Sharing table credit meals on dining plan

L

liveforholidays

Member
Original Poster
Hi
I have a question that I hope some of you can help me with regarding our trip to the Polynesian in October. Our family of 4 have got free dining for our two week trip. We are two adults and two kids aged 13 and 10. The kids ages mean that they are classed as adults on the dining plan and they do love good food and will choose adventurously from adult menus. However they don't have huge appetites and I doubt they will be able to eat the large portions given to adults. Will table service restaurants allow us to order 1 adult meal and split it between the two kids. I don't like wasting food and would hate to see lots of half finished meals going back, and neither do I want to keep using 2 credits if we could order 1 for them to share. We are quite keen to visit a couple of signature restaurants during our trip so any saved credits would help!
Thanks for your help!
 
Deranged Hermit

Deranged Hermit

Active Member
liveforholidays said:
Hi
I have a question that I hope some of you can help me with regarding our trip to the Polynesian in October. Our family of 4 have got free dining for our two week trip. We are two adults and two kids aged 13 and 10. The kids ages mean that they are classed as adults on the dining plan and they do love good food and will choose adventurously from adult menus. However they don't have huge appetites and I doubt they will be able to eat the large portions given to adults. Will table service restaurants allow us to order 1 adult meal and split it between the two kids. I don't like wasting food and would hate to see lots of half finished meals going back, and neither do I want to keep using 2 credits if we could order 1 for them to share. We are quite keen to visit a couple of signature restaurants during our trip so any saved credits would help!
Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
No,they don't allow that.
 
Lucky

Lucky

Well-Known Member
liveforholidays said:
Hi
I have a question that I hope some of you can help me with regarding our trip to the Polynesian in October. Our family of 4 have got free dining for our two week trip. We are two adults and two kids aged 13 and 10. The kids ages mean that they are classed as adults on the dining plan and they do love good food and will choose adventurously from adult menus. However they don't have huge appetites and I doubt they will be able to eat the large portions given to adults. Will table service restaurants allow us to order 1 adult meal and split it between the two kids. I don't like wasting food and would hate to see lots of half finished meals going back, and neither do I want to keep using 2 credits if we could order 1 for them to share. We are quite keen to visit a couple of signature restaurants during our trip so any saved credits would help!
Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Yes, we've done that quite a few times at different restaurants, and were never told anywhere that it's not allowed. But it's possible that some we haven't been to don't allow it.
 
H

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
LuvtheGoof said:
Sorry, just my take on it. I was always under the impression that you weren't supposed to share meals at any TS location while on the plan, not just buffets. If it is allowed, then I guess the OP can have at it. Just not something we would ever do.
Click to expand...
Agreed a 100000%
 
Goofyque'

Goofyque'

Well-Known Member
It is allowed to split a meal, as long as it is not a buffet, character meal or dinner show (or similar). Also, Via Napoli has different rules, so I wouldn't count on it there. We split meals regularly, always advise the hostess as well as the server, and tip as if we paid 2 meals.
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
LuvtheGoof said:
Sorry, just my take on it. I was always under the impression that you weren't supposed to share meals at any TS location while on the plan, not just buffets. If it is allowed, then I guess the OP can have at it. Just not something we would ever do.
Click to expand...
I don't know if this in particular was ever an actual restriction, but the dining plan has loosened up considerably this year. It used to be generally the case that the number of meals you'd pay was equal to the number of people at the table and on the dining plan.

I've actually done the opposite of what the OP is suggesting, i.e. used more credits than the number of people on the dining plan. We've gone as a party of two without the dining plan but traveling with a party of four who did have the dining plan. We ordered one entree per person and paid a total if six credits even though only four of the people bought the plan. We obviously burned through our credits faster than one per day, then we paid cash for our remaining meals.
 
Tinkerbella16

Tinkerbella16

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
I don't know if this in particular was ever an actual restriction, but the dining plan has loosened up considerably this year. It used to be generally the case that the number of meals you'd pay was equal to the number of people at the table and on the dining plan.

I've actually done the opposite of what the OP is suggesting, i.e. used more credits than the number of people on the dining plan. We've gone as a party of two without the dining plan but traveling with a party of four who did have the dining plan. We ordered one entree per person and paid a total if six credits even though only four of the people bought the plan. We obviously burned through our credits faster than one per day, then we paid cash for our remaining meals.
Click to expand...
I did this as well in November. Went to the Garden Grill with my aunt and uncle who were not on the DDP, but I was. I was going to have extra TS credits by the end of my trip, so instead of them going to waste, I used them for all 3 of us so we would all be covered. At first I wasn't sure if I could do this though, so I asked the CM's at the check-in desk of the restaurant earlier in the day and they said you can use your TS credits however you like to. It was a great option. I don't think we would have been able to do that a few years ago.
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
Tinkerbella16 said:
I did this as well in November. Went to the Garden Grill with my aunt and uncle who were not on the DDP, but I was. I was going to have extra TS credits by the end of my trip, so instead of them going to waste, I used them for all 3 of us so we would all be covered. At first I wasn't sure if I could do this though, so I asked the CM's at the check-in desk of the restaurant earlier in the day and they said you can use your TS credits however you like to. It was a great option. I don't think we would have been able to do that a few years ago.
Click to expand...
It used to be "officially" against the rules but most CMs would let you do it. Now it's officially allowed, too.
 
jaklgreen

jaklgreen

Well-Known Member
You can split meals at the TS restaurants, no problem. We did this with our kids all the time. It is not "cheating" anything since you are getting 1 meal for 1 credit but on 2 plates. They are always very nice about it and they usually bring it out on 2 plates already split in 1/2. Nobody is going to force you to get more food then you will eat. Enjoy your trip!
 
L

liveforholidays

Member
Original Poster
LuvtheGoof said:
So you're not only getting free dining, but you wish to cheat the system as well. Good show!
Click to expand...
No! That's just the question - I really don't want to cheat so I am asking the question before I go!
Free dining really is not free because the room rates go up so much. It just happens to come with our uk package. I am perfectly happy to let them choose from adult menus and use adult credits if that is the rule and that's what's been paid for (inadvertantly) but I know they won't eat it all. I am not allowed to select for them to be kids on the dining plan because of their age, but at 10 years old eating those portions is unlikely! I hate food waste and yes I also hate the idea of credit waste. Me and my husband struggle with American portion sizes as proper adults but if that's what is expected we will go with it.
Goodness me. I didn't realise people would be so outraged by the question! Not trying to cheat anyone it's just our first time on dining plan!
 
LuvtheGoof

LuvtheGoof

DVC Guru
Premium Member
liveforholidays said:
No! That's just the question - I really don't want to cheat so I am asking the question before I go!
Free dining really is not free because the room rates go up so much. It just happens to come with our uk package. I am perfectly happy to let them choose from adult menus and use adult credits if that is the rule and that's what's been paid for (inadvertantly) but I know they won't eat it all. I am not allowed to select for them to be kids on the dining plan because of their age, but at 10 years old eating those portions is unlikely! I hate food waste and yes I also hate the idea of credit waste. Me and my husband struggle with American portion sizes as proper adults but if that's what is expected we will go with it.
Goodness me. I didn't realise people would be so outraged by the question! Not trying to cheat anyone it's just our first time on dining plan!
Click to expand...
Sorry for the confusion, but I was not outraged when I learned that it is allowed at most TS locations. I was mistaken as you can do it at many places nowadays. Hope you have a great trip!!
 
L

liveforholidays

Member
Original Poster
jaklgreen said:
You can split meals at the TS restaurants, no problem. We did this with our kids all the time. It is not "cheating" anything since you are getting 1 meal for 1 credit but on 2 plates. They are always very nice about it and they usually bring it out on 2 plates already split in 1/2. Nobody is going to force you to get more food then you will eat. Enjoy your trip!
Click to expand...
Thank you! I feel a bit better now that someone else doesn't think I am a big cheap cheater! I really am just trying to understand this dining plan thing as we have not done it before and dindnt buy it separately but it came 'free' with the U.K. Deal at the time. Trust me , with the nightly rate they are charging it is definitely not free but they were the dates we could do so we are going with it. To me, 10 year old kids do not eat like adults and will not eat a 40 dollar steak meal but split with her sister they will do the food justice! They will love being able to select things other than nuggets and burgers and I would not be happy with them eating like that for 14 days so if that's no splitting meals, so be it! We will just add to the huge pile of food waste for the planet that day and think how much happier that certain Disney fans are that we are not 'cheating' the system!
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom