Credits unpooled?

[ZPT1022]

Count us in with the other hardened criminals!!!! We'll be feeding DD contraband pizza right along with you.

Us too! Anyone up for a contraband pizza meet at Pinocchio's in August? We'll be doing you one worse and splitting three meals between five people since apparently my twins at age two are not old enough to be part of the dining plan, although they do still eat!

 

[wdwobsessed]

Aaarrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh .....

That song brings cheer to me ole' pirate heart. What a life it is matey!

WDWO

 

[wdwobsessed]

Seriously punkin ...

That lady on the left of your pic ... is that you?? If so you look soooooo familiar! What part of Maryland are you in?

WDWO

 

[punkin]

Seriously punkin ...

That lady on the left of your pic ... is that you?? If so you look soooooo familiar! What part of Maryland are you in?

WDWO

That's me a couple of years ago at MGM w/ DH and DDs. We are in Potomac, Montgomery County. Maybe you've seen me at the supermarket.

 

[Sonno]

What I don't get is... what's it to you if I "cheat" with my DDP points? I mean, what do you care? How does it affect you at all? I just don't understand what the debate is all about and why some folks feel they have to be the DISboard DDP Police.

I just don't get it.

 

[Sammie]

Why do others care? I seriously doubt the changes are over any creative use of the plan concerning Counter Services meals.

However there is a huge difference in price of a kid's meal at TS and a very expensive adult meal. Disney does care about that. That cost has to be absorbed by someone and it gets passed on to others.

The change in the brochure is one of the first steps. New directives have been given to the managers and staff and I feel very sure the next step will be will be the cards themselves.

Until then, as LewisC pointed out, it is an honor policy based on the new directive in the brochure. Sure at this time you can get it away with it, but I can't imagine that makes for a memorable vacation.

 

[Pedler]

What I don't get is... what's it to you if I "cheat" with my DDP points? I mean, what do you care? How does it affect you at all? I just don't understand what the debate is all about and why some folks feel they have to be the DISboard DDP Police.

I just don't get it.

I actually don't care about the cheating part if people call it that. If someone were to post that they are using credits in this manner because they don't want to pay Disney the extra money that it takes to get the food they want as outlined by the plan then hey thats great. At least then they have admitted that under the rules of the plan they would have had to pay more but by lying they were able to save money. Some might question the ethics of that but at least they are upfront about what they are doing. Except that people don't say that is what they are doing. Instead they wrap it around doing it for the benefit of thier kids. They try to justify what they are doing because it is for the kids, as if engaging in theft is the only way to get food for the kids. In reality they could easliy pay for the food or just not get the dinning plan. The only reason that people are doing this is to save money. It has nothing to do with getting thier kids food to eat as they could easily do that by just paying for it. The dinning plan does not prohibit people for buying things that are not on the plan. It all comes down to how to feed the kids in the cheapest manner possible regardless of how it is done.

Prior the the change in the brochure I was all for the use of credits in this manner. Disney staff encouraged it, the computer system didn't track it and the language in the brochure was ambiguous at best. Now the brochure has been changed so it is crystal clear. Just because the enforcement mechanism isn't in place doesn't make it right.

Once again as for why people here care I guess my reason is that if you are going to brag about stealing something on a Disney board at least admit that is what you are doing. I don't get involved in the refillable mug debates or the people that lie about the age of thier kids to save on park tickets because they admit they are lying to to engage in theft to save money. I may not agree with it but it doesn't make sense to comment on it because if someone is going to post to a public forum thier intent to steal then there isn't much to add to the conversation. The part here that gets me going is that the post seem to imply that if they didn't engage in theft then their kids wouldn't be able to eat. That is flat out wrong. The only reason to engage in theft here is to save money.

 

[The Sweetness]

Perhaps this would all be settled if the credits were no longer pooled, AND the C/S places would offer their *specialty*, not just the odd to some ppl alternatives (pb&j or cold chicken plate) Why DOESNT Pin Vil in MK offer pizza as a childs meal? If they did, ppl would be less likely to try to get *around* the rules. Personally, I would be considered dishonest as well. My fam of 3 *adults* and a 2y old will be ordering a kids meal or 2 at every CS (lunch and dinner) for not just my 2y old, but for me! I want my Mickey waffle, and if I'm going to hell for eating a kids meal... I sure hope I can order a happy meal down there

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I don't care what you all do with your credits, but I wanted to point out that just because a previous poster said her credits were pooled does NOT mean they will continue to pool them.

We were at Pop In October, checked in on Oct. 14. It was decided that they would no longer allow "dessert" as part of a CS breakfast, effective with check-ins Oct. 15 and forward. That was before the rules changed officially and permanently with the brochure being re-worded. We were still getting fruit cups with breakfast every single morning because we were "grandfathered" into it by checking in the day before they decided not to allow it anymore.

They implement changes in an illogical way. Add to that the renegade CMs who make things up as they go, and the seemingly different rules from one restaurant to another. Just because they are doing something today does not mean they will do it like that tomorrow. Just a thought!

 

[bstnsprts]

Prior the the change in the brochure I was all for the use of credits in this manner. Disney staff encouraged it, the computer system didn't track it and the language in the brochure was ambiguous at best. Now the brochure has been changed so it is crystal clear. Just because the enforcement mechanism isn't in place doesn't make it right.

This is where I disagree. If Disney continues to pool the credits, and not separate the credits, then it is not up to the consumer to track how they have used their credits. If the credits are not separated by Disney, then nobody is stealing. Some may want to call it that, but it is up to the service provider to make sure their systems are accurate. Disney institutes the plan, Disney is responsible for the integrity of the plan. When they do separate the credits, then it would be end of debate. But I just can't help but wonder if they just got sick and tired of receiving 100 phone calls a day from The Dis Police complaining that Mr. Smith got an extra TS, that they just decided to say you can't do this without any real intentions of separating credits. Until they do, I'm with The Pirates, EAT AWAY MATE's

 

[beth_cam]

My response to the cms who said the plan didnt work the way I thought was to ask them to show me once (reguarding breakfast desert back in may of last year) he showed me well anyway I showed him and he said well it isnt allowed I'll show you it wont let me put it in the computer. Well it went in and we continued getting it the rest of our trip...but as you said this year it is against the rule and I didnt even try. Then one problem where I may not have been exactly wrong but i couldnt show that with the wording so I let it go. At pinocchio haus I wanted the fries with all the stuff and the lady said it couldnt be part of a meal but could be the meal I didnt mind since it was one of the few times I was ordering 4 meals and there would be plenty to share. She was having problems getting it to ring up and said something like "oh well I'll just do it that way then" I didnt think about it but I was short a drink and a desert. I went back and got my drink and desert but only later when I did a credit check did I realize she had only charged me for 3 meals and didn account for the extra drink and desert. The do have their own ideas of what will work and what wont but mostly we just deal with it since it is plenty of food anyway.

and how you use your credits only matters to me when it changes what is available to me. If Disney cant get the DDP under control in a cost effective way then they will drop the program or restrict it so bad and/or up prices so much it wont be worth it to me. I mean really all the people bragging about getting 2 to 3 times the ticket price of food compared to what the dining plan cost them you know disney is going to do something.

 

[LSUDis]

The dining plan is a sticky subject on these boards. But....let's not blame each other for the different uses of the plan--Disney was unclear and its workers encouraged people's creative uses of the plan.

To me, what does it matter if a child orders an adult's meal at a CS? At buffets, it doesn't matter what the child gets....there is not a Food Guard standing at the children's section of the buffet to keep them from venturing to the "adult" section.

What is really ridiculous is that my 10 year old is charged as an adult! Now, will all of you frown on my treating my parent from his account and just paying out of pocket for him to get what he would really eat off the children's menu? My parent is not the "adult" in my hotel room; she has her own room.

Just continue to charge children and adults separately on the plan; then, allow kids to get whatever they want off any menu as long as they get an entree, dessert, etc.

Food is pretty cheap to provide, so Disney is unnecessarily complicating its system for little return on its investment ( and creating some negative feelings). Others may say that they owe this action to their stockholders b/c they are losing money; I AM a stockholder, and good will value is just as important as the bottom line.

So, you may say, if you don't like it, don't get the Dining Plan...well, we are not getting it since my son turned 10...probably won't even consider it until he's MUCH older, if at all.

Even if the Dining Plan is "free," it will cost a lot of us in losing AP discounts, AAA discounts, code rates, etc. Plus, if you have to buy a package (invest in a one-day ticket that you don't need for everyone), it adds to the cost of the "free" plan. People must figure carefully each way to go with the Dining Plan--Disney's changing rules, midstream, doesn't help.

 

[Pedler]

This is where I disagree. If Disney continues to pool the credits, and not separate the credits, then it is not up to the consumer to track how they have used their credits. If the credits are not separated by Disney, then nobody is stealing. Some may want to call it that, but it is up to the service provider to make sure their systems are accurate. Disney institutes the plan, Disney is responsible for the integrity of the plan. When they do separate the credits, then it would be end of debate. But I just can't help but wonder if they just got sick and tired of receiving 100 phone calls a day from The Dis Police complaining that Mr. Smith got an extra TS, that they just decided to say you can't do this without any real intentions of separating credits. Until they do, I'm with The Pirates, EAT AWAY MATE's

I am not saying that people should track thier own credits. If people make mistakes in using them and unintentionally use them in ways not intended then my view is that its Disney's job to provide a better solution to the problem and people shouldn't have to build spreadsheets and bring PDA's to track credits.

However I think that for most people the issue isn't that they don't know that they are using credits in a manner not allowed but instead are intentionally using them in a way not allowed solely to save money. There is a difference between a large family that is eating at different places and different times inadvertantly using credits in violation of the rules and the couple with one kid that eats every meal together and intentionally orders adult CS meals for thier kid so they can save the 7-8 dollars it would cost to buy one for thier kid. The have no excuse regarding tracking who is using what credit. When they purchase an adult CS Meal for a kid then they are violating the plan. (Note: The next 10 posts will be about convoluted schemes where they could actually purchase a an adult CS meal for a kid using an adult CS credit.).

As I said before if people want to do this so they can save $30-40 over the course of a trip by engaging in fraud then they should go ahead but don't try to rationalize it. You are not doing it for your kid and for the most part it isn't because they couldn't keep track of the credits. It is simply a risk free way to steal money from Disney. I don't see any difference in this than the whole refillable mug issue or lying about your kids age to save on park tickets. I would have more respect if people would just post this as what it is, a way to save money by engaging in fraud. However I suspect that the people that are going to do this want to save the money, realize that there is no real penalty to doing this but can't stomach the thought that they are engaged in stealing so they need to post here to justify why what they are doing isn't that. I would suggest that they look up the definition of stealing in the dictionary. It says nothing about having an enforcement mechanism.

 

[bicker]

I can't imagine Disney is going to be just relying on the "honor system". Too many guests aren't honorable.

I believe that Disney has an extraordinarily expansive tolerance for folks behaving contrary to even things that they've made explicit, such as this FAQ in the new Dining Plan brochure. I don't think we can guess when they'll finally see the need to actually start preventing people from violating it.

 

[bicker]

There are so many options: go to a different CS, order something different if you think your child can't handle seeing you eat something in particular, share part of your meal with your child and nibble on the kids meal together.

And don't forget the most obvious option: Don't use the Dining Plan if you don't feel that it fits with your family's needs and preferences.

 

[bicker]

As an interesting note: Everyone here on the DIS praises people for buying the person's meal behind them in line when they have CS left over.

Actually, sorry, but you're wrong. Everyone here on the DIS does not praise people for buying the person's meal behind them in line when they have CS left over. There are some people who do, but there are also some people who advocate just about every bit of bad behavior imaginable. If you want to start a poll to gauge, unscientifically, whether people feel it is "good" or "bad" to use the Dining Plan in that manner, please do. Barring that, please don't impose a specific perspective on all of us, a perspective that many of us do not specifically agree with.

 

[Pedler]

I believe that Disney has an extraordinarily expansive tolerance for folks behaving contrary to even things that they've made explicit, such as this FAQ in the new Dining Plan brochure. I don't think we can guess when they'll finally see the need to actually start preventing people from violating it.

Rumor has it retina scans are next.

Seriously I wonder if they will go the expense and hassel of changing the systems. Aside from the programming change of tracking child / adult credits they have to train the staff to ring up meals properly and what do you do if an adult orders a childs meal at a CS place. Lots of work. They may first take a look at what the change in the FAQ does. I would guess they can do some data analysis on how guests are using the DDP getting a feel for how many Adult vs. Child meals are ordered compared to adults vs children on the plan.

I know that at least for myself I felt before they added the FAQ I did not see anything wrong with using the plan in this manner. Now that they have explicitly created the FAQ I will not be using the plan in this manner. Who knows maybe most of the folk are honest and want to use the plan as laid out in the rules now that they are defined. (BTW does anyone have any swamp land they want to sell? )

 

[bicker]

I for one was all for the pooled credit thing until Disney explicitly spelled it out in the brochure. Now that they have definied the policy in writing with no ambiguity my view is that even though the enforcement mechanism isn't in place the policy is that credits payed for at the child rate can not be used to purchase adult meals.

Glad to read this.

Personally I don't think that people using the plan as you intend to do is the end of western civilization as we know it.

True. It isn't the cause of any deterioration, but rather is the abuse is actually cause by the deterioration. The decline of integrity started long ago, and has been shaped and directly by substantially greater forces. This is just one, small manifestation of it.

Still having said that I wouldn't go around posting your intentions to engage in theft and expect to not have many posters call you to task for it.

And I would expect that the moderators would do so as well. In this message SnackyStacky, a moderator, said: "If you decide that that justifies trying to cheat Disney, or 'get one over on them', that's completely your decision. However, it is against DIS policy to post about it."

 

[bluejasmine]

I just dont get the big deal.. I mean I believe ordering a child lets say a Pecos Bills a burger because they have no burgers at Pecos Bills on the kids menu and asking for the DDP to pay for it is not a big deal! Now as far as trying to get a child a adult meal off a TS menu thats different.. I have two adults a junior (age 12) and a 9 yr old and we have used the DDP before and never had a problem except my 9 yr old getting sick of chilled chicken or nuggets and mac and cheese so I would like to be able to order something different for her but if I cant Im willing to share my own with her..No biggie..I dont see where I will need to pool my credits, Im not even sure why ppl need them pooled..I know you can use the credits any way you want to but I for one buy my breakfast (except the one TS at Boma and than I buy our lunch that day) and use a CS for lunch and TS for dinner and there is always more than enough food! To be honest sometimes I worry that ppl will try and cheat the system and ruin it for everyone else out there.. Again I am NOT saying anyone here is cheating the system Im just making a point..

 

[magsmom]

Not to play devil's advocate, but ...
What happens to the extra children's credits when the parents go out for a "special meal", say, at the Cali or YSH, and the kids go the babysitting club? The parents have to pay for babysitting at $10 per hour, where dinner is included, then forfit the children's credit(s) later on if the credits are not pooled?

Just wondering.