Shring on Dining Plan

[bicker]

It is very rare I agree with Jodi, so I need to do my best to make a point of it when it happens, like now...

However, not everyone wants to eat so much in one sitting. For many guests it's just too much food for one meal.

Disney provides portions so that most guests can choose for themselves how much to eat. Guests can eat what they want and just leave the rest. The point really is that the Dining Plan is for a number of meals, not for an amount of food.

The DDP is not a good deal for you. You have a DVC membership, you are eligible for the DDE.

That's not the case. DVC members are not necessarily eligible for the Disney Dining Experience.

 

[bicker]

Again, supporting Jodi's points...

I don't think most of the people that have posted on this thread are trying to look for ways to rip Disney off, they are simply trying to find the best way to make the plan work for their family.

I think the angle here is to evaluate the Dining Plan as it is offered, as is intended to be used, and then determine whether or not it works for your family that way. It's not a "build it yourself" plan.

 

[bicker]

For that matter, what's wrong with wanting to extend your magic a little?

I think there needs to be a distinction made between extending your magic by enjoying more of what's offered, versus extending your magic by taking advantage of more than is being offered. Jodi's point, I believe, is that sharing one entree between two people isn't what is intended by a plan that gives you one TS credit per person per night. I think it is reasonable what Jodi's inferring -- that the plan intends for each person to use a credit each time they have a meal. We may or may not prefer it to be that way, and we can surely disagree about what we each choose to infer from the plan's brochure, but I don't think anyone should be implying that Jodi's inference is invalid. It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Let's be real, the average cost per entree in a lot of Disney establishments is higher than some comparable places outside the world. You're paying for more than just food, you're paying for an experience too.

Absolutely, and indeed that reinforces the point that how much you pay shouldn't be so closely dependent on the quantity of food you eat. If you share an entree, does that mean that each of you get half the value from your dining experience?

 

[Dis Ohana]

Again, supporting Jodi's points...I think the angle here is to evaluate the Dining Plan as it is offered, as is intended to be used, and then determine whether or not it works for your family that way. It's not a "build it yourself" plan.

It was my understanding when I booked this plan that all credits could be used in any way I want, in any order I want until the day I leave. "Use your meals and snacks in any order and in any amount throughout your package stay until your total is depleted" meant to me that I could choose to use either 1 credit at a meal or 2. I still don't see why they would care if we wanted to share our food. But again, if this is policy it should just be stated clearly and I'm fine with it. But it does need to be a clear policy and not just speculation on a message board.
I am in no way trying to make a "build it yourself" plan, I am simply trying to understand the one offered.

 

[Katiebell]

It is very rare I agree with Jodi, so I need to do my best to make a point of it when it happens, like now...Disney provides portions so that most guests can choose for themselves how much to eat. Guests can eat what they want and just leave the rest. The point really is that the Dining Plan is for a number of meals, not for an amount of food.

Yes you can, and that presents the pricing from Disney's standpoint as a business very well -- as always, we can count on you for that, bicker But the pricing from the consumer's standpoint is that it's a very good deal for a three course dinner -- that's one of the things that makes the DDP attractive and makes people want to buy it. It's marketed to the public as "save up to 40% off per person on dining". I have seen your chart showing that it's still a reasonable deal for entree and beverage only (good chart, BTW), but obviously, the less you order (the less expensive the menu items are, the less you can actually eat) the lower your savings are, and the less attractive the plan becomes. Then the focus becomes convenience, knowing your food budget is prepaid -- is the value of those features worth the cost?

Regardless, I'm on vacation, I paid for it, and I want my dessert! I'd rather have it a few hours after dinner when I've had a chance to walk around a bit, but that would make the plan WAY too complicated if you could get dessert later (although I've heard some CS at food courts will let you take a voucher to come back and get your dessert later the same day you used a CS credit there). So I'll order my meal, and if I can only eat half of my creme brulee, then so be it. Actually, I'd probably leave half a steak and eat the entire creme brulee instead.

BTW, I liked your idea of a version of the DDP offering appetizer and entree only, and you could get dessert OOP if you wanted. I thought I had an original idea about a plan that would allow a TS appetizer OR dessert, entree and beverage, and a CS entree and beverage or combo meal, with no dessert included -- but then I saw a lot of other people posted very similar ideas around the same time. Stream of consciousness, perhaps? A slight break on the price, and that would probably solve a lot of problems...

That's not the case. DVC members are not necessarily eligible for the Disney Dining Experience.

I was thinking Jodi is eligible for the DDE because she is a Florida resident? And I'm not sure, but I believe she mentioned previously that she has found the DDE to be a much better deal for her family.

 

[bicker]

It was my understanding when I booked this plan that all credits could be used in any way I want, in any order I want until the day I leave.

Those words you're referring to don't preclude the "no sharing is permitted" message. The point is that I feel that Jodi's interpretation is as valid as yours. Disney could follow either interpretation and be legit.

But again, if this is policy it should just be stated clearly and I'm fine with it. But it does need to be a clear policy and not just speculation on a message board.

This is my big beef with this whole situation: Apparently two different Disney offices are promulgating diametrically oppositional policies in this regard. It's one thing when Disney is inconsistent. This is not inconsistent: They're being directly contradictory.

 

[bicker]

Florida residents are eligible for DDE.

 

[jodifla]

Florida residents are eligible for DDE.

As are Annual Passholder, so it's really available to anyone.

 

[bicker]

I suppose, but few people will spend the hundreds of dollars extra it would cost them for admission to get an AP just to qualify for DDE.

(I think we would have had to pay $410 more for APs instead of what we got.)

 

[MaeDaisy]

"Use your meals and snacks in any order and amount" means that YOU can use YOUR meals and snacks in any order and amount. It does not mean you and your spouse can use YOUR TS to feed the two of you today, then use your spouse's TS to feed the two of you again tomorrow so you can work an extra meal in later.

And to the people saying "it's not about making it a better deal" ... it doesn't matter what you think it's about. The effect to Disney is that you're getting a better deal, which means that they are getting a worse deal. If you usually go out and order 2 entrees and share your appetizer and dessert, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to stop you from doing that with the DDP. That is not a valid reason to use 1 credit to feed two people, because you could each use your credit and one of you just tell the waiter "I'm skipping the appetizer and dessert. Yes, I know they're included, thank you, but I'm skipping them." And you can't use the excuse of "that's wasting food!" because it's not. If you never order them, then they aren't wasted. And if you usually go out and share an entree, then the DDP -- as it is intended to be used -- might not be worthwhile for you.

 

[saffy]

" If you usually go out and order 2 entrees and share your appetizer and dessert, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to stop you from doing that with the DDP.

But what about those of us who routinely go out and share 1 entree?

I am going to WDW with my parents, and almost every time I eat out with them, my mother and I share a meal. And, we're not talking appetizer, entree, dessert - we're a just 1 entree family. We're already thinking this is going to be a ton of food, and that's with planning on sharing!

Until reading these boards, I never even questioned the ability to do that. As was said, the brochure says to use the points however we want, and using 2 meals to feed the 3 of us will be more than enough at most places (although, we also do see ourselves adding on an extra salad or soup OOP at a few places, too). Nothing in the Disney wording makes me think that wouldn't be allowed. Like others have said, I'm not doing it for "cheap" reasons (actually, I forsee us having extra TS credits when the trip is over, mainly because we don't want to waste time eating more than 1 TS per day), but for health and nutrition ones. It's just not how we ever eat!

I really am surprised by how many people seem appalled by the thought of people sharing food. Not only do my mom and I share, many of my friends and I do as well. Occasionally we'll share 1 ap & 1 entree, but often it's just 1 entree split 2 ways.

Now, these aren't haute gourmet places or anything, but at places like Claim Jumper, Mimi's, Lucille's, etc... (trying to throw in the common "chains" we go to). We just tell the server that "we're going to share this" and most often they'll just bring out the meal and an extra plate. NO problem, we can split it up ourselves. I never ask for the kitchen to do it, nor do I expect them to. When they do, it's a nice surprise.

With portion sizes being what they are, it just makes sense to not overstuff ourselves.

 

[Katiebell]

If you usually go out and order 2 entrees and share your appetizer and dessert, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to stop you from doing that with the DDP.

How is that any different from one person ordering using a TS credit for their own entree, sharing the appetizer and dessert, and the other person ordering their own entree OOP? Except that you are using only one TS credit, and paying for the rest in cash, instead of using 2 TS credits -- which you paid for anyway. The email I received from Disney Guest Services said that was totally acceptable to do.

"Guests on the dining plan and sitting at a table in a table service restaurant are not required to use their dining credits for the meal. Guests may pay for the meal at the time of dining. If one Guest wishes to use a dining credit and the other Guest in the party wishes to order food and beverage and pay for it instead of using their dining credit, that is permitted."

I, personally, do not plan to share any meals on the DDP. After looking at the numbers, it would cost us more to order one TS and pay for extra items OOP. However a lot of people do share meals, both at WDW and other places as well, for a lot of different reasons. I can understand their reasoning, and why they might want to do that.

Disney has not put anything in writing at all that prohibits people on the DDP from sharing with other people in their own party. Some people in Disney management are saying it's perfectly fine, while others are saying guests cannot do that. Disney needs to decide exactly what the rule is, be consistent and put it in the literature for the Dining Plan -- just like they did with the adult/child credit issue -- and then it will be clear to everyone and we can all follow the rules.

I understand why for some people, the DDP would be a waste of money and would not be a wise purchase. And I also understand why for others, it would be very beneficial.

I try very hard to see things from other people's perspectives, to understand their reasoning and why they feel the way they do. Obviously, not everyone is capable of that, and they can only understand what they, themselves, think and feel, and they can't imagine anyone else's point of view. Perhaps they just have a hard time imagining themselves in different circumstances.

So, I will just try to be understanding about that.

 

[Dis Ohana]

"Use your meals and snacks in any order and amount" means that YOU can use YOUR meals and snacks in any order and amount. It does not mean you and your spouse can use YOUR TS to feed the two of you today, then use your spouse's TS to feed the two of you again tomorrow so you can work an extra meal in later.

And to the people saying "it's not about making it a better deal" ... it doesn't matter what you think it's about. The effect to Disney is that you're getting a better deal, which means that they are getting a worse deal. If you usually go out and order 2 entrees and share your appetizer and dessert, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to stop you from doing that with the DDP. That is not a valid reason to use 1 credit to feed two people, because you could each use your credit and one of you just tell the waiter "I'm skipping the appetizer and dessert. Yes, I know they're included, thank you, but I'm skipping them." And you can't use the excuse of "that's wasting food!" because it's not. If you never order them, then they aren't wasted. And if you usually go out and share an entree, then the DDP -- as it is intended to be used -- might not be worthwhile for you.

I am paying for this plan for my family, we have two younger children that we have to pay adult prices for. When I read, "Use your meals and snacks in any order and amount", I am assuming they are speaking of us as a group on the plan. And yes, I did do my homework. I read threads related to the DDP, which is how I found this one. I am trying to determine if this plan would work for us since we do not have people in our family that could possibly eat that much. If it does, then great, we're on it. If not, then we just won't buy it, no big deal. It's not like we're expecting to spend a fortune on transportation and rooms only to start being miserly on food.
Again, I don't think anyone is trying to get one over on Disney. For the most part I think we're just trying to determine what the policy is, or will be, and if its the best one for us.

 

[WDWfor5]

The more I think about this the more I feel I agree with Disney on the no sharing issue. I don't think they care if you share your food with your children and DH after you order it or if I give my DD my "real food" and her food justs gets picked at. The real issue as I see it is this - the DDP was intended to provide 1 TS meal per night per customer. They include the whole shebang - appy, entree and dessert so that you can have it if you want it but the TS credit is really the cost of having your meal at a TS restaurant. If you don't want the appetizer - don't order it. If you don't care to eat an entire meal - leave some.

I think it's best looked at that for those of us on the DDP all TS establishments are fixed price meals and cost either 1 or 2 TS Credits for eating there. What you eat once you are there is basically up to you with the exception of stated limitations. Disney never intended people to maximize their TS credits. The argument in favor of sharing seems to be "but there's too much food" and I agree but - then don't eat it all or don't order it all. Maybe it would help to look at it as you would at a buffet - you pay a price to sit in the seat and the choices are available but you don't pay less just because you don't like to eat alot. When disney priced this plan, they probably figured not everyone would order an appy and entree and dessert at each meal and that was part of the decision on pricing.

As for enforceablitiy, I tend to think that eventually it will come to requiring each person at the table to use a TS credit but it shouldn't have to. We (meaning the OCD Disney planners) need to just relax about the dining plan - it covers all the food you need for your stay and more. That's the joy of the plan for my family - we can try new things, order the entree we really want without worrying about the cost and prepay our food costs. I fully expect to buy some food OOP and we never finish all the food on the plate. My WW Leader has a great saying - "If you want a little behind, you need to leave a little behind

So maybe if everyone stops trying to get the most monetarily out of the dining plan, they won't have to continually tighten up the rules and step up enforcement. Anyway, that's JMHO

 

[Katiebell]

The more I think about this the more I feel I agree with Disney on the no sharing issue.

But with whom at Disney do you agree? A few of us -- very few -- have received replies from guest services that guests may not share meals on the DDP...although the response I received also specified that all people on the plan in a group were not required to use their DDP credits at any given meal, and that one person could use a TS credit and another person could pay OOP. Other people are being told by Disney management and Disney Dining that it's fine to share. Most reports say servers at restaurants have no problem with families sharing food amongst themselves. There is nothing in writing to prohibit sharing -- yet. So who is giving correct information? If there has been a change in policy, then everyone at Disney should be on the same page and not be giving out conflicting info.

The real issue as I see it is this - the DDP was intended to provide 1 TS meal per night per customer. They include the whole shebang - appy, entree and dessert so that you can have it if you want it but the TS credit is really the cost of having your meal at a TS restaurant. If you don't want the appetizer - don't order it. If you don't care to eat an entire meal - leave some.

This is definitely true. It's probably the biggest problem for those of us who are most bothered by wasting food (sorry, Mom always said it was wrong, and that's some strong conditioning to overcome ), and for families that have to buy the adult plan for kids that don't eat like adults yet -- so they hate to waste those credits. But then they may just have unused credits at the end of their trip that will be wasted anyway. If I had kids in the 10-15 range who didn't eat much, I would probably not purchase the dining plan, because it wouldn't make financial sense.

As for enforceablitiy, I tend to think that eventually it will come to requiring each person at the table to use a TS credit but it shouldn't have to.

This is where I can see there will be problems. Will Disney rely on the servers to police this? What if some people at the table are on the plan and others aren't? What if there aren't enough credits left for each member of the party (Mom and Dad had a dinner alone one night, or one parent stayed with a sick child while the other parent took the other kids out to dinner)? What if some people on the plan choose to pay OOP and share? It could be a real mess. What I could foresee possibly happening is the DDP being modified to only be usable for buffets and fixed price meals. However, that would significantly diminish the appeal of the plan, which would in turn adversely affect Disney's goal of keeping their TS restaurants full.

So maybe if everyone stops trying to get the most monetarily out of the dining plan, they won't have to continually tighten up the rules and step up enforcement. Anyway, that's JMHO

I am certain from your tone that you didn't mean this in a bad way at all but again, I take issue with the idea that people asking these questions are trying to "get the most monetarily". The concept of "maximizing the plan" and some of the less flattering phrases I've read here brings to mind a family who would intentionally choose the most expensive restaurants and order the most expensive items for the sole purpose of wringing every penny out of it they can get, even if they hate lobster and escargot. Or the people who used children's credits to purchase adult meals, simply because it was possible, even though they knew it was unethical. I think most people posting here are honestly just trying to figure out if the plan is a good value for their family, and they are understandably wary of wasting their money. Just like all of us know, after plane tickets or gas, lodging, souvenirs, and food, a vacation at Disney can be quite expensive, and the plan is being marketed -- heavily -- as a way for a family to save money on food. For the vast majority of guests who use the DDP, it isn't free -- it is a significant cash outlay, and they want to make sure they use it wisely.

 

[bicker]

When I read, "Use your meals and snacks in any order and amount", I am assuming ...

Yes, that's really the issue. The words don't definitively differentiate between the two interpretations that we see discussed here. As it indicates in the warning at the top of this thread, PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Information on using the Disney Dining Plan, we need to defer to Disney Dining for clarification whenever that happens. Katiebell and I disagreed about this initially, and it was her diligence in following the direction provided by the moderators in that thread that got us to this point, where we effectively don't know what those words actually mean.

For the most part I think we're just trying to determine what the policy is, or will be, and if its the best one for us.

It is really difficult when official channels are saying one thing ("sharing is not permitted") and unofficial channels are saying something else!

 

[bicker]

But with whom at Disney do you agree? A few of us -- very few -- have received replies from guest services that guests may not share meals on the DDP...

To be clear, as far as we know, no one has received a reply from guest services -- or any written reply from anywhere official -- that sharing was permitted. Right?

 

[pilferk]

Again, supporting Jodi's points...I think the angle here is to evaluate the Dining Plan as it is offered, as is intended to be used, and then determine whether or not it works for your family that way. It's not a "build it yourself" plan.

I think that's precisely the angle being taken.

The "rub" comes from trying to discern Disney's "intent" (which is neigh impossible) and exactly what they're offering. The only evidence we have of intent and offerings is their published guidelines and rules....which are clear as mud and contradictory to other information given, or things done in practice (my example of wanting to use 6 CS credits for our family of 5, but not being able to, for example, is a direct contradiction of "use your credits however you like").

Nowhere, in the published guidelines and rules does it specifically say "NO SHARING". The only way we've gotten that (disputed due to differing interpretations) info is by contacting CS....and even then some of the scenarios wouldn't be OBVIOUSLY covered using the statements we HAVE gotten.

Thus, the discussion we have ongoing.

 

[pilferk]

I think there needs to be a distinction made between extending your magic by enjoying more of what's offered, versus extending your magic by taking advantage of more than is being offered. Jodi's point, I believe, is that sharing one entree between two people isn't what is intended by a plan that gives you one TS credit per person per night. I think it is reasonable what Jodi's inferring -- that the plan intends for each person to use a credit each time they have a meal. We may or may not prefer it to be that way, and we can surely disagree about what we each choose to infer from the plan's brochure, but I don't think anyone should be implying that Jodi's inference is invalid. It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Absolutely, and indeed that reinforces the point that how much you pay shouldn't be so closely dependent on the quantity of food you eat. If you share an entree, does that mean that each of you get half the value from your dining experience?

Sure, it SOUNDS reasonable. There's lots of stuff that SOUNDS reasonable. But it's not specifically spelled out in the literature provided by Disney...so we're only left to assume. I'd say it's equally reasonable to interpret "use your credits how you see fit" to assume you can share a meal or two, if that's a common practice you engage in due to portion size. Just like I'd think it's reasonable to be able to purchase an additional CS meal, if you have the credits for it, above and beyond your family's size. Again, I don't know if we can use "reasonable" as the definitive litmus test.....we can only go by what's published, and what's being practiced.

 

[Marshay]

So, I will just try to be understanding about that.