Shring on Dining Plan

[bicker]

Katie: You'd probably be blown-away if you saw the latest reply I just got. I'm debating whether to even show it anywhere, because I'm kind of shocked that they were as explicit about the things they were explicit about (yet still missing the point of my question). This reply makes me think there are a lot of people asking substantially dishonest questions, and that's why they're answering the questions we ask the way they're answering them. I'm really cannot explain the reply I just got any other way.

(Where's the "blown away" smiley?)

 

[Katiebell]

Great, now you've piqued our curiosity! Will one of these work for "blown away"?

 

[clkelley]

If you are two adults and two children on the Dining Plan, that that's the most number of meals you can pay for with Dining Plan credits at any one meal. The numerical limitation is imprinted on your room key (as "2A2C") clear enough for any CM to see.

True, you can NOT order more meals and use more credits than are on your plan per seating. However, once the food is on the table, and if there are friends with you that are not on the plan, I can't believe that a CM will sit there and tell you that the friend not on the plan can't eat some of the food from your credit.

 

[Marshay]

So what are you supposed to do - spit it out???

"Um, excuse me ma'am but we are the Food Police and we saw you take a calamari from the DDP's plate...you will need to spit it out right now...you cannot leave this restaurant with that in you.."

 

[Katiebell]

And it would be very unfortunate if the culprit had already swallowed it.

 

[amykathleen2005]

My humble opinion is that once you order the food it is your disgression what you do with it. As long as you pay for it you should be able to stuff it in your pockets if you so chose......

 

[bicker]

It is interesting. Several of us have asked the question directly, and consistently now, Disney will not say that you are allowed to share meals you've obtained with Dining Plan credits. They have a right to impose such a limitation, but I think they need to be a lot more clear about it if that's their intent, since despite asking the question three times now myself, I still don't understand the answers I'm getting in the context of the question I asked. What I do know is that they haven't said, "Yes that's allowed," which would have been the easiest reply, if it was indeed allowed.

 

[disneymom2one]

I think the reason why they haven't come out and said "no sharing" is because to say that, they really would have to say "each person on the dining plan MUST use a credit for each table service meal." Otherwise, "no sharing" is really difficult to enforce. As other posters have mentioned. are they really going to be the food police and check to see if she's eating? By she I mean my eleven year old. That's a really negative customer-service experience every time they do that. And what if rather than just sharing, we order her something small - like an appetizer (not using her credit). Then they would have check not only if she was eating but if she was eating something other than what we purchased. It is nearly impossible to do that.

The only situation on property I can think of where they do monitor what you eat is at Whispering Canyon where some order the skillet and some don't (at the same table). You're not supposed to share (and we woudn't) but I would imagine they overlook small bites most of the time. It's just a tough, tough thing to enforce without really being confrontational.

So Disney (in my opinion) is in a jam right now - unless they're willing to say "You MUST use a TS credit at a TS meal if you're on the plan." And I'm not sure right now they're willing to make that jump. And what if we're on cash? Do you enforce no sharing with cash customers? I think it's a tough one for Disney. I personally wish they would just leave it alone.

 

[Tree]

I called to make my ADRS yesterday and the CM voluntarily without me even asking said alot of the meals are very big and feel free to share.

Who knows?

 

[jjohnson]

I think the reason why they haven't come out and said "no sharing" is because to say that, they really would have to say "each person on the dining plan MUST use a credit for each table service meal." Otherwise, "no sharing" is really difficult to enforce. As other posters have mentioned. are they really going to be the food police and check to see if she's eating? By she I mean my eleven year old. That's a really negative customer-service experience every time they do that. And what if rather than just sharing, we order her something small - like an appetizer (not using her credit). Then they would have check not only if she was eating but if she was eating something other than what we purchased. It is nearly impossible to do that.

The only situation on property I can think of where they do monitor what you eat is at Whispering Canyon where some order the skillet and some don't (at the same table). You're not supposed to share (and we woudn't) but I would imagine they overlook small bites most of the time. It's just a tough, tough thing to enforce without really being confrontational.

So Disney (in my opinion) is in a jam right now - unless they're willing to say "You MUST use a TS credit at a TS meal if you're on the plan." And I'm not sure right now they're willing to make that jump. And what if we're on cash? Do you enforce no sharing with cash customers? I think it's a tough one for Disney. I personally wish they would just leave it alone.

Don't give them any ideas.

 

[clkelley]

I also don't think they are going to force non DDPers sitting at a table with DDPers to order their own appetizer, entree, and desert at al a carte restaurants if there are no other restrictions on the meal (such as Fantasmic dinner package). Charging an automatic gratuity to the non DDPers is a fair thing to do though.

 

[Lewisc]

I think Disney learned their lesson with the child/adult credit debacle. Many of us think Disney had to wait until 1/1/07 to officially seperate child/adult credits is because the brochure wording and CM answers to guests all indicated the credits were pooled. There are limits to what can be under the "subject to change".

The answer Disney is now giving guests allows them to change current policy at any time. It certainly sounds like Disney is at least considering limiting sharing in some restaurants.

I was in a restaurant in NYC yesterday. $15 charge for sharing or if a customers wants to have an appetizer as an entree. You either order an entree or pay $15 for you seat in the restaurant.

It is interesting. Several of us have asked the question directly, and consistently now, Disney will not say that you are allowed to share meals you've obtained with Dining Plan credits. They have a right to impose such a limitation, but I think they need to be a lot more clear about it if that's their intent, since despite asking the question three times now myself, I still don't understand the answers I'm getting in the context of the question I asked. What I do know is that they haven't said, "Yes that's allowed," which would have been the easiest reply, if it was indeed allowed.

 

[Marshay]

I was in a restaurant in NYC yesterday. $15 charge for sharing or if a customers wants to have an appetizer as an entree. You either order an entree or pay $15 for you seat in the restaurant.

Hmm, I hope this doesn't become a trend...I love ordering an appetizer, salad and dessert for my meal...it's the only way I can get to experience those...otherwise, I fill up too quickly on just the entree.

 

[bicker]

I think the reason why they haven't come out and said "no sharing" is because to say that, they really would have to say "each person on the dining plan MUST use a credit for each table service meal." Otherwise, "no sharing" is really difficult to enforce.

Well, I think it is important to keep a clear distinction between what the rule is and how they would enforce it. I don't want to live in a society where there has to be enforcement to get people to do what they're supposed to. 1984 <shudder>

So the question boils down to whether or not their intent is that everyone sitting at the table who is on the Dining Plan during a meal must use a credit (or not). That would be a reasonable condition for purchasing the Dining Plan. However, if that's what they intend, they really need to give us a better clue.

 

[Katiebell]

It's starting to look like Disney would prefer we don't share with other family members on the DDP, but they can't figure out how on earth to enforce that. They are able to enforce:

*No sharing at buffets, character meals (because you are paying for the "entertainment") or all-you-care-to-eat meals.
*No purchasing meals for people not on the DDP.
*No using children's credits to purchase adult meals.

But how can they tell a family eating at the same table that they can't share amongst themselves? It would be a fiasco to try to police that. Many restaurants even offer appetizers or desserts that are meant for two people -- or more, like the "Kitchen Sink" sundae at B&C (yes, I know it's not on the DDP, it's just an example of a menu item that is definitely meant to be shared). People who are not on the DDP share food all the time, so would they have to make a rule that NO ONE can share at a Disney-owned restaurant, or that only DDP guests can't share?

I wanted specific answers, so I asked these specific questions:

1. On the DDP, can we choose to order ONE TS meal, and pay out of pocket for a second beverage and any other items we want? Or will each of us automatically be charged a TS credit even if only one meal is ordered?

2. Can we choose to order ONE TS meal, and order NOTHING ELSE? Or will each of us automatically be charged a TS credit even if only one meal is ordered?

3. What if there are some guests at a table who are on the DDP, and some who are not?

4. If we are *not* on the Dining Plan, and we walk into a TS restaurant, are we allowed to share a meal? Is there a plate splitting fee?

5. If we have an ADR, but find we aren't extremely hungry at that particular moment, are we allowed to just order an appetizer and a couple of beverages and pay out of pocket, or are we required to use our TS credits because we made an ADR on the DDP?

 

[Katiebell]

"Please note, that on the last email it does mention that sharing is not permitted."

So sharing is not not prohibited, or if you prefer, sharing is not prohibited.

Wait, bicker...is this a typo? Because what I'm reading is, "It does mention that sharing is not permitted."

Which is essentially the same email answer I received: "If one Guest wishes to use a dining credit and the other Guest in the party wishes to order food and beverage and pay for it instead of using their dining credit, that is permitted. However, ordering one meal and sharing is not permitted with the dining plan."

 

[bicker]

But how can they tell a family eating at the same table that they can't share amongst themselves?

All they would have to do is require that families eat together, and if the room key says 2A2C then they consume 2A2C every meal. Not very flexible, and they'd probably have to change the brochure a bit, but again they could reasonably require that, if they really wanted to.

I wanted specific answers, so I asked these specific questions:

I think we can safely say that it isn't in Disney's best interest to provide specific answers. Even I'm willing, here in this thread, to use whatever they do or even don't say "against" them.

 

[bicker]

Wait, bicker...is this a typo? Because what I'm reading is, "It does mention that sharing is not permitted."

Holy crap, I cannot believe I misread that! You're absolutely right.

So in response to the direct question we've gotten an indirect but clearly negative answer -- not the double-negative I thought we got.

For full disclosure, here's the question I asked:
If we are four adults on the Dining Plan, can we visit Spoodles, for example, order three meals, and use just 3 table service credits, sharing the food from these three meals among the four of us?

And again, their answer is essentially: sharing is not permitted.

 

[eliza61]

Ok ... so will this work..............??????


I have been watching my weight but still feel that the dining plan is the best route for my family of four, so it is booked.

During our TS....when we will have the ability to order four appetizers and four desserts.......something we NEVER do.....could I eat one or two of the appetizers as my dinner and save my TS credit for use at another time?

Did some one already ask this, If you don't use your TS credit and every one else in your party does use their credits won't you be the only one with an extra TS credit? Way to much work for me.

 

[JennyMominRI]

And again, their answer is essentially: sharing is not permitted.

Ok, so If DH and I and DS go to a table service restaurant, ED and I can order a meal each and I can buy something for DS...This would use 2 TS credits,but we would not be sharing.. DS would pay OOP.
Is the waiter at the Ca grill going to run up and slap my hand if I give DS a piece of my Sushi?