Question about kids/adults.

[cuteduck223]

So, heres the situation. We're going to Disney in July with the dining plan. Hubby has to fly home a few days earlier that the rest of us. On our last day...we will be out of childrens meals (based on other ressies) and will have 2 adult meals left. We hadn't decided yet where to use them when the other adult in our party decided tour that morning, so I thought I might take my daughter to a character breakfast. Can I use the remaining adult credits for this meal? I know its not the best use of the credits, but I dont want to pay OOP for her, and then have an extra credit left over.

Will that work?

 

[Jonathan Swift]

I'm guessing the answer is technically no. Can you cancel the dining plan at this point or are you stuck with it? I suspect no matter what the answer is to your question, you're paying more than OOP.

 

[cuteduck223]

haha. we want it-even though the price usually isn't worth it. the other adult is a first timer, and asked that everything be paid in advance. I thought it might work because we are still all members of the room on the plan. So, they are meals we have paid for. If that wouldn't work, we would probably wait until after the tour and eat together with the adult credits, then pay OOP for my DD anyway. The other adult just opted to do a tour, so we'd have the extra credit.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

haha. we want it-even though the price usually isn't worth it.

the other adult is a first timer, and asked that everything be paid in advance.

Just curious, why is overpaying in advance better than paying less later? I want to understand how people come to these conclusions. Every other kind of financial transaction (credit cards, mortgages, loans, leases, etc.) offer delayed payments as an advantage. Sometimes you even have to pay interest for that privilege, too. Disney somehow convinced people to pay them for the privilege of paying upfront! I just don't get it.

 

[cuteduck223]

well, technically for us, we're still in the break even stage with a little one and character meals.

It's all about the convenience though. We have done both DDP and OOP and theres just less stress with DDP. I know its different for everyone, and if its only adults and sit down meals, we've found it to not be a good value at all, but when we're doing several character meals, we usually break even. Plus, paying extra to not have to worry about having money to eat on your last day is worth it. --not to be taken out of context--we obviously would have enough money--but we set aside a certain amount and don't want to go over that--so DDP allows us to do that.

 

[TDC Nala]

I am pretty sure you can't use an adult credit to buy a child a character meal. But I'm not absolutely sure.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

Can I please just point something out? When you pay OOP, you're using the same card as you would if you were doing the dining plan. All those OOP charges get paid at the end of your trip automatically to your credit card. OOP is just as convenient as the DDP in that respect.

For the 2013 dining plan, there's practically no possible way you will spend more paying OOP if you deviate from the DDP's mandatory number of snacks, TS, and CS (including desserts and drinks). If you know up front you're not going to follow the plan, there's really nothing to worry about paying OOP. Based on your trip plans, you will always spend less OOP. Don't let the fixed rate of the DDP throw you. You can't spend more compared to the DDP on your trip.

 

[aubriee]

I am pretty sure you can't use an adult credit to buy a child a character meal. But I'm not absolutely sure.

Feb 2012 we did the DxDDP with our grandson. Due to skipping some breakfasts, when we didn't feel like going, we saw we were going to have nine dining credits left over (enough for three meals for the three of us). The last two days we were down there we asked about using an adult credit for our grandson, since we were going to have them left over and all three times were told we could not. We just had to waste them as adult credits had to be used for adults, (well actually the POFQ food court let us get six adult and three kid meals to take to the airport that last day, so we brought six muffaletta sandwiches home).

 

[mickeynut1]

Disney somehow convinced people to pay them for the privilege of paying upfront! I just don't get it.

Not every family will pay less paying OOP vs the DDP. I ran the numbers for my family and getting the DDP actually comes out LESS than paying OOP (and not just by a few dollars). Every situation is different and depending on the make up of the party, money CAN be saved by doing the DDP over paying OOP. And no, we don't change our eating habits to "fit" the DDP to make sure we get our money's worth.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

Not every family will pay less paying OOP vs the DDP. I ran the numbers for my family and getting the DDP actually comes out LESS than paying OOP (and not just by a few dollars). Every situation is different and depending on the make up of the party, money CAN be saved by doing the DDP over paying OOP. And no, we don't change our eating habits to "fit" the DDP to make sure we get our money's worth.

Could you please post your dining itinerary? I'm sure people who want to get the plan would appreciate an example of how to save lots of money.

 

[cuteduck223]

kids. its all in the number of kids, and length of time. You totally save money on the 3-9 price provided the 3-9 year old eats, at all. Everyday

 

[mickeynut1]

deleted

 

[gigi1313]

you will always spend less OOP. Don't let the fixed rate of the DDP throw you. You can't spend more compared to the DDP on your trip.

I totally disagree! We save our receipts, do the math and *always* come out ahead using the DDP and even the DxDDP! If we go OOP we always spend more than the DDP costs us per day... I'm not sure how you can say otherwise...

Here's a typical MK day for one adult:
CS B'fast @ $8.29 for B'fast Platter, Drink $2.50 x 2 = $13.29
Snack "lunch" @ $4.99 for Dole Whip Pineapple Float
Dinner @ $43.66 for Crystal Palace Buffet
Total = $61.94
Dining Plan Cost = $55.59

Now, for an Epcot day, the savings could increase:
Akershus B'fast @ $46.85 which includes a photo package
or
Akershus Dinner @ 55.37 per person (and includes photo)... this meal alone almost justifies the dining plan!

Coral Reef, entrees are in the $30 range... plus dessert ($8) and beverage ($3)... plus tax...

Oh, and then there's the value of the refillable mug too!

 

[Jonathan Swift]

I totally disagree! We save our receipts, do the math and *always* come out ahead using the DDP and even the DxDDP! If we go OOP we always spend more than the DDP costs us per day... I'm not sure how you can say otherwise...

For HER and HER current plans, she will NEVER do better with the DDP,

 

[gigi1313]

For HER and HER current plans, she will NEVER do better with the DDP,

Do we know the OPs full dining line up and what she'll order at every meal? If she goes w/chicken at all the sit downs, eats oatmeal for a QS credit at b'fast and gets a bottle of water w/every snack credit, you might be right... but if she opts for Akershus or lobster or steak dinners, the bounty platter, and dole whips, then even with her current plans (that I am not privy to, other than the one adult leaving early and subbing a kid for one adult TS credit) I have to say, never say never!

The OP can still come out ahead w/the DDP... plus, for some people the peace of mind of being pre-paid with an all-inclusive feel is priceless!

 

[Jonathan Swift]

I know you're counting breakfast and lunch CS as the same cost, but I think realistically breakfast will be slightly less than lunch. I don't know which counter services you'll be using, so it's impossible to tell from this.

So according to your calculations, $60 of the $73 savings is based on you paying OOP for the refillable mugs for all 4 adults? I guess everyone in your group really likes soda.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

Do we know the OPs full dining line up and what she'll order at every meal?

We know that she's going to be losing credits. Once that happens, the DDP is sunk.

The OP can still come out ahead w/the DDP... plus, for some people the peace of mind of being pre-paid with an all-inclusive feel is priceless!

No, she can't. If she's not going to take a entree and dessert for all party members all the time, she'll always be behind. That's a big problem with the DDP. You don't have peace of mind, because you're always worrying about using every credit to the fullest.

 

[mickeynut1]

deleted

 

[cuteduck223]

We wouldnt be losing credits. If i cant swap the kid/adult credit, then we will do dinner (2 adults with 2 remaining credits) and will pay oop for my DD. we are doing a ton of character meals since DD is 4, its july and we will need some break time. So, those are flat rate meals that include dessert either way. Here are our current meals ohanas (dinner), boma (dinner), biergarten (dinner), akershus (dinner), tusker house (lunch), 50s prime time (lunch), crystal palace (lunch), garden grill (dinner), mama melrose (lunch). Hubby is leaving after crystal palace...so we will have his dining credits from the last two meals--which im trying to plan how to use. Our CS Isnt planned out at this point.

DDP covers our DD after just the sit down meal, essentially giving us her CS and snack free every day.

Honestly, if I cant swap it out its probably better...because we will TOTALLY stay for dinner instead of leaving mid-afternoon! Hooray for more disney time. We had originally planned to leave around 2 to start our drive home, but shoot...if we've got credits, we will stay for dinner and head out around 7. I was just thinking it would be nice to take DD TO chef mickeys for breakfast while our other adult is on her tour.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

And yes, the refillable mugs are part of the $73 difference. Why wouldn't they be if doing a cost comparison and that is something that we would be buy or get with the DDP?

Because it's like when those infomercials throw in some extra widget to sweeten the deal. At the end of the pitch, they say something like, "And if you act now, we'll throw in a travel mug valued at $15 for free!" The mug is something people rarely use because it's only good at the resort you're staying at. It may cost $15, but it's not really worth $15. Most people fail to use it every day. If you eat somewhere other than your resort, you can't use the mug at all. Personally, I intend to have canned soda and bottled water shipped to my room. Those I can use anywhere in the park and will cost me a lot less. Cans of soda can be stored in the mini-fridge and are available anytime in the room. To use the mug, you'd have to leave and go to a fountain unit. But don't get me wrong...if you and the other three people intend to keep track of four identical mugs and use them every day to drink lots of soda and stuff, then by all means, you should include it in your calculations. Just keep in mind most people wouldn't consider $60 worth of plastic mugs that can only be used in one place a perk worth considering.

We wouldnt be losing credits. If i cant swap the kid/adult credit, then we will do dinner (2 adults with 2 remaining credits) and will pay oop for my DD.

If you do the swap, that implies you're losing a child credit, yes? If your husband wasn't leaving, wouldn't the child have their own DDP credits to use?