Split Stay with Dining Plan

[RealBlast3]

I plan on dividing my 14 day trip among 3 resorts when I go in December, and I have heard a few conflicting reports on how that affects the dining plan.

I plan on doing online check in before I get to Disney of course, but my question is, do I have to physically check into my new resorts in order for my dining plan to be active that day?

Because it is kind of inconvenient if I have to do that for one of my changes. I have heard in another thread some say they did check-in in the middle of the day. But like this will be a day when I'm checking out of the Wilderness in the morning and then spending the day and evening at Epcot, where I will be having lunch and dinner, and then late at night, I will be checking into Animal Kingdom Lodge.

It will extremely annoying if I have to leave Epcot at some point, just to check into the Lodge, just so I can use my dining credits for that day.

Does anyone know for sure if I have to do that? Or would online-check in take care of that for me?

 

[kaytieeldr]

You have to check in in person to activate Dining Plan credits. You can check in as early as 6 AM.

 

[pinoke]

I'm hoping you know that with each separate hotel reservation you will have to have tickets purchased in order to get the free dining….

 

[siskaren]

The credits for your Wilderness Lodge stay are good until midnight of your checkout day, so even though that's the first day of your Animal Kingdom Lodge stay, you can still use the WL credits.

 

[RealBlast3]

I'm hoping you know that with each separate hotel reservation you will have to have tickets purchased in order to get the free dining….

I'm not sure what this means....First off, I don't have "free dining" if by that you're talking about the december promotion - mine I paid for.

Initially, when I booked the trip, it was at one resort, and I booked it with a 10 day park hopper and deluxe dining for 14 days or 13 nights to be precise.

As I understand it from another thread, my tickets are associated with my "account", more than with my dining reservations. Though I will be there for 14 days, I don't plan on visiting the park on all those days - my 2 flying days I won't be at the parks, and then I'll be spending another day at Downtown Disney where I don't need a ticket. I will have to purchase 1 more ticket though, which I will on my last full day in the parks.

Anyway, I may be reconsidering this split stay, now. I'm not sure it's worth it for the inconvenience. I did like the idea of saying in 3 beautiful resorts, but maybe it's just too annoying.

 

[RealBlast3]

You have to check in in person to activate Dining Plan credits. You can check in as early as 6 AM.

You see this is where there is another problem. Ideally, what I would like to do is have my breakfast around 8am on my last day at the Wildnerness Lodge, and then take a Magic Kingdom bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, check in, get it over with, and then spend the day at Epcot.

But as I found out on my last vacation, when I thought I could schedule a 10 AM massage at Saratoga Springs Resort's Spa and have no problem taking a Magic Kingdom bus there to that resort...that is not so simple. They don't expect resort guests to want to travel back to their resorts from the parks THAT quickly and that early in the morning, as I found out, as I was forced to wait like an hour or more for them to arrange a bus to take me over to Saratoga.

So, while I would love to hop on a 9AM bus or so to AKL, so I could check in, I have a feeling that's not going to happen and I'm going to have to waste hours from my day just to check in there.

 

[aaarcher86]

You see this is where there is another problem. Ideally, what I would like to do is have my breakfast around 8am on my last day at the Wildnerness Lodge, and then take a Magic Kingdom bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, check in, get it over with, and then spend the day at Epcot. But as I found out on my last vacation, when I thought I could schedule a 10 AM massage at Saratoga Springs Resort's Spa and have no problem taking a Magic Kingdom bus there to that resort...that is not so simple. They don't expect resort guests to want to travel back to their resorts from the parks THAT quickly and that early in the morning, as I found out, as I was forced to wait like an hour or more for them to arrange a bus to take me over to Saratoga. So, while I would love to hop on a 9AM bus or so to AKL, so I could check in, I have a feeling that's not going to happen and I'm going to have to waste hours from my day just to check in there.

Just get a taxi for the first trip then. It's not expensive and you'll get there in about 15 minutes. There's no way to get around having to physically check in so it needs to be done.

 

[pinoke]

Yes, sorry. I was thinking you had free dining for your trip- in which case each separate ressie would ned park tickets. We've actually enjoyed having the dining plan for half of our split stay sometimes. We use that portion to eat at the pricer places
I would second the taxi motion. You'll be there quickly and can simply check in then head on the bust to Epcot.

 

[RealBlast3]

Thanks guys, for the taxi suggestions.

However, after considering everything, I think I am going back to a one resort stay. I think I was just making this trip a little too challenging LOL.

I can't tell you how many changes I've made to this trip already LOL. I just keep changing my mind over where to stay, how long to stay, ect. I've called Disney so many times already.

 

[pinoke]

I hope you are still staying at the AKL!
We always do a split stay and take advantage of the amazing resorts and locations. Once we tried three in 8 days-never again- but two is great.
And if you've never eaten a Boma, it is sooo worth it. We love the dinner but the breakfast buffet is amazing!

 

[RealBlast3]

I hope you are still staying at the AKL!
We always do a split stay and take advantage of the amazing resorts and locations. Once we tried three in 8 days-never again- but two is great.
And if you've never eaten a Boma, it is sooo worth it. We love the dinner but the breakfast buffet is amazing!

I am a great fan of Animal Kingdom Lodge, even though I have never stayed there, I have visited it and spent hours there on previous vacations before my dinner reservations at Jiko, Boma, and Sanaa over the years. And I will definitely visit it again this time.

But as of...today, anyway, LOL, I am going back to my first choice, the Contemporary, for my whole trip. But it is possible, I may resort change again...