Heads up for plan fudgers in 2007

[BuffaloGal]

The above should be fine.

 

[bicker]

two adults who both have purchased the plan would use only one adult credit at e.g. Kona Cafe. Is this still possible??

I don't see why it wouldn't be.

 

[bicker]

If they go to lunch together and my DD uses her TS credit and her friend pays OOP for her drink and entree, she isn't allowed to share the appetizer or dessert with dd who can't eat all that much food?

They surely can share the food.

 

[taximomfor4]

uh, Bicker, you are about 13 pages past your posting limit!!

 

[bicker]

Hehe... I've always said, "With some exceptions, ..." As it is, I've been sticking it out longer recently, in all threads. It seems that the boards have gotten a lot friendlier in the last few months, and there aren't as many flamers and trolls messing about.

 

[kimkreis]

While I was not planning on "cheating" the system, I was worried about how to make "date night" meal at Yachtsman Steakhouse work for me and my hubby (2TS restaurant - so 4TS credits). We are a family of 2 adults, DD12 and DD6 - therefore 3 adults and one child according to Disney. I was going to be possibly one adult credit short near the end of our trip, so I was going to have to pay out of pocket at some meal during our stay - or risk getting to that dinner and being in trouble - not enough adult credits and too many kids credits.


We are doing an adult night out at Jiko, which for DH and I will cost 4TS. We plan on doing Breakfastsaurus and will just pay for our adult meals and charge the kids meals to the plan. Thus leaving us with the necessary credits for our Jiko night.

 

[S.Poppins]

What changes? The first round of menu changes took place more than 45 days ago and from what I understand, the latest changes are for the better (more options). Kids CS meals have been pretty limited for even longer than that. So if you didn't think your kids would eat the kids meals when the changes ocurred you had time to cancel DDP. If you are referring to using child credits for child meals only, that has always been the rule, no change there, just a crack down on enforcement. If you knew the kids wouldn't eat the kids meals and planned on using their credits for adult meals I'm sorry I can't emphatize with you. Everyone knew it was a matter of time before the loophole closed - I would have planned on not having it and if a CM had offered it, probably taken advantage, but if that was the only way my kids would be happy, I wouldn't have bothered with DDP.

I'm sorry, I think I was misunderstood. The last thing I would do is cheat the system. When we were in Wal-mart not too long ago, one of my kids was eating a bag of chips that I planned to pay for. I forgot and did not realize it until we got home. So the next time we were in Wal-mart I bought a bag of chips and had them ring it up twice. I do not believe it is okay to lie or cheat a system. Last year we used the DDP exactly as it was intended. As a matter of fact, the brochure said coke, water, popcorn, mickey bars - so that is the only snacks we ate (I had no idea you had other options).
I was referring to the changes in the children's menu that took place after the DDP. In places like 50s Primetime, they took away the kids fried chicken. And in other restaurants they took away some of the kids meal that went with the theming. These were mostly TS restaurants. I agree that the CSs kids menus were bad last year too. My DS usually ate his fries and picked at our food. But I have researched it out and know where to go in each park for pizza, hotdogs or chicken nuggets (I know - working on it) and we will do that for CS meals for our DS. I still love the DDP and we will just work around it - just requires more planning and walking around to different CSs to please everyone.

 

[alldiz]

My personal favorite for transgressions was in 2006 when the free DDP promo was offered and people were creating make believe kids to put on the reservations so they could get the meal credits. All they had to do was pay for a single day park ticket and they could get extra meal credits for their entire stay. Of course they also had to blatantly lie when they made the reservation and at check in time. I think that was about as extreme an abuse as you could get.

My favorite exploit (I won't call it a transgression, because I think it is perfectly legal) was the one where folks staying off-site would book rooms at the All-Star Resorts (that they had no intention of sleeping in) for four adults. So they'd be paying $78 per night for free dining for four, a $152 value.

OK....wow it always amazes me the lengths people will go....

I thought I was slightly out of line...

I have used DD's credits in the past for a signature restaurant...

Never felt guilty because I then spent EXTRA MONEY....ON
Kids club
Bottle of wine....did i mention the cocktail at the bar
before dinner

so i figured it was "balanced"...

anyway....Disney must have lost a lot of money with
the abuses I have read

I think though when you have people spending Thousands of dollars
on multi disney vacations......
It gets a little easier to have a "transgression..or "fudge"

No excuse though....good thing disney cut me off

Anyway I rejiggered my jan trip....
I still will go to Cali grill....I just gave up my fantasmic package....
I shouldnt need it 1-21 anyway...

Point is.....the DDP is still a great deal and will continue to use it.
Peace
Kerri

 

[akrake]

Actually based on marketing from Disney not reviews here on the DIS, the DDP and the child's meals are very widely liked.
No one is forcing the DDP on anyone and everyone can still visit without it.

None of my four children like cold chicken...sorry chilled...and the mac & cheese looks & tastes like rubber. on ddp or off....

akrake

 

[akrake]

And as people have said before - if you and your kids don't like the kids food available don't get the DDP. The new menus have been around long enough for people to cancel DDP for trips this year if the menu doesn't suit them.

so does that mean we shouldn't eat at any property restaurant at all since the kids menu's are terrible? I don't think so....If the powers that be could see all the kids plates that go out to tables full and return the the kitchen with only a few bites taken....maybe then they'd get a clue about what families like.

 

[Sammie]

None of my four children like cold chicken...sorry chilled...and the mac & cheese looks & tastes like rubber. on ddp or off....

akrake

If their truly is not a single thing at WDW, your kids like on the CS menus for the entire resort, then I would suggest not getting the DDP and paying OOP for their meals.

There have been many reports that there are still good places to feed your kids that don't involve chilled chicken or mac and cheese.

Here is a link to the discussion of places to find certain foods on the kid's meals.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1295761&referrerid=&highlight=

 

[mom2my3kids]

It should of been this way from the start. Because it was so easy to abuse the system.

 

[thunderbird1]

It should of been this way from the start. Because it was so easy to abuse the system.

So, why wasn't it this way from the start? My guess is they wanted the A and C credits pooled together to encourage parents to use the kids' clubs (which provide meals for the kids) and try out the 2 credit signature dining, using the kids' extra credits. Doesn't bluezoo (not on the DDP, but would be considered signature if it was) offer a couple of hours of free childcare for parents dining there? A great concept but. . .

I just don't think Disney envisioned such widespread and creative abuse. The internet played a huge role in that, in my opinion. It never would have occured to me to use child's credits for adult meals, but when I read about it on one of the other non-Disney sites, it not only put the idea in my head, but also gave it a certain legitimacy. I told my family how we could pay OOP for our kids' meals, and get double the adult TS meals because that's what everyone says is the best way to get the maximum value out of the plan. It wasn't until I came to the disboards that I realized it actually was against the policy (who reads the fine print on those things anyway?). (And it wasn't until we got down there and experienced the DDP that I realized I couldn't on my best day eat 2 TS meals with appetizers and desserts, not to mention most kids wouldn't tolerate 2 long TS meals every day.)

(By the way, we decided before we went not to try to do the "pay OOP for the kids' TS meals scam." Both because it was the right thing to do, and because it started getting really complicated trying to figure out when to pay OOP and when to use credits, and then when and how to use the leftover credits.)

 

[RachaelRol]

This really amazes me. Who are these people? I've been following this for two days and can't take it anymore!!!

We've used the DDP twice, once free and once paid for, but either time we used it as intended. Yes, I read on these boards about how to beat the system, but we didn't.

Some things are just wrong and justifying it by stating that Disney is a big company, the cast member encouraged you or you drank wine or spent $$$$ on your vacation is even worse.

I'm guessing these are the same people who when a cashier gives them too much change they just keep it without regard to the ramifications to the cashier.

Rachael

 

[RachaelRol]

I want to apologize for my previous rant. Bad day...need a cookie.

 

[Sammie]

As to who are these people, if you had partipated in the very heated and sometimes closed threads that Bicker, Pedler, LewisC and myself and others particpated in for months about this abuse and the affect it was going to have, you could see who thse people were.

For some reason the recent changes to the server, etc. wiped out all those threads and so many will remain anonymous. A few were honestly confused and misued the plan by innocence. A few truly thought that since a few CMs were suggesting it, that it was ok. But alot were blantantly trying to scam the system and they were proud of it. They are the ones responsible for the change.

I said the change was coming and it did. My sources while wishing to remain anoymous do not lie to me.

If anyone has any legitimate concerns about the changes and are confused, if you post your questions I will do my best to get answers. Just keep the questions legitimate to the plan and no complaints about menu changes.

 

[RachaelRol]

Thanks Sammie.

BTW, "my who are these people" was rhetorical. I don't post much, but I read a ton of threads and have seen some of the beat the system tactics and posters.

 

[Sammie]

Thanks Sammie.

BTW, "my who are these people" was rhetorical. I don't post much, but I read a ton of threads and have seen some of the beat the system tactics and posters.

No problem. I really think the majority of diners will not even be affected by the changes. Sometimes a few just make it difficult for everyone, Disney included. I never "see" them as a big multi million dollar company, I see them as many very average people like you and me just trying to make a living and do a good job. I would never "scam" my neighbor next door at my local store and I won't scam Disney just bcecause they are Disney.

 

[JimMIA]

I'm guessing these are the same people who when a cashier gives them too much change they just keep it without regard to the ramifications to the cashier.

Actually, they're the ones who spend weeks training their kids to create a noisy distraction, loudly claim the cashier shortchanged them and browbeat the cashier into giving them more change than they were due...and then giggle about it all the way out the door.

 

[Twende]

Well according to the hard core people here I am a scammer!

I still do not see it that way but I guess I am willing to be labeled as such.

I never agreed with buying a child's meal plans and using it to buy adults meals. I think that was wrong!

I just disagree with the definition of "nontransferable".

I still say that when I pay for the plan I can feed those meals to anyone who I want. I can use any quantity of meal credits at a time that I choose. If I want to buy a lunch for a family at a table next to me and I am willing to use my credits to do so then I should be able to do that. When I am out of my credits then I can pay out of pocket for anything else I want.

I consider transferring of the plan when I sell my plan to someone else. Not when I give a meal to someone else instead of myself.

It will make it difficult for my family to use the meal plan in the manner that we have the last six of so times. I know that our situation is not the norm but I really do not feel that we have in any way cheated or scammed anyone.

We have a disabled family member who normally can not stay the nights with us at the resort but who still loves to spend days at Disney and enjoys eating a bit with the family when possible. We share many meals but for special things like HDDR or a family style dinner we save an extra credit so that person can be with our family. I guess we could pay out of pocket extra for those meals but it just seems so wasteful of food to do that and it is an extra expense when money can be very tight to do these trips to begin with.

I know that many will disagree with me but I will miss the way the plan use to be. I am afraid the next thing to go will be sharing of any meals. When that happens then we will go back to not using the dining plan at all and that will be ashame because I have enjoyed the ease of it and not having to worry about how much extra we have spent.

So call me scammer. I am not afraid or hiding.

I think it is all in the interpretation and for us it will just mean fewer family meals or shows or one of us will go have a CS meal alone while the rest of us go.

Oh well we will cope but I will miss the old days.