With Free Dining Can I still pay OOP for DS10 who prefers child's menu???

[Wafflestoo]

Hi Everyone,

On a previous post it was mentioned that a CM recently stated a TS credit will now be charged for EVERYONE that is at the dining table. My DS10 eats like a bird and would prefer to order from the children's menu. It seems like a waste of an Adult TS for him to purchase a kid's dish. Under the NEW RULES of free dining does anyone know if I can buy his dinner OOP and save his credit toward other meals?

Thanks for the input or answers if you got them.

Meg

 

[Sammie]

how many on your plan, adults and children?

 

[Wafflestoo]

Our plan includes myself, DH, DS10 and DS6. So on the plan, that is translated to 3 adults and 1 child. Both kids are lite eaters. Most of the time, they don't even eat dessert right after a meal because they are too stuffed. I think that the eating years for the boys are soon to come, but not here yet.

 

[bicker]

Disney recently updated their Dining Plan brochure to state that adults cannot use child meal entitlements. While that's not what you're planning on doing, it may be close enough to it to cause some concern on the part of CMs. Until Disney builds a business case to change their information systems, there may be more draconian measures used to ensure compliance with that rule, measures that may catch in their net people like yourself who aren't actually even violating the rule. I'd plan on not being able to pay OOP for your 10 year old. You can ask at each restaurant, and you'll probably luck out most of the time, but you would be better off not counting on it.

 

[Wafflestoo]

Thanks Bicker... Bottom Line, I quess I am trying to cheat the system. It just seems that a 10 yr. old is a far cry from an adult as far as dining. In fact, in some of Disney's Restaurants, such as Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace, you pay child's price (if paying OOP) for children 3-11.

Meg

 

[nurseypoo5]

I have the EXACT same issue as you do. My son wieghs all of 52lbs. He will be 10 yrs old 6 days before we leave. I think i would have been sort of po'd if i had to pay for this dining plan as he eats NOTHING. I mean nothing. Yesterday for instance he had cereal, 2 small shrimp and 1 very small piece of chicken...that was it all day. I forced him to eat some french toast at 10pm last night to save him from wasting away to nothing!

Now on the disney dining plan, he will never be able to eat all that food. There are a few places he really wants to eat,and will eat well at. Those are Kona, Spoodles, and Coral reef. He is a seafood/shrimp person. I had always planned on paying OOP for Cali Grill, Le Cellier, 50's PT. We cant do anything about our trips at CP and Ohana as they are buffet type meals.

I dont want something for free...but I do want my son to be able to not waste huge vast amounts of food. I was hoping to save the above TS credits for our last night at California Grill. Oh well, i guess we will be more information as people before us test out the water.

 

[4shinystars]

In the same boat here, 10 year old DD that eats little. In our case we are all considered adults, me, DH, DD15 and DD10. There are some restaurants that she'll eat from the adult menu (R&C,buffets) but she won't do appetizers/salads(unless they were buffalo wings), and only eats plain vanilla ice cream for dessert. I would rather pay OOP for her to get a child's meal for some of our TS. I have read about some being charged an adult price for a kid's meal. What would an adult price be for a children's meal?
I'm so nervous about being perceived as trying to fool the system that I'm sure I'll end up not even trying, but I'd like to know what I'd be in for just in case.
Thanks!!

 

[punkin]

Bottom Line, I quess I am trying to cheat the system.
Meg

Don't worry. There are lots of us "pirates" trying to "cheat" the system on this board, at least that's what we are accused of. Welcome to the club.

 

[taximomfor4]

Thanks Bicker... Bottom Line, I quess I am trying to cheat the system. It just seems that a 10 yr. old is a far cry from an adult as far as dining. In fact, in some of Disney's Restaurants, such as Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace, you pay child's price (if paying OOP) for children 3-11.

Meg

Actually, you are charged child's price for ages 3-9 at the buffets you mentioned in your post. Age 10+ are charged full price. They changed it right before our trip last summer, so dd (who would have been charged as 3-11 child proice when we sceduled our PS's) was charged the full 10+ price when we got to WDW.

I am not aware of a single WDW restaurant that stayed ages 3-11.

 

[beattyfamily]

Actually, you are charged child's price for ages 3-9 at the buffets you mentioned in your post. Age 10+ are charged full price. They changed it right before our trip last summer, so dd (who would have been charged as 3-11 child proice when we sceduled our PS's) was charged the full 10+ price when we got to WDW.

I am not aware of a single WDW restaurant that stayed ages 3-11.

You're right. All restaurants now charge ages 3 - 9 reduced price and age 10 and up regular price.

Everyone with a child age 10 - 12 has this same issue, even me. But if I decide my child age 10 can't eat $38 worth of food a day then I guess the dining plan isn't for me.

I'm leaning toward getting the dining plan anyway as its still a GREAT deal even with a light eating 10 year old IMHO.

 

[Wafflestoo]

Buffet price:
Adults $17.99
Children (3-11) $9.99

I didn't realize that they had changed the age and price of the buffets. I got my info off of the Disney unofficial Web site... guess that's why it is call unofficial Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

[sweetheart2576]

I too am in the same boat. My son, 11, will not eat off the adult menus in some of the places we are eating at.

 

[bicker]

It just seems that a 10 yr. old is a far cry from an adult as far as dining.

They have to draw the line somewhere, and it could be that that division means that the Dining Plan just isn't right for you.

In fact, in some of Disney's Restaurants, such as Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace, you pay child's price (if paying OOP) for children 3-11.

Not any longer. Disney now is completely consistent for admission and dining: Regular prices for those 10 and up. Special discounted prices for young children for those 3-9.

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

Jumping on this thread with questions...

I have 6 in our party of FREE diners. 1 is a child(4) and two are 10 and 11(these two only eat chix fingers. The other three can eat a full meal. I was hoping to use 3 TS credits and 1 CTS credit and pay OOP for the girls if there was something off the kids menu that they would eat. Otherwise I was just going to have them share off of our plates and save 2 TS credits for another time. Of course I would buy them a drink OOP and a dessert OOP if they wanted. Is this now considered CHEATING THE SYSTEM????

Thanks for your help!

 

[punkin]

Is this now considered CHEATING THE SYSTEM????

Only by some people.

 

[bicker]

Disney has clarified this now: Adults cannot use child meal entitlements.

 

[DisneyBaby2004]

I have been reading thread after thread and this still makes no sense to me. I understand the part about not using more credits in a single meal than wha't's stated on your card. But the paying OOP does not make sense. I will be 2A 2C ( I may have my 2.5 infant with me as well). We may travel with another couple (they will not have the dining plan).

Example: On a given night I choose to leave my infant and DS4 at the hotel with the sitter and the my niece travels with us (not on the plan - but who's parents wanted a night out so she tags along with my DD7) So we go to a non-buffet TS meal. You are telling me that I cannot pay OOP for my niece because my card says 2A2C?? I need to explain to the CM (who will probably think I am lying) that I am not going to use my ds credit on my niece.

Anyone?

 

[Mickey]

Disney has clarified this now: Adults cannot use child meal entitlements.

I plan on using my childs credits for an adult meal, and if they don't allow it "oh well". You can say what you want, but I am going to do what I want. Yes Disney has rules like this, but they don't enforce them, IE: 5 people in a studio. You are entitled to your opnion, and I think people have got the point and now let people discuss this!

 

[Mary Anne]

This is a totally off topic answer but I needed to share with the poster who said the eating days had not yet caught up with her child.

I have a 18 year old soon to go off to college, I'm reading over all the papework and I discoved he signed up for the most expensive meal plan there is, The acutal cost of college is very reasonable since it is an instate NYS school. HIS FOOD BILL FOR THE YEAR WAS MORE THEN HIS TUITION. Needless to say, we have adjusted his food allowance. No way was I paying more for food then tuition. Anyway, all of you with small eaters, wait, they will soon eat you out of house and home.

We are actually going during "free" dinning but since we're dvc we decided not to take advantage of it and just use the DDE card. I feel we'll still come out aheead as we are using our DVC points and will not have a hotel bill at all.

 

[Wafflestoo]

Can I pay for my child’s meal and save his/her TS/CS credits for another day?
Yes, you can. You will be given a separate ticket with tax. You will need to tip for this ticket as it is not figured into what the server will be tipped from the dining plan.

This was a question answered on the very first sticky thread of this Discussion Board... Disney Dining Plan Facts.