7 nights, you'll have to buy the dining plan for all of those nights. You can use the additional credits for more than one TS meal per day or use them for 2 credit signature meals or dinner shows.

The only way to have the dining plan for just 5 nights is to make 3 separate reservations: first night room only, followed by 5 nights on the DP and last night room only again. However, you'll have to check in and out after each stay and there's no guarantee you'll be able to stay in the same room. This seems like a lot of troublle and time wasting to me.

 

[catne]

I think you're missing something here, OP...if you're booked for 7 nights, you cannot buy the dining plan for 5 nights. The dining plan is part of a package (including tickets, unless you're DVC member) that runs for all nights of your reservation. They do not sell the dining plan as a separate ala carte component: you cannot buy it for just a portion of your reservation.

If you're a Disney Vacation Club member staying on points you do not have to buy a room & tickets package to get the dining plan. But you still have to buy the dining plan for the entire stay. They used to allow DVC members to buy partial dining plans, but discontinued that practice Fall 2011.

If you're not a DVC member staying on points, you have to buy room & tickets package (at least a one-day ticket per person on the reservation) and you have to pay for all the nights on your reservation.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think the OP is saying they are booked for 7 nights but planning to eat at Disney for only five of those nights, but she should be aware that she will have to receive and pay for dining plan allotments for all seven nights on the reservation. She can use the credits on any day and at any time but she has to purchase 7 nights worth of credits unless she wants to make more than one room reservation. You don't buy the dining plan only for the nights you want to eat at Disney, you have to buy it for the full length of the trip if you have only one room reservation.

Dining plan allotments are never based on the length of park tickets or on the days you spend in the Disney parks. They're always based on the number of nights you stay at your resort. And you don't get a certain amount of credits assigned per person for each day you spend; you get them all at once when you check in, and then you decide where and when to use them.

That would actually help her, because if they were planning for 5 nights of credits and want to add CRT, there's the extra 2 credits right there.

 

[2girlsmomma]

We have our trip booked in two parts. We have a package that includes 3 nights, DDP for the 3 nights and a 5 day ticket. Then we have a separate booking for an additional night (room only). Our Agent told us that the reservations can be linked and she has never known anyone to have to move rooms, although that would be a possibility.

 

[goaliewife]

Okay, the OP finally got it, lol. After re-reading, it sunk in; and, thank you all for your input. Did not realize that for a 7 night stay that it was a "mandatory" 7 day dining plan deal. Had never tried to purchase less than our maximum night stay in the past.

Well, that makes the whole thing easier for me to put to the others now anyway.

This is why I love these boards, you find out your answers before you call MS and ask them the silly questions. Thank you all again.