Upgrading Dining Plan?

[minnie mum]

Could this be done? We have used the regular dining plan on two previous visits, and felt they were very worthwhile since we enjoy a relaxed TS dinner each evening. However we would really love to try some of the signature dining experiences. So here's my question:
If we are able to visit during a free dining period (we usually stay at a moderate resort), could we upgrade to the deluxe dining package, just paying the difference between the two packages?
Then we could use 2 TS credits each night for a signature dinner. The remaining meal credit would probably be for breakfast, and the snack credits for, well, snacks during the afternoon.
Has anyone else done this? Did you think it was money well spent?
OOps sorry: just saw that I should have been looking on the Disney Dining Plan thread. Totally understand if the moderator needs to move this post.

 

[Haley]

Yes, in the past if they had free dining, you could pay the difference to upgrade (of course you have to do it prior to arrival, not once you are there).

With free dining you are paying rack rate on the hotel room, so just make sure you compare it to other promos. I could see if you are staying at a deluxe resort, a promotion or PIN that reduces the room rate could be better than free dining plus paying to upgrade the meal plan.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes you can, as long as you upgrade your package no later than 3 days before you arrive. And yes I am moving this to the Dining Plan Board!

On the Dining Plan Board we have a sticky thread that shows all the upgrade costs for free dining.

Keep an eye out though...things may be changing. The current free dining PIN offers free quick service dining for moderates, not the regular plan. On that particular offer you have to go deluxe to get the regular plan free. They may be testing the waters on changing mods to quick service for free dining. So you may have to decide if it is worth it to you to upgrade to deluxe from quick service dining.

 

[Cafeen]

They may be testing the waters on changing mods to quick service for free dining. So you may have to decide if it is worth it to you to upgrade to deluxe from quick service dining.

It's pretty much the same thing that happened shortly before changing values to QSDP isn't it? PIN for Oct-Dec with free QSDP at Values, then next year, boom, values get QSDP in general public offer.

Though, the free QSDP at mods will still be a better discount than percentage based, even with upgrading to DDP.

Erm, now on topic... after those random ramblings...

Yup, they usually allow it.

While I haven't done it personally (Percent off works to be about the same as free dining for me, since I go alone, and there's slightly better availability for rooms), I do think that if you're already planning to dine by the plan (participating restaurants, majority of credits used, 2/3 of allotted credits used at TS, and majority of per credit entitlement used) DxDDP is a great value. If you have to twist your plans around it, not so much, but if your plans already point that way, it's a good fit.

As far as the getting FD then upgrading, it's usually the better value so long as not staying Deluxe or solo. If one of those two, you'd have to do some math to figure it out.

 

[minnie mum]

Thank you all for your help. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and start crunching numbers. I hope the current idea of QSDP for the mods doesn't become a permanent thing, or upgrading to DxDP just wont make sense. While I would visit at the drop of a hat, on any excuse at all, it takes a PIN or a really good deal to convince DH

 

[Celidh]

I thought I read somewhere, can't remember where, you could pay to upgrade from QSP to regular dining plan for a cost of $10 per day for adults and much cheaper for a child (I thought it was only $2 extra per day to upgrade).

I don't know what it would be to upgrade to the deluxe plan.

I hope you find out what you need.