I"ve never seen so many threads on sharing

[disneyagain]

We're heading down in August and qualify for free dining. DH, me, DS (13) and DD (11). We are all considered adults, according to the dining plan. I'm sure my DS will eat everything from appetizers, main course, to desert and anything else left on anyones plate. My DD will probably order kids meals at a few of our table service meals, although she does love shrimp, so I'm sure that an adult appetizer will be ordered. We wouldn't share at a TS meal at home and we don't intend to share here or pay OOP for her "kids meal" to save the credit. (I don't think I would do that even if I paid for the plan). But to each there own. Some people scrimp and save just to get to WDW and if sharing meals (whether they pay for it or DDP pays for it) so be it. Disney is still making bucks on everyone that walks into their magical land...The more the better. Although to be honest with you, I'm not sure I'll like the dining plan, it just seems like too much food and the requirement to have your plan in place and be at a certain place at a certain time, has me wondering if we'll really like it. Saw that it was free and figured good time to try it out and see if we like it or not.

Now the CS meals are another story, My DD and I have always shared CS meals and we will probably do this again on this trip. I hate to feel stuffed on vacation and when I'm paying for the meal I hate to throw half of it away. Granted it's free this time, but I still don't want to throw 1/2 of it away. That will leave us with a few counter service meals that we can use for breakfast on a couple of the days. Disney has offered us 24 CS meals and we will use the 24 CS meals and probably a few more if we do breakfast. We all like something to eat in the morning. DD, DS and I are good with a donut to get us going, but DH is a diabetic and he really should stay away from the sweets and with all the walking we'll be doing, he really needs to keep some food in his system to balance out the insulin/exercise/food. So it will be 3 meals a day for him.

Here's hoping that everyone going to the world enjoys there visit!

 

[Frantasmic]

What is sad is that it is the same themes from when I was monitoring the threads last year at this time for my then upcoming trip.

A definitive thread on the sharing topic should be stickied and then others locked.

The fact of the matter is that it depends on the CM who is serving you at the time whether you can share or not. Debating it doesn't matter because it all boils down to who is serving you the night you eat.

 

[bicker]

ITA. The DIS either has or used to have a policy that discussing cheating Disney wouldn't be permitted, but it seems that just as Disney doesn't enforce things like that consistently, neither does the DIS.

 

[Tidus]

Sharing is cheating?? Sorry, I never knew that splitting a meal w/ my 10 yr. old or my DH for that matter was cheating any system in a restaurant.

 

[Debbie]

Sharing is cheating?? Sorry, I never knew that splitting a meal w/ my 10 yr. old or my DH for that matter was cheating any system in a restaurant.

I guess that that will make me a cheater again.

 

[Lewisc]

ITA. The DIS either has or used to have a policy that discussing cheating Disney wouldn't be permitted, but it seems that just as Disney doesn't enforce things like that consistently, neither does the DIS.

DIS doesn't close threads on mug abuse, pool crashers, going over room occupany and parents who forget the ages of their kids.

I certainly wouldn't expect DIS to close threads on sharing. It's really not even clear what Disney's position is. I expect the more dining plan guests share meals the more likely it is that Disney take actions to limit the effect of sharing.

So many people think the dining plan provides TOO much food. How many people would complain if Disney just reduced the amount of food? Let everyone pick an entree but serve an appetizer and a dessert sampler platter for the table. Obviously everyone would have a credit deducted. That would take away from the plan but would stop guest from stretching their TS credits.

 

[minnie61650]

DIS doesn't close threads on mug abuse, pool crashers, going over room occupany and parents who forget the ages of their kids.

I.

FYI

The DIS moderators have closed a lot threads on mug abuse, pool crashers, going over room occupancy.

Here are a few from the last 2 months.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1169645

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1160198

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1155959

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1148220

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1138495

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1126011

 

[Lewisc]

Some internet boards immediately close threads that discuss cheating or otherwise violate the terms of the board. Biddingfortravel is a good example of a heavily moderated board, at least until Sheryl went AWOL.

Those threads were not closed becuase they discussed cheating but because of attacks within the thread.

A moderator doesn't just quote the official Disney rules on pool use and then close the thread.

FYI

The DIS moderators have closed a lot threads on mug abuse, pool crashers, going over room occupancy.

Here are a few from the last 2 months.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1169645

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1160198

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1155959

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1148220

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1138495

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1126011

 

[laceemouse]

So many people think the dining plan provides TOO much food. How many people would complain if Disney just reduced the amount of food? Let everyone pick an entree but serve an appetizer and a dessert sampler platter for the table. Obviously everyone would have a credit deducted. That would take away from the plan but would stop guest from stretching their TS credits.

Excellent suggestion! That is the big rub if you ask me (and the main reason I am not at all sure we want to pay for the meal plan!) How many families order an appetizer for each person and a dessert for each person everytime they eat TS, at WDW or anywhere? I think you have a great idea, create some kind of sampler platter of each and then REQUIRE each person at the table to use their TS credit and order an entree. I think that would be easier for Disney to police, it would be the same across the board (not up to the individual server) and folks would not be racking their brains trying to figure out how to either a) make it work for their family or b) play the system to get 3 meals a day out of it. You are so smart !

 

[JimMIA]

Let everyone pick an entree but serve an appetizer and a dessert sampler platter for the table.

I think the thought is good, until you look at the menus and try to put it into action. Disney's appetizers are a) not very good generally, and b) small portions. Their "Shrimp Cocktail," for example is really nothing more than a handful of peel & eat shrimp with cocktail sauce. In most Disney restaurants, we just get soup or a salad instead of an appetizer because of the quality.

By contrast, we went to Bonefish Grill last week, which is a little lower-priced than most Disney restaurants. We got a "Bang-Bang Shrimp" appetizer which was a) wonderful and b) more than four adults cared to eat. If Disney had appetizers of that quality, I'd like your suggestion, but they don't. In fact, they are going the other way.

 

[Lewisc]

I probably should have use one of those smilie things in my post. I don't think this change would benefit us but it would effectively stop sharing without having to answer complaints or explain the pricing philosophy to unhappy guests.

My suggestion wouldn't cause Disney to lower the price of the plan. Price out the dining plan. Order almost any entrée and the plan pays for itself. Basically the drink, appetizer and dessert are free. I don't think Disney really expects every guests will order appetizers and desserts any more than guests eat everything at a buffet. The plan is priced on providing a TS meal. Guests ordering less, or even being served less, would save very little in actual food costs. Serving an appetizer platter and dessert sampler would speed up the dining process and eliminate sharing questions. It would ease some of the over crowding at the restaurants. Guests would eat quicker and dining guests wouldn't be able to stretch their credits to include more meals.

The FDP at Mama Melrose is an example of what Disney could do. My guess is Disney might just something like this with some restaurants. CRT was converted to a limited option, dinner package. You can't share, actually you can share, but everyone still pays.

edited to say Jim--I'm afraid some restaurants might just serve salad, family style as an appetizer. Other restaurants might come up with some type of appetizer sampler.

Excellent suggestion! That is the big rub if you ask me (and the main reason I am not at all sure we want to pay for the meal plan!) How many families order an appetizer for each person and a dessert for each person everytime they eat TS, at WDW or anywhere? I think you have a great idea, create some kind of sampler platter of each and then REQUIRE each person at the table to use their TS credit and order an entree. I think that would be easier for Disney to police, it would be the same across the board (not up to the individual server) and folks would not be racking their brains trying to figure out how to either a) make it work for their family or b) play the system to get 3 meals a day out of it. You are so smart !

 

[Laurajean1014]

Yes, they run a far second to all the Crocs threads on the Disney Tips Board.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't really expect any big changes in the food. The reason I say that is the big appeal of the plan is that it is so broad and covers so much. Yes, it could be a lot of food if you choose to order that way, but from a marketing standpoint it's an easy sell because it is so all-inclusive. If you think about it, there really are very few exclusions and limitations with the plan.

As has been said often, the real focus of the dining plan is to put people in beds in Disney resorts, not so much to put seats in seats in their restaurants. I think that has gone very well, and I think they will continue the product much the same as they have in the past.

If, in fact, certain types of sharing are impacting Disney's projected bottom line (and I'm not convinced they are -- this is hardly Mickey's first rodeo!), I see two easy ways to adjust for that. The easiest - and the choice I expect - is to simply raise the price for the paid plan and raise the room rates during free dining. The other option is to enforce their own regulations, but that is uneven, time-consuming, and uncomfortable to do. It's also something Disney does not do very well.

I'd personally be happy if they just made up their mind what they wanted the plan to look like and enforced it. I'm happy with whatever vision of the plan they have -- I can evaluate it, see if it fits my family, and if so, I buy it.

But I don't think they'll do that. It's a lot easier to pass any unanticipated costs on to us than it is to enforce limitations, regulations, etc.

 

[bicker]

Sharing is cheating??

No. Cheating is cheating.

As I mentioned in my earlier message, I would love to see a (pseudo-moderated) sticky thread on sharing.

 

[bicker]

DIS doesn't close threads on mug abuse, pool crashers, going over room occupany and parents who forget the ages of their kids.

In compliance with DIS rules, I cannot post a link to a closed thread, but the statement was made by a moderator that contradicts this. (Perhaps that's why the thread was closed. Just as many people are saying that Disney should clarify what it will and won't allow, perhaps it would be useful for the DIS to clarify whether it is permissible to advocate violating Disney's terms and conditions here on the DIS. )

I certainly wouldn't expect DIS to close threads on sharing.

Me neither; rather only threads on cheating.

It's really not even clear what Disney's position is.

It is now: Adults cannot use child meal entitlements.

So many people think the dining plan provides TOO much food. How many people would complain if Disney just reduced the amount of food?

It would be great fun to see the reaction to that, especially if they make it clear that the one was due to the other!

 

[Lewisc]

I don't think we have any idea what Disney's position is regarding sharing at restaurants like Kona and Spoodles. The dining brochure gives Disney the right to deduct credits from everyone eating at a signature restaurant but there is nothing that gives a policy for "regular" restaurants.

A few posters relating what they were told by a CM over the phone, via email or online chat really does nothing to tell me official policy.

Maybe it's left to the restaurant to decide if that it's OK for a 5 year old, as part of a party of 6 to share but not OK for a family of 6 to share 2 TS meals. We don't know how many people are sharing to bank child credits (right they'll use them for child meals later ) and how many are sharing to just stretch the number of TS meals. Sharing would be at less popular if the CM made the family use up the child credits first. You have 2A and 2C? You want to use the plan for dinner? First tell me what your children want to order? Let them order 2C and 1A meal if they want to share.

Is the possible crack down on sharing to prevent child/adult credit abuse or is it to prevent guests from feeding a family of 4 two TS meals using 2 credits per meal?

This won't happen but I think each restaurant should be allowed to have one or two "signature menu items" that are surcharged. That would maintain the flexibility of the plan and still allow restaurants to offer some superior offerings.

Me neither; rather only threads on cheating.

It is now: Adults cannot use child meal entitlements.

It would be great fun to see the reaction to that, especially if they make it clear that the one was due to the other!

 

[bstnsprts]

It is now: Adults cannot use child meal entitlements.

You know, I'm beginning to agree with this statement. I can't use what doesn't exist. This won't affect my still pooled entitlements.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't think we have any idea what Disney's position is regarding sharing at restaurants like Kona and Spoodles. The dining brochure gives Disney the right to deduct credits from everyone eating at a signature restaurant but there is nothing that gives a policy for "regular" restaurants.

A few posters relating what they were told by a CM over the phone, via email or online chat really does nothing to tell me official policy.

I think a lot of this debate is about perspective, and I saw a post today that illustrated both that and Lewis' point here.

A lady posted about the wonderful time she and DH had during their eight-day stay at WDW on the dining plan. They did SIXTEEN TS meals in eight days!

• I look at that post and my perspective is that I am blown away by their unwavering dedication and stamina!
• The poster looks at it and considers it the most wonderful vacation she's ever had in her life...possibly one of the premier weeks in her entire life! You can rest assured she'll be back.
• I'm sure some here would read that post and think "Cheater, cheater!" (Not me, incidentally. If Disney lets you do two TSs a day, I don't think you're violating anything Disney cares about. I think her experience tells us more about Disney's real policies than anything the email CMs parrot off their script.)
• I'm sure that somewhere there is a Disney marketing genius reading that thread and saying, "YESSSSSS! Eight room-nights!"

 

[bicker]

I can't use what doesn't exist. This won't affect my still pooled entitlements.

You're mistaken. CREDITS are pooled. Meal entitlements are not. What you're suggesting violates the terms and conditions. When you purchase the Dining Plan you agree to follow its terms and conditions, so no matter how you try to window-dress it, you're advocating transgressive behavior.

 

[Tidus]

In compliance with DIS rules, I cannot post a link to a closed thread, but the statement was made by a moderator that contradicts this. (Perhaps that's why the thread was closed. Just as many people are saying that Disney should clarify what it will and won't allow, perhaps it would be useful for the DIS to clarify whether it is permissible to advocate violating Disney's terms and conditions here on the DIS. )

Me neither; rather only threads on cheating.

It is now: Adults cannot use child meal entitlements.

It would be great fun to see the reaction to that, especially if they make it clear that the one was due to the other!

It does seem like you (Bicker) were calling sharers/ cheaters because this thread was about sharing. I could care less if Disney separates C/A credits, that would be fine, but for people to look down on sharing is kind of strange. Quote:

It would be great fun to see the reaction to that, especially if they make it clear that the one was due to the other! All I can say is Wow! Some people seem very bitter.