Three families - Three different checks - potential problems

[MaryKatesMom]

To make my life even more complicated, without consulting me, my parents bought the DDP.

I know this is going to make me crazy since the DDP made me crazy when I was on it but they got it free last year and loved it but I'm in charge of all the plans/ADR's etc for our trip in December. I'll be registering us as a Grand Gathering but every review I've read on dealing with that department has had the word "disorganized" in it.

We will be getting AP's and the DDE card and my sister will just be charging to her room.

Three different checks needed coupled with clueless parents.

So....

Aside from telling whatever TS server we have that we will need three bills and who is on each bill what other pitfalls do I need to look for?

I've already warned my parents that I have more TS restaurants booked then they have credits for and since the Brown Derby is two TS credits to pay OOP for that restaurant but.... sigh it isn't clicking.

 

[LizinSTL]

To make my life even more complicated, without consulting me, my parents bought the DDP.

I know this is going to make me crazy since the DDP made me crazy when I was on it but they got it free last year and loved it but I'm in charge of all the plans/ADR's etc for our trip in December. I'll be registering us as a Grand Gathering but every review I've read on dealing with that department has had the word "disorganized" in it.

We will be getting AP's and the DDE card and my sister will just be charging to her room.

Three different checks needed coupled with clueless parents.

So....

Aside from telling whatever TS server we have that we will need three bills and who is on each bill what other pitfalls do I need to look for?

I've already warned my parents that I have more TS restaurants booked then they have credits for and since the Brown Derby is two TS credits to pay OOP for that restaurant but.... sigh it isn't clicking.

If your parents love the DDP, then let them use it. It's a huge budget saver. You said you have the DDE- that's your savings.

The server would allow you to split the check anyway. Weren't you already going to have 3 checks at each restaurant??? I'd just give your parents a list of the restaurants that you've booked (if you want, you can let them know how many TS credits each will "cost" them) and then let them decide how to spend their credits. They may decide to just pay OOP when they run out. Or they may decide to maximize their credits. You can help them as much as you care to.

 

[JimMIA]

You won't have any problem. As Liz said, you're doing three checks anyway. We had exactly that situation for one of our meals a couple of weeks ago -- we were DDP, one set of relatives were room-billing, the other set were staying offsite and paying by credit card.

The only suggestion I would offer your parents is to decline room charging when they check in. That will prevent something which should be DDP from being charged to the room...which is the restaurants' default policy if any computer problems arise.

Room-charging is an easy fix for the restaurant, but can create an unexpected issue for the guest to deal with later. Those problems are easily solved, but why should your parents waste their vacation time fixing someone else's problem?

They can still pay OOP whenever they want -- they'd just pay cash or with a credit card.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

The only suggestion I would offer your parents is to decline room charging when they check in. That will prevent something which should be DDP from being charged to the room...which is the restaurants' default policy if any computer problems arise.

Room-charging is an easy fix for the restaurant, but can create an unexpected issue for the guest to deal with later. Those problems are easily solved, but why should your parents waste their vacation time fixing someone else's problem?

They can still pay OOP whenever they want -- they'd just pay cash or with a credit card.

Well, don't tell them, but I WAS planning on paying for some of their meals, especially the ones they aren't thrilled about but I love.

Funny you should mention the problems. It is one of the reason's we won't do DDP unless it is free. There was a computer glitch at a stand in EPCOT we bought 10 Mickey bars (two differentt families) but instead of charging them to DDP they came up as a room charge and it wasn't until after check out that we were able to figure this mistake out. I should have KNOWN there was a problem when the girl couldn't print out a receipt but it was one of those moments when the poor girl had a line, non-working computer and non-working printer.

Thank you for that advice on declining charging. My parents hate doing that anyway so that is exactly what I was looking for when I asked the question.

So what happen on the DDP when you decline room charging?

 

[LizinSTL]

Thank you for that advice on declining charging. My parents hate doing that anyway so that is exactly what I was looking for when I asked the question.

So what happen on the DDP when you decline room charging?

Basically, if the DDP doesn't go through, the restaurant will either need to force it (TS restaurants can apparently do this if they try) OR your parents will be asked to pay cash or another method for their meal. We never had that problem on our trip at all. I guess the restaurant can hold DDP tickets until the system is running again and then submit them later.

I'd just suggest that your parents stop by the concierge in the lobby every couple days and/or verify that their number of credits left is correct when they get receipts after each meal. It's pretty easy to keep track, I think. If there's a problem ,they can ask that the concierge fix it. I kept a ziploc bag and stuck all my receipts for the DDP in it (and OOP food expenses)- if there was a problem, I could have tracked it down and had disney fix it. But the majority of people experience NO problems whatsoever on the plan. No worries

 

[klinlin]

Just tell your servers and keeptrackof your receipts, and you'll be fine. On our last trip, we met my parents who live in FL, and did not have the DDP. My youngest was just under 3 and did not have any credits of his own. Each meal we had 3 checks; DDP, DS and adult beverages ; and parents. We did not have any problems.

Have a great trip!

 

[Indy's Girl]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned but that you and your travelling companions should be aware of is that since your parents are on the DDP an 18% gratuity will be automatically applied to ALL your checks, not just your parents. I am not sure if you can ask for it to be removed, but it seems I remember reading that you cannot. Not sure if this will even be an issue if you are doing large group dining, where I htink they add a gratuity automatically anyway, but something to keep inmind.

I know it is sometimes hard to read "emotion" in posts, but I hope you aren't honestly upset that your parents booked teh DDP if they love it? Just because you thinki it causes headaches doesn't mean they should have to consult you first I would think.