Cheaters???Hmmmm!!

[archcrb]

I began reading these boards about 3 months ago while reserving our upcoming vacation in Aug 07. I received some great information that I would never had thought of, much of which I am sure to benefit from on our trip. The idea that people are cheaters when they get an extra adult meal over downsizing to a kids meal seems a bit harsh. While I don't advocate cheating (I guess this is a tiny bit hypocritical) I thought the purpose of these boards was to get info out there to Dis Families to maximize their experience and get the most for their money. Just remember I haven't seen a thread encouraging jumping cue lines ,explaining how to get in any back doors to the attractions. I actual recall a thread that said you could get away with putting small snacks or a collapsable cooler in the park. Am I mistaken or is this a "violation'. I'm not sure which of the 'clues' are wrong and which are right.
Tell me this, If we pay for our DDP and for DW, me + DD12 & DD11 we pay for (and we are paying-8/12-8/19), that's 38.99 ea/day, is it cheating if we get 7 SC, 7 CS, & 7 TS each but my DW and I use 8TS each and we pay OOP for a meal for the kids.
I'll be real interested if this is cheating or not.

 

[rsmithx]

I have noticed some differing attitudes about how to "appropriately" use the DDP. Especially during the free DDP season. First of all, I don't think there should be any distinction between those who pay for it or those who get in on the deal. Still the same points, same plan. Who cares if it's free? I think it sounds like some people think that if you got in on the free deal and you do something funky (like use one of your child's credits for a TS) you are "cheating" the system.

I don't think so. I think it's being smart.

I find nothing wrong with paying OOP for half the meal, there is no rule against this. I don't think there really are any RULES to the DDP except those people have made up in their heads.

I was interested in finding a way to put DD3 on DDP. I read various postings, many which seemed to think this was "cheating the system". So...instead of going by what OTHERS thought, we called Disney. We asked if it was possible, and they told us YES and told us what needed to be done, with a "Have a Magical Day" at the end.

No cheating, just being smart and making the best out of a great vacation.

 

[shondad]

JMO - I don't think that would be considered cheating at all. As everyone in your party is considered an adult. I thinks it makes absolutely no difference.

 

[shondad]

I was interested in finding a way to put DD3 on DDP.

Your DD3 would have to be on the DDP and have a ticket if everyone else is. At Disney children age 2 and under are free.

 

[bookgirl2632]

No, it isn't cheating. All the the TS credits are adult TS credits and you can use them as you wish. So if you want to pay OOP for some meals, go right ahead.

 

[archcrb]

#1 res=DW sunday thru wed, on ddp
#2 res=DH, DD12, DD11 + DD6 sunday thru sunday, on ddp
#3 res=(my sister,) DSis, her DD11 +DS 8 wed thru sunday, on ddp
Our ADR for POLY are for 8 on friday. My DW will not have her TS credits because they must be used or cancel on wed at 12 midnight. Are we allowed to use our banked TS credits for four adults and DD6 at Poly if we have them or are we only allowed to use 3 adult because of #2 res. and then have to pay OOP for DW? I'm guessing it's the latter. I'm wondering if there is way to utilize the credits since they are being paid for an adult and used by an adult. I think I'm going to pose this question to the reservations CM and see what can be worked out without being considered a cheater!!

 

[Allison]

I was interested in finding a way to put DD3 on DDP. I read various postings, many which seemed to think this was "cheating the system". So...instead of going by what OTHERS thought, we called Disney. We asked if it was possible, and they told us YES and told us what needed to be done, with a "Have a Magical Day" at the end.

No cheating, just being smart and making the best out of a great vacation.

You must have read the posts incorrectly or another poster had wrong information. A child that is 3 is expected to be on the dining plan if the rest of the party is also on it.

Also, there are very specific rules on the dining plan which I believe are stated in the brochure but they like to phrase it as FAQ's.

 

[rsmithx]

You must have read the posts incorrectly or another poster had wrong information. A child that is 3 is expected to be on the dining plan if the rest of the party is also on it.

Also, there are very specific rules on the dining plan which I believe are stated in the brochure but they like to phrase it as FAQ's.

Yes a mistake, DD is 1 not 3

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think it sounds like some people think that if you got in on the free deal and you do something funky (like use one of your child's credits for a TS) you are "cheating" the system.

Whereas I believe Disney so considers this example "cheating" the system that they have now (editorial opinion: finally!) instituted measures to prevent it.

 

[Allison]

Yes a mistake, DD is 1 not 3

I see. I was going from the information you posted above. You said in your post she was 3 (DD3).

 

[Allison]

Whereas I believe Disney so considers this example "cheating" the system that they have now (editorial opinion: finally!) instituted measures to prevent it.

Instituted measures to prevent it and plainly stated in their brochure that it isn't allowed.

 

[disneyjunkie]

You said in your post above she was 3 (DD3).

Maybe he meant daughter number 3, not her age. I've seen several posters do this.

 

[Allison]

Maybe he meant daughter number 3, not her age. I've seen several posters do this.

Oh, that could be.

 

[powellrj]

ok, I also answered on the last thread you started and I am REALLY not sure what you are asking or what you want to know.

Its not cheating nor is it "violation" (your word) to bring snacks into the park. Its in the park rules that a small softsided cooler is allowed. You go through a security check. There is no cheating involved. Disney knows you are bringing snacks into the park.

If you are wanting to have people in your room not on the plan, which is what I am thinking your last thread was about, that is cheating because everyone in the room must be on the dining plan. Everyone on the dining plan gets a room key with at least a one day ticket value on that key along with all the dining credits linked to that room. If you want to have 4 people in a room with only 3 on the dining plan, that is cheating because Disney does state that each person must be on the plan.

Your second question is this thread is the one that has me confused.

I THINK you are asking can a person that is no longer a registered guest use a dining credit for a meal. That answer would be no, because it does state that the credits aren't transferable.

Many people on the DIS are VERY rules oriented. If you ask an innocent question about following a rule, most will tell you the correct answer in a respectful way. Its when people try to say they were able to break the rules or they don't agree with the rules or they want to do it their way is when threads get nasty.

Most people really do want you to get the most out of your vacation dollar and help you to have a great trip. They just don't want to be known as the message board that is giving out false information. If the Dis was telling everyone that "something wrong is really ok if you do it this way" how long would it be before people stop coming to the dis because of misinformation. Many CM post here and their job depends on accurate information. They don't want to be guilty of telling people to do things that are wrong in Disneys rules weather they agree with the rules or not.

Like I said, I am not sure what you are asking and I think that you are right when you say that its a question you will need to pose to Disney.

 

[Katiebell]

Tell me this, If we pay for our DDP and for DW, me + DD12 & DD11 we pay for (and we are paying-8/12-8/19), that's 38.99 ea/day, is it cheating if we get 7 SC, 7 CS, & 7 TS each but my DW and I use 8TS each and we pay OOP for a meal for the kids.
I'll be real interested if this is cheating or not.

I think it sounds like some people think that if you got in on the free deal and you do something funky (like use one of your child's credits for a TS) you are "cheating" the system.

I don't think so. I think it's being smart.

I find nothing wrong with paying OOP for half the meal, there is no rule against this. I don't think there really are any RULES to the DDP except those people have made up in their heads.

Whereas I believe Disney so considers this example "cheating" the system that they have now (editorial opinion: finally!) instituted measures to prevent it.

Instituted measures to prevent it and plainly stated in their brochure that it isn't allowed.

ACK! I'm thoroughly confused!!! I think the original two posters were referring to "adult" kids' TS credits, not "kid" kids' TS credits. And I believe the OP was saying that one night they would pay OOP for their two "adult" kids (aged 11 and 12), thus saving 2 TS credits for another TS meal for mom and dad. Of course, then they'd have to pay for a second meal OOP for the girls.

The email I received from Disney regarding this stated: "Guests on the dining plan and sitting at a table in a table service restaurant are not required to use their dining credits for the meal. Guests may pay for the meal at the time of dining. If one Guest wishes to use a dining credit and the other Guest in the party wishes to order food and beverage and pay for it instead of using their dining credit, that is permitted." That is just an email that I received, not printed anywhere in a brochure, but it looks like a cut and paste corporate "official" response. But according to that, then it's fine if one (or some) party members do not use their DDP credit for meal, and order ala carte off the menu instead, which would leave extra credits. People have talked about doing this if one of their party members is a very light eater, has had gastric bypass, are adult "kids" that are 10-14 years old and can't eat a full three course adult sized meal, etc. However, I don't think they've stopped to calculate in the cost of paying for the extra meals for those folks -- because even if they are conserving a TS credit or two, they are still having to pay something for those meals because those members of their party still need to eat!

The things that are cheating the system are pretty cut and dry:

You can't use credits to purchase food for people who are not part of your party/on your package which includes the dining plan.

You can't use cheaper kids' credits to purchase adult meals. It's impossible now to do this with TS, and the CS meals are on an honor system. No matter what some CM's may have suggested, Disney is obviously trying to prevent this from happening at CS by limiting the number of adult and child meals purchased at one transaction to the number of adults and kids on your card. Whether or not it's possible to do is beside the point. If you are having to get back in line to order additional adult meals with your kids' credits -- then yes, it is cheating, and everyone knows it is or they wouldn't be posting, "Is it ok to do this?" The kids' meals average $4.50, the adult meals average $12.50, and the kids' plan is $11.99 a day -- for CS, TS, AND snack. It's not hard to figure out that nifty "trick" isn't playing fair.

Whether or not you can order one adult TS meal and split it between two people is up in the air. The emails a couple of us have received have stated: "ordering one meal and sharing is not permitted with the dining plan." However, again, that's an email, and there is nothing in the printed material about this. And it seems like most restaurants and servers are fine with customers on the plan splitting meals -- because customers paying OOP are allowed to do so. Still a gray area -- and I would say you can always ask, but don't plan your entire budget and trip around that because they may say no.

As far as family/party members sharing items amongst themselves once the food is ordered and on the table -- ie mom and dad share their appetizers and desserts with their children, mom eats Junior's burger and he eats her steak, etc -- there doesn't seem to be any problem with that at all.

Any other scenarios you can think of?

 

[NMW]

I began reading these boards about 3 months ago while reserving our upcoming vacation in Aug 07. I received some great information that I would never had thought of, much of which I am sure to benefit from on our trip. The idea that people are cheaters when they get an extra adult meal over downsizing to a kids meal seems a bit harsh. While I don't advocate cheating (I guess this is a tiny bit hypocritical) I thought the purpose of these boards was to get info out there to Dis Families to maximize their experience and get the most for their money. Just remember I haven't seen a thread encouraging jumping cue lines ,explaining how to get in any back doors to the attractions. I actual recall a thread that said you could get away with putting small snacks or a collapsable cooler in the park. Am I mistaken or is this a "violation'. I'm not sure which of the 'clues' are wrong and which are right.
Tell me this, If we pay for our DDP and for DW, me + DD12 & DD11 we pay for (and we are paying-8/12-8/19), that's 38.99 ea/day, is it cheating if we get 7 SC, 7 CS, & 7 TS each but my DW and I use 8TS each and we pay OOP for a meal for the kids.
I'll be real interested if this is cheating or not.

I don't think this is "cheating" however, many posters have reported CM's REALLY, REALLY cracking down on families using the plan "exactly" as they paid for it. So, if your plan is to pay oop for 2 kids meals and your card says 4 adults, you may have an issue. Now, if you plan to pay oop for two adult meals, I don't see how a CM can say anything. It has been reported by dining CM's that they are now being audited and any "cheating" is impossible.

I think the real issue is that people used to pay for kids credits and then use them/save them for adult meals while paying oop for the kids. Disney stopped all that by seperating the TS credits into child/adult. It is rumored to be in the works for CS as well. Your issue is different since, you are all "adults" on the plan. I really think it will depend on whether you plan to order and pay oop for 2 "kids" meals or 2 "adult" meals. If it's kids meals you want, it may depend on the server as well as the resturant's policy on this. They are within their rights to say "no" since kids menus are for 9 and under.

Also, I don't think it's against WDW rules to bring a cooler into the park. They do search them, but you can bring them.

 

[bicker]

I don't advocate cheating (I guess this is a tiny bit hypocritical) I thought the purpose of these boards was to get info out there to Dis Families to maximize their experience and get the most for their money.

That hypocrisy you're talking about is really the issue. While the object of these forums is to enhance everyone's enjoyment of their vacation, it isn't to do so via compromising society's values. Advocating going around and finding loopholes in Disney's stated policies is not allowed on the DISboards. The DIS does not promote ways to cheat Disney or get around the guidelines. It's just a matter of principle.

I actual recall a thread that said you could get away with putting small snacks or a collapsable cooler in the park. Am I mistaken or is this a "violation'.

According to Guest Communications, "[FONT=&quot]Generally, however, plastic bottles for water, juice, etc. are allowed.[/FONT]"

Tell me this, If we pay for our DDP and for DW, me + DD12 & DD11 we pay for (and we are paying-8/12-8/19), that's 38.99 ea/day, is it cheating if we get 7 SC, 7 CS, & 7 TS each but my DW and I use 8TS each and we pay OOP for a meal for the kids. I'll be real interested if this is cheating or not.

Since you're all over 10 years old, it's perfectly fine. The only rule that prevents sharing credits between guests staying in the same hotel room is this one:

 

[bicker]

I don't think there really are any RULES to the DDP except those people have made up in their heads.

The rules can be found here: http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/m...agespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/07Dining.pdf

I was interested in finding a way to put DD[1] on DDP. I read various postings, many which seemed to think this was "cheating the system". So...instead of going by what OTHERS thought, we called Disney. We asked if it was possible, and they told us YES and told us what needed to be done, with a "Have a Magical Day" at the end.

No rule against paying for something, at least not as far as I can see in the link, above.

No cheating, just being smart and making the best out of a great vacation.

Absolutely. Contrast that with some of the other things that folks have advocated online in the past, with regard to the Dining Plan, i.e., paying for a child and using the credit for an adult. What you did was pay a mutually-acceptable price for a mutually-acceptable service, as opposed to unilaterally deciding to impose your own five-fingered discount on Disney.

 

[bicker]

#1 res=DW sunday thru wed, on ddp
#2 res=DH, DD12, DD11 + DD6 sunday thru sunday, on ddp
#3 res=(my sister,) DSis, her DD11 +DS 8 wed thru sunday, on ddp
Our ADR for POLY are for 8 on friday. My DW will not have her TS credits because they must be used or cancel on wed at 12 midnight. Are we allowed to use our banked TS credits for four adults and DD6 at Poly if we have them or are we only allowed to use 3 adult because of #2 res. and then have to pay OOP for DW?

This is the relevant rule in the brochure.

 

[bicker]

Its not cheating nor is it "violation" (your word) to bring snacks into the park. Its in the park rules that a small softsided cooler is allowed. You go through a security check.

These are unrelated things. The security check is checking for dangerous items only (glass bottles, knives, hard-sided coolers, rolling luggage, etc.) The security guards are not to impose operational policy.

Its when people try to say they were able to break the rules or they don't agree with the rules or they want to do it their way is when threads get nasty.