Can I use the dining plan this way?

[MaeManda]

I very humbly thank you all - this is exactly why I came here to ask. My FIL was told by two certified agents, one of whom was a CM before becoming an agent, that this was acceptable and I spoke with the DD CM. But neither he nor I had seen the DxDP brochure or policy at all and relied on what we were told.

I gave report to FIL and he will call CRT directly to confirm since that is the restaurant he was planning on using his credits. No offense intended, since the other three people who should have been right were wrong he wants confirmation from the horse's mouth so-to-speak.

I am sorry for breaking the rules of the board- I didn't realize that either was a work-around or shady. I had seen people on a different website discuss the CS thing as "what you do." I know better now, and will stick with the rules (both for the DDP and the board )

 

[TDC Nala]

Please don't anticipate, WHATEVER they tell him on the phone, that your father in law will be able to use his credits assigned to three people to pay for 15 people to eat at CRT. Even if they tell him yes, he could get a different answer while actually at the restaurant. Many of us have extensive experience with Disney reps giving this kind of information incorrectly. Please make sure you have an alternate method of payment available for the additional 12 guests.

 

[chartle]

Please don't anticipate, WHATEVER they tell him on the phone, that your father in law will be able to use his credits assigned to three people to pay for 8 people to eat at CRT. Even if they tell him yes, he could get a different answer while actually at the restaurant. Many of us have extensive experience with Disney reps giving this kind of information incorrectly. Please make sure you have an alternate method of payment.

Yes I was trying to say this and it wasn't coming out right so I best thought not to confuse things, but this falls under the "get it in writing" thought.

Your plan, on the surface, according to everything written, is not allowed. Now certain CMs have a certain amount of Pixie dust to make things happen but you really can't expect it.

Good Luck

 

[ses1230]

OP please make sure you have a backup plan, it would be awful to be at CRT in that situation.

The brochure states: "You may not redeem meals or snacks for any Guests who are not on your Disney Deluxe Dining". Let us know what happens, good luck.

 

[vicki_c]

The beginning of the OP's post said he did it to cover the "extra TS credits" we would need, although then she does talk about CS in the next paragraph.

 

[chartle]

OP please make sure you have a backup plan, it would be awful to be at CRT in that situation.

The brochure states: "You may not redeem meals or snacks for any Guests who are not on your Disney Deluxe Dining". Let us know what happens, good luck.

Here is direct from the PDF link posted above.

Q. Can I use my Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to redeem meals for friends or family members who are not included in my reservation or have not purchased a Disney dining plan?
A. Sorry, you may not use your Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to redeem meals for friends or family members who are not included in your reservation or have not purchased a Disney dining plan.

Bolding Disney's

Its the 'not on your reservation' part that makes your plan not work.

 

[MaeManda]

We do all have regular DDP dining and so we'll be able to each use our own credits at CRT if we need to - I will come back and let you know what FIL finds out from calling CRT directly (at least it would be one CM's hands-on knowledge, and outside the pressure of a face-to-face request, probably as accurate as we'll get until we are sitting at the table). He did the math and found that he would have saved $300-500 by upgrading and using them like this instead of paying out of pocket for the extra meals we have planned (8 days of DDP, 11 TS credits on our itinerary) - not a trip ending expense for him (it would be for us, I'm just a beneficiary of his generosity). If he can't use them as he hoped then he ends up losing money on the plan

I can see why there may be misunderstanding with how they can be used, because while the brochure does say "You may not redeem meals or snacks for any Guests who are not on
your Disney Deluxe Dining Plan."

it also says this in the FAQ page of the brochure:
Q. Can I use my Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to redeem meals for friends or family
members who are not included in my reservation or have not purchased a Disney
dining plan?
A. Sorry, you may not use your Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to redeem meals for friends
or family members who are not included in your reservation or have not purchased a
Disney dining plan.
and we will be on the same reservation (booking as a whole and reservation at the restaurant) and have purchased a DDP, so according to this part of the brochure it would be allowed. Without the first part quoted above, it would be ok...just trying to give the people who gave FIL bad information the benefit of the doubt - I do see how that the rules prohibit him from proceeding, but I also see how there was a chance this made them misunderstand

Thank you all again for your clarity and explanations! I will update when I hear how calling CRT directly goes!

 

[chartle]

The beginning of the OP's post said he did it to cover the "extra TS credits" we would need, although then she does talk about CS in the next paragraph.

Yes it seems like its for the extra credits needed for CRT.

 

[chartle]

and we will be on the same reservation (booking as a whole and reservation at the restaurant) and have purchased a DDP, so according to this part of the brochure it would be allowed. Without the first part quoted above, it would be ok...just trying to give the people who gave FIL bad information the benefit of the doubt - I do see how that the rules prohibit him from proceeding, but I also see how there was a chance this made them misunderstand

Thank you all again for your clarity and explanations! I will update when I hear how calling CRT directly goes!

I'm 99.999999% certain by reservation they mean room reservation not dining reservation.

To the system you are two completely differnt rooms.

 

[MaeManda]

Its the 'not on your reservation' part that makes your plan not work.

Funny, it's that part that makes me think that it could be possible - I guess the confusion is in the word "reservation" because I was thinking it meant either the ADR or our group's trip reservation (4 rooms all made at one time, paid by the same person) but you are implying that "reservation" means people in one room. Your definition matches the part of the brochure that more specifically states "cannot share with other guests not on your *deluxe* dining plan"

It seems like there should be a little more education for Agents and call center CMs, so that little misunderstandings like this, that turn into big costly misunderstands, aren't being perpetuated

 

[Pumbaa_]

Hope it works out for you. I don't see how though. We have had reports of a couple, dining alone, and trying to order 3 meals for extra variety and was declined. The system does not allow more meals than guests listed on the room card (which serves as your KTTW)

Paying for 15 meals with 1 card that says there are 4 guests on THIS ROOM reservation is not going to go through the restaurant's computer system.

I hope you have a plan b

 

[MaeManda]

The beginning of the OP's post said he did it to cover the "extra TS credits" we would need, although then she does talk about CS in the next paragraph.

Yes - he wanted to use his credits to pay for all 15 of our TS meals at CRT. I brought up the CS thing because it made me question if he was told correctly that he could use the TS that way. I thought, if you have to get in line twice to use CS credits differently than the card says (I see that is blatantly cheating the system) then there was a chance that it would be an even bigger hassle to use TS credits. Turns out I was right, much to FIL's chagrin

 

[MaeManda]

I hope you have a plan b

We do! If CRT confirms that this is against policy/not allowed then he will adjust his DxDP back down to DDP and just pay OOP for the lower-cost TS meals we have.

It sounds like he's pondering just doing that regardless instead of being stuck with so many extra DxDP credits used poorly or unused on the chance that the CRT CM may say it's OK but then not being able to *actually* do it when we are there

 

[chartle]

I'm 99.999999% certain by reservation they mean room reservation not dining reservation.

To the system you are two completely differnt rooms.

1. Funny, it's that part that makes me think that it could be possible - I guess the confusion is in the word "reservation" because I was thinking it meant either the ADR or our

2. group's trip reservation (4 rooms all made at one time, paid by the same person) but you are implying that "reservation" means people in one room. Your definition matches the part of the brochure that more specifically states "cannot share with other guests not on your *deluxe* dining plan"

3. It seems like there should be a little more education for Agents and call center CMs, so that little misunderstandings like this, that turn into big costly misunderstands, aren't being perpetuated

1. Our posts kind of crossed paths but I see your point.

2. You probably have at least 2 room reservations (it doesn't matter who paid for them). Since everyone in a room package has to have the same package, I have feeling you had one and when the FIL upped the dining plan for that room it was split to two, so at least two dining plans.

3. Not making any judgements but they can't train for everyone with lets say a creative use of the plan. Besides in this case they think they have it spelled out (no sharing credits) in the fine print.

 

[chartle]

We do! If CRT confirms that this is against policy/not allowed then he will adjust his DxDP back down to DDP and just pay OOP for the lower-cost TS meals we have.

Just be aware that CRT is one of the lower cost TS meals (when you pay with credits).

What its two credits?

At CRT you use two to pay for a say $50 meal or $25 per credit value. There are many more 1 credit TS places where you would spend more than $25.

You have to think about the worth of the credits not how much the overall meal costs.

 

[MaeManda]

You have to think about the worth of the credits not how much the overall meal costs.

Fantastic insight! thank you, i will keep it in mind and share it with FIL!

2. You probably have at least 2 room reservations (it doesn't matter who paid for them). Since everyone in a room package has to have the same package, I have feeling you had one and when the FIL upped the dining plan for that room it was split to two, so at least two dining plans.

That makes a lot of sense - he said he had a PIN that covered 3 of 4 rooms, and then upgraded one to DxDP perhaps it's even more than 2 reservations at this point. And I definitely see how they use "reservation" to equal *one* room.

3. Not making any judgements but they can't train for everyone with lets say a creative use of the plan. Besides in this case they think they have it spelled out (no sharing credits) in the fine print.

While there are sneaky people everywhere, the brochure also says "non-transferable" in the fine print. I agree, they do have a right to think that they have it covered. Maybe I'm a little sore over having to give bad news to my FIL

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We do all have regular DDP dining and so we'll be able to each use our own credits at CRT if we need to - I will come back and let you know what FIL finds out from calling CRT directly (at least it would be one CM's hands-on knowledge, and outside the pressure of a face-to-face request, probably as accurate as we'll get until we are sitting at the table). He did the math and found that he would have saved $300-500 by upgrading and using them like this instead of paying out of pocket for the extra meals we have planned (8 days of DDP, 11 TS credits on our itinerary) - not a trip ending expense for him (it would be for us, I'm just a beneficiary of his generosity). If he can't use them as he hoped then he ends up losing money on the plan

I can see why there may be misunderstanding with how they can be used, because while the brochure does say "You may not redeem meals or snacks for any Guests who are not on
your Disney Deluxe Dining Plan."

it also says this in the FAQ page of the brochure:
Q. Can I use my Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to redeem meals for friends or family
members who are not included in my reservation or have not purchased a Disney
dining plan?
A. Sorry, you may not use your Disney Deluxe Dining Plan to redeem meals for friends
or family members who are not included in your reservation or have not purchased a
Disney dining plan.
and we will be on the same reservation (booking as a whole and reservation at the restaurant) and have purchased a DDP, so according to this part of the brochure it would be allowed. Without the first part quoted above, it would be ok...just trying to give the people who gave FIL bad information the benefit of the doubt - I do see how that the rules prohibit him from proceeding, but I also see how there was a chance this made them misunderstand

Thank you all again for your clarity and explanations! I will update when I hear how calling CRT directly goes!

But there isn't a way to call CRT directly. He will get a call center and whether or not he gets correct information depends on the quality of the CM that answers the phone. It is stated plainly in the dining plan brochure that this will NOT work. That's the official policy.

It's like when people think they are calling the front desk of their resort. They don't realize those calls are routed to a call center that isn't on the property.

 

[mom2of2]

If your FIL still wants to call CRT directly, have him call the managers office and leave a message. If he calls the podium he might not get the correct information since greeters don't always know how procedures inside the restaurant work.

 

[Allison]

Reservation refers to being on the same room reservation not an ADR.

 

[cwt580]

Reservation refers to being on the same room reservation not an ADR.

ding ding winner winner chicken dinner....