FAQ about the Disney Dining Plan

[Hollyster2]

If you are two families, traveling together and together for all of your meals...How do you use the dining credits? Do you use one families card up first, or have the waiter always split the check?
Anyone?

 

[tiff211]

Based on the rave reviews on the dining plans and after adding up the cost of the 3 meals I made ADR's for, I decided to research the dining plan option a little more. I booked room only thru AAA, so I know I would have to make it a package in order to get the dining plan. But, my job offers tix at a much cheaper rate than any discount place I have seen. Something like 12%. But we can only get certain passes. So I was adding it all up to see if I would really save money if I didn't get the tix thru my job and went the whole AAA package way. So, as I am looking at the cost for my job's passes, I see 6 day premium as an option. I realize this is something different than hopper plus but I had no idea what it was. I checked on the WDW site and it says all three meals are included everyday Could this be?!! Is that what premium is, if so what is the difference between that and the dining plan? Am I shaking from excitement for nothing? I will be calling WDW dining in the morning!!!!

 

[d4est]

If you are two families, traveling together and together for all of your meals...How do you use the dining credits? Do you use one families card up first, or have the waiter always split the check?
Anyone?

They can easily separate the check, which I would think would be in the best interest of both families. Your dining credits are "stored" on your room key card, so the credits of each family will be separated anyway, unless you are sharing a room.

 

[HollyJoy]

I have a question! Sorry if it's already posted somewhere in this thread, I honestly didn't have time to search through all the posts.

I got my package confirmation today in the mail. I booked a 7 night stay at the CBR, 8 day park hoppers, and dining package. On my confirmation, it lists the following:

1. Hotel.. info ...............ok
2. 8 day MYW Park Hoppers..ok
3. Planet Hollywood Meal Voucher.... (1 per package)??????????what is this?
4. Planet Hollywood Merch. Voucher...(1 per package)..?? what is this?
5. Quick Service meals.. ok
6. snack... ok
7. table service meals... ok

What is this Planet Hollywood Stuff? Is this for a single FREE meal and what about the merchandise voucher?

 

[d4est]

Yes, the Planet Hollywood voucher is for ONE meal (entree) from a limited selection and ONE non-alcoholic drink. The merchandise voucher is for some kind of souvie, not sure what. This stuff is just extras thrown in, either by AAA or from a special, not sure, but we got it too.

 

[d4est]

one more quick question...when you cancelled your room only ressie how long did it take to get your refund? Did they credit your cc that same day or is there a waiting period?

Thank you everyone for your help! I'm going to talk to DH about making it a package and then calling AAA to get more details and find out of the room discount would still apply then we'll make our decision. I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the butt!

I paid with a debit card, so it may be different, but I got my monies back in a few days.

 

[macraven]

y , I see 6 day premium as an option. I realize this is something different than hopper plus but I had no idea what it was. I checked on the WDW site and it says all three meals are included everyday Could this be?!! Is that what premium is, if so what is the difference between that and the dining plan? Am I shaking from excitement for nothing? I will be calling WDW dining in the morning!!!!

i received an email about the new platinum/premium package. (don't know why i am saying platinum.....its probably just premium)
yes, 3 meals a day

the regular dining plan is based on each nights stay

/ snack, ts, cs per night stay
the premium is similar to the program disney had maybe it was 5 years ago.

more meals and activity options included


didn't everyone else get this email about the plan?

 

[NvrBnToWDW]

Can we book a 7 day MYW dining package for me and DH and book a room-only for my mother and 2 kids? That way we can share with our kids (DS10 & DS12)? Wouldn't this be more than enough food points?

 

[NvrBnToWDW]

If we eat at Sci-Fi, are the shakes considered drinks or desserts?

 

[d4est]

Can we book a 7 day MYW dining package for me and DH and book a room-only for my mother and 2 kids? That way we can share with our kids (DS10 & DS12)? Wouldn't this be more than enough food points?

Yes, you can book that way. As of right now, the credits are just pooled...no distinction between adult & child. BUT, that can change at any time. As far as it being enough...only you can answer that. If you are staying 7 nights, you would get 14 credits of TS, CS, & snack. There are 5 of you, so the credits will go quickly...1 meal and 5 are gone...if you use a credit for each person at a meal. You might be better off paying OOP for the kids. If they are light eaters they could even share a meal.

 

[macraven]

If we eat at Sci-Fi, are the shakes considered drinks or desserts?

in october they were allowed as desserts when i was there.
i guess it depends on your server as i have heard conflicting statements on this one.

 

[TAKitty]

I searched the thread and didn't see an answer for my questions.
1. My sister and I like the Main Street Bakery. If we want to blow a counter service credit there for breakfast, can we get a muffin and a strawberry smoothie?
2. Do they only allow the items listed for snacks for your snack? I like frozen drinks and wondered if those would count? I also like the Minute Maid Frozen Lemonaid by Splash Mountain. Would that be a snack?
Thanks!

 

[redbaybound]

Thank you redbaybound. I was thinking it seemed like a lot of food. I'm trying to figure out if it will be good for our family. My boys are only 5 and 6 and they really dont eat that much. They most likely woudn't eat the desserts they would get at the counter services, but it seems like a good deal for the character meals and table service seeing it includes tax & tip.

Shellyz,

My kids are 7 and 9 and even the counter service meal was too much for them. When we go back we will be only getting the meal plan for two adults. We will either pay out of pocket for the kids(which can still be expensive at the sit down restaurants) or we will order one entree for my husband and I and the other for the kids.

Here are 3 pictures from the Rose and Crown where we ate a sit down lunch.
Sorry, but the rest didn't come out. The first is my kids appetizer. The second is my appetizer and the third is my Ploughman's Salad. We couldn't eat the desert, we were so full!(so we took it with us as a snack for later)

The only picture that came out form our dinner at Le Cellier was the prime rib. (see below)

The kids portions were large! If your children are small or normal eaters then one meal plan would probably be fine between the two of them. My son is a large eater as well so splitting a child's meal would not have worked for us.

Originally Posted by NvrBnToWDW
If we eat at Sci-Fi, are the shakes considered drinks or desserts?

When we were there the shake counted as a desert.

 

[iluvepcot]

I am advising my sister on using the dining plan. She is staying at POR and would be doing CS more than TS. Can she order from the TS rest. there and ask for take out using her credits?

 

[solferino]

Shellyz,

My kids are 7 and 9 and even the counter service meal was too much for them. When we go back we will be only getting the meal plan for two adults. We will either pay out of pocket for the kids(which can still be expensive at the sit down restaurants) or we will order one entree for my husband and I and the other for the kids.

.

As I understand it, if you choose to get the mealplan then everyone booked in your room has to get it as well.

 

[pedro2112]

So I was adding it all up to see if I would really save money if I didn't get the tix thru my job and went the whole AAA package way. So, as I am looking at the cost for my job's passes, I see 6 day premium as an option. I realize this is something different than hopper plus but I had no idea what it was. I checked on the WDW site and it says all three meals are included everyday Could this be?!! Is that what premium is, if so what is the difference between that and the dining plan? Am I shaking from excitement for nothing? I will be calling WDW dining in the morning!!!!

Bad news.... the tickets are probably premium park tickets, and not the MYW Premium package plan. The Premium Ticket includes park hopping, number of Water Park Fun & More Options determined by length of ticket, expires 14 days from 1st use. The Premium Package is the package that includes all your recreation and dining. When it referred to a "6 day premium" for the passes , it was probably not referring to the premium package plan.

 

[redbaybound]

As I understand it, if you choose to get the mealplan then everyone booked in your room has to get it as well.

Really? I didn't know that! What a bummer. LOL Do you have to take it for the whole time you stay? If not then we could just get the meal plan for half the time. I wish there was some way to split it(I come from the guilt if food is left on your plate club.); really it was just too much food for us(we still saved a ton of money).

 

[d4est]

Really? I didn't know that! What a bummer. LOL Do you have to take it for the whole time you stay? If not then we could just get the meal plan for half the time. I wish there was some way to split it(I come from the guilt if food is left on your plate club.); really it was just too much food for us(we still saved a ton of money).

solferino is correct. If you purchase the DP, everyone in your party (room) must be on the plan. You also must purchase the plan for your lenght of stay...DP matches the number of nights you are staying. The only way around this is to get a package for a portion of your stay & book room-only for the portion you don't want dining. The downside to doing this is that your DP credits are only valid until midnight on the night you check out. In your case, this would be the night your package ends. So, you wouldn't be able to stretch your meal credits throughout your entire stay if a portion of it is room-only.

I hope that made sense.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Bad news.... the tickets are probably premium park tickets, and not the MYW Premium package plan. The Premium Ticket includes park hopping, number of Water Park Fun & More Options determined by length of ticket, expires 14 days from 1st use. The Premium Package is the package that includes all your recreation and dining. When it referred to a "6 day premium" for the passes , it was probably not referring to the premium package plan.

I made the same error...or rather, I was hoping AAA made an error and I was getting something I hadn't paid for! Silly me. They're just the tickets with the WaterParkFun&More option (which I will never get again...used very little of the options). Call AAA to make sure.

 

[1stTimeDisneyer]

We also booked with AAA and saved over $200.00. Also theri trip insurance is cheaper too and I think a better deal. Even if I buy their trip insurance I will still have money left from the $200.00 I saved.

I am still wondering if I should get the trip insurance.