Breaking up group of 10+ into smaller ADR parties... feasible?

[KJeff90]

Nothing has been booked yet, but I'm curious to get opinions. We're currently in the early planning staged for a week-long trip for Aug/Sept of 2018. Our party could potentially reach ~10 people total(My cousins, a few of their significant others, and my bro; all of us will be in our mid 20s). I know that the dining plan is going to be something we're highly considering for our trip. I am also aware that for any parties seated, consisting of 6 or more, there is an 18% gratuity added. Do you think it would be feasible, reasonable, and most importantly...possible to break our group up into smaller groups?

We all intend to tip regardless, but having it added in a mandatory way has been a slight turn off. Also, I figured that if we did have different tastes it'd be easier to get people to give people with similar tastes to dine with each other at restaurants they actually like. For those [maybe not-so-] rare occasions that we want to dine with each other, we could just do two parties of 5?

I know, I'm more than a year away from any of this coming to fruition, but I thought I'd start asking the difficult questions now. Any help, advice, stories, or reality checks will be greatly appreciated.

 

[supersnoop]

The dining plan will likely be a bad idea for your group.

Splitting up and going to different restaurants? You may run into trouble with the online system refusing to make multiple reservations. Either someone else will have to use their account to book some of the reservations, or you'll have to call in.

Making multiple reservations for the same restaurant at the same time just to avoid the automatic gratuity? That's not going to work. If you try to sit together, it counts as a larger party.

 

[KJeff90]

The dining plan will likely be a bad idea for your group.

Splitting up and going to different restaurants? You may run into trouble with the online system refusing to make multiple reservations. Either someone else will have to use their account to book some of the reservations, or you'll have to call in.

Making multiple reservations for the same restaurant at the same time just to avoid the automatic gratuity? That's not going to work. If you try to sit together, it counts as a larger party.

These are great points, supersnoop. Aside from splitting the group into two parties in the same restaurant(which i'm realizing IS a bad idea), do you think if couples in our party wanted to have some time way from the group, that they could make their own ADR and still use the communal dining plan that would be part of our package?

 

[supersnoop]

These are great points, supersnoop. Aside from splitting the group into two parties in the same restaurant(which i'm realizing IS a bad idea), do you think if couples in our party wanted to have some time way from the group, that they could make their own ADR and still use the communal dining plan that would be part of our package?

Sure, they could. But that's one of the problems. The dining plan is communal. So, if they used all the credits, the rest of you are out of luck. That, and the dining plan is a terrible value for adults.

 

[KJeff90]

Sure, they could. But that's one of the problems. The dining plan is communal. So, if they used all the credits, the rest of you are out of luck. That, and the dining plan is a terrible value for adults.

I trust that they wouldn't just use all of them. Is it a matter of everyone has to be present when any table service credits are used? Also, there is a bit of added value as I do get a discount for dining plans.

 

[supersnoop]

I trust that they wouldn't just use all of them. Is it a matter of everyone has to be present when any table service credits are used? Also, there is a bit of added value as I do get a discount for dining plans.

Generally speaking, only one person has to be present when redeeming dining credits. But how are you getting a discount on the plan? The only discounts I know of is for CM's, and that might have it's own rules.

 

[KJeff90]

Generally speaking, only one person has to be present when redeeming dining credits. But how are you getting a discount on the plan? The only discounts I know of is for CM's, and that might have it's own rules.

I'm a Disneyland Resort Cast Member.

 

[Kerriowl]

I think the issue with making reservations at different restaurants for the same meal is where the problem will be. You can't do this online if I am remembering correctly. You will have to call in. The online system will not let you make two reservations for the same time.

 

[purple figment]

You can make two reservations for the same time frame online, but they will have to be in two different MDE accounts. Or you can call and the dining line CM will be able to do it. A credit card guarantee will be required for every reservation whether you do it online or on the phone.

As far as making two (or more) reservations to avoid the auto gratuity that will not work if you arrive at the restaurant and ask to be seated together. Once you acknowledge that you are a group of 6 or more the auto gratuity is applied, even if you ask for separate checks.

Dining plan credits are allocated by room, but everyone in the room can access all the credits so theoretically one person could use all the credits. Be sure everyone in your group understands how many credits each individual has. There was a poster last year who was upset because one person in their room had used all the snack credits .

 

[KJeff90]

I think the issue with making reservations at different restaurants for the same meal is where the problem will be. You can't do this online if I am remembering correctly. You will have to call in. The online system will not let you make two reservations for the same time.

Thank you for the insight, Kerriowl.