Shouldn't I just pay cash for kids TS?

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Enna- yes you can pay for the kids meal and use the credit for the kids buffet.
But also you could pay for both kids meals and use the 2 credits for the 2 adult meals. Disney will not stop you from doing this. That could change but until then it is only the OPINION of the DIS morality police that you should not do this.
The decision is yours until Disney changes their policy on this.

 

[vellamint]

That could change but until then it is only the OPINION of the DIS morality police that you should not do this.

Bwah ha ha!!! ​

I Love It!!​

Seriously.....good for you for saying what I sometimes scream at my computer monitor...

 

[Gillian]

You know, we are sort of doing what lewisc said - breakfast in our camper, one TS & one CS per day. But having read some of the suggestions here, I think I will pay for DS out of pocket at Le Cellier and use a TS credit for Trails End breakfast for him instead (we had been planning to pay for all of us out of pocket on our last morning). It'll save me a dollor or two.

I also think I won't feel as uncomfortable asking to pay oop there, because it is possible we will also be buying a kids meal for DD, age 2 (not on the dining plan but a big eater).

 

[mlwear]

I'm not going to say if it is right or wrong. But, I do have these comments: I chose to use credits for my then 7 year old for all of his meals just as I did for myself, DH and DS (then age 10). My 10 year old loved the idea of getting to choose his own appetizer and dessert for every meal (a lot of food was wasted). It was just easier to let my 7 year old also get an appetizer and dessert of his own choice, also. Everyone was happy. I believe everywhere we went had those offered on the kid's menu. Paying for a kids app, meal, drink and dessert would end up costing us a good bit. With DP, we would NEVER get apps. and dessert. Maybe one or the other. It was just so much less stress to just use the system as planned and let trying to work the system go.
Honestly, I think the dining plan provides SO much food that while it is nice to "splurge" and try different things, it is just too much food for anyone to consume. I don't know that we could have eaten any extra meals. I can see if you want to go to the 2 TS restaurants/shows. We didn't choose any of those.
So, I think the way the plan is already set up is plenty of food without trying to get additional meals by saving child TS credits.
But, if that's what you want to do, that's your call. Disney knows what is going on. Several guide books and sites suggest doing it, so it isn't like Disney is being fooled. They could fix the system if they wanted to.
BTW, I know many don't like the age limits for meals, but my last year 10 year old (now 11 year old) LOVES it. He hates ordering off the kids' menu anywhere. He doesn't eat the full adult portion, but now that he is a tad older he prefers to order more grown up foods. Oddly, this did happen around age 10. I'm glad he doesn't HAVE to order from the kid's menu.

 

[Briar Rose's Mom]

I have debated long and hard over whether or not to pay OOP for our kid's meals. We like eating at 2 TS restaurants most days (character breakfast and a table service dinner). However as many have pointed out portion sizes are large and my kids (DS8 and DD4) are light eaters. Plus eating at Disney can get expensive. The profit margin in most of the restaurant industry is fairly small last I heard (1-2%) however, Disney being Disney I know that they wouldn't allow the loophole if it was costing them more $$ than it would cost to fix it. (Interesting side question, was the reason behind this years price increase from $35 Adult to $38 Adult mostly driven by raw material cost increases or is it an offset because many people have learned how to work the system and are paying OOP for kids?)

Anyway here's what I currently think we're going to do. At table service restaurants which are not all you care to eat/buffet, the kids are going to share our meals. 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts should be plenty for the 4 of us. When we were not on the dinning plan (I just added it last week) I was already planning on having them share those meals anyway. That way I can use the kids TS credits to pay for more of their character breakfast meals. I made a spreadsheet of our ADRs so I know which meals are the more expensive ones that I should use those "saved" TS credits on.

We still have more table service meals planned than credits (we are treating my FIL, MIL, and SIL to dinner at Bomas one night and I am going to use dinning plan credits for all 7 of us which kind of puts us behind the 8-ball credit wise). Odds are they will recpricocate (although I'm not counting on it in my dinning spreadsheet). At least with the dinning plan some of our meals will be covered.

 

[bizeemom4]

I am paying OOP at Narcoossee's and California Grill for my 10 and 6 y.o. and for most of our counter service meals.

 

[ngtotd_dtrt]

Disney being Disney I know that they wouldn't allow the loophole if it was costing them more $$ than it would cost to fix it.

You called it. It would be VERY easy for them to change it to keep separate child and adult credits. To be frank, people 'scamming' the deal is what draws a good many to it, and Disney still makes money on them. The same personality that enjoys the idea of playing this to its full potential is generally the same that would take his/her new found savings and treat themselves elsewhere on the property. I posted this on another page relating to the same thing...

'In the restaurants alone, people drank more (big profit item!). Adults who wouldn't drink or might get one and split it, were ordering a couple. In shops, toys and clothes and collectables were more readily purchased ('we just saved $200 on dinner, so I can buy this $45 sweatshirt I want', etc.). Upgrading tickets to add water-parks, or no-expiration, etc. Keeping people on Disney-grounds for most all of their vacation. And don't forget everyone paying full price for the room vs. discounted by AAA or room-only discount deals....The fact that they're doing it again means it worked for them on macro level. I mean, my family is going back again this year and we wouldn't have w/o the free-DP.'

It's a good deal for many paying for it, and a great deal when free, but Disney feels it's worth it for a reason. Due to the FDP, Disney is getting extra money from my family this year over and above what we'll cost them.

I think the FDP will stay a possibility for Disney anytime they think crowds will be very low (peak hurricane season when school's in session).

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go eat a big meal to 'stretch-out' for our trip..have to take full advantage of the plan even if it kills me!!

 

[frannn]

I'm not going to say if it is right or wrong. But, I do have these comments: I chose to use credits for my then 7 year old for all of his meals just as I did for myself, DH and DS (then age 10). My 10 year old loved the idea of getting to choose his own appetizer and dessert for every meal (a lot of food was wasted). It was just easier to let my 7 year old also get an appetizer and dessert of his own choice, also. Everyone was happy. I believe everywhere we went had those offered on the kid's menu. Paying for a kids app, meal, drink and dessert would end up costing us a good bit. With DP, we would NEVER get apps. and dessert. Maybe one or the other. It was just so much less stress to just use the system as planned and let trying to work the system go.
Honestly, I think the dining plan provides SO much food that while it is nice to "splurge" and try different things, it is just too much food for anyone to consume. I don't know that we could have eaten any extra meals. I can see if you want to go to the 2 TS restaurants/shows. We didn't choose any of those.
So, I think the way the plan is already set up is plenty of food without trying to get additional meals by saving child TS credits.
But, if that's what you want to do, that's your call. Disney knows what is going on. Several guide books and sites suggest doing it, so it isn't like Disney is being fooled. They could fix the system if they wanted to.
BTW, I know many don't like the age limits for meals, but my last year 10 year old (now 11 year old) LOVES it. He hates ordering off the kids' menu anywhere. He doesn't eat the full adult portion, but now that he is a tad older he prefers to order more grown up foods. Oddly, this did happen around age 10. I'm glad he doesn't HAVE to order from the kid's menu.

This will be our first time on DDP. We usually do a bunch of character buffets while at WDW, but not TS. Most of our dinners out at home, we share with DD3. Even with sharing and being big eaters, I usually have leftovers to take home. I don't know that it makes sense to order a meal for DD3 if it is going to be mostly wasted. We are staying at AS Movies, and won't have a fridge. We are doing all buffet type meals, with the exception of Coral Reef and Teppanyaki. Most likely, we will share with DD3, but I don't see where we will fit in another TS meal to take advantage of these extra credits. We may do B&C to use it up, and save the CS for breakfast. I'd love to book a character breakfast to use them up, but who can eat a CS lunch and TS dinner after that???

 

[kizmac]

At non-buffets........ and then use the TS credit for adult meals later?

My question is why would anyone want to do this? I'm not debating the moral issue at hand but WHY? There is sooooo much food and only so much time. I have six kids....well 3 that are counted as child credits, we were on the dining plan last year and there was no reason to save any of their credits for Adults meals later because we ate everywhere as a family and with one TS a day......how in the world would we even fit in more meals to use their credits for adult meals ?

I guess if you were planning meals without your children or at a bunch of 2 TS places maybe got you thinking to do this, but frankly it would not be worth the headache IMO nor do you know if you will get a CM that lets it slide. If you don't then your whole itenerary is a bust. Why bother just to squeeze extra value out of something that really is a good value anyhow? Especially if you are getting it for free during free dining. Just pick a TS a day and use your credits. We had sooooooo many CS credits and snack credits left at the end out our trip that we got three pizzas to go at the resort to take in the car with us and a whole bag of Mickey rice crispie treats and drinks. This was even after eating lunch at the resort. It is a ton of food.

 

[tinkerbeth]

I didn't think of paying oop. My thought was that we would both order adult meals and share with ds4, and use his credits later. We never ever order and app, a main and a desert and there's no way I could eat all that! But paying oop for things like BOMA would be a good idea. Cheaper than paying for a whole buffet when we run out of ts credits.

If Disney really cared about this, they would make it impossible to do. It's like the silly mug thing all over again. If they cared, they would do something about it. Imho it's only people on the dis who care. And not me. Even if I thought it was wrong to pool credits, which I don't particularly, I wouldn't waste my time and energy getting upset about what other people are doing on their vacation. I might offer my opinion, but people get way bent out of shape about such things.

So there!

So, to the op, read everyone's opinions and do what you want and think is right. And for heaven's sake don't lose any sleep over it.



Beth

ps - hey I'm going to have a 6 week old baby with me, do I get credits for her? Becuase man, that would ROCK!!! And since I'm nursing her, I won't have any problem using her credits since I'm feeing her too!

 

[JUST4JENNA]

I dont usually get involved in these debates, but here goes....

I am very surprised that there are so many people who really care what others choose to do with their dining credits! In all honesty, my 6 year old is a poor eater, and I would rather see my husband or myself enjoy the full meal rather than see the food go to waste. Even if there is a children's meal offering, if I want to pay OOP for the kids meal, and use the credit towards an adult meal, I certainly will do so until Disney tells me otherwise. They would'nt allow people to do it, if they were losing money on the deal. In fact, they just made a few grand off me since I was not planning on going to Disney until I heard about the free dining plan!

 

[Cruz Family]

In fact, they just made a few grand off me since I was not planning on going to Disney until I heard about the free dining plan!

And you are also making out well or, are you just going out of the goodness of your heart.

 

[JUST4JENNA]

And you are also making out well or, are you just going out of the goodness of your heart.

Sure am! Arent you? If not, you can find some good strategies for using your dining credits on these boards!! lol

Have a nice day!!

 

[formernyer]

My question is why would anyone want to do this? I'm not debating the moral issue at hand but WHY? There is sooooo much food and only so much time. I have six kids....well 3 that are counted as child credits, we were on the dining plan last year and there was no reason to save any of their credits for Adults meals later because we ate everywhere as a family and with one TS a day......how in the world would we even fit in more meals to use their credits for adult meals ?

THREE REASONS:

(1) Most people spend one more day at the parks than nights at the resort (i.e., they check in before the parks open on their first day, check out early in the morning on their last day, but then spend all day at the park). So for most people there is an extra day that isn't covered by the meal plan. The credits conserved via meal-sharing feed you on the last day that wouldn't otherwise be covered.

(2) The plan covers two meals a day. Breakfast is not a good value on the DDP unless you are doing a character meal, so most people tend to forego breakfast or pay for breakfast OOP. The extra credits pay for CS breakfast in the mornings.

(3) Some people select 2TS credit meals and the conserved credits make up for the ones used at the Signature restaurants.

 

[fakereadhed]

If you are concerned about being 'fair' or 'cheating the system', think about this. If the first night of your trip you go to Hoop Dee Do, and the first morning you do a Character breakfast, (both use 2 TS each) then at the end of the trip, you will be forced to pay for meals OOP. Why is this acceptable (you'd have no choice) but choosing to pay for some meals OOP before you use up your credits is not?

I've not used the DDP yet, but we are considering it for our 2007 trip....

Good point!

 

[mickey mommy]

I dont usually get involved in these debates, but here goes....

I am very surprised that there are so many people who really care what others choose to do with their dining credits! In all honesty, my 6 year old is a poor eater, and I would rather see my husband or myself enjoy the full meal rather than see the food go to waste. Even if there is a children's meal offering, if I want to pay OOP for the kids meal, and use the credit towards an adult meal, I certainly will do so until Disney tells me otherwise. They would'nt allow people to do it, if they were losing money on the deal. In fact, they just made a few grand off me since I was not planning on going to Disney until I heard about the free dining plan!

I totally agree with you here. My 6 year old eats like a bird. My 8 and 9 year old are also very picky! I am planning on sharing a few meals and I don't think there's anything wrong with that!

 

[Cruz Family]

I totally agree with you here. My 6 year old eats like a bird. My 8 and 9 year old are also very picky! I am planning on sharing a few meals and I don't think there's anything wrong with that!

I guess I don't really disagree with what you are saying. If I was going to a restaurant that I would normally (not on the DDP) share a meal with my child. It just doesn't seem so wrong.
On the other hand when people say their child is so picky or a light eater then order them a kids meal and pay OOP that argument just doesn't make sense. Nobody really expects a child to eat a whole lot of food, that is why they only charge $10.99 a day for the childs DP.
I will not say I will never (except with free dining) pay OOP for my sons meal, but even if I were to do so I still have the common sense to know I am cheating.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I totally agree with you here. My 6 year old eats like a bird. My 8 and 9 year old are also very picky!

That's why you only pay $10.99 per night for a child. They eat less than an adult.

 

[formernyer]

That's why you only pay $10.99 per night for a child. They eat less than an adult.

The problem is with the pre-teen group. Anyone age 10 and above is charged the full adult rate of $38/day, but very few 10-year olds actually eat an adult appetizer, entree, and dessert. In fact, most would be more than satisfied with the kid's appetizer, kid's meal and dessert. Ideally they would institute a Junior rate for the plan (around $24.99/day) and offer them the adult menu with reduced portions.

 

[maria & rossi]

Disney can't be losing that much money if they are willing to give the dining plan for free. If they were losing that much money they would be charging us more. As it happens I've not got free dining plan, as I'm going in Oct.