Does everyone at the table have to use it?

[DisneyTeacher]

I hope this hasn't been asked 20 times before, sorry if it has.

I've heard that everyone at the table has to use the dining plan and a credit with be charged no matter what, even if they order and eat nothing. I know child and adult credits are no longer pooled so I'm not trying to save child credits. I just hate to think that if my son is tired and not hungry we'll be charged even if he doesn't eat.

What if I'm not really hungry and just want a smallish meal but my DH is hungry and wants a big meal. Can he use a TS credit and then we pay out of pocket for what I order?

Is it true everyone at the table will be charged a credit even if they don't eat or want to pay out of pocket for part of the meal?

[Deb & Bill]

Buffets, yes. Non-buffets, it depends.

[DisneyTeacher]

Buffets I understand but I would hate to be charged a credit if my son doesn't order anything at a non-buffet restaurant. I guess there is a reason for this change but I don't understand it.

[bicker]

I believe the best answer to your question is, "Not yet." That could change before your visit, though, so be forewarned.

[HayGan]

Buffets, yes. Non-buffets, it depends.

We have paid OOP at buffets (and at plenty of TS restaurants) for a few members of the party. Tell your server at the begining and they will generally accomodate your request.

With that said, if you are at a buffet everyone will have to pay even if they don't eat (whether it be using a credit or paying OOP.) It would be too difficult for servers to monitor who has eaten food and who hasn't. Would you really want someone standing over your family/party watching if someone has eaten or not? Disney is just like any buffet restaurant - you enter, you pay.

I still don't see how Disney can force everyone at a table to all use credits if they don't allow sharing of credits for non-DDP guests. So you can never eat a meal with anyone that isn't on the plan?!?! Not practical!!!

[Booknut]

We had no problems at all either sharing a TS (not a buffet) when we weren't that hungry or paying out of pocket for one etc. I don't think the restaurant will have any problems if someone in your party is not eating and just drinking (you will have to pay for the drink out of pocket).

I found the Disney staff in restaurants really helpful at explaining the plan and also at being flexible when we wanted to do things differently. Have a great time!

[bicker]

I still don't see how Disney can force everyone at a table to all use credits if they don't allow sharing of credits for non-DDP guests.They can simply put a requirement on the Dining Plan that, if using the Dining Plan, everyone at the table must pay for an entree, and only folks on the Dining Plan can use Dining Plan credits to pay for their entrees.

[mumto2]

At non-buffet TS, we have had no problem both not ordering for everyone at the table, and ordering an extra kids meal (paying for it OOP) for DS2 when we wanted to order food he would not eat. Since he is 2, he doesn't qualify for DDP credits of his own. Once, at Whispering Canyon, a credit was deducted for him (he had shared with me), but we noticed it before "paying," and our server promptly removed it and apologized for the error.

Like anywhere, we have noticed that non-typical circumstances often cause confusion with servers, so it is always best to clarify things before the check comes (I'd even check with the hostess before seating and confirm with the waiter if you are truly concerned).

[nollequeen]

Just last week at Coral Reef, my inlaws who only wanted soup were allowed to save their TS credit and pay out of pocket while we used our credits and ate the whole shebang. No problem.

[DisneyTeacher]

Thanks for your replies. I asked a CM when I was booking my ADRs and she said we shouldn't have a problem paying out of pocket for part of our family but I had read that wasn't always the case.

[mchames]

Anyone buy a child an adult menu item OOP instead of using a child credit at that meal?

We are going in May: me, DH, DD9 & DD7 on the DDP. We were thinking of allowing DD9 to order an adult appetizer as her meal at a couple of TS restaurants (ex: Kona Chowder at Kona Cafe (her favorite) and Lobster Bisque at Coral Reef) to break up the monotony of the child's meals and pay OOP. She has sophisticated tastes, but eats like a bird. We would then use the left over child TS credits for a character breakfast and pay OOP for my DH and myself. Does anyone think this will be a problem?

Thanks.
Mary

PS- DD7 will be perfectly happy with mac 'n cheese at every meal every day!:rotfl2:

[HayGan]

Anyone buy a child an adult menu item OOP instead of using a child credit at that meal?

We are going in May: me, DH, DD9 & DD7 on the DDP. We were thinking of allowing DD9 to order an adult appetizer as her meal at a couple of TS restaurants (ex: Kona Chowder at Kona Cafe (her favorite) and Lobster Bisque at Coral Reef) to break up the monotony of the child's meals and pay OOP. She has sophisticated tastes, but eats like a bird. We would then use the left over child TS credits for a character breakfast and pay OOP for my DH and myself. Does anyone think this will be a problem?

Thanks.
Mary

PS- DD7 will be perfectly happy with mac 'n cheese at every meal every day!:rotfl2:


You can certainly do that. Just notify your server when they take your order as to who will be using credits and who will be paid for OOP. VERY few people have reported any problems in doing this.

[TDC Nala]

They can simply put a requirement on the Dining Plan that, if using the Dining Plan, everyone at the table must pay for an entree, and only folks on the Dining Plan can use Dining Plan credits to pay for their entrees.

How will that work if you are not on the dining plan, you are sitting with your friends who ARE on the dining plan, and you just want to order appetizers?

[FancyBrat]

I called Disney Dining about this subject as I've had GB and can't eat more then fist full of food so the buffets wouldn't work for me but still want to do them for the kids just for the Character interaction. They stated that as long as I let my server know ahead of time and didn't eat anything I can sit and enjoy with my family without having to use a credit on the DDP.

[bicker]

(In reply to TDC Nala:) Well, keep in mind that we're now speculating about speculation... Assuming they put such a requirement in place, everyone would have to order an entress, right? Personally, if I were not on the Dining Plan, and just wanted to order appetizers, I would expect the folks on the Dining Plan to cover the extra cost to me. After all, they're getting the "great deal" so they should suffer the consequences, not me.

[bicker]

I called Disney Dining about this subject as I've had GB and can't eat more then fist full of food so the buffets wouldn't work for me but still want to do them for the kids just for the Character interaction. They stated that as long as I let my server know ahead of time and didn't eat anything I can sit and enjoy with my family without having to use a credit on the DDP.I would be sure to get that in writing, on Disney letterhead, to preclude any difficult situations when you arrive at the restaurant. Each restaurant has their own policies in this regard -- there is no published Disney policy that imposes what is being suggested here. Indeed, many of the character meals have a $5 or $7 "entertainment fee" for folks who are attending a character meal but not eating.

[TDC Nala]

Well, if the restaurants start getting overly restrictive in what you can order whether you're on the dining plan or not (not that they ARE or are even thinking about it), there is always the Swan/Dolphin and a number of the Downtown Disney restaurants. Not to mention the new place at AK because there are rumors (just rumors) that Landry's won't go with the dining plan. They might decide to if the restaurant is in the park, but none of their other restaurants at WDW accept it.

[dytx]

you can use one ts and pay oop(out of pocket) for any of the others

[castleri]

They can simply put a requirement on the Dining Plan that, if using the Dining Plan, everyone at the table must pay for an entree, and only folks on the Dining Plan can use Dining Plan credits to pay for their entrees.

So will everyone have their own DDP photo ID card? How do they know which of the 6 people at the table have the DDP when there are only 4 listed on the room key? If I have friends coming over from Tampa and we decide to eat at a resort restaurant I don't see how they can say we have to sit at different tables if they choose to eat only drinks, apps and dessert (paying OOP) using their Florida DDE card and we all use the DDP plan as it is set up. Seems like it would be a PR nightmare. Last year we had 7 adults, 1 child on the DDP in two DVC units. At several places they just asked to see the room keys and then took all the credits off one room or the other so they didn't even charge 3 adults to one room and the other 4 and the child to the second room. I guess the answer is you just never know what they will allow or not.

[bicker]

So will everyone have their own DDP photo ID card?I wouldn't use the word "will"... this is nothing more than speculation at this point. Further speculating on the speculation ... I doubt they'd resort to photo ID.

I guess the answer is you just never know what they will allow or not.Absolutely. That's really the main take-away folks should derive from these threads: The Dining Plan brochure says that the terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice -- they mean it! :rotfl:

[Merriwind]

I hope this hasn't been asked 20 times before, sorry if it has.

I've heard that everyone at the table has to use the dining plan and a credit with be charged no matter what, even if they order and eat nothing. I know child and adult credits are no longer pooled so I'm not trying to save child credits. I just hate to think that if my son is tired and not hungry we'll be charged even if he doesn't eat.

What if I'm not really hungry and just want a smallish meal but my DH is hungry and wants a big meal. Can he use a TS credit and then we pay out of pocket for what I order?

Is it true everyone at the table will be charged a credit even if they don't eat or want to pay out of pocket for part of the meal?

Of course not. We went with friends in January who were on the DDP. We were not. We told the server ahead of time who would be on the DDP and who wasn't. To not allow this would required us not to eat with our friends who came from NY to see us. Ridicuous! Or, horror of horrors, our friends would have to use DDP credits to pay for all of us if we ate together. :rotfl:

So, they would order their appetizers, entrees and desserts. My family ordered much smaller portions--usually just an entree for DH and a kids meal or appetizer for DD9. I often order only an appetizer as a meal, well and sometime dessert too! :cloud9:

Believe me, no one ever batted an eye. The bills were split appropriately without a problem. Enjoy!

[DisneyTeacher]

Of course not. We went with friends in January who were on the DDP. We were not. We told the server ahead of time who would be on the DDP and who wasn't. To not allow this would required us not to eat with our friends who came from NY to see us. Ridicuous! Or, horror of horrors, our friends would have to use DDP credits to pay for all of us if we ate together. :rotfl:

So, they would order their appetizers, entrees and desserts. My family ordered much smaller portions--usually just an entree for DH and a kids meal or appetizer for DD9. I often order only an appetizer as a meal, well and sometime dessert too! :cloud9:

Believe me, no one ever batted an eye. The bills were split appropriately without a problem. Enjoy!


Thank you. We used the dining plan last May and didn't have any trouble paying out of pocket for certain things but I read/heard that the rules had changed.

[TDC Nala]

So will everyone have their own DDP photo ID card? How do they know which of the 6 people at the table have the DDP when there are only 4 listed on the room key? If I have friends coming over from Tampa and we decide to eat at a resort restaurant I don't see how they can say we have to sit at different tables if they choose to eat only drinks, apps and dessert (paying OOP) using their Florida DDE card and we all use the DDP plan as it is set up. Seems like it would be a PR nightmare. Last year we had 7 adults, 1 child on the DDP in two DVC units. At several places they just asked to see the room keys and then took all the credits off one room or the other so they didn't even charge 3 adults to one room and the other 4 and the child to the second room. I guess the answer is you just never know what they will allow or not.


No, what this speculation seems to envision is that everyone at every table where there are customers on the Dining Plan will be required to order an entree, apparently in order to ensure that nobody at the table sits out the meal without ordering.

I like the choice (not using DDP) to get a couple of appetizers and no entree, so I hope that idea continues to be just speculation in case I go out to eat with folks who happen to be on the dining plan.

[MaeDaisy]

I don't think the OP was asking about what happens when some people at the table have DDP and some don't. I think they were asking for their particular family, where everyone is on the DDP, if they all sit down at a meal together, will they all have to use a credit?

And I think the current answer is No. If your son isn't hungry, he does not have to order a meal and/or burn a credit.

[digman6]

I hate to tell you this if you don't know it yetbut Jan.1st things changed ALOT!
Who ever is at the table has to use there credits. If your kid is not real hungry and wants just maybe a appetizer for his meal and you figure you did not have to use his credit WRONG. they will not let you pay outof pocket its all or nothing now. I was on Mousebuzz and a woman and her family had a heck of a time becasuse of this exact thing. she got a dinner bill for 200$ because all her credits were messed up all due to the NEW CHANGE .

If you are going out of pocket for 1 all are that way. the issue came into play because her kid did not want the same meal over and over.
Things may of changed again since then alot of people were really upset about it and complaining! i would call and check for were ever your eatting at , it maybe only like that at certain restaurants.

[DisneyTeacher]

I don't think the OP was asking about what happens when some people at the table have DDP and some don't. I think they were asking for their particular family, where everyone is on the DDP, if they all sit down at a meal together, will they all have to use a credit?

And I think the current answer is No. If your son isn't hungry, he does not have to order a meal and/or burn a credit.

This is exactly what I was asking about. My son is picky and doesn't always want to eat when and where we are eating. Sometimes he doesn't want anything at all and I would hate to think we would be charged a credit for him to sit at the table. I'm sure we will not use all his credits but I guess I just don't like this new rule if it's true.

[digman6]

If youahve 5 pp on the dining plan and all 5 are there to eat if 1 person orders and uses the plan the other 4 must use there's as well. they don't care if your hungry, picky what have you . its a all or nothing deal. If I were you and had concerns I would call and check with each INDIVIDUAL restuarant. Some places maybe not doing this but most of them I think are.

[MaeDaisy]

Digman, have you actually experienced this? Because I haven't heard this before. There's been some discussion about emails Disney has said saying that two DDP people can't order one meal to share between them, but I've seen nothing about everyone having to order. ... I actually think it might be a good idea, but I just haven't seen anything saying that they are doing this.

[DisneyTeacher]

If youahve 5 pp on the dining plan and all 5 are there to eat if 1 person orders and uses the plan the other 4 must use there's as well. they don't care if your hungry, picky what have you . its a all or nothing deal. If I were you and had concerns I would call and check with each INDIVIDUAL restuarant. Some places maybe not doing this but most of them I think are.

Which restaurants made your family all use DP credits or all pay out of pocket?

[Merriwind]

I'm still going to say this won't be a problem and here's why. When we were with our friends in January, they were passing a stomach virus around their family. One night, our family of three joined the dad and two kids from the other family. (Mom was sick in the room.) Their card read 2A2C. The bill was split for 3 DDP (1A2C) and 3 cash with DDE. No one batted an eye. We weren't asked to prove that DH or myself was not the missing A credit on their cards. The next day, the dad was sick and we did the same thing at The Plaza. The extra A credit was left on their account each time, while DH, DD9 and myself got a seperate bill for cash/DDE payment--while ordering far less than the DDP participants. It was no problem--and this was mid-January 2007.

Might they make this change someday? Sure. I kind of doubt it's worth the hassle, but WDW will do what they do. In the interim, nothing in the plan brochure says that everyone dining must use a credit. In fact it says to tell the server the number of adult and child meals to charge to your DDP. Plus, no one has reported personally having difficulty in this regard.

Relax and enjoy--have a great trip!

[DisneyTeacher]

Plus, no one has reported personally having difficulty in this regard.

Relax and enjoy--have a great trip!

Thanks!

I agree, there are no first hand reports so we'll plan on doing what we did last year and paying different things out of pocket if we need to.

[digman6]

Do what you want :confused3 I have not it happen to me I am going in December:santa: If you think it won't happen go ahead and tell that to the woman who went there :headache: :mad: :sad2: that goes to Mousebuzz site and see what she had posted about it. She said it happened and others on there have spoke on the issue.

If you can pull of not having to use them with all your guest go for it:thumbsup2 . I do know they were at a TS restuarant in Epcot not sure what one it was i forgot:confused3 .

This change took place when she was there Jan. 1st . NOW it may of changed since then . it may of been a test to see how it works etc etc. They may of had enough people complain to change it back. So do not put me in " " .

If they do that I think its BS because what do they care really? they have your money on the package and then you want to pay for a meal out of pocket they are out NOTHING.

PLEASE also not NOTE I never said it was at every TS restaurant. I said it maybe only at a FEW places they are doing it.

I would just go and have fun and if you end up paying out of pocket well you know next time thats all.:teacher:

Good luck planning

[digman6]

mousebuzz.com and go under resturant and find out for yourself.

some of them are able to do it with ADVANCE notice to the server,s o there have been some adjustments it sounds. just make sure the server knows when you sit down what your going to do seperate checks what have you.

[bicker]

I think the key thing to keep in mind that this is something that (1) can change at any time, (2) can vary from restaurant to restaurant, and (3) perhaps can vary from day to day. Purchase the Dining Plan expecting to use it as it was intended (i.e., everyone orders a meal every time they sit down to eat), and then ask permission to... (as opposed to "expect to...") vary from that at each meal you'd like to.