Changes to QS Dining

[junglecruise93]

We have just arrived today and immediately had a bit of a shock at our first restaurant (D-luxe) @ DS.

We have QS with 4 ‘adults’ - kids are 13 and 10.

Apparently effective 1/1/20, your QS entitlements are linked to the type of ticket purchased or hotel reservation and are actually labeled as ‘child’ or ‘adult’. The system recognized that we had 4 ‘adults’ and no children, and would not allow us to use a QS meal for our 10 year old. We swapped it for an adult and all ended well, but the cashier was shocked at the change.

I know many adults typically like to get kids meals just because they do not eat as much but not sure if this will be possible any longer.

I also asked about situations where a kids meal may have a choice that there is no adult meal version of and what would happen and the manager said unfortunately it may not be possible (but he felt like most restaurants would try to work something out.

this needs more validation but apparently is a big change for cast members as well as us and wanted to pass along.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

We have just arrived today and immediately had a bit of a shock at our first restaurant (D-luxe) @ DS.

We have QS with 4 ‘adults’ - kids are 13 and 10.

Apparently effective 1/1/20, your QS entitlements are linked to the type of ticket purchased or hotel reservation and are actually labeled as ‘child’ or ‘adult’. The system recognized that we had 4 ‘adults’ and no children, and would not allow us to use a QS meal for our 10 year old. We swapped it for an adult and all ended well, but the cashier was shocked at the change.

I know many adults typically like to get kids meals just because they do not eat as much but not sure if this will be possible any longer.

I also asked about situations where a kids meal may have a choice that there is no adult meal version of and what would happen and the manager said unfortunately it may not be possible (but he felt like most restaurants would try to work something out.

this needs more validation but apparently is a big change for cast members as well as us and wanted to pass along.

OP, that is a shock and an unfortunate change to the dp. I have read where all the dp's are like this now. If this is to stop people from getting a kids meal when they are not hungry, that's insane! Maybe Disney is trying to discourage people from using the dining plans as they might want to phase them out??? Why do this?
I buy kids meals if I want, and frequently do as I am a small eater. I don't do dp's so I can buy what I want. This is just crazy, IMO

 

[Hcalvert]

I think it is more to stop people from using child credits as adult credits.

 

[Master Yoda]

I think it is more to stop people from using child credits as adult credits.

This.^^^

Most if not all Disney restaurants have zero issues taking an adult credit for a kid's meal. The problem is using what is essentially a child credit with a value of about $7-$8 on a $15 QS meal.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I think it is more to stop people from using child credits as adult credits.

But the thing is, why do they even care? Do they get megabucks for each adult meal? Or is it screwing up the planning for the dining plan? I really think this is a ploy to get people to not use the dp's. Honestly, not everyone eats alike. There are megaeaters that are never full, and there people like me; an adult who frequently splits meals or eats kids meals. I know I'm not the only one. Of course, if you pay for your food then nobody cares like I do.

 

[Hcalvert]

This.^^^

Most if not all Disney restaurants have zero issues taking an adult credit for a kid's meal. The problem is using what is essentially a child credit with a value of about $7-$8 on a $15 QS meal.

I am somewhat guilty of this. My son can only eat so many burgers, chicken nuggets, and pizza. I have now been tasked into looking into what other QS options there are that serve food other than what I previously mentioned as well as rice (my son hates it since it is a texture thing for him).

 

[junglecruise93]

One additional note (just continuing to try to keep everyone updated and validate the changes)...

at Pecos Bill and the Outpost today for lunch, we were no longer able to get a dessert with QS - we were limited to entree and drink only (although you could get anything to drink - including shakes and strawberry lemonade).

 

[DryerLintFan]

Do they offer you a chance to upgrade your kid on the dining plan to an adult meal ticket? Like if your kid enjoys the adult menu more, could you upgrade your seven year old so they wouldn't be limited to *just* the kids menu?

 

[Hcalvert]

One additional note (just continuing to try to keep everyone updated and validate the changes)...

at Pecos Bill and the Outpost today for lunch, we were no longer able to get a dessert with QS - we were limited to entree and drink only (although you could get anything to drink - including shakes and strawberry lemonade).

I thought the DDP was like that for years now. If you want a dessert, you have to use a snack credit. I guess my question is whether or not you can still replace a drink with a snack at the resorts. They used to allow this since the people on DDP already had the cups for drinks.

 

[Master Yoda]

I am somewhat guilty of this. My son can only eat so many burgers, chicken nuggets, and pizza. I have now been tasked into looking into what other QS options there are that serve food other than what I previously mentioned as well as rice (my son hates it since it is a texture thing for him).

As was I. In many cases the adult QS meals offered were so large that we could split them with our kids and weasel an extra QS meal or two out of our allotted credits.

 

[nickys]

There was already a thread discussing this:

Dining Plan changes for 2020

There are reports today that the Deluxe Dining Plan is now showing credits for adults and children separately. This means sharing credits, or paying for guests’ meals, becomes slightly trickier to manage, and also that they can ensure kids are ordering off the kid’s menus (or that someone in...

forums.wdwmagic.com

@wdwmagic, is it worth merging this thread into mine to avoid having the information in two separate places?

 

[nickys]

I think it is more to stop people from using child credits as adult credits.

Bingo!

There were so many creative ways people were using the dining plan. Using kids credits for adult meals and just paying OOP for the kids’ ones. Adding fake kids to a reservation to get the cheaper dining plan and then using those credits for the adults in another room. And more.

This essentially shuts all that down.

 

[Hcalvert]

Bingo!

There were so many creative ways people were using the dining plan. Using kids credits for adult meals and just paying OOP for the kids’ ones. Adding fake kids to a reservation to get the cheaper dining plan and then using those credits for the adults in another room. And more.

This essentially shuts all that down.

I'm okay with it, but I really wish they would offer kids more diversity at the QS locations or least give an option to upgrade if you want to. This is the last year for the DDP for us anyways since my son was going to age out and we will not be attending any character dining after these trips. I already paid for the DDP for the trip and unless I want all the money credited back to my credit card, I will just have to deal with it.

 

[Hcalvert]

I'm okay with it, but I really wish they would offer kids more diversity at the QS locations or least give an option to upgrade if you want to. This is the last year for the DDP for us anyways since my son was going to age out and we will not be attending any character dining after these trips. I already paid for the DDP for the trip and unless I want all the money credited back to my credit card, I will just have to deal with it.

I am looking through these menus and see a pattern for kids: choice of a hamburger, chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese, uncrustables, or pizza. At Tangierine Cafe they do not even offer a kids-portioned sized entree that is not one of those selections. My son likes the swarma platter. Thank goodness my kid is not gluten intolerant or he would not be able to eat hardly any QS meals. Maybe now my husband will agree to dump the DDP.

 

[Jon81uk]

One additional note (just continuing to try to keep everyone updated and validate the changes)...

at Pecos Bill and the Outpost today for lunch, we were no longer able to get a dessert with QS - we were limited to entree and drink only (although you could get anything to drink - including shakes and strawberry lemonade).

That changed a year or more ago. A QS credit is now entree or combo plus drink. You get an additional snack per day now. So if you want dessert then spend a snack credit on one.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

OP, that is a shock and an unfortunate change to the dp. I have read where all the dp's are like this now. If this is to stop people from getting a kids meal when they are not hungry, that's insane! Maybe Disney is trying to discourage people from using the dining plans as they might want to phase them out??? Why do this?
I buy kids meals if I want, and frequently do as I am a small eater. I don't do dp's so I can buy what I want. This is just crazy, IMO

They are not getting rid of it. I kind of wish they did, as has done more harm than good and is tmreally not a healthy plan either. That said, next time pay out of pocket and save money buying the kids meals.

 

[nickys]

So there are a couple more examples being reported.

Firstly at Casey’s where there isn’t a kid’s menu. In the past the official policy was (and still is technically) if there was no kid’s menu a child could order from the adult menu.

But because there is no kid’s meal button, the system couldn’t process it as a kid’s meal. Their choice was to use an adult credit or pay OOP. This may be unintentional but for the moment ther will be this issue at any place where there is no kid’s menu (like the Fish and Chip window at the U.K. pavilion).

Secondly where people have asked and been told that the trade in value for a child QS credit will be one snack, instead of three. We’ll have to wait a few days before we get confirmation, because for now people will be using their snack credits. Once they run out of them they may try to trade credits for snacks.

 

[Hcalvert]

So there are a couple more examples being reported.

Firstly at Casey’s where there isn’t a kid’s menu. In the past the official policy was (and still is technically) if there was no kid’s menu a child could order from the adult menu.

But because there is no kid’s meal button, the system couldn’t process it as a kid’s meal. Their choice was to use an adult credit or pay OOP. This may be unintentional but for the moment ther will be this issue at any place where there is no kid’s menu (like the Fish and Chip window at the U.K. pavilion).

Secondly where people have asked and been told that the trade in value for a child QS credit will be one snack, instead of three. We’ll have to wait a few days before we get confirmation, because for now people will be using their snack credits. Once they run out of them they may try to trade credits for snacks.

I am thinking that some kids meals are going to be popping up soon for these places or they are going to alter their brochure to say if there is not a kids meal available, then you cannot order a kids meal at these places and pay OOP, which is ludicrous. One kids=1 snack is criminal---two snacks is more like it.

 

[Hcalvert]

Well, at least my husband agreed to scale back the DDP. I am going back to my old strategy of only getting it for one part of my split stay and putting the most expensive meals (i.e. Storybook Dining) under the DDP stay and paying OOP for the other meals on the other split stay. If I didn't have a split stay, then I would be cancelling it altogether and just get TIW. I'm still crunching the numbers and may go that way anyways since I have 28 days scheduled this year before my AP expires.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

They are not getting rid of it. I kind of wish they did, as has done more harm than good and is tmreally not a healthy plan either. That said, next time pay out of pocket and save money buying the kids meals.

I really think they are trying to phase it out, but maybe not wipe it out completely with all these changes.
We always pay out of pocket, and I get a lot of kids meals. NOt because of the cost, but because there is too much for me to eat.