Room Only - No Dining Plan

[Livelovedance]

I have a reservation booked through a TA for a room only reservation. This is my first time making a reservation through a TA. We have APs, and normally if I book a room only reservation myself I can add on the dining plan. With this special that I received, I was told this was not an option.

We often stay off-site and rent a car, so when we plan our meals we do some in the park, and some we cook ourselves. The few times we have stayed onsite we’ve done the DDP because it’s just the 2 of us and it’s convenient.

For this upcoming reservation I know it’s not a huge deal, because we are getting a nice savings on the room. However, the fact that we don’t even have the option of adding the DDP even if we wanted to is so strange to me! Do people often book rooms like this? I’m considering purchasing Disney gift cards from Target (for the 5% off) and saving those to use as our “meal plan.”

Any thoughts or reassuring comments are much appreciated!

 

[sharonabe]

First off, if you really want the DDP, I'd be talking to my TA again and going up the food chain to a manager or owner. I can't think of any reason they can't add the dining plan to your reservation. You can't do FREE dining, but you should be able to pay for it if you want to.

With that said, you may find you like paying OOP better, depending on how you like to eat. We find a lot more freedom to eat exactly what we want when we go OOP. Book the restaurants you really want to do. Take a look at the different lounges around the parks too. With just the two of you, you should have quite a bit of flexibility. Buy the gift cards and have fun!

 

[DisBuckMan]

First off, if you really want the DDP, I'd be talking to my TA again and going up the food chain to a manager or owner. I can't think of any reason they can't add the dining plan to your reservation. You can't do FREE dining, but you should be able to pay for it if you want to.

Probably one of those "magical" agency exclusive deals where they book up a block of rooms under a convention rate, then sell the rooms through the agency at a large discount. DDP is not an option for those rooms.

 

[Livelovedance]

Probably one of those "magical" agency exclusive deals where they book up a block of rooms under a convention rate, then sell the rooms through the agency at a large discount. DDP is not an option for those rooms.

Yes, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it and I’m trying it out. I appreciate your comment, because I didn’t realize that was how it worked! Like I mentioned before, it’s not a huge deal to us because we very rarely stay onsite. The DDP isn’t going to make or break our trip. It’ll just be the first time we’re staying on site without it. I know many people choose not to take the DDP. I guess I just have to think and plan differently.

 

[Livelovedance]

First off, if you really want the DDP, I'd be talking to my TA again and going up the food chain to a manager or owner. I can't think of any reason they can't add the dining plan to your reservation. You can't do FREE dining, but you should be able to pay for it if you want to.

With that said, you may find you like paying OOP better, depending on how you like to eat. We find a lot more freedom to eat exactly what we want when we go OOP. Book the restaurants you really want to do. Take a look at the different lounges around the parks too. With just the two of you, you should have quite a bit of flexibility. Buy the gift cards and have fun!

Thank you! The gift cards seem like the way to go!

 

[disneyAndi14]

We use this agency a lot for great deals, the savings is so much better than getting the dining plan with Disney rates, basically your dining is almost free when you compare Disney prices with the ddp
We always get gift cards at Target or Sam’s club with the discount and we use the gc’s for the dining. I know there is a convenience with the ddp but with your savings it is not worth it.

 

[vinotinto]

I've booked this magical deal before with a TA and wound up saving a LOT by getting this deal and paying OOP for our meals. We usually ate 2 TS meals per day at some of our favorite restaurants (Cali Grill, Sanaa, etc.). So, what I am saying is that it will be fine.

It's true, you can't add DDP because it's not a MYW package nor a ticketless package. It's a convention room-only. You also do NOT get the little things Disney sends (luggage tag, packet with discounts).

If it's important to you, I would let them know to see if they can negotiate a different type of deal next year with the DDP.

 

[HopperFan]

I have a reservation booked through a TA for a room only reservation. This is my first time making a reservation through a TA. We have APs, and normally if I book a room only reservation myself I can add on the dining plan. With this special that I received, I was told this was not an option.

We often stay off-site and rent a car, so when we plan our meals we do some in the park, and some we cook ourselves. The few times we have stayed onsite we’ve done the DDP because it’s just the 2 of us and it’s convenient.

For this upcoming reservation I know it’s not a huge deal, because we are getting a nice savings on the room. However, the fact that we don’t even have the option of adding the DDP even if we wanted to is so strange to me! Do people often book rooms like this? I’m considering purchasing Disney gift cards from Target (for the 5% off) and saving those to use as our “meal plan.”

Any thoughts or reassuring comments are much appreciated!

If you have APs why not get the Tables in Wonderland card? We have no problem getting our value from it over the 13 mos. We stopped doing the DDP, it just made more sense to order what we want and take the 20% discount. Saved money.

 

[Livelovedance]

We use this agency a lot for great deals, the savings is so much better than getting the dining plan with Disney rates, basically your dining is almost free when you compare Disney prices with the ddp
We always get gift cards at Target or Sam’s club with the discount and we use the gc’s for the dining. I know there is a convenience with the ddp but with your savings it is not worth it.

Perfect, that was the reassurance I was looking for! It’s always a little nerve racking trying something new, but I’m glad to hear that it has worked for your family.

I've booked this magical deal before with a TA and wound up saving a LOT by getting this deal and paying OOP for our meals. We usually ate 2 TS meals per day at some of our favorite restaurants (Cali Grill, Sanaa, etc.). So, what I am saying is that it will be fine.

It's true, you can't add DDP because it's not a MYW package nor a ticketless package. It's a convention room-only. You also do NOT get the little things Disney sends (luggage tag, packet with discounts).

If it's important to you, I would let them know to see if they can negotiate a different type of deal next year with the DDP.

Thank you! Your experiences and explanations helped a lot. It makes a lot more sense now why the rates and rules are the way they are. The DDP isn’t really important to us, it’s just what we’re used to. I’ll be interested to see what the difference is after our first onsite stay without it, and if we choose to continue using it or not for future stays!

If you have APs why not get the Tables in Wonderland card? We have no problem getting our value from it over the 13 mos. We stopped doing the DDP, it just made more sense to order what we want and take the 20% discount. Saved money.

I forgot about that discount card! We did consider purchasing it once but didn’t look any further into it. I’ll have to do some research to see if the price makes it worth it for our family. Thanks!

 

[hllb]

Yes, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it and I’m trying it out. I appreciate your comment, because I didn’t realize that was how it worked! Like I mentioned before, it’s not a huge deal to us because we very rarely stay onsite. The DDP isn’t going to make or break our trip. It’ll just be the first time we’re staying on site without it. I know many people choose not to take the DDP. I guess I just have to think and plan differently.

I booked a dining plan just fine through that deal, through the TA.

 

[Livelovedance]

I booked a dining plan just fine through that deal, through the TA.

I was told that for the special that we booked, the DDP couldn’t be added. I was offered different dates that I could add it to, but the special without it was a better deal. We’ll go without it and see how it goes. I’m hopeful that our experience will be good like the others that replied here. I’m also going to look into the tables in wonderland card.

 

[DisBuckMan]

I booked a dining plan just fine through that deal, through the TA.

If you did book a dining plan with that deal, you'd be the first (and only) one ever.

Haven't you said that your trip is in a couple of weeks? If so, you're not booked under the same deal. This is what they call their "Magical Deal" and is only offered around Labor Day every year. This deal has VERY specific stipulations that the dining plan is NOT available and CANNOT be purchased separately.

The dates for this year's deal are August 15 - Sept 5.

 

[hllb]

If you did book a dining plan with that deal, you'd be the first (and only) one ever.

Haven't you said that your trip is in a couple of weeks? If so, you're not booked under the same deal. This is what they call their "Magical Deal" and is only offered around Labor Day every year. This deal has VERY specific stipulations that the dining plan is NOT available and CANNOT be purchased separately.

The dates for this year's deal are August 15 - Sept 5.

Ah, yes. Must be a different deal then.

 

[tchris4]

Probably one of those "magical" agency exclusive deals where they book up a block of rooms under a convention rate, then sell the rooms through the agency at a large discount. DDP is not an option for those rooms.

we used an agency like that in October. We had the DDP.

 

[DisBuckMan]

we used an agency like that in October. We had the DDP.

Yes, possible sometimes.

But, the particular agency deal in question stated by the OP...the DDP is absolutely, 100% NOT an option. They do it every year right around Labor Day, and it's the same every year....no DDP option at all.

It's really a great deal if you go through that particular agency and get it.