DDP credits question for "adult" kid

[gopherit]

Apologies in advance if this is covered elsewhere - can't search.

We're buying the DDP for our trip in 2 weeks (we're DVC so no freebie for us, but it's still a savings in $ and time spent cooking, LOL!) We have 2 "real" adults, one "kid" adult age 11, a DS9 and DD6 in tow. All of us are "on the plan".

For a buffet TS, it's simple - we just use one credit per mouth to feed. That's 3 adult TS, 2 kid TS. BUt there will be times (at menu places) DS11 will want to eat what his bro and sis are eating. Example - if they get "bucket" kids meals at the pool, he may want the same. So... Can I use a kids' CS on DS11, or should I just pay OOP if he strays below "adult status" ?

Problem #2: Is it ok to ever use 4 adult credits when there are 3 in your party so long as you aren't feeding visiting Uncle Joe? I could see us getting 4 orders of Flame Tree ribs and splitting that up between the 5 of us - DS9 is a carnivore and can eat his weight in ribs. Is doing this illegal because I'm not feeding DS9 a kids' meal? (Or is there a kids' rib meal at TUsker?) For the most part, DS 9 will want a hotdog, or some other kids' meal fare, LOL, while DS11 will want a steak, so their plans will work. BUt I want to know in advance what to do if DS9 sees his big borther's chow and thinks, hey, where's MY steak? I want that! What do we do? Order a steak for him OOP? Then what do we do with the kid credit? Let DS11 use it for his bucket meal? AUGH!

And please don't slam me - we aren't trying to stock-pile kid credits for adult use. If anything, we run a very serious risk of having left-overs of either adult and/or kid, simply because I could see us saying, well, ok, we will buy that meal you want out of pocket... and then doing it again... and then oops, it's the end of vacation, and we have all these credits.

I am really trying not to overthink this. I elected to do DDP not based on the magnitude of what we could "save", but purely because looking at our past data and the DDP, the DDP was cheaper or equivalent to our usual game plan of groceries/dining in the villa with a few TS meals here and there - and frankly, just once I wanted a vacation where I didn't have to shop and cook, and DH didn't sit there over-thinking what our final VISA bill would be. It's so nice to have the food cost "set" already, LOL. But now I'm doing all sorts of mental math in my head - kid credit vs adult - who will want what, and how to mitigate it and keep it straight - making sure I'm not somehow breaking rules, but also not ending up with a heap of credits left over bacuse we kept paying out of pocket. My brain hurts!

Help?!?

 

[Anewman]

For a buffet TS, it's simple - we just use one credit per mouth to feed. That's 3 adult TS, 2 kid TS. BUt there will be times (at menu places) DS11 will want to eat what his bro and sis are eating. Example - if they get "bucket" kids meals at the pool, he may want the same. So... Can I use a kids' CS on DS11, or should I just pay OOP if he strays below "adult status" ?

There are no seperate(child vs adult) credits, you will have 5 TS/CHILD/snack credits per night of stay period. For 3 of those entitlements you paid $38, and you paid $11 on 2 of those entitlements.

You can tell the server to use 5 child CS credits towards your meal, bottom line you still used up 5 CS credits(your total for the day) regardless of what you call them.

I would pay out of pocket whenever he chooses to get a kids meal.

Problem #2: Is it ok to ever use 4 adult credits when there are 3 in your party so long as you aren't feeding visiting Uncle Joe? I could see us getting 4 orders of Flame Tree ribs and splitting that up between the 5 of us - DS9 is a carnivore and can eat his weight in ribs. Is doing this illegal because I'm not feeding DS9 a kids' meal? (Or is there a kids' rib meal at TUsker?) For the most part, DS 9 will want a hotdog, or some other kids' meal fare, LOL, while DS11 will want a steak, so their plans will work. BUt I want to know in advance what to do if DS9 sees his big borther's chow and thinks, hey, where's MY steak? I want that! What do we do? Order a steak for him OOP? Then what do we do with the kid credit? Let DS11 use it for his bucket meal? AUGH!

This is a trickier question, your room card will sat 3A/2C so your server will know that 2 of those entitlements cost $11 and you paid $38 for only 3(not 4).

Some get around this by having spouse stand in a seperate line and order the additional CS meals(adult) there, remember entire party is not required to stand in line at a CS place. IMO if you are doing this just to even out the use of your credits(cuz ordered kids meal earlier) it is not a big deal.

I am really trying not to overthink this. I elected to do DDP not based on the magnitude of what we could "save", but purely because looking at our past data and the DDP, the DDP was cheaper or equivalent to our usual game plan of groceries/dining in the villa with a few TS meals here and there - and frankly, just once I wanted a vacation where I didn't have to shop and cook, and DH didn't sit there over-thinking what our final VISA bill would be. It's so nice to have the food cost "set" already, LOL. But now I'm doing all sorts of mental math in my head - kid credit vs adult - who will want what, and how to mitigate it and keep it straight - making sure I'm not somehow breaking rules, but also not ending up with a heap of credits left over bacuse we kept paying out of pocket. My brain hurts!

Help?!?

Relax And have magical vacation, there will be plenty of food for everyone.

 

[bicker]

My brain hurts!

I don't blame you. I think you're overthinking it. You already figured out that the Dining Plan is a great deal. The point of the Dining Plan is so that you don't have to worry about what everyone is eating. So don't. Just use it. I would pay out-of-pocket only if you run out of credits. Most folks don't.

 

[DCDisney]

I think the chances of an 11 year old boy wanting to eat a kids CS meal are very slim. The kids meals are quite small. They are served in small mickey shaped plates. A serving of chicken nuggets is 4. The side is often applesauce. On the off chance he ever wants one you'll probably end up balanced out anyway if you are ordering an extra adult rib meal. My son was 8 on our last trip but he's the height and weight of a 10 year old plus he hates french fries so with always subbing fries for a small package of crackers and applesauce he wasn't eating that much at CS. It was always fine though with the snack later and the meals at TS were larger (except Mama Melrose). If the 11 year old wants kids food at a TS they will give him an adult portion of it.

Yvonne

 

[gopherit]

I think the chances of an 11 year old boy wanting to eat a kids CS meal are very slim. The kids meals are quite small. They are served in small mickey shaped plates. A serving of chicken nuggets is 4. The side is often applesauce. On the off chance he ever wants one you'll probably end up balanced out anyway if you are ordering an extra adult rib meal. My son was 8 on our last trip but he's the height and weight of a 10 year old plus he hates french fries so with always subbing fries for a small package of crackers and applesauce he wasn't eating that much at CS. It was always fine though with the snack later and the meals at TS were larger (except Mama Melrose). If the 11 year old wants kids food at a TS they will give him an adult portion of it.

Yvonne

Well, actually, he's like a camel - he has days when he eats like an adult, but quite often, he also goes long spells of nothingness. Yesterday he ate 1/2 peanut butter sandwich for lunch. That was it. No chips, no junk inbetween - nuthin. but for dinner - he ate a huge chicken fajita and a plate of rice and dessert. Yes, he will want the "adult treatment", LOL - but I could see there being times when he wants the food of a kid - I hadto laugh when he perused the NBA cafe menu - he asked, "Am I an adult here, or still a kid?" He was checking out both menus. So he's still keeping his options open, LOL. ANother example - he loves the kids' meal at ESPN. Said to me, "Do I HAVE to get an adult meal there? Cuz their little burgers are jussst right!" He's at an in-betweener stage, I guess, so I can see it going both ways. I can also see my 9yr old occasionally thinking, hey, what about me - maybe I would like something off the adult plan!

You make a good point about an "adult" portion of "kid" food - that is an option to consider.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I'd say the simpliest thing would be to ask the CM serving you. Everyone is going to experience different examples of what is allowed and what isn't (because that's just the way it is!). Go, have fun, and order your meals anyway you want and hopefully it will all work out in the end.

 

[patsal]

I had some of the same cocerns with my 10 yo. Just talk to your server we were able to mix and match, even my 14 yo of\rdered off the children's menu for dessert occasionally. We really had no problems and even with the straying form the adult menu still found the plan to be excellent.

 

[CherylA]

I agree to not pay OOP unless you run out of credits. Chances are you won't. I always have a ton of extra credits escpecially for counter service. You can order whatever you want at counter service and not be questioned because everyone in your party isn't usually present anyway. If you want a couple of kids meals and a couple of adult meals or just 3 adult meals and share, whatever. No one at a counter service place in Disney will bother you. Someone from the DIS might try to beat you up but no one at the counter service places will care if you share. The only way I see anyone ever giving you a hard time is if you try to order more than 3 adult meals at once because your card will say 3 adult 2 child. If you really wanted 4 adult meals to share or 5 adult meals just have your husband get in line behind you and order the other two. I know I'm one of them.... Actually I have no need to do this, I was just sharing info Now table service is completely different because your whole party is usually present but with such a mix of adult and child meals you will be able to get whatever you want. Order what you want and the server will figure it out at the end!