FAQ about the Disney Dining Plan

[ReAnSt]

We were their during the free dining plan. There were four adults on the plan we shared two meals at the Maya Grill and Le Cellier. We did not have to pay extra to do this, we were even planning on having to buy our additional soft drinks so we would each have one, but at both locations they just zeroed out the total on the bill. We just tipped them extra since they were so nice about it.

Becky

 

[jrogers345]

Thanks for the verification. It's always nice to hear it from more than one place.

Here's another dining question. I know I read about this SOMEWHERE but I can't find it.

We are thinking about eating at Beaches & Cream. My family is tickled about ordering standard food there with ice cream treats for dessert. However, we have seen on the menu this jumbo dessert that seems colossal and of course way to much for any one person to eat. They call it the "Kitchen Sink". We thought it would be fun to order it (and extremely fun for the scrapbook) and share it. It comes served in a dish that looks like a sink!! Will they allow us to do that on the meal plan???

Also, someone mentioned another similar type of monster dessert somewhere other than the Beaches & Cream...does anyone know what restaurant has another fun but huge dessert?

Now just one more question....between the 2 of them, my 2 youngest just might polish off a single kid's meal. The oldest one we had to pay the adult price for on the meal plan as she just turned 10. On the meals that aren't buffet or all you can eat, would the CM allow us to order the 5 year old a kid's meal and let the 2 girls share it? If we paid OOP for the kid's meal we can then use these 2 TS meals for a character sit-down breakfast every couple of days in addition to the TS meals we've scheduled in the evenings.

Believe me, my girls eat so little that we NEVER usually buy the character breakfasts because we don't seem to eat our "moneys worth". This meal plan certainly helps us "relax" a little so that if we're not too hungry, it won't really seem wasted if we spread it out a little.

I was a little concerned when I heard about the large amounts of food that others seemed unable to eat. The sharing of meals makes since because then we can spread them out a little bit more.

We're not trying to take advantage of Disney but it would be a shame to waste a ton of food at each meal too.

Thanks!

Yes, you can do that. I'm planning on for one or two restaurants ordering a kids meal for my daughter and paying OOP and saving her TS for another restaurant. She already looked at the menus for the restaurants we have reserved and wants to order from the kids menu instead of the adults at two of them. If she doesn't see anything she wants from the adult menu, why should she have to order from it and waste food. At the same time, why should I use an Adult TS credit for a kids TS meal?

 

[adrock1976]

We were told that we could share meals, but that they would still charge for each person at the table. So if there are 4 of you and you order 3 meals, they will still charge you for 4. We were told this at both CRT and Sci-Fi, then gave up asking after that and just took leftovers back to the room. I have not seen any specific rules on this, though, so you might get lucky at some places, depending on the server. Have fun on your trip! We just got back 3 weeks ago, and DH has already started planning another trip for next year!

kimmbagley, I believe that you are correct!! This is the problem when individual CM's make up the rules, or fudge on policy. If you only want to use a certain # of credits, than that is your perogative. The only place this seems to be an issue, and rightfully so, is a buffet setting, where everyone must have their own meal; sharing doesn't count at a buffet. If this happens to anyone else, you should call disney dining from the restaurant and get it straightened out. Bottom line, you paid for a certain # of credits, and per the plan, they are yours to use how you see fit. If I wanted to use all 20 TS credits at one sitting, and buy meals for 15 other meal in the restaurant, I CAN DO JUST THAT...I don't think I would, but I could.

 

[dismom03]

Can anyone tell me about the big dessert at Beaches & Cream? Can my family all share in that for our dessert?

Thanks!

 

[jrogers345]

I don't think so! How can they do that? If you want to take credits for 3, you should be able to take credits for 3! This will be a problem for me as I am planning to share because DD age 9 doesn't eat!

That's not right at all to do that. Personally, I would take it up with Disney. I guess at those 2 places you ordered 4 meals instead of 3 like you wanted to? CM wanted to make sure she got a tip for 4 persons?? Right now we're planning on only ordering 3 meals for the 4 of us at 1 or 2 restaurants and I will insist on it. Not going to order food just to waste it.

 

[TyRy]

I don't recall seeing any info on this, so forgive me if I have overlooked it. We will be on the dining plan on our next trip. I know the tip is included, but does it cover just dining plan things, or is it automatic for extras (such as alcoholic drinks) as well? We have already planned on leaving extra tips for good service as we tend to tip over 20%.

THANKS!

 

[angel's momma]

Can anyone tell me about the big dessert at Beaches & Cream? Can my family all share in that for our dessert?

Thanks!

Never tried to do it personally, but I've read several posts that the credits can't be combined to get the Kitchen Sink. The other desserts are really big & really good though.

I don't recall seeing any info on this, so forgive me if I have overlooked it. We will be on the dining plan on our next trip. I know the tip is included, but does it cover just dining plan things, or is it automatic for extras (such as alcoholic drinks) as well? We have already planned on leaving extra tips for good service as we tend to tip over 20%.

TyRy, the tip only includes the dining plan items, not any extras.

 

[dismom03]

Thanks for the info about the dessert. I think we decided the kitchen sink would be too big even for the whole family to share. We also ran into the problem that one doesn't like this topping or that ice cream so we will go with individual orders anyway.

Thanks!!!!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Forgive me guys, if this has been covered before. At this time are people with the dining plan having any problems paying OOP for kids? There's only one meal I want to do this at, Coral Reef, because it takes 2 credits per person. What do you tell your server? That you want separate checks for the kids?

Thanks very much

Edited - Ok, decided to switch to a 1 credit restaurant instead so please disregard this post - leaving in 2 days and I'm going a bit crazy!

 

[jrogers345]

Forgive me guys, if this has been covered before. At this time are people with the dining plan having any problems paying OOP for kids? There's only one meal I want to do this at, Coral Reef, because it takes 2 credits per person. What do you tell your server? That you want separate checks for the kids?

Thanks very much



Edited - Ok, decided to switch to a 1 credit restaurant instead so please disregard this post - leaving in 2 days and I'm going a bit crazy!

Okay - but still, you can pay OOP for kids meal. Lots of people have done it. Just tell server when she takes your order that kids meals will not be put on dining plan.

 

[waltdisneyworlddreamer]

What about drinks? Can you order anything, such as shakes, etc. as long as it is non acholholic or is the drink limited to soft drinks???

 

[angel's momma]

What about drinks? Can you order anything, such as shakes, etc. as long as it is non acholholic or is the drink limited to soft drinks???

It usually depends on the restaurant - we had smoothies at Chef Mickey's & Concourse Steak House, shakes at Whispering Canyon.

Or it may depend on the server - we were offered smoothies at Boma for breakfast, but not at dinner. We even questioned the breakfast server because she really wanted us to order smoothies, but she also wanted us to have them "to go" and order Frunch with our meal. She insisted it was included, so we ordered it.

From reading many dining reports, a "crackdown" seemed to occur at the beginning of Sept, ending smoothies, glow drinks, etc at many restaurants.

Before our Sept/Oct trip I read some posts saying adults weren't even allowed milk, but we had milk/chocolate milk everywhere.

 

[Hope73]

We were there in Jan and loved the dinging plan!!

 

[Hope73]

When we ate at Prime Time we tried not to order all we had to and our server kept telling us to all get an app and desert. We wondered if the server gets 15% of the total bill so it is better for them to have a higher total by offering pricy things. We got that at a few restaurants.

 

[Hope73]

Our only problem with the plan was they were not cinsistent as to what was a snack. Some let us even get pop tarts in the am and other did not.

 

[Hope73]

When we were there the meal plan didn't give you X amount of kid meals for counter service so we would always get adult one s and split them. when you gt a half pound burger you can split that with a child. We then used some of the counter services for breakfasts/ It went really far.

 

[Hope73]

If you book with AAA your recieve a voucher for a adult mead at Planet Hollywood.

 

[mickimgm]

We will be staying at POFQ 12/18-23. I am so excited that I don't know if I'm making good plans. Please let me know if this schedule is workable. I have a 5 yr and 2 yr that travel well.

12/18 arrive at airport 11:30 using myw
5:10 reservations at CRT
tickets to mickey's xmas party

12/19 MGM
2:10 PS at sci-fi
12/20 Sea World. We are military and tickets are free. But we must pay for shuttle. Anyone know what they cost from PORQ?

12/21 MK
8:10 PS at Chef Mickey
Hope to do the park and maybe take a mid afternoon break and then return
5:00 PS at Chystal Palace

12/22 Animal Kingdom
I hope to be at the park early and be back at POFQ for a midafternoon break
PS at Park 1900 for dinner at 6:10

depending on how my kids are doing will depend on what night parades we see. We are on the dining plan and I'm worried if I've made the right PS. There are so many places to choose from.

 

[billwendy]

HI,

It looks like you have some great plans and reservations!! We were there in September on the plan, and had a great time at some of the same restaurants. The kids we were with (2yo and 6 yo included) LOVED chef mickey's and prime time 50's the best.

not sure of your situation, but we were very easily able to catch the public LYNX bus directly from the transportation and ticket center to sea world with only 1 stop. It was sooooo easy, and the bus was very nice too!!!

have fun!!!
Wendy

 

[dumby]

HI,

It looks like you have some great plans and reservations!! We were there in September on the plan, and had a great time at some of the same restaurants. The kids we were with (2yo and 6 yo included) LOVED chef mickey's and prime time 50's the best.

not sure of your situation, but we were very easily able to catch the public LYNX bus directly from the transportation and ticket center to sea world with only 1 stop. It was sooooo easy, and the bus was very nice too!!!

have fun!!!
Wendy

Does this bus run to Universal and back?