Question re: child counter service use

[phillyatdisney]

My situation is a little complicated, so hopefully someone will be able to follow.

We are travelling with another family. We have 3 children, they have 1 child, all children are under 10. So one of our children (our son) will be staying in the other family's room.

They are on QS dining plan, we are on regular dining plan. We would like our son to be on regular dining, but we know this is impossible since he will be on their room key.

We will be reimburing the other family for the cost of his meals, so we own the 14 QS child meals on his ticket. Can we use these meals as we choose, or is there a limit to how many can be cashed in at once? Since he will have more QS meals than our other children, can we use some of these for our children? For example, could we go through line, have them take the adult QS meals off our room key and take 3 child QS meals off his room key?

 

[Tricia1972]

I think I am following you. So it will be 2A/2C I'll assume 7 nights for the sake of math.

Room 1 - DDP
Adult TS - 14
Child TS - 14

Adult CS - 14
Child CS - 14

Snacks - 28



Room 2 - QSDDP
Adult CS - 28
Child CS - 28

Snacks - 56



However it'll be more like...

Your Family
Room 1 - DDP
Adult TS - 14
Child TS - 14

Adult CS - 14
Child CS - 28

Snacks - 42

Other Family
Adult CS - 28
Child CS - 14

Snacks - 42


I think that managing credits will be challenging in this situation, however, so long as your son gets his own room key (without room charge privileges) he will always be able to 'pay' for his meals with his DDP credits.

You will not be able to charge more credits than what is indicated on the room key. So in the example that you gave you'd have to take one cs credit off of your room key, and your son can take two credits off of his room key to get three kid's meals at one time.

 

[lirija]

My situation is a little complicated, so hopefully someone will be able to follow.

We are travelling with another family. We have 3 children, they have 1 child, all children are under 10. So one of our children (our son) will be staying in the other family's room.

They are on QS dining plan, we are on regular dining plan. We would like our son to be on regular dining, but we know this is impossible since he will be on their room key.

We will be reimburing the other family for the cost of his meals, so we own the 14 QS child meals on his ticket. Can we use these meals as we choose, or is there a limit to how many can be cashed in at once? Since he will have more QS meals than our other children, can we use some of these for our children? For example, could we go through line, have them take the adult QS meals off our room key and take 3 child QS meals off his room key?

You can use them any way you want, and redeem them all at once if you wish! Using his key for your 3 kids QS meals on that occasion will probably help you track and manage it better, rather than splitting it up each time. Either way, it sounds like it might get a little confusing. Good luck!

 

[Tricia1972]

You can use them any way you want, and redeem them all at once if you wish! Using his key for your 3 kids QS meals on that occasion will probably help you track and manage it better, rather than splitting it up each time. Either way, it sounds like it might get a little confusing. Good luck!

Unless there has been a recent change, CM's are VERY strict about not allowing more meals ordered than what is indicated on the card.

Snacks are a free for all, but CS and TS meals are closely monitored.

 

[lirija]

You will not be able to charge more credits than what is indicated on the room key. So in the example that you gave you'd have to take one cs credit off of your room key, and your son can take two credits off of his room key to get three kid's meals at one time.

Hmmm, maybe I wasn't following. Why wouldn't she be able to take 3 child's QS meals off his tickets at once if it has 14 meals available? I might have missed a nuance here...

 

[Tricia1972]

Hmmm, maybe I wasn't following. Why wouldn't she be able to take 3 child's QS meals off his tickets at once if it has 14 meals available? I might have missed a nuance here...

The card says 2A/2C, or something similar. The coding in Disney Speak is 2 Adults and 2 Children. So at one time they can order 2 Adult Meals and 2 Kids Meals.

In my personal opinion, I think Disney has gotten stricter about it because of some abuse to the DDP system. Not what the OP is doing here (by any stretch of the imagination), unfortunately there was a system wide crack down on credit usage to help prevent abuse.

Like I said, snacks you can get as many of at one time as you'd like. Meals are limited to the 'coding' on the card.

 

[lirija]

Gotcha! Thanks for the clarification...

 

[phillyatdisney]

Yes Tricia - that math is exactly what is happening! Thanks for clearing things up, looks like it will work but will be a little complicated, we will have to keep careful track of what we use off his card so as to not "steal" any of their meals. I just wanted to make sure we get to use all meals we pay for!

Another related question - is there a time limit between when you can use the credits. For example, if the other family is eating at same QS restaurant as us, same time and they go through line and use 2 child QS credits (for their child and my son) and then I go through right after and use son's card for 2 more child meals?

 

[Tricia1972]

As of today there isn't, but there is question/speculation that things could change on 1/11 with the birth of the new plan.

There is a thread watching for reviews of the QSDP - I'd keep an eye on that thread to see what comments are as travelers return from Disney and give us the 411.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Yes Tricia - that math is exactly what is happening! Thanks for clearing things up, looks like it will work but will be a little complicated, we will have to keep careful track of what we use off his card so as to not "steal" any of their meals. I just wanted to make sure we get to use all meals we pay for!

Another related question - is there a time limit between when you can use the credits. For example, if the other family is eating at same QS restaurant as us, same time and they go through line and use 2 child QS credits (for their child and my son) and then I go through right after and use son's card for 2 more child meals?

I don't think you would have a problem with that. I know that at Cosmic Ray's For example, where there are different lines for different foods, DH has gone through one line and Me through another, at the same time as we all wanted something different, and have never had a problem.

 

[Twitterpated Dad]

The card says 2A/2C, or something similar. The coding in Disney Speak is 2 Adults and 2 Children. So at one time they can order 2 Adult Meals and 2 Kids Meals.

In my personal opinion, I think Disney has gotten stricter about it because of some abuse to the DDP system. Not what the OP is doing here (by any stretch of the imagination), unfortunately there was a system wide crack down on credit usage to help prevent abuse.

Like I said, snacks you can get as many of at one time as you'd like. Meals are limited to the 'coding' on the card.

When did this start?

We often travel with another family. On prior trips, I've never had trouble taking turns "paying" for dinner. Why split checks if you don't have to?

 

[magicaldisney11]

We went in April and it was strictly you have 4 adults and 2 kids you can use 4 adult meals and 2 kids (max.) BUT!!! We had a server at Coral Reef that allowed us to do it differently. I think the servers is where it all begins or ends,lol.

 

[Tricia1972]

When did this start?

We often travel with another family. On prior trips, I've never had trouble taking turns "paying" for dinner. Why split checks if you don't have to?

Beginning in 2007 I started reading about the crack down on this. Unfortunately some servers were allowing people to share as you did. Oftentimes it'd be legitimate, where two families were traveling together. Both had the DDP and were just taking turns paying on their different cards. Then it would come to the end of the trip, and it would be the other families turn to buy. No dice. The server wouldn't work around the rules of the plan, and Family A, who had paid for more meals with credits now was paying for an expensive meal Out of Pocket when Family B ended up with extra credits on their card.

Really the simplest way to use the plan, for guests and Cast Members alike, is to use it as the rules are written. That way there are no nasty surprises like those posters ran into.

 

[Pumbaa_]

best bet is to use the plan as it is intended for people in your room. You can check your credits after each meal and no problems.

If the DDP won't work for your family for whatever reason, don't get it. It is not mandatory

 

[phillyatdisney]

It is mandatory for us

And worth any extra planning involved.

 

[Pumbaa_]

it is great that it works for your family

 

[Twitterpated Dad]

Beginning in 2007 I started reading about the crack down on this. Unfortunately some servers were allowing people to share as you did. Oftentimes it'd be legitimate, where two families were traveling together. Both had the DDP and were just taking turns paying on their different cards. Then it would come to the end of the trip, and it would be the other families turn to buy. No dice. The server wouldn't work around the rules of the plan, and Family A, who had paid for more meals with credits now was paying for an expensive meal Out of Pocket when Family B ended up with extra credits on their card.

Really the simplest way to use the plan, for guests and Cast Members alike, is to use it as the rules are written. That way there are no nasty surprises like those posters ran into.

Thanks for the info.

I guess we'll be splitting checks like we were back in high school from now on.

It's too bad you can't combine credits across a grand gathering group. You know those 3br villas are kind of hard to come by...

 

[Pumbaa_]

i thank goodness you cannot combine credits across grand gatherings. Can you image the horror stories? I can

one group used more than thier share, last group eating finds they have no credits left because someone else used them it would be a night mare (some would do it intentially being selfish, others could make a mistake, no inference toward your group impied or intended )

one room, shared credits within room, is the easiest way to handle the plan, anything else could get ugly.