Does everyone at the table have to use it?

[DisneyTeacher]

I hope this hasn't been asked 20 times before, sorry if it has.

I've heard that everyone at the table has to use the dining plan and a credit with be charged no matter what, even if they order and eat nothing. I know child and adult credits are no longer pooled so I'm not trying to save child credits. I just hate to think that if my son is tired and not hungry we'll be charged even if he doesn't eat.

What if I'm not really hungry and just want a smallish meal but my DH is hungry and wants a big meal. Can he use a TS credit and then we pay out of pocket for what I order?

Is it true everyone at the table will be charged a credit even if they don't eat or want to pay out of pocket for part of the meal?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Buffets, yes. Non-buffets, it depends.

 

[DisneyTeacher]

Buffets I understand but I would hate to be charged a credit if my son doesn't order anything at a non-buffet restaurant. I guess there is a reason for this change but I don't understand it.

 

[bicker]

I believe the best answer to your question is, "Not yet." That could change before your visit, though, so be forewarned.

 

[HayGan]

Buffets, yes. Non-buffets, it depends.

We have paid OOP at buffets (and at plenty of TS restaurants) for a few members of the party. Tell your server at the begining and they will generally accomodate your request.

With that said, if you are at a buffet everyone will have to pay even if they don't eat (whether it be using a credit or paying OOP.) It would be too difficult for servers to monitor who has eaten food and who hasn't. Would you really want someone standing over your family/party watching if someone has eaten or not? Disney is just like any buffet restaurant - you enter, you pay.

I still don't see how Disney can force everyone at a table to all use credits if they don't allow sharing of credits for non-DDP guests. So you can never eat a meal with anyone that isn't on the plan?!?! Not practical!!!

 

[Booknut]

We had no problems at all either sharing a TS (not a buffet) when we weren't that hungry or paying out of pocket for one etc. I don't think the restaurant will have any problems if someone in your party is not eating and just drinking (you will have to pay for the drink out of pocket).

I found the Disney staff in restaurants really helpful at explaining the plan and also at being flexible when we wanted to do things differently. Have a great time!

 

[bicker]

I still don't see how Disney can force everyone at a table to all use credits if they don't allow sharing of credits for non-DDP guests.

They can simply put a requirement on the Dining Plan that, if using the Dining Plan, everyone at the table must pay for an entree, and only folks on the Dining Plan can use Dining Plan credits to pay for their entrees.

 

[mumto2]

At non-buffet TS, we have had no problem both not ordering for everyone at the table, and ordering an extra kids meal (paying for it OOP) for DS2 when we wanted to order food he would not eat. Since he is 2, he doesn't qualify for DDP credits of his own. Once, at Whispering Canyon, a credit was deducted for him (he had shared with me), but we noticed it before "paying," and our server promptly removed it and apologized for the error.

Like anywhere, we have noticed that non-typical circumstances often cause confusion with servers, so it is always best to clarify things before the check comes (I'd even check with the hostess before seating and confirm with the waiter if you are truly concerned).

 

[nollequeen]

Just last week at Coral Reef, my inlaws who only wanted soup were allowed to save their TS credit and pay out of pocket while we used our credits and ate the whole shebang. No problem.

 

[DisneyTeacher]

Thanks for your replies. I asked a CM when I was booking my ADRs and she said we shouldn't have a problem paying out of pocket for part of our family but I had read that wasn't always the case.

 

[mchames]

Anyone buy a child an adult menu item OOP instead of using a child credit at that meal?

We are going in May: me, DH, DD9 & DD7 on the DDP. We were thinking of allowing DD9 to order an adult appetizer as her meal at a couple of TS restaurants (ex: Kona Chowder at Kona Cafe (her favorite) and Lobster Bisque at Coral Reef) to break up the monotony of the child's meals and pay OOP. She has sophisticated tastes, but eats like a bird. We would then use the left over child TS credits for a character breakfast and pay OOP for my DH and myself. Does anyone think this will be a problem?

Thanks.
Mary

PS- DD7 will be perfectly happy with mac 'n cheese at every meal every day!

 

[HayGan]

Anyone buy a child an adult menu item OOP instead of using a child credit at that meal?

We are going in May: me, DH, DD9 & DD7 on the DDP. We were thinking of allowing DD9 to order an adult appetizer as her meal at a couple of TS restaurants (ex: Kona Chowder at Kona Cafe (her favorite) and Lobster Bisque at Coral Reef) to break up the monotony of the child's meals and pay OOP. She has sophisticated tastes, but eats like a bird. We would then use the left over child TS credits for a character breakfast and pay OOP for my DH and myself. Does anyone think this will be a problem?

Thanks.
Mary

PS- DD7 will be perfectly happy with mac 'n cheese at every meal every day!

You can certainly do that. Just notify your server when they take your order as to who will be using credits and who will be paid for OOP. VERY few people have reported any problems in doing this.

 

[TDC Nala]

They can simply put a requirement on the Dining Plan that, if using the Dining Plan, everyone at the table must pay for an entree, and only folks on the Dining Plan can use Dining Plan credits to pay for their entrees.

How will that work if you are not on the dining plan, you are sitting with your friends who ARE on the dining plan, and you just want to order appetizers?

 

[FancyBrat]

I called Disney Dining about this subject as I've had GB and can't eat more then fist full of food so the buffets wouldn't work for me but still want to do them for the kids just for the Character interaction. They stated that as long as I let my server know ahead of time and didn't eat anything I can sit and enjoy with my family without having to use a credit on the DDP.

 

[bicker]

(In reply to TDC Nala Well, keep in mind that we're now speculating about speculation... Assuming they put such a requirement in place, everyone would have to order an entress, right? Personally, if I were not on the Dining Plan, and just wanted to order appetizers, I would expect the folks on the Dining Plan to cover the extra cost to me. After all, they're getting the "great deal" so they should suffer the consequences, not me.

 

[bicker]

I called Disney Dining about this subject as I've had GB and can't eat more then fist full of food so the buffets wouldn't work for me but still want to do them for the kids just for the Character interaction. They stated that as long as I let my server know ahead of time and didn't eat anything I can sit and enjoy with my family without having to use a credit on the DDP.

I would be sure to get that in writing, on Disney letterhead, to preclude any difficult situations when you arrive at the restaurant. Each restaurant has their own policies in this regard -- there is no published Disney policy that imposes what is being suggested here. Indeed, many of the character meals have a $5 or $7 "entertainment fee" for folks who are attending a character meal but not eating.

 

[TDC Nala]

Well, if the restaurants start getting overly restrictive in what you can order whether you're on the dining plan or not (not that they ARE or are even thinking about it), there is always the Swan/Dolphin and a number of the Downtown Disney restaurants. Not to mention the new place at AK because there are rumors (just rumors) that Landry's won't go with the dining plan. They might decide to if the restaurant is in the park, but none of their other restaurants at WDW accept it.

 

[dytx]

you can use one ts and pay oop(out of pocket) for any of the others

 

[castleri]

They can simply put a requirement on the Dining Plan that, if using the Dining Plan, everyone at the table must pay for an entree, and only folks on the Dining Plan can use Dining Plan credits to pay for their entrees.

So will everyone have their own DDP photo ID card? How do they know which of the 6 people at the table have the DDP when there are only 4 listed on the room key? If I have friends coming over from Tampa and we decide to eat at a resort restaurant I don't see how they can say we have to sit at different tables if they choose to eat only drinks, apps and dessert (paying OOP) using their Florida DDE card and we all use the DDP plan as it is set up. Seems like it would be a PR nightmare. Last year we had 7 adults, 1 child on the DDP in two DVC units. At several places they just asked to see the room keys and then took all the credits off one room or the other so they didn't even charge 3 adults to one room and the other 4 and the child to the second room. I guess the answer is you just never know what they will allow or not.

 

[bicker]

So will everyone have their own DDP photo ID card?

I wouldn't use the word "will"... this is nothing more than speculation at this point. Further speculating on the speculation ... I doubt they'd resort to photo ID.

I guess the answer is you just never know what they will allow or not.

Absolutely. That's really the main take-away folks should derive from these threads: The Dining Plan brochure says that the terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice -- they mean it!