Your secret revealed about the disney dining plan

[PudgetteD]

You seriously cannot use a SC for a hotdog? We were planning on egg rolls with our SC?!?!?!?

we got egg rolls from a cart in MK for snack credits

 

[Minderbinder5]

Anyone have any great suggestions for a group of 4 adults on the free DDP? I've never had DDP on our past trips to WDW, and I know that CS and TS credits are just going to include way too much food, even with 4 adults. Do you just get 1 appetizer and skip the others for dinner? Or are there clever ways to do it without wasting credits or wasting food?

 

[PudgetteD]

We like to use our snack credits to buy things to take home. Our son loves the Mickey Cheese Crackers (like goldfish, but Mickey shaped) so we always get 3 or 4 bags of those along with other Disney special treats that we can't get back home.

Great idea, thanks! DH and I are going without the kids in September for an anniversary trip. Mickey crackers would be a great surprise in DS's lunch box!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

PudgetteD, it is a sure sign of old age when you start to complain about how much stuff costs 'nowadays'. What folks forget to take into account is how long it took them in those days to earn that amount of money versus today. A car used to cost me a years salary, now it is about 3 months. It is all relative.

TravelinGal, I used my extra credits for those 6 pk lollipops to bring home to my students. They loved them. Now I will have to make sure to have enough credits to buy more this year!

Trissy, a hot dog really is not a snack food. The good news is that they did greatly increase the things that are now considered snacks though. Not sure what next year will bring though.

Minderbinder5, everyone has different ways they like to eat but maybe you could consider ordering 3 TS meals for the 4 of you (I request an extra plate and just take a bit of what I want for myself from the other folks plates) and then you might use the extra points for one, or more, signature dining experiences? You would have to pay OP for an extra drink for the 4th member and leave a bit of an extra tip for that. You could also share 2 CS between you all for breakfast and another 2 CS for another small meal sometime during the day. If you have snack credits left over you can stock up on stuff to take home as others have suggested? Have fun!

Slightly Goofy

 

[Tricia1972]

What a great resource!

DH and I used DDP for the first time in April and the only way that we maximized the plan was to look at our breakfast bill at Kona and decide not to use 2TS credits there. I called Disney Dining as soon as we left and made a reservation for Boma for breakfast. Still not the best 'use' of two credits, but we were happier and got to try an extra breakfast we hadn't planned on!

 

[TLSnell1981]

You don't have to keep up with them, the CS are all pooled together.

I have a special Prince! He's such a blessing! Our Disney vacations are extra magical.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I have a special Prince! He's such a blessing! Our Disney vacations are extra magical.

I guess I should say Princes and Princesses can have Down Syndrome, and I was referring to my sweet little princess - But, I would feel so blessed if God sent us a little prince with Down Syndrome also. What Joy!!! That would be the perfect little family!!!

Check out the following link http://www.bandofangels.com/Inspiration/AngelGallery. You may have to copy and paste.

 

[bizeemom4]

Can anyone confirm that Disney pools the CS points? You don't know how many of each that you have used? What if you use too many of the adult CS points? Will the cashier decline your purchase if you try to purchase an adult TS meal?

 

[ribbot]

Can anyone confirm that Disney pools the CS points? You don't know how many of each that you have used? What if you use too many of the adult CS points? Will the cashier decline your purchase if you try to purchase an adult TS meal?

Yes, they pool them altogether. You won't know how many of child vs adult meals you have purchased, unless you keep track of them separately yourself. We didn't have any declined.

 

[Tricia1972]

Yes, they pool them altogether. You won't know how many of child vs adult meals you have purchased, unless you keep track of them separately yourself. We didn't have any declined.

I can also confirm this.

 

[Treacle44]

Yes, they pool them altogether. You won't know how many of child vs adult meals you have purchased, unless you keep track of them separately yourself. We didn't have any declined.

So you could in effect order more adult meals then and they wouldn't know? I thought they'd stopped that?

x

 

[Tricia1972]

So you could in effect order more adult meals then and they wouldn't know? I thought they'd stopped that?

x

For Table Service they have.

For Counter Service they have not.

 

[Treacle44]

For Table Service they have.

For Counter Service they have not.

Ah right, okay thanks
xx

 

[Poohbug]

I plan on sharing a lot of CS meals. That way we can have three meals a day if we want them. I have two adults and two kids on DDP-most of the meals are so big there is plenty to share. Many times you do not want to eat a big meal when it is HOT out anyway.
Also many places (TS)will let you take desert with you. If you are to full for desert you may want to pick something that travels well-then you can have a little snack when you get back to your room.

12 days until WDW

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

My kids and I shared CS meals a lot when we visit. Usually 2 meals for 3 of us, though all of ours were adult CS. Works out well.

 

[Guzzi]

My tip isnt so secret i guess. Our family of 4 used the DDP on both our 05 and 06 trip. In preparation of those trips (and our upcomming trip in 08) we obtained a Chase Disney Visa card. We use it to purchase gas and groceries (things we would use cash for or pay off completely each month) and earned enough disney dollars to purchase breakfast and coffee for everyone each morning, (cereal and fruit for the kids, coffees and danish for grown ups) It worked great, we also used the Disney $ we earned on the Card to purchase extra snacks and water in the Parks, water was important as we were their in the HOT! summer. Each year we got the card in january and had $ left over on the card when we returned home.

We used all our TS and CS meals, and most of our snacks. The only problem is/was I have never been sure what constitutes a snack so would most often use the Disney $ for sodas and stuff. I guess ill have to print off a list of snack items for our next trip

 

[bicker]

Deliberately using CS credits in such a manner that you'd end up getting more adult meals than you should is a direct violation of the rules:

 

[mrzrich]

Deliberately using CS credits in such a manner that you'd end up getting more adult meals than you should is a direct violation of the rules:

And to add to that, although the computer doesn't say how many adult credits vs. child one you have, it is printed on the front of your KTTW card. It says how many adults and children are in your party. Most well trained CMs will refuse to allow you to get 3 adult meals if you are only entitled to 2.

You are allowed to share an adult meal with your child. Which is what I usually do. We then use kids credits for breakfast. 2 kids platters suplemented with a snack credit for a bagel or muffin is usually plenty for my family of four.

 

[jmpellet]

Going through the line twice or two different lines solves that problem... Sorry, but my kids will not eat virtually the same thing for 11 days in a row...

 

[honeymo78]

then why bother using the ddp if your kids don't want kids meals? Just pay cash, credit, whatever for the stuff your family would eat. The DDP isn't for everyone.