Back to Food Again - Re: Dining Plan & Paying for Some Rezs

[teamhayes]

So sometimes I over think things - well most times. 

So I am playing around with the ADRs on the Disney site and trying to get a feel for the system. 

If you are on the dining plan but plan to pay for some reservations out of pocket how do you differentiate which ones you plan to use points on and which you want to pay for?

I am sure it is something simple I am over looking. 

For example I want to pay for Hoop de Doo Review and Via Naploi but use credits for most of the others. 

How can I choose? Do I just pay when we finish the meal? 

[teamhayes]

Second Part Question:

A. If we wanted to do HDDR on day one 4:00 reservation is this going to be hard to get? It is a Saturday?

If you were to rate the order to try for reservations how would you rate them?

I think our hardest reservations are CRT and BOG dinner (which makes it even harder bc we are there during Halloween party and I believe last BOG dinner reservation is taken at 6:15)

Other dinners we would like are Fantasmic, River of Light if they have it, Coral Reef and Chef Mickey.

Any of those hard to get?

[ilikedonuts]

Fantasmic isn't a restaurant. You'll need to pick either Hollywood and vine, Hollywood brown derby (is that what it's called?) or mama Melrose and then book the fantasmic package there.

[ilikedonuts]

I think you'll have no issues getting what you want.

Is the HDDR a set show? It might just be 1 time a night. I've never done it though so I'm not sure.

[teamhayes]

Oct 19, 2016 10:17:20 GMT -5 ilikedonuts said:

I think you'll have no issues getting what you want.

Is the HDDR a set show? It might just be 1 time a night. I've never done it though so I'm not sure.

Opps I meant to write the H&V Fantasmic Dinner

There are 3 HDDR shows, 4 is the earliest and I thought would be fun day 1 since no park and fairly early to bed. 

How do you differentiate between cash and dining points?

[ilikedonuts]

Oct 19, 2016 10:32:10 GMT -5 teamhayes said:

Oct 19, 2016 10:17:20 GMT -5 ilikedonuts said:

I think you'll have no issues getting what you want.

Is the HDDR a set show? It might just be 1 time a night. I've never done it though so I'm not sure.

Opps I meant to write the H&V Fantasmic Dinner

There are 3 HDDR shows, 4 is the earliest and I thought would be fun day 1 since no park and fairly early to bed. 

How do you differentiate between cash and dining points?

I think you'll be fine with the 4pm show then.

id pay out of pocket for coral reef. And via Napoli.

Wait hddr is 2 credits?

[ilikedonuts]

If hddr is two pay for that and either coral reef or via Napoli oop. Decide what you think you'll get at each and if you'd want to dessert at one over the other

[teamhayes]

Can you differentiate when makign reservations online or do you just tell teh server cash vs points?

[curbsideprophet]

I don't think it matters when booking a restaurant you do not need to pay in advance for. You just book the ADR. They typically ask when you sit down if you are on the dining plan.

Not sure how it works for pay ahead meals like CRT.

[Deleted]

I never have issues with getting the 4pm HDDR and I have done it 3 times now.

You WILL have to pay for HDDR upfront. They will either hold your dining credit or charge your card. It is easier to have them charge your card and then decide to use credits later than the other way around.

At Via Napoli, when you sit down tell your server that even though you are on DDP you are paying OOP. I also recommend using your cc or cash as opposed to your magic band, because mistakes can happen that way.

[teamhayes]

Oct 19, 2016 12:14:58 GMT -5 @savestheday said:

I never have issues with getting the 4pm HDDR and I have done it 3 times now.

You WILL have to pay for HDDR upfront. They will either hold your dining credit or charge your card. It is easier to have them charge your card and then decide to use credits later than the other way around.

At Via Napoli, when you sit down tell your server that even though you are on DDP you are paying OOP. I also recommend using your cc or cash as opposed to your magic band, because mistakes can happen that way.

This is exactly the advise I was looking for - thanks!

Another quick q - do the restaurants take the disney gift cards? 

[Deleted]

Oct 19, 2016 12:21:31 GMT -5 teamhayes said:

Oct 19, 2016 12:14:58 GMT -5 @savestheday said:

I never have issues with getting the 4pm HDDR and I have done it 3 times now.

You WILL have to pay for HDDR upfront. They will either hold your dining credit or charge your card. It is easier to have them charge your card and then decide to use credits later than the other way around.

At Via Napoli, when you sit down tell your server that even though you are on DDP you are paying OOP. I also recommend using your cc or cash as opposed to your magic band, because mistakes can happen that way.

This is exactly the advise I was looking for - thanks!

Another quick q - do the restaurants take the disney gift cards? 

ALMOST all of them do. The ones that aren't owned by Disney do not. I think your list is safe. Places in Disney Springs, and several shops in the WS don't a take Disney GCs. 

[teamhayes]

Might be easier to just hand them the gift card at the restaurant rather tHan deal with magic bands or misused points

So much valuable info here
Thanks for taking the time to answer my mundane questions