Dining Plan to end at OKW?!?!

IWantMyMagicBand

IWantMyMagicBand

Well-Known Member
I just got home from my travel agent (UK). He called me in to say that even though we booked OKW with DDP, it was only pre-registration and they are scrapping dining plans at OKW, and when they go to confirm the booking, Disney will say ddp no longer available at the resort. We are due to go October 2014.
Anyone heard anything about this?
 
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Tom

Tom

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PhilharMagician said:
It sounds to me like they will stop offering FREE DDP to UK visitors booking @ OKW. I imagine you could easily purchase the DDP package of your choice.

The paid DDP will continue to either be available to all WDW resort guests or none of them. it makes less than zero sense that they remove from one resort only.
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This is most likely the case.
 
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Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
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Tom said:
I would expand that to say "most". If there's a TA that charges to plan Disney vacations today, they must sell only to the "1%" crowd. I've never come across one that charges. They'd lose all their business.
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When it comes to Disney TA you would be 100% correct. I don't know of a single one that charges for anything save for a custom itinerary. That is not the case for a small number of other full service TAs, but as you said, these are servicing the stereotypical 1%.
 
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IWantMyMagicBand

IWantMyMagicBand

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Original Poster
Tom said:
This is most likely the case.
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Agreed that makes more sense, but he said that even though I had booked it, when they announce the plan has ended then my free ddp is no longer provided. I said they cannot do this. He said he would call me back by 5. It's 5. I have since called Disney and they have said what I booked and paid a deposit for is what I will get. You cannot book a free ddp and then Disney say they will no honour it months after booking. But this is the scenario he is quoting his Disney rep said would happen.

Isn't is frustrating when we know more than our TAs?!?!?
 
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PhilharMagician

PhilharMagician

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IWantMyMagicBand said:
Agreed that makes more sense, but he said that even though I had booked it, when they announce the plan has ended then my free ddp is no longer provided. I said they cannot do this. He said he would call me back by 5. It's 5. I have since called Disney and they have said what I booked and paid a deposit for is what I will get. You cannot book a free ddp and then Disney say they will no honour it months after booking. But this is the scenario he is quoting his Disney rep said would happen.

Isn't is frustrating when we know more than our TAs?!?!?
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If your TA booked you through a legit package to WDW including a free DDP discount and then is telling you that you will not get your discount now the your TA is most likely pulling a bait and switch on you. They got you to book under false pretenses. I am glad you called Disney. Do you have your confirmation numbers for Disney?
 
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IWantMyMagicBand

IWantMyMagicBand

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Original Poster
PhilharMagician said:
If your TA booked you through a legit package to WDW including a free DDP discount and then is telling you that you will not get your discount now the your TA is most likely pulling a bait and switch on you. They got you to book under false pretenses. I am glad you called Disney. Do you have your confirmation numbers for Disney?
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I've emailed him to ask for it. I need it anyway so I can experience the joy of it not linking to MDE ;) I'll print off what I have.
Worryingly he was going to switch us to Saratoga "just in case". I told him not to and to wait it out as if no DDP at OKW then no holiday for us and we would cancel our £11k.
Still haven't heard from him....
 
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dannyboyindc

dannyboyindc

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IWantMyMagicBand said:
I said they couldn't possibly do that as a £10k holiday turns into a £14k holiday for us as we love love love character meals.
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You may want to consider renting DVC points from a member anyway. it is WAY WAY WAY cheaper than going through Disney and paying cash. I bet you could even buy the dining plan if you wanted and still come out ahead. We're doing that in February and got a studio villa at AKL with a Savannah view. It came out to be LESS than a room at POR WITH the winter room only discounts.
 
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Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
dannyboyindc said:
You may want to consider renting DVC points from a member anyway. it is WAY WAY WAY cheaper than going through Disney and paying cash. I bet you could even buy the dining plan if you wanted and still come out ahead. We're doing that in February and got a studio villa at AKL with a Savannah view. It came out to be LESS than a room at POR WITH the winter room only discounts (there's no public free dining for this period)
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This is quite true for us in the states, but it is not always the case for those from across the pond. UK residents can typically get a room discount AND free dining on top of a great price on 14-21 day tickets.
 
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IWantMyMagicBand

IWantMyMagicBand

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Original Poster
Master Yoda said:
This is quite true for us in the states, but it is not always the case for those from across the pond. UK residents can typically get a room discount AND free dining on top of a great price on 14-21 day tickets.
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Yep, We got 35% discount, DDP, $200 giftcard, and Ultimate tickets (14 days for price of 7).

So, the TA called me back and his rep secured me a booking by saying I am his (the rep's) cousin..... I said I need my conf number to link to the MDE app (which I don't think he knows about) he said I'll have it within 7 days. I also said how would Disney link the two bookings, he said don't worry. I asked him about all those people that would still be booking today, and those that have been booking for the last year. I said Disney is under contract once deposits have been paid to provide the same standard of package should one element discontinue. Well, you know when you have one of those conversations where you have a flowchart in your head of every way that you end up on top. Yep, it was one of those for me. I'm not sure what's going on with the TA but there's a strong smell coming from his direction. And it ain't roses.
But as long as I get the conf numbers for the Disney portion and the Virgin Atlantic flights, I'm good to go.
 
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M

MMDVC

Active Member
I suggest you visit Mousesavers.com and jumpy to the Vacation Packages and then to Disney Discounts for UK: It was last updated on Oct. 21, 2013 and includes descriptions of many 2013 and 2014 vacation deals. Maybe you can find the one that sounds like yours to print the info….just in case.
Good luck Hope you get your dream vacation!
 
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IWantMyMagicBand

IWantMyMagicBand

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
PhilharMagician said:
@IWantMyMagicBand , so who are you going to use to book your next WDW vacation? :banghead: Just make sure you stay upwind of that guy.
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Well, we won't be going for a while after next year. No point unless Disney starts building rides.
The more I think about what happened today, the more confused I am.
Why would he feel the need to get this rep to lie and say I am related to him? Part of me wonders whether he originally booked it or not, even though I had a receipt for the deposit. And how when we switched the booking from this year to next year he made a big thing about how funny Disney were being and we had to pay an amendment fee. Now presumably, there are two bookings in my name. I think I need to pay him a visit tomorrow.
 
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Tom

Tom

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Master Yoda said:
When it comes to Disney TA you would be 100% correct. I don't know of a single one that charges for anything save for a custom itinerary. That is not the case for a small number of other full service TAs, but as you said, these are servicing the stereotypical 1%.
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Right, there are definitely full service agencies that charge fees.

DisneyJoe said:
You'd be very surprised.
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I need to clarify, as Master Yoda indicated, that I meant no Disney-specific agents charge fees. If they do, their business is limited to extremely niche markets (i.e. folks with piles of money).
 
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D

DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
Tom said:
I need to clarify, as Master Yoda indicated, that I meant no Disney-specific agents charge fees. If they do, their business is limited to extremely niche markets (i.e. folks with piles of money).
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It's probably none that you are aware of. There are many that aren't on the internet or associated with a Disney site. I know of quite a few, and their clientele are not just the 1%.

I'm the owner of a Disney-focused agency, and I recently had time to network with 500 travel agents and owners at the Earmarked Conference; many are more than willing to share idea and notes on their business models.

I'd clarify your statement by saying that the majority of Disney specialist agencies do not charge fees, however, for those that do, they have clients that come from a wide range of social and economic demographics. Some charge fees starting at $50, some at $100-$150, you don't need to be in the 1% to pay this.

Many of my clients are shocked that we don't charge fees for all of the services we provide and the hours we dedicate to their trips.
 
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