MY DIS/DDP Rant

[melomouse]

Hello All -
I've been popping in and out, reading all, but not posting too much as DS just had major back surgery. DD(10) and I are planning a girls' only trip 9/24-9/30. It may happen yet that I call CRO and add DS(14), tho certain rides are off limits for him for awhile.

Some thoughts on all of these wild and crazy posts on the DDP, free or otherwise:
- I am waiting to read the posts from current & future visitors to find out if all their dining dreams came true.

- If the issues of water, sugared nuts, nutritionally bankrupt kids' meals, or not treating Aunt Clara is going to make you anxious about your upcoming WDW trip - then DO NOT BUY THE DINING PLAN!

- It's amazing to view the creative means folks have come up with to save a buck and get Disney to "PAY"..... There are posters who have gotten kids less than 3 on the DDP, gladly paying $11/day to use SweetPea's credit to treat themselves to a signature restaurant. Can't wait to see how THAT one plays out!!

- Can SweetPea eat a dinner roll from the next table so I can save his credit to take him to CM's the following night and pass him off as "'FREE"?? After all, now he's under 3. Just manipulate the daylights out of the situationit til there's no magic left!!!

- And Phantom kids, phantom guests, phantom room ressies - GEEZ!!!!

To those who accuse the "moral police"::cop: of coming out on these boards... do you GET IT that all the manipulating, reinterpreting, finagling a deposition out of some poor clueless CM or server does not make all these gyrations OKAY????? There are some folks here who absolutely have come to understand, as I have, that the abuses of some cause us ALL to lose some of the magic! What starts out as a "perk", once exploited by some, is limited or removed. Disney is, after all, in the vacation business. To make a profit. Disney is not a philanthropic organization, nor are they are representation of all that can be evil in corporate America.

DDP is just an OPTION. Take it or leave it. Maybe because DD (who eats like a bird, a horse, a mouse, a pig... whatEVA) was always an "adult", I have never worried about meals for our upcoming trip. So when we go for our special dinners at CG or AP, maybe I will or will not:
*be charged 4A credits
*get her a kids meal and pay OOP
*share an adult meal
*give her spare dessert to Sweet Pea at the next table because, after all, DD eats like a (....)
*order the largest adult beverage I can get and sip slowly, grateful to be alive, enjoying fine dining in WDW!!!

Thank you for listening. Rant over.

melomouse

 

[kvogel11202]

I must say, I agree with you. While it's nice to save money, if you have to LIE to do it, it's wrong. I figured out that straight up, person for person, the DDP will save my family money. Two of my kids are considered adults (11,12) and one a child (7). Two of my kids eat like adults, one from the childrens meal, it works, so I got the DDP. But I'm sorry, I'm not going to make up a childs age, or any other baloney to scam someone. I guess some people don't like to admit it, but they are lying to save money. Of course you see it all the time now, people who think the rules aren't for them, they are for everyone else.

 

[Henlady]

melomouse
Thank you. I feel the same way. IF you have the dining plan, you are provided with 2 meals and a snack each day - use them in the way they were intended. If people stopped trying to "play the system" they wouldn't be as stressed out as many are lamenting. I guess I just don't understand why people are so up tight about "getting the most out of the plan". If you pay $38 for $70 worth of food you have already "made out" on the plan.
AND if you were lucky enough to get the dining plan free, then it's a "no brainer". You aren't paying anything for your food, so why do you have to manuver things so you think you are getting more???

 

[spaceacewannabe]

 

[minnie61650]

melomouse,
ITA

 

[FOV]

Melonmouse - thank you! I loved your post.

The DDP was not designed to fit the needs of everyone that visits WDW. It is great for some, not for others. If it doesn't work for you simply do not buy it.

 

[eliza61]

Loved your post. I too am amazed at the number of post on schemes associated with the DDP. If you think those are bad, you should read the ones on sharing meals so folks won't have to use a TS credit. Wasn't the purpose of the DDP to make meal planning simplier?

 

[Princess_De]

Melomouse,
I also agree with you. I found out about the DDP before I came over to the DISboards. I never had a second thought about saving credits, using child credits as adults, etc. etc.
I picked where we wanted to eat and it was done and over. Until... I started reading on DIS about all the ways to "get the most" from the plan. All of a sudden I found myself trying to decide what should be paid OOP and sharing meals. I got so stressed out from it. As another posted stated, " the DDP is supossed to take the stress away."
From what people on here have said, we will eat more food than we will need.
So there are no more worries, I'm sticking to the original plan.

 

[thunderbird1]

First, I have to confess that when I first started reading about the DP, I read how CM's were actually encouraging people to pay OOP for their kids and save their credits to use towards adult meals, and I was all over that. I thought, "cool, we're going to make out like bandits on this dining plan thing!" So I started trying to figure out how best to maximize all our credits, how to fit in 2 TS meals and day and still have time for and be able to walk to the attractions. It quickly started sounding very complicated to me.

Then I read the new brochure, which seems to indicate the above use of the plan is a nokey-dokey. I was a little sad but, hey--it's still free dining. So I start reading about paying OOP for kids at some locations, and OOP for adults at other locations, and sharing, and all the other ways to maximize the value of the plan. Now it sounds even more complicated.

Then come the rumors that we'll have to go "all or nothing" using our DP credits, so now, even if we weren't trying to using kids' credits for adult meals, we *may* not be able to pay OOP for the kids and some locations and adults at others because Disney will think we are attempting one of the many versions of the "pooled credit scam." And I'm a little annoyed because who are they to tell me what to order and when? So I start trying to figure out where our most expensive meals are going to be, so we can use credits accordingly. And this is where it gets really complicated, because I have to start grilling my family members about whether they'll want to have steak or seafood for dinner 5 weeks from Tuesday so I can figure out whether Le Cellier or Coral Reef will be the more expensive meal.

So my dh finally gets fed up and says, "I don't care if we have more TS meals booked than we have credits. I don't care if we have to pay OOP for some of those meals. I don't care which meals we pay OOP for. The whole point of the dining plan was to make things easier for us. It's our VACATION, for goodness sakes--don't overcomplicate it."

And you know, he's right. So if we make it to all our ADR's, we'll eat 13 TS meals, but only have 10 days worth of credits. I'm probably not going to try to split bills (1/2 OOP, 1/2 DP), because that not only sounds more complicated, it also has the "appearance of impropriety." So we'll pay OOP for 3 TS meals. And though I'll try to guess which 3 will be the cheapest, I'm not going to agonize over it because in the end, we're talking about maybe $100 difference on a $3,000 vacation. And what little sanity I have left is well worth $100!

 

[Lewisc]

Very good post. I'm amazed at how many people are trying to complicate something that's simple.

 

[disney2d2]

I understand your love for Disney and your entire rant...

But you do understand that people are people. We'll try to save as much as we can where ever possible. I am not talking abou lying about kids ages (more than once) but to me sharing between two adults, both of whom have paid for the plan makes perfect sense. If Disney has a problem with that, they should explicitly state so on their brochures or enforce it everywhere, say by policing people eating at CS tables...

 

[Sammie]

I understand your love for Disney and your entire rant...

But you do understand that people are people. We'll try to save as much as we can where ever possible. I am not talking abou lying about kids ages (more than once) but to me sharing between two adults, both of whom have paid for the plan makes perfect sense. If Disney has a problem with that, they should explicitly state so on their brochures or enforce it everywhere, say by policing people eating at CS tables...

I truly do not think Disney is worried about CS, but the sharing at TS.

For one thing and I am commenting on other posts I have read and not about your particular situation and no offense to you, so please take this comment in that light.

I keep reading that people have too many TS booked unless they can share. Well does no one else see a problem with that and possibly that is the problem. If guests were not on the plan booked X number of TS, why would they book more on the plan. To get more out of Disney. I think when Disney sells the plan to a guest they have some set idea, or money amount associated with the plan and TS meals. I know some will say it is still the same amount of meals but for one thing you are taking up more TS spaces that could be used by someone else. I think that is one reason restaurants are so packed. Not that the DDP is making it so, but guests are eating more TS meals on the plan than Disney planned on them eating.

If we get the plan, we will have 4 adults for 4 nights. We will get 4 TS and 4CS for each adult and each adult will eat 4 TS and 4 CS, we will not share and stretch it to 5 or 6. This will be plenty of for us and if not we will buy something OOP to supplement the plan.

I don't think Disney ever intended the plan to provide 3 meals a day for everyone on the plan, they intended it to be one snack, one CS and one TS.

 

[melomouse]

WOW!!!I was just looking for an "ear" or two - I didn't realize so many others felt this way.

As to sharing.. I'm a wacko. Sharing with kids is one thing. Sharing an entree/entire meal with another adult, tho I know many do it for many reasons, is not something I have ever done.(donning flame-retardant costume)

My take on it is usually that a restaurant is seating two people, serving plates, utensils, sometimes dividing portions out of request or courtesy, and then they do not collect revnue. I'd guess that maybe half of all patrons adjust the tip to pay as if they had eaten 2 meals. Thus many higher-end restarants have an extra plate or sharing charge
(even my local diner does this).
DDP, when you pay for it, runs less than $80 for 2 adults. Add up the "real" dinner total and I'm willing to bet it's well OVER $80. Thus, you have made out well.Some people want MORE savings???
If it's TOO MUCH FOOD for 2 adults......DON'T GET THE DINING PLAN!!!!

The arguments that Disney should be clearer in brochures, or Disney should "enforce" or "police" adults on vacation makes me bristle a bit. I am guessing that they rely on the integrity of their guests to follow in the spirit of the plan (quoting Bicker here! lol!) The written DDP brochure also clearly states, as does every communique from WDW, that things are subject to change w/o notice. Some have louder Jiminys than others. "People" KNOW what the rules are, they just don't "like" them.

 

[PureTcrazy]

Melomouse, well said!

 

[JimMIA]

I don't think Disney ever intended the plan to provide 3 meals a day for everyone on the plan,

Or...three meals a day for everyone in the guest's extended family!

Another aspect of the plan is that some guests are booking far more ADRs than they can pay for with the plan. We'd hope they'd cancel once they realize they can't work the plan the way they wanted...but I think we all know the species and that's a lot to expect from them. What will really happen is people using the plan legitimately will not be able to get their ADRs.

 

[ntsammy5]

I'm at a loss here too. How much can anyone eat? We're on the DDP for free in September (5 adults) and we can't figure out how to use it all.. we'll be spending a lot of time at Epcot because most of the places we want to eat at are there, but that's OK. As for sharing, I agree, that's not what was intended, but what really bothers me are the people who plan to pay for a child and use it as an adult. That's outright fraud.

 

[Linda 441]

but what really bothers me are the people who plan to pay for a child and use it as an adult. That's outright fraud.

EXACTLY!

 

[Luv2Roam]

melomouse -- Just wanted to post I hope you are healing fast. Take care and hope y'awl visit us soon!

 

[zuzu310]

Melomouse,
Well said...I guess I too am getting sick of all of these posts regarding whether or not people can share on the dining plan and how to save a few extra dollars. I am not sure why everyone is suddenly having a debate on whether what they are doing is right or wrong and whether the mouse police are going to throw them out of the park if they get caught sharing a CS. Either buy the plan or don't and if you are getting it free in Aug./Sep. then just enjoy it! Last year, I only ate what I wanted and sampled the appetizer, main dish, and dessert for every meal that I ordered and if I wasted food...oh well! I am on vaction and I could care less. I cleaned my plate enough as a kid. I don't need to pay any retribution now that I am an adult.

 

[jjohnson]

BRAVO!!!

I've wanted to post something similiar to this for a long time.