My family of 4 (2 adults 2 children) are planning on getting the Deluxe dining plan and sharing it with friends who are also coming but have 3 Disney adults and 1 child. Can anyone tell me if the credits are definitely separated between child and adult? For instance, can I use my child's credits to pay for their Disney adult's (he is 12 years old) meals at table service restaurants? I hear some people say they are not separated so we can do it but I called Disney and a CM told me it can't be done (but I've heard they are not always right). I just want a definitive answer before I make the ADR's. Thank you for any help!
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Deluxe Dining plan question
- Thread starter DWhetstone
- Start date
No.
The only dining credits that do not distinguish between an adult and child are counter service credits.
The only dining credits that do not distinguish between an adult and child are counter service credits.
From the fine print in the Deluxe Dining Plan brochure (note the underlined part):
Disney dining plans are unavailable for Guests under the age of 3, but they may share from an adult plate at no extra charge, or an additional meal may be purchased from the menu. The price of the meal will be added to your bill. Disney dining plan locations are subject to change without notice or liability. Theme Park admission is required for some dining locations. Operational hours may vary. Disney dining plan meals and snacks may not be redeemed for cash in whole or in part, sold separately, transferred or refunded. Disney dining plan meal and snack entitlements are based on the length of your package stay at your Disney Resort hotel. The owners of the Walt Disney World Resort shall not be responsible for the non-utilization of package components due to refurbishing, capacity, inclement weather or any circumstance beyond their control.
I believe we are able to share the meals and snacks right? I'm not trying to sell them. We will just do the 8 table service meals between all of us and try to use the leftover kids credits at Quick service meals if they let us. If not I guess we will trade in some of those for 3 snacks. But my understanding is that paying for others meals with the credits is now allowed.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
Just a question.. if you're splitting the dining plan anyway, wouldn't it just be easier for each family to buy their own DDP instead of splitting the deluxe? I could be wrong, but it seems like the price difference wouldn't be too much.
I could have misunderstood and you're just sharing at no cost to them? It sounds complicated either way though.
I would call WDW and ask. Then call a different CSR and ask again. Finally, call again and ask a different CSR. Majority vote wins.
We haven't used the dining plan in awhile, so this is from memory and correct me if I've gotten it wrong.
One of the first things your server will ask is if anyone is one the dining plan. Just tell them you all are...on the same plan. Once you are finished dining, the server brings the check and will scan your magicband. At that time, the appropriate number of adult and children's meal credits will be deducted from the number available. Your receipt will show the number of remaining credits available.
Think of it this way for your family:
5 night stay with 3 adults, 1 child means
A. Total of 45 TS/QS credits (3 per adult per night for 3 adults) for the adults on the dining plan to use;
B. Total of 15 TS/QS credits (3 per child per night for 1 child) for the children on the dining plan to use.
Remember, any child 10 and up is considered an adult on the dining plan. So, you're going to have at least 6 adults sharing those 45 TS/QS credits; if their child is 10 or older, that's 7 adults.
Just know that by doing this, you will end up paying out of pocket for meals if you plan on sharing with the other family the entire length of your trip, since you will get either 6 or 7 adult meals for the entire group of adults. That covers lunch/dinner for three days of your trip.
I'd take @21stamps suggestion...each family gets their own regular dining plan (1 TS, 1QS, 1 snack per person per night). It may be cheaper in the long run when you realize the number of meals both families will end up paying out of picket once all dining credits are used. And it's impossible to make a meal out of your snack credits. Hopefully, the other family is staying on property.
One of the first things your server will ask is if anyone is one the dining plan. Just tell them you all are...on the same plan. Once you are finished dining, the server brings the check and will scan your magicband. At that time, the appropriate number of adult and children's meal credits will be deducted from the number available. Your receipt will show the number of remaining credits available.
Think of it this way for your family:
5 night stay with 3 adults, 1 child means
A. Total of 45 TS/QS credits (3 per adult per night for 3 adults) for the adults on the dining plan to use;
B. Total of 15 TS/QS credits (3 per child per night for 1 child) for the children on the dining plan to use.
Remember, any child 10 and up is considered an adult on the dining plan. So, you're going to have at least 6 adults sharing those 45 TS/QS credits; if their child is 10 or older, that's 7 adults.
Just know that by doing this, you will end up paying out of pocket for meals if you plan on sharing with the other family the entire length of your trip, since you will get either 6 or 7 adult meals for the entire group of adults. That covers lunch/dinner for three days of your trip.
I'd take @21stamps suggestion...each family gets their own regular dining plan (1 TS, 1QS, 1 snack per person per night). It may be cheaper in the long run when you realize the number of meals both families will end up paying out of picket once all dining credits are used. And it's impossible to make a meal out of your snack credits. Hopefully, the other family is staying on property.
See my math below. You're not going to get 8 table service meals out of the adult credits. And you'll have very few child credits left over to try to use for QS meals.
They are off property so can't get it. We got the free QS dining plan so it costs about $1050 to upgrade to deluxe but would cost them $1631 to get the standard DP.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I would leave the QS in place and pay out of pocket for any table service restaurants. @LAKid53 is correct, you're going to end up paying a lot of meals out of pocket anyway if you do the deluxe and share. It just doesn't sound worth it. Cutting back to just choosing a few of the tableservice restaurants you want, maybe do four, five, even six, and you should still come out ahead of what the deluxe plan plus out-of-pocket would cost.
Thank you for answering and figuring up what you did. Just to show what we figured up and please tell me if I have done the calculations wrong (I'm not the best at math). We are staying for 7 nights and have 2A and 2C. We figure that is 42 adult credits and 42 child credits. They have 3A and 1C. So 42/5 adults=8 meals per adult and 2 meals left over for my husband and I to go on an anniversary lunch. (they are watching the children for us). 8 meals x 3Children=24. 42-24 credits=18 child credits left over. These are the ones I am wondering if we can use at quick service places like Be our Guest for children and adults. We will plan to eat breakfast in our room (cereal or something) and just use the credits for lunch and dinner on the 6 days in the parks. We will not eat there on arrival or departure days so it will leave 2 meals not paid for if we can use the child credits for two quick service meals. If not we will just pay for the adults to eat at 4 meals.
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We figured up that for the cost of all the table service restaurants (which almost all are Character dining) would cost each family over $1200 but with splitting the cost of upgrading we are each saving a bunch just on those alone. We will mainly eat breakfast in the room and will not eat on property for arrival and departure days so will only need 2-4 meals either from counter service credits or out of pocket. Thank you for responding and helping me think this through.
DryerLintFan
Premium Member
Your math adds up but you won't be able to order adult menu items with the child menu credits. Are you saying for lunch and dinner you'll be eating strictly off the kids menu to use those credits? Even if they allow you to do that (which I'm not sure they will) I don't know that it will fill you up if you're used to eating adult sized meals.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
I just don't think the quick service restaurants are going to let you order all of your meals on child credits. To me, it sounds like you will be spending a lot more by doing it your way.
You could end up with a bunch of child credits left over.
I am hoping that @Master Yoda is correct that there is no difference in counter service credits for child and adult credits.
For the 8 table service credits they will be adult credits so adult meals and they are all at character dining/buffets anyway. It will only be the 18 left over kids credits that I am hoping we can use at counter service places.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
I learned after my first time purchasing the DDP, that I could have ordered an adult meal at Tangerine Cafe for my child, instead of paying out of pocket as I had.. since then I've heard of people doing this, but an adult meal was also purchased.. and usually they leave their kid at a table. I can't imagine Disney allowing an entire family to eat off of child credits.. too many people would do so. BOG especially sounds doubtful.
It sounds like a lot of money to spend on a risky situation.
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You might be right, I have already told them that the child credits leftover may not work for any other than the children and if that is the case then they will have to pay for those two meals for their adults. I had just read on another forum site that the Deluxe dining credits were not split between child and adult because they can be used at TS/CS and there is no differentiation between CS child/adult credits. I guess I will just have to wait and see. Thank you for your help!
21stamps
Well-Known Member
That person was wrong. There is a child price and adult price. They aren't interchangeable.
Good luck with your decision. Your math sounds like you are going to have 5-7 out of pocket adult quick service meals, for each person. I'd save the stress and not try this way. There's plenty of posters/blogs on how to "cheat the system" at Disney, but splitting a dining plan between 2 families isn't one I've heard of..I think you'd see more threads on it if it was successful.lol
Whatever you decide.. have a wonderful trip!!
