We just returned from 9 nights at WDW. We had free dining for the first time. Never used a dining plan before. Before we left, I made a few table service reservations at places we wanted to try (germany, france, prime time cafe and 2 character breakfasts) but we mostly don't like to be tied down to particular parks and times, so figured I would use the leftover TS for counter service meals. Plus we don't like to take the time for a long sit down meal every day. Dinner in france was almost 3 hours! Everything I read before hand said that it was acceptable to use a higher valued credit for a lower value item, but not the other way round.
I kept track of all our credits on my phone so I always knew what we had left. We ran out of snack credits first because we used them at epcot at food and wine. The problems began on our last day. We got 2 cinnamon buns at main street bakery and the cashier asked if I wanted to use snack credits. I clearly said that I would like to use 2 counter service credits. He swipes the card and tells me that I don't have any snack credits. I said that I knew that, I wanted to use up 2 quick service credits. He gets the manager, who tells me that I cannot do this, because a cinnamon bun is not a meal, it is a snack. It literally took me 5 minutes to explain that I understood it is not a meal, and to just subtract 2 counter service credits. The manager kept telling me that I couldn't do this and I could not get her to understand that I wasn't trading up, I was trading down. I was just about to pay OOP because the line behind me was backing up when she gave a big sigh and used the counter service credits to get us on our way. But she didn't hide that she seemed pretty put out by this.
Next problem was at Casey's. I knew that I had 1 counter and 4 table services left. Prior to placing the order, like I had for every meal, I announced that we had the dining plan, and that I was going to use 1 counter and 1 table service. Cashier swipes the card, goes to give it back to me and then pulls it back and tells me that I only have 1 counter service credit. Tell him that I know this, I want to use 1 counter and 1 table. He tells me that I can't do this. Now I'm thinking that I am crazy because everything I read on the board said that this was okay to use a higher value credit for a lower value item. I even saw someone had an email from Disney that said it was okay. Cashier gets the manager who puts up a minor struggle telling me that I can't use a table service credit but then finally allows it to go through.
So luckily this was our last day because I did not want to have to go through this to get counter service meals or be forced to waste time to hunt out table service locations with availability. On a whim, while at the resort waiting to go to the airport, I told a CM that I had 1 table service credit, and could I get 1 rice crispie treat with it. She told me no because that is a snack! So disney would rather I use a table service credit on a $40 meal rather than 14 cents worth of rice crispies? I didn't even bother saying that I really had 3 table service because I didn't want to give her the impression that I wanted 20 treats for the 3 TS. I just wanted a 1 for 1 trade in Disney's favor.
Can someone tell me what I was doing wrong? Did they change the rules? I thought I was using good DDP etiquette by always telling the cashier or server we were using the plan prior to ordering to streamline things and be efficient but it didn't seem to matter on our last day. We've never had a dining plan, but it was free so we figured we would try it. We have already decided we would never pay for the DP because we would not eat enough to justify the expense, but now I'm thinking even the free dining plan is too much of a hassle because we are not going to want to go to one sit down meal every day, and I don't want to have to fight to use a high value credit for a low value meal. Doesn't disney come out ahead on that transfer?
Other than these hiccups on the last day, we had a wonderful time. We went to biergarten twice. The first time we had a friendly table and the second time was 3 other couples that pretty much kept to themselves. Dinner at chefs de paris was good other than taking 3 hours, but we've been to paris, so that was pretty authentic.
Prime time cafe was fun and we had a walk up at the british pub in epcot which was very good. We had breakfast at tusker house that was a little awkward. We were put in the corner and felt like we got overlooked a bit by the characters because we were 2 adults without kids. The character would be at the table with us for about 20 seconds for 1 picture and then move on and we would watch them take about 5 minutes for a photo shoot at a table with kids right next to us. A little disappointing and I felt bad for my husband who had been really excited to meet the characters.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace was fantastic. The character interaction was excellent and we never felt less important being childless. My husband was like a little kid getting his picture taken and hugging Tigger and Pooh. And the food was great too. That Pooh's puffed french toast should be patented. My husband would like to go multiple times on our next trip.
Thanks in advance for any advice about my dining plan issues.
gerri
I kept track of all our credits on my phone so I always knew what we had left. We ran out of snack credits first because we used them at epcot at food and wine. The problems began on our last day. We got 2 cinnamon buns at main street bakery and the cashier asked if I wanted to use snack credits. I clearly said that I would like to use 2 counter service credits. He swipes the card and tells me that I don't have any snack credits. I said that I knew that, I wanted to use up 2 quick service credits. He gets the manager, who tells me that I cannot do this, because a cinnamon bun is not a meal, it is a snack. It literally took me 5 minutes to explain that I understood it is not a meal, and to just subtract 2 counter service credits. The manager kept telling me that I couldn't do this and I could not get her to understand that I wasn't trading up, I was trading down. I was just about to pay OOP because the line behind me was backing up when she gave a big sigh and used the counter service credits to get us on our way. But she didn't hide that she seemed pretty put out by this.
Next problem was at Casey's. I knew that I had 1 counter and 4 table services left. Prior to placing the order, like I had for every meal, I announced that we had the dining plan, and that I was going to use 1 counter and 1 table service. Cashier swipes the card, goes to give it back to me and then pulls it back and tells me that I only have 1 counter service credit. Tell him that I know this, I want to use 1 counter and 1 table. He tells me that I can't do this. Now I'm thinking that I am crazy because everything I read on the board said that this was okay to use a higher value credit for a lower value item. I even saw someone had an email from Disney that said it was okay. Cashier gets the manager who puts up a minor struggle telling me that I can't use a table service credit but then finally allows it to go through.
So luckily this was our last day because I did not want to have to go through this to get counter service meals or be forced to waste time to hunt out table service locations with availability. On a whim, while at the resort waiting to go to the airport, I told a CM that I had 1 table service credit, and could I get 1 rice crispie treat with it. She told me no because that is a snack! So disney would rather I use a table service credit on a $40 meal rather than 14 cents worth of rice crispies? I didn't even bother saying that I really had 3 table service because I didn't want to give her the impression that I wanted 20 treats for the 3 TS. I just wanted a 1 for 1 trade in Disney's favor.
Can someone tell me what I was doing wrong? Did they change the rules? I thought I was using good DDP etiquette by always telling the cashier or server we were using the plan prior to ordering to streamline things and be efficient but it didn't seem to matter on our last day. We've never had a dining plan, but it was free so we figured we would try it. We have already decided we would never pay for the DP because we would not eat enough to justify the expense, but now I'm thinking even the free dining plan is too much of a hassle because we are not going to want to go to one sit down meal every day, and I don't want to have to fight to use a high value credit for a low value meal. Doesn't disney come out ahead on that transfer?
Other than these hiccups on the last day, we had a wonderful time. We went to biergarten twice. The first time we had a friendly table and the second time was 3 other couples that pretty much kept to themselves. Dinner at chefs de paris was good other than taking 3 hours, but we've been to paris, so that was pretty authentic.
Prime time cafe was fun and we had a walk up at the british pub in epcot which was very good. We had breakfast at tusker house that was a little awkward. We were put in the corner and felt like we got overlooked a bit by the characters because we were 2 adults without kids. The character would be at the table with us for about 20 seconds for 1 picture and then move on and we would watch them take about 5 minutes for a photo shoot at a table with kids right next to us. A little disappointing and I felt bad for my husband who had been really excited to meet the characters.On the other hand, Crystal Palace was fantastic. The character interaction was excellent and we never felt less important being childless. My husband was like a little kid getting his picture taken and hugging Tigger and Pooh. And the food was great too. That Pooh's puffed french toast should be patented. My husband would like to go multiple times on our next trip.
Thanks in advance for any advice about my dining plan issues.
gerri
