DXDDP Issues

[bluwater]

Just returned and was on the DXDDP.

Here is what I learned....

I was on adult. My DD was on child. She likes some children's choices, but got tired of it. She wanted some more adult-like choices. Some of the kids choices were too "kiddie" for her. There's a huge difference between what a 3yr old will eat and what a 9 yr old would eat, in some cases.

My DD is a traveler. She ate my escargot at CDF (yes, she knows what it is), she orders calamari, salads, etc...

After a few meals, she told me never to put her on the kids plan again! Doesn't matter - she's now going to be too old anyway -and I am not happy after this trip so we may not return.

We were behind in the meals and looking like we'd leave up to 6 meals on the table. I asked a manager if I could use one of my Adult plan meals to buy her an adult meal - I was told no.

I was told that you cannot use your DXDDP to buy more than one meal in one meal period - that means one plan breakfast, one lunch and one dinner - never two meals in the same period. If you get dinner at 5 and are hungry again at 10:30 and want to use another of your credits, too bad.

We wound up using our DXDDP meals to buy muffins and sandwiches becuase the plan was so restrictive (read: designed to take your money and waste it!).

I would never do the DXDDP again. I would also probably not do any DDP again - unless it's free. I would dine off-site and in my room...with some meals being Disney restaurants. The food just isn't good enough to justify the expense and aggravation - and all of the rules that determine how you can eat the meals you've purchased.

If I buy a plan that gives me so many meals, who is Disney to tell me what hours I can consume my meals and that I can only get 1 meal in each meal period? Basically, Disney has designed a plan so that you pay for more than what you get. I was not giving my meals to strangers, I wanted my 9 yr old to have a meal that she would enjoy, by using MY plan credit and leaving one of her credits on the table.

Anyway, I bought her meal out of pocket - more than once.

Don't do it - unless you are sure you can eat that much and have time to sit down for 3 meals a day and can plan all of your meals in advance via ADRs.

To me, that's not a vacation - that's a jail sentence. ....and just a waste of money...which, in today's economy, is unacceptable.

 

[Condorman]

Sorry to hear about that. But thank you for the clarification on a few issues I had always wondered about.

In fact, I would like verification on one point: That if you have an ADR at 5:00 pm and another at 9:30 pm on the same day, that you cannot use the credits on your plan to cover both meals? Obviously you'd have to be a glutton to do this anyway, but I've never heard of this restriction before.

So many people complain of having leftover credits at the end of their vacation - but if you can't use four or five in a single day how are you supposed to get rid of them? You get "X" amount per nights of your stay. It doesn't make any sense!

Can someone please clear this up? Has anyone else tried for two lunches or dinners in the same day?

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

I was told that you cannot use your DXDDP to buy more than one meal in one meal period - that means one plan breakfast, one lunch and one dinner - never two meals in the same period. If you get dinner at 5 and are hungry again at 10:30 and want to use another of your credits, too bad.

Sorry you did not enjoy your dining experience.

I wanted to clarify though that the restriction is not on the type of meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) but on the number of adults/children on the plan.

Since there is only one adult listed on the plan, only one adult meal can be redeemed at each sitting.

If you had wanted to go to a signature restaurant for dinner and use 2 credits, that would have been acceptable as it is still just one adult meal.

And I do think if you wanted to eat at 4 pm and then again at 10 pm, that would work as well as long as you are only ordering one meal off the adult menu.

It is unfortunate you had to pay out of pocket for any meals and felt the need to buy things you did feel were a good value, especially with the Deluxe Dining Plan.

I know that I do a lot of pre-planning on where we're most likely to eat to make sure the DDP is of value to us, as well as to know that all the credits will be used appropriately.

Good luck with your future vacations!

 

[mrsltg]

I've never done the deluxe plan before but I have done the basic several times. Many times we have had dinner at 5pm and then gotten a burger on the way back to the room at 11. We have never had a problem using another credit. I think the problem the OP ran into was using more than one adult credit at a time. Disney fixed this glitch in the system a couple of years ago and you would have thought they had set an orphanage on fire given the reaction by some! Anyway, yes they are careful about adult vs. child meals but I have found that at most of the sit down restaurants there is at least one themed meal on the kids menu (ie steak at Le Cellier or fish at Coral Reef.) My 7 year old also has an adventurous palate and we've never had a problem sharing a meal or an appetizer.

 

[Condorman]

OK, so this is me wiping me brow. I got nervous thinking we'd have credits leftover and no viable way to use them. After looking at our ADRs, we actually do have two dinners on the same night: Jiko and Raglan Road. I don't know how I'm going to eat all that but I'm not the one in charge of the vacation. She, who must be obeyed.

 

[bluwater]

mrsltg, you may have been able to get a burger on the way back to the room. But, I was on the Deluxe plan. Grabbing a burger and paying for it using a TS dining credit that includes appetizer, drink, entree and dessert is not fair trade, IMO. See my point? If you break down the dining plan, that was a $20 burger you just bought. Was it THAT good?

I paid for a Deluxe Dining Plan and left meals uneaten - because we were restricted on how we could use them. Counter service is a different issue.

Deluxe is twice the cost of Regular dining plan.

Why buy the Deluxe and then find that the only way to really use it is for CS meals, unless you follow the strict guidelines for TS.

It may be that the DXDDP is only going to be a decent value for people who can plan, plan, plan for each meal....and eat according to a predefined schedule. Both of those scenarios defy my idea of "vacation". I needed a certified six sigma project planner, a secretary, a handler and a Blackberry to keep track of my Disney meal schedule. Sheesh.

Honestly, eating was a nightmare. I was so stressed out over eating that I broke down in tears in the Puck Cafe. The manager, who was just the nicest and most professional person ever, was so considerate to us. I tried not to let anyone see me crying - but the waitress came over to take an order as my eyes were leaking. It just wan't good - to waste so much money that we don't have to waste.

Condorman, we have eaten at Jiko in times past and LOVED it. I've wanted to try Raglan, but have not yet made it. As an epicurean from a restaurant city, Philadelphia, I can tell you that Jiko is worth 2TS. Not many Disney Signature places are, but Jiko is - IMO. A

And, Condorman, to answer your question, according to what I was told, you will not be able to do what you have planned. You will have one, and only one, meal for dinner period. If dinner begins at 5, you will not be able to consume another meal that night. Interestingly, Disney seems to ignore this rule if you want a quick service item. You are welcome to grab a CS item - but not another TS meal.

I'd wanted to do a nice dining review of good places, which is something I do on every vacation around the world......which is why we went with DXDDP on this visit. But, we didn't get to try many of the places on the list due to restrictions on how to dine. In the end, Puck Cafe is STILL my favorite...as I have said in trip reports past. I suggest DTD for dining - above all else.

 

[bigbabyblues]

mrsltg, you may have been able to get a burger on the way back to the room. But, I was on the Deluxe plan. Grabbing a burger and paying for it using a TS dining credit that includes appetizer, drink, entree and dessert is not fair trade, IMO. See my point? If you break down the dining plan, that was a $20 burger you just bought. Was it THAT good?

I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

I don't understand what you said in the part I quoted though....your credits were not all for TS meals. Yes, you could use them for all TS meals, but you can also use them for CS meals, if you choose.

 

[TheRatPack]

I don't understand why they wouldn't let you use 2 of your adult credits if you wanted to and then you could use the child credits for the burgers...etc. Odd, but maybe I'm being naive to some sort of way people can get one over on the system or something?

I still think that it's not right that you couldn't use 2 adults meals off the plan....they are your credits!!!

 

[asmit4]

First off- I am sorry for how stressful this all was for you.

However, I have to say that had you done some research before you left you could have avoided all of these problems. Menus are available on allears.net and wdwinfo.com. In addition, there is 1 sticky with all of the info on the dining plan and kids rules. It takes about 5 minutes to read.

I realize that this must have been terrible for you and that many others have been in your boat. However, I think things like this happen due to lack of research.

My suggestion is to research on these boards for the next trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't understand why they wouldn't let you use 2 of your adult credits if you wanted to and then you could use the child credits for the burgers...etc. Odd, but maybe I'm being naive to some sort of way people can get one over on the system or something?

I still think that it's not right that you couldn't use 2 adults meals off the plan....they are your credits!!!

The policy is that you cannot order more adult meals in one transaction than the number of adults on your reservation. This is to prevent sharing the meals with other persons who are not on your dining plan (i.e. friends meet you for dinner, so you want to order 4 adult meals and give the extra meals to your guests when you have only 2 adults on your reservation). I think it wasn't anticipated that a guest would want to order an extra adult meal for their child. Children are supposed to use children's credits and order off the child's menu. This is the tradeoff for paying such a low price for a child's dining plan.

A good suggestion is to try buffets or all-you-can-eat set menu meals, where everyone, child or adult, eats the same food and as much of it as they want.

The DIS can't allow advocation of ways to "get around the system" or violate WDW's dining plan rules, and any postings of methods whereby one could do so will be removed.

 

[bluwater]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

I don't understand what you said in the part I quoted though....your credits were not all for TS meals. Yes, you could use them for all TS meals, but you can also use them for CS meals, if you choose.

True, We could.

We could use them for anything. I can pay $70 per day for muffins. I can pay $70 per day for 3 burgers, etc.

Would I?

No.

I pre-paid $70 a day for 1 adult to eat. Is that such a deal if I use it for a $10CS meal?

The reason I pre-pay for meals is to get value for my dollars. I am giving Disney my money in advance. How much interest is Disney making on my investment? In the balance of trade, I should consume a fair amount of goods....and since I have paid in advance, and I know Disney is making a profit on dining, I should consume an amount that is priced at more than my pre-pay amount in order to balance and make the trade fair for my dollar.

As soon as I begin to use my credits for CS, I am losing money and Disney is making additional profit off of me. This is, clearly, the Disney plan.

This is why I suggest not using DXDDP. Sure, use regular DDP. It is much more fair.

For good value on DXDDP, one needs large appetite, a willingness to adhere to a schedule of ADRs, and a lack of alternate activity plans (parks, etc).

 

[kim_d]

First off- I am sorry for how stressful this all was for you.

However, I have to say that had you done some research before you left you could have avoided all of these problems. Menus are available on allears.net and wdwinfo.com. In addition, there is 1 sticky with all of the info on the dining plan and kids rules. It takes about 5 minutes to read.

I realize that this must have been terrible for you and that many others have been in your boat. However, I think things like this happen due to lack of research.

My suggestion is to research on these boards for the next trip.

I agree. I am sorry you had a bad experience, but the information concerning plan specifics were available before you left (or even decided to purchase the plan) and any questions you had about adult credits and child credits could have been answered before leaving for vacation.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And, Condorman, to answer your question, according to what I was told, you will not be able to do what you have planned. You will have one, and only one, meal for dinner period. If dinner begins at 5, you will not be able to consume another meal that night. Interestingly, Disney seems to ignore this rule if you want a quick service item. You are welcome to grab a CS item - but not another TS meal.

Did you try? Or did you take the word of one Cast Member as law? To the best of my knowledge, one adult and one child on either dining plan can EACH get ONE appropriate meal at each sitting - but there's nothing stopping that same party from having dinner at 5 and dinner again at 9:45.

 

[TDC Nala]

Did you try? Or did you take the word of one Cast Member as law? To the best of my knowledge, one adult and one child on either dining plan can EACH get ONE appropriate meal at each sitting - but there's nothing stopping that same party from having dinner at 5 and dinner again at 9:45.

Unless I am incorrect, what the OP wanted to do was: while dining at table service, she found her child was not satisfied with the children's menu meals and wanted an adult meal, so she wanted to do one of two things, or maybe both:

1) Go to a second TS restaurant during the same meal period and order another adult TS meal to give to the child - and like you, I don't see why she wouldn't be able to do that, but apparently they are able to keep track of when and where the TS credits are expended; or

2) Order a second adult TS meal at the same restaurant to give to the child, which she would not be able to do because she had already ordered one adult TS meal for herself in that transaction.

I do agree that in order to MAXIMIZE the deluxe dining plan one should plan to eat three table service meals per day, or at the least, one table service meal plus one signature meal. You have the choice to use the credits for counter service, but doing so will diminish their monetary value. It depends on whether or not you want to see the plan as a convenient way to prepay your meals or a money-saving tool.

 

[bluwater]

First off- I am sorry for how stressful this all was for you.

However, I have to say that had you done some research before you left you could have avoided all of these problems. Menus are available on allears.net and wdwinfo.com. In addition, there is 1 sticky with all of the info on the dining plan and kids rules. It takes about 5 minutes to read.

I realize that this must have been terrible for you and that many others have been in your boat. However, I think things like this happen due to lack of research.

My suggestion is to research on these boards for the next trip.

I agree. I am sorry you had a bad experience, but the information concerning plan specifics were available before you left (or even decided to purchase the plan) and any questions you had about adult credits and child credits could have been answered before leaving for vacation.

Yes, I could had read every bit of fine print and translated it all. Who does that? No the average traveler. In my life as a tarvel consultant, I represent the average traveler - and I give feedback to the average traveler - based on average experiences.

Who would read the menus for the restaurants they plan to visit and sit their child down and read the menus to them and ask: "will you want to have salad, with chicken fingers and fruit on Friday, July 30 at 1pm in the Animal Kingdom?". Huh?

Doesn't work. Kids want choices - just like adults.

All I am saying is, the plan is too restrictive and I do not recommend it.

There is no amount of reading and planning, and planning and reading, and discussing... that can replace real-world experiences.

I do not plan trips a year in advance. I plan them 30-90 days in advance. I do not have time for years of planning. Neither does the average person....nor does the average person *want* to plan for a year.

This is just my feedback.

If I am at fault because I did not plan enough and research enough, then that is very good feedback. Disney vacations, obviously, take more planning and research than most visitors will want to expend.

and, like any issue here on Dis, if I feel negative about something, it's all my fault.

 

[centurythree]

I agree. I am sorry you had a bad experience, but the information concerning plan specifics were available before you left (or even decided to purchase the plan) and any questions you had about adult credits and child credits could have been answered before leaving for vacation.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Condorman]

Again, I feel bad for the OP. Doing research can help, but it seems like they got railroaded from every direction, and possibly from less than knowledgable CMs. Doing two dinners in one night is not a deal-breaker if we can't do it. However, I would like a definitive answer. It's the same when someone says they got a milkshake as a beverage during their meal and were then allowed to get a dessert as well. Meanwhile, others say they could not.

I believe we could all benefit from a modicum of consistency, and it shouldn't depend on which CM you ask. I trust the people on these boards, their advice and experiences more than I do any employee at Disney.

 

[kim_d]

Yes, I could had read every bit of fine print and translated it all. Who does that? No the average traveler. In my life as a tarvel consultant, I represent the average traveler - and I give feedback to the average traveler - based on average experiences.

Who would read the menus for the restaurants they plan to visit and sit their child down and read the menus to them and ask: "will you want to have salad, with chicken fingers and fruit on Friday, July 30 at 1pm in the Animal Kingdom?". Huh?

Doesn't work. Kids want choices - just like adults.

All I am saying is, the plan is too restrictive and I do not recommend it.

There is no amount of reading and planning, and planning and reading, and discussing... that can replace real-world experiences.

I do not plan trips a year in advance. I plan them 30-90 days in advance. I do not have time for years of planning. Neither does the average person....nor does the average person *want* to plan for a year.

This is just my feedback.

If I am at fault because I did not plan enough and research enough, then that is very good feedback. Disney vacations, obviously, take more planning and research than most visitors will want to expend.

and, like any issue here on Dis, if I feel negative about something, it's all my fault.

You made an incorrect assumpation about how the plan worked and now want to blame Disney? If you have one adult and one child you can't purchase more than one adult meal per seating...I am not sure how that became unclear or complicated?

 

[TDC Nala]

I sense a beginning of heatedness to this discussion - please keep it cool, folks.

The OP was obviously unaware that she (or he, if you are a guy I apologize for all the she stuff) could order only one adult meal per sitting if there was only one adult on her reservation. I do think WDW could make this clearer. But they do assume that the adults will order adult meals and the kids will order kids meals, especially since it's clear that kids must order off the children's menu.

I don't think they always had that policy - it came about due to people ordering extra meals and giving them away to others who didn't buy the dining plan. That's not what the OP was doing, just wanted extra food for her kid without having to pay for it or, in her view, "waste" a credit on CS - but that's what the policy is. Disney would prefer that guests on the dining plan use it the way they intend it to be used.

 

[septbaby]

As for the kiddie taste buds, how many buffets did you book? At the buffets there is no distinction between what you eat and what she eats. Also you are allowed to share so she is welcome to eat whatever you order and given that those TS meals came with appetizers that is another way to have gotten more "grown up" food for her. Last summer on the DP I chose dessert from the kids menu and loved my banana split and my make your own sundae. Also you had 4 snack credits per day for the 2 of you. You could have used snack credits to pay for muffins and drinks.

Keep in mind Disney doesn't really make money on the kids plans, espcially if they eat at buffets. At $20 per night $6 for snacks and at an average of $5 per meal the kids are over that fee. That kind of assumes the kid eats 3CS meals. If the child eats Bfast at Chef Mickey's $13, CS lunch $4, Dinner at Coral Reef $7.59 and has two snacks in the day $6 you are well of the $20 rate and we haven't even factored in the value of say one refill per day in the mug. All that said Disney must be vigilant in managing this part of the plan. This is where they could really lose a lot of money (kids eating as adults for $20 per night). It may have been an inconvenience for you, but step back and see the bigger picture. Disney gives a $50 per night "discount" for kids, that's a lot of money! The menu options obviously are going to reflect this "discount".

I think the name of the plan is misleading. Deluxe makes some people think special or upgraded. When in fact here the term Deluxe really just means more. No extra special treatments or perks, just pay more money to get more food. I think Plus or Extra are more accurate names for the plan, but don't sizzle quite the same way as Deluxe.

As for the limit on TS meal usage during a period. This can be a good thing if your think of people double booking meals such that you can't get and ADR at your restaurant of choice. Again it felt against your wishes, but really is a good thing overall. PP made a good suggestion too, just go get another CS meal if you need more food. Also you could always use a snack credit to fill up as well.

The Deluxe plan didn't have TS or CS credits, it had meal credits. You may have preferred to think of them as TS so you didn't want to use them at CS places, but you spent OOP when you had other currency available. Eating a $30 TS Dinner, $23 Character bfast buffet, $13 CS meal and $6 in snacks adds up to more thand $70 for the day. You don't have to get 3TS meals to make the plan worth it.

I wished you had be able to post during your visit to get some tips for a more magical experience.