Shring on Dining Plan

[pilferk]

I suppose, but few people will spend the hundreds of dollars extra it would cost them for admission to get an AP just to qualify for DDE.

(I think we would have had to pay $410 more for APs instead of what we got.)

Sorta...you only need ONE AP to get the DDE....and the difference between your AP price and ticket price will be dependant on stays, etc + $65 for the DDE card.

 

[pilferk]

"Use your meals and snacks in any order and amount" means that YOU can use YOUR meals and snacks in any order and amount. It does not mean you and your spouse can use YOUR TS to feed the two of you today, then use your spouse's TS to feed the two of you again tomorrow so you can work an extra meal in later.

And to the people saying "it's not about making it a better deal" ... it doesn't matter what you think it's about. The effect to Disney is that you're getting a better deal, which means that they are getting a worse deal. If you usually go out and order 2 entrees and share your appetizer and dessert, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing to stop you from doing that with the DDP. That is not a valid reason to use 1 credit to feed two people, because you could each use your credit and one of you just tell the waiter "I'm skipping the appetizer and dessert. Yes, I know they're included, thank you, but I'm skipping them." And you can't use the excuse of "that's wasting food!" because it's not. If you never order them, then they aren't wasted. And if you usually go out and share an entree, then the DDP -- as it is intended to be used -- might not be worthwhile for you.

A perfectly valid point of view...but not one spelled out by Disney in their literature on the subject. And THAT'S the problem...

 

[bicker]

Again, I don't know if we can use "reasonable" as the definitive litmus test.

I think we can -- it is a fundamental mechanism for adjudicating civil lawsuits, so we all can be called-upon to do it from time-to-time, and the expectation is that just about any mature adult can do so. The key, though, to determining whether something is reasonable, is to put yourself in the position of arbiter, rather than principal party. That is a bit difficult for some folks -- i.e., deciding that something which is "not so good" for you is actually the fairest thing. It requires considering "the other guy" (in this case, Disney) as an equal, and make the determination by understanding their position as much as your own, and driving towards a solution that satisfies them as much as it satisfies you.

 

[pilferk]

I think we can -- it is a fundamental mechanism for adjudicating civil lawsuits, so we all can be called-upon to do it from time-to-time, and the expectation is that just about any mature adult can do so. The key, though, to determining whether something is reasonable, is to put yourself in the position of arbiter, rather than principal party. That is a bit difficult for some folks -- i.e., deciding that something which is "not so good" for you is actually the fairest thing. It requires considering "the other guy" (in this case, Disney) as an equal, and make the determination by understanding their position as much as your own, and driving towards a solution that satisfies them as much as it satisfies you.

The problem is, there is more than one "reasonable" consideration and conclusion, given the info we have. And not knowing Disney's corporate policy, since it's clear as mud, makes determining which statement is "more reasonable" almost impossible. We can choose to err on the side of caution, but that's not really using "reasonable" as the litmus test....

 

[NMW]

DH and I frequently share meals, or at the very least appetizer and/or dessert because American restaurants serve very -- sometimes ridiculously -- large portions. Last night we ate at a blues club in Union Square in San Francisco. He had 2 drinks, I had one; we each ordered an entree, and shared one appetizer and one dessert. The entrees weren't overly large, they were just about right for one serving, but neither one of us could have eaten another bite, even though we'd been walking around SF all day. If the entrees had been larger, we would have shared one, or skipped the appetizer and dessert.

I was really talking about people sharing entrees, not appetizers. I have never seen two adults at Disney or elsewhere, split one entree between them. I know people share appetizers, our famliy does it all the time!

 

[Lewisc]

A perfectly valid point of view...but not one spelled out by Disney in their literature on the subject. And THAT'S the problem...

Although not enforced, the MYW brochure states:

two (2) Table Service meals for each person dining at a Signature Restaurant will be redeemed from your meal balance.

Brochure clearly allows Disney to charge two TS credits per guest even if they share.

The description for a regular TS meal states "Your Table Service Meal"

It is clear Disney currently allows guests to split a TS meal (other than character meals, dinner shows, buffets etc.) but it also seems clear Disney could change that policy at any time.

 

[NMW]

For me, I call them like I see them.

There are truths, as far as I'm concerned:

1. The DDP is bringing down the quality of Disney Dining overall. That affects ME, so I am TICKED!

2. People obsess over how to get a good deal with the DDP, when, IF YOU EAT A TS A DAY appetizer, entree, and dessert, it's already a good deal. No need to gin the system to make it an even better deal.

3. The DDP is NOT A GOOD DEAL from a pure cost standpoint. I can eat more cheaply without it easily. Of course, I don't want to eat restaurant food 3 times a day....I just got back from a 48 hour trip, and that was too much restaurant food. No way would I do it for 5 or 7 or 10 days.

4. All the focus on the DDP has taken away from the FOOD! Just look at all the threads...it's endless DDP chatter, and very little about what's good and fun to eat at Disney!

5. I'm with the earlier poster....I NEVER knew people shared whole meals as a way of getting out of ordering something for themselves. I've never seen it done in any restaurant between two adults. I have friends who eat half their meal, then switch, so they can try new things. But I don't think Disney ever intended you to bring 4 people to dinner and order two meals on the DDP. THEY MEANT FOR YOU TO PAY OOP if you are trying to squirrel away credits for signature meals.

I have to agree with item #5. I think ONLY on the dining plan do people share entrees this often. I can only speak for myself and others I know well, like friends and family. If I went to a restaurant with DH and wasn't super hungry, I wouldn't tell the server I was just going to "split" DH's entree with him! I think that's a little cheap and sort of tacky. I would just order something lighter like a salad or something that comes in a small portion size like the scallops at Califormia Grill. I think only on the DDP do people try to "save" credits and request to split entrees.

I have to wonder if this has something to do with the major decrease in portion size ALL over WDW. And, yes, I know it's healthier to eat smaller portions-LOL. I just think WDW is making sharing, especially sharing appetizers almost impossible. They were so TINY in October-I'm talking like 4 little, little shrimp at Rose and Crown. 1 tiny crab cake at Flying Fish when 2 years ago you got 2. Just my opinion, but I really think sharing entrees on the DDP is WAY more prevelant than sharing entrees NOT on the DDP.

 

[pilferk]

Although not enforced, the MYW brochure states:

Brochure clearly allows Disney to charge two TS credits per guest even if they share.

The description for a regular TS meal states "Your Table Service Meal"

It is clear Disney currently allows guests to split a TS meal (other than character meals, dinner shows, buffets etc.) but it also seems clear Disney could change that policy at any time.

Good point on the 2 TS meals.

Again, the point is that, so far, they have NOT changed the policy for regular TS meals, or even CS meals. Or, if they have, they've not communicated that change in their literature. And, again, THAT'S the problem.

We can't get a straight, consistent answer from Disney on the subject...so we're left to try to assume and trying to guess/interpret what vague info there is.

 

[Lewisc]

Sammie has confirmed sharing is still permitted. Based on emails posted in this thread Disney may be giving themselves the opportunity to ban sharing, actually to charge credits for every guest. Buffets are priced per head, not based on the quantity of food consumed. It's not a reach to assume the dining plan is priced the same way.

Guests shouldn't assume sharing when making their plans, reduced portion sizes may wind up being the real issue.

Good point on the 2 TS meals.

Again, the point is that, so far, they have NOT changed the policy for regular TS meals, or even CS meals. Or, if they have, they've not communicated that change in their literature. And, again, THAT'S the problem.

We can't get a straight, consistent answer from Disney on the subject...so we're left to try to assume and trying to guess/interpret what vague info there is.

 

[Lewisc]

1. Disney decided to make the restaurants appeal to more guests. The dining plan is the result not the cause. Most of the exotic menu items were dropped from the menu at AP long before the dining plan. Getting more guests into restaurants was the goal. The dining plan was the means Disney used to do that. The result would be the same if Disney came up with an alternate program to increase the customer base. Customers looking for a more upscale dining experience have 3 restaurants in the S/D, Bistro in EPCOT, V&A in the GF and a few restaurants in DTD.

2. I agree 100%.

3. DDP is a good deal for guests that want to eat all their meals at WDW and want to eat one TS meal per day. I'll agree guests staying more than 7 days are more likely to want to eat some meals in non-participating restaurants (even offsite). Bicker did the math for us.

4. I agree. Far too many posters ask which restaurants serve portions big enough to share and far too few posters ask which restaurants offer better food.

5. I also agree. The cost of food ingredients is a small portion of the restaurant's total costs. Too many guests share and Disney will either restrict sharing or change some restaurants to a format that results in each customer being charged. I'm thinking of a buffet or all you care to eat.

For me, I call them like I see them.

There are truths, as far as I'm concerned:

1. The DDP is bringing down the quality of Disney Dining overall. That affects ME, so I am TICKED!

2. People obsess over how to get a good deal with the DDP, when, IF YOU EAT A TS A DAY appetizer, entree, and dessert, it's already a good deal. No need to gin the system to make it an even better deal.

3. The DDP is NOT A GOOD DEAL from a pure cost standpoint. I can eat more cheaply without it easily. Of course, I don't want to eat restaurant food 3 times a day....I just got back from a 48 hour trip, and that was too much restaurant food. No way would I do it for 5 or 7 or 10 days.

4. All the focus on the DDP has taken away from the FOOD! Just look at all the threads...it's endless DDP chatter, and very little about what's good and fun to eat at Disney!

5. I'm with the earlier poster....I NEVER knew people shared whole meals as a way of getting out of ordering something for themselves. I've never seen it done in any restaurant between two adults. I have friends who eat half their meal, then switch, so they can try new things. But I don't think Disney ever intended you to bring 4 people to dinner and order two meals on the DDP. THEY MEANT FOR YOU TO PAY OOP if you are trying to squirrel away credits for signature meals.

 

[tink606]

MY Dh and I and our family were all on the dining plan and most of the time we ended up sharing with one another b/c it was way too much food. The only places ur not aloud to share is the buffett all you can eat meals/character meals, other than that we did not have a problem with sharing. Hope this helps.=0)

 

[Katiebell]

After reading about 8 million posts here and elsewhere about the DDP there seem to be a few specific issues/concerns about sharing.

1. No you can't "share" by purchasing meals for people not in your party, or using children's credits (TS or CS) to purchase adult meals. The rules are very clear.

2. Some -- very very few! -- people want to share meals because it's like a game for them to see how much value they can squeeze out of the plan. They'd like to see if they could manage a TS breakfast, lunch, and dinner by shuffling credits, figuring out which places have the biggest servings to share, playing the system. For the vast majority of us, that's just way too much work, and nobody wants to take up that much of their vacation at sit down restaurants. And the funny thing is...it seems like this group would be the most likely to have unused credits leftover and wasted at the end of their vacation.

3. Some people are concerned that there won't be enough food (or decent choices) for certain members of their group -- particularly kids 9 and under that have big appetites and/or adult tastes. For adults, I haven't seen a single post from anyone anywhere who said the DDP did not provide enough food for the biggest eaters in their family. If you are truly concerned (ie: you have teenage boys!), stick to buffets for your TS meal, probably in the middle of the day, so they can fill up to their heart's content. If your concern is about the kids' meals -- the price is a bargain at $11/day. Again, buffets are your friends. For CS, share some of your own meal with them, or buy them extra items OOP. They really will be fine. Honest. They'd probably rather go ride the rides anyway.

4. Some people are concerned there will be too much food -- lighter eaters, people watching their weight or trying to control portion sizes, people worried about wasting food for which they've already paid. This is a valid concern and you really need to crunch some numbers and see if the DDP is a good value for your particular family. With the amount you typically eat, would you spend at least $40 a day per adult on vacation? If the answer is yes, then the plan is a good deal (remember, it includes beverages, tax, and tip). As far as wasting food -- this was a big issue for me, and for a lot of other people -- you really have to get past that. Order whatever you want, eat whatever you want, leave whatever you don't want, and relax...you're on vacation. If you are heading straight back to your room and have a fridge, you could always box up the leftovers, but then you will have to figure out when to eat them, unless you plan on packing them in your suitcase to take home... And quite a few people have reported the portion sizes are becoming more reasonable anyway -- enough for one person, but not ridiculously huge.

5. Some people are trying to bank credits for 2 TS credit meals. Disney kind of created this problem themselves. If they sell people a plan that includes one TS and one CS meal per person per day, then say, "but these restaurants over here will cost 2 credits", what did they expect people to do? The credits have to come from somewhere, and it's not like you can buy a few extra credits to go to those meals. If you don't share a TS meal or two to bank those credits, the only option is to pay OOP for the 2 TS meal, or pay OOP for other meals -- which isn't that bad an option.

And for anyone who is tired of "endless DDP chatter" (*Katiebell pokes Lewis*), then you are reading the wrong thread. This is the "Endless DDP Chatter Thread". You are looking for the "What's Good and Fun to Eat at Disney" thread. I could get upset with all the "Will There Be Free Dining" threads because it doesn't apply to me -- my vacation is in May and I can't change it (besides, I really don't want to plan my trip during hurricane season anyway ) I could be jealous of those who will/might get free dining, and obsess on how much money I'd save if I could get it, and complain about others that are excitedly discussing the possibility -- but that's just silly and a total waste of energy. They have every right to hope for the Free Dining dream!

 

[Tricia1972]

After reading about 8 million posts here and elsewhere about the DDP there seem to be a few specific issues/concerns about sharing.

1. No you can't "share" by purchasing meals for people not in your party, or using children's credits (TS or CS) to purchase adult meals. The rules are very clear.

2. Some -- very very few! -- people want to share meals because it's like a game for them to see how much value they can squeeze out of the plan. They'd like to see if they could manage a TS breakfast, lunch, and dinner by shuffling credits, figuring out which places have the biggest servings to share, playing the system. For the vast majority of us, that's just way too much work, and nobody wants to take up that much of their vacation at sit down restaurants. And the funny thing is...it seems like this group would be the most likely to have unused credits leftover and wasted at the end of their vacation.

3. Some people are concerned that there won't be enough food (or decent choices) for certain members of their group -- particularly kids 9 and under that have big appetites and/or adult tastes. For adults, I haven't seen a single post from anyone anywhere who said the DDP did not provide enough food for the biggest eaters in their family. If you are truly concerned (ie: you have teenage boys!), stick to buffets for your TS meal, probably in the middle of the day, so they can fill up to their heart's content. If your concern is about the kids' meals -- the price is a bargain at $11/day. Again, buffets are your friends. For CS, share some of your own meal with them, or buy them extra items OOP. They really will be fine. Honest. They'd probably rather go ride the rides anyway.

4. Some people are concerned there will be too much food -- lighter eaters, people watching their weight or trying to control portion sizes, people worried about wasting food for which they've already paid. This is a valid concern and you really need to crunch some numbers and see if the DDP is a good value for your particular family. With the amount you typically eat, would you spend at least $40 a day per adult on vacation? If the answer is yes, then the plan is a good deal (remember, it includes beverages, tax, and tip). As far as wasting food -- this was a big issue for me, and for a lot of other people -- you really have to get past that. Order whatever you want, eat whatever you want, leave whatever you don't want, and relax...you're on vacation. If you are heading straight back to your room and have a fridge, you could always box up the leftovers, but then you will have to figure out when to eat them, unless you plan on packing them in your suitcase to take home... And quite a few people have reported the portion sizes are becoming more reasonable anyway -- enough for one person, but not ridiculously huge.

And for anyone who is tired of "endless DDP chatter" (*Katiebell pokes Lewis*), then you are reading the wrong thread. This is the "Endless DDP Chatter Thread". You are looking for the "What's Good and Fun to Eat at Disney" thread. I could get upset with all the "Will There Be Free Dining" threads because it doesn't apply to me -- my vacation is in May and I can't change it (besides, I really don't want to plan my trip during hurricane season anyway ) I could be jealous of those who will/might get free dining, and obsess on how much money I'd save if I could get it, and complain about others that are excitedly discussing the possibility -- but that's just silly and a total waste of energy. They have every right to hope for the Free Dining dream!

Well said!

 

[bicker]

The problem is, there is more than one "reasonable" consideration and conclusion, given the info we have.

I don't think that's a problem, in the context of what I said: My point was that we should recognize that there is more than one reasonable position, and respect any contrary position that was reasonable.

I do agree that this case is complicated by the fact that the disagreement we're seeing appears to be within WDW itself! That is a problem, and one that I've been trying very hard to get fixed. (Still trying.)

 

[Tricia1972]

For those concerned about wasting food, does Disney allow you to order a half size entree.

For example, let's say Jane and Tom go to dinner at a TS eatery. Jane is still stuffed from lunch and knows she can't finish an entire entree. Can she ask her server to half the portion size in the kitchen so she doesn't feel that she's wasting food? They would use two TS credits, and thus abide by Disney's rules and she wouldn't feel guilt about wasting food because it had never been made.

I would think that Disney would be willing to accomodate a person or persons in that situation and everyone would feel better about the plan.

 

[bicker]

The problem is that people don't really "want" a half-sized entree, at the price that entree would cost.

A half-portion of a $25.00 entree should cost $20.25.

A quarter portion of a $25 entree should cost $17.88.

Would you really pay that much -- pay that close to the full price -- for a half or quarter portion?

 

[Lewisc]

Great point.

Outback charges $20 for a 16 oz prime rib, $19 for a 12 oz and $16 for an 8 oz.

Some people think half a portion should be half price. Many of us were surprised to learn that the cost of the food ingredients is a much smaller portion than we expected.

BTW the previous poster wanted a smaller portion, so as not to "waste" food, but was willing to "pay the same price" 1 TS credit. I'm not sure if Disney is set up for that. I suspect many of the menu items are "portion controlled" and other guest would get the wrong idea regarding portion size if they saw a smaller portioned entrée being served.

The problem is that people don't really "want" a half-sized entrée, at the price that entrée would cost.

A half-portion of a $25.00 entree should cost $20.25.

A quarter portion of a $25 entree should cost $17.88.

Would you really pay that much -- pay that close to the full price -- for a half or quarter portion?

 

[Littlemotherhaywood]

If it means that we're going to be less wasteful and that is the main concern, then I don't think many people would take issue with it. People on the dining plan anyway. Someone paying out of pocked (then and there of course) might feel cheated in some way. This is something I hadn't thought of but it's not a bad idea. If I have to order two ts meals for my kids and I know they'll only finish one I'd certainly feel a lot better about it if they just got half of each meal. The cost itself isn't that big of a deal to me. As Katiebell stated, we're all on vacation and need to lighten up. It'd be easier for me to lighten up knowing that we're not intentionally wasting food. I don't care if it's paid for or not. I just hate to see it thrown in the garbage. I'd rather get a half portion for the same credit than leave half a plate of food and feel guilty about it. My dh is a picky eater and a lot of times will order an entree and only get half of what comes with it by the time he's done asking them to hold off such and such. We've never thought about how much "loss" we're experiencing by paying full price for an entree we didn't get all of.

 

[pta-mom]

Wow! I'm surprised at the contraversy this subject has caused!! I was looking for a thread like this because I was thinking of sharing a couple of meals in DW....now I'm not too sure!!

We did the DP last year with two kids & two adults & found it a lot of food (more than we would normally eat!) but loved it because it made us try new foods; never look at the prices; forced us to take time out everyday for a sit down meal; etc. This year, of course we want to do it again but now one DS will be on the adult plan....our family will have the DP for 1 child & 3 adults, but one of those "adults" will be ten years old! To serve a family of four, three appetizers, four entrees and four desserts just seemed accessive! I thought it would be plenty of food to do 1 child TS credit & 2 adult TS credits per meal...not buffets of course!....& to pay OOP for an extra drink. I certainly didn't think it was this big of a deal!!

I was really talking about people sharing entrees, not appetizers. I have never seen two adults at Disney or elsewhere, split one entree between them. I know people share appetizers, our famliy does it all the time!

This I'm really surprised at!!! It is pretty common practise to split entrees where I'm from. You tell the waiter you are planning to split & he brings an extra plate; some restaurants will split before they serve you; & some might charge an extra $1 or $2 for the split but it certainly has never been an issue.

I have to agree with item #5. I think ONLY on the dining plan do people share entrees this often. I can only speak for myself and others I know well, like friends and family. If I went to a restaurant with DH and wasn't super hungry, I wouldn't tell the server I was just going to "split" DH's entree with him! I think that's a little cheap and sort of tacky. I would just order something lighter like a salad or something that comes in a small portion size like the scallops at Califormia Grill. I think only on the DDP do people try to "save" credits and request to split entrees.

I just so totally do not understand why splitting an entree is considered cheap or tacky! If my family pre-pays for 5 child TS credits & 15 adult TS credits, how is it "cheap" to spread them out over an additional day or meal?

5. Some people are trying to bank credits for 2 TS credit meals. Disney kind of created this problem themselves. If they sell people a plan that includes one TS and one CS meal per person per day, then say, "but these restaurants over here will cost 2 credits", what did they expect people to do? The credits have to come from somewhere, and it's not like you can buy a few extra credits to go to those meals. If you don't share a TS meal or two to bank those credits, the only option is to pay OOP for the 2 TS meal, or pay OOP for other meals -- which isn't that bad an option.

This is another very valid point. We are doing a two credit TS meal which means we will have one night without a pre-paid meal....why can we not spread our remaining credits out?

If we were paying OOP, does it change people's opinion of this practise? If you saw a family of four splitting two appetizers, one child's meal, two adult meals, three desserts & four drinks at a restaurant, and they were paying cash for the bill, would you really think that this is strange?

Very interesting thread!! Thanks for all your thoughts on the subject.

 

[MaeDaisy]

When people talk about how distressed they are about "wasting food" at WDW, what exactly is the issue? Why does this bother you so badly? Is it because you think starving children could have eaten it? I totally understand trying to eschew conspicuous consumption and trying to live a responsible and conscientious lifestyle, but seriously... people are THIS distraught over tossing half a chicken breast? ... I just don't buy it.

Can someone please tell me the rationale behind the angst?