Dining Plan Question - do all in party need to buy the plan?

[robpalbny]

My family is travelling to Disney for 11 days in late August. The last few times we have gone we have taken advantage of the free dining. While we are hoping that FD gets offered again and we can modify our reservations, we are planning as if that won't happen. So here's the question:

There are 5 of us travelling: 2 adults, a just turned 2 year old, just turned 7 year old and just turned 12 year old (girl). My 12 year old girl is a very light, picky eater. She will not eat $47 worth of food each day, and we only have one buffet planned. I would like to purchase the dining plan for the 2 adults and 7 year old and pay for her meals out of pocket, but Disney says that everyone in the room has to have the dining plan (well, except the 2 year old of course). Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can take advantage of the dining plan w/out having to buy an adult plan for a picky 12 year old?

TIA!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

My family is travelling to Disney for 11 days in late August. The last few times we have gone we have taken advantage of the free dining. While we are hoping that FD gets offered again and we can modify our reservations, we are planning as if that won't happen. So here's the question:

There are 5 of us travelling: 2 adults, a just turned 2 year old, just turned 7 year old and just turned 12 year old (girl). My 12 year old girl is a very light, picky eater. She will not eat $47 worth of food each day, and we only have one buffet planned. I would like to purchase the dining plan for the 2 adults and 7 year old and pay for her meals out of pocket, but Disney says that everyone in the room has to have the dining plan (well, except the 2 year old of course). Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can take advantage of the dining plan w/out having to buy an adult plan for a picky 12 year old?

TIA!

No, you can not do this. Everyone on your reservation is one the same package which includes resort, tickets and dining.

 

[DannysMom]

Every one in the room must have the same package, so your DD12 will be on the adult plan. What many parents in your shoes will do is pay out of pocket for a kid's meal for their picky 10-11-12 year old at a non-buffet TS restaraunt, and "save" the adult TS credit for use by the adults in the party later. Do this twice & you then have an extra meal to plan on credits, just paying OOP for the kids meals.

 

[robpalbny]

Saving the credits for the adults...yes this especially makes sense since we were going to pay OOP for the Backyard BBQ and CRT. We could use her extra table service credits to make up the difference since those each require 2 TS credits. Off to crunch the numbers again...thanks!

 

[Mrs D]

Every one in the room must have the same package, so your DD12 will be on the adult plan. What many parents in your shoes will do is pay out of pocket for a kid's meal for their picky 10-11-12 year old at a non-buffet TS restaraunt, and "save" the adult TS credit for use by the adults in the party later. Do this twice & you then have an extra meal to plan on credits, just paying OOP for the kids meals.

Wow! Good call on this!

 

[Goukas]

Does anybody know if this also applies to DVC reservations? My family (4 of us - 2 kids under 10) is travelling with my sister-in-law and we are all on the same reservation. She's coming along on our points, but is not interested in the dp (quick service if it matters).

Would she also be required to get it if the 4 of us do?

 

[DLW8]

Does anybody know if this also applies to DVC reservations? My family (4 of us - 2 kids under 10) is travelling with my sister-in-law and we are all on the same reservation. She's coming along on our points, but is not interested in the dp (quick service if it matters).

Would she also be required to get it if the 4 of us do?

Yes, if you are all on the same reservation, you must all DO the dining plan or NOT do it.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you buy the dining plan for the rest of the party, you have to buy it for your 12 year old. No way around it.

Everyone on the reservation must have the same dining plan, or have no dining plan. Same for the DVC reservations. DVC can now segment the reservations and have a different dining plan on different days - but all members of the party registered in the room must have the same dining plan on the same days. If you all get the dining plan for any of your DVC days, your sister-in-law has to get it also if she is registered on the reservation.