Reservation Questions...

kristenrice

NOT just an ambulance driver
Joined
Apr 25, 2006
Messages
7,451
Here's the scenario...

Travel dates: June 16-23, 2012
15 people...8 Adults and 7 children ages 10,9,8,7,6,4, and 7 months.
Staying in (2) 2BR's at OKW

First question: We are booking the two weekend nights (June 16 and June 22) on cash through Member Services. When do I call to make those reservations?

Second Question: We want to add the DxDDP to ONLY June 17 (I'll explain later...) so should I book this night and then call back the next day? or should I book all 5 weeknights at the same time and have them segment off the first night?

Third Question: With our reservation looking like this (all booked through MS)...

...Night 1: cash
...Night 2: Points with DxDDP
...Nights 3-6: Points without a DP
...Night 7: cash

...Will we have to check in and check out? Is there any possibility we may have to move?

Here's why we want the DxDDP for the one night...

Dad is treating us to a 3-generation Grand Gathering and he wants us to do the Illuminations GG event. That costs about $3/person less than the cost of the DxDDP. Dad has offered to add the DxDDP on the condition that we use 2 of the 3 meal credits for the GG event. This will leave us with another meal credit, 2 snacks and a mug for the extra $3. The GG event is offered on Monday night but we want to get the mugs ASAP (BIG pop/coffee drinkers!) so we want to add the plan on Sunday.

The main concerns I have are how to go about booking this and we need to be GUARANTEED that we won't have to switch rooms. If one representative from each room has to make a trip to the front desk in the morning to "check in", I think we might be able to live with it, but we are NOT willing to pack up and switch rooms.
 
Don't book HH area because I don't think those are available for cash. If your reservation is all through MS (points and cash), it will be considered one reservation. Except when you break it up for the dining plan. Still "one" reservation, but you will have to check out and check in again.

If you did cash through Disney Reservation Center, you would have to check out for the end of the points stay and check in for the beginning of the cash stay. Etc. And those cannot be linked.
 
Don't book HH area because I don't think those are available for cash. If your reservation is all through MS (points and cash), it will be considered one reservation. Except when you break it up for the dining plan. Still "one" reservation, but you will have to check out and check in again.

If you did cash through Disney Reservation Center, you would have to check out for the end of the points stay and check in for the beginning of the cash stay. Etc. And those cannot be linked.

Thanks for the info!

Yes, the reservations will all be made through MS so they should be able to be linked. As far as checking out/checking in goes with the "split", would we actually be "checking out"? I'm assuming that it would involve nothing more than going to the front desk to get new KTTW cards printed and not actually vacating the room, right?

Another question that my dad raised...

He bought passes for all but two of us (me and DSiL are going in October this year so we will have AP's) from UCT. He wants to add them to the KTTW cards at check in. I warned him that this could be problematic with the nature of our reservation. He enjoys the simplicity of carrying around one card for everything. Would it even be possible? I figure that once the passes are put on a KTTW card, they cannot be transferred to another one later.

Is this how it would work (with all 7 nights linked)?
Saturday...check in (cash night)...
Sunday...check in (points with DxDDP)....get new cards...
Monday...check in (points, no DP) get new cards, but keep old ones for credits which expire at midnight...
Friday...check in (cash night)

By my count, that is a total of 4 KTTW cards that we will have. That's a lot of plastic!
 
Thanks for the info!

Yes, the reservations will all be made through MS so they should be able to be linked. As far as checking out/checking in goes with the "split", would we actually be "checking out"? I'm assuming that it would involve nothing more than going to the front desk to get new KTTW cards printed and not actually vacating the room, right?

Another question that my dad raised...

He bought passes for all but two of us (me and DSiL are going in October this year so we will have AP's) from UCT. He wants to add them to the KTTW cards at check in. I warned him that this could be problematic with the nature of our reservation. He enjoys the simplicity of carrying around one card for everything. Would it even be possible? I figure that once the passes are put on a KTTW card, they cannot be transferred to another one later.

Is this how it would work (with all 7 nights linked)?
Saturday...check in (cash night)...
Sunday...check in (points with DxDDP)....get new cards...
Monday...check in (points, no DP) get new cards, but keep old ones for credits which expire at midnight...
Friday...check in (cash night)

By my count, that is a total of 4 KTTW cards that we will have. That's a lot of plastic!

With all the changing, your tickets could get messed up. I'd just use the ticket as it is. You have an AP that cannot be put on the KTTW. Show the rest of them how easy it is to carry a separate ticket.
 

Keep an eye on the boards to see how MS and the resorts are doing with the segmented reservations. Decide about the tickets when you get closer to departure. Here's why:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2727150

Given what we know now based on several reports (not just the one in the referenced thread), I totally agree with Deb & Bill - don't do it. Not worth it.

Sounds like a wonderful trip - have fun planning it!
 
The main concerns I have are how to go about booking this and we need to be GUARANTEED that we won't have to switch rooms.

You do know that nothing is guaranteed? It will be a request.
 
You do know that nothing is guaranteed? It will be a request.

This is where I am confused:confused3...

Even though it is a combination of cash/points/cash, it is still the same room. Doesn't MS link the segments together to make it one, contiguous reservation?

Even though a lot of people have been having problems with their room keys not working and their DP credits not showing up, I haven't read about anyone with a segmented reservation being forced to vacate their room. Is this truly a possibility?:confused:
 
I would not segment the way things are going and I definitely would not try to segment just to get 1 day of the deluxe plan. In your situation I would just get the regular plan for all nights that you do not plan on changing rooms for. That includes the 2 nights on cash if you link them to the rest of the reservation. If you feel you must segment, just do the first day separate and the rest with the basic plan. Segmenting only the first day
(6 days of DDP compared to 1 day Dx and 4 days DDP) you'll just lose the one TS credit and the appetizers for the one days Dx plan. The cost will be roughly $10 more PP for adults but $10 less PP for those 3-9 but you'll pick up an extra CS option PP and have more flexibility and less risk and potential stress. Snacks should stay the same. Plus when you account for meals the uncovered day, you should come out significantly ahead. Use the snack credits for breakfast items if need be.
 
We just got back from a Friday evening GG Illuminations dinner.. I thought it was $60 per person, $40 per child...we had regular dining plan and used the two table services foR that meal...I really enjoyed, daughter didn't think the food was worth the money...very basic buffet...the dessert part was great as the viewing area was premium spot. I liked the desserts, nothing special.

Why not rent points or transfer in points and make all reservations points, nor cash...

Consider going to the MK breakfast at tony's grand gathering...we'll do that again for sure...good food, good value...they are Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
pirate:

We had 11 people in a grand villa... 7 adults and four kiddies...dining plan was easiest...we booked one table service a day...and everyone was able to get their own CS and snacks...much better than the last time when I had TIW and had to be around to get all the meals... MAKE sure you book 180 days out...some restaurants you will have to call as they only take reservations for 12 persons.
 
We just got back from a Friday evening GG Illuminations dinner.. I thought it was $60 per person, $40 per child...

For 2011, it's $73.99/adult and $35.99/child. The DxDDP is $78.99/adult and $21.99/child. So, for our party, it would be about $845 for JUST the Illuminations dinner. The DxDDP for one night would only cost $820. It's a no-brainer to add the DxDDP....we get the GG event, refillable mugs, 2 snacks AND another meal!

Why not rent points or transfer in points and make all reservations points, nor cash...

Not interested in renting points because it would result in the same issue...different nights on different reservations...and we've already used our transfer(s) to get the points for the weeknights.

I think I will encourage everyone to keep their KTTW cards separate from their park tickets. I am fairly certain that we will deal with the hassle of multiple check ins in order to get the DxDDP. It really is a great deal, assuming that the quoted prices are correct. I'm assuming that both the DP and the GG event will be priced higher for 2012, but the difference is what we'll need to be concerned with.

Thanks for the input. I'm hoping that the glitches are worked out over the next year.
 
Make that extra meal count. Regular dining plan is only 48 per person and that gives you the dinner and one snack. Much cheaper for Dad. Since you are staying at OKW you realize not much value in the refillable mugs as the only station to refill is up by the main pool. Not worth the effort unless you plan to spend lots of pool time. Since we had a frig (as will your group)...we just purchased our pop...and I'm a tea drinker. Hot tea...so, no value for us to get the mugs.

We had one linked reservation as we were there 8 nights, so it was first three and then last five nights...had standard dining plan for everyone the entire trip. (yep, mom and dad paid:worship:)' and we still had issues with the ding plan...we all had the same keys. I spent at least 20 minutes the first four nights at guest relAtions trying to figure out what the HECK they were doing...wrong number of meals, wrong count of people....meals not counted...what a pain. We were in bldg 22 (which by the way was perfect)' but the walk back and forth each night once everyone was settled in than
receipts reviewed was a PAIN... So don't count on them figuring out segmented dining plans...remember, my reservations were normal for the entire trip

Have a wonderful time. We are already dreaming of our next GV trip in 2014 (hoping to pull ahead to 2013:rolleyes1
 

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