Can I add the dining plan?

[leebee]

We are going to WDW in November. I currently have a room reservation that I made through Orbitz (so it's already paid for) park tickets I purchased from Undercover Tourist, and MVMCP tickets purchased through Disney. All are linked through my MDE account, I have made FP+ reservations, and I have ADRs. Can I add the dining plan to my trip, or is that not possible because I didn't purchase everything directly through Disney (i.e., I didn't purchase a "package.")?

 

[butterfly71076]

You might be able too. The problem would be, they would be changing your "room only" reservation to a "ticketless package" reservation meaning canceling your old reservation and making a new one. Your best bet is to call and ask.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

We are going to WDW in November. I currently have a room reservation that I made through Orbitz (so it's already paid for) park tickets I purchased from Undercover Tourist, and MVMCP tickets purchased through Disney. All are linked through my MDE account, I have made FP+ reservations, and I have ADRs. Can I add the dining plan to my trip, or is that not possible because I didn't purchase everything directly through Disney (i.e., I didn't purchase a "package.")?

You cannot add the dining plan. You have to buy a package from Disney with tickets to get the dining plan. Even if you were able to cancel the orbitz reservation (not sure if you can) you can't return the tickets to Undercover Tourist because you linked them in MDE. If you hadn't linked the tickets you could have returned them for a restocking fee.

 

[aaarcher86]

You don't have to have tickets to get a dining plan anymore, but you can't add DPs to Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, etc type reservations.

So it's still a no.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

You don't have to have tickets to get a dining plan anymore, but you can't add DPs to Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, etc type reservations.

So it's still a no.

While this is "technically" true isn't it only true for DVC members staying on points or those with an AP (which meant it wouldn't apply here)?? If you try to go on the Disney site and say "no ticket" the button for dining plan goes away and then this message is displayed on the summary:
"To add a dining plan, you must first have a Magic Your Way Package (room and theme park tickets)."

This poster has purchased tickets and is booking a room on Orbitz which leads me to believe they are neither DVC Member or AP Holder. Maybe you can't do it on the website but are you saying there is a way to call and add the dining plan even when you don't have tickets? If this is true then the answer for this poster would actually be yes it might be possible (see if Disney has a suitable reservation through their site and cancel the orbitz reservation).

 

[sharonabe]

While this is "technically" true isn't it only true for DVC members staying on points or those with an AP (which meant it wouldn't apply here)?? If you try to go on the Disney site and say "no ticket" the button for dining plan goes away and then this message is displayed on the summary:
"To add a dining plan, you must first have a Magic Your Way Package (room and theme park tickets)."

This poster has purchased tickets and is booking a room on Orbitz which leads me to believe they are neither DVC Member or AP Holder. Maybe you can't do it on the website but are you saying there is a way to call and add the dining plan even when you don't have tickets? If this is true then the answer for this poster would actually be yes it might be possible (see if Disney has a suitable reservation through their site and cancel the orbitz reservation).

No, there is now a "ticketless package" where you can pay for the dining plan with a room reservation and no tickets are required. However, you have to call and make the reservation; it cannot be done online.

But it is still a no for the OP because their room reservation was not made through Disney. They could cancel the reservation made through Orbitz and rebook through Disney, but they cannot do it with their existing reservation.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

No, there is now a "ticketless package" where you can pay for the dining plan with a room reservation and no tickets are required. However, you have to call and make the reservation; it cannot be done online.

Very interesting - typical Disney IT where the website isn't accurate, haha:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining-plans/dining-plan-available-separately/
"Q. Are dining plans available separately from vacation packages?

A. No. Disney dining plans cannot be purchased separately from a package. They are only available as one component of some Magic Your Way Vacation Packages—which also include a Resort hotel stay and theme park tickets."

Why would Disney not publicize this (or do they??). The dining plan in many cases is a HUGE win for Disney so why not get more people to add it.

But it is still a no for the OP because their room reservation was not made through Disney. They could cancel the reservation made through Orbitz and rebook through Disney, but they cannot do it with their existing reservation.

So the OP would want to call Disney and see if they have a room available and then they could cancel the Orbitz and add add dining plan which would mean they can add the dining plan to their trip, just takes some extra steps.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

You learn something new everyday - to anybody who stumbled on this thread I couldn't find anything on Disney's website about dining without tickets but here it is from Mousesavers (which I think is more reputable than Disney's own website).

Ticketless Package: http://www.mousesavers.com/walt-dis...rld-vacation-package-discounts/#ticketlesspkg

 

[Hi Pluto]

I called to ask yesterday about adding a dining plan to a room only reservation and the CM had to "check if it was available" for my dates/resort. So yes, you can add it to a room only by changing the reservation to a ticketless package (cancelling the first reservation and rebooking it), but it may not always be available. On the flip side, you would have to do it through your reservation with Disney, it wouldn't work with a third party.

~Cari~

 

[Hi Pluto]

You learn something new everyday - to anybody who stumbled on this thread I couldn't find anything on Disney's website about dining without tickets but here it is from Mousesavers (which I think is more reputable than Disney's own website).

Ticketless Package: http://www.mousesavers.com/walt-dis...rld-vacation-package-discounts/#ticketlesspkg

You can't book the ticketless package through the Disney website, you have to call and ask for it.

 

[aaarcher86]

Very interesting - typical Disney IT where the website isn't accurate, haha:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining-plans/dining-plan-available-separately/
"Q. Are dining plans available separately from vacation packages?

A. No. Disney dining plans cannot be purchased separately from a package. They are only available as one component of some Magic Your Way Vacation Packages—which also include a Resort hotel stay and theme park tickets."

Why would Disney not publicize this (or do they??). The dining plan in many cases is a HUGE win for Disney so why not get more people to add it.



So the OP would want to call Disney and see if they have a room available and then they could cancel the Orbitz and add add dining plan which would mean they can add the dining plan to their trip, just takes some extra steps.

No. You can't add dining to Orbitz/Expedia/etc reservations AT ALL.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

No. You can't add dining to Orbitz/Expedia/etc reservations AT ALL.

I'm not sure where anybody in that thread said that this was possible???

The post you quoted was highlighting Disney's own website being incorrect:

"Q. Are dining plans available separately from vacation packages?
A. No. Disney dining plans cannot be purchased separately from a package. They are only available as one component of some Magic Your Way Vacation Packages—which also include a Resort hotel stay and theme park tickets."

No Mention of ticketless packages.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

duplicate

 

[aaarcher86]

I'm not sure where anybody in that thread said that this was possible???

The post you quoted was highlighting Disney's own website being incorrect:



No Mention of ticketless packages.

I read your post wrong. I didn't see where you suggested canceling with Orbitz. Though I imagine they received a discount on the room which they'd lose. Adding one with Disney for November would be slim at this point.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I read your post wrong. I didn't see where you suggested canceling with Orbitz. Though I imagine they received a discount on the room which they'd lose. Adding one with Disney for November would be slim at this point.

Absolutely slim...while on the phone last week applying the SPD discount a CM told me they would have trouble finding a room for any 3 night stretch the rest of the year (we were just making small talk). I think he may have been exagerrating (but probably not by a lot).

 

[melifeld]

I just saw this post and wanted to mention that I was able to add the DDP to our room only reservation, making it a ticketless package. If the CM on the phone cannot do it because there are no rooms available, guest services can help. You just need an experienced CM to work with guest services. They can put your room reservation "on hold" add the plan, then put your room back on as you booked previously (with any discounts still intact).

I don't know if they can do this for a reservation made through Orbitz or any website other than the Disney website.

 

[butterfly71076]

I book ticketless packages (room+dine) every trip. We buy our tickets through UT. (upgrading to AP's this trip!) I have never had a problem booking, but it stinks you can't book it online! I wish Disney would change that!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I don't know if they can do this for a reservation made through Orbitz or any website other than the Disney website.

No, they cannot. Orbitz is a reseller. They sell room-only reservations exclusively. Disney cannot change these to a package of any type.

If you make a reservation through a reseller (like Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, Cheaptickets, etc) it's a room only reservation and that's it. Disney has sold these rooms to Orbitz to resell, and you are buying them from Orbitz (not from Disney).

If you use a travel agent, like some airlines now have a travel agent component where they will book you a room plus flight package, they are booking through Disney on your behalf, so they can book a Disney resort package for you.

 

[sullymom]

I already have room and tickets and have done the dining plan calculator and it would be best for us to book dining. Can you add it anytime before your trip? Is it like packages that you have to pay off before a certain date?

 

[supersnoop]

I already have room and tickets and have done the dining plan calculator and it would be best for us to book dining. Can you add it anytime before your trip? Is it like packages that you have to pay off before a certain date?

You can add it up to three days before arrival. It does require a package, so package payment rules apply; full payment 45 days out. There may be a change fee (usually waived if the price goes up) and a expedite fee within two weeks of arrival.