I just don't get it?? MYW dining and children

[DisOrBust]

Can someone try to explain this for me I have to pay for my 10 yo as an adult. However if I were going to Boma's for dinner out of my pocket she would be in the 11 and under catagory??

If I pay for my 8yo dinner out of pocket. I can use her sit down dinner credit towards an adult sit down dinner???

Aren't the credits divided up as "child" credits and "adult" credit. If not why wouldn't I pay for all her kid meals out of pocket and use her(the 8yo) credits towards adult signature sit down meals???

Has anyone really done this yet????

TIA!
Sue

 

[jel0511]

The credits are divided up into individual pools, depending on who is in your party. So, if you don't use your 8YO dinner credit one night, you have an additional child credit and can not use it for an adult meal. Since WDW prices adult tickets at 10 and up, they also are pricing the packages the same way, regardless of the restaurant rules. With the new MYW packages, EVERYONE in the party has their own card with their own name on it. So, each individual has their own pool of options and that card has to be presented to get the options take off.

 

[Lewisc]

Your post is very well written but isn't true. It doesn't match what Disney has on their website, what's on other websites or what's been posted from people who've actually used the new MYM dining plan.

Credits are aggregated on a per family basis and can be access by using any resort card. All sit down meals are aggregated together without distinction between adult or child. All you have to do is look at the pdf brochure on the Disney website if you want confirmation. They go through an example.

To answer OP, many people suggest doing exactly what you proposed doing.

The credits are divided up into individual pools, depending on who is in your party. So, if you don't use your 8YO dinner credit one night, you have an additional child credit and can not use it for an adult meal. Since WDW prices adult tickets at 10 and up, they also are pricing the packages the same way, regardless of the restaurant rules. With the new MYW packages, EVERYONE in the party has their own card with their own name on it. So, each individual has their own pool of options and that card has to be presented to get the options take off.

 

[jel0511]

I thought that was the process with the old Silver plan, but with the new plan, children HAVE TO order off the children's menu and with each member having their own individual card, they will know who is a child and who is not. Hence, WDW has better tracking for what types of meals are being ordered. If I'm wrong so be it, but I really believe WDW is trying to get rid of that loophole, in which people pay for child options, but use them for adult meals.

 

[Lewisc]

I thought that was the process with the old Silver plan, but with the new plan, children HAVE TO order off the children's menu and with each member having their own individual card, they will know who is a child and who is not. Hence, WDW has better tracking for what types of meals are being ordered. If I'm wrong so be it, but I really believe WDW is trying to get rid of that loophole, in which people pay for child options, but use them for adult meals.

If you want to know how the plan actually works as opposed to guessing how you think it works go right to the source:
http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/m...gespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/MYWDining.pdf

I suspect a bigger loophole is people who are selecting restaurants and entrées solely based on maximizing the dollar value of the plan. If too many people decide to order the lobster entrée at Captain Jack's we'll start seeing entrées with up charges or possibly even having price fixed menus to order from.

 

[jel0511]

If you want to know how the plan actually works as opposed to guessing how you think it works go right to the source:
http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/m...gespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/MYWDining.pdf

I suspect a bigger loophole is people who are selecting restaurants and entrées solely based on maximizing the dollar value of the plan. If too many people decide to order the lobster entrée at Captain Jack's we'll start seeing entrées with up charges or possibly even having price fixed menus to order from.

I still disagree with your assessment. I agree that all options are placed in the account and only once card can be presented. Since you pay for children options, they are children options are are different than adult options. If you read, it states that children MUST order from the children's menu, when available to use their options. I don't believe you can save their options, since they are coded as children's options, and use them as adult options. At least, that's how I've been informed from Disney. Hence why EVERYONE'S names must be listed on the reservations, with applicable ages, so the right options are credited, between children and adult options.

 

[DebIreland]

I completely agree that it's unfair. It put me off going for the dining package. My eldest son will be 11 and I'd have to pay 35 dollars (plus tax) for him, whereas he's eligible for the kids menu in so many restaurants when paying separately. He'd go for the items on the kids menu nearly every time e.g. chicken strips. It's ridiculous classing a 10 or 11 year old as an adult.

For what it's worth I don't think they should be classed as adults for theme park tickets either. Perhaps an intermediary 'junior' classification and price might be fair but 'adult'? No!

 

[Jan]

i have immersed myself in the dining plan research - read every post. read every review from every person using the plan. it is true a kid has to order off a kid's meal (can't get steak and lobster), BUT if a meal is not used for the kid, it stays in the pool and can be used for an adult or a kid later. the meals are all in the same pool.

i really think this rule will change as people pay the $5 for a kids meal and then go to all signatures on the extra credits. disney will clue into this and change the rule. i was tempted to make all signature ps and pay for the kids, but i am too nervous that by the time i get there, disney will clarify the plan and i will be without any ps at all.


this is an excellent plan for people with young kids (like me - 4 & 6), but it is not such an easy decision for the tweeners.

 

[Lewisc]

I still disagree with your assessment. I agree that all options are placed in the account and only once card can be presented. Since you pay for children options, they are children options are are different than adult options. If you read, it states that children MUST order from the children's menu, when available to use their options. I don't believe you can save their options, since they are coded as children's options, and use them as adult options. At least, that's how I've been informed from Disney. Hence why EVERYONE'S names must be listed on the reservations, with applicable ages, so the right options are credited, between children and adult options.

You can disagree all you want. The brochure only talks about total number of counter meals, sit down meals and snacks. It says they're aggregated per family. Look at the last paragraph on page 2 of the pdf file. No mention of keeping track of child/adult meals.

Finally do a search on these boards. There have been numerous posts from guests that paid cash for child's meals and used the pre-paid meals for adult meals only. The computer only knows how many sit down meals you have left on your account. It doesn't know if the meals were used for child or adult meals.
Perhaps Disney SHOULD do it they way you suggest but THEY DON'T.


Deb--I agree if you're paying adult pricing and your 11 year old prefers to eat from the children's menu the plan doesn't make sense. Really no different than an adult that prefers to skip dessert or appetizers.

 

[Nini]

I have the myw dining plan and it does NOT specify any difference between children and adult meals. It does state that a child should order from a child's menu "where available". Since I am paying regular pricing (same as dh & I) for a 3 YEAR OLD!!!!, I feel well within my rights to use her dining as I see fit. I would hope that they would not expect a 3yr old to manage her own dining card!

That is my opinion anyway!

 

[Jan]

nini - why are you paying full price for a 3 year old? should only be $10/day. my 3 year old doesn't eat $10/day worth - but she likes to waste at least that much!

 

[Nini]

Now that I see your post, I'm going to double check...it was all done through TA so I didn't bother w/breakdown (we are traveling w/extended family). I didn't realize that there was a pricing difference!...my mistake!!!! I am calling the TA this afternoon and will let you all know the scoop (you are most likely correct Jan...).

 

[Nini]

Jan- my dd3 does the EXACT same thing!!!

 

[missypie]

I haven't studied how it works, but I know that my very picky 12 year old DD is one reason we didn't get the meal plan. She is the type who would order a kid's meal and only be able to finish half of that.

 

[DisOrBust]

I would LOVE to hear from someone who has actually used "extra" kid credits for an adult signature dinner. I also think its to good to be true and not shall we say on the up and up. .

Isn't 3 and under "free" at the buffets??? or is it under 3??? I can't remember now!

This is the whole reason we never bought into DVC... just to damm complicated! .

 

[westjones]

I haven't studied how it works, but I know that my very picky 12 year old DD is one reason we didn't get the meal plan. She is the type who would order a kid's meal and only be able to finish half of that.

My 11 year old twin DDs are the same way, so the meal plan would not be good for us at all.

I suppose in a few years that will change, but this year it doesn't work for us.
DJ

 

[Sheaboys]

I believe it is under 3, not 3 and under for the buffets. I have also shared a meal with our 15 month old, I never paid for him for a sit down meal either. We will get the dining plan, only because we now have 3 boys, 2 of which will get the plan, they are 5 and7 at time of travel and the "baby" will not be 3 at time of travel (but pretty close), so they can all share meals. What we will do, is mostlikely share counter service meals, then use the extra counter service meals as a regular dinner, then we will have 2 extra table meals for signature, for dh and I. We will pay for the kids meals at signature. That way we can go to one signature at Epcot. Not sure how saving the kids table service meals towards our signature meal would work, so I won't be trying that, just in case.....

 

[Nini]

Here's the scoop, straight from my TA! We have the MYW Dining Pkg. and the costs are as follows: $34.75 per adult/one day ($139.00 entire 4 days), $9.98 per child/one day ($39/95 for entire 4 days) (JAN ~ You were totally correct!). IMHO, that is really GOOD!!! Child is considered ages 3 to 9 (sorry tweens and teens). So any free buffets would be for 2 and under. For what I am paying for my dd3, I really don't care if she eats it all or not...it's a minimal cost all things considered!

If we can use her meal credits, that would be great...if not, it doesn't really matter as we are not paying more than $10 per day for her to eat and get snacks!!!

It is TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mill4023]

I was really considering the dining plan until I found out my 10 year old would be $35/day. I thought about paying cash for his meals, but we are doing a day at Universal and a day at Sea World during our 9 night stay in Orlando so we just wouldn't be able to use all the meal credits.

 

[WDWBetsy]

The credits are divided up into individual pools, depending on who is in your party. So, if you don't use your 8YO dinner credit one night, you have an additional child credit and can not use it for an adult meal. Since WDW prices adult tickets at 10 and up, they also are pricing the packages the same way, regardless of the restaurant rules. With the new MYW packages, EVERYONE in the party has their own card with their own name on it. So, each individual has their own pool of options and that card has to be presented to get the options take off.

Lewisc is correct. I have read and re-read the brochure. The Disney dining brochure clearly states that:

Upon check-in, all meals from the package are combined into one central account for maximum flexibility. Any Guest in the party may use the meals from this central account at any time during their package stay until all meals are gone.

While the brochure also states children ages 3 to 9 must order from the children's menu where available, guests can pay out-of-pocket for their children's meals and then use those remaining meals toward adult meals - since they are in the central account. Previous posts show that DISers are in fact being able to do this. Search for the posts and you'll see.

Example: Prior to ordering, you just tell your server that you're on the dining plan and will be using 2 adult meals and paying separately for 2 children. It's not a case where you have to show each person's ID/key card. Just one. You will be presented with two receipts at the end of the meal, one for the dining plan (which also shows your remaining meal credits), and the other for the out-of-pocket children's meals (and any other items not included on the plan).

As for the counter service meals, one adult can go up to the counter and order for everyone - if a child wants an adult meal, there is no way that the CM would know to have them order from the children's menu.

Again - all meals are combined into one account and any guest may use the meals (I could go eat all of the meals while my DH was taking a nap if I really wanted to - or he could order a dinner on the plan and I could order an appetizer separately and save that meal toward a signature meal). Disney has clearly written this "loophole" into the brochure/plan and promoted it as "flexibility" - I personally don't think anyone is cheating the system when all meals are pooled by the plan's definition. It's no different than going out to eat with your niece & nephew who are in a different room (and not on the plan) and paying separately for them.