Urgent Question re. Potential DDP Issue at WCC this evening.

[KristenHoneymooner]

I don't think they can take away from company policy. If the wanted to comp someone for a specific reason....I'm sure they have the power to do so. Obviously, the manager must have been misinformed. (imagine that....a Disney employee that doesn't have all the facts....especially when it comes to dining)

Are you sure that under 3 being "free" at Disney restaurants is a company policy, though? I was curious about this thread, so I checked everywhere that I could think of on Disney's website and couldn't find anything saying that. It does say that the dining plan can only be purchased for ages 3 and up but it didn't then say that under 3 don't have to pay for food.

 

[antkim]

YES this is a company policy as is under 3 do not need a park pass. If a child (under 3) is sharing food or at a buffet/or family style restaurant they are free. IF parent chooses to order that child a "kids meal" (off of a menu)then parent would have to pay for that meal when given the bill.

 

[annie1995]

That is totally wrong. A child under 3 can eat off the adult's plate for no charge. They messed up!

Yup, they definately messed up. When we ate there this last September, my DS who was 14 months and not on the DP ate free from the skillet too. I was told under 3 eats off others plates. I'd definately say something at your hotel front desk, they should be able to fix it for you

 

[Tink415]

Who knows what the policy is really? Its not like you can find such a policy on the Disney web site or any travel documents you receive from Disney - at least I never have. Again, I can say I have been charged for under 3 meals, paying cash, at all you can eat places in the past, I remember Ohana and WCC in particular. I didn't complain or appeal the charge to anyone. I sure would complain about a TS credit being used for a 2 yr old when they aren't on the plan. I bet if you had brought the issue to concierge attention at your hotel the credit would have been returned and nothing charged for what your child ate. Just a guess To clarify, I was charged for my under 3 year old eating the Skillet and the Ohana feast - not a seperate childs meal! I just asked for a plate for her and was charged.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Who knows what the policy is really? Its not like you can find such a policy on the Disney web site or any travel documents you receive from Disney - at least I never have. Again, I can say I have been charged for under 3 meals, paying cash, at all you can eat places in the past, I remember Ohana and WCC in particular. I didn't complain or appeal the charge to anyone. I sure would complain about a TS credit being used for a 2 yr old when they aren't on the plan. I bet if you had brought the issue to concierge attention at your hotel the credit would have been returned and nothing charged for what your child ate. Just a guess

If you order a separate meal for a child under 3...yes, you will be charged. If they are sharing off a parents plate.....they shouldn't be charged.

 

[fairestoneofall]

I agree that you do not have to pay for a child under 3 unless he/she orders a kid's meal. We were told this at every restaurant on our 2006 trip when DS was two. We were never charged for his food. And he ate freely from buffets or off of our plates. In fact, every TS server we had told us this.

The only time I paid for him was when I specifically bought a meal for him at Cosmic Ray's.

 

[fumipappa]

We went to CP and Garden grill, buffet and family style, with 3kids (8, 6, and 2). At both place (actually all other Table service restaurant including CRT, Sci-fi), the server told us BEFORE starting the meal, my 2yrs old DD won't be charged and asked us what she wanted to eat.They also served her drink, dessert as free. So, yes, it is REALLY STRANGE one restaurant IN WDW property charged 2yrs old and DID NOT told guests under 3 would not be charged....

 

[mom2alix]

It actually is stated on the 2008 DDP brochure

"The Disney Dining Plan is unavailable for Guests under the age of 3, but they may share from an adult plate at no charge or purchase a meal from the menu."

 

[TLSnell1981]

It actually is stated on the 2008 DDP brochure

"The Disney Dining Plan is unavailable for Guests under the age of 3, but they may share from an adult plate at no charge or purchase a meal from the menu."

I knew I saw it in print somewhere....just couldn't remeber where!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

They messed up on your bill. Any child under 3 is free with the dining plan at all restaurants because they share with the adult. You don't pay for the child at all so I would try to complain and get the money back. Last year, I went to WDW with my DD who was just under 3 and she didn't pay for anything anywhere!

Try to fix it so WCC won't keep doing this to people. The manager should have known at least that this was wrong!

 

[dandave]

Try to fix it so WCC won't keep doing this to people. The manager should have known at least that this was wrong!

I completely agree. This is just me, but I would have pulled out my cell right there at the table and called Guest Services- with a smile of course! Short of that, I would have insisted that the Manager sign my receipt with the 2 year old's meal circled and initialed prior to paying. Then, I would have been reimbursed by my resort concierge desk, followed by a letter of complaint to WDW detailing the occurence with a copy of that receipt.
Talk about bleeding a tourist...

 

[i3utterfli82]

I had a similar situation in Oct. when the server wanted to charge my 2 year old breakfast. I said she was two and he mentioned it said if she ate more than a plateful her was going to charge her.

 

[hammie59]

I don't get this. They even state on their website in the dining area that kids under 3 can eat from the adults plate for free. You would think that would be a known standard across the board and there should be no confusion on their part. It's practically screaming incompetence.

 

[mkycrzy1971]

We ate at WCC in May...I ordered the skillet and my 2 year old ate from it, they brought him an extra plate and never mentioned charging us...they even brought him a drink without charging us...I am with everyone else...go to your resort and get your money back...if they try to give you any c*@p I would ask them to see a Disney Dining brochure and point out the area where it states a child under 3 is allowed to eat from an adult plate without charge...what can they say???

OP...I am very interested to know how this turns out...please keep us posted.

 

[kaytieeldr]

...if they try to give you [a hard time] I would ask them to see a Disney Dining brochure and point out the area where it states a child under 3 is allowed to eat from an adult plate without charge...what can they say???

It doesn't even have to be a Dining Plan brochure. Disney's general policy is, children under three eat free at buffets or if they eat from the parents' (or other diners') plates. I bet the OP only ordered the skillet for two adults and one child - so I'd be pretty peeved if the restaurant went against general company policy this.

 

[dandave]

This really bothered me, so I wanted to get one of the various possible responses from WDW. We all know how that goes.
Also, deep down, I honestly just kind of wanted to tattle-tale on the Whispering Canyon ...

My email to WDW:
Hi! I am taking my niece to Walt Diney World on Sunday, Feb.3 to
celebrate her first birthday. We have reservations at'Ohanas, Garden
Grill, Crystal Palace, Tusker House, and many other family style/buffet
restaurants. Will my 1 year old niece be charged for dining at these
places? I have read online that a 2 year old guest at the Whispering
Canyon Cafe was charged this week, because she ate from the AUCE
skillet.
Thank you in advance!
Me



Their response:
Dear Angela,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

Children under the age of 3 are not charged for meals unless an item is
ordered for the child. 1 and 2 year olds are welcome to eat from their
parents plate with charge.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact
us.

Please include your full name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if
applicable on all correspondence.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Them

WDW Online Communications

PLEASE NOTE: All information is subject to change without notice and
should be confirmed just prior to your visit.


So children under 3 are not charged for eating off their parents plate, they are welcome to eat from their parents plate with charge.
Thank God that's all cleared up!

 

[Eander3]

Sorry, we have been away from the computer for a few days. Thanks for the support. Just to follow up, we didn't end up requesting our $$$ back, because it looks like I accidentally misplaced our receipt! Oh well, like we said, not going to let $10 spoil our vacation, but my DW and I feel vindicated that we weren't wrong....I think we just had a fairly clueless server, who didn't know what to do. Also, I forgot to mention this in my OP, but we are wondering if he was off base on the drinks policy too. At every restaurant we ate at this week, we got diet cokes, then asked for coffee to have with dessert. When we asked for the coffee at WCC, the same server told us he would have to charge us for the coffee. Again, not sure if that is how the plan goes or not, but at the seven other places we went we were never charged.

 

[kaytieeldr]

How does, "he wasn't not right" sound? The drink thing is less definitive than the under-three-eats-free issue.
The DDP Table Service credit allows - as you know - one entree, one dessert, and one non-alcoholic beverage per participant. Technically, this should be the same beverage throughout your meal. Now, obviously, restaurants can allow you to switch - but if WCC didn't, they were simply following the DDP rules to the letter (except, yeah, charging your two-year-old!)

 

[dandave]

I can understand being charged for the coffee, since it was a second beverage. I order water w/lemon and coffee at every meal. Water is free, so the coffee is my allowed beverage. DH and my boys order soda/tea, and sometimes a coffee w/dessert.
Sometimes they are charged for the coffee, sometimes not. This is true both on and off the DDP. If they are not charged extra for the coffee, then our server gets an extra special tip reflecting the nicety. They would have been drinking a covered beverage either way, but allowing them to have multiple choices is definitely the sign of a generous server and should always be considered a gift rather than a given, IMHO.

 

[Gillian]

We have been charged for coffee at regular restuarants, but at buffets and family style where it's one price it's been included.

At WCC they have to enter everything you get into the computer. So it makes sense that they'd charge you. At a buffet or true family style, there's only one computer entry per person. The server could get you 10 different drinks and it wouldn't change anything.