On DDP, do we HAVE to get an appetizer?

[jpeka65844]

Now, I don't mean to sound ignorant or start a potentially locked thread, BUT, our entire party will be on the DDP in March (4 adults, one child). I hear so much about DDP being WAY too much food and how disappointed people are that they're wasting things.

DH and I can always skip an appetizer. Do you HAVE to order one? Even without apps, according to the places we've gotten ADR's for, the DDP will still be a good deal so we're not worried about getting our $$'s worth. If we feel it would be wasted, why bother ordering it? OR can they bring an app for DH and not one for me? Will we get thrown out of the restaurant if I'm caught sharing his appetizer?



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

 

[aviva5675]

No you dont HAVE to! No you wont get thrown out. I'd say maybe figure out by looking at menus on Allearsnet how you can maybe share things and save your TS for another meal. IE share the entree, order out of pocket (OOP) an extra appetizer,..or vice versa...etc. If nothing else just order the meal but pass on the other appetizer. You still each have an entree and dessert. Might not be the most cost effective use of the DDP tho. Enjoy!

 

[Diznut84]

Yes, you must. And you must eat it, too. Especially at 50s Primetime. Otherwise, you will have your waiter zooming your food toward your mouth playing airplane...

 

[Delaware Mike]

Yes, you must. And you must eat it, too. Especially at 50s Primetime. Otherwise, you will have your waiter zooming your food toward your mouth playing airplane...

Oh man... and I can picture one of the waitstaff doing just that, too!

 

[thunderbird1]

You certainly don't have to order appetizers for every member of your party at every meal, but if there's anything you'd like to try, or would share between you, why not? Alternatively, most restaurants offer a soup or salad option, which most people are used to eating before dinner in many restaurants instead of a true "appetizer."

The "no sharing" policy doesn't refer to a group of people, all on the DDP, sharing one or more appetizers or desserts between them. They just don't want you treating people who are not on the plan with your credits. The only situation I can think you might have a problem is with all you can eat meals, such as the skillet at Whispering Canyon Cafe. But even there, my dh and 2 kids ordered the skillet while I ordered something else. The skillet includes salad as the appetizer, so I ordered the nachos. My dh and kids ate my nachos, and I ate their salads, and it wasn't a problem.

 

[bicker]

We actually decided to go with the Dining Plan solely because it would be worth it figuring that we would order NO appetizers and NO desserts. (We may order some, but now that we know we're going to save money even if we don't order any, we'll only order the ones we want to try -- we won't feel compelled to order just to get our money's worth.)

 

[bleeps]

What we've found on two trips (one was just last week) is that whether you are at a CS or TS place and you decline something you are "entitled" to on the plan, the CM will do everything in his/her power to get you to change your mind. At TS places, they want you to feel that you are getting your money's worth (our waiter at Cal Grill was beside himself that we weren't getting dessert!) and at CS places, they hammer home that you can't come back later if you change your mind (guess they've been down THAT road too many times! ) We had CS places include desserts on our tray when we'd declined them, and had waiters at TS places say "I'm going to bring you my favorite appetizer and you can tell me what you think."

So, no, you don't have to take all the food, but be prepared to be talked into it anyway by VERY well-meaning CMs!

 

[Lewisc]

We actually decided to go with the Dining Plan solely because it would be worth it figuring that we would order NO appetizers and NO desserts. (We may order some, but now that we know we're going to save money even if we don't order any, we'll only order the ones we want to try -- we won't feel compelled to order just to get our money's worth.)

You'll be tempted to order a different appetizer for everyone at your table, even if you just have a small taste of each appetizer. My guess is the cost of the food wasted is nominal. I could see Disney switching to an appetizer or dessert sampler for the table. Not just to save money but to help turn tables over faster.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

What we've found on two trips (one was just last week) is that whether you are at a CS or TS place and you decline something you are "entitled" to on the plan, the CM will do everything in his/her power to get you to change your mind. At TS places, they want you to feel that you are getting your money's worth (our waiter at Cal Grill was beside himself that we weren't getting dessert!) and at CS places, they hammer home that you can't come back later if you change your mind (guess they've been down THAT road too many times! ) We had CS places include desserts on our tray when we'd declined them, and had waiters at TS places say "I'm going to bring you my favorite appetizer and you can tell me what you think."

So, no, you don't have to take all the food, but be prepared to be talked into it anyway by VERY well-meaning CMs!

Um, from what I understand the TIP is figured on the total bill so YES they try to get you to take everything you are entitled too.

 

[bicker]

You'll be tempted to order a different appetizer for everyone at your table, even if you just have a small taste of each appetizer. My guess is the cost of the food wasted is nominal. I could see Disney switching to an appetizer or dessert sampler for the table. Not just to save money but to help turn tables over faster.

While I agree that it would be a minimal change for most, and logical given the value proposition of the Dining Plan, I suspect it would be a bit of a downer for familes of four, five or six -- they'd feel that they're getting cheated by only getting on appetizer. So then they'd have to say one appetizer for tables of three, two appetizers for larger tables. Then you'll have the families of three and six feel like they're being cheated, plus you'll have the complexities of what if you have two different families at the same table. (And so on...)