Free Dining...when you can't all be there at Check-in

[mrzrich]

Dsis #1 is flying in from NY...and DSis #2 is flying in from Baltimore . Sharing a room and arriving at different times. I know during free dining they want everyone present at time of check in. Anybody have any experience with this?

[dolly-dawne]

last august I was already in Fla. MY friends were flying in at a later date and we were all in one room on the dining plan. We were told that all parties on the plan had to be present at the time of check-in. I left a park early only to meet everyone else at the resort but... lo and behold the only person who needed to be present was the person whos name the room was under. Maybe this is not always the case but for us it was.

[mrzrich]

last august I was already in Fla. MY friends were flying in at a later date and we were all in one room on the dining plan. We were told that all parties on the plan had to be present at the time of check-in. I left a park early only to meet everyone else at the resort but... lo and behold the only person who needed to be present was the person whos name the room was under. Maybe this is not always the case but for us it was.

Was this during FREE dining? Iit is my understanding that this rule is only in place during FREE dining

[tinaluis]

When we were there for free dining last year, all members of our party had to wave to the the person checking us in at POR. Not sure if it will be the same this year.

[missmun52]

This year it willbe more strict. You must have everyone present!

On the conformation I got yesterday for the Free dining package it states

"The package you booked includes the Disney Dining Plan. In order to recieve these package entitlements ALL members of your party must be present at check-in or your package entitlemants will be modified."

This was not on the conformation last year so I guess they are cracking down on those phantom (SP?) guests.

[mrzrich]

See but I can't be the only person with family coming in at different times from different places...how do you think they'll handle that?

[lillygator]

that sucks...I usually run in and check in while DH waits in the car with the two girls....check in at the All Stars is always horrendous for us.

[dolly-dawne]

For our party, it was the during the free dining. OUR CONFIRMATION LETTER SAID THE SAME -ALL PARTIES MUST BE PRESENT ECT ECT.. Agian We were all present but the kids were running around while someone chased them .the cm did not even look to see who the rest of the party was.(We were nine people staying at all star music.) Perhaps this is rare but it was my experience. For the person who just had to wave...how did the cm know you were not just waving at anybody,that you were actually waving to your party checking in? (ha ha ha) I guess it all depends on the busy-ness of the resort and the cm checking you in.

[dolly-dawne]

as far as checking in at different times. Maybe they will allow the first person to check in then only give you the one room key.when the other person arrives they can pick up thier room key. sounds like a good idea to me. who wants to wait all day for your entire party to arrive when you can be enjoying the magic.

[Lewisc]

You can blame previous guests who created "phantom" guests and who posted such a strategy in internet boards.

Last year the manager could make an exception on a case by case basis. Bring as much documentation as you can. Copy of the boarding pass, copy of your airline confirmation, copy of your DME documentation etc.

You may have to check your luggage and wait for the rest of your party before checking in.

[mrsltg]

See but I can't be the only person with family coming in at different times from different places...how do you think they'll handle that?

If they really are cracking down your other option is grabbing some kind soul in the lobby and having them "vouch" for you - I'd do it! When are you going?

[lillygator]

hmmm....wonder if I can bring in DH's id and maybe DD's social security card? As I said ....no matter when we have checked in to an All Star resort the wait has been horrible.

[keliblue]

I am going to have the same problem.. DD flying in from Portland:hug: , DS from Sitka, Alaska:goodvibes, DH and I from Sacramento..We are trying to get everyone there relatively close time wise.. let's hope for good weather :eek:

[disneygal67]

I had the same problem last year - I was there before the other 3 members in my party - this was during the free dining period. When I checked into Pop Century I was never asked about the other people in my group. I was prepared though as I had copies of the airline itineraries for the other 3 members in my group just in case. I was given all of the keys for the whole group. I will run into the same problem again this year during free dining. Hope it will be as easy to check in as it was last time.

[pezpam]

I was allowed to check into Pop with Free Dining last year, though my traveling companion wasn't arriving until later. I explained and they gave me my KTTK and she got hers when she arrived. Not sure what they would have done if we were arriving on different days or if she didn't show......

[Timmbco]

"everyone present at check-in"

Is this only for reservations with children under 10 listed? We are five adults/juniors and our confirmation does not say this.:confused3

I also don't see what difference it makes to Disney as far as the "phantom guest ". The party is still paying extra for a ticket. It won't cost Disney any more whether the "phantom" uses the credits or a real person. They are actually making $$ even with only a 1 day ticket.

[disneyjunkie]

"everyone present at check-in"

Is this only for reservations with children under 10 listed? We are five adults/juniors and our confirmation does not say this.:confused3

I also don't see what difference it makes to Disney as far as the "phantom guest ". The party is still paying extra for a ticket. It won't cost Disney any more whether the "phantom" uses the credits or a real person. They are actually making $$ even with only a 1 day ticket.

Get ready for the flames.

I don't recall any reports last year of DISers having trouble checking in. I remember many were concerned about the change in policy, but everything was fine.

[gigi1313]

"The package you booked includes the Disney Dining Plan. In order to recieve these package entitlements ALL members of your party must be present at check-in or your package entitlemants will be modified."



that was also on the confirms last year... and some posters reported having to have their group wave or appear before the cm and others reported one person checking the group in...

i had personal experience... two rooms at ASMu, 6 of us... 4 of us arrived together on DME and the other two were arriving later... i told the cm and was told no problem... i received KTTK cards for all of us, w/dining credits in tact!

it may depend upon your resort, how busy they are, what level of resort it is (who would pay $300/night at a deluxe for $80 worth of free dining credits?!), the specific cm, etc...

[sorul82?]

See but I can't be the only person with family coming in at different times from different places...how do you think they'll handle that?

We did not have any problems last year at Pop during free dining. We had people arriving different times and different days.

[molly213]

Boy I hope this isn't the case this year. My oldest won't be there until the 2nd week of our 14 day visit.

[mrzrich]

I also don't see what difference it makes to Disney as far as the "phantom guest ". The party is still paying extra for a ticket. It won't cost Disney any more whether the "phantom" uses the credits or a real person. They are actually making $$ even with only a 1 day ticket.


Yeah it is possible to come out ahead by having Phantom guests, but only for a very short stay..the MYW pricing stops it from working for longer stays where a 10 day ticket is $11 more than a 5 day ticket

A party of 2 staying for 2 nights bought 4 one day tickets and got dining credits for four people instead of two

A one day ticket is $71 a two day ticket is $140 so they were only paying $2 more(each) for twice the food. $4 more for an extra $160 worth of food. People figured this out and ruined it for everybody

Others got non expiration tickets for the length of stay and just justified it to themselves by pocketing them for next time.
Pretty greedy.:sad2:

[TinkerBelle_325]

I will also be dealing with this issue for my Free Dining stay from Sept 2nd to 9th. I am flying down with my parents on Aug 25th and staying for 8 nights at the Polynesian. Then I am checking into CSR on Sept 2nd. However, I will be arriving at CSR around 1pm and my friend will not be arriving until 6pm. I plan on trying to check in because no where on my confirmation does it state that we both need to be present to check in. I will have copies of her flight itinerary as well as her DME info to show when I check in. It's perfectly fine if they want her to stop by the front desk to get her Key to the Kingdom. Hopefully there won't be any issues. :confused3

[aubriee]

Last Sept at POP, I ran in to check us in as soon as we got off the DME bus, while my mom went to luggage services to pick up her ECV and my ex waited to get our carry ons off the DME bus. I was asked to produce them. My ex was just walking in the door with our bags and I had to have him run get my mom. They were definitely checking for phantom guests that day and all three of us were obviously adults.

As far as it paying to make up phantom guests, I'm going solo this Sept and will have an AP, so only need to buy a one day MYW ticket in order to get the free dining. I would love to be able to pay just an extra $71.00 for another one day ticket and then get an extra 8 snacks, 8 CS, and 8 TS for free. I could then use a CS for breakfast everyday, a CS for lunch every day, and then go to a 2 TS signature restaurant every night for dinner. I'm sure with 16 snacks I'd have plenty left over to bring a bunch of rice crispy treats and fudge home to my family. Yeah, those extra credits would definitely be worth the $72.00 park ticket I'd have to buy to get them and with the phantom adult guest in my room I still wouldn't be over the room limit, so wouldn't have to pay an extra fee for another adult in the room, either. By the way, I'm being sarcastic here. I'd never do such a thing, but it sure sounds good doesn't it.

[p2oh]

Could it depend on the tickets as well? Last year I arrived two days ahead of my DF due to a last minute emergency at work, but we had 10 day hoppers with no expiration and I wasn't questioned. However, I heard a lady at the pool say she had to go get her whole party, and she thought it was becasue she had an AP and only bought the one day ticket with the package.

[gigi1313]

Boy I hope this isn't the case this year. My oldest won't be there until the 2nd week of our 14 day visit.

then you really will have a "phantom guest" for the first week... that could be a problem... have you considered adding your oldest halfway thru your ressie?

[M2DD's]

I called OKW yesterday about this(my DH flying in on a later flight) and they said that they would issue me the KTTK cards but my DH would have to check in at the front desk before they issued our dinning credits. I expained that I would have our 2 kids with me and would like to use some of our CS before my DH arrived and they said they can issue our credits and then have my DH come to the front desk and have his credits added. They said that this yr they have already been told to not issue credits to guest that are not present. Keep in mind that this is what I was told other resorts and CM may not follow this. Our 1st confo sheet did state the all partie must be present at check in our 2nd confo sheet did not have it listed