Heads up for plan fudgers in 2007

[DisOrBust]

That is true at the TS SOMETIMES but not at the CS. The new menus I believe came out in September or later so no people couldn't changes their ADRs /plans. I know I couldn't for our November Trip. I was SOL....

 

[Alice28]

Just have to say that I'm still excited to use the dining plan and we will still definitely get our money's worth.

 

[jiminyfan]

I disagree that the child's menu selection and the DDP are not linked. The main reason for my disagreement is that EVERYONE in the same room must be on the same package. That means I have no choice but to buy the DDP for my child and spouse (possibly if she doesn't want it) even though I do want it.

Once you link all the people in the room to the plan, they menu choice and plan are officially linked together. Either that or I can book my seven year old a room of his own, so he doesn't have to be on the plan. The deal is good for adults, but due to lack of menu choices for children it really hurts the entire family. Either that or you are forced to buy OOO meals for your children so they can eat "real" foods. My son eats tons of red meat, no burgers but steaks, lamb and the like with this plan, he cannot have that unless we go to LeCellier every day and that may change by August. I called Disney dining and the lady informed me that the children's menu had plenty of good choices and it was my son's tastes that were the problem. I asked if Disney was so worried about thefood my son was eating why does he have to eat FRIED and breaded chicken (or whatever meat [term used loosely] pressed into the chicken nuggets) rather than a nice pice of grilled chicken breast? Also, how it a hot dog or corn dog healthier that a nice piece of steak? You can go on and on.

To sum it up, yes the two are linked. If not, allow us to choose who is and is not on the package.

 

[JimMIA]

I disagree that the child's menu selection and the DDP are not linked. The main reason for my disagreement is that EVERYONE in the same room must be on the same package. That means I have no choice but to buy the DDP for my child and spouse (possibly if she doesn't want it) even though I do want it.

You used a very important word here, and it's PACKAGE. DDP is a package. The package includes rack rate for your room, everybody in the room being on DDP, and buying DDP for everyone for each night of your stay. It's NOT a menu of dining options for individual guests to select from and never has been.

In your situation, DDP really probably is not be a good choice for you. That doesn't mean it's a lousy plan -- it just means it doesn't meet your family's needs.

It sounds like you might be a candidate for DDE instead of DDP. You get ONE AP, get the best room rate you can get, buy the DDE card, and then get 20% off your food & bev, including adult beverages. And not just for one trip -- for a full year (actually a little more). You don't care whether some in your party will use some plan or not -- you order whatever they want for each meal and get 20% off.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I disagree that the child's menu selection and the DDP are not linked. The main reason for my disagreement is that EVERYONE in the same room must be on the same package. That means I have no choice but to buy the DDP for my child and spouse (possibly if she doesn't want it) even though I do want it.

Once you link all the people in the room to the plan, they menu choice and plan are officially linked together. Either that or I can book my seven year old a room of his own, so he doesn't have to be on the plan. The deal is good for adults, but due to lack of menu choices for children it really hurts the entire family. Either that or you are forced to buy OOO meals for your children so they can eat "real" foods. My son eats tons of red meat, no burgers but steaks, lamb and the like with this plan, he cannot have that unless we go to LeCellier every day and that may change by August. I called Disney dining and the lady informed me that the children's menu had plenty of good choices and it was my son's tastes that were the problem. I asked if Disney was so worried about thefood my son was eating why does he have to eat FRIED and breaded chicken (or whatever meat [term used loosely] pressed into the chicken nuggets) rather than a nice pice of grilled chicken breast? Also, how it a hot dog or corn dog healthier that a nice piece of steak? You can go on and on.

To sum it up, yes the two are linked. If not, allow us to choose who is and is not on the package.

You aren't FORCED to purchase the plan. If it doesn't work for you and your family, don't get it.

None of Disney's packages are a perfect fit for EVERY family. Why should this one be any different?

Disney has never allowed some people in a party to opt out of a package. I don’t think they should start now.

Can you imagine what CRO would have to deal with if that was allowed?

We only want dining for 3 of the 4 people booked in our room.
2 of us have left over passes so we only need passes of the 2 kids.
Grandma can’t swim, so she’s opting out of the water parks and fun option.
Only one of us will need the hopping add on. Everyone else will do one park a day.

 

[Allison]

I disagree that the child's menu selection and the DDP are not linked. The main reason for my disagreement is that EVERYONE in the same room must be on the same package. That means I have no choice but to buy the DDP for my child and spouse (possibly if she doesn't want it) even though I do want it.

Once you link all the people in the room to the plan, they menu choice and plan are officially linked together. Either that or I can book my seven year old a room of his own, so he doesn't have to be on the plan. The deal is good for adults, but due to lack of menu choices for children it really hurts the entire family. Either that or you are forced to buy OOO meals for your children so they can eat "real" foods. My son eats tons of red meat, no burgers but steaks, lamb and the like with this plan, he cannot have that unless we go to LeCellier every day and that may change by August. I called Disney dining and the lady informed me that the children's menu had plenty of good choices and it was my son's tastes that were the problem. I asked if Disney was so worried about thefood my son was eating why does he have to eat FRIED and breaded chicken (or whatever meat [term used loosely] pressed into the chicken nuggets) rather than a nice pice of grilled chicken breast? Also, how it a hot dog or corn dog healthier that a nice piece of steak? You can go on and on.

To sum it up, yes the two are linked. If not, allow us to choose who is and is not on the package.

And that is not what this thread is about. It is about informing people of the change and that child credits cannot be used as adult credits (which was never intended in the first place). Your post is for another thread.

 

[JimMIA]

I just know that you were all waiting for me to get off work tonight, right?
So, here's the deal for TS at least. Can't speak to counter service, though I'd expect it to be similar.

As of this point, child and adult credits are separate. We have an adult TSR button and a child TSR button for the plan. Right now, we have to separate the adults and the children onto separate bills and charge them using the appropriate button. In 3 weeks, the system update will be complete and we will not have to split the bills, just select the proper buttons, etc. We still only need one card per room. You will NOT be allowed to purchase more than what your card states your allotments are. No fudging. The system won't allow it. That means no treating Aunt Mabel from the Days Inn in Kissimmee. Period. This is all completely set. CMs who try to help you get around the system (if it's possible) will be in big trouble.
Nothing said about time frames or lock outs within a meal period. Grazing around World showcase one credit at a time should be fine.

Thanks for posting real-world, accurate, and relevant information.

 

[JimMIA]

We only want dining for 3 of the 4 people booked in our room.
2 of us have left over passes so we only need passes of the 2 kids.
Grandma can’t swim, so she’s opting out of the water parks and fun option.
Only one of us will need the hopping add on. Everyone else will do one park a day.

Not a problem. The two kids passes you need will be $249 per day each, and the dining plan of the three participating members of your party will be $189.99 per day per participant. Except for that holiday thingee in the middle of your vacation which will be double! AND...we'll throw in the one park hopper add-on for FREE!

 

[dzorn]

I understand the reasoning behind separating the credits, but you still should be able to order what you want no matter the room number count. For example if we have 2a2c I should be able to order (not buffet of course) 3 adult meals if I have enough adult credits left and let the kiddies split their meal. When I run out of adult credits it will be me who pays oop if I need more adult meals.

Denise in MI

 

[MrShiny]

Too easy to forge.

Doubtful. Creasting unforgabledocuments is pretty easy these days. More likely the cost of the coupons themselves and the problem of the guest who looses a coupon.

 

[MrShiny]

The only using as many credit as you have seems stupid. If for some reason you wanted to use more at one meal, you should be able to. For instance, on a recent trip with 5 adults and 1 child, we at one meal had all adult meals - now there was no cheating involved as we had 2 kids meals at another meal.

This would be unenforceable, imho. You could simpl\y order one batch and then get in line to order another.

If you want to eat 3 lunches and 2 dinners in one day, you should be allowed to, if you have the credits.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To sum it up, yes the two are linked. If not, allow us to choose who is and is not on the package.

And yet again... the Disney Dining Plan Package is NOT for everyone. Since you're not happy with the kids' selections, probably despite my count (and I'll be happy to PM you the list, culled from the menus here at wdwinfo.com), even though you like it for yourself - you're apparently among the Guests for whom it is not a wise purchase.

For example if we have 2a2c I should be able to order (not buffet of course) 3 adult meals if I have enough adult credits left and let the kiddies split their meal. When I run out of adult credits it will be me who pays oop if I need more adult meals.

Then it appears the Disney Dining Plan Package is also not a good fit for you. As has been pointed out several times in this thread, it doesn't work for everyone.

The only using as many credit as you have seems stupid. If for some reason you wanted to use more at one meal, you should be able to. For instance, on a recent trip with 5 adults and 1 child, we at one meal had all adult meals - now there was no cheating involved as we had 2 kids meals at another meal.

But now, with the upgraded programming and tracking, you will not be able to do that. Pretty much, it comes down to: use the DDP as designed, or don't purchase it.
Ah, okay, it appears you're talking about Counter Service. We don't know what, if any, system upgrades have been instituted. There don't seem to be any Counter Service CMs posting here.

 

[S.Poppins]

And as people have said before - if you and your kids don't like the kids food available don't get the DDP. The new menus have been around long enough for people to cancel DDP for trips this year if the menu doesn't suit them. Relying on the ability to use kids credits for adult food is misguided at best. People aren't SOL, they just shouldn't get DDP and feed the kids whatever they please. If DDP doesn't fit/save you money don't blame Disney because you bought it anyway.

If there is a huge drop off in DDP use then Disney will look for the cause. Someone posted earlier that DDP isn't for everyone not was it intended as such - these moves perhaps will align actual usage with expected usage.

But what if you made your reservations and paid for the DDP before all the changes took place?

 

[phlufster]

But what if you made your reservations and paid for the DDP before all the changes took place?

Unless you were planning to cheat the system, you should be fine.

 

[thunderbird1]

Out of curiosity what legitimate uses of the plan have been curtailed by the new enforcement mechanisms? From what I have read here these changes stop the use of child credits by adults and stop people from using credits for persons non on the dinning plan. Both of these activities have been identified as not allowed in writing by Disney for awhile now. Other than that I don't see any other impact on how people use their credits. What am I missing?

I'm not sure whether this would be considered a "legitimate" use of the plan or not, but here goes. Assume a family of 2A, 2C. At CS restaurant "A," the kids want pizza but there isn't any on the kids' menu, so they order 3 A meals to share between them. The next day, they visit CS restaurant "B," because it has a vegetable noodle stir fry on the kids' menu and order 1 A meal and 3 C meals.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't have a problem with separating A and C credits, but once that's done, I also don't see why they couldn't also allow you to use them when and how you choose. I suppose because, while it does solve the "A meals for C credits" issue it doesn't solve the "treating others" issue.

This is horrible news...I need to change some adr's now for jan trip....

it was too good to be true.......but they were getting my money anyway..

I would use dd's credit for a fine dining.......

Then I would Pay Extra for Kids Club.....

Then I would pay extra for the bottle of wine and a cocktail.....

trust me that added up more than using her credits

Kerri

Frankly, I think this may have been exactly what Disney intended, and why they didn't separate A and C credits from the beginning. They knew there would be some abuse, but they had no idea how widespread it would be. Probably the disboards, allearsnet and mousesavers telling thousands of people how to maximize their credits didn't help. I'm sure it's not over yet.

 

[LindyN]

The plan hasn't changed at all. Its the same plan as it was six months or even a year ago when you booked your trips. There was a loophole with the tracking of credits, which was exploited by more than a few people, that caused Disney to figure a way to close that loophole.

Even the old brochures said that children must order from the children's menu when one is available, and dining credits were non-transferrable.

Abuses of the system cause everyone to suffer. I think menu variety, portion size and even quality at some restaurants have been impacted negatively because of the dining plan's popularity, and abuse, in some cases. The DDP is a great deal but as a passholder with a DDE card I find myself doing more Signature Dining, breakfast buffets and counter service because that's what works best for my Disney trips.

People need to eat and Disney is not denying anyone their right to use the dining plan. They're just limiting it to the purchasers of the plan on the reservation, and the plan components being used for the particular guest in the proper increments. Its not an unreasonable policy as it has always been there.

FWIW.

 

[smiller]

I'm still curious if anyone has experienced using a child's credit at a CS that doesn't have a specific children's menu. Do I have my DNiece3 order? Do I tell them that I want to use a child's credit?

 

[eculmone]

OK, I'm thoroughly confused. So if I can't eat the dessert I ordered with my TS I can't slide it over to a neighbouring table and say be my guest? OR share my meal that I ordered with my mom who stops in for a visit? She lives down in Florida and generally drives up to see us. Last year I purchased my CS meal and we split it. I can't see how Disney could police who eats my food? Can they?

 

[bicker]

I'm not sure whether this would be considered a "legitimate" use of the plan or not, but here goes. Assume a family of 2A, 2C. At CS restaurant "A," the kids want pizza but there isn't any on the kids' menu, so they order 3 A meals to share between them. The next day, they visit CS restaurant "B," because it has a vegetable noodle stir fry on the kids' menu and order 1 A meal and 3 C meals.

Yes, I thought that these changes, which we knew were coming, would have continued to allow that, but BuffaloGal's report indicates that they're cracking down a lot harder than I thought they would. Perhaps that's an indication that there was a heck of a lot more abuse going on than we thought!

I guess what I'm saying is I don't have a problem with separating A and C credits, but once that's done, I also don't see why they couldn't also allow you to use them when and how you choose. I suppose because, while it does solve the "A meals for C credits" issue it doesn't solve the "treating others" issue.

Precisely. And while I knew some people were violating the non-transferability rule, I didn't think it was quite widespread enough for Disney to impose it by force like this. Guess I was wrong.

Probably the disboards, allearsnet and mousesavers telling thousands of people how to maximize their credits didn't help. I'm sure it's not over yet.

This is an important point. We have a social responsibility here online which a lot of people take way too casually. Advocating exploitation and abuse is a form of transgression, itself. If folks are going to transgress, they should do so quietly, and we shouldn't be condoning advocacy to transgress in our community.

 

[bicker]

OK, I'm thoroughly confused. So if I can't eat the dessert I ordered with my TS I can't slide it over to a neighbouring table and say be my guest?

That you can do.

OR share my meal that I ordered with my mom who stops in for a visit?

Also okay.

What you cannot do is order a separate meal for your mom and pay for it using Dining Plan credits -- you'd/she'd have to pay for it in cash.