Meals on the dining plan

[Zooey72]

Me and My GF are going to be going to disney for 11 days starting on August 31. On sept 3 her 2 kids are going to be flying down to join us. Her children are on the dining plan, and tickets for the entire 11 days we are because that is how Disney says you have to do it. Can me and my GF use their credits before they get there? Does Disney "card" people when they first get in and they won't let us do it?

I am of the opinion if they try to screw me out of the extra meals I simply will cancel. I would rather lose the $700 I have paid already for airfare than be taken advantage of.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Well, if they are under 10, you will not be able to use their TS credits, and maybe not the CS. If they are adult (over 10) credits you can use them. The snack credits are available to all.

 

[PrincessAlways]

Perhaps I am not understanding....you & your GF be able to eat 2 table meals, 2 counter service meals each plus the snacks each day for the days before her children arrive????? That's alot of eating! I could see using the snack credits. Like I said, maybe I'm not understanding. If you can't use them, you would not be losing as much as the $700 airfare. Isn't the cost of the meal plan something like $38 a day for adults?

 

[mrzrich]

It was my understanding that the entire party had to be together at check in during "free dining" to avoid people from making up fake people for their rooms. You might have a problem, but I defer to someone who knows for sure.

Would you consider a split stay? Maybe stay somewhere romantic with DGF and then move to a fun value when the kids arrive. You know Disney moves all your stuff for you, and you would not have the problem described above...you only have to pay for the kids for the second hotel. Technically you can do this without changing hotels...but they may make you switch rooms.

 

[Zooey72]

Perhaps I am not understanding....you & your GF be able to eat 2 table meals, 2 counter service meals each plus the snacks each day for the days before her children arrive????? That's alot of eating! I could see using the snack credits. Like I said, maybe I'm not understanding. If you can't use them, you would not be losing as much as the $700 airfare. Isn't the cost of the meal plan something like $38 a day for adults?

I wanted to upgarde to signature meals. And the $ is not the point, I will not be taken advantage of. That is their deal, and if they don't stick to it than I won't go. Their loss, I was going to spend almost 8k there. I used to work for Disney which is why I want to go - customer service. If they try and pull this on me I have no reason to go. I can go to dollywood for a lot cheaper and get the same level of service there.

Better to lose $700 than have 7.5k wasted.

 

[Zooey72]

It was my understanding that the entire party had to be together at check in during "free dining" to avoid people from making up fake people for their rooms. You might have a problem, but I defer to someone who knows for sure.

They are coming, just at a later date. And they are 16 and 20, I just call em kids.

And I am paying for an 11 day park pass for them. So those days they are not there are hardly "free" dining.

 

[mrzrich]

Yeah, I know they are coming, but last year during free dining WDW required that everyone in the party be present and accounted for at CHECK IN, to make sure people weren't making up fake guests

 

[Katiebell]

I remember when you first posted about this a few weeks ago. We were trying to figure out how old the "kids" were, but you never replied back to the thread. So...the kids are really adults, for the purposes of the plan. You are going during free dining, and you are paying for the kids for several days of park tickets that they won't actually be there. I don't know where the cut off point is, but I know the more days we added to our park tickets, the cheaper it was per day -- so there was very little difference in price between 5 days and 6 days; there may be almost no difference at all between 8 days and 11 days. I think mrzrich has a good point -- they may require all people there at check in, but did they know that a couple of your party members were showing up 3 days later?

You are going during free dining, so there is no OOP cost for the plan, although it means you are paying rack rate for your room. This one is puzzling -- if they are fine with you getting the DDP for the whole length of your stay for the whole party (4 adults) even though 2 of those party members will be delayed a few days, then your card will just show...44 A TS credits, 1 per day per adult for each of the 11 days. The credits aren't designated to specific people in the room, it's a total for the whole group for the entire stay. The intent is that it's allocated 1 TS per adult per day, although the brochure says you can use your credits in any order, in any amount. Anyone using credits for signature meals is using 2 TS credits at a time, or if you do a 1 TS breakfast and a 1 TS dinner, that's two used in one day.

Have you tried asking Disney?

 

[Zooey72]

I may be able to get what I want. I have "proof" that the kids are coming because in the larger context this is a grand gatherings with 25+ of my family being there. The rest of my family is coming on the 3rd, so by just looking at it they should be able to tell that I am not making it up. Considering that all together my family will prob be spending enough to buy a small house, I don't think a little bit of accomadation is out of the question.

Heck, acording to them I won't be able to get the girls on the account for dining while they are there. Crazy.

 

[Zooey72]

The more I think about it the more I believe they will not screw me. So when I get there and I tell them the situation with her 2 kids and they see a swarm of us coming on the 3rd I think they will just give it to us. Too much of a hassle for them to be petty I think. Considering the $ we are spending I think that will probably be the case. And I did tell the cast memeber I talked to what it is we were doing and they didn't say a word about there being anything wrong with it.

My worry is if I am wrong I may get screwed on ADRs if they decide to be petty because I don't want to spend OOP for signature resteraunts (I will cancel them). Do you get charged for that?

 

[Zooey72]

Yeah, I know they are coming, but last year during free dining WDW required that everyone in the party be present and accounted for at CHECK IN, to make sure people weren't making up fake guests

I don't see how this would be worthwhile. There are 4 of her kids going, but we are putting the other 2 in a bedroom with family members who have space. I am simply going to send my mother a check so she can pay for them. She talked to Disney and they told her for 6 night/7 days the 2 additional girls would cost $808.00. That is hardly scamming anyone for "free" food, and that is for just 6 nights 7 days.

 

[mrzrich]

My worry is if I am wrong I may get screwed on ADRs if they decide to be petty because I don't want to spend OOP for signature resteraunts (I will cancel them). Do you get charged for that?

Nope only ADR's that require a credit card deposit like CRT, Princess Storybook Dining, Hoop De Doo, Laua, or a Fantasmc Dinner Package. There is a $10 cancellation fee for those if done in less than 48 hour (There may be more, but they'll tell you when you reserve it)


Everything else is honor system that you'll show or cancel...I always beg people to be kind and cancel if they realize they won't be going, even if its the same day...somebody else would love to have you table.

 

[mrzrich]

I don't see how this would be worthwhile. There are 4 of her kids going, but we are putting the other 2 in a bedroom with family members who have space. I am simply going to send my mother a check so she can pay for them. She talked to Disney and they told her for 6 night/7 days the 2 additional girls would cost $808.00. That is hardly scamming anyone for "free" food, and that is for just 6 nights 7 days.

See the thing is you only have to by a one day tickect to get the free dining regardless of your stay, so, some people say a party of 2...were buying 1/2 the # of days they needed in tickets for 4 people. Then they would have meal credits for 4 people and enough park admission to get them in for their stay. Yes people are sadly creative when it comes to scamming. Thats why Disney started requirring everyone be accounted for at check in.

 

[Zooey72]

See the thing is you only have to by a one day tickect to get the free dining regardless of your stay, so, some people say a party of 2...were buying 1/2 the # of days they needed in tickets for 4 people. Then they would have meal credits for 4 people and enough park admission to get them in for their stay. Yes people are sadly creative when it comes to scamming. Thats why Disney started requirring everyone be accounted for at check in.

That is a relief. I am fairly confident that I won't get the short end on ths one. If they look at my situation they will see that I am not trying to get away with anything more than what I am paying for.

If I show up and tell them the truth I think I will be accomadated. That's all I ask, I am not trying to get away with anything. Now if I had bought two 1 day passes that would be different.

Thanks for the info, it has really put my mind at ease.

 

[nowellsl]

When I checked in last year I was by myself, DD and her BF came down later in the day. I had no problems checking in and I got their room keys etc. They never even asked about the rest of my party.

 

[eeyoregon]

And I am paying for an 11 day park pass for them. So those days they are not there are hardly "free" dining.

The free dining has nothing to do with park passes....11 days of tickets is just 11 of days of tickets and zero relation to dining.

The free dining is based on the number of nights each guest is registered and paid for at a Disney resort. If you paid for your "kids" on the reservation for entire 11 nights of lodging then they will have dining which you could probably use in their absence.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[TnTWalter]

Disney is not for you. Get your money back and have a nice vacation somewhere else.

People who try to 'cheat the system' cause all the price inceases these same people complain about.

Best of luck to you.


Trish

 

[HANDYMOM]

Disney is not for you. Get your money back and have a nice vacation somewhere else.

People who try to 'cheat the system' cause all the price inceases these same people complain about.

Best of luck to you.


Trish

Zooey has been told that on other threads. He's just looking for validation that he's not "cheating" and that Disney is doing him wrong. In fact trying to get meals for people not present when dining is free is definately cheating and Disney is smart to verify any and all participants during the free period.

 

[lynninpa]

Me and My GF are going to be going to disney for 11 days starting on August 31. On sept 3 her 2 kids are going to be flying down to join us. Her children are on the dining plan, and tickets for the entire 11 days we are because that is how Disney says you have to do it. Can me and my GF use their credits before they get there? Does Disney "card" people when they first get in and they won't let us do it?

I am of the opinion if they try to screw me out of the extra meals I simply will cancel. I would rather lose the $700 I have paid already for airfare than be taken advantage of.

Let me see if I understand this. You are getting the DP for FREE for 25+ people for 11 days and you are moaning and groaning about 4 days worth of credits for two people? Oh, yeah. Sure sounds like Disney is trying to screw you out of a lot. I would definitely cancel.

 

[Poohtigeey]

How much can 2 people eat in 3 days?! So he wants him and GF to eat 12ts, 12cs & 12 snacks in 3 days!?