What I can't believe about the DDE!!

[susy]

When I ordered our DDE last week the CM said she was going to email ME a confirmation that I can use until my card gets here. I got it the same day.
Here is what it says (besides the letter head):


This letter is to serve as validation that (Our names) are current members in good standing with the DDE. The membership is valid through (date). Please extend the 20% discount and all other beneifts associated with this membership. This letter is valid through (date).

If you have any questions, or require further information, please contact me at the above number. Thank you for your cooperation.

CM name
DDE

Large, bold and in red: Please verify that the name above matches a driver's license or other picture ID

Blackout dates

If I had not read on here about going to Epcot guest services, how would I know about it? They have my number and my email. You would think they would let us know.

We will be arriving late and don't have plans for Epcot until two days later. I will already have eaten at Ohana by then.

Getting our cards at Epcot would require us rushgin to get to WDW (at night), paying to park at Epcot-parking in no man's land, walking to the front-with a probably very tired DS, activating our AP's to get into the park, getting the cards and now having to walk out with huge crowds (by now) and dealing with getting out of the lot, to now go check in at the Poly. Does this not sound like a very magical start to a vacation?

Would you take your chances and try to use the letter at Ohana? After all, I have not yet received any notice from them to do otherwise...

 

[goofy4tink]

You probably just made it in before they stopped sending out the emails. If you don't get your card before your trip, then use the email. I too, got the email a few weeks ago. While I'm not concerned since we aren't going until June, I would have no problem using the email if I didn't get my card.

If you are really concerned, try calling them back before you leave and see what they have to say.

 

[DVCconvert]

Would you take your chances and try to use the letter at Ohana?

You will have no problems using the confirmation letter. That's all I had in January, and I used it for at least 10 meals. The "worst" that happened was that a server had to verify it with their manager - in both cases that happened to me, the DDE confirmation letter was honored.

HTH

 

[Terry S]

All I have is my confirmation letter since I ordered in on May 1st before they started telling people to go to Epcot for a temp card. I plan on using the confirmation because if I hadn't read the DIS that is all I would know to use since that is what I was told. I will be using it in 4 days so I will let you know how it goes. Good news is that so many people have used these confirmations before me so they are probably used to seeing them.

 

[DMRick]

Getting our cards at Epcot would require us rushgin to get to WDW (at night), paying to park at Epcot-parking in no man's land, walking to the front-with a probably very tired DS, activating our AP's to get into the park, getting the cards and now having to walk out with huge crowds (by now) and dealing with getting out of the lot, to now go check in at the Poly. Does this not sound like a very magical start to a vacation?

Are the people not getting the email at home getting actual cards at Epcot, or are they picking up their letters there, instead of them coming to your email? I agree you'll be fine with the letter. That's all we had for two trips.

 

[philaround]

Are the people not getting the email at home getting actual cards at Epcot, or are they picking up their letters there, instead of them coming to your email? I agree you'll be fine with the letter. That's all we had for two trips.[/QUOT

The card is still being mailed to your home. You only need to go to Epcot guest services if you have not received your card before your trip. Guest services will give you the confirmation letter that they used to E-mail.

 

[Fire14]

I ordered about a week ago and got my letter in mail yesterday so about a wk turn around time. I was told I could use letter until I got card, nothing was said to me about going to EPCOT. They don't have and never asked for my email address.

 

[LisaS]

If I had not read on here about going to Epcot guest services, how would I know about it? They have my number and my email. You would think they would let us know.

The reason they didn't tell you about going to Epcot is because you don't have to go to Epcot -- you already have your letter. That is the same letter those of us who ordered DDE prior to April have all used to get our DDE discounts. All of the restaurants that are part of DDE are used to seeing it and you should have no trouble getting your discount. In other words, you're all set! I suspect that even if you did stop by Epcot, they wouldn't have anything there for you to pick up since you already have what you need.

I printed a couple of copies of my letter prior to going to WDW. I kept one copy in my purse, gave one copy to my DH and kept a backup copy in my suitcase just in case. Since the text of my letter only took up half of the page, I cut off the blank half of the page so that when folded, the letter didn't take up any more room than necessary.

 

[eeyore0062]

The ONLY reason you would have to go to Epcot Guest Relations (guest services are only at the resorts or waterparks) is if you are arriving at WDW before the letter could reach you in the mail. Then you could go to the Guest Relations counter on the outside to the right of the turnstiles. You DO NOT have to enter the park to pick up your letter.

 

[susy]

Thanks to everyone for clearing this up for me. Now that we have our AP code, Ps's made,etc...... there is noting left to do but worry and nit-pick about every other little thing. I'm sure I'll start freaking out about the weather soon and worrying about one of us getting sick... then the pre-trip blues set in- just prior to packing...yep...I pretty much have this routine down...

 

[LisaS]

Thanks to everyone for clearing this up for me. Now that we have our AP code, Ps's made,etc...... there is noting left to do but worry and nit-pick about every other little thing. I'm sure I'll start freaking out about the weather soon and worrying about one of us getting sick... then the pre-trip blues set in- just prior to packing...yep...I pretty much have this routine down...

Glad you're able to relax about this now. It's been interesting trying to keep up with the changes coming out of the DDE office!

I know about those pre-trip blues. I'm just entering that phase myself (we leave in less than 3 weeks). This morning I contemplated handing over all my trip planning notes to DH and telling him "Here. Go without me. Have a wonderful time." The worst is when we take the pets to the boarding place. I feel so sad and so guilty I wonder why I ever decided to go on vacation in the first place.

But then you get on the plane and it starts to sink in -- the planning phase is over and you're on your way to Disney World to enjoy the results of all that planning!! I hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[aladdinsgirl]

I just wanted to remind everyone who plans on using the letter to check the expiration date on the letter. I don't know if Disney will honor an expired letter without a card.

Our letter expired on March 31, DH called DDE to see about getting a new letter e-mailed and we were told that we had to pick up a temporary card at Epcot, they were no longer e-mailing the letter out. Thankfully our cards came last week, so it's one less thing to worry about.

Good luck and pixie dust to everyone in getting your cards!!

Krista

 

[eeyore0062]

We picked up our letter today at the Guest Relations right outside of the park. We used it at The Rose and Crown. It is GREAT!!!

 

[LisaS]

We picked up our letter today at the Guest Relations right outside of the park. We used it at The Rose and Crown. It is GREAT!!!

There has been some speculation on these boards about what it is exactly that you pick up at Guest Relations: a hardcopy of the DDE confirmation letter or a "temporary card". It sounds like what you got was a letter. This is what I expected since if they had the means to create temporary cards, they would be mailing them out to folks who have time to receive them in the mail prior to their trip, but those folks are getting confirmation letters. So, can you verify that what you got is the letter stating something like "this is to certify that [eyore0062] is a member in good standing of the Disney Dining Experience... yada yada yada"?

 

[momsgoofy]

This morning I called to order my DDE card, and the CM....sorry, I can't remember her name...was great. She said that if I order my DDE today it would expire before my APs since I plan to activate my APs on June 1. Because I chose to wait another couple of weeks (to order the DDE) so the APs and the DDE card expires closer together, she also explained that they are now sending out temp cards to the home address or allowing guests to pick up the temp cards at Guest Relations - Epcot. So I will have a temp card arrive before we leave. CM said it takes about 2 weeks for the card to arrive....4 - 6 weeks for the "real" card.

I guess I can deal with the temp card, but what I can't understand is that IF the office handling this can get a temp card to me in 2 weeks, why can't they get the "real" card to me that quickly?

I know there is no answer for that other than this is just how it is done...so I will deal with it. I just know that I will not be a happy camper if something does not arrive in time after we paid for the card and don't get to use it the first night of our June trip. We are headed to MK that night and I really don't feel like making a pit stop at Epcot for the card. I did ask if they could email me and she said not any longer...the same reply when I asked if they could fax it to OKW so it is waiting for us upon check-in. Drats!

I guess we'll all just hope for some pixie dust...