Does this sound too extreme? (tracking credits)

[Lesley]

We are headed to WDW for 3 days of free dining and 5 days of the paid dining plan (DVC). We have 3 adults, 1 child and 1 infant by Disney standards...though we're really 2 parents in our 30's, an 11yo, a 6yo and a 2yo. I can see situations where we'll be paying OOP for some kids meals (for either our 11yo or 2yo) or using our credits in some way other than 3 adults, 1 child at each meal.

I'm thinking this might be a bit difficult to track. So, I'm considering making up an index card for each stay (our 3 nights and our 5 nights) indicating how many of each sort of credit we have and marking it off as we go along....kind of a DDP check register. I might even list each of us individually with our credits so I don't get confused!

Has anyone done this? Have I gone off my rocker? Or is this a good idea?

 

[HaleyB]

You have gone off your rocker.

J/k

There really is no need to keep such close track of your credit use.

 

[LAWalz23]

When you get your receipts, it will telll you how many credits you have left on the bottom.

 

[bicker]

That sounds like too much work. I would just use my credits as I go along, only paying OOP for specific meals that we decided in advance to pay OOP, and then when I run out of credits, I pay OOP for the rest. It's vacation; it shouldn't be so much work.

 

[Windy City Heather]

No, you are not totally off your rocker. I have the ddp next month and I already have a spreadsheet made out of everywhere we are going to eat, which restaurants I am using the ddp and which I am oop and how much everything is with tax and tip. I will bring this with to keep me in line.

 

[ntsammy5]

To each his own! PDA or laptop might be easier.

​

 

[pixiechick]

We just came back, here's what I did.

I plan our trips, Then I run the plans by DH and DS. They, of course, half listen and then forget everything I tell them. So to avoid having to retell them our plans, I always print out an itinery for our trip. I list each day, the parks for the day and any ADRs we have. I leave that out in the room.

This trip, I used that paper to list what was left each day. At the end of the day, I looked at the receipts and wrote on the itinery how many snacks, CS and TS credits were left. A little anal maybe, but I knew we would run out of TS but have more than enough CS and snack credits.

It doesn't need to be complicated. Just keep a running total and you'll be fine.

Have a great trip!

 

[Antonia]

Too much work just to eat.

On vacation you should avoid things like index cards and math.

And words like "tracking".

 

[ntsammy5]

And words like "tracking".

Drinking, however is OK.

I over plan and enjoy it. I think Lesley enjoys all the tracking so much that it's actually a part of the vacation. Have fun, however you do it!

EDIT: BTW, I actually have stuff like that on my cell phone! Don't have to carry paper then!

​

 

[Williamsfamily7]

Each receipt you get when you use free dining will tell you how many credits you have left of that particular category. I'm a pretty organized kind of person, and I was all ready to try to track our meals. However, once we got there I realized there was no need. They did it for you! (Our were figured perfectly - no problems at all.)

 

[DiszyDeanette]

You can also have a CM at your resort (or any resort I would imagine) run your card and tell you how much of everything you have left. I called from our room a couple of times to check when I wasn't sure.

 

[wdwobsessed]

I think the OP is concerned about "what type of credit" she has used (C vs A) and keeping track of THAT.

Which ... the reciept does not do.

WDWO

 

[tinkwannabe2]

I personally wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure that you use all your credits and have fun!

 

[bicker]

Great advice!

 

[LizinSTL]

We are headed to WDW for 3 days of free dining and 5 days of the paid dining plan (DVC). We have 3 adults, 1 child and 1 infant by Disney standards...though we're really 2 parents in our 30's, an 11yo, a 6yo and a 2yo. I can see situations where we'll be paying OOP for some kids meals (for either our 11yo or 2yo) or using our credits in some way other than 3 adults, 1 child at each meal.

I'm thinking this might be a bit difficult to track. So, I'm considering making up an index card for each stay (our 3 nights and our 5 nights) indicating how many of each sort of credit we have and marking it off as we go along....kind of a DDP check register. I might even list each of us individually with our credits so I don't get confused!

Has anyone done this? Have I gone off my rocker? Or is this a good idea?

Until Disney separates Adult and Child credits for you, there is NO need to keep such close tabs on your usage of credits. You'll get a receipt each time you use a certain type of credit (TS, CS, snack) and that'll tell you how many you have left. If you don't deliberately mis-use the credits - pay OOP for your child all the time and use his credits for adult TS meals- then don't worry about it. If you aren't intending to cheat, then who cares??

Enjoy your trip, eat what you want, when you want and don't worry about what others think!!!!

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I'm considering making up an index card for each stay (our 3 nights and our 5 nights) indicating how many of each sort of credit we have and marking it off as we go along....kind of a DDP check register. I might even list each of us individually with our credits so I don't get confused!

Has anyone done this? Have I gone off my rocker? Or is this a good idea?

I did something similar - because we had two connecting reservations of 3 nights each - I wanted to make sure that the first set was used up before we started using any credits from the second reservation.

I wouldn't bother to separate the credits per person - I just did little boxes on the same card I carried into the parks with my ADR numbers, tips and hints, and "must do's".


I have lists and cards and planning pages anyways.

Oh and I would rather be Tracking on vacation than Drinking on Vacation (because then at least I remember everything I've done).

 

[Sammie]

You know it's your vacation and if keeping track of your DDP credits helps you enjoy your vacation, then go for it. To each his own.

Many would say there are better ways to spend the day than being here on this forum, but that does not seem to stop any of us does it.

Enjoy your trip and your meals.

 

[Lesley]

Thanks everyone! At the very least I'm amused. I think the part that may be most confusing is the two separate stays. We'll have one day when we need to finish off our credits for one stay before using the credits for the next one.

I probably won't carry index cards, just try to keep an eye on those receipts (of course, if I'm drinking that might be more difficult...but thanks for the suggestion....we do, after all, also have a DDE card....)

 

[Sammie]

Thanks everyone! At the very least I'm amused. I think the part that may be most confusing is the two separate stays. We'll have one day when we need to finish off our credits for one stay before using the credits for the next one.

I probably won't carry index cards, just try to keep an eye on those receipts (of course, if I'm drinking that might be more difficult...but thanks for the suggestion....we do, after all, also have a DDE card....)

The receipts will help and if you need to make a note on the back of it to remind you of what you ate. Just make sure when you check out of the first resort with your Free Dining, you have those cards and keep them seperate from your new ones at DVC. If when you check out you have any credits left on the Free Ones you need to use them first. As they expire at Midnight.

Your ADRs will help you keep up with TS credits. And as long as everyone eats at least one CS per person each day you will use them up too.

We decided that if we had to pay OOP we would rather do that at the end of the trip, so we did not try to save any credits as we went along. We did not have any CS or TS left the last day, we did have a few snack credits which we went and got some goodies from the CS at our resort to cover those.

 

[MissD]

I wonder how many Mickey Rice Krispie treats are purchased on checkout day?

I just have this silly picture in my mind of this exodus of last-minute snack credit Mickey treats stuffed in suitcases, peeking out of purses and tote bags...or, in our case, just riding along on the back seat on our short trip home.

I guess I'm due for another vacation, huh?