Will Disney ever allow DDP with Room Only ?

[taliategan]

I think many of our future trips to Disney will be of a short duration (2-3 days). With trips of this duration, it makes more sense to purchase non-expiring tickets for the 1st trip and then use those tickets on subsequent short trips. By doing this I can not get the DDP unless I buy at least 1 days tickets. I will definitely look into staying off-site if I the dining plan is not available with a room only reservation.

 

[Jacklynn]

I know that people with APs can get the dining plan now, so maybe you could do it?

 

[mbanks21]

No. Only if you have an AP

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would have to say no.

The Dining Plans are available only to:
. . . Guests who book a Magic Your Way package including room and tickets (the original-and-always eligibility, since the inception of the DDP)
. . . Annual Pass holders who book an Annual Passholder Magic Your Way package (identical to the above, including all cancellation and payment conditions, but without the necessity of tickets since these Guests already possess Annual Passes)
. . . Disney Vacation Club members using DVC points to pay for the reservation (due to the large investment in the DVC purchase, these Guests are not in need of and therefore do not book, ANY type of vacation package).

So, no, since a room-only reservation cannot, by definition, also be a package and since unless you are staying at a DVC property using DVC points you MUST book and pay for a package - room-only reservations will never be eligible for the Disney Dining Plan.

 

[hill6]

I added only one day passes to our trip even though I have 7 days of no expiration passes so that I could get the dining plan (and use a good code). My other passes will still be good and I saved money.

Keep in mind your passes do not have to equal length of stay.

 

[Peapicker]

So I can get an AP room discount and then purchase the dining plan. However I can not get a general 40% discount and then add the dining plan?

Is this correct.

 

[taliategan]

I added only one day passes to our trip even though I have 7 days of no expiration passes so that I could get the dining plan (and use a good code). My other passes will still be good and I saved money.

Keep in mind your passes do not have to equal length of stay.

My thought was to purchase non-expiring tickets on my first short trip, and use those tickets on that trip as well as the next two short trips. Since there is very little discount on 2nd and 3rd days on the base MYW tickets, I would think I would save some money in long run by purchasing the non-expiring tickets for three potential short trips rather than purchase 2 or 3 day tickets for each trip. If I have the non-expiring tickets, on my 2nd and 3rd trips it would not make sense to me to purchase a 1 day ticket (cost close to $ 300.00 for 2 adults and 2 kids) just so I could go on the DDP for a 2 night trip. The dining plan would only cost about $ 100.00 per night for those two days for 2 adults and 2 kids. I know the ticket could be upgraded at a later time, but I may not need to use this ticket.

 

[Eastern]

Is the Jan-June special considered a package? Can you book DDP with it?

 

[n2mm]

So I can get an AP room discount and then purchase the dining plan. However I can not get a general 40% discount and then add the dining plan?

Is this correct.

Correct. I had the 40% pin last year and could not add the dining unless I was willing to convert it to a package which would include adding tickets and abiding by the package rules -- 45 payment in full, cancellation rules. We are AP holders and DVC members and have the option of adding the dining. The nice part is is that I can stay one night and add the dining, whereas with a package it has a 3 night minimum.

 

[n2mm]

Is the Jan-June special considered a package? Can you book DDP with it?

It is a package and yes you can add dining. All of this information and the ability to book it is on the official disney website, which really helps you crunch the numbers and check availability.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Keep in mind a room only booking is just that -- a room only.
Anything more than that most likely is a package. (There are a few exceptions such as DVC stays with points.)
For a dining plan you would book a WDTC MYW package with dining. (Unless it is a WDTC AP ticketless package.)