Heads up for plan fudgers in 2007

[BuffaloGal]

We are being told that as of January 1st, the computers will know a child credit from an adult credit and there will be no way to get adult food when you paid child price on your DDP. Also, servers will be held strictly accountable for the number of diners on your key. This means no sending adults up to the CS counter twice to get grown up meals for the kids and no saving credits to buy relatives or friends who aren't on the plan a dinner.

 

[clutter]

Not a plan fudger, but a question about the diners on the key. Do you mean that if there are 4 people on your room key, 4 people have to stand in line?

We're sharing a 1br with another family. There will be 4 of us total, but we may split 2/2 at meal times. Can we split our room keys to two keys with 2 each? Can we purchase on ly 2 meals if we split up and we can't split the 4 ddps over 2 keys?

 

[BuffaloGal]

Not a plan fudger, but a question about the diners on the key. Do you mean that if there are 4 people on your room key, 4 people have to stand in line?

We're sharing a 1br with another family. There will be 4 of us total, but we may split 2/2 at meal times. Can we split our room keys to two keys with 2 each? Can we purchase on ly 2 meals if we split up and we can't split the 4 ddps over 2 keys?

No, it means that your maximum at any meal would be 4 adults. You can't get 5 adult meals at a TS location if your card says A04 (4 adults). One person can still go and order the food, but what you are allowed to order will be based on the entitlements printed on your card.

 

[janets]

We've figured that this was coming for a while, just hadn't been implemented yet.

We usually get 2 A CS meals and split it between the four of us (2A, 2C). TS is never a problem as our kids have always ordered off the kids menu. It's the CS that are an issue. Because most places don't offer a kids version of their adult meals, it's getting harder and harder to find something that kids will like and eat off the kids menu.

At times, I'll order a kids meal and eat it myself, allowing my older son to eat the adult meal. If this is truly the case, then we'll have to consider aging him up to 10 (he'll be turning 9 during our trip in February, but we'll have 3 adults so there will be more than enough food, plus it's only 3 nights). We're heading back again in August, so we have plenty of time to see what happens and check out any menu changes to decide if it's worth it for that one trip. By the time we come back again, he'll be 10 and I'll be purchasing the adult plan for him anyway.

I guess we can always use the kids credits for a breakfast platter or head to a place like Pizza Planet or Earl that doesn't have a specific kids menu.

 

[traviesojmt]

Because most places don't offer a kids version of their adult meals, it's getting harder and harder to find something that kids will like and eat off the kids menu.

At times, I'll order a kids meal and eat it myself, allowing my older son to eat the adult meal.
QUOTE]


AHHH, the sacrifices of being a mother. I, too, often find myself eating the kids meal so my son can have something else. My DS9 loves the chicken sandwich at Tusker House and the fish at Columbia Harbor House. Their children's menu leaves much to be desired. I don't mind that they are separating the credits. I am the type of person who tends to like specific rules expressly written for me so I don't have to wonder anyway.

Just a question to BuffaloGal, will the credits be divided on the receipt so that I am aware of what we have left. I realize that you might not know yet, but I thought I would ask. We do not try to save credits, but sometimes it is just too much food. For example, we usually only get 3 meals at Pizza Planet for the 4 of us. Thanks for the updates by the way. I especially have enjoyed your menu updates.

 

[Lewisc]

Makes sense, the 2007 dining brochure illustrates the adult and child credits being seperately pooled.

The meal plan costs around $11 for kids. The snack is worth $3-$4 and a kids character meal is worth around $15 including tax and tip. Some parents with older kids, age 9, are concerned about the CS meals. Worse case use the kids CS credit for a meal, even just for the fries and drink, and pay cash for an adult item like a burger. The menu may not show it but you can usually "de-combo" a CS meal and save a dollar or two. Restrict your TS meals to buffets, all you care to eat and to TS restaurants that offer a kids menu your child is comfortable with. Kids skillet at WCC for instance.

Paying cash for a few CS items is cheaper than paying an extra $25+ per day for an adult meal plan and possibly have to pay for adult park tickets.

 

[kutchyone]

BUT, what if I used 2 CS in the morning for breakfast and then at lunch wanted to purchase 4 CS lunches for my four adults on the plan with me? According to what you have said I would not be able to do that, the system would only allow me to purchase 2 CS lunches. I will believe it when I see or hear it from reputable sources who have experienced it.

 

[JimMIA]

We are being told that as of January 1st, the computers will know a child credit from an adult credit and there will be no way to get adult food when you paid child price on your DDP. Also, servers will be held strictly accountable for the number of diners on your key. This means no sending adults up to the CS counter twice to get grown up meals for the kids and no saving credits to buy relatives or friends who aren't on the plan a dinner.

I'd be interested to know where you got this info?

If true, it's certainly long overdue and I think it will enhance the DDP in the long run.

That's not to say it will stop people who are determined to beat the system. You can usually figure out a way to beat any system, and I see some obvious holes in this procedure.

But most people will follow the clear guidelines. At times in the past it was difficult to know what to believe when the "rules" said one thing, but CMs were conducting clinics on how to game the system.

 

[themudd4]

Even if that is the case (which I see nothing wrong with)...you wont have to limited yourself to buffets. With your TS meal everyone in your party gets their own appitizer, meal, and dessert. If your child does not like their options most places even if it is not on the menu will alter the adult menu to suit kids...and vise versa. We had so much food on our last trip I do not worry about my older kids going hungry on this plan at all. The portions on the kids meals are pretty large in and of themselves.

 

[themudd4]

BUT, what if I used 2 CS in the morning for breakfast and then at lunch wanted to purchase 4 CS lunches for my four adults on the plan with me? According to what you have said I would not be able to do that, the system would only allow me to purchase 2 CS lunches. I will believe it when I see or hear it from reputable sources who have experienced it.

No, you would still be able to buy 4 CS lunches as long as you have 4 people on your account and have enough credits to cover it. You would not be able to get 5 or 6 CS meals at one time tho. You can use all of your credits in one day if you wanted to...don't know how you would do it, but I guess you could.

 

[keishashadow]

Glad to hear they're finally closing the loophole in the plan.

I've long championed adults & child credits as sep. entities but, must admit I paid OOP for DS on Oct. trip because no one wanted to eat the offerings @ some venues. Shameful me, finally used a child credit for an adult meal later in the trip lol.

As my youngest is now an "adult" in disney-speak, I rejoice that I won't get stuck eating the kid's meal any longer.

Perhaps now the menu offerings will revert back to offering more choices.

Never could understand why they just didn't give dining vouchers, printed w/Adult & Child designations; or even a punch card??

 

[DisneyKidds]

This means no sending adults up to the CS counter twice to get grown up meals for the kids

It would seem that having the system track adult vs child credits seperately would take care of this. I mean, and adult could go back up as many times as they want to get more adult meals, but once all the adult credits are gone the jig is up.

I wouldn't say that we were DDP fudgers, but given the way the system was working and what the servers did, we benefitted from the credits not being tracked seperately. We did go to a signature restaurant with 2 adult and 2 child TS credits left, expecting that we'd have to pay for one of our adult meals. I hope you'll forgive me that we didn't argue with the server when he said we could use our 4 remaining credits for the two adult meals and pay cash for the kiddos. Also, at CS places we didn't concern ourselves with what was on the regular menu vs the kids menu, especially when some places where you can use credits didn't even have kids menus.

Looks like thing may get a little tighter if this change happens. That's fine. The plan will still be a value for us.

 

[GrumpyOne]

Never could understand why they just didn't give dining vouchers, printed w/Adult & Child designations; or even a punch card??

Too easy to forge.

 

[lucincia]

How hard can this be?

You go up to counter for your family. You say I am ordering 3 adult meals and 2 kids meals. The server takes 3 off adults and 2 off kids. Receipt prints out showing Adults TS, Adults CS, Adults Snack, Kids TS, Kids CS, and Kids Snack remaining totals. When you're out of adult credits, you can't order any more adult meals. This way, you can go up to the counter and order 20 adult meals at once, as long as you have credits, and the system will keep track.

I don't know how they can enforce if your card shows 4 adults you can only order 4 adults. What if you're hungry and want to eat more? You paid for it. Disney said so themselves you can use the credits as you see fit.

With all the money and fancy gadgets and animatronics, Disney can't get this simple commerce transaction right. Hire some real application developers, Disney!

I'll work there

 

[Lewisc]

Disney has said, and the OP confirmed the policy in her first post, that guests aren't allowed to use their credits to treat friends and family members who haven't purchased the DDP. Your card says 4A you can order 4 adult CS meals.

There are numerous posters who said the DDP provides "too much food". Perhaps a CM will be able to override the computer if it's obvious a LARGE guest is going to be personally eating multiple meals but the reality is a CS meal, combo and dessert, is more than enough food for the vast majority of guests.

How hard can this be?

You go up to counter for your family. You say I am ordering 3 adult meals and 2 kids meals. The server takes 3 off adults and 2 off kids. Receipt prints out showing Adults TS, Adults CS, Adults Snack, Kids TS, Kids CS, and Kids Snack remaining totals. When you're out of adult credits, you can't order any more adult meals. This way, you can go up to the counter and order 20 adult meals at once, as long as you have credits, and the system will keep track.

I don't know how they can enforce if your card shows 4 adults you can only order 4 adults. What if you're hungry and want to eat more? You paid for it. Disney said so themselves you can use the credits as you see fit.

With all the money and fancy gadgets and animatronics, Disney can't get this simple commerce transaction right. Hire some real application developers, Disney!

I'll work there

 

[LBKMAMA]

this past trip the kids did great at TS places and loved the buffets we hit. However I was much more aware of the children's menu choices at some of the CS restaurants and we made a few mistakes. One day in particular was a disaster at Peco's and I ended up with lots of extra food (kid's meals that I had to eat) and a very staggered meal that my husband stood in line for twice. Our next trip I will definately be looking at menus ahead of time and having an idea of where the kids would be happiest for our lunches. If it means I eat a fish sandwich on the run a bit later so be it. No more franks and beans for me LOL...

 

[BuffaloGal]

What we are being told are these things....
Will they actually enforce each item? I'm not sure. Will they tweak it before the 1st? Possibly. This is just what I've been told by my supervisors.

Beginning January 1st, all credits will be separated into adult vs child.
At any given meal period (Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner) you will only be able to use the entitlements on your card (if it says 2A2C, then you get two adult and two kid's meals). I'm not sure how they are going to completely enforce that one, but it's to ensure that no one is giving away their entitlements. I'm confident that the first portion will be strictly enforced since we are being told that we will be disciplined if we override it in any way. I'm not as confident about the enforcability of the second item.... unless they will actually block out your credits for the rest of a set meal period after you order and I can't see that happening. You will not be allowed to buy dinners for a neighboring table because you have credits left. You will not be allowed to use your extra credits to by Aunt Susie and Uncle Jack from Tampa dinner at a TS restaurant.
Basically they don't want you giving away credits and they don't want you to use kids credits for adults. Yes, you pay for your credits, but it's based on a 60% discount of what Disney estimates your actual meals would be at menu price (including gratuity, which Disney still pays the servers) You get that as part of a package and package entitlements are non-transferrable. Just like you can't give extra days off of your ticket to your sister. You got them at a huge discount and you can't give them away.

 

[lucincia]

If Disney has its act together, they don't need to make this stupid rule. 4A on card can only order 4 adult meals? You have paid for it. Who cares who's eating it. Are they going to monitor to make sure you're the ones eating the meals you have ordered? What if you order 4 meals and get back in line again to order 4 more? Are they going to time you in between meals?

Disney Diet Plan.

Mind you - I am not talking about using kids' credits on adults meals. I am talking about adult credits for adult meals.

Another stupid rule that will have poor enforcement power, random denials, and pissed off people.

I have already read posts about people with credits left over and then they graciously treating total strangers to meals on their last day at WDW. Now that random act of kindness will go by the wayside.

 

[lucincia]

What we are being told are these things....
Will they actually enforce each item? I'm not sure. Will they tweak it before the 1st? Possibly. This is just what I've been told by my supervisors.

Beginning January 1st, all credits will be separated into adult vs child.
At any given meal period (Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner) you will only be able to use the entitlements on your card (if it says 2A2C, then you get two adult and two kid's meals). I'm not sure how they are going to completely enforce that one, but it's to ensure that no one is giving away their entitlements. I'm confident that the first portion will be strictly enforced since we are being told that we will be disciplined if we override it in any way. I'm not as confident about the enforcability of the second item.... unless they will actually block out your credits for the rest of a set meal period after you order and I can't see that happening. You will not be allowed to buy dinners for a neighboring table because you have credits left. You will not be allowed to use your extra credits to by Aunt Susie and Uncle Jack from Tampa dinner at a TS restaurant.
Basically they don't want you giving away credits and they don't want you to use kids credits for adults. Yes, you pay for your credits, but it's based on a 60% discount of what Disney estimates your actual meals would be at menu price (including gratuity, which Disney still pays the servers) You get that as part of a package and package entitlements are non-transferrable. Just like you can't give extra days off of your ticket to your sister. You got them at a huge discount and you can't give them away.

Ok.... if you put it this way, I can see Disney's point.

So, when we have 2A2C going, we have to order 2A2C stuff? We can't order less? Or is that the maximum you can order. What if we don't want to eat so much food - can we do 1A and 1C?

 

[Lewisc]

Ok.... if you put it this way, I can see Disney's point.

So, when we have 2A2C going, we have to order 2A2C stuff? We can't order less? Or is that the maximum you can order. What if we don't want to eat so much food - can we do 1A and 1C?

You can't do less at buffets, restaurants that serve all you care to eat, dinner packages (Fantasmic), dinner shows (HDD) or price fixed meals (CRT). The plan brochure indicates everyone dining at a signature restaurant is charged two credits but that provision doesn't seem to be enforced.

Other than that you can order less and share, although you'll have to pay for extra drinks.