Trying to figure it out

[LockShockBarrel]

I think I know the answer to this but I'm really not 100%...

A friend of mine is planning a trip for next year and I'm her go to for this type of stuff. She's going with her kids and grandkids for a few days and we got to talking about dining. She wants to do the basic dining plan but her granddaughter isn't an eater, more of a through the day nibbler.

I believe she can upgrade the granddaughter to the adult plan, correct? They're staying DVC on points, and since everyone in the room has to be on the same level plan, I figure if they popped her up to the adult plan, they could just disperse the credits and pay OOP for whatever the granddaughter wants to eat.

The part that I'm really not sure of it what to tell her it'd cost. I read elsewhere on the boards that it's the difference between an adult and child's ticket, but the granddaughter has an AP.

 

[Cafeen]

I think I know the answer to this but I'm really not 100%...

A friend of mine is planning a trip for next year and I'm her go to for this type of stuff. She's going with her kids and grandkids for a few days and we got to talking about dining. She wants to do the basic dining plan but her granddaughter isn't an eater, more of a through the day nibbler.

I believe she can upgrade the granddaughter to the adult plan, correct? They're staying DVC on points, and since everyone in the room has to be on the same level plan, I figure if they popped her up to the adult plan, they could just disperse the credits and pay OOP for whatever the granddaughter wants to eat.

The part that I'm really not sure of it what to tell her it'd cost. I read elsewhere on the boards that it's the difference between an adult and child's ticket, but the granddaughter has an AP.

As far as the "level of plan" thing, this refers to QSDP, DDP, DxDDP (or no plan at all). Adults will be charged as adults, and children as children.

Now, there are usually 2 ways to do this.

1) Up the age of the child to 10 on the reservation. This will give her the adult plan, for which any of the other adults may use the credits for (as you know, it's a pool rather than individual allotments). The cost of this would be the difference between the cost of the child's plan with the cost of the adult plan (since it's not free dining). This could be considerably costly. Also, I have no clue if this even works when APs are involved as usually you have to pay the difference for the ticket as well, but then again, you don't need tickets for DVC dining plans. I think this detail is a Nala question .

2) If not using ME, leave her off of the reservation until they get there. They can add her when they check in, which would make her ineligible for any dining plan. There would be no extra credits, but there would also be no extra cost. This only works if she's not using ME though. (I do this every year for my Mom, who is local, who joins me for half of my trip). Now, there may be a way to add her the day before they check in, and still get ME. I don't really know that bit either. (Since she'd be ineligible for a dining plan at that time, but is on the reservation, it may work out... I don't know).

*As a note: The difference between tickets thing is for Free Dining Plan promotions. Since you're not paying for the dining plan, the only change in cost is the tickets. When paying for the dining plan, the difference in price between adult and child must also be taken into consideration (this year, non-peak, that's ~$39 per night)

 

[TDC Nala]

Also, I have no clue if this even works when APs are involved as usually you have to pay the difference for the ticket as well, but then again, you don't need tickets for DVC dining plans. I think this detail is a Nala question

Since they're on a DVC reservation, all they have to do is register the child as 10 years old and pay the difference between the child plan and the adult plan. Tickets are irrelevant on DVC bookings. Since they are staying with DVC they are not eligible for the free dining offers, and when you read about paying only the difference between the tickets, that applies only to free dining offers.

Note, the difference per night between the child's and adult's plans can be considerable. If they are planning a lot of buffets or all you can eat restaurants, they would probably do better just keeping the child's plan for the child. The actual difference can be determined by looking at the sticky thread with prices, and subtract the price of the child's regular plan from the adult regular plan. This would be the difference they'd pay, per night. Multiply that by the number of nights they are staying. Use only the non-peak prices, as DVC guests do not pay the peak prices.

(Note: The prices listed in the sticky are 2012 prices only. 2013 prices are not out yet.)

 

[LockShockBarrel]

We really haven't gotten too far into the planning. There's a wine/appetizer/Disney planning night in the future when my friend's daughter comes up here later in the summer. This is more me trying to make sure I have the right information going into it rather than "Um...I think you can do this" or calling and trying to get a clear answer out of a CM. This is exactly what I needed to know though, so thanks!