Disney Dining Brochure

[punkin]

When will I get a copy of the brochure? Do they give them out at check in or do they mail them in advance?

I know it's available online, but I want a nice glossy one from Disney.

 

[bicker]

You'll get one when you check-in. They don't generally mail them in advance, since they want to be sure you have the latest, accurate information.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm not 100% sure but I think one was included with the DVD planning kit.

Bicker one could make the case that a guest would want 100% accurate information before making a decision to purchase the plan.

 

[punkin]

I will make that argument, Lewisc.

How am I supposed to know what I am buying and what the rules are if I don't even have a brochure? The CM on the phone when I booked my room told me that I have 49 credits to use however I want and that they expire at midnight on the day I check out. That was all I was told.

Now tell me why I can't share and can't treat people based on what I know.

This is not an official Disney board and anything I learn here is merely hearsay and rumor.

Disney told me that I have 49 credits to use AS I SEE FIT. I will not cloud the issue of using child credits for Adult meals, just tell me why anything else is a problem.

 

[bicker]

Bicker one could make the case that a guest would want 100% accurate information before making a decision to purchase the plan.

And in that case, absent of that, and with the offer itself stating that they can change the rules without notice, the guest should elect NOT to get the Dining Plan.

How am I supposed to know what I am buying and what the rules are if I don't even have a brochure?

If you have such concerns, then the Dining Plan is probably not for you. The vast majority of guests have no problem with the rough description of the plan on the website, and wouldn't ever dream of any of the exploits that are discussed here, so wouldn't even notice if those exploits were being prevented.

 

[punkin]

If you have such concerns, then the Dining Plan is probably not for you. The vast majority of guests have no problem with the rough description of the plan on the website, and wouldn't ever dream of any of the exploits that are discussed here, so wouldn't even notice if those exploits were being prevented.

Without a brochure, given the oral sales pitch by the CM on the phone, how can a customer even know to have any concerns? Based on the CM's presentation, it sounds like the dining plan is perfect. Then I get to Disney and find I can't share w/ my DH, I can't pay OOP for an extra soup, I can't treat my Aunt Bertha who lives in Orlando and wants to have dinner with us.

You are assuming that everyone is reading the disboards and has access to the brochure online, when the truth is, most people buy the dining plan based solely on what they TA or the CM on the phone tells them.

 

[Lanie]

I just wanted to point out that we didn't get a brochure last year when we got free dining... Is it a new thing?

 

[Lewisc]

You probably shouldn't book the plan. The plan is intended to provide a certain number of meals for your family. I don't think the intent is for you to treat your Aunt Bertha nor to double the number of meals by ordering 2 TS meals for 4 guests; ordering the largest entrées and buying an extra soup. Both practices seem to be currently allowed but I don't think I'd buy the plan if they're deal breakers. When you buy a 5 day pass you can't give one day to Aunt Bertha, in the absence of a clearly stated policy to the contrary I don't think I'd assume I could use my credits to treat Aunt Bertha.


Even those of us who agreed with the CMs who interpreted the brochure as allowing guests to "bank" child credits thought there was a good chance that greedy guests would cause Disney to change this plan feature. It really shouldn't be a shock to anyone that Disney is started to require that credits paid for at the child rate actually be used to purchase child meals.

I agree about the brochure, it's available online when you book a package. It's given to you when you check in. I'm not sure if they mail it to you but if you ask I'm sure they will.

So far all the changes have been positive. The number of items included as snacks has been greatly increased. Since the introduction of the plan Le Cellier and now Coral Reef went from 2 credits to 1 credit. Additional WS restaurants were added. CRT did go from 1 to 2 credits but the cash price also went up.

Bicker--I agree the brochure says terms are subject to change. Although I don't think it's a big issue I think guests have a greater right to complain about dessert being dropped from breakfast. It was clearly allowed and some guests liked getting an extra danish.

I think if all the more expensive restaurants, such as the WS restaurants dropped out or if restaurants offered a very limited price fixed menu to MYW Dining guests we'd have a legitimate complaint but that's not the case.

I'm not commenting on any specific posters but I question some of the posters who claim they need to pay out of pocket for some of the kids meals and that they should be able to pick which one. The difference in price between kids meals is only a few dollars and somehow I think those credits will "inadvertently" wind up paying for adult meals.

Without a brochure, given the oral sales pitch by the CM on the phone, how can a customer even know to have any concerns? Based on the CM's presentation, it sounds like the dining plan is perfect. Then I get to Disney and find I can't share w/ my DH, I can't pay OOP for an extra soup, I can't treat my Aunt Bertha who lives in Orlando and wants to have dinner with us.

You are assuming that everyone is reading the disboards and has access to the brochure online, when the truth is, most people buy the dining plan based solely on what they TA or the CM on the phone tells them.

 

[english rose 47]

We will be buying 4 adult & 1 child DDP. The Twin dgd are absolutely thrilled to be able to pick from the adult menu ( they're 11)and DGS will order mac & cheese any time he can. I agree that it's a lot of food but you don't have to eat it all. We will share CS as it will help us make a dent in the dinner TS meals. Using all the TS meals is no problem if you use the plan as intended and the cs shared meals can be used for last daybefore sadly heading home. I do have 1 question I've heard a lot about great shakes . Can these be your TS drink?

 

[minnie61650]

..... I can't treat my Aunt Bertha who lives in Orlando and wants to have dinner with us.

I think "non-transferrable" means "non-transferrable." Meaning you cannot use it for anyone other than whom it was purchased for.
That is why you may not be able to treat your Aunt Bertha.

Park tickets are "non-transferrable". If you bought a park hopper ticket for 10 days does it mean if you decide you want to treat Aunt Bertha to a day than after you go thru the entrance you hand your ticket to Aunt Bertha than she enters and than both of you can enjoy a day at the park?--Of course you gave up one of your days--but it was your ticket and if you want to you should be able to treat Aunt Bertha. Right?

I understand you would like to use your credits the way you want.

Many guests also felt that way about the old park hopper passes.
They too were nontransferable.

But since the guest paid for them and had extra days some thought they could just give it to a friend or better yet sell them on ebay. After all it was their ticket and they could do with it what they wanted to. They did pay for it right?

What happened?
Disney installed the Bioscans so the tickets cannot be shared.
That is how Disney had to put a stop to tickets so they would not be shared.
Now guests are complaining the scans don't always work right and they slow everyone down getting into the parks.

The deliberate misuse of the tickets caused a change in entering the parks.

Now Disney is tightening the loop holes of the DDP because many guests have been deliberately misusing the DDP.
Just my 2 cents

 

[minnie61650]

I just wanted to point out that we didn't get a brochure last year when we got free dining... Is it a new thing?

I got one last October. It was in the info handed to me with the check in packet.

 

[NMW]

I will make that argument, Lewisc.

How am I supposed to know what I am buying and what the rules are if I don't even have a brochure? The CM on the phone when I booked my room told me that I have 49 credits to use however I want and that they expire at midnight on the day I check out. That was all I was told.

Now tell me why I can't share and can't treat people based on what I know.

This is not an official Disney board and anything I learn here is merely hearsay and rumor.

Disney told me that I have 49 credits to use AS I SEE FIT. I will not cloud the issue of using child credits for Adult meals, just tell me why anything else is a problem.

I don't understand why people would think they could buy the plan for themselves (just like a park ticket) and then let or give it to someone else to use?

I guess that's why Disney had to put the whole "non-transferrable" thing in the new brochure. Bottom line is that it's there in the brochure for anyone to look at. You can see it online, ask for a copy to be mailed to you, read it at check-in. Ignorance of the rules of the plan (or anything for that matter) does not give someone the "right" to ignore those rules. If people check-in with out doing any research and feel they were somehow "mislead" that's not really Disney's fault. Also ANY thing that Disney offers is always subject to change with out notice. Every piece of literature you will ever get from Disney says this. It's their plan, and they can change or enforce it however they want. They don't FORCE anyone to buy it.

 

[NMW]

And in that case, absent of that, and with the offer itself stating that they can change the rules without notice, the guest should elect NOT to get the Dining Plan.


If you have such concerns, then the Dining Plan is probably not for you. The vast majority of guests have no problem with the rough description of the plan on the website, and wouldn't ever dream of any of the exploits that are discussed here, so wouldn't even notice if those exploits were being prevented.

I agree. We planned to use the plan just for our family and use it for every meal. We planned one signature meal, so we decided to just pay oop for our families dinner at Cape May Cafe our first night, to have the extra credits for every person. It never would have occured to me, had I not ever read this board, to bank child credits by paying oop or to treat others not on the plan with our credits.

I really don't think most people going to Disney will have any problem using this plan and have no idea that safegaurds to prevent misuse of it had ever been put in place.

 

[PottersMom]

I think you can treat aunt Bertha, and you can use your Husbands credits. Its a pool of credits X # of Table service meals, X # of Counter service, X# of snacks. So if four of you are out at Les Chefs de France, tell teh waiter you are on the dinning plan and want to use 4 table service credits. Even if Aunt bertha is there and not a disney guest. Also if you and DH and two kids, you can tell them - I want to pay OOP for hte kids meals and only use 2 TS meal credits for DH and I they can do that too. You can even use a TS credit to pay for a CS meal, or a Snack if you want- the only thing you can t do is go up. (use a snack credit for CS) Use eat three TS meals in one day- no problem. But when you use them up they are gone and you cant buy more. Everytime you eat you get a receipt that show your "balance" of meals left.
Not sure why you are upset. It's not a scam, its a really good deal. I'm sure they will send you a dinning brochure in the mail if you ask. It really helps with the planning. If they tell you to go online, (and you don't want to) just say you don't have acess to the net. The DP is great - I promise!

 

[punkin]

I really don't think it is a scam. I'm just pointing out that Disney is expecting people to buy something without knowing the terms. Amending a brochure that no one ever sees is hardly fair notice. It does not allow customers to make informed decisions.

As far as your statements that the dining plan is not for me and I shouldn't buy it, how am I supposed to know that without the disboards? I'd like to be informed of the terms of the plan and then make my own decision.

 

[bicker]

Without a brochure, given the oral sales pitch by the CM on the phone, how can a customer even know to have any concerns?

If not having a brochure, and only getting the oral sales pitch bothers you, then you have concerns. Otherwise -- and this is the general case with most guests I suspect -- what Disney allows will most likely be satisfactory, unless you develop a lot of unfounded expectations.

Based on the CM's presentation, it sounds like the dining plan is perfect.

It is very possible for a guest to read more into what the CM said than applicable, but, again, I suspect most guests won't have that problem.

Then I get to Disney and find I can't ... treat my Aunt Bertha who lives in Orlando and wants to have dinner with us.

I won't address the other examples you gave, because they were too vague to reply to without getting into a debate about what you meant by what you wrote. With regard to this example, this is something which I doubt most guests would even imagine would be allowed, and most of the rest would readily understand it not being permitted, so only a few guests would have read so much into the CM's presentation of the plan to have ended up with a firm but unfounded expectation in that regard.

As far as your statements that the dining plan is not for me and I shouldn't buy it, how am I supposed to know that without the disboards? I'd like to be informed of the terms of the plan and then make my own decision.

Again: If knowing the details and having them not change is very important to you, then that is sufficient indication that the Dining Plan is not appropriate for you.

 

[n2mm]

Punkin, here is the link to the brochure. It was on mousesavers...just can't figure out why anyone else didn't give you the link. Everyone seems so caught up in giving others grief over this, it would've been easier to just link the brochure. Good luck, and hope the information helps you decide what works for your family.

http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/m...gespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/MYWDining.pdf


In September 2005, we did not get the brochure because the free DDP caused them to run out. We did get one in April 2006.

 

[kjs1976]

Well said, N2MM...and thanks for posting the link as it helped me as well!

 

[Tinkerbell10403]

One observation here....the only way WDW would be able to know whether you were treating Aunt Bertha or not is to pick up every member of your familie's Key to the World Card and check IDs to be sure their name is on the card, and also to see if the Adult or Child label matched to the guest. Unless this is a new practice, Disney has not started doing this. You present one card at the end of your meal, and then the receipt is brought out. Unless they have some way of knowing on the cashier screen that you have 5 members in your party and you have 6 at your table, then I am not sure what can be done.

I understand the label non-transferrable, but honestly...if you have paid WDW already for the plan (unless you got it for free) then why or how does it matter where you spend your credits. They have already been paid in full for the plan, and it is not like you are cheating to get more credits than you were allotted. You are also not cheating WDW out of any money, either.

WDW fixed this problem w/ tickets by have the biometric scanners. Sure they take a few more seconds..but as long as you are following the rules, no harm done. Until they do 'DDP ID Checks', use your judgement as you see fit. The rules are the rules.

Basically...the DDP is fabulous. If you really want a brochure, download online or call and have them send you one.

My this is a large debate over wanting to see the DDP brochure...

 

[Lewisc]

Your resort card says how many adults and children are on the plan, something like 3A 1C. At least a few posters reported not being allowed to order more than the number and type of meals specified on the card. If only 3A and 1 child were dining, Bertha was dining with her sister and the father was playing golf, then Disney probably wouldn't know.

If the family wasn't treating Bertha (4 A and 1 C) to a meal then the extra credit might have would up going unused or it might have been used in a less expensive restaurant and Le Cellier would have been paid cash for Bertha's meal.

One observation here....the only way WDW would be able to know whether you were treating Aunt Bertha or not is to pick up every member of your familie's Key to the World Card and check IDs to be sure their name is on the card, and also to see if the Adult or Child label matched to the guest. Unless this is a new practice, Disney has not started doing this. You present one card at the end of your meal, and then the receipt is brought out. Unless they have some way of knowing on the cashier screen that you have 5 members in your party and you have 6 at your table, then I am not sure what can be done.

I understand the label non-transferrable, but honestly...if you have paid WDW already for the plan (unless you got it for free) then why or how does it matter where you spend your credits. They have already been paid in full for the plan, and it is not like you are cheating to get more credits than you were allotted. You are also not cheating WDW out of any money, either.

WDW fixed this problem w/ tickets by have the biometric scanners. Sure they take a few more seconds..but as long as you are following the rules, no harm done. Until they do 'DDP ID Checks', use your judgement as you see fit. The rules are the rules.

Basically...the DDP is fabulous. If you really want a brochure, download online or call and have them send you one.

My this is a large debate over wanting to see the DDP brochure...