For those who used DDP and DDE together in the past, those were the glory days.

[ReallyFunMom]

I don't know, we can hope the server does whats been done in the past but, fyi on the official Disney response. They pretty much said all in or all out, no mixing of DDP and DDE but I followed up again and here is part of the response and the followup question.


Me:
Are you saying I can't use DDP for two members of the party and pay out of pocket for the others? Also, if I'm not hungry but my husband and kids are, I would prefer to order something small using the DDE discount while he orders an appet, entree and dessert off of the dining plan. Are you saying this is NOT allowed?

Disney:
Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

You will not be able to combine the two plans. You will have to use
them in different meals.

 

[wdwobsessed]

I can understand them not allowing the mixing of the two plans. I would say they are both kind of considered "discount" plans and it is pretty typical to not be able to combine discounts.

For example: If you have McDonald's coupons you can't use a b1g1f coupon for big macs and then use a 1/2 off chicken nuggets coupon at the same meal. That is combining discounts ... you have to use one or the other even if you order both items.

I read your posts on the no sharing thread and didn't get that this is what you had asked the CM ... now his response makes more sense to me.

WDWO

 

[pplasky]

That's too bad. I think Disney will lose out. We were planning on ordering alcohol at several of our DDP TS meals and use the DDE for it. If we can't combine, we'll do without. I hope those that do use both will post negative experiences so I have an idea of what will happen in 24 DAYS!

 

[ReallyFunMom]

I read your posts on the no sharing thread and didn't get that this is what you had asked the CM ... now his response makes more sense to me.

WDWO

I was addressing DDP and DDE use but no sharing was also mentioned. I don't think its the same as doubling up on discounts (say trying to use AP discount with DDE and asking they reduce the bill by 30%). You pay for DDP to have the 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack allotments. You PAY for the DDE card to get 20% off cash purchases at certain restaurants. For most users, and has also been interpreted by Disney in the past, it seems reasonable that if you are not using your DDP but paying OOP, those cash transactions for wine or kids meals or whatever would be entitled to the DDE discount. We've already established there are reasons besides using kids credits for adult meals to share and choose to order some things OOP. No matter, this is too much of a hassle so I'll be all in or all out just like they say. No wine with dinner for me if they won't take the DDE discount.

Anyone else planning to use DDE with DDP might also email and see the response you get.

 

[hopemax]

Here's my question, with these new rules...

I am going down for the pin event in September, my parents live in Orlando, and we have 2 friends that are traveling for the pin event too. The friends are on the DDP, my parents and I have the DDE card. We want to eat together occasionally.

The way this sounds, they can't use their DDP credits while we pay seperately using our DDE card. And they can't also use their DDP credits to feed us.

So we either have to not get our discount (so they can use their credits) or they can't use their credits (so we can get our discount)?

Is this right?

 

[grgich]

I have the same question. My brother (and his family) will be joining my family for a couple of meals during our stay. He has DDE, my family has the DDP. It makes no sense that he would not be able to use his DDE for his meals while my family uses their allotted DDP while seated at the same table......

Very interested to hear of other people's experiences.....

 

[Sazzo'sMommy]

and ate with friends of ours twice. We have DDE and they were on the DDP. They used their TS credits and we used our DDE at both LTT and 1900 PF with absolutely no problems at all!

 

[n2mm]

We do this often and most recently this past May. We dine with non DDP members on most trips. They pay their bill and we pay ours. There is no way Disney is going to tell either of us how to pay our bills. They use their DDE and we use our DDP, it's as simple as that. I wouldn't sweat over this one. No matter what anyone on these boards writes to Disney about, it really does not matter, the bottom line is that the server or the restraurant will set their rules and everyone's rules will be different. There is no set standards or guidelines. We used the DDP in the past, but most recently for 12 days late April/early May and found every experience different. We dined with non-DDP on some nights. We dined with other DDP participants on other nights, who DDP account was separate from ours. We always find that if you tell your server what's going on, it usually makes things easier at the end. We have used our DDE for side orders and drinks not on the plan without a problem and we have given our credits away to others when dining with friends and family.

 

[NMW]

I can understand not using the DDE card for kids meals, or other food with the dining plan. The "one plan or the other" makes sense to me. However, one of the big reasons a lot of people get the DDE card is for the discount on alcohol, which IS NOT COVERED on the DDP. Are they saying you can't use credits for everyone's food, and ALSO order drinks and pay cash with the DDE card?

That seems really weird. I mean it's a seperate check, and it's not for food!

 

[mjmcca]

The more complicated this plan gets the less likely i am to use it.

 

[aubriee]

I was in WDW last Sept during the free dining period. We had the free dining, but I also had my DDE card. We had no problem using both anywhere, except San Angel Inn. I don't like the food there and did not want to waste a credit when I knew I wouldn't eat it. However my D-I-L really wanted to try it. Her and my son ordered their meals telling the waiter they were on the dining plan. I told him I had the DDE card and just wanted the cheese fundido for my meal. He refused saying we couldn't use two discounts at one table and insisted that the dining plan was considered a discount just like the DDE card. We asked for a managerf who told us the same thing. When we told her we had been doing it all week she said the other restaraunts just didn't know how it worked. I then asked her what if I didn't have the dining plan and had just met my son and D-I-L (who did) there for dinner. Would I still not be able to use my DDE card to order my meal? she hesitated for a minute, then said that was right "only one discount per table". It sounds like maybe the other WDW restaraunts are going the way of San Angel Inn.

 

[DisOrBust]

But its NOT a discount you pay for the DP.I

 

[LizinSTL]

The more complicated this plan gets the less likely i am to use it.

The plan isn't complicated. People here make it complicated. You pay for it, you go to disney, you hand the CM your room card, they remove the credits for the appropriate meals, you smile and say thank you and you go watch a show or enjoy a ride. It's very easy to use.

 

[JodyTG]

I really want to use my DDE when I order drinks at dinner (which will be with the DDP). If they won't allow this, then I'll probably just forget about DDP and go straight DDE.

 

[Amyrlin]

I think I can explain the confuision here. It is with the phrasing of the question and answer. You cannot use them at the same time, you never have.... this means you don't get the food you order for the meal that is covered by the DDP, have DDE applied to it and then pay with the DDP, there is no point and it makes no difference.

You can get items that you pay for OOP and apply the DDE to them, they will be put onto a seperate bill. They will have to do you a sperate billayway, so this is not an issue. I seriously doubt that there will be any issue with that.

 

[ReallyFunMom]

You can get items that you pay for OOP and apply the DDE to them, they will be put onto a seperate bill. They will have to do you a sperate billayway, so this is not an issue. I seriously doubt that there will be any issue with that.

I agree that's the way it should work and did work but with the recent changes, in a direct question to Disney, they say no. It seems so reasonable that most seem to say the CM from Disney doesn't know what they are talking about. This feels like denial to me to write off the correspondence as a rogue confused CM but maybe we need more time for others to try and tell us what happenned them. Recent experience might not matter as it takes awhile to get everyone on the same page. We'll have to see. I'd encourage you to write your own email concerning this and see what they say. It seems like something DDE purchasers should be up in arms about if they cannot use discount on OOP and alcohol.

Me:
Are you saying I can't use DDP for two members of the party and pay out of pocket for the others? Also, if I'm not hungry but my husband and kids are, I would prefer to order something small using the DDE discount while he orders an appet, entree and dessert off of the dining plan. Are you saying this is NOT allowed?

Disney:
Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

You will not be able to combine the two plans. You will have to use
them in different meals.

 

[BillSears]

Disney:
Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

You will not be able to combine the two plans. You will have to use
them in different meals.

I read this abit differently. Lets assume you're just one diner and you're on the DDP. You cannot use the DDE to reduce the price of your DDP meal. So on one meal you cannot combine the two plans.

On the other hand 2 diners one with DDP and one with DDE should be ok. You're using 2 plans but you're also buying 2 meals. One plan for each meal for each person. I suppose if worse came to worse you could ask for seperate checks to do this.

 

[ReallyFunMom]

This was the followup to where he said no to using DDP for 2 and DDE for the two others in the same party. I don't have it here to post. (I'm sure those dining with non DDP with different last names won't have any problems.) He said b/c the kids would be on their own bill and they do not have a DDE card in their name, they could not get the DDE discount. I then tried to ask about ME ordering something for myself OOP (DDE card in my name) asking to get the discount on my portion while all the others did DDP. Not sure if CMs will apply a more reasonable 2 checks approach but I think he understood the question and still said no. I'm probably going all in or all out, its just easier.

Me:
Are you saying I can't use DDP for two members of the party and pay out of pocket for the others? Also, if I'm not hungry but my husband and kids are, I would prefer to order something small using the DDE discount while he orders an appet, entree and dessert off of the dining plan. Are you saying this is NOT allowed?

Disney:
Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

You will not be able to combine the two plans. You will have to use
them in different meals.

 

[hopemax]

After my post earlier, I emailed WDW and here is the response.

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

You and your friends are very welcome to dine together on your upcoming visit! Just be sure to
advise your server that your party will require two separate billings.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us. Please include your full
name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if applicable on all correspondence.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

WDW Online Communications

PLEASE NOTE: All information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior
to your visit.



Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

Message:
Question about Dining at WDW

This fall, I am traveling to WDW. Friends of ours will be visiting WDW, but traveling seperately
from my family. However, we do want to meet up for dinner one night.

I want to use my Disney Dining Experience Card.

They are traveling on the package with the free dining.

Is this possible, because I am reading about changes to the dining policies that seem to indicate
that it is not, even if we would have seperate checks.

 

[ReallyFunMom]

I think that will always work, two different parties dining together. Where I got in trouble it seems is trying to use my DDE discount in the same party once I had also joined the DDP. I thought I could pick and choose and they are clearly telling me no, use DDP for one night and DDE on another night. Somehow I still think they may let me order wine on the DDE card for the automatic 18% tip. I suppose lying and saying I am not on the DDP is a workaround but I don't really want to do that either. I just wanted to FYI DDE card owners on what they told me, your milage may vary and we probably just shouldn't sweat it, see what happens.