dining plan...not the free one....???

[Crazy4mandms]

I was just curious....I already have tix to go on this next trip and am staying at CS with FL discount (mom's a resident), I"m a bit confused about what I'm reading as I'm not sure if people are talking about the free dining or just adding dining option. Wondering if I'm eligible in any way to buy the dining plan? thanks!

 

[n2mm]

You are only eligible to add the dining plan if you have a package. You can not add it to a room only reservation. A package includes your room at rack rate and a ticket for everyone in the room (the same type of ticket). Most folks just get a one-day ticket for each and upgrade if some folks need different types of tickets. (Having old tickets, AP holders, Comp tickets, etc).

This is why lots of AP holders don't get the dining plan, because they can not add it on if they have their room booked with an AP discount (same as the FL discounted rooms). Cast discounted rooms can not add the dining plan either. Only recently can DVC members now add the dining plan to their reservation.

 

[disneyjunkie]

If you have AAA, you can use that discount with the dining plan.

I'm using AAA for our dining plan, discount on the room, one day base ticket, and dining plan. I'll purchase the rest of our tickets from ticketmania.

I did the same thing last year with an email code.

 

[formernyer]

This is why lots of AP holders don't get the dining plan, because they can not add it on if they have their room booked with an AP discount (same as the FL discounted rooms).

Actually, many of them have found that the dining plan is still worth it, especially if they are staying at a Value resort. They buy a one-day MYW pass, then trade-it in the following year at renewal time to receive a credit against their renewal price.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

thanks for the info. I remember when they had the dining coupons, they were $$ but at least you could have everything figured out ahead of time! Back to allears menu section! Thanks all!

 

[n2mm]

Actually, many of them have found that the dining plan is still worth it, especially if they are staying at a Value resort. They buy a one-day MYW pass, then trade-it in the following year at renewal time to receive a credit against their renewal price.

Exactly, that is why we are doing the free dining promotion in mid-August. We gave up getting an AP discount, plus gave up using points at our DVC resort. Paying rack rate at Pop and getting the dining for free. We did it last September and it was great. Last September we gave up a CM resort discount of 50% off at Pop to get the free dining and it still was a savings.

 

[lark]

If you have AAA, you can use that discount with the dining plan.

I'm using AAA for our dining plan, discount on the room, one day base ticket, and dining plan. I'll purchase the rest of our tickets from ticketmania.

I did the same thing last year with an email code.

Does it really come out cheaper to buy a one day ticket for the package but then to buy the rest of the tickets from a discounter? I would think that even with the discounter rate, you're still better off just buying the entire ticket from WDW rather than spending $60 on the one day and then the ticketmania price for the rest of your days.

 

[formernyer]

Does it really come out cheaper to buy a one day ticket for the package but then to buy the rest of the tickets from a discounter? I would think that even with the discounter rate, you're still better off just buying the entire ticket from WDW rather than spending $60 on the one day and then the ticketmania price for the rest of your days.

No, you buy the one day ticket now if one of three reasons appeal to you:

(1) you are an AP holder (in which case you buy the one-day ticket and apply it to next year's AP renewal)

(2) you don't know yet how many days you want to spend in the parks (since many people spend part of their trip at Universal, Sea World, taking a day off to relax, etc.) You can buy the one-day pass now and then upgrade it later (with no fee or penalty) to whatever type pass you want.

(3) you're short on cash and don't want to have to pay for the passes until right before the trip. You can buy the one-day pass now and then upgrade it later (with no fee or penalty) to whatever type pass you want.

If none of these three reasons apply to you, then you're probably better off adding the tickets to the package now.

 

[gigi1313]

If you have AAA, you can use that discount with the dining plan.

I'm using AAA for our dining plan, discount on the room, one day base ticket, and dining plan. I'll purchase the rest of our tickets from ticketmania.

I did the same thing last year with an email code.

i think Lark was asking her question re: this post...

does it make sense to buy a one day base ticket and then "start from day 1 again with a ticket from ticketmania" because it would seem that the multi-day discount on a MYW ticket bought at disney would erase any discount saved at ticketmania... and i concur... day 1 is the most expensive, why buy it twice?

 

[formernyer]

i think Lark was asking her question re: this post...

does it make sense to buy a one day base ticket and then "start from day 1 again with a ticket from ticketmania" because it would seem that the multi-day discount on a MYW ticket bought at disney would erase any discount saved at ticketmania... and i concur... day 1 is the most expensive, why buy it twice?

I agree as well. Ticketmania discounts are horrible. On the most expensive expiry MYW tickets (10-day with hopper and waterparks) Ticketmania will only save you a little over $24.

Some examples:

10-day w/ hopper and waterparks through Disney - $319.52
1-day base pass (non-hopper/no water parks) through Disney plus 9-day w/ hopper and waterparks through Ticketmania - $67 + $295 = $362

4-day MYW base pass through Disney - $207.68
1-day base pass plus 3-day MYW base pass through Ticketmania - $67 + 190 = $257

7-day MYW pass with hopper through Disney - $259.86
1-day base plus 6-day with hopper through Ticketmania - $67 + $238 = $305


Just doesn't make sense to me under any scenario.