Why "length of stay per person?"

[JD&LYD]

This will sound like a math problem or Logic Problem but its' been bothering me since it happened. I believe it has bothered others as well. Here goes.
I got a Res. for the tree houses for 8 people, Sunday thru Sat. Four of us checked in on Sun., but one of the 4 had to leave on Thurs. Two more arrived Mon. They had to leave on Fri. Two Arrived Tues. Dept Sat.
The staggered arrivals and departures were work and school related.
We have used the DDP in the past and it saves alot of money when large groups dine together, and even when everyone goes their own way. So why can't they work this scenerio out? The resort staff worked out the room keys and ticket ressies etc. to gibe with the various arrivals and departures. Without the DDP we spent much more than we would have with it. We were told we would be charged for 8 people for the 7 days, thats 5 days charged when not all 8 people would be there. The DDP should be available for only the days you would be at the resort.

Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[Baklava]

Your reservation is for 8. Regardless of when they actually come and go they are all reserved into that room for 7 days. The dining plan is available only for the length of each person's reservation- 7 days.

In order to be counted as a separate and shorter reservation, they'd need to book a room for their length of stay rather than the entire week that their friends/family will be there. Choosing not to be present for part of their room reservation doesn't change the fact that they have the room reservation.

Disney *could* offer lots of options. Personally I want a plan where I only pay for 2TS, 1 QS and 2 snacks per day. They don't offer that so I have to pay for the DxDDP and use a TS credit on a QS meal. I'd like the option to not pay for a day that I fly in late- or to have different people pick different plans. Disney doesn't offer tailoring because it's too much work. Everyone gets the same plan for the length of reservation because that reduces the chaos.

 

[supersnoop]

it saves alot of money

Why can't they work it out? Because it would cost Disney money. If I could only buy dining credits for the nights I knew I'd save money, then Disney would lose money on every single meal. The dining plan is designed to even things out; not to save you money.

 

[sharonabe]

Excluding the weekend/weekday differences, did you pay the same price for the room for every night even though not everyone was there every night? Do you see that as being "unfair?" After all, you paid for rooms/beds you didn't use every night.

You could have still gotten the DDP and used the extra credits to enjoy some signature meals together.
You could have booked separate rooms instead of the treehouse and gotten the DDP for the nights/people that you needed.

I'm sorry I'm not very sympathetic, but this was a choice you made fully knowing the rules. Disney doesn't have to offer any dining plan, but they do, and this is the logistical way they've chosen to offer it.

 

[piccolopat]

Under the circumstances you described, you likely would have done much better without the dining plan. A lot of people have done the math (me included) and unless you do a lot of buffets and have younger kids, it's hard enough just to break even on the plan.

 

[JD&LYD]

It seems like all the responders are telling me to either pay for extra rooms or extra DDP days. I guess I didn't make it clear that the change I would like to see in the DDP is for the CM's at the resort to add the DDP to the individuals room key/magic band, when they are checking in. For the days they are going to be there. They add separate credit cards, ticket ressies, fast passes, etc. why not DDP for the nights stayed by the indiv? I fully understand the rules and did when I booked the THV.

 

[sharonabe]

The DDP can be added to their MB, but you still have to purchase the DDP for the total number of nights of the complete package. That's why it's called a package.

 

[HopperFan]

I been there with no plan, with DDP, with QSDP and with DDP when half our party will only be there for part of the stay. Everyone is understanding what you would like to do. As to your question "has this happened to anyone else?" Yes, it happens to everyone whose party has different arrival/departure dates.

How I see it is it that your hotel and your dining plan are part of what makes a package. They are tied together. You can not piece meal a package, everyone must be on it and the DDP is designed so that every guest on the reservation has it for every night booked in the package. Disney will lose money if they let guests pick and choose as a PP noted. I don't anticipate it will ever change and have no issue with that. Changing it to what you suggest would probably increase the cost considerably.

You can set it up so some folks have NO DDP but they can't be on the reservation until after you check in, therefore no 60 day FP+. I have done this as well.

Trips where half my party had to leave we use all their extra credits to book Signature Meals while they were there, added breakfasts using their extra QS and the rest of used the extra snacks/meals after they were gone. But once the days became too many we just felt the DDP was not a value for us and we have not booked it in a few years.

 

[supersnoop]

It seems like all the responders are telling me to either pay for extra rooms or extra DDP days. I guess I didn't make it clear that the change I would like to see in the DDP is for the CM's at the resort to add the DDP to the individuals room key/magic band, when they are checking in. For the days they are going to be there. They add separate credit cards, ticket ressies, fast passes, etc. why not DDP for the nights stayed by the indiv? I fully understand the rules and did when I booked the THV.

Disney will not take responsibility for the way your party redeems credits. There have been reports of friends sharing a room and one of them redeems all the snack credits on the first day. That's not Disney's problem. The vast majority of people on the dining plan are families who want to use one band to cover all their meals. Separating them out causes more problems than it would solve.

 

[Nancyg56]

Under the circumstances you describe, I would not have puchased the DDP. You puchased a package knowing that several members of your party would not be using all of the components of the package, and that was your decision, but since Disney does not offer individuals in a party individual packages, you probably overspent.

Disney offers dining plans that are mostly for convenience IMO. They make money on the plans, and many people save a little money, but no one should purchase these plans without at least cruncing numbers to see if they work for the party in place on any given trip.

 

[Pumbaa_]

There is no motiviation for Disney to do what you suggest. great for the consumer, not so much for Disney

 

[Baklava]

It seems like all the responders are telling me to either pay for extra rooms or extra DDP days. I guess I didn't make it clear that the change I would like to see in the DDP is for the CM's at the resort to add the DDP to the individuals room key/magic band, when they are checking in. For the days they are going to be there. They add separate credit cards, ticket ressies, fast passes, etc. why not DDP for the nights stayed by the indiv? I fully understand the rules and did when I booked the THV.

No, I think we all understand what you want. You asked "why" and people explained. Presumably you booked the tree house because it's a cost effective room solution for a big group, right? Disney has no motivation to sell you a good deal on a room AND let you tailor the dining plan. You either all get one room and save money that way or you book separately, buy only the DDP each sub-group wants and save that way. You want to save both ways and while I totally get that, Disney isn't likely to feel the same.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

It sounds like this was a room only reservation. It's easy for Disney to do extra room keys or deactivate room keys. It's easy for them to tie tickets to somebody's magic band.

Once you do a package I believe Disney's rule is everybody on the reservation is on the the same package (same tickets and same dining plan). This may just be a Disney rule or it may even be limited by their computer system. Either way - for many of the reasons already listed they are not interested in changing this.

 

[tinka-belle]

Regardless of the cost or of Disney's profit motive, the front desk at any resort or DVC has no access to the dining plans to be able to sell them or change them. Plans must be purchased as part of your package either 72 hours (general public) or 48 hours (DVC) ahead of your trip. As all of us here know, changes made before the trip apply to everyone on the reservation.

The front desk can sell you park tickets, can book an extra room night, can alter the number of guests in a room after you check in, so any of these can be changed, but they can't sell a dining plan, and can't access it to change it. They can print out your remaining credits and print out your usage, but can't change the plan in any way.

 

[aaarcher86]

It's a package. Once you check in it's like opening a wrapped present. It's all together.

Everyone can use the credits because it's all one big lump.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I would simply book signature meals in order to use the rest of the TS credits. Make sure your friends who will be there limited days are at those restaurants. CRT, Narcoossees, Citricos, Fultons, Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe, Le Cellier, Spirit of Aloha, Artists Point, Yachtsman, Brown Derby, etc. The only park that does not have signature dining is Animal Kingdom.

 

[Baklava]

I would simply book signature meals in order to use the rest of the TS credits. Make sure your friends who will be there limited days are at those restaurants. CRT, Narcoossees, Citricos, Fultons, Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe, Le Cellier, Spirit of Aloha, Artists Point, Yachtsman, Brown Derby, etc. The only park that does not have signature dining is Animal Kingdom.

And Jiko is right nearby at AKL if one wants Signature dining on an AK day.