A few more dining plan questions

[slcmkh]

ryty,

I have had a thread or two as OP where posters have gone in a different direction than I intended or expected. I'm new at this too, but I gather that it happens. I finally had to just quit looking at one of my queries because it went so far off course.

I would like to thank you for this thread. It has been a good discussion, even though you feel some of us have been a little preachy.

I personally have enjoyed the humor of mickman, the calm and reasoned responses if diszy dean and debireland, and I have even enjoyed the confident comments of Pedro2112. Even though I don't agree with everyone here, it has been enlightening to follow this thread, and my opinion on this issue has been influenced.

Good thread.

 

[DebIreland]

Nice post slcmkh

 

[pedro2112]

I"ll be here all week... try the veal!

 

[slcmkh]

Pedro drops a quote from Shrek. Nice one.

I might just use a child credit for an adult meal in your honor for that. (Just kidding.)

 

[MagicForMe]

I was origianlly told the dining plan can really be a budget saver. All of your credits go into one pot and are used accordingly. The tip boards advise that the credits are not specified adult or child, so a way to really save is to pay for your kids meals out of pocket and untilize the plan for the adults if you find you are going over the allocated amount. We have a few reservations that will require 2 vouchers so that was our plan. My friend hasn't been yet but is thinking that each individual person (adult and kids) are given their own "key" and on that key is the dining credits, so using a kids credit as an adults would be impossible. Does anybody know for sure how the credits are given to you and are they or aren't they put into one pot? Are they labeled "adult" or "kids". If anyone knows it would be really helpful!
Thank you
Me, Dh. Ds7, Ds4, DD 9 months
CR here we come 6 more days!
Feb 11- Feb 19

Your friend is wrong and you are right - they are all pooled together as you said. I used the dining plan in August 05 and this was the case. Separate cards but one pooled account of the credits. I have friends who are CMs at Disney World, one is a server at San Angel Inn in Epcot and he has said there is nothing Disney can do about this for now but he says they are working to improve the set up - he doesn't know how or when but they're aware of it and he reckons its just a matter of time b4 the glitch is worked out. So for now though they're all the same credits and can be used by anyone in the party.

 

[patrizella]

I am a little confused, your post starts out by saying you were recently there and got the dining plan for free and ends by saying Disney doesn't give freebies, would you mind clarifing?? They do give freebies or they don't?

P.S. Disney is far from giving away free meals by pooling the credits, they actually are ensuring you eat on property--instead of going else where looking to save a buck. Mighty wise but most big corporations are, aren't they?

In my post I indicated that it was part of a *promotion*. They intended for me to use the dining plan for free. I don't believe Disney intends to throw this type of freebie, one that comes out of making the most of an obvious error. It is really hard for me to justify that they intend for this to be used in this way. I really feel they wish for the child credits @ $12 daily to be used for child meals. Again my opinion. You use it what ever way you feel you have to...

This is my opinion-take it or leave it. Call it moral or moronic-I don't mind either way. It is so funny to read these posts and find my stress level increase. Obviously by my number of posts (less than 50) I am new at this. I have to tell you-it is work replying here.

Good luck to all!!!

 

[DebIreland]

It is so funny to read these posts and find my stress level increase.

Obviously by my number of posts (less than 50) I am new at this. I have to tell you-it is work replying here.

Aw! Welcome, welcome, welcome. I still consider myself new here but wanted to say welcome anyway. This is a stressful topic and I can't believe I got involved. Try the nicer, non-hot topics and you'll love it here. There are so many Disney experts here who help us all in planning our trips. Enjoy!!

 

[mickman1962]

Ah! But thats where you're wrong. We're not discussing whether it's right or wrong to use the child credits, we're discussing whether or not it was *intentional* on Disney's part for that to happen. I honestly wouldn't care about posters saying they've made the most of this *glitch* and had a blast - yes I'd be jealous, lol, cause after all I'll be charged 76 dollars for my 11 and soon to be 10 year old to eat while some adults have a free for all for 24 dollars.... ahem, but anyway, bottom line outside of a little bit of (understandable I think) jealousy that they're doing it, that's about it, move along.... BUT it's when people claim that no, they're not making the most of a glitch in the system, no they're not taking advantage, actually Disney TOLD them to do it, Disney ENCOURAGE them to do it, Disney WANTS them to do it, that's what irritates me. I mean, sure yeeeeaaahh, Disney are sitting there hoping all these adult couples eat themselves silly for 24 dollars. Give me a friggin' break.

What I've been trying to say only you did a better job of it.

 

[mickman1962]

ryty,
I have had a thread or two as OP where posters have gone in a different direction than I intended or expected. I'm new at this too, but I gather that it happens. I finally had to just quit looking at one of my queries because it went so far off course.

I would like to thank you for this thread. It has been a good discussion, even though you feel some of us have been a little preachy.

I personally have enjoyed the humor of mickman, the calm and reasoned responses if diszy dean and debireland, and I have even enjoyed the confident comments of Pedro2112. Even though I don't agree with everyone here, it has been enlightening to follow this thread, and my opinion on this issue has been influenced.

Good thread.

Thank you, and for the record I meant no offense to the OP. Just merely trying to point out a view that has been discussed here before. Again discussion sometimes means that the thread will vear greatly from the original question.

 

[mickman1962]

After reading your response regarding meals plans. I would have to assume that traveling to Disney with 6 children and 6 adults is costing a pretty penny. So one must assume that your salary must be significant to afford such a lavish vacation. Maybe those few people who "tweek" the system for a meal, or two, to help save money isn't such a crime, especially if their salaries are minimal. And if Disney doesn't care, why should you?
]

I do not understand how my ability to pay for a vacation for my family (and for the record I've probably have spent over $60K over the last 20 years going to Disney) has anything to do with this discussion (unless of course with 1 post you are just a troll). Maybe I would have only had to have spent $55K if I didn't have to make up for the people who in your words "tweek" the system. $5K to me might be the equivalent to $500 to you but that does not mean I would like to spend $5K more than I would need to just so someone else can afford to go to Disney. If your salaries are that minimal then maybe a Disney vacation is not something you should be consdering. I would love to spend a month on the French Riviera however I'm not a millionaire. I spent many years going to campgrounds before I could afford a Disney vacation and I'll be damned if someone will make me feel guilty about being able to give my family a nice vacation.

To all the people who have given a quality response to this post (even if I don't agree with you), I understand both sides of the argument. Please don't slam me over this response to a probable troll.

 

[pedro2112]

I do not understand how my ability to pay for a vacation for my family (and for the record I've probably have spent over $60K over the last 20 years going to Disney) has anything to do with this discussion

It doesn't. I didn't understand either.

(unless of course with 1 post you are just a troll).

Bingo!

Please don't slam me over this response to a probable troll.

I won't slam you other than to say.. "Please don't feed the trolls!"

 

[patrizella]

Thanks for the encouragement

Mickman, you are hysterical PS The Hudson Valley is what I call home too-next to Disney World of course

 

[slcmkh]

What is a troll? Somebody who trolls threads looking for opportunities to flame or provoke people?

And what is a bump?

Thanks and sorry in advance. Relatively new here. Don't recognize those terms.

 

[DebIreland]

slcmkh,
A troll as you correctly guessed is someone whose only purpose on a discussion board is to provoke people or upset them by being rude or offensive.

A bump: people type 'bump' in a thread that has been idle for a while and has gone to page 2 or 3 or further down in a board - they want the thread to be on page 1 again, perhaps for people to see their message and/or post new advice etc.

 

[slcmkh]

Thank you. The people on this website rock.

 

[ryty44]

What is a troll? Somebody who trolls threads looking for opportunities to flame or provoke people?

And what is a bump?

Thanks and sorry in advance. Relatively new here. Don't recognize those terms.

I too am new and are learnig the lingo, thanks for asking what I thinking!!! !

I think trolls should come with blood pressure meds---lol!!!

 

[Cynt]

I believe the reason a "Disney adult" starts at age 10 is because people are taking advantage of the system. I don't think they'll institute a "teen" category for this very same reason. We may think we're getting over on the system but we're being charged in a different manner. So to sum it all up, we're all paying for it.

It baffles me that people will spend $1000's of dollars for a vacation and then try and get over on the dining. GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Go on a cruise and then you can eat whenever, whatever and however you would like. No credits to fuss over. LOL!!!

 

[thelionqueen]

I too am new and are learnig the lingo, thanks for asking what I thinking!!! !

I think trolls should come with blood pressure meds---lol!!!

A bump is someone who is posting a reply so that the thread will be "bumped" to the top of the list uner the forum heading.

 

[Pedler]

OK. I really did vow that I wasn't going to post to another one of these dinning plan morality questions but based on posts of people that think the whole pooled credits thing is an glitch that Disney is either unaware of or going to fix I would suggest you consider the following.

If the pooled credits and the whole adult using the so called child credit things was a for real glitch do you think it would take this long for Disney to correct the problem if they were concerned about it? I would suggest that they would have corrected the situation at the begining of this year if they were aware of it and thought it was a problem.

Instead I would suggest that they are not concerned with the use of the plan in this manner. Yes, if you do the math and narrowly look at just the dinning plan by itself then the math may not work out and Disney could appear to be lossing money but consider that you have to stay at a Disney resort to get the plan. That alone helps fill rooms that would otherwise be vacant. If letting the family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 kids use some credits to save a few dollars here or there results in them booking thier stay at a Disney Resort for a room that otherwise would have been vacant then the plan accomplishes its objective.

The dovetails with the free Magical Express and the new (as of 2005) ticket pricing model. Those two items along with the dinning plan compel people to stay on site at Disney and spend more of thier time / vacation dollars at Disney. The proof of this success is in the recently reported financial result for Disney. From the Wall Street Journal

"Late Monday, Disney said its theme parks benefited from higher attendance and per capita spending, with occupancy up at park hotels in the quarter."

From another article at the WSJ

"Theme parks posted a 51% jump in operating income, to $375 million. The U.S. resorts drove a big part of that gain, as celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Disneyland drew a record number of people over the holidays"

I think that Disney is more than aware of what is going on and is crazy like a fox with the plans that they introduced in 2005. In other boards here at the DIS people keep questioning Disney's intent for the Magical Express and imagine that they are offering it free to put the Town Car companies out of business and then start charging for it. Like the dinning plan if viewed in isolation that makes sense. But if you view this all together I think they would be very happy with how things are going. The dinning plan and making sure that as many people use it as possible is just one other way to get people to stay on site and keep them on site. The fourth quarter results more than demonstrate the effectivenes of the entire marketing plan. If giving away a bus ride to the resorts and offering a dinning plan and letting people use it as they are now currently doing produces the results that they had in the last year I think Disney would be very happy to keep things going the way they are now.

So before the morality police start imaging just what Disney has in mind when viewing the dinning plan I would suggest you look at the entire marketing package and the success it has had before you think Disney has a blind eye on this issue. I think there is a reason that the CM's let people use the plan this was is that Disney doesn't really care. Thier primary objective in the current plan is to get you staying on site and staying at Disney longer and spending more. Just look at the statement about per capita spending being up. So far it appears that the plan along with other changes is more than accomplishing thier goals.

 

[pedro2112]

Pedler, you are also forgetting that those who participate in the dining plan, for the most part, are paying rack rates.