G-tube fed child with dining plan

[amss14]

My g tube fed child will be 4 when we go in October, so he will have to get a dining plan but does not eat. Can we use his dining credits for ourselves for extra table service meals?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

My g tube fed child will be 4 when we go in October, so he will have to get a dining plan but does not eat. Can we use his dining credits for ourselves for extra table service meals?

You could use his TS credits for another child, but an adult couldn't use his TS dining credits.

 

[bookgirl]

I believe TS credits are specific to the menu, so you could take your son in and order him a childs plate, but you as an adult could not order off the adult menu using his credit.

CS is a whole nother can of worms and there are tales on both sides that say, some cashiers totally ask to verify that a childs meal was ordered, and some that just count all CS as a credit without distinguishing between adult and child.

 

[amss14]

Okay, so just to be clear, an adult dining plan is different than an adult?

 

[bookgirl]

Okay, so just to be clear, an adult dining plan is different than an adult?

Yes, and in any restaurant where there is a separate children's menu (which is all the TS and most of the CS) a child's credit must be used on the children's menu.

 

[aaarcher86]

Okay, so just to be clear, an adult dining plan is different than an adult?

What?

Your child is 4 so they are getting child credits. An adult could not use his child credits for an adult meal. You could use his credit for a child meal, but those choices aren't thrilling.

I would suggest ditching the DP in this situation unless you're getting it for free. If you are, I'd suggest upgrading the child to an adult ticket to get the adult DP so you could use his credits for adult meals.

 

[amss14]

Sorry, one of those adults was meant to say child!

Thanks for the help! If they will be completely wasted I think not doing the dining plan will be the best option too! ( unless free dining becomes available!)

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We had the dining plan for several trips, but the things that used to make it a good deal (appetizer and tip included) were taken away and the price kept going up. In 2012, I decided to pay out of pocket and was so glad I did. I saved a little money and enjoyed the freedom of eating how I wanted to eat rather than worrying about credits and TS versus CS and so on. I won't buy the DDP again.

In your case, I think it definitely makes sense to pay OOP for meals.

 

[robinb]

Sorry, one of those adults was meant to say child!

Thanks for the help! If they will be completely wasted I think not doing the dining plan will be the best option too! ( unless free dining becomes available!)

One little tip for you. As far as I know Disney still allows the "loop hole" of declaring your child (3-9) to be 10-years old (and therefor a Disney adult) when you book your vacation. You would have to pay the minor difference in price between the adult park pass and the child's park pass plus the difference in price between the adult and child's Disney Dining Plan. If you are booking through the free dining promotion the differences in the DDP would be $0 so you would only have to pay the difference on the park passes. Many families do this so their kids can eat adult meals at certain places and then they will pay out of pocket for the occasional kids meal and use the adults TS credits for the rest of the family. If his meals are all "adult" TS meals then the rest of the family can use them. Be aware that some restaurants (like character meals) will still charge you for him even if he can't medically eat anything.

 

[MSSANDRA]

It depends on how you use credits as to whether you will waste them or not. If you want to do any character meals, you have to pay for him anyway, whether he will eat or not. It that case, DDP will be helpful. His snack credits are the same as adults, so if you can use an extra snack each day, not wasted. CS are the tricky thing, there are rules and different thoughts on how the child-adult meal rule is enforced. There are however, CS kid meals that can make a great snack or even a light meal for adults. The CS mickey waffle breakfast is plenty for me, and if you have his extra credit each day it would add up to breakfast for everyone a day or two. I often eat kid meals at WDW, leaving an adult meal credit or two to split for more breakfast options.

 

[amss14]

One little tip for you. As far as I know Disney still allows the "loop hole" of declaring your child (3-9) to be 10-years old (and therefor a Disney adult) when you book your vacation. You would have to pay the minor difference in price between the adult park pass and the child's park pass plus the difference in price between the adult and child's Disney Dining Plan. If you are booking through the free dining promotion the differences in the DDP would be $0 so you would only have to pay the difference on the park passes. Many families do this so their kids can eat adult meals at certain places and then they will pay out of pocket for the occasional kids meal and use the adults TS credits for the rest of the family. If his meals are all "adult" TS meals then the rest of the family can use them. Be aware that some restaurants (like character meals) will still charge you for him even if he can't medically eat anything.

Great advice! Would I just say he's 10 when I book? Or tell them he's 4 but I want him to be considered an adult?

 

[robinb]

I think you would say he was 10. Make sure that it's still okay here first. Disney has allowed the loop hole in the past but you never know what they'll do in the future. There should be a Free Dining thread soon enough when you can ask your question. Check over on the Resort Codes board.

 

[powellrj]

Just remember, you also have to pay for an over 10 ticket because he will be listed as over 10, so I am not sure its such a great deal.

 

[aaarcher86]

Just remember, you also have to pay for an over 10 ticket because he will be listed as over 10, so I am not sure its such a great deal.

It is only with FD since the only charge is the $20ish ticket increase.

 

[amss14]

Thanks y'all! Just trying to figure all this out!
So now another question, when we go to a Table service restaurant do we hAve to order as many meals as people? My child does not eat by mouth and If free dining is available I am going to register him as an adult. So my magic band will say 3 adults registered, so do I have to order 3 meals just becAuse there are 3 of us at the table? Also what about buffet\character meals? Does 3 credits get charged no matter what?
Hope this makes sense!

 

[amss14]

It depends on how you use credits as to whether you will waste them or not. If you want to do any character meals, you have to pay for him anyway, whether he will eat or not. It that case, DDP will be helpful. His snack credits are the same as adults, so if you can use an extra snack each day, not wasted. CS are the tricky thing, there are rules and different thoughts on how the child-adult meal rule is enforced. There are however, CS kid meals that can make a great snack or even a light meal for adults. The CS mickey waffle breakfast is plenty for me, and if you have his extra credit each day it would add up to breakfast for everyone a day or two. I often eat kid meals at WDW, leaving an adult meal credit or two to split for more breakfast options.

So if my husband, myself, and our 4 year old walk into a cs for let's say breakfast, we could order one adult meal, and one child( for me to eat). And save an adult cs credit?
(Should have read this before my last post).

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Thanks y'all! Just trying to figure all this out!
So now another question, when we go to a Table service restaurant do we hAve to order as many meals as people? My child does not eat by mouth and If free dining is available I am going to register him as an adult. So my magic band will say 3 adults registered, so do I have to order 3 meals just becAuse there are 3 of us at the table? Also what about buffet\character meals? Does 3 credits get charged no matter what?
Hope this makes sense!

If you are eating at a buffet or family-style restaurant, they usually will charge for everyone at the table even if your child isn't eating. You can certainly explain the situation to the server and/or manager, and they may make an exception. But at character meals, the argument is that they are charging for the entertainment (i.e. characters) as much as the food. At a plated meal restaurant (one where you each order off a menu), then you are most likely fine ordering just for the 2 of you and not or your child.

So if my husband, myself, and our 4 year old walk into a cs for let's say breakfast, we could order one adult meal, and one child( for me to eat). And save an adult cs credit?
(Should have read this before my last post).

At CS restaurants, you are charged only for what food you order. You could order one adult meal, one child meal, and save an adult CS credit for another meal.

 

[ceg]

I am going to be in the same situation next time we go. My son will most likely be 5 next time we go. G-J tube fed and does nothing by mouth. We want to do a lot of character meals. They are really going to charge for him? If so, is it fair that I expect the characters to spend a bunch of time at his wheelchair stroking his arms and head (so he can feel them), since we are paying for the entertainment for him? (Which is crazy, because he is on a newborn level and legally blind and deaf, so it's not like the "entertainment" really means anything to him.) It's crazy that we are going to have to pay for him. I'll be paying for all the other kids, of course, even my daughter, who is g-tube fed, because she will taste some things and also is completely functioning at or above age level.

 

[aaarcher86]

I am going to be in the same situation next time we go. My son will most likely be 5 next time we go. G-J tube fed and does nothing by mouth. We want to do a lot of character meals. They are really going to charge for him? If so, is it fair that I expect the characters to spend a bunch of time at his wheelchair stroking his arms and head (so he can feel them), since we are paying for the entertainment for him? (Which is crazy, because he is on a newborn level and legally blind and deaf, so it's not like the "entertainment" really means anything to him.) It's crazy that we are going to have to pay for him. I'll be paying for all the other kids, of course, even my daughter, who is g-tube fed, because she will taste some things and also is completely functioning at or above age level.

They'll spend the same amount of time with you as they do with anyone else. Yes, they'll most likely charge for him. It's not mandatory to go to character meals. People certainly don't do it for the food! It's to meet the characters.

You can meet any character in the parks that you would see in a meal aside from Piglet most of the time. If your unhappy paying for entertainment he won't find entertaining, I'd suggest eating somewhere you won't be charged. It's not all that different than buying a park ticket for him although it doesn't sound like he will be able to enjoy much (from your description).