Why can't I add a dining plan to an existing room only reservation?!

[takstarr]

I am so frustrated! I have a room only accomodations and called yesterday to add the dining plan. (not free dining b/c it is for a campsite and free dining is not offered- but that is another tangent) I was told by the cm very nicely that I couldn't add the dining b/c there were no campsites available for the dates. i already have the campsite, and just want to ADD the dining plan. but was told I couldn't! Logically, how does this make any sense!? I didn't book it originally b/c I wasn't sure if my budget would allow it... but decided i wanted to try some of the ts restaraunts instead of cooking at the camper as much as usual. Any advice?

 

[TDC Nala]

Dining plans cannot be added to room only reservations. You need to make the reservation into a package. In most cases, that means you need to add park tickets to the reservation.

If you can convert your reservation to a package reservation for the campsite, you should be able to add a dining plan. Unfortunately I don't know much about the campsites but I think you can book packages there. Call back and ask about converting your existing reservation to a package and adding dining.

If you are an annual passholder, they can book ticketless packages, but I am not sure how that works with a campsite.

 

[clanmcculloch]

The Disney reservation system is not sophisticated enough to be able to actually change a reservation from room only to a package. You basically have to book a new package and cancel the existing room only reservation. If there is no availability for packages then the CM will not be able to do this change for you. Yes it's illogical but that's unfortunately how the system was developed (as a computer programmer I think it's horrible but I don't work for Disney and have no power to change their system).

Here's an idea. Take the amount of money that you were going to spend on the dining plan and put it on a gift card. Use that gift card to pay for all of your dining. It's a way of pre-paying for your food without buying a dining plan. It also gives you the flexibility of ordering what you really want (maybe an appetizer and a dessert to share rather than a dessert each) rather than what's dictated by the plan.

 

[takstarr]

Thanks!!! I love the idea of a prepaid card. It is a perfect solution that gives me flexibility!! Turning lemons into lemonades

 

[Luv2Roam]

What people do not understand at first is that room only is Disney. However it is not Walt Disney Travel Co, who is the one who sells the dining plans.
So yes, they are both under the Disney umbrella so to speak. But they are two entities.
And room only is just that -- room only. No dining plans, tickets, side perks, etc.