Shouldn't I just pay cash for kids TS?

[Cruz Family]

My fault. I thought we were discussing Disneys Magic Your Way plus Dining plan in which there is no such thing as "child" meal credits, only credits that the plan documents clearly state you can use any way you want. I didn't realize you were talking about another plan that has child credits. I don't have any comment on that plan as I am not familiar with it.

Sorry for the confusion.

Oh you are correct. When Disney said "use any way you want" they did not mean anything crazy like two TS in one day or even three CS in one day. They did not mean something totally outrageous like you dont have to use just one TS, one CS, and one snack per day-per person.
You are right they dont even have "child meal credit" (what were we thinking!) they must just figure when you are checking in and you have any short people that they can't see over the counter they will just charge $10.99 rather the the full amount for the dining plan. Of course they expect you to go to Le Cellier with a 4 yr old and have a $40.00 meal and only pay $10.99 (plus a CS and snack for the day)
If looks like a snake, and acts like a snake, lets just call it what it is.
Lets not play these little games trying to decode what Disney means, we all know the credits are for the kids. If I was going to pay OOP and cheat the system a bit I am not going to sit here and try to justify it. I'm just going to do it, save my money, and be done with it!

 

[MommyPoppins]

Let's call it what it is. Basically the question is whether or not to get more than what you are paying for- whether or not to use child meal credits for an adult meal. Child meal credits only cost $10.99, adult meal credits cost $37.99. That's a $27 difference. If you pay $10.99 for the child's dining plan, the child must order from the children's menu, if one is available. It's stated very clearly in the rules. Disney doesn't differentiate between the credits- yet. But IMO the intent is there, pay for a child's dining plan, get child meal credits. If it didn't matter, then why aren't adults charged $10.99?

First of all, what if you don't pay for the dining plan? If you get it free, it kinda blows your argument out the window.

Secondly, you pay less for a child to enter the parks as well, yet, both child and adult play the same way in the park. Both are allowed the same amount of attrations and shows for different prices...so...??

 

[Cruz Family]

First of all, what if you don't pay for the dining plan? If you get it free, it kinda blows your argument out the window.

Secondly, you pay less for a child to enter the parks as well, yet, both child and adult play the same way in the park. Both are allowed the same amount of attrations and shows for different prices...so...??

Well when dining is free it seems even more ridiculous to be paying OOP, so many people are saying they pay OOP because the children are such light eaters, so why do they care if it is free?
Your point about the parks is just plain silly. If people don't want to use their dining credits the way they are intended. What are those same people going to do should they be charged full price for a childs addmission. It sure is a good thing they check bags at the gates, they all would be filled with small children.

 

[n2mm]

I think this is a seperate issue than the one brought up by OP. As your 11 year old is an adult, you can absolutely use your TS Credits anyway you want. You are still paying 38 bucks a day for them, and if you plan on doing more TS meals than one a day, it only makes sense.

Lewisc,

That's what we are doing on our upcoming trip. We are averaging about 1.23 TS meals a day, so I will pay for the kids oop for some of the meals to make up the difference.

I agree, an adult credit is an adult credit. During one of our trips, my grandson (11) a disney adult would not eat adult meals, so we paid for his kids meals OOP, the same thing we did when my DIL (28) was not hungary and wanted soup, we paid OOP. We used the TS credits another day. I see no difference here. This issue has 2 separate sides. One, people who pay OOP when a adult isn't up to a full meal (as we did); and the dreaded, pay for a child's credits, but use them as adult credits--even I have an issue with that and wouldn't do that. For $10.99 a day, surely a kids meal for CS and a kids meal for TS, is still a huge savings.

 

[Pedler]

Lets not play these little games trying to decode what Disney means, we all know the credits are for the kids. If I was going to pay OOP and cheat the system a bit I am not going to sit here and try to justify it. I'm just going to do it, save my money, and be done with it!

I don't think anyone is playing any games decoding what Disney means. You can ask any CM at a restaurant and they will tell you that paying OOP for kids is acceptable and some encourage it. The only people that have a problem with it are those that have an issue with people working the plan to maximize their benefit.

Isn't it up to Disney to determine what the legitmate use of the plan is? And if Disney has said that this is a legitmate use of the dinning plan then how in anyway is it wrong to use it in this manner? Could one of the folk that do not feel this is appropriate please answer those two questions?

 

[tinkerbeth]

Who wants to take bets as to what day/time this thread will get locked??



Beth

 

[Cruz Family]

I don't think anyone is playing any games decoding what Disney means. You can ask any CM at a restaurant and they will tell you that paying OOP for kids is acceptable and some encourage it. The only people that have a problem with it are those that have an issue with people working the plan to maximize their benefit.

Isn't it up to Disney to determine what the legitmate use of the plan is? And if Disney has said that this is a legitmate use of the dinning plan then how in anyway is it wrong to use it in this manner? Could one of the folk that do not feel this is appropriate please answer those two questions?

Are you saying they need to specifically state that you must use the credits that you paid a child rate for, that are obviously intended for the child. For you to understand that????
They never say anywhere in "the disney dining plan rule book" that I can not take my meal and toss it a cross the restaurant at another customer.
Like I tell my 12yr. old DS, most answers in life are common sense.
I am not telling people not to pay OOP, it just is silly to look for loop holes in the wording of the plan to justify it.

 

[Pedler]

Are you saying they need to specifically state that you must use the credits that you paid a child rate for, that are obviously intended for the child. For you to understand that????
They never say anywhere in "the disney dining plan rule book" that I can not take my meal and toss it a cross the restaurant at another customer.
Like I tell my 12yr. old DS, most answers in life are common sense.

Actually I think that would be coverd by a different set of rules not to mention local laws against assault.

I am not telling people not to pay OOP, it just is silly to look for loop holes in the wording of the plan to justify it.

But you still didnt' answer the question about CM's saying it is OK and some encouraging the use of the plan in this manner. That's the part I don't understand. It is not as if this is an issue of enforcement and Disney chooses not to actively enforce the way credits are used or to look the other way. Disney, via the actions of the CM's and managers at the restaurants says that this is allowed and encourage it. Its not just looking for loopholes in the wording.

BTW if all it was truly just a loop hole in the wording Disney could close that one quickly by just changing the wording on the brochure. A single sentence in small print could handle it. something like: "Dinning credits purchased at the childrens rate must be used to purchase children meals except at locations where there are no childrens meals." They don't have that sentence because that isn't the policy.

 

[pedro2112]

suggesting that anyone in your party can use a TS credit at any time up until midnight of the day you check out is a "loophole" is the same as suggesting that ordering the most expensive entree while on the dining plan is also a loophole. They aren't.. they are using the plan according to the rules put forth by Disney. If someone has a problem with that, then they should take it up with Disney to change the plan to fit their particular idea as to what the plan should be.

Insulting people who are using the plan in a legitimate way is rude and shouldn't be tolerated by those with a sense of morals.

Remember, the cost for guests on the dining plan is $38.00/day, but Disney charges less for those between 3-9 ( just like they do at the resort or for themepark tickets), as an enticement for those with children to stay onsite in a package.

 

[Lewisc]

Are you saying they need to specifically state that you must use the credits that you paid a child rate for, that are obviously intended for the child. For you to understand that????

I'm not traveling with children so I won't be benefiting from Disney's generosity.

That would work. Dividing the credits into adult and child would work. Not pooling the credits so credits credited to the child's account could only be used by the child to order child meals would work.

We can really only go by the terms of the plan and by what CM's tell us. It's not up to us to create rules. The computer doesn't keep track of how many credits are used for adult vs child meals. Sorry but Disney doesn't expect us to keep our own records so we can follow the imaginary rules created by some posters. There is no such thing as a child and an adult credit. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT???If Disney wanted to make that distinction they could have. Disney knows what's going on and can make a change if they want to.

Now if you want speculation. I don't think Disney anticipates that very many guests will plan their trip around paying oop for all their kids meals so they can use those credits for adult meals. I'll speculate that the flexibility was built in to allow for cases in which the kid skips meals or where the kids are put in a kids club and the parents dine in a signature restaurant. I'm sure some guests actually leave with some unused credits. I think guests that plan to pay opp for all of their kids meals are probably being a little greedy but I guess I could just say they're being smart consumers.

 

[Cruz Family]

But you still didnt' answer the question about CM's saying it is OK and some encouraging the use of the plan in this manner. That's the part I don't understand. It is not as if this is an issue of enforcement and Disney chooses not to actively enforce the way credits are used or to look the other way. Disney, via the actions of the CM's and managers at the restaurants says that this is allowed and encourage it. Its not just looking for loopholes in the wording.

Some CM's saying it is OK is one thing, thinking it is OK is another. Most of the CM's that say it is ok are restaurant servers (and why would they want to anger a customer when they make their money from tips?) And I doubt most people who pay OOP tell the CM that they want to save the credits that are ment for children on a lot more expensive adult meals. I am sure it is more like many on these boards have said "my child eats like a bird" and "I do not want to waste the food"
I agree Disney has set it up in a way that lets people take advantage but why don't you answer this question. Common sense doesn't tell you, you paid (or not paid with free dining) a childs rate for the plan, that the credit (though not specified on the reciepts) is meant for a child???

 

[MommyPoppins]

Some CM's saying it is OK is one thing, thinking it is OK is another. Most of the CM's that say it is ok are restaurant servers (and why would they want to anger a customer when they make their money from tips?) And I doubt most people who pay OOP tell the CM that they want to save the credits that are ment for children on a lot more expensive adult meals. I am sure it is more like many on these boards have said "my child eats like a bird" and "I do not want to waste the food"
I agree Disney has set it up in a way that lets people take advantage but why don't you answer this question. Common sense doesn't tell you, you paid (or not paid with free dining) a childs rate for the plan, that the credit (though not specified on the reciepts) is meant for a child???

Because on the dining plan the tip is included no matter how much they anger the paying customer?

I just can't help myself today. Same debate as last year, probably the same people getting all high and mighty, making up rules for Disney. I think it's so funny.

Who really cares here if people want to pay OOP for some of their kids meals, so they can enjoy a 2 credit restaurant without missing out on any of their days...it's not working the system when their isn't a system to be worked.

BTW, it IS the same as ticket prices. Different price for younger kids, same attractions. Disney doesn't limit the number of attractions a child can do per day because their ticket cost less. If it weren't for biometrics, I could use my DS ticket by accident to get into the park. Doesn't matter, were all going into the park at the same time. We all eat at the same time, our DDP credits pay for the meal. Not our adult DDP credits pay for our adult food and our kid DDP credits pay for kids food. There is no difference. Why does it matter so much to you? Do you have stock in the DDP?????

 

[Cruz Family]

There is no such thing as a child and an adult credit. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT???

What I do understand is that I have booked a trip with Disney I am paying for one room for two adults and two children 8 & 13 (not two more adults). We are getting the free dining (though I booked before it came out) and the number of credits are based on the people who will be staying in that room (so, if there were four adults we would have to pay for another room). It clearly states that each person (and some of the people are children) gets 1 TS credit, 1 CS credit, and 1 snack credit per day. Just because they add them up to give you a total of how many credits you have does not make them not your childs credits. And wheather or not they distinguish adult credits from childrens credits you know who they are intended for.

 

[Lewisc]

What I do understand is that I have booked a trip with Disney I am paying for one room for two adults and two children 8 & 13 (not two more adults). We are getting the free dining (though I booked before it came out) and the number of credits are based on the people who will be staying in that room (so, if there were four adults we would have to pay for another room). It clearly states that each person (and some of the people are children) gets 1 TS credit, 1 CS credit, and 1 snack credit per day. Just because they add them up to give you a total of how many credits you have does not make them not your childs credits. And wheather or not they distinguish adult credits from childrens credits you know who they are intended for.

If you had 4 adults you'd have to pay the extra adut charge for the 3rd and 4th adult in the room. You wouldn't have to pay for a second room.

What I know is a family of 2 A and 2 C, staying for 3 nights have 12 TS for the entire family to use. They don't have 6 adult and 6 child TS credits. I know if I was designing the plan I probably would distinguish betwen adult and child credits but I know with certainity that Disney didn't design it that way. The brochure clearly shows the credits being pooled with the credits being available for use by any family member. CMs will confirm this.

For whatever reason Disney decided to be more generous with the plan than some of us would have been if we were designing the plan.

 

[Cruz Family]

Because on the dining plan the tip is included no matter how much they anger the paying customer?

I just can't help myself today. Same debate as last year, probably the same people getting all high and mighty, making up rules for Disney. I think it's so funny.

Who really cares here if people want to pay OOP for some of their kids meals, so they can enjoy a 2 credit restaurant without missing out on any of their days...it's not working the system when their isn't a system to be worked.

BTW, it IS the same as ticket prices. Different price for younger kids, same attractions. Disney doesn't limit the number of attractions a child can do per day because their ticket cost less. If it weren't for biometrics, I could use my DS ticket by accident to get into the park. Doesn't matter, were all going into the park at the same time. We all eat at the same time, our DDP credits pay for the meal. Not our adult DDP credits pay for our adult food and our kid DDP credits pay for kids food. There is no difference. Why does it matter so much to you? Do you have stock in the DDP?????

Many people are giving additional tips for good service and I am sure the CM's know that.

I for one am not making up rules, but if you think the credits you get that you pay $10.99 a day for is not obviously for your children you are just plain delusional.

And do I have stock in the DDP? Well maybe in a sense, I think the DDP is a great deal and I would love for it to stick around for a good long time. The better it does the better the chance.

The funny thing is as I said before I don't really care that people pay OOP (though it is a bit much if they do so for every childs meal) It is the ones who sit here and justify it, then wonder why do people care what other people do? No one would know if you did not put it out in a public forum.

 

[Lewisc]

I for one am not making up rules, but if you think the credits you get that you pay $10.99 a day for is not obviously for your children you are just plain delusional..

I used to think that way until I took the time to read the brochure, read the posts from DISBOARD members who said prior plans worked the same way and read the posts form DISBOARD members who said CM confirmed the rules of the plan. This is just a case where Disney chose to favor simplicity and flexibility and made the plan more generous than we would have.

And do I have stock in the DDP? Well maybe in a sense, I think the DDP is a great deal and I would love for it to stick around for a good long time. The better it does the better the chance.

I agree

The funny thing is as I said before I don't really care that people pay OOP (though it is a bit much if they do so for every childs meal) It is the ones who sit here and justify it, then wonder why do people care what other people do? No one would know if you did not put it out in a public forum.

I'm the exact opposite. If too many people plan to pay OOP for all of their kids meals, if too many people go to the most expensive restaurants and order the most expensive meals Disney may just gut the plan. Raise the prices or limit our options.

BUT those people have nothing to justify. The plan works exactly they way they're using it. Maybe they're greedy or maybe they're just smart consumers.

This has been going on for more than a year yet Disney hasn't changed it.

 

[Pedler]

I agree Disney has set it up in a way that lets people take advantage but why don't you answer this question. Common sense doesn't tell you, you paid (or not paid with free dining) a childs rate for the plan, that the credit (though not specified on the reciepts) is meant for a child???

On a first pass without additional information I would agree that common sense would say that those credits are meant for a child. But in further reading and research it appears that the credits are just pooled credits and can be used anyway you want including purchasing meals for people not in your party. (BTW its not just the servers but the managers as well. And people have said they are saving the credits for things like an adult only meal out at a Signature restaurant and it hasn't been a problem. I know because we did that.) Your argument seems to be that if it is too good of a deal then it must be wrong regardless of what the rules or Disney says. It is almost like you don't think it is appropriate to use the stated rules and implementation of the policy to maximize a families savings.

I can understand why people think that this is a strange situation that Disney has a plan that allows the use of credits in this mannger and even encourages it if you just look at this in the narrow scope of buying food. But take a look at the other strings that are attached to the plan. You have to get it for the length of stay. So it isn't like you can opt to get it for 3 days out of 7 at a resort and use it to the hilt and then do something else like eat off site. By getting the plan you are in essence prepaying, settings aside the free promo, to eat on site at Disney for your length of stay. This helps keep you captive on site. Also unless you are a DVC member or renting from one you have to get a park ticket. Some AP holders are working the plan in an allowable manner and getting a ticket and using it towards an AP latter but for most of us we end up getting tickets for the entire stay with the revised as of 2005 ticket pricing. This also keeps us from leaving Disney to go to other attractions. It is a disincentive to go to Univeral and pay admission and for food there when you have already paid for the same thing at Disney. It isn't a matter of saying that you are going to pay to go to Universal and not Disney that day, as it would have been in the past. If you get the dinning plan and the MYW Tickets for the most part you have already paid for that day at Disney. So the choice is to either stay and spend the day at Disney for no additional cost because you already paid it or go to someplace like Universal and pay an extra $200-$300 or a family of 4 to go. Given a choice between an no addtional cost day at Disney and a 2-300 dollar day at Universal I think more people would choose just to stay on site. The financial reports from Disney seem to show that is the case.

So to get the good deal on dinning we are in essence committing to eat at and stay at Disney for the length of stay. By providing a plan with this flexibility Disney gets a captive audience and takes business away from other Orlando hotels / resorts, attractions and restaurants.

With that in mind I think its common sense for Disney to not have restrictions on the plan and make it as flexibile as possible in order to achieve the desired result of getting more of our vacation dollars. This isn't just a rationalization of this type of behavior. It is played out in the financial reports of Disney where they state that the new marketing plans have increased attendance, occupance and per capita spending. It is also demonstrated in how they implement the plan. It realy would be nothing to add the language that prohibits this type of activity and do it in a manner that doens't seem harsh. Nothing in the way Disney describes the plan or implements the plan shows that they do not want the plan used in this manner.

 

[Pedler]

I for one am not making up rules, but if you think the credits you get that you pay $10.99 a day for is not obviously for your children you are just plain delusional.

And do I have stock in the DDP? Well maybe in a sense, I think the DDP is a great deal and I would love for it to stick around for a good long time. The better it does the better the chance.

The funny thing is as I said before I don't really care that people pay OOP (though it is a bit much if they do so for every childs meal) It is the ones who sit here and justify it, then wonder why do people care what other people do? No one would know if you did not put it out in a public forum.

I know that you have said that you do not care that people pay OOP but at the same time you say it is agains the rule and that you are not making up a rule. You also called people that disagree delusional. I respectfully say that you are making up a rule that doesn't exist. It doesn't exist in the documentation, it doesn't exist in the implementation and it doesn't exist when you ask Disney. This isn't some unwritten rule of societal behavior like saying please and thankyou. This is a simple business transaction between Disney and the consumer. If Disney doesn't view this as a rule then it isn't a rule.

As for the DDP continueing on I don't think the use of OOP is going to in anyway impare the dinning plan. As long as it sells rooms and keeps people on site then Disney has achieved its objectives.

 

[Moury4]

I agree with Cruz!!

 

[dawnball]

We went during free dining last year, and I did some pretty good data analysis after the fact. We had 4 adults and 2 children on the dining plan.

We ordered whatever we felt like eating - and occassionally paid for the toddlers out of pocket . Mac and cheese at Artist Point stands out in my mind. Often, the kids weren't hungry, ate off our plates or had just milk or just a milkshake. We just looked to see how many credits we had left and ate accordingly - child/adult credits aren't differentiated on the reciepts and trying to work out how many credits of different typwe we had on two different rooms was more work than I wanted to do on vacation.

So I expected to be way ahead after "abusing" the system by not keeping track of child or adult credits and ordering 2-3 child entrees out of pocket. If we paid for the dining plan we would have saved about $200 over paying cash. For 4 adults and 2 children for 10 days. We would have saved $350 over paying cash with DDE, plus used a AAA discount on the room.

In contrast, we're staying off property this trip in a condo - and saving $120 per night in lodging. Disney makes more money off of us when we stay on property, even with any "abuses" of the dining plan. That doesn't include the alcohol and souveriers we were more likely to buy.

I don't mind using children's credits for children's meals - but there's no way to tell from your reciepts how many credits you've used on adult or children's meals. However - I learned from that trip to book more TS meals than you think you'll attend. Not everyone was hungry at every meal, we shared sometimes, we had leftover credits, and getting out of the heat felt *really* good.