full charge for not eating at chef mickey's

[dj2]

warning to others. somehow I missed the policy change at character meals or maybe the change was not clearly stated. we never used to have a problem with being charged for everyone else and me not eating. i think past policy was a nominal entertainment fee, which we were never charged. but no more. they charge full price even if you don't eat a thing. i was not prepared for this change at all and due to my medication needing to be taken at a specific time and on an empty stomach, I couldn't eat anything even if the chef would make an allergy-friendly meal. after talking to 3 people they made a one-time exception for us but it would have been better for the mood of the expensive meal if i had clearly understood the new policy from the beginning.

 

[Piper]

I don't believe this is a change. I think you have just been very lucky in the past. There have been many threads on this board discussing this matter.

 

[Mrsjvb]

it was my understanding that policy was ALWAYS being charged full price regardless of how much you ate( or did not).


the exception was the entertainment fee or not being charged at all.

 

[writersblock42]

Does this mean that person with a significant disability and a feeding tube would also be charged?

 

[Mrsjvb]

Does this mean that person with a significant disability and a feeding tube would also be charged?

by policy..yes.

the 'entertainment fee' that many people report paying is a compromise that Disney offers as these types of meals are less about the food and more about the entertainment and character interaction.

ADA requires equal access.. which is why there is no discount on tickets for anyone who cannot ride any rides due to disability either. same for this scenario

 

[wilkeliza]

warning to others. somehow I missed the policy change at character meals or maybe the change was not clearly stated. we never used to have a problem with being charged for everyone else and me not eating. i think past policy was a nominal entertainment fee, which we were never charged. but no more. they charge full price even if you don't eat a thing. i was not prepared for this change at all and due to my medication needing to be taken at a specific time and on an empty stomach, I couldn't eat anything even if the chef would make an allergy-friendly meal. after talking to 3 people they made a one-time exception for us but it would have been better for the mood of the expensive meal if i had clearly understood the new policy from the beginning.

It is for buffets. In a buffet situation they charge everyone no mater how little or much they eat. I've always read the policy as that. It's the reason why some of my friends won't join us at them. They don't want to be trapped into paying.

 

[jmartinez1895]

I believe that in the past you have always run into Cms that understood your situation and sprinkled some pixie dust your way. I have read of people not being charged at all and I have read of people on feeding tubes being charged full price. I think that it is really a case of " your mileage may vary". You should always be prepared to pay full price, if they don't charge you the full price then great, but if they do then it is not a shocker.
I can understand how you must have felt, not planning on a bill and then getting one.

 

[buckeev]

Sorry for your unpleasant experience.
My Autistic son won't touch any food at Chef Mickey's, or any of the buffet character sites. He is simply too worked up to eat, even IF there was stuff he'd try.
Unfortunately, we have had to pay the complete price on every trip except one in 2004. I think it is pitiful that they do that, I would gladly pay an "entertainment fee", and walk away smiling.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Sorry for your unpleasant experience.
My Autistic son won't touch any food at Chef Mickey's, or any of the buffet character sites. He is simply too worked up to eat, even IF there was stuff he'd try.
Unfortunately, we have had to pay the complete price on every trip except one in 2004. I think it is pitiful that they do that, I would gladly pay an "entertainment fee", and walk away smiling.

if they made allowances/exceptions.. all it would take is one person bragging about it and suddenly half the kids( and a good third of the adults) woudl miraculously come up with a reason to not be charged full price , IE.."he is a very picky eater!"

like I said, ADA is about granting EQUAL access, not special treatment.

 

[Wendydagny]

My daughter is on a ventilator, and actually doesn't even HAVE most of her digestive tract and is fed with an IV. We have eaten at almost every character buffet and CRT, and have never been charged for her.

 

[jmartinez1895]

My daughter is on a ventilator, and actually doesn't even HAVE most of her digestive tract and is fed with an IV. We have eaten at almost every character buffet and CRT, and have never been charged for her.

I assume in your case they can see that there is no way your child ate any of the food and I do believe that they try to be as nice and accommodating as they can be, but they did have the option to charge you full price if they had chosen to.
As a pp said, if they made it a policy to not bill, or to reduce the charge for non eaters, then sadly I think they would experience a flood of people who would not want to pay, and some people would even eat off of a family members plate and then say they did not eat.

 

[Talking Hands]

I assume in your case they can see that there is no way your child ate any of the food and I do believe that they try to be as nice and accommodating as they can be, but they did have the option to charge you full price if they had chosen to.
As a pp said, if they made it a policy to not bill, or to reduce the charge for non eaters, then sadly I think they would experience a flood of people who would not want to pay, and some people would even eat off of a family members plate and then say they did not eat.

I don't understand why you would make an ADR at a time you couldn't eat. You obviously can eat and but choose not to because of your meds. I don't understand why you would expect to not be charged. Any buffet I have ever gone to charges you if even come in and sit. Only time I have seen them not charge is for a person who obviously cannot eat because of a feeding tube.

 

[dj2]

I don't understand why you would make an ADR at a time you couldn't eat. You obviously can eat and but choose not to because of your meds. I don't understand why you would expect to not be charged. Any buffet I have ever gone to charges you if even come in and sit. Only time I have seen them not charge is for a person who obviously cannot eat because of a feeding tube.

wow. never gave it a second thought since we have gone to chef mickey's many times in the past without me eating a bite of food, as well as almost all the other character buffets and were never charged anything in the past. the manager said it was a policy change. not sure from what to what. maybe the policy change is more of a change from being on paper to actual enforcement, sort of how the fast pass return expiration times are now enforced. i was prepared for that enforcement change, but not for this one. i was not trying to argue against the policy. i don't hang out on these boards as much anymore and didn't know it was well covered topic, so i was trying be nice to help others by making sure others were aware.

 

[jmartinez1895]

wow. never gave it a second thought since we have gone to chef mickey's many times in the past without me eating a bite of food, as well as almost all the other character buffets and were never charged anything in the past. the manager said it was a policy change. not sure from what to what. maybe the policy change is more of a change from being on paper to actual enforcement, sort of how the fast pass return expiration times are now enforced. i was prepared for that enforcement change, but not for this one. i was not trying to argue against the policy. i don't hang out on these boards as much anymore and didn't know it was well covered topic, so i was trying be nice to help others by making sure others were aware.

I think your post should serve a good reminder of the policy, just in case someone else is planing there meals and budget around not being charged.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Not shameful, equal.

 

[SueM in MN]

The policy actually always was that everyone paid for buffets or character meals according to their age (children paid child's price; adults paid adult price, even if they ate the same as a child).
That is how it has always been officially, as far as I know (at least since I started on the Disboards in 1999).
I have always told people to assume they would be paying full price.

The servers had some ability to make some exceptions at their discretion, based on what they observed as they served the table.
The exceptions were things like charging an entertainment fee for someone who did not eat at all or charging a child's fee for an adult who either ate very little or ate things only from the child's portion of the buffet.
We never asked for it, but were sometimes charged a child rate for our youngest DD, even now that she is an adult.

IF the policy was changed, my guess would be that servers may not be able to make any exceptions any more.
I have seen comments from parents of preschool age children without disabilities complaining about having to pay the child fee when their child ate very little (or an adult fee for an older child). My guess (only a guess) was that they were starting to get a lot of requests for exceptions, so may have decided to not allow exceptions.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) There are actually some buffets where you don't get charged.
2) The management at Chef Mickeys won't allow it there.
3) I know of THREE other buffets that the manager will not charge you.
4) Examples:
. . . kids/adults with feeding tubes
. . . some disabled children
. . . adults with gastric bypass surgery (not bands, but bypass)
5) It isn't easy, but the manager are flexible.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I can only imagine the can of worms that would open allowing people the option to just not eat. (No matter what the reason). I can see why they adhere to the "everyone pays" policy.

 

[Mom2six]

My DS5 has autism and barely eats anything - mostly just Cheerios, blueberries, toddler freeze dried yogurt, and almond milk. That is basically all he will eat. He will not eat a bite of the food from the buffets or drink anything- well, he drinks his almond milk that we bring - but we still have to pay at all the buffets. We know that going in though so it is not a shock. They should make sure everyone is aware of the policy!

 

[MaestroTK]

I can't believe I am reading this stuff...

Character meals are MEALS!!!! If you want to see characters go to the parks. I am pretty sure you can find them around.

The whole idea of an entertainment fee only at a character meal is absurd.