Sounds like someone trying to work the system and bend the rules to me. Two people at one table, one orders a meal with a table service credit, the other orders a drink and pays OOP then they share the meal?
Yup, that is working the system and squeezing the rock to get water.
Really? In what way? Reread what you quoted (pertinent section highlighted):
I was confused by wildeoscar's response as well. Perhaps it was meant tongue in cheek?
UG in what way can you truly enforce this as policy? let's say that I goto Le Cellier I am staying on site on DDP and have an ADR for two people. The other dining party is a friend that lives in Tampa and drove over for the evening, but already had dinner. The other party orders a glass of wine, but wants to try my appetizer or desert. If the CM going to ding me for two TS credits over a bite or two off my plate?
They can't ding you two extra credits -- because according to the dining plan rules, that would be sharing credits with people not on the plan/not on your room reservation, and they'd be breaking their own rules.
Or is the no sharing rule more built around bringing one entree on two plates? Someone mentioned that they share the appetizer and desert... do they then pay OOP for their entree? Which would be sharing part of the meal.
I think that's the policy that Disney is trying to establish/enforce. Not to prohibit family members all on the plan sitting at the table sharing food amongst themselves, but to prevent two guests, taking up a table for two, splitting one TS credit and therefore ordering as much as one diner "theoretically" would order. We've discussed on several threads about the difference between "splitting" one meal, and "sharing" your food with others at your table (who also ordered their own food).
I wrote to Disney to ask them about sharing one TS credit between two people, because I was reading a lot of different reasons why people might want to do this. One or more members of their party might be really light eaters and not want all three courses, or at least not full sized servings of appetizer, entree, and dessert, at every meal -- especially if they have a 10 year old and a 12 year old for whom they are paying the full adult price of the DDP. One party member might just not be that hungry -- ate a Dole Whip too close to dinnertime
Some people just are really bothered by the idea of wasting food -- or perhaps by the idea of wasting credits if they don't want a large meal, so the OOP cost would be much lower than the potential value of the credit. Some people have health issues -- diabetes, or are post-gastric bypass, and have restrictions on how much they can eat at one sitting. Some families may plan on eating lighter at a couple of meals to save up TS credits for a 2 TS signature meal or dinner show. Some guests are watching their weight and want to reduce portion sizes without wasting food (because, of course, you can always eat less that what is served -- but why not share the sandwich in the first place if you both only want half a sandwich? Why order two and each waste half?
)
I was personally curious because DH and I typically eat a TS meal every day on vacation -- but we usually share an appetizer and/or dessert (don't always order both), and we each order our own entree and beverage. So, the DDP seems like a lot of food -- and we don't like the idea of wasting food, or wasting credits if we want to eat lighter. However, after crunching the numbers, we found it would be more expensive to share TS meals (in order to share appetizer and dessert) and order additional entrees OOP. As weird as it seems, it is better for our budget to just order everything we want on the plan, even if we can't eat it all and only want to try a few bites
As usual there is knee jerk set of reactions from people with rose colored view of the universe...One size very rarely fits all... you take your vacation your way, I'll take mine my way. Rules... guidelines, etc. you cannot build a rule system that covers all possible cases.
I'm not interested in arbitrary rules that other people are guessing at -- Disney's rules are the only thing I'm concerned about. That, and being fair, honest, and courteous to the other Disney guests who would also like to enjoy their vacations
I would think that's the case for most posters here, and we want to share accurate information with our fellow DISsers.
I want to know what to expect, and if I will need to pay OOP for some things that might otherwise be considered pre-paid. I'd like to have a handle on their policies and go into it as a wise consumer. There is a lot of valuable advice to be gleaned from these boards, and the longer you read and post here, they more you will know whose advice to trust, and whose might be...less than reliable
