Any experience using the Dining Plan for others?

[senadler]

One of the rumored changes was being able to use the dining plan for others that are not on the plan. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this since the changes were released?

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Please explain. I don't quite understand your question.

 

[senadler]

Please explain. I don't quite understand your question.

When changes were rumored for the dining plan at the end of May, one of the changes what that you could use your credits for those dining with you that are not on a dining plan. I was interested to know if anyone had done this successfully since that time.

 

[Kirk]

Doubt it. From the Brochure:

"You may not redeem meals or snacks for any Guests who are not on your Disney Dining Plan."

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

Doubt it. From the Brochure:

"You may not redeem meals or snacks for any Guests who are not on your Disney Dining Plan."

Actually, while you are correct as far as the 2015 brochure, that line was removed for the 2016 brochure.

 

[supersnoop]

Actually, while you are correct as far as the 2015 brochure, that line was removed for the 2016 brochure.

But the 2016 brochure says that credits cannot be "transferred."

 

[thr33boys]

But the 2016 brochure says that credits cannot be "transferred."

Not being able to transfer them is not the same as not being able to use them for someone else while you dine (lots of negatives, I know). It's all up to interpretation. I interpret 'credits cannot be transferred' to mean you cannot transfer remaining entitlements to someone. Not that you cannot use an entitlement to pay for someone who is dining with you who is not on your plan. There has to be a reason why they replaced/reworded the phrase.

 

[supersnoop]

Not being able to transfer them is not the same as not being able to use them for someone else while you dine (lots of negatives, I know). It's all up to interpretation. I interpret 'credits cannot be transferred' to mean you cannot transfer remaining entitlements to someone. Not that you cannot use an entitlement to pay for someone who is dining with you who is not on your plan. There has to be a reason why they replaced/reworded the phrase.

I'm not qualified to define "transferred" in this context. I think the brochure is an unedited draft that should never have been released. But we'll see what happens.

I think it would be strange for Disney to allow redeeming credits for people who aren't on your plan after they converted all soda machines to RFID. The consensus seems to be that Coke gives them syrup for free, yet they had to implement a system to prevent soda theft, but now they're going to allow people to redeem credits for other people which will cut into the dining plan's margin. That just doesn't seem reasonable to me.

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

Not being able to transfer them is not the same as not being able to use them for someone else while you dine (lots of negatives, I know). It's all up to interpretation. I interpret 'credits cannot be transferred' to mean you cannot transfer remaining entitlements to someone. Not that you cannot use an entitlement to pay for someone who is dining with you who is not on your plan. There has to be a reason why they replaced/reworded the phrase.

It's absolutely up to interpretation. That's why, if Disney does not clarify things, all we have to go by are people's reports of their experiences with regard to the dining plans. The reason why they omitted the phrase could be as simple as an oversight/editing error; there is a reason, but it is not necessarily intentional. The alternate-language brochures directly contradict the English version on a key detail; I doubt that was intentional.

I think the brochure is an unedited draft that should never have been released.

Absolutely! But despite all this, it does make the rumors of changes like this seem more credible. We shall see.

 

[thr33boys]

I'm not qualified to define "transferred" in this context. I think the brochure is an unedited draft that should never have been released. But we'll see what happens.

I think it would be strange for Disney to allow redeeming credits for people who aren't on your plan after they converted all soda machines to RFID. The consensus seems to be that Coke gives them syrup for free, yet they had to implement a system to prevent soda theft, but now they're going to allow people to redeem credits for other people which will cut into the dining plan's margin. That just doesn't seem reasonable to me.

I agree it doesn't seem reasonable. One of the biggest gripes with the dining plan that I've seen complained about the most is the lack of flexibility. If they do allow meal credits to be used as the way some are suggesting, perhaps Disney is trying to sell it as the 'most flexible dining plan yet', trying to get more people to buy into it. Obviously, I have no idea, I'm just throwing this out there. Further, perhaps Disney is thinking that so few actually dine in a way for people to take advantage of it that it will have negligible effect.

I understand those who get 2 rooms for in-laws and perhaps taking advantage of it but you'd have to dine together each and every meal that you want to do that for.

Finally, is it really worth it to get 2 rooms just to 'profit' from this loophole? I don't think so, or not in my case anyway. For my family of 5 (2 of which are children prices) it would cost me an add'l $1,200+ for a second room at POR (not interested in values), it would then cost me another $1,354 for the DxDP for 1A, 2C. Whereas staying in 1 room, the DDP for all of us would only be $1,763. I'm not sure Disney really would have a problem with it.

Obviously, this is just my situation, perhaps others will have a more favourable outcome in which it pays off for them to do it (if it is indeed allowed).

 

[senadler]

This is exactly my problem. Unless I start to hear some actual experiences, I am hesitant to go with the deluxe plan. We have 7 in a 2 BR villa, and another 4 in a studio. We wanted to get the deluxe plan for the larger group and share credits, but I am not sure it is worth the risk. We will most likely just go with TIW and play it safe.

 

[senadler]

I was actually responding to the previous post. I would not consider adding a room to take advantage of this, but we already have two rooms and a large group.

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

This is exactly my problem. Unless I start to hear some actual experiences, I am hesitant to go with the deluxe plan. We have 7 in a 2 BR villa, and another 4 in a studio. We wanted to get the deluxe plan for the larger group and share credits, but I am not sure it is worth the risk. We will most likely just go with TIW and play it safe.

Sounds like a great plan to me! Unless Disney officially spells out that you can share like that, I fear each restaurant may have its own interpretation of the rules.

 

[thr33boys]

I was actually responding to the previous post. I would not consider adding a room to take advantage of this, but we already have two rooms and a large group.

Even though we can fit 5 in a room, I'm contemplating getting a second room as space is an issue for me. Even still, I don't think we'll do the meal plan as I'm pretty confident, based on our last trip, that we'll save more going oop.

 

[senadler]

If we were able to share credits on the deluxe plan, we would end up spending about the same as OOP with TIW, but we would add some 2 TS meals and allow the kids to order more expensive dishes than we would when paying OOP. We can still wait until a few days before the trip to decide for sure, but unless I there is a more definitive answer, we will skip the plan.