DDP refresher course needed!

[Gracie'sMom]

Hello,

My family of three is headed to WDW for the first time in 5 years! At one point in time I was very good at wrangling the DDP and other tricks of the World but I am "new again" and a refresher course is needed!

Previously (and this time as well) we would go during the free dining promotion in the Fall months.

It's a little different for us this time though as our daughter is now 10 and will be considered an adult as far as meals go.

My concern is that she is still very much a "kid-style" eater and may starve if not allowed to eat from the kids menus to get her daily recommended allowance of chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese!

Can she order from the kid menu (using an adult credit) in both the DS and QS eateries? I know I could simply pay OOP for her meals BUT free is better since we are not actually paying for the DDP.

Banking credits is not something we will likely try to do as in the past we had always ended up taking a suitcase full of Rice Krispie treats home with us on the last day anyway!

Another question...We will likely only eat at a TS eatery perhaps 2-3 days of our 6-day stay. Am I correct that we used to be able to take the TS and "convert" it into a QS and a snack credit? Can we still do that? No biggie but the extra snack credits would be handy in the parks.

Last question (for now )....on a day that we are not actually going to one of the parks, can we still access the restaurants in the parks? I think we used to be able to do so by showing the ressie at the gate but my memory is VERY sketchy on this one.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[DisneyMama21]

Hello,

My family of three is headed to WDW for the first time in 5 years! At one point in time I was very good at wrangling the DDP and other tricks of the World but I am "new again" and a refresher course is needed!

Previously (and this time as well) we would go during the free dining promotion in the Fall months.

It's a little different for us this time though as our daughter is now 10 and will be considered an adult as far as meals go.

My concern is that she is still very much a "kid-style" eater and may starve if not allowed to eat from the kids menus to get her daily recommended allowance of chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese!

Can she order from the kid menu (using an adult credit) in both the DS and QS eateries? I know I could simply pay OOP for her meals BUT free is better since we are not actually paying for the DDP. I believe so!

Banking credits is not something we will likely try to do as in the past we had always ended up taking a suitcase full of Rice Krispie treats home with us on the last day anyway!

Another question...We will likely only eat at a TS eatery perhaps 2-3 days of our 6-day stay. Am I correct that we used to be able to take the TS and "convert" it into a QS and a snack credit? Can we still do that? No biggie but the extra snack credits would be handy in the parks. Not sure, but from what I've read, it kind of depends on the CM you are asking...

Last question (for now )....on a day that we are not actually going to one of the parks, can we still access the restaurants in the parks? I think we used to be able to do so by showing the ressie at the gate but my memory is VERY sketchy on this one. I know this one for sure...If you want to eat in a restaurant inside a park, you have to have a ticket for that park for that day. Your ADR will NOT grant you access to the park without a ticket. Sorry!

Thanks for any feedback!

I put my answers in red

 

[Jonathan Swift]

You can usually downconvert a TS to QS, but you can't do say 2 QS for a single TS.

Unless you have park hopper, you can't go to a restaurant in a park unless you have a valid ticket for that day.

Just asking, are you sure there are no other (perhaps better) discounts available during the time you're going?

 

[sharonabe]

Just to clarify....it sounded like you thought a TS would be "worth" a QS AND snack, but it is not. You should be able to use a TS credit at a QS restaurant, but you will still only get the entree, drink, and dessert...nothing extra. And you can only do this when all your QS credits are gone.

Don't forget some of the less valuable TS places when thinking of where to use your credits. Instead of using them for QS, you could use them at places like The Plaza, Sci-Fi, and even Liberty Tree Tavern to get off your feet, into the cold a/c, and be waited on.

 

[purple figment]

Can she order from the kid menu (using an adult credit) in both the DS and QS eateries? I know I could simply pay OOP for her meals BUT free is better since we are not actually paying for the DDP. Yes. Some places will even upsize the portion since you'll be using an adult credit. You can also ask about making adult entrees plain or changing the sides. Just in case it is best to ask about using adult credits for the children's menu because there have been a few posts about some third party restaurants that strictly enforce the DDP rules.

Another question...We will likely only eat at a TS eatery perhaps 2-3 days of our 6-day stay. Am I correct that we used to be able to take the TS and "convert" it into a QS and a snack credit? Can we still do that? No biggie but the extra snack credits would be handy in the parks. The dining plan brochure used to say you can use TS credits for QS, and most people haven't had a problem doing so, although it usually can't be done until you've used up all your QS credits. Also, it's a straight one to one exchange. However, using either for snacks has become much more difficult. One of the FAQs of the dining plan says it is no longer allowed, but some CMs, mainly at resort food courts, may still allow it. If you can do it, it will vary from 1 snack only to 3 snacks per QS credit.

Last question (for now )....on a day that we are not actually going to one of the parks, can we still access the restaurants in the parks? I think we used to be able to do so by showing the ressie at the gate but my memory is VERY sketchy on this one. Sorry, no. A valid park ticket is required any time you want to enter a park.

Thanks for any feedback!

My answers in red