Would this be an alternative to segmenting?

[becca-becca]

We are going to AKV in december. We are taking another family of five. We have booked two 2 bedroom villas. We have always done the DDP before, but for a 6 night trip it is getting very pricey with 4 A and 1 child in our immediate family. The other family has 2 A 3 children and 1 infant.

Our preference is to do 3 days with dining plan and 3 days of just lunch in park and eating quick dinners in room.

Ideally, we would like to segment the dining plan. However, I continue to read unfavorable experiences with that. I dont want to spend precious vacation time at guest services.

I was wondering if this scenario would work or if it would not be allowed. Could we have one room get the DDP for the whole trip and the other room not get the DDP and share the credits? Does Disney care how you use your dining plan credits at table service restaurants? (if we have 6 A and 4 children eating and have enough credits to pay for a meal but the card says 3A and 2 children). In the end it costs the same as segmenting but I didn't know if this was allowed.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I've read posts on here i think in the dining section from people who say you can't use the dining plan for more than the number of people it shows on your card...i'd go to the dining area of the board they have a whole lot of information on the dining plan

 

[honeymo78]

That won't work. The credits can only be used for people on the DDP (ie the room that purchased them) not for your family/friends in another room. Basically you can't share credits with people not in your room or not on your plan. You won't be able to order more meals than what is listed on the card. If it says 3A 2C, you'll only be able to feed 3 adults and 2 kids, not your whole group.

 

[disneymayz]

That won't work. The credits can only be used for people on the DDP (ie the room that purchased them) not for your family/friends in another room. Basically you can't share credits with people not in your room or not on your plan. You won't be able to order more meals than what is listed on the card. If it says 3A 2C, you'll only be able to feed 3 adults and 2 kids, not your whole group.

I second this, it sounds correct to me.

I lived in Ridley Park once. Did you honeymoon in Disney in 78?

 

[honeymo78]

I second this, it sounds correct to me.

I lived in Ridley Park once. Did you honeymoon in Disney in 78?

Hi. No 78 is my birthyear and honeymo was a nickname from college. Only later did I realize it looked like I honeymooned in 78 but the name had already stuck.

 

[becca-becca]

Thanks. I think I'm going to have to either segment the two rooms or skip eating at Disney for supper. If I thought I'd have no trouble with segmenting, I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks. I think I'm going to have to either segment the two rooms or skip eating at Disney for supper. If I thought I'd have no trouble with segmenting, I wouldn't hesitate.

Frankly, I'd skip the dining plan all together. I understand the convenience of just using your pass to "pay" for meals, but it's just as easy to use your CC if you don't want to carry around cash. We find the DDP to be too expensive, and we like to eat at table service and signatures, but never eat at the counter service places, so we go for the less expensive TIW card discount and a few meals in the villa. It saves us a lot of money, and really isn't much of a hassle factor either. FYI, if just one person in the party has an AP and the TIW card, all will get the discount if it is put on one bill.

 

[Chuck S]

Does anyone in your party have an Annual Pass, or will any of you be returning to Disney within the next 12 months, to make it worthwhile buying an AP?

AP holders can purchase the TiW card, good for a 20% discount at table service restaurants. One card is good for 10 people.

 

[becca-becca]

No one has an AP in our group and I don't think that we will be returning within 12 months. Too bad for that becuase the TIW sounds like a good deal!!

Thanks for your help!! We are just going to have to change the way we travel. The DDP has gotten too expensive and the buffets are too. We like to eat in the parks or at the resorts, but we can't continuously spend almost $1500 per vacation on food. And next year, my youngest turns 10 and all of my kids will be considered adults.

The only thing I don't like about cooking in the room are the time it takes to prepare food that is not of a quick service type. It is nice to eat actual meals instead of snacky foods. However, if we cook an actual meal in our villa, we will be taking away park time.

 

[Brian Noble]

Becca, it is possible to eat in the parks less expensively than the dining plan would require. Cut back a bit on buffets in favor of a la carte TS locations; some of them are surprisingly reasonable. You can also change your mix of TS/CS meals, and some of the CS locations are halfway decent---I get the sustainable fish at Sunshine Seasons and the hummus sandwich at Columbia Harbor nearly every trip.

However, you don't have to change the mix of meals, and can still eat reasonably. We've never, not once, spent as much out of pocket as the appropriate dining plan would have cost. Often, that's because we only eat 5-6 TS meals over a 7-night trip. But, last summer, we had exactly "the right" number of meals, and *still* spent less.

 

[becca-becca]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to have to look at changing our plans. Right now, we have 5 of the 6 nights at a buffet type/family style dinner restaurant. I am going to have to go with more of the ala carte type restaurants (you can share at those restaurants when you are not on a plan, right)?

What are some of your favorite table service restaurants where you feel that you get the best bargain for your money while still getting more of a meal than you get at a quick service spot?

I think I read in the DDP thread that you can't share at Via Napoli? I am going to have to investigate that further. To me, that seems to be a great place to share a meal!!

 

[VLee]

We have shared at numerous places-- adults and children both. The Cobb Salad at Brown Derby is huge. Mama Melrose has large entrees and I and two of the children shared a pasta dish there. We have also shared at Primetime 50's. We even share counter service sometimes since some places offer large helpings. At Flametree Barbeque in AK, they offer a 1/2 chicken plate, a counterservice meal.