table service question

[spa101]

i just have a question about the dining plan. I have heard mixed things about this. There are three of us doing the dining plan, 2 adults and 1 child (5). We were going to pay for our child's dinners three of the nights and then use those table service credits toward one more meal for the three of us. Has anyone done this or know if you can do this?

 

[Marimar]

Yes you can do that! No experience doing it though...just what I have heard on the boards.

 

[WISH3]

New to the boards and planning a trip that is quickly approaching (first week of Feb.2006)

I too would love to know the deal on dining credits. We plan to pay for most of our DD table service meals (4yr) which gives us more credits to use elsewhere towards a 2credit meal etc.

When you pay for a meal I assume you receive a receipt back that tells you how many credits are left. If they are not divided out Adult/Child I see no way how they can monitor it......

Thanks for any insights you have.

I've been lurking for awhile and this board is a tremendous dose of information for us as we plan our first trip to Disney.....probably hard to believe for most of you that there are people out there who've never been to see the Magic

 

[scubamouse]

oh boys this will heat up quickly

yes you can do it but technically you're not supposed to. you paid far less for your kids meals so you would be taking advantage of the system by doing that. you're receipt does show the # of credits left and not by adult/child.

that said, the way we used the plan was to do some CS as dinners or share CS so we'd have extra credits for Calif Grill and Jiko. We tried really hard to stay w/in the rules and you can have great meals if you're willing to have a few CS meals. there is so much food at the CS that you really can share those credits.

 

[JodyTG]

From what I have heard, because of the abuse of the system, the credits are going to be more closely tracked (i.e. - a child's credit only for a child's meal). I have heard that the meal credits are going to be on each person's park admission ticket rather than pooled together. This will be a bit of a pain, but they had to do something to stop the abuse. I'm just not sure when this is going to start.

 

[HayGan]

Yes, you can do that! We did it several times during our recent trip.

As for the "rules" discussion, it is perfectly within the rules to use your credits in this manner. Disney literature specifies that credits are not treated differently and are use for any member of party during your vacation. As for the changes, nothing has been announced by Disney.

If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a PM

 

[WISH3]

On the Disney's Magic your Way Package Plus Dining brochure it states that you may "use your meals and snacks in any order and in any amount throughout your package stay until your total is depleted."

I made some ADR's today and asked this question and was told to think of the credits as per room and not per individual.

In reading further in the brochure when you get to signature dining and dinner shows it states that "your server will redeem two Table Service meals for each person dining at Signature restaurant/ dinner show." However I booked California Grill and asked if I would be able to use dining credits for my husband and I and pay cash for child. The answer was "yes, you may use your credits however you want."

I must admit the information on this matter is quite contradictory and I have almost decided that is on purpose. It is much to Disney's advantage to get it in our minds that we must use a Table Service for a child when actually its cheaper just to buy their meal. I don't want to be a "rule breaker" but I have not seen it in official Disney literature anywhere that adult credits and child credits are divided out. If someone has please direct me to that source.


Now let the storm come because I know this is a hot topic !!

 

[pedro2112]

From what I have heard, because of the abuse of the system, the credits are going to be more closely tracked (i.e. - a child's credit only for a child's meal). I have heard that the meal credits are going to be on each person's park admission ticket rather than pooled together. This will be a bit of a pain, but they had to do something to stop the abuse. I'm just not sure when this is going to start.

Jody, I think you've heard wrong. Whoever gave you that information didn't know what they were talking about. It isnt' an "abuse" of the system to use the plan the way it was intended. When the plan came out earlier in the year, the front desk CM's at the resorts were instructed by their supervisors to let the guests know they can pay for their children out of pocket and use the extra TS credits on themselves. It's preposterous to call something an "abuse" when it is not only allowed on the plan based on the actual language of the plan (which has been quoted by other posters in earlier posts), but is actually encouraged by Disney management. Remember, the meal plan only covers 2/3 of your meals, and less if you do a signature restaurant or a dinner show. By allowing people to spread out their TS credits, they capture another meal at a disney restaurant. In the end, they still make money while denying a non-disney restuarant (or a grocery store stop) an opportunity to take a guests money.

As far as the "rumours" about how they are going to put each person's credits on the individual keys to the kingdom card, so far there hasn't been one credible source to these rumours. Disney has the right to change the dining plan at any time regarding the pooling of credits, but so far they haven't. And if they did, it would have nothing to do with any alleged "abuse" of the system, because the plan allows for anyone in a party to use any of the TS credits at any time they want.

 

[c.hack]

We had absolutely no problems paying cash for our 3-year old and using the table service credits only for adults. We did it at every restaurant and it was perfectly acceptable. We saved the credits for an extra table service.

By the way, we were travelling with my parents and the servers did not care who's card was used to pay. Each room gets a certain amount of table/CS/snack credits and you can use them any way you like.

Enjoy. You have nothing to worry about.