So confused...help with DDP and DVC??

[mjpeter]

My family and I (there are five of us) are going to be in Disney from October 24th through November 2nd. We'll be staying in a 2 bedroom at Kidani Village. My in-laws are DVC members, and since they are local, and annual passholders, they keep the DVC points for family so everyone can visit often. (I know I'm lucky)

Anyway, they also signed up for the room since they'll be there possibly a night or two instead of driving back to their home. However, they are only eating about 1/2 of the meals with us.

My family (myself, DH, and my three boys) want to use the DDP, but can we do that if my in-laws are not getting any plan? It would be a waste to add them for only 4 or 5 TS meals in 10 days. We are paying for our food, just not the room.

Any help is appreciated.... Should I post this at the DVC board??

 

[bangzoom6877]

According to the rules, all people staying in the room must all be on the same dining plan. However, there is a way you could work around this, at least partially.

Your family can do a split stay...so you would be in the room with your in-laws while they are at WDW, then when they check out you will also check out and move to a different room. Then on that new reservation your family can get the dining plan.

But I don't think there is a way to get the dining plan for just your family and not for them if you are staying in the same villa as them.

Also, see what your eating plans would be...your family may be able to use those extra credits once your in-laws leave. They may be useful to you (order room service for 2 TS credits, CS breakfasts, snacks for the trip home, etc.).

 

[mjpeter]

So we could use the rest of their credits? How would you go about doing that? I really want to use the DDP since it's the only way I'll be able to drag my cheapo DH out for TS each day, lol.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you are all staying in the same room on the same reservation, either all of you must get the same plan for the entire reservation or none of you gets any plan.

I believe what the previous poster is suggesting is that you pay for the plan for your in-laws (for the entire reservation) and then you use the credits. All credits for a single reservation are pooled. It does not matter which of the persons on the reservation uses them. The only demarcation is between child credits and adult credits. This could be useful if you plan to do a lot of 2-credit meals - but then you might have a problem keeping up with the children's credits and you might consider paying OOP for the children under 10 at some meals.

There is also the possibility that your inlaws could book two separate reservations - one for the period for which they will be there and add no dining plan to that one, and a second one commencing after they leave for just your family with the dining plan added. Doing it that way will mean you have to check out and check back in again, and I don't know the odds on your being able to keep the same room.

 

[TriMom]

I will slightly disagree with the plan of buying your in-laws dining plan and just using the extra credits, yes you can easily do it, but I don't know if it's in your best interest to do so. The plan for your family {disney math} 3 adults and 2 kids for 8 nights would cost $1135.60 payable when you check in. Your in-laws plan would cost $639.84 payable at check in. So if you offer to pay for their plan too, then you have a bill of $1775.44 to pay at check in, plus you will need to leave tips at the restaurant. That might convince cheapo hubby never to eat in WDW ever again (I really do understand, my DH is an elcheapo too!)

Ask yourself this - do you really truely want to eat a TS every single day - or would 5 or so TS be enough for a trip. If you could get by fine with 5 or so, and eat breakfasts and lunches instead of dinners then you might want to consider just paying out of pocket.

My suggestion would be to put about $1000 on a gift card, and give it to yourself. Then you have the ammo that the gift card can only be used at Disney and we might as well use it to eat. Then you can eat where you want, and order an appetizer and no dessert if you like, or have the family split 3 apps if that sounds good. Want to have a big breakfast with Mickey and then eat ice cream all day - go for it!


Just adding more fuel to the already confusing decision making process. - You'll have a great time no matter what you want to do.