Free QS Dining and DS's 12 yo Friend...??

[DonnaLeah]

Please don't flame me, but I just had a strange thought. We are considering booking a July trip with a Free Dining code. My DS12 has a freind the same age that isn't positive if he will be able to go with us. My question is this....if DS's friend doesn't go, could his QS credits be used for us and what prevents other guests from having non-existent (?) guests on the reservation?

I just wondered if all of the guests on the reservation have to be present during check-in. We took DSF with us last year and I don't recall if the CM need both kids at check-in as we didn't have a dining plan just a room only reservation.

 

[catne]

Please don't flame me, but I just had a strange thought. We are considering booking a July trip with a Free Dining code. My DS12 has a freind the same age that isn't positive if he will be able to go with us. My question is this....if DS's friend doesn't go, could his QS credits be used for us and what prevents other guests from having non-existent (?) guests on the reservation?

I just wondered if all of the guests on the reservation have to be present during check-in. We took DSF with us last year and I don't recall if the CM need both kids at check-in as we didn't have a dining plan just a room only reservation.

No, everyone does not have to be there at check-in...I usually check us in while DH gets the luggage. But you do have to buy park tickets for the friend to get the free dining (everyone in room has to be on the same package...same tickets.) Would that really save you any money if you've paid for a multi-day park ticket that won't do you any good? I think I'd make him commit...if he can't go, cancel in time to get a refund on his park tickets (even a 2 day ticket is expensive.)

 

[DonnaLeah]

No, everyone does not have to be there at check-in...I usually check us in while DH gets the luggage. But you do have to buy park tickets for the friend to get the free dining (everyone in room has to be on the same package...same tickets.) Would that really save you any money if you've paid for a multi-day park ticket that won't do you any good? I think I'd make him commit...if he can't go, cancel in time to get a refund on his park tickets (even a 2 day ticket is expensive.)

Thanks for the response! I understand that I would have to get park tickets with the pkg, but couldn't the extra ticket be used for another trip? I really have NO intention of doing this, but was just curious as to how this scenario would work.
My thoughts are that all guests would need to be present and accounted for at check-in. I have never taken advantage of the free-dining promos, so I really don't know the process.

 

[smiths02]

You would have to buy the extra tickets that probably discourages some people PLUS most of the rooms have a 4 person limit (over age 3), so if you add on phantom people, then many families might not qualify for a cheaper room.

Also, I imagine that many families upgrade the dining to DDP or DxDP, so they they would have to pay to upgrade the phantom person.

Also, it feels kind of like cheating the system.

 

[aubriee]

The very first year free dining was offered they didn't seperate kids and adult dining TS credits, so there were alot of couples that did that. They bought one day park tickets (which was the minimum ticket required at that time) and then added a couple of phantom kids, which then gave them enough credits to do Signature restaurants every night and a TS breakfast or lunch and tons of CS credits to waste. Disney caught on, and the second year free dining was offered they sporadically required that you had to show everyone at check in. I know we had to that year at Pop. Since then Disney says they may require you produce everyone at check in, but there are very few reports of them doing so. I know we go every year during free dining and that second year is the only time we had to show everyone. I usually check us in while my husband gets the carryons off the DME bus and if my mom is with us, she goes to bell services to pick up her ECV.

 

[smiths02]

The very first year free dining was offered they didn't seperate kids and adult dining TS credits, so there were alot of couples that did that. They bought one day park tickets (which was the minimum ticket required at that time) and then added a couple of phantom kids, which then gave them enough credits to do Signature restaurants every night and a TS breakfast or lunch and tons of CS credits to waste. Disney caught on, and the second year free dining was offered they sporadically required that you had to show everyone at check in. I know we had to that year at Pop. Since then Disney says they may require you produce everyone at check in, but there are very few reports of them doing so. I know we go every year during free dining and that second year is the only time we had to show everyone. I usually check us in while my husband gets the carryons off the DME bus and if my mom is with us, she goes to bell services to pick up her ECV.

Hmmm...my husband is checking in a few hours after my DS and myself...hope that doesn't cause a problem (we are on a free dining pin, not during "regular" free dining season though). And I am paying over $300 for his ticket and to upgrade him to regular DDP (so if he really were not going, it would have been cheaper just to upgrade DS and me to DxDP, which would have also gotten us way more meal entitlements, snack entitlements and a mug)

 

[DonnaLeah]

Thanks for your thoughts! The only time I did a dining plan was the dxdp and it wasn't free. All three of us were present for check-in, so that wasn't a problem.
I have until the end of this month to make the reservation. I will just book the three of us if I think there would be a chance that DSF can't go.

 

[purple figment]

Hmmm...my husband is checking in a few hours after my DS and myself...hope that doesn't cause a problem

It's highly unlikely, but if they don't give you his KTTW card/DDP credits, he would get just go to the check in counter when he arrives and get them himself.

 

[aubriee]

It's highly unlikely, but if they don't give you his KTTW card/DDP credits, he would get just go to the check in counter when he arrives and get them himself.

Agree! It's very seldom now that you ever see a post that they've required everyone to be there. I go to WDW several times a year and the only time we've ever had to produce everybody at check in was that second year free dining was offered, but again the year before there were alot of reports where people had registered phantom kids just to get extra meal credits. Disney closed that loop hole by seperating kids and adult credits.