Help

[betteratmk]

:brick: I really could use some help here! We have a trip planned for March 1-8. We are paying for another family beside our own and we have recently had a large unexpected medical bill. I'm trying to keep the food costs down this trip but it is also the other families first trip to Disney. We wanted to do the DDP, the other family are large eaters. SOOO I guess it boils down to Can I reserve the DDP for them and not for us? They are not in the same room as my family! I can control how we order but not them!! And can you use Disney gift cards in the resteraunts? Like the freebie that was offered as part of the 4/3 deal? What about regular Disney gift cards? :veryconfu Any and all advise would be great. If we did Quick service I still would need to pay OOP for at least 3 dinners!

 

[tigsmom]

:brick: I really could use some help here! We have a trip planned for March 1-8. We are paying for another family beside our own and we have recently had a large unexpected medical bill. I'm trying to keep the food costs down this trip but it is also the other families first trip to Disney. We wanted to do the DDP, the other family are large eaters. SOOO I guess it boils down to Can I reserve the DDP for them and not for us? They are not in the same room as my family! I can control how we order but not them!! And can you use Disney gift cards in the resteraunts? Like the freebie that was offered as part of the 4/3 deal? What about regular Disney gift cards? :veryconfu Any and all advise would be great. If we did Quick service I still would need to pay OOP for at least 3 dinners!

You have 2 different reservation numbers right? If so I believe you can have one room on & one room off. And I believe you can use gift cards to pay (I know we use our Rewards Card), but I may be wrong.

Sorry about the emergency & extra expense and I hope everything is well now. If the other family knows about the trip I would talk to them. Explain that because of what happened the money that was set aside for the DDP had to be used. See if they can spring for that extra themselves or if they are willing (and able) to pay out of pocket or at least contribute something. If they cannot then I would explain that the trip needs to be pared down a bit and tell them that you will be bringing your own breakfast & snack stuff to eat some mornings in the room and save on the expensive snacks (though a splurge her & there will still happen). There are many nice counter service places to eat and maybe just have one special meal in a nice place.

You are being generous enough to pay for a trip, surely they cannot be angry with an unexpected turn of events. ((HUGS)) You are doing a really nice thing!! :king:

 

[betteratmk]

:hammer: they do have another reservation number than we do. I hope they would not be upset but :shrug: I really am disappointed that I have to disappoint them. But I am nervous not to have a plan at all for them. The menu prices can vary so much for dinners unless you are at a buffet. If gift cards worked I could at least say you have so much to budget with. I just hope it doesn't matter to them.

 

[tigsmom]

:hammer: they do have another reservation number than we do. I hope they would not be upset but :shrug: I really am disappointed that I have to disappoint them. But I am nervous not to have a plan at all for them. The menu prices can vary so much for dinners unless you are at a buffet. If gift cards worked I could at least say you have so much to budget with. I just hope it doesn't matter to them.

I would still ask if they could pay (or partially pay) for their dinning plan.
If they cannot contribute to the trip at all then gift cards would be the way to go. They have X amount of $$, use them wisely.

If it helps at all this is what we do... one big meal a day (B, L or D). and then snack/counter service for the rest of the day. Big breakfast? then snack @lunchtime and CS at dinner. Having a big lunch? We have a bagel & coffee or granola bars/drink for the kids and then a big lunch and CS for dinner.
Light breakfast, CS for lunch and big dinner (with a snack thrown in there somewhere). We always have stuff with us in the parks and bring a case of water so we save some money there too.

 

[disneygirl76]

I think it is very generous for you to pay for another family to go to Disney.

As long as the reservations are separate, you can specify each - the other couple with DDP and yours not.

I think a QS DP for all might not be a bad idea - and anything else, they can pay out of pocket as you would pay out of pocket for yours. That way you call eat together. And you can order some large portions at the QS plans. Have you seen the chicken finger platter at Pinocchio! WOW! It is so generous so I think a QS is plenty. And then for bfast - just bring bagels and breakfast bars to eat in the room.

Have a good trip!!!

OH - and YES!!! As long as it is an onsight Disney restaurant, you can pay with a gift card!!

 

[betteratmk]

We wouldn't mind doing some Table Service if we did not have the plan. :ROFLOL: I could just tell DS not the 37.99 steak! But I would be uncomfortable saying that to the other family! We can purchase some more gift cards as well to balance off ou budget for dining. Maybe buffets are the way to go

 

[tigsmom]

We wouldn't mind doing some Table Service if we did not have the plan. :ROFLOL: I could just tell DS not the 37.99 steak! But I would be uncomfortable saying that to the other family! We can purchase some more gift cards as well to balance off ou budget for dining. Maybe buffets are the way to go

The buffets would be a good idea, you can eat as much as you want.
There are so many different ones to choose from... we love Boma (sounds exotic, but isn't really), Chef Mickey & Cape May. A good all you care to eat breakfast is the skillet at the Whispering Canyon Cafe in the WL. :slurp::slurp: