DDP-2 rooms lite eaters!!!

[archcrb]

we have 2 rooms for 2 adults, 3 kids (12,11,6), 1 for 3 days then 1 for 5 (one of us will be switching to sister's room for last 5 days)

my Question is this, we have the dining plan setup now with my wife on 1 res. =3snacks,3cs,3 ts
2nd res=3adults x 7days of snack, 7cs, 7 ts
1 child 7sn, 7cs, 7ts

here's the thing, we will have a total of 24 adult credits for ea-snacks,cs,ts plus child for 6 yr old. x 7days

will they let us use the 24 credits between all 4 adults(mom, dad, 11,12)? Basically my thinking is this, am I doing something wrong if I don't think my 11 & 12 yrs old are going to eat full portions every meal and instead switch one of their res. to my wife's res. and only pay for 2 ad + 1 ch for 7 days and 2 ad for 3 days and pay out of pocket or have kids share some meals instead of plunking down $40 a day in mid august heat hoping we'll get our money's worth. this way we'd have 20 ad credits for sn,cs,ts + chx7 and wife and I would use most of these and pay for kids meals.

this seems to be a bit complex, I guess that's the problem when res's are made tso far in advance... the mind strts to wander into money saving mode.

any understanding or help would be great!

 

[Disney"5"]

First question- Do I assume correct, that when the sister arrives, that room ressie will not have the dining plan?
2nd question- Did you mean that you will have 1 ressie for 3 days and 1 for 7, (not 5) and the person with the 3 day ressie will move to the sister's room, and the other family members will stay in the 7 day ressie with the dining plan.

If this is all understood, (I hope no one gets mad at me for this ) couldn't you have 1 reservation for 7 days with the dining plan, and completely leave off the dining plan for the 3 day ressie. Then you would still have 7 days of TS, CS, and Snack for each person in that room. (1 adult and 2 "adult" children, plus the child under 10). This gives you 21 of each for the adults, and 7 for the child.

We will be using the dining plan in September for the first time, so I'm not totally sure how everything will work. I believe that you can only use the number of table services as you have people on the plan at one time. If you only show 3 adults on the plan, and then if both adults and both "adult kids" want to order at a table service at one time, you will have to pay for someone out of pocket for an adult meal. I don't believe you can use your table services any way you want. (Counter services are a little less strict, from what I hear.)
Officially, the plan is supposed to be used by only the people on the reservation, but that isn't something I care to worry about. It appears you aren't going during free dining, and you are using adult meals for adults. Not trying to use child meals for adults.
But watch out! I hope I didn't make anyone upset!

 

[GOODoldPAL]

we have 2 rooms for 2 adults, 3 kids (12,11,6), 1 for 3 days then 1 for 5 (one of us will be switching to sister's room for last 5 days)

my Question is this, we have the dining plan setup now with my wife on 1 res. =3snacks,3cs,3 ts
2nd res=3adults x 7days of snack, 7cs, 7 ts
1 child 7sn, 7cs, 7ts

here's the thing, we will have a total of 24 adult credits for ea-snacks,cs,ts plus child for 6 yr old. x 7days

will they let us use the 24 credits between all 4 adults(mom, dad, 11,12)? Basically my thinking is this, am I doing something wrong if I don't think my 11 & 12 yrs old are going to eat full portions every meal and instead switch one of their res. to my wife's res. and only pay for 2 ad + 1 ch for 7 days and 2 ad for 3 days and pay out of pocket or have kids share some meals instead of plunking down $40 a day in mid august heat hoping we'll get our money's worth. this way we'd have 20 ad credits for sn,cs,ts + chx7 and wife and I would use most of these and pay for kids meals.

this seems to be a bit complex, I guess that's the problem when res's are made tso far in advance... the mind strts to wander into money saving mode.

any understanding or help would be great!

Not sure if I am understanding correctly about resort days that are overlapping.
But if they are, DDP is good only for "time of stay" so you can't use a day of credits later for a consecutive reservation.

Otherwise only you can judge how much your "adult kids" will eat. DIS posters seem to generally report large portions. My 14 yr old can pack away food she likes but is likely to often eat off of kid's menu. So yes, my DH & I will technically use her TS credit and pay OOP for her kids meal.

Also, (after looking at menus) my DH & I decided to buy 1 appetizer & bottle of wine OOP and share the TS credit (app, entree, drink & dessert). Of course we don't have to screw around with our reservations to go that route if we want to - it's our option. We'll use the extra TS credits we accumulate for an extra TS (breakfast & dinner one day).

If you are just trying to find a way to not have to pay for 4 Adult & 1 Child DDP (entire family, entire length of stay), then I agree with the other response; just book one room with no DDP (but is the room rate higher for only one adult?) and the other room with DDP and pay OOP for whatever you choose as you go.

I actually picked likely meals off the menus and added up cost to decide where & when to pay OOP (especially for DD).

 

[powellrj]

I am really not sure what you are asking, but I will give it a shot.

You must buy the dining plan for everyone in your room. If you have 1 adult and 2 children, each person must have their own dining plan.

Your credits only last until midnight of the day you check-out.

While some places MAY let you share meals. Some MAY not. I wouldn't plan my whole dining plan on sharing meals because some resturants MAY make you order for the amount of people on your card. They MAY make you order an adult portion of a childs meal and use your credit.

If your card says 2 Adults and 2 children. Thats all that you can order. You can't have 3 adults and 3 children ordering off a card that says 2 adults and 2 children.

Like I said, I am not sure what you were asking, but this is what I think you were asking.

 

[bicker]

will they let us use the 24 credits between all 4 adults(mom, dad, 11,12)?

Dining Plan credits can only be used by the guests actually registered as guests in the room for which the Dining Plan is purchased.

Basically my thinking is this, am I doing something wrong if I don't think my 11 & 12 yrs old are going to eat full portions every meal

This might be a good reason to skip the Dining Plan entirely, at least for the room in which those two children are registered as guests.

this seems to be a bit complex, I guess that's the problem when res's are made tso far in advance... the mind strts to wander into money saving mode.

It doesn't get any simpler when you're thinking about this right before your trip either. I think what you're struggling with is that the offering perhaps is not a good enough deal for you; maybe you're trying to make it match your needs instead of checking to see if it matches your needs. The Dining Plan is what it is. It's not a good deal for everyone.

 

[bicker]

If this is all understood, (I hope no one gets mad at me for this ) couldn't you have 1 reservation for 7 [nights] with the dining plan, and completely leave off the dining plan for the 3 day ressie. Then you would still have 7 [nights] of TS, CS, and Snack for each person in that room. (1 adult and 2 "adult" children, plus the child under 10). This gives you 21 of each for the adults, and 7 for the child.

Unfortunately, this is a direct violation of Disney policy:

If, as you suggest, the OP only gets the Dining Plan for one of the two hotel rooms, and that room has one of the adults and the 12 y/o and the 11 y/o, then the Dining Plan credits are to be used only by those three members of the family, and the rest must pay OOP.

We will be using the dining plan in September for the first time, so I'm not totally sure how everything will work. I believe that you can only use the number of table services as you have people on the plan at one time.

That's correct, but as you see above, you're obligated to just use the credits for the folks included in your reservation. You cannot redeem meals for folks staying in another hotel room, even if they're family members.

Officially, the plan is supposed to be used by only the people on the reservation, but that isn't something I care to worry about.

The moderators of this forum have indicated that the DIS does not promote ways to cheat Disney or get around the guidelines, and that posts advocating how to cheat the system will be deleted.

 

[archcrb]

I'm really not trying to cheat, just find out what will work best for us both ease-wise(not sure if that's a word) and dollar -wise. I'm seriously starting to think that the DDP isn't for us. Especially since the only planned ts meals we made res's for are late in the trip at the Poly(fri) and Holly&vine(sunA.M.) and my wife won't be able to use any credits.

Here's one more question...If we go to Poly and have res for 8(w/sisters 3+our 5) and we have 3 adults on plan (me and 11, 12) plus DD-6yr plus sister and 2 kids = 7 of eight in res are on plan, how/can we just pay OOP for my wife, meaning will they split up the check/tax/expected tip???

I know my questions are a big long winded, I'm still getting the hang of the Boards... I am grateful for all the advise