Definition of Disney Dining Plan

[biggroofy]

I know it is stupid to ask, but that is what I have experienced with the 1-800 number this morning. I called Disney Dining Reservations and informed them that I am on Disney Dining Plan and would like to book Flying Fish Cafe for dinner. After a while, I had some questions on infant sharing a plate with adults, and she suddenly asked me, "wait, what do you mean by Dining Plan?". The lady then describes there are two different types: A).with Disney Vacation Club you have a plan to enjoy discount at restaurants, B). what I am getting should be called "Magic Your Way Plus Dining".

Anyways, a few questions:
1). Does it really matters (during reservation) if I am on Dining Plan or not? I mean is it OK to pay out of my pocket for some meals, and NOT to use dining plan (say I think Flying Fish does not worth 2 table service meals). When I made reservation, they asked me for home phone number only.

2). The lady said kids under 3-year-old are not always FREE. Some restaurants do not allow sharing a plate with toddlers?

3). When I request to go thru my list of previous bookings, the lady claims that I can always can a print-out of my restaurant reservations when I arrived at the resort. However, the staff I previously spoken with said NO.

Can someone clarify please. Thanks!

 

[DisneyMom5]

I know it is stupid to ask, but that is what I have experienced with the 1-800 number this morning. I called Disney Dining Reservations and informed them that I am on Disney Dining Plan and would like to book Flying Fish Cafe for dinner. After a while, I had some questions on infant sharing a plate with adults, and she suddenly asked me, "wait, what do you mean by Dining Plan?". The lady then describes there are two different types: A).with Disney Vacation Club you have a plan to enjoy discount at restaurants, B). what I am getting should be called "Magic Your Way Plus Dining".

First of all, she sounds like she's not on the ball. They all should be familiar with the DDP.

Anyways, a few questions:
1). Does it really matters (during reservation) if I am on Dining Plan or not? I mean is it OK to pay out of my pocket for some meals, and NOT to use dining plan (say I think Flying Fish does not worth 2 table service meals). When I made reservation, they asked me for home phone number only.

Not sure why they need to know that. Should not matter how you pay. Has been speculation that they have tables set aside for DDP, but who knows.

2). The lady said kids under 3-year-old are not always FREE. Some restaurants do not allow sharing a plate with toddlers?

NO, that's not what she means. If you order the under-three child a meal at a restaurant that is not a buffet/family style restaurant, then you pay. If you do not order that child a meal, then you don't pay. Make sense? You are always able to share with a young child free of charge.

3). When I request to go thru my list of previous bookings, the lady claims that I can always can a print-out of my restaurant reservations when I arrived at the resort. However, the staff I previously spoken with said NO.

Can someone clarify please. Thanks!

You can request at any time for your ADRs to be verified on the phone AND you are supposed to be able to get a print out at the resort. But they should always give you your ADRs over the phone, whether it is a pain for them or not.
Does that answer all your questions?

 

[Wendy31]

After I make changes to my dining ADR's, I will often call back & verify all my ADR's (not just the ones I've changed) to make sure everything I've reserved is listed & that I have the same ADR #'s that Disney Dining does, and I've never had a CM not willing to list for me my ADR's.

I would never wait until I checked into our resort for a printed ADR list. I want to know beforehand if something I have is different from what Disney has. I'm too afraid of walking up to a check-in counter at a restaurant (especially at one of the those "hard-to-get" restaurants) and being told that they can't find my ADR.

Just today, I called Disney Dining to schedule a breakfast and then I asked if I could have a later FDP at Mama Melrose's than what I had originally scheduled due to the MGM parade time. So, the CM checks my ADR's, and she found an ADR for Mama Melrose but it wasn't listed as a FDP. Since FDP's are limited, I was very glad I called & got it straightened out!

If I were you, I'd call back & speak w/ another CM - some CM's are more knowledgeable & helpful than others.

 

[biggroofy]

Thank with DisneyMom5 and Wendy31. I am going to call them this evening to verify. I had great experience before speaking with nice and helpful CM, but recently the two CM are making me confused. Does it make a difference since I used to called 1-407-WDW-DINE from Canada, and recently I called 1-800-828-0228? Anyways, I guess that's only a matter of luck

Question for Wendy31: When you call and verify your ADRs, you give your phone number to the CM. Do you list out all your ADR (date, time, restaurant) and let the CM say "Yes...Correct....OK....", or it is vice versa? Just curious to know.

DisneyMom5, I understand that rule for under-3-child. Toddlers eat free in buffet restaurant, or share a plate with adult in Al La Carte. The CM lady claimed that is not a necessary rule for all restaurants, some allows kids to eat free (or share a plate), but some restaurants do not allow sharing (kids must order something) - I guess she is referring to some FINE Dining restaruants? Not sure since this CM acts weird (at least to me). Hopefully Flying Fish Restaurant is not a fine dining one, since she said dress code is business causal.

2). The lady said kids under 3-year-old are not always FREE. Some restaurants do not allow sharing a plate with toddlers?

NO, that's not what she means. If you order the under-three child a meal at a restaurant that is not a buffet/family style restaurant, then you pay. If you do not order that child a meal, then you don't pay. Make sense? You are always able to share with a young child free of charge.

 

[tmfranlk]

Question for Wendy31: When you call and verify your ADRs, you give your phone number to the CM. Do you list out all your ADR (date, time, restaurant) and let the CM say "Yes...Correct....OK....", or it is vice versa? Just curious to know.

I'm not Wendy, but have done this too. I usually just give them my phone number and then the CM reads of my ADRs - place, date and time. I have had a couple of times when they had something listed under an incorrect phone number or spelling. If they are missing something on your list, then give them the confirmation number for that meal to see if they can pull it up some other way. I have never had a problem with CMs reviewing this info with me so hopefully you get someone helpful this time around.

 

[DisneyMom5]

DisneyMom5, I understand that rule for under-3-child. Toddlers eat free in buffet restaurant, or share a plate with adult in Al La Carte. The CM lady claimed that is not a necessary rule for all restaurants, some allows kids to eat free (or share a plate), but some restaurants do not allow sharing (kids must order something) - I guess she is referring to some FINE Dining restaruants? Not sure since this CM acts weird (at least to me). Hopefully Flying Fish Restaurant is not a fine dining one, since she said dress code is business causal.

Hmm...I hope they don't give you a problem. That would be kind of silly on their part. We ate at Le Cellier with 2 little ones on the dining plan, and they were very gracious at giving them plates, and even brought the 2 yo a soda at no charge (not the official policy to give free drinks, just a very nice waiter). I feel that Le Cellier was a fine dining (for us anyway), but haven't been to Flying Fish. Well, its worth a try. Have a great trip!

 

[siestakeys04]

I had a great cm when i booked my adr's. She asked me if i was on the mywdining plan. She stated she would let me know if any adr's were 2ts credits or not. She also asked me if certain meals would be oop and she noted it on my adr. I at time had more than one ts meal so for breakfast i stated paying oop.

 

[Becky2005]

I haven't read through the entire post but the CM might also been trying to figure out if you were on the basic Dining plan OR the Premium plan!

I know this past summer, I had to be specific that we were on the Premium plan because at the time (don't know if it's changed) there were restaraunts on the Premium that were not on the Dining plan, etc...

Just one train of thought (in addition to the DVC dining plan you mentioned they now offer).