Tent Camping, Dining Plan and AP's...

[cobbler]

I apologize if this has been answered. I did a search and what I did find was older so I'm not sure if the same is applicable today.

Family is thinking of doing some tent camping next year, we all have AP's and would like to potentially add the dining plan (going to do the math on that later and compare with AP discount and TIW).

However, if we opt to do the dining plan, can it be added to the campsites at FW AND can you add it without having to purchase tickets? I read in an older post one has to ask for a "ticketless" package, is that still applicable today? Also can you add either the quick service plan or the regular plan?

Any other tips for tent camping at FW?

Thank you very much

 

[FtW Mike]

My understanding is that in order to book a stay with the dining plan 2 days of park tickets are required. You can can and ask but that is the understanding I have. On the same vein Disney offers NO DISCOUNTS for stays in campsites Cabin stays can have discounts offered. For us TIW works great if we don't want something we don't order it

 

[Scherzermk]

My dad has AP and orders dining plan with hotel stays by calling Disney. I can not speak specifically for FW but works at other resorts.

 

[PaHunter]

Dining packages require a two day ticket purchase, that can then be credited toward your next AP purchase. That is my understanding of the workings for a campsite reservation.

 

[peg110]

Dining packages require a two day ticket purchase, that can then be credited toward your next AP purchase. That is my understanding of the workings for a campsite reservation.

This is what I was thinking, however.... If I have an AP and I have purchased the requisite 2 days (or more) to get the dining plan, how do I make sure that when I go into a park that it uses my AP instead of the tickets bought with the plan since they will both effectively be linked to my account/MagicBand?

 

[PaHunter]

This is what I was thinking, however.... If I have an AP and I have purchased the requisite 2 days (or more) to get the dining plan, how do I make sure that when I go into a park that it uses my AP instead of the tickets bought with the plan since they will both effectively be linked to my account/MagicBand?

Hey come on, I am not the IT guy. The computer just knows......
Paul, I believe that I have seen my answer in someone else's post in answer to basically the same question.

 

[lanejudy]

It is possible to do a "ticket-less" package, which is room + dining plan. It is not available online but you can call for it.
I don't know if DDP can be added to a FW reservation; it wouldn't let me do it online at all, even with tickets.
If the dining plan is available to guests at the Fort, you should be able to do a ticket-less package by calling. And I guess you may need to call to ask if it's even available. Since most guests the Fort probably have their own way to prepare meals at the campsites, it may not be an option. I believe choices to use the DDP at the Fort are rather limited.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[cobbler]

Thanks for the insight everyone! I actually went and did the math and found I would save $274 by purchasing TiW. That $274 includes the cost of the card too. Now I would be missing out on 15 snacks, 6 counter service and a mug but I know we just won't eat that much. Plus I can use TiW all year as I know I'll have at least 1-2 trips where I may use it.
Dining plan cost (if I can add it and based on today's prices) + one extra sit down out of pocket = $1152 (seriously who can possibly eat $1000 worth of food in a week!!!! ) or $878 for what we would actually eat including the cost of TiW....
(Still having a hard time choking down that price, it's equivalent to groceries for about 3 weeks!!!)

 

[PaHunter]

It is possible to do a "ticket-less" package, which is room + dining plan. It is not available online but you can call for it.
I don't know if DDP can be added to a FW reservation; it wouldn't let me do it online at all, even with tickets.
If the dining plan is available to guests at the Fort, you should be able to do a ticket-less package by calling. And I guess you may need to call to ask if it's even available. Since most guests the Fort probably have their own way to prepare meals at the campsites, it may not be an option. I believe choices to use the DDP at the Fort are rather limited.

Enjoy your vacation!

DDP can be added to any Fort reservation. We had it last year for our trip. Used it since we were attacking the parks, instead of coming back to trailer to cook meals.

 

[peg110]

Now I would be missing out on 15 snacks, 6 counter service and a mug

The Snack Value is at most $75 (Snacks are maxed at $5) figuring the QS is about $20 that's $120 that puts you at $195. You would have to have about 4.4 Mugs to "Break Even"

We did the similar math on our trips too. While the value for the DDP CAN be there, for us it's just not there. Often times the Drink that comes with the meals doesn't get finished and just thrown away or the desert isn't really needed/wanted so it also gets tossed all of which is a waste of money. We only did the DDP once and were plenty full with the meals and STILL had about 5 QS credits left (we did use all the Snacks that were left over to take them home with us. Tried to convert the QS to snacks but every place we went just wouldn't or couldn't do it. I guess for that you need to use a location that can sell snack and qs items such as the food courts. There is no food court at the Fort.)

Dining plan cost (if I can add it and based on today's prices) + one extra sit down out of pocket = $1152 (seriously who can possibly eat $1000 worth of food in a week!!!! ) or $878 for what we would actually eat including the cost of TiW....
(Still having a hard time choking down that price, it's equivalent to groceries for about 3 weeks!!!)

I know... The price is CRAZY. When we did have the DDP before though, we did do somethings we would not have otherwise (such as the CRT). I agree Even the OOP price of $878 is a tough pill. That's the beauty of camping. You can always come back to the Fort and cook a meal and save $$$.

We bought the TiW in August 2016 and it all but paid for itself on that one trip (Me, DW and DD11). We came down again in November/December 2016 (with additional DD19 and her BF21) for a Thanksgiving trip (9 days) and now we saved more money to make it a great value. We are coming down again in June 2017 (to maximize the AP we bought in August) and the TiW again will save us even more $$$.

The DDP is great for someone that doesn't want to worry about meals (cost) as it can be paid for in advance as well as those who have a big appetite (you can get lots of food), but that isn't really us. I am more about saving the $$$ and since we are already planning where we eat (whether we pay cash or use a DDP) that effort is the same.

 

[cobbler]

The Snack Value is at most $75 (Snacks are maxed at $5) figuring the QS is about $20 that's $120 that puts you at $195. You would have to have about 4.4 Mugs to "Break Even"

We did the similar math on our trips too. While the value for the DDP CAN be there, for us it's just not there. Often times the Drink that comes with the meals doesn't get finished and just thrown away or the desert isn't really needed/wanted so it also gets tossed all of which is a waste of money. We only did the DDP once and were plenty full with the meals and STILL had about 5 QS credits left (we did use all the Snacks that were left over to take them home with us. Tried to convert the QS to snacks but every place we went just wouldn't or couldn't do it. I guess for that you need to use a location that can sell snack and qs items such as the food courts. There is no food court at the Fort.)


I know... The price is CRAZY. When we did have the DDP before though, we did do somethings we would not have otherwise (such as the CRT). I agree Even the OOP price of $878 is a tough pill. That's the beauty of camping. You can always come back to the Fort and cook a meal and save $$$.

We bought the TiW in August 2016 and it all but paid for itself on that one trip (Me, DW and DD11). We came down again in November/December 2016 (with additional DD19 and her BF21) for a Thanksgiving trip (9 days) and now we saved more money to make it a great value. We are coming down again in June 2017 (to maximize the AP we bought in August) and the TiW again will save us even more $$$.

The DDP is great for someone that doesn't want to worry about meals (cost) as it can be paid for in advance as well as those who have a big appetite (you can get lots of food), but that isn't really us. I am more about saving the $$$ and since we are already planning where we eat (whether we pay cash or use a DDP) that effort is the same.

Yes, $878 is still tough but at least it is food I will eat and not spending the extra on food I won't eat. I truly come to the belief that the restaurant meals are priced the way they are to make the dining plan look like a deal. Of course maybe I just live in an area with lower cost of living - lol!!

 

[harriettbrawner]

We have the quick service dining plan for our camping trip in September with no tickets.