Heads up for plan fudgers in 2007

[Pedler]

That's really what I worry about... that they're going to implement enforcement to curb some abuses, but because enforcement is not a "fine instrument" it will also prevent some uses of the Dining Plan that were previously okay, like having lunch at 11AM and dinner at 3PM (just for example). Short of installing finger scanners in each restaurant (and splitting Dining Plan credits onto each room key), I'm not sure how else they can enforce the non-transferability of the Dining Plan without applying arbitrary time limits like that, though.

I would think that for now Disney would wait an analyze the use this year after these changes are implemented. Most of the abuse seemed to be from the child / adult credit issue and treating people not on the dinning plan. Separating credits and not allowing a group to use more credits in a single siting than on the card would solve most problems and really don't impact people that are using the plan the way they intended. This appears to be the least intrusive way to solve these two problems.

I would think the legitimate use of ordering more TS meals in a sitting than on your card is almost non existent. That is about the only situation where the changes could affect people using the plan honestly, those people that order two meals for themselves in a single sitting or order an extra meal to split between the group. But I do think that use is almost non existent and collateral damage that most people could live with.

 

[bicker]

It is a bit sad, though, that we have to consider what "collateral damage" people are willing to "live with".

 

[5DisneyNuts]

Happy New Year All.

I feel like I'm waiting for the ball to drop all over again. Have the changes to the plan gone into effect?

 

[Good Ol Gal]

I like this idea. Seems much simpler. I'm sure there are complications, but seems easy to me. Don't we always have everyone's ID with us anyways as lots of the restaurants are in the parks and we had to use each id to get in the park?

I don't always carry my 4 kids cards with us, as we have APs.

If we plan on doing an extra magic hour I have to, but other than that, the cards sit in the hotel room.

I hope they don't implement some sort of time restriction, we tend to graze alot. One CS here, one CS there, especially around the World Showcase.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I don't always carry my 4 kids cards with us, as we have APs.

Yes...but you would if that's what you had to use to pay for your meals on the DDP.

I don't know that what I suggested would stop people from purchasing meals for members of their party not on the DDP, but it would certainly stop people from buying adult meals using a child credit. And, it would not limit how many meals you have each day. Use the credits any way you want -- and once they're gone...they're gone.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Happy New Year All.

I feel like I'm waiting for the ball to drop all over again. Have the changes to the plan gone into effect?

Um, well, probably... but when you posted, the restaurants had only been open a little over an hour; anybody using the DDP for breakfast was probably not running back to their rooms to post

 

[bicker]

Um, well, probably... but when you posted, the restaurants had only been open a little over an hour; anybody using the DDP for breakfast was probably not running back to their rooms to post

Not even I would have been so driven by social responsibility to do so!

 

[Pedler]

Um, well, probably... but when you posted, the restaurants had only been open a little over an hour; anybody using the DDP for breakfast was probably not running back to their rooms to post

They could use the web browsers on their cell phones to check in.

Seriously my guess is that people already there won't see a change its the people that check in today that will see the credits differentiated.

 

[patsal]

They could use the web browsers on their cell phones to check in.

Seriously my guess is that people already there won't see a change its the people that check in today that will see the credits differentiated.

My thoughts as well. Only the cards issued from today on will be programmed with kids and adults separately. It may be a few days , not hours before we really know how this is going to effect us.

 

[Reese]

I've just finished reading this thread and I'm a little confused. We have two rooms reserved with the dining plan. Now if my Mother does not feel like joining us in the parks how will we be able to utilize the credits for our three children on that card? Last time we went sometimes they would subrtact all the credits from one room, others would subtract the appropriate amount from each room. Also how would that apply to CS without a child menu such as Casey's? Also what about if a couple from our party would like to eat at the chicken section of Cosmic Rays and a couple other the burger section will it be refused because not every credit is being used at the same time?

 

[patsal]

I've just finished reading this thread and I'm a little confused. We have two rooms reserved with the dining plan. Now if my Mother does not feel like joining us in the parks how will we be able to utilize the credits for our three children on that card? Last time we went sometimes they would subrtact all the credits from one room, others would subtract the appropriate amount from each room. Also how would that apply to CS without a child menu such as Casey's? Also what about if a couple from our party would like to eat at the chicken section of Cosmic Rays and a couple other the burger section will it be refused because not every credit is being used at the same time?

All speculation on my part, but I don't think you have to worry about ordering all CS at the same time. Kids order off the kids menu where available, but if none exists--Caseys, Pizza Planet--then no worries. Seems like the only requirements will be that adults order using only adult credits and children only use children's credits. No double cheeseburger platter for the three year old and no using the three year old's TS to get grandma a nice meal.
As for your three children booked with your mother--all the kids will have a card with their name printed on it, they will have access to the credits and if the room is a package you'll need those "keys" for admission as well, so not to worry.

 

[jennf]

curious of the changes

 

[Ellester]

All speculation on my part, but I don't think you have to worry about ordering all CS at the same time. Kids order off the kids menu where available, but if none exists--Caseys, Pizza Planet--then no worries. Seems like the only requirements will be that adults order using only adult credits and children only use children's credits.

This is where I get confused. If I go to Caseys and only order hot dogs for my 2 kids, will they automatically take off child credits or will they take the adult credits which means I would be short adult credits later. It will be interesting to hear actual accounts of the changes in the next few days. Hopefully I will have it figured out by the time we leave in 12 days!

 

[Luv'sTink]

I highly doubt they are going to make everyone on the DDP order every meal together at the same time. Oh what a headache for THEM! People screaming and yelling because Aunt Mable isn't hungry or she and little Johnny are going to go to Spoodles while Mom and Dad have a night out at Le Celliers.

 

[patsal]

This is where I get confused. If I go to Caseys and only order hot dogs for my 2 kids, will they automatically take off child credits or will they take the adult credits which means I would be short adult credits later. It will be interesting to hear actual accounts of the changes in the next few days. Hopefully I will have it figured out by the time we leave in 12 days!

Hopefully we will get some reports soon, and before you leave. Maybe going to individual names on the resort ID Cards last year was the first change needed before separating credits between A and C. Maybe each person will be allocated credits rather than pooled credits. When you order you hand over all cards needed to fulfill the order? This might clear up confusion when dining at a signature place without the kids as well. The kids would have TS left while the adults would not, but this could be verified by scanning the cards?

 

[jjohnson]

If the meal credits are deducted per card, do you think we will receive a receipt for each guest to show the remaining credits?

 

[JimMIA]

I guess only time will tell. I do know what it is they want stopped and I posted this time and time again until I got tried of the comments, "If Disney cared they would stop it, etc". Well they did care, and they are stopping it.

They want to stop child credit's to purchase adult meals.

They want to stop the feeding of non participants with the plan.

Only time will tell if some of us who tried to use it as intended will suffer for the abuses of others. Sadly probably so.

Yep. And I think this is what you, and I, and bicker, and a lot of other people were worried about way back last year when everyone was having such sport conducting clinics on how to cheat the DDP.

Unfortunately, bicker is right and enforcement is a sledgehammer, not a scalpel. There will be collateral damage.

I personally don't worry about collateral damage much -- but that's because DW, DD4-going-on-24, and I always use the plan straight-up and usually dine together. However, I think some people who have been using the plan in legitimate ways may suffer in unforeseen ways.

For those who are looking for a quick, definitive solution to these questions...I don't see that happening. I predict the enforcement will be a soft opening, followed by weeks (and maybe months) of tinkering.

And I think there will always be a good bit of slop in the system. I keep hearing this voice in the back of my mind, saying, "Don't use the words 'Disney' and 'consistency' in the same sentence!"

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

Wow. Reading through this make me realize what picky eaters my kids are. They are much better at home, but they are out to eat, they want nothing more than PB&J, Grilled Cheese, Pizza, or Mac & Cheese. They are still pretty young. I can't wait until they grow out of this phase. I envy those who have kids that can't find anything on the kids menu.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Unfortunately, bicker is right and enforcement is a sledgehammer, not a scalpel. There will be collateral damage.

You don't know this as of yet. It may or may not be as strict as you and Bicker are predicting. Don't scare people before some sort of fact is out.

I like you do not care, DS will be 10 before we return, adult prices = adult food

 

[LindyN]

Back in 2000 when I did my first Disney trip on a package I remember providing one card per person as the dining credits were loaded on each card, and not pooled on the reservation. This wasn't a problem because we needed the card for a ticket and everyone was supposed to keep their resort ID on them as it identified them as a resort guest for transportation. I don't remember the exact details of the dining portion of the plan--except that we had tons of food--but it worked out just fine and nobody went hungry. When we got the CS food we just handed them all of the cards and we got a receipt for each card. At TS locations we handed them all of the cards and they brought back four receipts.
Pretty simple, and the kids ate off the kids menu. If they needed more food I would have bought it, or given them some off my plate. But we did quite a few buffets and everyone got what they wanted. I did buy fruit for the kids as back then the Magic Kingdom was the land of burgers, fries, and chicken strips. Too many bellyaches with that old dining plan. Much prefer the new options with fruit, salads, and unsweetened applesauce.

FWIW.