# Disney dining plan question



## Skittles1 (Sep 1, 2011)

Does anyone know if you can add the dining plan for just a few nights of your stay?  For example, I am planning to make an RCI exchange to stay at a DVC resort for 7 nights, but I'm not sure that I want to go for a sit-down meal every single day, especially with a 17 month old, so I don't think I want to add DDP for my whole trip, even though I have loved using it in the past.  But I will probably do at least 3 sit-downs while there, so I was wondering if I could add it for just 3 days.  I thought I read that you could do that now.  I'll also check the Disboards about this.


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## TSPam (Sep 1, 2011)

I am pretty sure that you cannot add the plan for just a few days. It must be all people on the reservation for the length of the reservation. Some people will do a split stay with points and do the plan for part of it.


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## ded4025 (Sep 1, 2011)

You can not.  It has to be for your whole stay.


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## thebreards (Sep 1, 2011)

It has to be for the duration of stay including your arrival day- which I hate because we always get there really late- like 10:00 pm.  Because of this we normally get the 2 meal a day plan with 1 counter and 1 sit down and use the arrival day for a character breakfast sometime during the week.  

Prior to DDP we always did counter meals all week with only 2 sit downs for the week long trip.  But with this we do a sit down (usually a character) every day.  The dining plan is really great if you use it properly.  If not it can be overpriced.  And to play devils advocate here- we always end up spendig more with the DDP because of tips that we otherwise wouldn't have to pay with quick service, but the kids really love the character dining and this is their vacation anyway.


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## Skittles1 (Sep 1, 2011)

I really did love the DDP the 2 previous times we used it.  It definitely saves you money if you're planning to do a sit-down meal every day.  However, this time when we go, we'll have the baby with us, so I think a sit-down meal every day may be tough with him.  I think we will still do 3 character meals, maybe even Cinderella's Royal Table, since we won't have to worry about using 2 credits.  Otherwise, we'll eat breakfast in the room, and pack PB&J's for lunch, and do counter service for dinner the remainder of the nights.  I think this will work out to be a little bit cheaper.


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## New2time (Sep 1, 2011)

@TSPam- what do you mean a "split stay"?? What is that?


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## jdunn1 (Sep 1, 2011)

I do not own DVC any longer but until about two years ago, I did.  I seem to remember a policy change where you can get the dining plan for only certain days.  Everyone in your party has to ge the dining plan on the days you choose and I am pretty sure the days have to be together (i.e. no dining plan every other day of your reservation or anything like that but if you do not want the plan to start until a day or two into your reservation that is fine.

A current DVC owner can correct me if I am wrong and maybe only DVC owners staying on DVC points can break up the disney dining.  Maybe RCI exchangers have to take dining every day or not at all.  

I'd be currious to know the final answer, though.


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## lily28 (Sep 1, 2011)

Only dvc ownets can do split dinning. Exchangers cannot


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## Skittles1 (Sep 1, 2011)

That sure is a nice benefit for the DVC owners!


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## TSPam (Sep 1, 2011)

On a split stay DVC owners can get two reservations.. say 3 days then 4 days. Either at different places or the same. Then they could add the dining plan to just one of the reservations


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## SuzanneSLO (Sep 6, 2011)

TSPam said:


> On a split stay DVC owners can get two reservations.. say 3 days then 4 days. Either at different places or the same. Then they could add the dining plan to just one of the reservations



There is a buzz that, starting today (9/6), DVC owners cannot split stays in the same room to enable them to book fewer days on the dining plan.  Stays that are already split will apparently still be honored. - Suzanne


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## Skittles1 (Sep 6, 2011)

That is really interesting!  Maybe someday, they'll allow everyone to customize the DDP to meet their needs, as they do the Magic your Way tickets.


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## timeos2 (Sep 6, 2011)

One reason we sold our DVC was to get away from any Disney "food". The very thought of having to eat that glop for xx days would ruin any trip for us. It is a wonder they can legally call it food . Long gone are the days of true independent restaurant operators there replaced by mostly 17-22 YO cast members that can barely reheat a prepackaged burger.  Yuck! We would pay to avoid having to eat at 90% of the options & the other 10%, while OK, are way overpriced for the quality. Best to skip it all IMO-


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## icydog (Sep 12, 2011)

lily28 said:


> Only dvc ownets can do split dinning. Exchangers cannot



NOT ANYMORE. It's been cancelled. It got too cumbersome for member services to administer.


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