Break up reservation for dining plan

[BlackTea]

Last Nov. we, family of 4 with two kids at 6 and 5, stayed at CCV for 4 days and purchased standard dining plan, sooooo much food!!!! One example, last day to use the plan, we still had 13 snack credits, and the same day when I sat down at Trattoria al Forno, I somehow felt tired of steaks!

For 2020 Christmas trip, we have 7 days at BLT, I still like dining plan, but really don’t think we can eat like that for 7 days, so is it a good idea to break my stay into two reservations? For example, 3 days then 4 days, then I just purchase dining plan for the 3 day reservation? Am I allowed to do this? If so, any downside? Any impact to the 60+ day FastPass window? or anything else I should be aware?

Thank you guys!!!

 

[Rick195275]

It would give you 2 different ADR windows for MDE at 180 days. You can still make them all at 180 days but you would have to call in to member services for your second stay. Fastpasses could still all be booked at once 60 days out... no clue why they make that distinction. Also not sure you realize but those credits would all expire midnight of the first night on your second stay. They would not be good for your entire second stay only your refillable mug would be of use to you after the first day of your second reservation.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If it is the same unit type and group, they will merge the booking and make you get DDP the whole time.

 

[BlackTea]

It would give you 2 different ADR windows for MDE at 180 days. You can still make them all at 180 days but you would have to call in to member services for your second stay. Fastpasses could still all be booked at once 60 days out... no clue why they make that distinction. Also not sure you realize but those credits would all expire midnight of the first night on your second stay. They would not be good for your entire second stay only your refillable mug would be of use to you after the first day of your second reservation.

Thanks for the reply...yes I understand when the dining plan will expire and don't expect to use it for all 7 days. Don't think we are such foodies that need 180 days to make dining reservations...did that with Be Our Guest for dinner, such a disappointment!

If it is the same unit type and group, they will merge the booking and make you get DDP the whole time.

I think they only merge upon request...no?

 

[heather913]

If it is the same unit type and group, they will merge the booking and make you get DDP the whole time.

This is not true. Due to availability when we booked, the person we rented points from for our stay in November had to book 2 separate reservations in a 1 bedroom at AKL. One was for 2 nights, and the other was for 5 nights. We decided to add the Dining Plan to our first reservation and they did not require us to have it for the second reservation.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks for the reply...yes I understand when the dining plan will expire and don't expect to use it for all 7 days. Don't think we are such foodies that need 180 days to make dining reservations...did that with Be Our Guest for dinner, such a disappointment!



I think they only merge upon request...no?

No. If all guests are the same, they will merge. It was changed years ago to eliminate exactly what you want to do, Book the DDP for only part of the reservation.

if they are not merged, then you may need to change rooms. Since they are the same room and type, asking to be linked wouldn’t be needed because it can be one reservation.

Only time this would work is if you Change room types and change rooms.

 

[CarolMN]

This is not true. Due to availability when we booked, the person we rented points from for our stay in November had to book 2 separate reservations in a 1 bedroom at AKL. One was for 2 nights, and the other was for 5 nights. We decided to add the Dining Plan to our first reservation and they did not require us to have it for the second reservation.

But you might have to move between reservations. No way to guarantee that your stay will be in the same room.

 

[Sandisw]

This is not true. Due to availability when we booked, the person we rented points from for our stay in November had to book 2 separate reservations in a 1 bedroom at AKL. One was for 2 nights, and the other was for 5 nights. We decided to add the Dining Plan to our first reservation and they did not require us to have it for the second reservation.

What you don’t know is if the owner you rented from has 2 UYs, which is two memberships. If they booked you as different reservations, it was for a reason, and I venture to guess it was for this reason,

If your two reservations are on different memberships owned by the owner, they can’t be combined into one, This would allow the different dining plans

 

[n2mm]

if the guest are different in each room, they will not merge the reservation. Found out by accident. I had a waitlist for 1 night which had the 2 of us on it. But I had changed my other reservation to a party of 4 to accommodate our local friends. Once the WL came through we were baffled that they didn’t merge them until we called.

 

[BlackTea]

i am a little confused...if they are going to merge then how and when? they are going to call me or the system will automatically do that? how could they know it is not that I intentionally keep things that way so that I can switch part of my stay (one of the reservations) to a different resort, or accommodate more or less guests during part of the stay?

I break my reservation into 2 anyway... let's see what happens....only that it is still a forever 11 months away!

 

[n2mm]

i am a little confused...if they are going to merge then how and when? they are going to call me or the system will automatically do that? how could they know it is not that I intentionally keep things that way so that I can switch part of my stay (one of the reservations) to a different resort, or accommodate more or less guests during part of the stay?

I break my reservation into 2 anyway... let's see what happens....only that it is still a forever 11 months away!

ive had them merge my reservation without telling me. I was surprised they did it on their own and wondered, why were they in my account. Generally anytime a WL fills, they. Will automatically merge them together.

 

[BlackTea]

ive had them merge my reservation without telling me. I was surprised they did it on their own and wondered, why were they in my account. Generally anytime a WL fills, they. Will automatically merge them together.

But in my case no WL involved, i simply made two separate reservations...just wondered how they could overwrite my booking without knowing my true intentions...

 

[Debbie Jean]

But in my case no WL involved, i simply made two separate reservations...just wondered how they could overwrite my booking without knowing my true intentions...

Yes, they have merged two of my reservations. No, they did not ask and they did not inform me. Same unit type, same people on the reservations. Can't remember exactly but probably came from stalking, certainly not WL which rarely works for me.

They simply did it and I found it had been done when I was checking on the reservation. Same unit type. Wasn't a big deal to me since there was no dining plan involved and was a way to make sure I didn't need to change rooms.

 

[Sandisw]

But in my case no WL involved, i simply made two separate reservations...just wondered how they could overwrite my booking without knowing my true intentions...

They may be more lenient in not merging prior to the 7 month window since that is a strategy used by many to do split stays online.

When mine were merged, it was closer to the time of a trip...maybe a few months out..i was not notified but in my case, i Had been meaning to call as I had secured each through different bookings,

In your case, you are specifically hoping to keep separate for the dining plan purposes...which may or may not trigger the merge once you do that,

Again, you can try and Hope for the best, But, as mentioned, it could cause you to have to move rooms.

 

[WhitneyMB]

This is why people do a split stay, and move resorts. That way they are definitely two different reservations and will not be merged.

My family also likes getting the Deluxe Dining Plan for half the time.