MYW dining for less

[Suz D]

I responded to VAgal's post about her family vacation this summer and it got me to thinking.

Would this be unethical??

Our family of 3 and another family of 3 would travel together...They would get a package for their family with the MYW dining for 3. Then, because you get so MUCH food, we could pay our friends the cost per day for one adult MYW dining package (we'd eat all meals together) and split the adult sit-down meals (with the exception of buffet meals which each of us would just buy one outright). Would that be cost effective and not "Cheating"?

Isn't it about $40.00 with tax for the MYW dining per person?

Suz

 

[mwalsh]

Would this be unethical??

Suz

YES, it is!

 

[Suz D]

YES, it is!

Also, just so no one worries about offending me (which is hard to do), I'm leaning towards thinking that it's cheating (but would be cost effective). It's hard for me because I really want them to offer this package for AP's. I know we can get the DDE and I'm grateful that we can get that, because in January when we went, I called to check on DDE and they said no. After we got back (like 10 days) they changed the policy and said okay.

Anyway, if we get the DDE package next time we go w/o our AP's I would use our counter service meal vouchers for a nice breakfast, then eat a sit down lunch and a sit down dinner and split both of those meals between the 3 of us using 1 voucher at lunch and 2 at dinner and buy an extra entree etc. at each meal. Then we would not only eat well, but for a reasonable price.

Looking forward to more opinions on this topic

 

[disneyjunkie]

I have to agree with Mwalsh.

You don't have to order all of the items that come with the plan. If it's too much food, skip the dessert or the appetizer. Since the plan is so cheap, you may still come out ahead.

I was so happy to see Disney come out with a dining plan that has such a reasonable price. With so many people planning to take advantage of the loophole in the plan, I'm afraid it may not be around for to long.

I can't believe the number of people that are planning to save up the kid’s credits and use them for adult meals.

 

[Suz D]

:

I can't believe the number of people that are planning to save up the kid’s credits and use them for adult meals.

That's awful! That one didn't take any thought at all to determine that it's wrong! ARGH!! But then again, there are probably people out there who are saying "I can't believe that she would consider splitting a dining plan with another family" LOL!

 

[Lewisc]

Sounds like this is more of a joke thread. I'm not so sure I'd want to commit to eating all my meals with the other family let alone fighting over who gets to pick what to order and how to make sure each family gets their share of the meal. Certainly if I was going to do such a thing I'd split the whole meal cost down the middle.

Saving up kids meals isn't really wrong since Disney makes no attempt to distinguish the difference.

On a serious note DDE probably provides most guests greater value than MYM dining. Alcoholic beverages are discounted and you don't have to order more than you want to eat to "get your money's worth".

 

[Suz D]

Sounds like this is more of a joke thread. I'm not so sure I'd want to commit to eating all my meals with the other family let alone fighting over who gets to pick what to order and how to make sure each family gets their share of the meal. Certainly if I was going to do such a thing I'd split the whole meal cost down the middle.

Actually, it isn't a joke thread, I was asking a serious question. In terms of fighting about who gets to pick what, I was thinking that their family would take the kids voucher for their child so no fighting there, they'd take 1 adult meal voucher and do with it what they wanted at the meal (if they couldn't agree on what to order then one could use the voucher and one could order something else completely), and we'd take 1 meal voucher and do with it what we wanted (my DH and I would split a meal and order a second salad etc. or just use the voucher and buy a 2nd complete meal) and then we'd buy my DD's meal outright. So I'm not sure what anyone would fight about but then I have kind of a Pollyanna attitude about people getting along .

Finally, if you went to WDW with another family you wouldn't spend every waking minute with them? In all seriousness, I hadn't really thought that we wouldn't eat every meal with them. They only have one child and we only have one child so I was just assuming that we'd spend the majority of our time together for the kids.

 

[janette]

I don't think it would really be unethical, you would still be limited to ordering only what is on the certificate. I would be most concerned about it being practical to plan on sharing every meal for that long. Maybe a few meals but it would get old to try to do it everytime.

 

[Carrie Ellis]

I don't think it is unethical. You paid for it.... I think that there are several families that give up some of their meals because they do not end up using all of them. I have read about families who gave the rest of their snacks away to another family as they were walking out of the resort door. Disney is definitely making money off them. If you share your meal credits you will still pay out of pocket for something unless you plan to only eat once a day sometimes.

 

[eeyore45]

You keep mentioning "vouchers' with the dreammaker plans etc we did have vouchers to exchange for meals, with the dining plan, its tied to the resort key/cards... also, since its new, there have been kinks in the system when someone uses it for snacks etc, they have to check their bills and make adjustment, for that reason I think it would be complicated to share with another family, but I wouldnt know...

 

[WDWBetsy]

You keep mentioning "vouchers' with the dreammaker plans etc we did have vouchers to exchange for meals, with the dining plan, its tied to the resort key/cards...

I was just thinking the same thing - if you did do this, you would have to eat with the other family, as all the meal credits would be on their resort ID/key cards. The dining plan doesn't use paper vouchers. Prior to ordering, the other family would have to tell the server that they have the dining plan and are using # of meals - and will be splitting some meals with others at the table. That being said, you would not be able to do this at buffets or family-style all-you-can-eat dining.

Hope this helps.

 

[blueberry22]

We just got back and had a MYW package with dining. OUr party consisted of 2 adults and 4 teens. The night we were at MK we bumped into college friends of one of the kids and invited them to join us at CRT that night for dinner. Everybody ordered what they wanted and we just gave our card to the waitress. She deducted 6 appetisers, entrees, drinks and deserts and billed us for the remaining. The meals are totally grouped, you don't have to have one person even eating one complete meal. The boys frequently ate more- an appetiser and a salad and an entree while the girls only wanted the entree- it isn't limited in any way to a per person thing. By the way we were there for 3 days and figured we saved over $300 using the plan. Our only complaint is that we ended up eating more than we usually would- deserts for lunch each day- because it was included.

 

[crisi]

I was just thinking the same thing - if you did do this, you would have to eat with the other family, as all the meal credits would be on their resort ID/key cards. The dining plan doesn't use paper vouchers. Prior to ordering, the other family would have to tell the server that they have the dining plan and are using # of meals - and will be splitting some meals with others at the table. That being said, you would not be able to do this at buffets or family-style all-you-can-eat dining.

Hope this helps.

Yep....and unless they were REALLY good friends, I can't imagine even broaching this subject with them. "Hey, let me come along on your vacation and eat half your food! You can share with your hubby and I'll share with mine. I'll reimburse you." Its the sort of thing that causes people to rant about "clueless, rude friends" around here who want to barge in on my family vacation and think I should be sharing meals with my husband.

I don't think its cheating (working the system, for sure, but not cheating) and it would be cost effective. I think its logistically difficult and I think it may get "read" wrong by your friend and you are opening your friendship up to odd resentments. If you were the one buying the package, you might be able to broach it easier.

However, the DDE will cover parties up to ten people. Which might be the best bet for all of you.

 

[Suz D]

Yep....and unless they were REALLY good friends, I can't imagine even broaching this subject with them. "Hey, let me come along on your vacation and eat half your food! You can share with your hubby and I'll share with mine. I'll reimburse you." Its the sort of thing that causes people to rant about "clueless, rude friends" around here who want to barge in on my family vacation and think I should be sharing meals with my husband.
QUOTE]

Thanks everyone for the input. They actually ARE really good friends, and WE invited them to come with US to WDW. Our family of 3 is going for 14 days and we thought that they might like to come with us for a few days at the beginning of our trip. It also wouldn't be a problem to spend the whole time together because they are only coming for 3-4 days and like I said before, because we both have only children about the same age, we'd be together most of the time anyway. They are wanting to do Disney WELL, but frugally and I'm always willing to offer ideas of how to save $$ to make it happen. It's great to be able to plan the EXACT expenses so I was thinking that if they could plan to do meals for their whole family for about $60/day for 2 adults and one child (eating at a sit down restaurant daily) it would be helpful to them. The package is such an amazing deal for kids especially!! Then they would know exactly what they were spending. But with three in their room, it would be nearly $100.00 and they just can't swing that.

So mainly after VAgals post I was thinking HMMMM....we could pay them directly for one of the adult meal plans since we can't get it as APH's, and they could save the $$. And then I thought that might not be ethical. I knew that this board would have lots of advice and opinions and I thank you for those.

Also, thanks to everyone for not making any statements that made me feel like a cheapskate. As you can see, my question was more to benefit our friends than ourselves.

I'm on my last day of vacation, so it's back to the real world of lurking a lot.

Suz

 

[sanctus]

I probably wouldn't do it for practical reasons...who orders what and sharing every meal....but I don't feel it's unethical at all. The dining plan was purchased, and what you do with something you've bought it your business. Even if you want to give it away.

 

[Nini]

Well, attempting to find ways "around" the system really creates some heated debates. When a party purchases the myw dining, they HAVE to purchase for EVERY member in their room/travelling party (kind of a per family idea). The problem people are finding (myself included) is that the "sit-down" meals may be too much food for a 3yr old who normally eats off my dinner! With that said, I do NOT have a problem with skipping a couple of my dd's "sit-downs" and allowing her to eat off my meal...she is 3 for GOODNESS SAKE!!!! In saying that, I do not feel it is my position to judge whether or not it would be WRONG of you to share with your friends.

Why would your family NOT purchase your own myw dining plan, as it would obviously save you money eating at the world? You would spend over $40 pp in a day! It is my honest opinion that it would be worth it for your family to have the dining as well...budgetarily speaking. I know that my family is on a tight budget and I watch costs very closely...however, we are on the myw dining plan.

You simply must choose what is best for you and yours and go with it. The plan was not set up to specify children vs. adult, so you would pay the same amount of money for a child on the plan as an adult.

 

[Suz D]

Why would your family NOT purchase your own myw dining plan, as it would obviously save you money eating at the world? You would spend over $40 pp in a day! It is my honest opinion that it would be worth it for your family to have the dining as well...budgetarily speaking. I know that my family is on a tight budget and I watch costs very closely...however, we are on the myw dining plan.

We have Annual Passes and APH's can't purchase the dining package or believe me, I WOULD!!! This is probably our last year for AP's simply because with the new tickets and the dining plan, I think we would really love doing it.

 

[pezpam]

I don't think it is unethical. You paid for it.... I think that there are several families that give up some of their meals because they do not end up using all of them. I have read about families who gave the rest of their snacks away to another family as they were walking out of the resort door.

Is this possible with the new plan? I thought my dining option expired when I checked out? I was actually wondering if I could even use the dining plan after checkout since our flight isn't until late in the day......

 

[JoiseyMom]

Is this possible with the new plan? I thought my dining option expired when I checked out? I was actually wondering if I could even use the dining plan after checkout since our flight isn't until late in the day......

You can use the meal plan until midnight on the day you check out. So yes you can use your dining plan after you checkout of your Resort, and before you go home.

 

[Nini]

Suz D ~

Don't get me wrong!!! WE (dh and I) would be using any leftover meals that we don't use for our dd3. It is really too bad that they don't offer it to you because you have an AP! You must do what works for YOU!

Best of Luck!