I"ve never seen so many threads on sharing

[aubriee]

As has been said often, the real focus of the dining plan is to put people in beds in Disney resorts, not so much to put seats in seats in their restaurants. I think that has gone very well, and I think they will continue the product much the same as they have in the past.

My concern is that if too many people are sharing and the World Showcase restaraunts are not making the money they anticipate, that being independently owned they might pull out. We love to dine in the World Showcase and a very large percentage of our meals are there. If they were to pull out we probably would not purchase the DDP. Instead we'd just use my AP to get a discount on the room and then use either the AP or DDE discount. I did not renew my DDE card this year specifically because we tried and like the DDP last Sept.

Saying that I'll probably sound like a hypocrite, but we are hoping we can share when we go in Sept. My mom is a very brittle diabetic who must eat small meals frequently. I work night shift and am not interested in eating until around 2PM. Consequently I usually skip breakfast, but that's her biggest meal, so on the DDP I'd order a glass of juice and might nibble on a piece of her toast. She likes to eat lunch around 11:00-11:30am . There's no way I'm eating a full meal that early, but I do like appetizer type foods, so she'd order what she wanted and I'd nibble on her salad or soup while she ate her entree and we 'd both be full. Then about 2pm my stomach would finally be awake and I'd eat a good snack. My mom doesn't like to eat by herself, but my stomach is not working until after most people's lunch time. She doesn't eat sweet desserts and I probably wouldn't want them either at meal time so we'd bring them back to the resort where I'd eat them at my regular dinner time of around 2:00am. Yeah, even on vacation I wake up hungry around 2am every night. Am I cheap or do I want to cheat Disney? Not particulary that's just the way I eat normally.

 

[bicker]

It does seem like you (Bicker) were calling sharers/ cheaters because this thread was about sharing. I could care less if Disney separates C/A credits, that would be fine, but for people to look down on sharing is kind of strange. Quote:

It would be great fun to see the reaction to that, especially if they make it clear that the one was due to the other! All I can say is Wow! Some people seem very bitter.

Please try keeping things straight, okay? My comments were directly in response to Lewis' words quoted above them: "So many people think the dining plan provides TOO much food. How many people would complain if Disney just reduced the amount of food?" That surely would prompt the cheaters to use their credits to purchase child meals for their young children, eh?

There is a big different between bitterness and a belief that cheating (not sharing) harms society.

There is no way to have a discussion about sharing, now, without a discussion of cheating, because sharing is one tactic used by cheaters. Furthermore, honest people who just want to share are having their ability to do so threatened by cheaters. The two issues are inextricably tied together.

 

[Debbie]

Please try keeping things straight, okay?

Tidus said:

It does seem like you [Personal reference removed] were calling sharers/ cheaters because this thread was about sharing. I could care less if Disney separates C/A credits, that would be fine, but for people to look down on sharing is kind of strange.

It IS confusing since an early post on this sharing thread included the word "CHEAT". That leads the reader to make the inference that sharing(the topic of this thread)=cheating(the topic of the post).

We are four adults. My children (12/15) will likely order from both the child/adult menus. We are going with the attitude that we will do what is right for our family....and sharing may well be the plan. We will share, if possible, at TS meals, and definitely at CS meals. In our case, sharing does not equal cheating in our minds.

 

[bicker]

The moderators have asked to please take personal messages to PM. I'll comply with those rules. (Will you?)

 

[smartestnumber5]

My mom is a very brittle diabetic who must eat small meals frequently. I work night shift and am not interested in eating until around 2PM. Consequently I usually skip breakfast, but that's her biggest meal, so on the DDP I'd order a glass of juice and might nibble on a piece of her toast. She likes to eat lunch around 11:00-11:30am . There's no way I'm eating a full meal that early, but I do like appetizer type foods, so she'd order what she wanted and I'd nibble on her salad or soup while she ate her entree and we 'd both be full. Then about 2pm my stomach would finally be awake and I'd eat a good snack. My mom doesn't like to eat by herself, but my stomach is not working until after most people's lunch time. She doesn't eat sweet desserts and I probably wouldn't want them either at meal time so we'd bring them back to the resort where I'd eat them at my regular dinner time of around 2:00am. Yeah, even on vacation I wake up hungry around 2am every night. Am I cheap or do I want to cheat Disney? Not particulary that's just the way I eat normally.

It's this type of thing that makes the idea of every person at the table being required to use a credit at a given meal (instead of eating nothing or paying OOP or sharing) sound really bad. I'm getting kind of worried about something like that happening on our trip.

My girlfriend and I are planning to do a bit of sharing--appetizers and desserts--but I'll always purchase something of my own--usually another appetizer--OOP. I have very bad acid reflux and eating a ton in one sitting will just make me feel miserable so I'd rather just pick at things and then a few hours later pick at more things. In addition, I'm a vegetarian while my girlfriend likes her meat and seafood--thus we compromise on the restaurants. Of course she should get to go to Le Cellier and have a great meat filled meal, and I plan to eat a bit of her dessert, order some mashed potatoes, and maybe another appetizer if there's anything vegetarian that sounds good (not sure from the menus I've seen). But I'm not going to be very happy if we get there and I'm told I must spend a TS credit just for sitting there when there's only one veggie entree and I'm not interested in it.

Having to spend a credit for every person at the table regardless of whether/what they plan to eat would also seem to be a horrible thing when one member of a party is sick. A few years ago--pre DDP of course--my mother caught some type of stomach bug while in Disney. It was horrible-- she just kept having more diarrhea each time she ate anything substantial, so she ate just tiny bland things while out with the rest of us. Imagine someone getting sick like that and thus trying to have some bread and soup at dinner and being told they need to either use a whole TS credit for that or not be at the table anymore.

Anyway, I'm just going to hope nothing like that ends up happening on my trip. I shouldn't let all the talk and speculation on these boards get me anxious.

 

[NMW]

You know, I'm beginning to agree with this statement. I can't use what doesn't exist. This won't affect my still pooled entitlements.

I think bicker was talking about the rule in disney's DDP brochure that states that adults can not use child meal entitlements (credits). The brochure was changed in June I think. I really think that the confusion is coming from people (like my neighbors) who used the plan last year and payed oop for their kids while treating their MIL, and people just returning posting their dining experiences on the Dis. Disney constantly changes what it offers/sells-tickets, meal plans, etc. That's at least one thing you can count on!

 

[bicker]

DDP brochure that states that adults can not use child meal entitlements (credits).

That's correct NMW, though a lot of us always knew that was the rule, even before Disney spelled it out so clearly.

 

[bstnsprts]

That's correct NMW, though a lot of us always knew that was the rule, even before Disney spelled it out so clearly.

Reality check time. Like it or not Disney still does not have child or adult credits on DDP. Spelling it out clearly would mean providing guests with separated credits. Yes the brochure says you can't buy adult meals with child meal credits, big problem with that is guests are not given child and adult credits, still only pooled credits. Disney needs to back up it's rule by providing and tracking both child and adult credits. Until then people will be free to use the credits anyway they choose.

All these threads on sharing and amazingly not one first hand account of not being able to share. Yes, DDP card limits,(2A/2C) are being enforced, but not one report of any restaurant forcing a customer to buy a meal or using a credit even if their not purchasing a meal. Not one report of not being able to pay OOP for a child. Allot of misinformation is being given to people about what you can or can't do with DDP. Flexibility is not going to change as long as you stay within your card limit. Yes the credits will at some point be separated, but until then use them as pooled. People need to remember as big as Disney is, they need you, you don't need them. For those worried about being called a cheat, just remember it's just somebody's opinion, and like a@#$'s and elbows everybody's got one. Have fun with DDP and maximize it so that it works best for you and your family.

 

[minnie61650]

Reality check time. Like it or not Disney still does not have child or adult credits on DDP. Spelling it out clearly would mean providing guests with separated credits. Yes the brochure says you can't buy adult meals with child meal credits, big problem with that is guests are not given child and adult credits, still only pooled credits. Disney needs to back up it's rule by providing and tracking both child and adult credits. Until then people will be free to use the credits anyway they choose.

.

Using your agument that Disney's rules need to be enforced by Disney I guess ...


A.) They should put cameras in every guest room to make sure people don't have more people sleeping in their room than is the legal limit.
B.) Disney should make every parent bring a birth certificate for children under 3.
C.) Disney should sell refillable mugs with LOS barcodes.
Etc., etc., etc.

Yep. According to you if Disney makes a rule. Then Disney should enforce that rule.

Not following rules can really inconvience those that follow them.

Explain your Disney should be the enforcer to the mother of the 2 year old who is arriving in the morning for free dining but has to wait until grandma arrives at 10 PM to check into their room.

Yep. You got it! Disney now has to require everyone in the party to check into the room together. Disney has to count the people before the keys can be given out.
Why?
Because some people who wanted to "game the system" thought up this really cool way to get more dining credits during free dining last year.
They just made up some pretend children and added them to their room ressies.
Then they took those extra child's credits and used them for adult meals at signature restaurants. Wow they were the "smart ones !" It was Disney's fault! If Disney did not want that to happen then they would have thought a way to stop it!

Well, now they have a way to stop it and it will inconvenience many honest people whose groups will not be arriving at the same time during the free dining promotion. Now those people have to wait until all the members of their group are there. They all have to get in line and be counted. One parent can't take the little ones and watch them while the other one checks in.
Now Disney has to be the enforcer and that means all party members have to check in and be counted.

Stepping down from my soapbox now.

 

[Lewisc]

You're confusing a rule with enforcement. Disney can, and probably should, just divide the credits into adult and child. They could partially enforce the plan by not allowing guests the option of paying OOP for kids meals, particularly at the more expensive TS restaurants like CM.

Yes, there were some posters that were not allowed to pay out of pocket at Chef Mickey's.

Disney already prevents sharing at buffets, character meals and other all you care to eat restaurants. Disney recently changed CRT to a fixed menu which prevents sharing. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney's solution is to just change some restaurants to buffet or fixed menus. That would solve the sharing issue and allow them to turn over tables faster.

Reality check time. Like it or not Disney still does not have child or adult credits on DDP. Spelling it out clearly would mean providing guests with separated credits. Yes the brochure says you can't buy adult meals with child meal credits, big problem with that is guests are not given child and adult credits, still only pooled credits. Disney needs to back up it's rule by providing and tracking both child and adult credits. Until then people will be free to use the credits anyway they choose.

All these threads on sharing and amazingly not one first hand account of not being able to share. Yes, DDP card limits,(2A/2C) are being enforced, but not one report of any restaurant forcing a customer to buy a meal or using a credit even if their not purchasing a meal. Not one report of not being able to pay OOP for a child. Allot of misinformation is being given to people about what you can or can't do with DDP. Flexibility is not going to change as long as you stay within your card limit. Yes the credits will at some point be separated, but until then use them as pooled. People need to remember as big as Disney is, they need you, you don't need them. For those worried about being called a cheat, just remember it's just somebody's opinion, and like a@#$'s and elbows everybody's got one. Have fun with DDP and maximize it so that it works best for you and your family.

 

[bstnsprts]

Using your agument that Disney's rules need to be enforced by Disney I guess ...


A.) They should put cameras in every guest room to make sure people don't have more people sleeping in their room than is the legal limit.
B.) Disney should make every parent bring a birth certificate for children under 3.
C.) Disney should sell refillable mugs with LOS barcodes.
Etc., etc., etc.

Yep. According to you if Disney makes a rule. Then Disney should enforce that rule.

A. They could check if they wanted to.

B. They could check if they wanted to.

C. They could enforce if they wanted to.

DDP. Is not an enforcement issue because you can't enforce something that does not exist. Disney does not as of yet provide seperate adult and child credits.

See me on the last one when anyone is actually denied checking in without their whole party. I doubt it will happen.

 

[bstnsprts]

You're confusing a rule with enforcement. Disney can, and probably should, just divide the credits into adult and child. They could partially enforce the plan by not allowing guests the option of paying OOP for kids meals, particularly at the more expensive TS restaurants like CM.

Yes, there were some posters that were not allowed to pay out of pocket at Chef Mickey's.

Disney already prevents sharing at buffets, character meals and other all you care to eat restaurants. Disney recently changed CRT to a fixed menu which prevents sharing. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney's solution is to just change some restaurants to buffet or fixed menus. That would solve the sharing issue and allow them to turn over tables faster.

My point all along Lewis is that you can't have a rule, and then provide guests of the plan with something different. The brochure change should have been done in conjunction with the separation of credits. Call it a technicality, but child credits still do not exists. Buffets and changes at CRT stop all guests from sharing, not just those on DDP. I don't think Disney would treat the two differently.

 

[minnie61650]

A. They could check if they wanted to.

B. They could check if they wanted to.

C. They could enforce if they wanted to.

DDP. Is not an enforcement issue because you can't enforce something that does not exist. Disney does not as of yet provide seperate adult and child credits.

See me on the last one when anyone is actually denied checking in without their whole party. I doubt it will happen.

It happened to us last year when we checked in at the end of the free dining plan. DH and I were checking in .The CM asked us to bring all the members of our party to the front desk for check in. DD,DSIL and our granson age 3 at the time were in the gift shop so we went and got them.


I do care that others are being hurt because of some who are inconsiderate
and think that rules only count if there is a stiff enforcement of them.

 

[melomouse]

Using your agument that Disney's rules need to be enforced by Disney I guess ...


A.) They should put cameras in every guest room to make sure people don't have more people sleeping in their room than is the legal limit.
B.) Disney should make every parent bring a birth certificate for children under 3.
C.) Disney should sell refillable mugs with LOS barcodes.
Etc., etc., etc.

Yep. According to you if Disney makes a rule. Then Disney should enforce that rule.

Not following rules can really inconvience those that follow them.

Explain your Disney should be the enforcer to the mother of the 2 year old who is arriving in the morning for free dining but has to wait until grandma arrives at 10 PM to check into their room.

Yep. You got it! Disney now has to require everyone in the party to check into the room together. Disney has to count the people before the keys can be given out.
Why?
Because some people who wanted to "game the system" thought up this really cool way to get more dining credits during free dining last year.
They just made up some pretend children and added them to their room ressies.
Then they took those extra child's credits and used them for adult meals at signature restaurants. Wow they were the "smart ones !" It was Disney's fault! If Disney did not want that to happen then they would have thought a way to stop it!

Well, now they have a way to stop it and it will inconvenience many honest people whose groups will not be arriving at the same time during the free dining promotion. Now those people have to wait until all the members of their group are there. They all have to get in line and be counted. One parent can't take the little ones and watch them while the other one checks in.
Now Disney has to be the enforcer and that means all party members have to check in and be counted.

Stepping down from my soapbox now.

Thank you, Linda, once again, for citing an excellent example of how the loophole finders' exploitations make us ALL suffer the consequences. Some folks just don't get it.

Truly - I only just "got it" when several CM's at CRO informed me of the check in policy way back in April. I was told that this is directly because of FDP and abuses with "phantom guests".

Maybe til it impacts very directly some folks just don't see it.

 

[disney2d2]

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney's solution is to just change some restaurants to buffet or fixed menus. That would solve the sharing issue and allow them to turn over tables faster.

What makes you believe that Disney see's sharing as a problem just because a few of you here at DisBoards think that way?

Sharing is not an 'issue' for Disney and if it was, they'd have a rule against it.

(I am assuming that we are talking about adults sharing adult credits, since you are advocating fixed menus and buffets-only.)

P.S. I hope I get a table next to yours when I share my TS credits...

 

[Lewisc]

Actually I never said sharing was a problem or a big issue. I said I can't see Disney coming up with a sharing rule. I can't see the waiter saying keep your hands off someone's plate or explaining why everyone has to use a credit even if they share.

My point was Disney could do the same thing without having rules to explain or enforce by doing what they did at CRT and many other restaurants. Buffet and fixed menus. A lot easier to implement and explain than trying to enforce a no sharing policy.

I think those changes, if done, would be in order to accomodate more guests per meal. NOT SPECIFICALLY TO HANDLE SHARING ISSUES. The question may become how can Disney serve more guests per hour in the restaurants.

I don't know why you hope to have a table next to me. I certainly wouldn't ask to share off a strangers plate. I would expect you'd transfer food to an extra plate or to a bread plate. The only thing that would bother me is if you throw the food accross the table. Tell the waiter you want to share an entree and they may even bring it out on two plates. Doesn't bother me.

What makes you believe that Disney see's sharing as a problem just because a few of you here at DisBoards think that way?

Sharing is not an 'issue' for Disney and if it was, they'd have a rule against it.

(I am assuming that we are talking about adults sharing adult credits, since you are advocating fixed menus and buffets-only.)

P.S. I hope I get a table next to yours when I share my TS credits...

 

[grampini]

Forgive me for asking, but . . . I keep seeing references to "Free Dining." My daddy always told me that there was no such thing as a "free lunch."

Would you be so kind as to explain what "Free Dining" is and how you can qualify for it?

Grampini

 

[groover]

bstnsprts makes some excellent points...put me in that camp. What's amazing is that some of you apparently think that Disney and its Imagineers can make an incredibly lifelike Cpt. Jack Sparrow and other amazing attractions but not come up with a system to separate C/A credits.

Some of you are undoubtedly experts on all things Disney. I consider myself educated about WDW but no expert. I do know this....of the millions of people that visit WDW each year, you are bound to get a healthy cross section of the nationwide community. This massive group will include a) people who think that all things can be fixed with rules/laws; b) people who will look to take advantage of a situation "legally"; and c) convicted felons. [No report to support these findings.]

I guess what I am saying is feel free to get on your soapboxes, high horses or whatever you've got if it makes you feel better. We have all lost liberties in our everyday lives due to the fact that others have "abused" rules, whether those rules were clear or not. I think it's silly to think that the rules at WDW would be treated by people any different.

Some past rules: prohibition against women voting; segregation; eye for an eye (okay, it's a rather Old rule, but it was the rule nonetheless). Get off your freaking soapboxes for crying out loud.

 

[Frantasmic]

What's amazing is that
some of you apparently think that Disney and its Imagineers can make an incredibly
lifelike Cpt. Jack Sparrow and other amazing attractions but not come up with a system
to separate C/A credits.

****

So, the logic here is that Disney could have separated Adult and Child credits, but they didn't, so we, the Dining Public, MUST assume that they want Adults to use child credits despite the fact that they added the provision specifically in the new Dining Plan brochure AND they charge less for Child credits AND they state that children must eat from the children's menu, if provided?

 

[JimMIA]

I think we should be a lot more fastidious about some of our terminology here.

If you folks want to have one of those contests where everybody gets wet, that is your choice. However, I think some of your arguments are really terminology misunderstandings.

I don't really care if the "contestants" get thrown off track, but I am concerned about the 90% of the people who are lurking here and making plans based on misinformation from all sides.

So in the interest of accuracy, I will offer up three definitions of various types of sharing, along with my personal assessment of Disney's current position on each type:

1. Classic sharing - This is sharing a meal between people who are all participants in DDP. It could occur because they are just not hungry, because they want to bank credits for future Signature Dining, or because they are doing a "foodie" trip and want to enjoy as many restaurants as possible.
   
   I have seen extensive evidence of this being allowed, so I assume Disney has no issue with it. I also think it would be uncomfortable for Disney to stop, because they'd either be instituting a special rule for the DDP, or they'd be changing the rules for everyone because of a glitch with the DDP.
   
   However, it IS possible that Disney could change their current liberal policy on this type of sharing -- either by disallowing sharing entirely, or by instituting a sharing charge for those who choose to share.
   
   I think it would be foolish for anyone to buy the DDP if a sharing strategy is an important component of their decision. I don't care if you share or not, but I think it would be dumb to buy a plan based on one aspect of what you think it means when you know that aspect is controversial and could be changed at any moment.
   
   
2. Banking child credits - either by paying OOP or by sharing in some fashion.
   
   I don't think Disney has any objection to this, as long as the banked credits are used for a child who is a DDP participant. If the intent is buying an adult meal with a child credit, or buying a child meal for Cousin Tommy who's not a DDP participant, that's not allowed. I know Disney is modifying their computer system, and I believe the child credit thing will be a non-issue pretty soon.
   
   People who are planning to use child credits for anything but a child's meal for a child on the plan are setting themselves up for disappointment.
   
   
3. "Treating" this is using DDP credits to treat people who are not DDP participants.
   
   I didn't understand this at first, but I now realize this never was allowed under the plan. I didn't think this is what Disney meant by "non-transferable." I was wrong; it's exactly what they meant from the start.
   
   This IS being enforced by not allowing more purchases than the card shows. People who are making plans to do this are almost certainly going to be disappointed and possibly embarrased.

I think if posters would be clear about which type of sharing they're talking about, we'd find that there's a lot less substantive disagreement than some seem to think. A lot of these discussions are: "Apples are RED!!!" "No they're NOT!!! Chevy pickup trucks come in many colors!"

And I KNOW the discussions would be a lot easier for lurkers to understand and benefit from if we'd be more clear.