Is sharing frowned upon?

[wilkeliza]

@Dakota731 I imagine you won't have a hard time getting 4 adults to agree on every meal. I don't get why people think it is that hard. How you describe it you are right $200 a day to feed 4 adults 3 meals while on vacation is not that bad at all plus you'd each get 1 snack credit a day.

The only issues you'll have is you can't share AYCTE and family style meals. So for those you'd have to use 4 credits instead of 2 so perhaps skip a meal that day to do that.

I believe you can use you DxDDP credits for QS as well so look at some of the bigger quick service meals that can be split easily.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I still think in general, for people who like to share, paying OOP makes more sense.

Why would it make more sense?

 

[Nancyg56]

I wasn't aware that the rules had been changed so recently! Thanks for enlightening me. I just truly believed if Disney didn't care about people sharing credits, they would have structured the credits and the purchasing of credits differently.
I still think in general, for people who like to share, paying OOP makes more sense.

I think that when Disney implemented the plan many years ago it was a really good bargain for families who liked to add dining into their vacation. There was a substancial savings and Disney got serious in regards to those credits and sharing them, making sure that only the number of people on the package used them, and ending with a use them or loose them method. Well the cost of the plan went up, the components went down. It ws no longer that carrot that Disney dangled in front of happy little noses to invent them to stay onsite, dedicating all of their dollars to Disney resorts, parks and restaurants. An all inclusive feel is a deal breaker when there are so many restrictions in place that it is less stressful and make more financial sense to walk away from that prepaid meal plan. I think that is why Disney loosened up the "rules". Why would someone buy the plan, allocate that number of dollars towards food that they may or may not eat, unless they had some latitude with credits that might be left over? None of us can know for sure what Disney made changes, but if the boards are an indication of how a lot of peole choose to select discounts, the DDP is not the major draw any longer, and once consumers let one product go, others tend to follow.

You need to take your own preferences out of the picture and think about how folks like to dine. My family tends to share. For instance, if we decide to have the DDP we stretch those credits to make sure we have three meals a day. None of us like to be terribly full after any meal, but we do like to eat so if some of us split a CS breakfast and lunch we have made the most out of those credits, and we are very satisfied. We can have the snacks we want and have a wide variety of meals.

OOP makes sense for some families, and the DDP for others, but unless you do the math, you cannot really know. The last trip we took, I went with a friend, We had the TIW card, and I am not sure if it paid off, and I am not going to try to work that one out. Most people here will tell folks that the TIW discount is the better one, but if we go by just this past trip, you would not be able to prove it by me. We did not spare the horses when it came to dining and the beverages we had with our meals, and I saw that it was a savings, but on this particular trip, with our party, I am not sure it paid for itself.

 

[Nancyg56]

@Dakota731 I imagine you won't have a hard time getting 4 adults to agree on every meal. I don't get why people think it is that hard. How you describe it you are right $200 a day to feed 4 adults 3 meals while on vacation is not that bad at all plus you'd each get 1 snack credit a day.

The only issues you'll have is you can't share AYCTE and family style meals. So for those you'd have to use 4 credits instead of 2 so perhaps skip a meal that day to do that.

I believe you can use you DxDDP credits for QS as well so look at some of the bigger quick service meals that can be split easily.

You can use the credits at both CS and TS restaurants. We used one at Flame Tree, and splitting that meals was not a problem!! My DDIL and I shared there and still could not finish the entire meal. Unless the plan changed, on DxDDP you also have two snacks per day per person on the plan.

OP- I always build a spreadsheet so I can see what meals we have booked and how many credits we are planning to use. For my family that is important because we do not always all Dione together for every meal, and while we have no problem paying for more if we need to, I have a problem wasting credits, and want to be sure that we do have enought for everyone.

In your case, I would build a spreadsheet and plan meals carefully so you know where you can share, and how many places you will need credits for everyone. You would be surprised at how a little planning can go a long way towards saving you money and enhancing your dining and making sure that you use the credits rather than throwing the food in the garbage. WE did this last year when there were three of us traveling. My DDIL and a friend went with me on an impromptu trip to see the last year of the Lights. We got the DDP, planned the TS meals ahead and added one Signature experience so we could see Holiday Wishes from Narcoossees. We used every credit and split two meals three ways a few times. We did not plan out CS options but still found that we had no trouble agreeing on meals to share or not, depending on how we felt at the time. The sheet did not take long to build, after we planned dinners, and provided a visual I could easily use to be sure that on our departure day we all had one TS meal together at Via Napoli (no sharing credits there) and a CS meal just before we hopped on DME.

 

[Alicefan]

I don't disagree with the practice of splitting meals, I just disagree with splitting the DxDDP as it was never intended to be used. I think the OP would be much better off paying cash for all meals.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Nancyg56]

I was thinking the same thing.

You might want to brush up on the new verbiage. It is allowed and is encouraged by Disney owned restaurants.

 

[Alicefan]

Why would it make more sense?

Because they end up with a bunch of unused credits I believe.

 

[Alicefan]

You might want to brush up on the new verbiage. It is allowed and is encouraged by Disney owned restaurants.

That's definitely news to me. They seemed to be such sticklers on how everyone in the room has to be on the same exact package that I would think they would consider this scamming the system. WDW in the past at least has never wanted to cut any slack when it comes to money. I'm surprised that they would let you give your credits to someone not on the plan. I mean I'm glad to see them slacking up on things like that...just surprised.

 

[Nancyg56]

That's definitely news to me. They seemed to be such sticklers on how everyone in the room has to be on the same exact package that I would think they would consider this scamming the system. WDW in the past at least has never wanted to cut any slack when it comes to money. I'm surprised that they would let you give your credits to someone not on the plan. I mean I'm glad to see them slacking up on things like that...just surprised.

Not anymore! I think that Disney needed to relax all those restrictions because for many families, the DDP is no longer a bargain but rather is the deal breaker they want to avoid. If Disney did not make changes to how their Disney owned restaurants handled the credits I think they would eventually have needed to do away with the plan. Alicefan- just for fun, start reading the threads that folks open to try to determine their best value in regards to dining plans or no. I bet that 75% of responders do not even ask for the family dynamics, but disparage the plan as a financial disaster, and suggest a multitude of ways to avoid using out. If that is not an indication of how the Dining plans are viewed by many, I don't know what is.

Disney is at a crossroads, IMO. They have priced all of the components of their packages at above the "sweet" spot, and need to find a way to make staying onsite, trapped within the Disney Bubble, not only attractive, but in a way that ensures guests do not leave the World with buyers remorse. Parks and resorts come in all price points and I think most folks know how to plan their stay to be sure they get a value from both, but the dining plans are problematic. People are taking a gamble on dining, and honestly, unless you know how your family likes to eat, and what their choices are, they may be an expensive mistake. DIsney wants that all inclusive feeling but doesn't offer a real all inclusive package, and without the dining portion, there is no reason to give Disney all your food budget, Once that goes, folks may also choose to stay offsite, and that slope is already in process I think.

I never understood why they were so persnickety about those credits in the first place. They were bought and paid for, so why would Disney refuse to let people use them, even if it was to treat a stranger to burgers and fries? I thought that it ws a shortsighted reaction to people trying to use what they paid for.

 

[Disneylover99]

That's definitely news to me. They seemed to be such sticklers on how everyone in the room has to be on the same exact package that I would think they would consider this scamming the system. WDW in the past at least has never wanted to cut any slack when it comes to money. I'm surprised that they would let you give your credits to someone not on the plan. I mean I'm glad to see them slacking up on things like that...just surprised.

We were on the ddp in August (four of us). We invited four friends to dine with us at the Biergarten who were not on the ddp. We were happily accommodated.

 

[Alicefan]

Same goes for the way they started charging for the non expiration tickets and now have done away with them all together. I think it's a sin to not let you give your paid for days to someone else. I mean that person is going to be in your parks and will be spending their money there...that ticket was paid for so why should they care which body comes in and uses it? That has definitely cut down on how often I can visit the parks. I used to buy 7 day tickets and go back over several visits, thus spending more money each trip, but now I have to really budget out how often I can go. Not smart on their part.

 

[supersnoop]

You might want to brush up on the new verbiage. It is allowed and is encouraged by Disney owned restaurants.

Where would you recommend "brushing up" on the new verbiage? As far as I know, Disney has made no official announcement or published such a change.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Because they end up with a bunch of unused credits I believe.

They are buying 2 Deluxe Dining packages for 4 people to use. The poster suggested they pay out of pockets, as it seemed to make more sense.

As the OP stated they are 4 people, 2 rooms. 2 people purchasing the DxDDP and will share meals, which is perfectly fine. With two 1 credit meals per day, they would only need to share 1 meal each day. Another thought I had was to possible register a 3rd person in the dining plan room and register the 4th person as a solo guest. That way they will have 3 plans, 9 credits per day for 4 people. Each can have their own meal 2x per day with one credit left over. At the end of the trip maybe those 1 credits could add up to a signature dining option, or a departing breakfast / lunch for 4 (because the credits really dont cover your last day).

Or, share plates. Disney does give a TON of food at each meal. No sense in wasting.

Big Kahuna Breakfast a Konas.... Who can eat that and walk the parks right after? !!!

 

[Nancyg56]

Where would you recommend "brushing up" on the new verbiage? As far as I know, Disney has made no official announcement or published such a change.

The terms of the plans are in the brochures, and some of the previously listed restrictions are no longer there. The "no sharing" condition has been gone for over 18 months.

 

[maxiesmom]

They are buying 2 Deluxe Dining packages for 4 people to use. The poster suggested they pay out of pockets, as it seemed to make more sense.

As the OP stated they are 4 people, 2 rooms. 2 people purchasing the DxDDP and will share meals, which is perfectly fine. With two 1 credit meals per day, they would only need to share 1 meal each day. Another thought I had was to possible register a 3rd person in the dining plan room and register the 4th person as a solo guest. That way they will have 3 plans, 9 credits per day for 4 people. Each can have their own meal 2x per day with one credit left over. At the end of the trip maybe those 1 credits could add up to a signature dining option, or a departing breakfast / lunch for 4 (because the credits really dont cover your last day).

Or, share plates. Disney does give a TON of food at each meal. No sense in wasting.

Big Kahuna Breakfast a Konas.... Who can eat that and walk the parks right after? !!!

My nephew. Every trip. And he still eats some of my potatoes.

 

[Dakota731]

I would think they would consider this scamming the system.

I certainly wasn't trying to scam anyone! I don't see why Disney would care if we shared a plate OOP or on the plan? We did the dining plan before and used every credit, and my math calculations showed we came out ahead. But it was A LOT of food so I though sharing would be better on our waist lines!

 

[DISNEY1975]

I certainly wasn't trying to scam anyone! I don't see why Disney would care if we shared a plate OOP or on the plan? We did the dining plan before and used every credit, and my math calculations showed we came out ahead. But it was A LOT of food so I though sharing would be better on our waist lines!

Great thought! You do whatever you want. Its your vacation. So for the question, Is sharing food frowned upon? the answer, at Disney, would be no, its not. (On Disboards, its clearly another story!)

 

[maxiesmom]

Great thought! You do whatever you want. Its your vacation. So for the question, Is sharing food frowned upon? the answer, at Disney, would be no, its not. (On Disboards, its clearly another story!)

To be fair Disney used to care. Being able to share credits on the dining plan is fairly recent.

 

[DISNEY1975]

To be fair Disney used to care. Being able to share credits on the dining plan is fairly recent.

Why are you quoting my post? Habit??? Your response has nothing to do with what I wrote. They are sharing meals...not credits.

 

[maxiesmom]

Why are you quoting my post? Habit??? Your response has nothing to do with what I wrote. They are sharing meals...not credits.

It seems to be all tied together as far as this thread goes. The majority of posters who have a problem with sharing have a problem with the whole credit/dining plan portion of it. And that was your complaint, the Disboards having a problem with sharing.