Just back- two issues to note***

[Poohgirl]

This is the fourth time we have used the dining plan, and the only time I have noted any issues, although minor I thought I might point them out.

We ate at Maya Grill and after receiving the bill noticed that the charge was something like 2 adult diners 41.00 + tax and 7.28 tip totaling $52.00 even. Well, I know that my entree was $28 alone so something didn't add up. I called the waiter over and asked about the total and the reduced tip amount (based on $52.00 instead of what should have been $95 easy) and he said that they have to charge a flat rate. So even though the dining plan states they should receive 18% tip, in this case it was on a reduced flat rate, so I made up the intended difference.

Secondly, this time around Disney has added little dining plan symbols next to menu board items at shops, counter service, and kiosks (as well as food and wine kiosks during the festival) to let you know what you can get with your snack credits. At check in we were told to look for these symbols to know what was on the plan. At Dino bites in Aminal Kingdom my BF ordered a float (with the symbol) and was told it wasn't on the plan. I went back up and asked the girl about it and she said that ice cream isn't included. She got on the phone and called to ask someone to confirm. I told her that I understood, however it had the symbol next to it, as did the ice cream sundae, and milk shake. (All BTW were $3.99, 4.25 or so with tax) and it would confuse many customers who were specifically told to look for it. So, her solution, she covered the symbols with masking tape. I am not sure I buy that they are not covered. "Technically" there is 4.00 snack cost limit, the cost for these items as of 7/06 (this site) was 4.09 why would they lower it to 3.99 only to not include them.

Anyway that's my two cents hope it helps!

 

[LBKMAMA]

This is our 2nd time using the plan and 3rd trip to Disney. I have to say I thought the service at the restaurants was not as good as in previous years. Don't know if there is less wait staff or what? Three different nights we waited at least 15 min. for drinks. Liberty Tree (one of our favorites) just didn't flow this time. Took 10 min for waiter to even stop at table. He came right as the first character showed up and continued to ask me what all 8 of us wanted to drink as I was trying to manage kids autographs and photos. Then my dtr. spilt her drink and I swear it was 10 min before he even noticed and took everything away. Dinner was delivered right in the middle of another character the whole thing was just off.

At Mama Melrose again very long wait for waitress to even appear, drinks took quite awhile....Food was good though. It was not busy at all either. Waitress didn't give us the right ticket for the fantasmic Show so they gave us a hard time getting into that, which annoyed me because we did have a reciept and it clearly stated that we dined with pkg.

Just my two cents

 

[lynninpa]

This is the fourth time we have used the dining plan, and the only time I have noted any issues, although minor I thought I might point them out.

We ate at Maya Grill and after receiving the bill noticed that the charge was something like 2 adult diners 41.00 + tax and 7.28 tip totaling $52.00 even. Well, I know that my entree was $28 alone so something didn't add up. I called the waiter over and asked about the total and the reduced tip amount (based on $52.00 instead of what should have been $95 easy) and he said that they have to charge a flat rate. So even though the dining plan states they should receive 18% tip, in this case it was on a reduced flat rate, so I made up the intended difference.

Secondly, this time around Disney has added little dining plan symbols next to menu board items at shops, counter service, and kiosks (as well as food and wine kiosks during the festival) to let you know what you can get with your snack credits. At check in we were told to look for these symbols to know what was on the plan. At Dino bites in Aminal Kingdom my BF ordered a float (with the symbol) and was told it wasn't on the plan. I went back up and asked the girl about it and she said that ice cream isn't included. She got on the phone and called to ask someone to confirm. I told her that I understood, however it had the symbol next to it, as did the ice cream sundae, and milk shake. (All BTW were $3.99, 4.25 or so with tax) and it would confuse many customers who were specifically told to look for it. So, her solution, she covered the symbols with masking tape. I am not sure I buy that they are not covered. "Technically" there is 4.00 snack cost limit, the cost for these items as of 7/06 (this site) was 4.09 why would they lower it to 3.99 only to not include them.

Anyway that's my two cents hope it helps!

Ahhh, another example of sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't when it comes to the DP. We ordered 4 floats there a few weeks ago and were able to use our snack credits-they even came with souvenir Safari Pluto spoon/straws. They also came to $4.25 or so after tax.

 

[MPeter]

At Dino bites in Aminal Kingdom my BF ordered a float (with the symbol) and was told it wasn't on the plan. I went back up and asked the girl about it and she said that ice cream isn't included. She got on the phone and called to ask someone to confirm. I told her that I understood, however it had the symbol next to it, as did the ice cream sundae, and milk shake. (All BTW were $3.99, 4.25 or so with tax) and it would confuse many customers who were specifically told to look for it. So, her solution, she covered the symbols with masking tape. I am not sure I buy that they are not covered. "Technically" there is 4.00 snack cost limit, the cost for these items as of 7/06 (this site) was 4.09 why would they lower it to 3.99 only to not include them.

Wow. SAME EXACT thing happened to us last Thursday at Dino Bites. I saw the DDP snack logo next to the Hot Fudge Sundae ($3.99) and I ordered it. After she handed it to me I gave her my Key and said "snack credit" and the CM said "oh, you can't with that" Huh? I questioned the logo on the menu and she acted like she had no idea what the logo meant!? I ended up having to pay OOP for it.

 

[bicker]

I wouldn't have. I would have taken a photo of the DDP symbol next to the item on my digital camera, told the CM that I'll be paying with a snack credit anyway, and trusted her to satisfy me. If she didn't, I know that my hotel front-desk would fix things that night, after review of the photo.

 

[jjohnson]

I'm with Bicker. If it has the symbol they have to honor it.

 

[Poohgirl]

I wouldn't have. I would have taken a photo of the DDP symbol next to the item on my digital camera, told the CM that I'll be paying with a snack credit anyway, and trusted her to satisfy me. If she didn't, I know that my hotel front-desk would fix things that night, after review of the photo.

Yes, I would have done the same if it were not for the F&W festival. They were allowing use of snack credits for kiosk items worth upwards of 6.50 so I figured they would get a worthy use anyway. Although it was more the principal of the whole "symbol" thing that annoyed me.

edit.. BTW I did try to have her put it through as a snack credit anyway and as she was trying I was told it was not allowing her to do so.

 

[DVC Grammy]

I wouldn't have. I would have taken a photo of the DDP symbol next to the item on my digital camera, told the CM that I'll be paying with a snack credit anyway, and trusted her to satisfy me. If she didn't, I know that my hotel front-desk would fix things that night, after review of the photo.

Good idea, plus, how about taking one of the CM next to the sign? Wonder if that would've persuaded her?

 

[Secondgradememories]

Good idea, plus, how about taking one of the CM next to the sign? Wonder if that would've persuaded her?

You go girl! I want you to walk around with me just in case I have any isues. I'm such a chicken!

 

[bicker]

Good idea, plus, how about taking one of the CM next to the sign? Wonder if that would've persuaded her?

No, no, that's not the issue. The CM can only do what the system is programmed to allow him/her to do. If the CM cannot do it, then the hotel front-desk can "make it right".

 

[mum of two pirates]

Ifit won't let you charge me a snack credit for it when the sign is next to it, thanks for the free ice cream and started to walk away. Would you like to see if it will work one more time?

 

[Nancyg56]

Ifit won't let you charge me a snack credit for it when the sign is next to it, thanks for the free ice cream and started to walk away. Would you like to see if it will work one more time?

That is a tough position to place someone in. If the system won't allow the credit to go through, it won't allow it. I would simply charge the purchase to the room and then have front desk make the correction. If a CM is not empowered to override something, I would not force the issue.

 

[PamNC]

You guys may not like what I'm about to say but I'm going to throw it out there for discussion. We've never done the dining plan, but we're going to try it for the first time for our upcoming trip in 41 days. I've always liked "control" over my vacation and it seemed like too structured a plan for our taste. But, I decided it is a good deal financially speaking so we're going to try it. As I'm reading and learning about it, I'm more and more convinced it's a big pain in the rump and just a pain to deal with. If I have to worry about what snack is counted I think that's silly.

Also, and more importantly, I would hate to think that the DP is the reason for a decline in service at the restaurants. Not saying it is, because I don't know yet from first-hand experience, but I've been reading about the issue on the boards.

I would prefer they ditch the dining plan and offer deeper discounts on rooms. That's where the rubber meets the road for us.

Perhaps I'll change my mind after my trip, but I've had second thoughts several times and have considered dropping the dining option off my package. It's just me and my DH. We typically spend an average o $125 a day for food. With the plan we're saving $46 a day and for an 8 day stay that's a savings of $368.00. We'll see if it's worth it...I hope so. I plan on doing a full report when we return.

PamNC

 

[everest]

PamNC: We just got back earlier this week and we were on the Dinning Plan. I read a few reports of some issues here and there and started to think that it was going t be restrictive and a pain too. Well I was wrong it turns out to be very simple to use and when we had a question at certain food venues the cast member always and polity walked us through the availabilities of their menu. It was a rarity to find food choices off the plan, after each purchase say like a counter service, if you look at the bottom of the receipt it will tell you how many credits remain for you to use for that type of meal. Also one place in Epcot could not get their dinning plan options to work right so they said enjoy your meal it’s free today with and didn’t charge our dinning plan credits. I found it to be very easy to use and will probably add it to our future stays.

 

[Krmrr]

When we at at Wolfgang's last week, our bill for the meal was $70 + tax and tip. The waiter said DDP customers were charged a fixed fee of $35 each no matter what they ordered.

 

[Sammie]

You guys may not like what I'm about to say but I'm going to throw it out there for discussion. We've never done the dining plan, but we're going to try it for the first time for our upcoming trip in 41 days. I've always liked "control" over my vacation and it seemed like too structured a plan for our taste. But, I decided it is a good deal financially speaking so we're going to try it. As I'm reading and learning about it, I'm more and more convinced it's a big pain in the rump and just a pain to deal with. If I have to worry about what snack is counted I think that's silly.

Also, and more importantly, I would hate to think that the DP is the reason for a decline in service at the restaurants. Not saying it is, because I don't know yet from first-hand experience, but I've been reading about the issue on the boards.

I would prefer they ditch the dining plan and offer deeper discounts on rooms. That's where the rubber meets the road for us.

Perhaps I'll change my mind after my trip, but I've had second thoughts several times and have considered dropping the dining option off my package. It's just me and my DH. We typically spend an average o $125 a day for food. With the plan we're saving $46 a day and for an 8 day stay that's a savings of $368.00. We'll see if it's worth it...I hope so. I plan on doing a full report when we return.

PamNC

No flames, I just don't think you will be able to tell if it fits your plans until you try it regardless of what has happened to others.

We loved it. We did not find it to be difficult to use and the snacks were a breeze. We did not encounter any problems at all. We had great service and very good food.

 

[Ms_Maggs]

We're on Day 9 of DDP tomorrow and the only place that was slow was Ohana Dinner and that had nothing to do with the plan, they were just terribly backed up on the grill. We've actually had fantastic service a number of times, the kind of service that made us tip extra on top of the 18% and/or tell the manager that the server was awesome. Every time they knew we were on the plan from the beginning of the meal. We were also a party of 8 with 2 little kids, so not easy either.

At the Crystal Palace, Tigger was really behind and the server was bringing us drinks while we were waiting and joking with us and said 'I won't kick you until Tigger takes a picture with every one of you, so don't worry."

The only issues we encountered were computer problems when paying and whenever the manager took over to fix it, our account got messed up. The front desk fixed everything without question.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I only had two problems, once at California Grill he charged the meal to my card and not to my dining plan and the other Wolfgang Puck's computer had problems and charged me twice for the same meal. The front desk at Pop century sorted out both of these problems out. As for service at the resteraunts it was very good I didn't have to wait for long for drink refills or meal courses (even the waiter at Sci Fi was very good apart from calling me sir!!!!!!!!!!!!).

 

[midge3426]

IWolfgang Puck's computer had problems and charged me twice for the same meal. The front desk at Pop century sorted out both of these problems out. As for service at the resteraunts it was very good I didn't have to wait for long for drink refills or meal courses (even the waiter at Sci Fi was very good apart from calling me sir!!!!!!!!!!!!).

Wolfgang Puck's Express did the same thing with us. The counter service lady said the computer did not remove it from our card and she put it though again. But, alas, she had charged us twice. The desk at POFQ removed the extra charge. We were also charged twice for counter service at the restaurant, forgot the name, that is run by "Mickey Ds". Everyone using the DDP---watch those receipts.

 

[PamNC]

PamNC: We just got back earlier this week and we were on the Dinning Plan. I read a few reports of some issues here and there and started to think that it was going t be restrictive and a pain too. Well I was wrong it turns out to be very simple to use and when we had a question at certain food venues the cast member always and polity walked us through the availabilities of their menu. It was a rarity to find food choices off the plan, after each purchase say like a counter service, if you look at the bottom of the receipt it will tell you how many credits remain for you to use for that type of meal. Also one place in Epcot could not get their dinning plan options to work right so they said enjoy your meal it’s free today with and didn’t charge our dinning plan credits. I found it to be very easy to use and will probably add it to our future stays.

thank you - this makes me feel better.

Pam