2020 dining plan changes- game changer! DxDP - any plan changes or credit sharing issues?

[SouthFayetteFan]

******* Just off the phone with a CM
Children will expected to be confined to the 'Children's Section" of all buffets going forward. That about does it for us with the Dining plan. We (DVC) are going with another family with 3 children (9, 8 & 5) in the summer. The DP makes it easier to handle $$ but I cannot imagine confining the children to the choices at the Children's section. It was going to be tough enough at Flame Tree and other places but we could get around it. Not so much at Character Dining.

At the risk of a lot of flaming, you should probably just delete this because it simply is not true no matter what you were told. And even if there were a kernel of truth here, there is no way for Disney to enforce this.

(I say this in the nicest way possible)

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I am not trying to contest what you have been told, but this is hard to believe... how would they reinforce it? And how would they explain this to people who are not on the dining plan and are paying a premium price for a kids buffet?
Sorry but I think this CM did not know what he was talking about!

He was quite adamant. I said, "what happens if the child eats something off the mother's plate"? He said, "M'am, that will be up to the restaurant's manager but they are expected to follow the rules and the rule is: Children are to eat from the designated section". I

 

[otterpop]

...now my Child's snack credits only being used for specific Child "snacks" idea I posted earlier doesn't seem so far-fetched!

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

How in the world would they enforce this? Are they going to ID kids at the buffet line? Give you a wristband like at a bar? Is your server going to inspect the plates you bring back to the table and charge you an adult price if there’s something from that section on your plate?
Not arguing with you of course, just genuinely curious how this would even work.

I have the same concern. I called 1. To make sure it is still one TS deducted from the Children's' credits and 2. to ask about the available choices. Call was 32 min 31 sec - much of that was the wait as we only conversed for ~4 minutes.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

...now my Child's snack credits only being used for specific Child "snacks" idea I posted earlier doesn't seem so far-fetched!

I read the entire thread before placing the call because I am at the 201st. dayso 180 is right around the corner.

 

[otterpop]

Here's another one for you; for next years Dining Plans, to make them look more attractive, each Adult credit will come with 10 squares of toilet paper and each Child credit will come with 5 squares!

 

[Disneylover99]

Is anyone else thinking of buying stock in mac&cheese, chicken nuggets, carrots and grapes? Lol.

 

[sharonabe]

I read the entire thread before placing the call because I am at the 201st. dayso 180 is right around the corner.

If your trip is still that far off, you have plenty of time to see how this shakes out. As others have said, there's no way for them to enforce such a thing. I think the phone CM is just giving their own interpretation to the "kids must eat from the kid's menu where available." There's a very good chance they've never been to Disney and have no idea how any of this works. I wouldn't worry about it and would definitely go ahead and make ADRs where you want to eat, including buffets.

 

[gwynne]

******* Just off the phone with a CM
Children will expected to be confined to the 'Children's Section" of all buffets going forward. That about does it for us with the Dining plan. We (DVC) are going with another family with 3 children (9, 8 & 5) in the summer. The DP makes it easier to handle $$ but I cannot imagine confining the children to the choices at the Children's section. It was going to be tough enough at Flame Tree and other places but we could get around it. Not so much at Character Dining.

I appreciate you sharing what you were told. I have a couple of questions.
What kind of cm were you talking to?
What seemed to cause them to pass on this info?

I wonder how much experience the cm has had with WDW buffets. Any big change in policy doesn't seem to me to be enforceable. In addition, adults like to partake of some of the items on the "kids" section.

Just to add, if it was a phone dining cm they are notorious for being befuddled about many things. Trust me. I have years of booking food and wine events where I've had to carefully and politely walk them through the process.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

At the risk of a lot of flaming, you should probably just delete this because it simply is not true no matter what you were told. And even if there were a kernel of truth here, there is no way for Disney to enforce this.

Flaming? You or me? I am not afraid - I've been around for a loooonnngg time. I have the cellphone record and Disney has a log of the call. I believe it will be almost impossible to enforce but I was curious what they would say and I had to clarify the 1 child TS credit for buffets because I was still thinking it was totally worth it if we could do Character TS and also not have to settle checks between the families -us (2 adults) and them (2 adults + 3 children). Lots of QS places had at least one interesting food choice and snack credits could supplement meals.

I will state my opinion for the change is simple: Alcohol. It is MY OPINION. Looking ahead under the old rules. One adult sits with the 3 kids. 3 adults go up order 6 QS meals and gets 6 drinks (3 were technically from the child credits but the system didn't know) with alcohol and pay for 3 water/juice beverages because nobody is giving children alcohol on my watch ever but I digress. The other adult goes up and orders a QS with a drink. The 4 adults now have 7 drinks. I am certain this was happening just by reading all the crazy throw away and room splitting posts. My head was dizzier than consuming two glasses of wine at lunch.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Here's another one for you; for next years Dining Plans, to make them look more attractive, each Adult credit will come with 10 squares of toilet paper and each Child credit will come with 5 squares!

You must be reading my DVC OKW posts.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Flaming? You or me? I am not afraid - I've been around for a loooonnngg time. I have the cellphone record and Disney has a log of the call. I believe it will be almost impossible to enforce but I was curious what they would say and I had to clarify the 1 child TS credit for buffets because I was still thinking it was totally worth it if we could do Character TS and also not have to settle checks between the families -us (2 adults) and them (2 adults + 3 children). Lots of QS places had at least one interesting food choice and snack credits could supplement meals.

I will state my opinion for the change is simple: Alcohol. It is MY OPINION. Looking ahead under the old rules. One adult sits with the 3 kids. 3 adults go up order 6 QS meals and gets 6 drinks (3 were technically from the child credits but the system didn't know) with alcohol and pay for 3 water/juice beverages because nobody is giving children alcohol on my watch ever but I digress. The other adult goes up and orders a QS with a drink. The 4 adults now have 7 drinks. I am certain this was happening just by reading all the crazy throw away and room splitting posts. My head was dizzier than consuming two glasses of wine at lunch.

You do you my friend... But you clearly have to know this is not true.

 

[SaintsManiac]

How would they enforce who gets what on a buffet? That CM wins the award for worst information given and that is saying something.

 

[gwynne]

How would they enforce who gets what on a buffet? That CM wins the award for worst information given and that is saying something.

I totally agree.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I appreciate you sharing what you were told. I have a couple of questions.
What kind of cm were you talking to?
What seemed to cause them to pass on this info?

I wonder how much experience the cm has had with WDW buffets. Any big change in policy doesn't seem to me to be enforceable. In addition, adults like to partake of some of the items on the "kids" section.

Just to add, if it was a phone dining cm they are notorious for being befuddled about many things. Trust me. I have years of booking food and wine events where I've had to carefully and politely walk them through the process.

Middle aged man. Sounded like he was onsite. I asked about the changes to the 2020 dining plan. I wanted to confirm it would be 1 TS credit for children for most buffets unless otherwise stated like Hoop Dee Do (a show). I also asked about the Children's menu which prompted him to state the children would be confined the eating from the Children's Section...and I pushed it to what if they ate off their mother's plate...he sounded a bit retired military.

 

[gwynne]

Middle aged man. Sounded like he was onsite. I asked about the changes to the 2020 dining plan. I wanted to confirm it would be 1 TS credit for children for most buffets unless otherwise stated like Hoop Dee Do (a show). I also asked about the Children's menu which prompted him to state the children would be confined the eating from the Children's Section...and I pushed it to what if they ate off their mother's plate...he sounded a bit retired military.

That must have been so frustrating.
If it were me, I'd keep my ressies and not worry. I would put his info in the ridiculous and totally unenforceable category.
And I'm sorry he sounded sort of gruff.
Crazy stuff, huh?

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

You do you my friend... But you clearly have to know this is not true.

Disney will install stomach readers.

 

[CalSea12]

Middle aged man. Sounded like he was onsite. I asked about the changes to the 2020 dining plan. I wanted to confirm it would be 1 TS credit for children for most buffets unless otherwise stated like Hoop Dee Do (a show). I also asked about the Children's menu which prompted him to state the children would be confined the eating from the Children's Section...and I pushed it to what if they ate off their mother's plate...he sounded a bit retired military.

I am pretty sure none of the call center CM are on-site... please someone let me know if I am wrong. There are many people who answer Disneys phones that don't "work" for Disney. Unfortunately, CM do not really many times know what in the world is going on.

There is no way to enforce children only eating from the children's section. If I must I will keep it on my plate and feed my child off my plate. I am very curious to see what "management" has to say to me.

 

[sharonabe]

I asked about the changes to the 2020 dining plan. I wanted to confirm it would be 1 TS credit for children for most buffets unless otherwise stated like Hoop Dee Do (a show).

May I ask why you were concerned about TS credits for buffets? I've not seen anything anywhere about changing the credits needed for buffets.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I am pretty sure none of the call center CM are on-site... please someone let me know if I am wrong. There are many people who answer Disneys phones that don't "work" for Disney. Unfortunately, CM do not really many times know what in the world is going on.

There is no way to enforce children only eating from the children's section. If I must I will keep it on my plate and feed my child off my plate. I am very curious to see what "management" has to say to me.

I chose the "on-site" descriptor carefully to answer the real question I think I was being asked. I shall not answer anymore questions about that.

I can imagine (yes, really can, if they wanted to - everything is about man power and $$) Disney policing children taking things off the buffet but certainly not what is eaten at the table.