Fewer Dining Plan choices?

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

We haven't been down since 2012, and it wasn't looking good for the near future, but we did just book a SPD package when POR opened up.

So I just printed out the 2015 DDP guide and it just seems like there are fewer choices for TS usage. Just my imagination, or has there been fewer options.

I look at AK and there is only one TS option? Was Yak and Yeti never on the plan.

Over at EPCOT I only see 4 restaurants listed that are not character or signature. Is this right or have they just not updated the 2015 plan yet on the website.

Just feels like a lot fewer options.

Good news is, since we are going in January, availability shouldn't be as big an issue, even though I'm at the 40 day window and not the 180.

Anyhow, I haven't tracked the dining discussions much, so was just wondering.

[Hammer]

No worries, this happens every year. The TS restaurants not owned by Disney, such as Yak and Yeti and many of the World Showcase Restaurants, take their time signing the contract to be part of the Dining Plan. An updated list will come out around the 1st of the year and most, if not all, of these restaurants will be added to the Dining Plan.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

No worries, this happens every year. The TS restaurants not owned by Disney, such as Yak and Yeti and many of the World Showcase Restaurants, take their time signing the contract to be part of the Dining Plan. An updated list will come out around the 1st of the year and most, if not all, of these restaurants will be added to the Dining Plan.

Thanks - good to know. We never gone on the dining plan at the beginning of the year, always in Nov/Dec, so this hasn't been an issue.

So will restaurants start popping up on Disney's reservations system then, or would they be on there right now?

[Hammer]

The restaurants will be in available to book for ADRs, it just may not show them as accepting the DDP. I just tried to searching for a dinner ADR using the date of January 20th for a party of 5 (I think I have seen you post in other threads having 3 kids?) and a bunch of restaurants show up, including most of the WS restaurants.

[Fangorn]

ADRs and the Dining Plan are totally separate things, so yes, all the restaurants will show up on the Disney site and will take reservations - even if they don't show up on the DDP list yet.

Hammer is right, this happens every year - the non-Disney owned restaurants are not obligated to accept the DDP and often wait until the last minute to sign the actual contract with Disney. But it would be very rare for a restaurant not to re-sign. There have been a couple of times where one or two didn't get the paperwork in place until the second week of January, but that hasn't happened for several years.

Enjoy your trip.

Steve

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

ADRs and the Dining Plan are totally separate things, so yes, all the restaurants will show up on the Disney site and will take reservations - even if they don't show up on the DDP list yet.

Hammer is right, this happens every year - the non-Disney owned restaurants are not obligated to accept the DDP and often wait until the last minute to sign the actual contract with Disney. But it would be very rare for a restaurant not to re-sign. There have been a couple of times where one or two didn't get the paperwork in place until the second week of January, but that hasn't happened for several years.

Enjoy your trip.

Steve


Thanks! So best advice is to simply use the ADR date and not use the DDP filter, correct?

I suppose then if it doesn't eventually get added to the DDP, then I cancel and find something else.

Great advice, thanks.

[Fangorn]

Yes, don't filter on anything and just make ADRs for the places you want. You can always cancel the day before if for some reason they aren't on the DDP by then.

Steve