"Bad" info from TA re Dining Plan

[Henlady]

I have read on the boards about bad Travel Agent info in the past, but here is some that was given to a co-worker (who has never been to WDW before). They are staying 3 nights at All Star Music. Purchased Dining Plan. Having supper at Cinderellas Royal Table one night (2 credits). Their TA told them not to worry they will have enough meal credits to cover them and that they will have meal credits available for them to use on their last day too. I explained the dining plan to her and printed her a copy of the dining plan brochure from Disney's site, but she insists that the TA told her they will have dining credits for their last day too. So she is expecting to have counter service and Table service credits for 4 days(eating 2 meals a day plus snack), because that is what her TA told her. Oh well, unless something has drastically changed, I think she is in for a bit of a dissapointment. Have things with the dining plan changed recently that are not listed in the brochure, or is this just a TA who is not in the know??

 

[Mnchknbrat1982]

things haven't changed I would try to talk to the friend again!

 

[Pumbaa_]

No, you are right. You tried, but a TA MUST know more than you

You may try sending her to the FAQ thread on the DDP for her to get more information. Otherwise on their last day, they are going to be some very unhappy campers!

 

[jenseib]

I had a TA tell me the same thing basically. She actually added one extra day of tickets because she told me that for eac hday of tickets was how many meals you got. I wanted four and she said since adding the 5th day was only a few dollars more and I would get an extra day of meals. It wasn't till I came here that I foud out different. I didn't use her then because I felt she really didn't have a clue.
Is your friend amybe getting in late her first day, so that the meal credits would be left for the last day? though that still doesn't make sense since she is using two credits for 1 meal. I will tell her to come here then and ask. It is really sad that we put our trust in TA's and then get wrong info from them.

 

[Henlady]

They are arriving at MCO at approx 9:00 AM and will be spending most of the first day in the parks. In addition to the dining plan part, the TA told them they should get a ticket for their last day also. Now, on the last day, their flight leaves MCO at 2:00 pm, which means they will most likely need to leave their resort no later than 12:00 (traveling by ME). So if they go to a park Sunday morning, they will need to leave the park no later than 11:30am to make sure they are back at their resort for departure. Which means they will get about 2 1/2 hours in a park after paying a full days admission. Just didn't make sense to me. Oh well, it's her trip not mine.

 

[jenseib]

Well the 5th day added isn't too much but the 4th day(which is what they would have I assume) is quite a jump in price still. They are getting bad info. IThat TA I talked to as well was like that. Are they near Toledo OH. Maybe they are talking to the same one. LOL!

 

[Henlady]

Not Ohio, they are in Central PA. Maybe the TA moved. They are only there from Thursday thru Sunday so they now have a 4 day ticket. I will be very interested in her observations when she gets back. I'll keep you posted.

 

[TheBeadPirate]

And unless things have changed since we were there in Dec the ME usually picks up 3-4 hours before your flight. Our flight home was 3:20 and ME was scheduled to pick us up at 11:30. If that was me and I paid for an extra day I didn't get to use hacked off would be the understatment.

 

[Hannathy]

Even before I found these boards I knew more about Disney than most of the TA's I have ever met. I don't understand it. Disney is a VERY frequent destination and for them to not know anything about it is terrible. could you imagine any other profession where the professional know so little about a frequent product? I don't and they wonder why so many people don't use them anymore. I only used one at AAA to get the discount and parking pass and hated it so much I'll probably not use one again. Every time I would be there picking up papers or books etc. I would end up answering a question or two for another customer-that the TA either didn't know or was answering wrong! As it was I made my own air reservations,park tickets, and ADR's. All she did was the room.

All you can do is try with your co-worker. Maybe tell her again how early you have to leave for the airport. I bet this is their first trip and they are going to go and not understand why they can't see everything in barely 3 days with no plan, and how expensive it was for so little time in the park.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I have read on the boards about bad Travel Agent info in the past, but here is some that was given to a co-worker (who has never been to WDW before). They are staying 3 nights at All Star Music. Purchased Dining Plan. Having supper at Cinderellas Royal Table one night (2 credits). Their TA told them not to worry they will have enough meal credits to cover them and that they will have meal credits available for them to use on their last day too. I explained the dining plan to her and printed her a copy of the dining plan brochure from Disney's site, but she insists that the TA told her they will have dining credits for their last day too. So she is expecting to have counter service and Table service credits for 4 days(eating 2 meals a day plus snack), because that is what her TA told her. Oh well, unless something has drastically changed, I think she is in for a bit of a dissapointment. Have things with the dining plan changed recently that are not listed in the brochure, or is this just a TA who is not in the know??

Remember that you aren't getting what the TA said. You're getting your co-worker's interpretation of what the TA meant. Those can be one in the same but very often are two different things. In any case you've tried to warn your co-worker once and he or she can either listen to you or crash and burn. No sense in aggravating yourself arguing if your co-worker is not going to listen. And knowing that tells me there is a decent chance what the TA said differs from your co-worker's interpretation of what the TA meant.

 

[KatiebugsMom]

If your friend won't listen to you......have her contact the KatiebugsMom's School of Disney Dining Plan from Pittsburgh and she will leave with her eyes wide open!!! LOL!

I have done it personally 3 times now and make it my life's mission to educate everyone on the joys (and limitations)!

Also the 4th day of park ticket is a rip off. You have to be picked up by Magical Express no later then 3 hours before flight and sometimes earlier depending on resort, flight times and how busy the time of day. 2PM flight. No way to spend any time at the park. No sooner do you get in you have to leave.

If she paid out of pocket for the CRT meal then she would have a credit of TS for the last day......

 

[2cutiepatooties]

I had a TA tell me the same thing basically. She actually added one extra day of tickets because she told me that for eac hday of tickets was how many meals you got. I wanted four and she said since adding the 5th day was only a few dollars more and I would get an extra day of meals.

this is for sure not true. we just got back. we were there 8 nights and had 10 day passes. we only had 8 credits each for dining.

it is unbelievable to me that these TA's don't know what they are talking about. could you imagine if we didn't know our jobs and gave wrong information???

 

[jenseib]

I know!I'm so glad I found out the truth before I booked and went. I would've been ticked off to think I had another day of meals coming and then not get them.

 

[belle2594]

I feel for your friend but unfortunately they may have to learn the hard way.
our first vacation we went through a travel agent, but I am such a control freak I researched myself and made all of me adr's and itinerary plans. (She just collected the money ) Last year i made the plans myself. It was more convenient to deal with Disney personally. this year I went through AAA for the discount, but I had to let her know I am a Disneynut so she would stop explaining the basics to me.

There is nothing like a bad vacation, but all you can do is warn them. The choice is all theirs. (and maybe not say i told you so when they get back!!!)

 

[Luv4Disney]

I don't think the TA realizes that the meals are per night, not per day. Definitely a difference. I would talk to your friend again. I have heard of this before, where TA steer their customers in the wrong direction. If she won't listen to you, she'll be in for a shock when they CM tells her she ran out of meals. Hope you can convince her!