Via Napoli on Deluxe Dining Plan?

[kranzaldua]

Hello all! I've read a lot of conflicting things about Via Napoli and their acceptance (or more specifically, their restrictions) of the Disney dining plan. So I'm wondering specifics. My mom is going to purchase the deluxe Disney dining plan for our big family trip this fall. So if 12 of us went to dinner (4 of those are young children), could we use say 8 DxDDP credits for the table IF we get individual size pizzas and/or pastas? The way I read the Deluxe dining plan- each entree comes with an appetizer, entree, & dessert--so I'm thinking 8 TS credits would be more than enough. 4 of our party are children between the ages of 3 & 5.

I'm just asking because people make comments about the specificity of their use of the dining plan, and I want to know exactly what I'm signing up for. Any info you guys could provide would be MUCH appreciated! TIA

 

[ShellieMimi]

Every single person must use a credit. You can use the 12 credits to get three extremely large pizzas that each cost 4 credits, but then you'd also have the 12 appetizers (not sure if they'd just let each person use a credit for the salad but maybe someone else can confirm), 12 drinks, 12 desserts.

 

[Hopefully]

At Via Napoli each person at the table must use 1 TS credit.
So you will use 8 adult TS and 4 Child TS credits

 

[sharonabe]

So if 12 of us went to dinner (4 of those are young children), could we use say 8 DxDDP credits for the table IF we get individual size pizzas and/or pastas?

Highly unlikely. VN will not let you use one credit to feed two people, so I doubt they will let you use 8 credits to feed 12. It sounds like you either need to pay OOP, which would be silly with all those credits, use your 12 credits here and eat what you can, or save VN for another trip.

You can use the 12 credits to get three extremely large pizzas that each cost 4 credits,

I'm not sure they will even do this. Most reports are that you cannot combine credits to get the larger pizzas, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Still a lot of food, though.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

You cannot share meals using credits at VN, and they have done away with combining credits to get the larger pizzas.

 

[ShellieMimi]

You cannot share meals using credits at VN, and they have done away with combining credits to get the larger pizzas.

OMG. They really want to put families in food comas.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

VN is orthodox. And they mean it. One credit per person at table, individual items ONLY. No exceptions.

No "but he's only 4."
No "but grandma is a breathafarian and doesn't eat."

One credit per person. Individual orders.

 

[kranzaldua]

Thank you everyone for your replies. You guys are awesome! I think we'll save this experience for another trip. I appreciate all of the expert advice!

 

[senadler]

I disagree somewhat with what has been said. We went to Via Napoli with a party of 10. We used 6 deluxe credits for adults, and then ordered a large pizza OOP for others. This was not an issue. The only thing you can't do is only use credits for some at the table and have others share the food. As long as you order something OOP you will be fine.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

I disagree somewhat with what has been said. We went to Via Napoli with a party of 10. We used 6 deluxe credits for adults, and then ordered a large pizza OOP for others. This was not an issue. The only thing you can't do is only use credits for some at the table and have others share the food. As long as you order something OOP you will be fine.

Exactly. You can use a combination of credits and OOP.

 

[Colleen27]

Exactly. You can use a combination of credits and OOP.

But everyone does have to order, so there's no getting around the "too much food" factor in the OP's scenario. They could use 8 credits and order 4 kids' meals OOP, and VN would allow it, but the net effect is the same in terms of the quantity of food on the table. I can see why VN does it this way, because their meals are definitely attractive for sharing, but it makes dining there with any sort of larger group on the dining plan serious food-coma overkill!

 

[Pluto777]

At Via Napoli each person at the table must use 1 TS credit.
So you will use 8 adult TS and 4 Child TS credits

wow, REALLY? I never heard of a place that does that - are there any more? I need to know because we are going with 2 toddlers (one is just 3 years old and BARELY eats); I can not waste a TS credit on him - especially as it would be an adult credit. Actually I am very surprised they are allowed to do this, if I hadn't read it here I would never have known and it could have caused problems. Anyone know if there are ANY OTHER PLACES THAT INSIST on every person no matter how young using 1 TS?

 

[Pluto777]

I disagree somewhat with what has been said. We went to Via Napoli with a party of 10. We used 6 deluxe credits for adults, and then ordered a large pizza OOP for others. This was not an issue. The only thing you can't do is only use credits for some at the table and have others share the food. As long as you order something OOP you will be fine.

AH! Yes, we wanted to do something similar - use 4 credits for the 4 adults and pay CASH for 2 kids meals - are you sure that will be okay? ( I was wondering how they could refuse such an arrangement).

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They're not "allowed to do this," they're run by a third party and the third party is very strict on the use of the dining plan.

Yes you can pay cash for some meals, but everyone using DDP must use a credit, no combining credits and no sharing with people not using DDP.

 

[Pluto777]

They're not "allowed to do this," they're run by a third party and the third party is very strict on the use of the dining plan.

Yes you can pay cash for some meals, but everyone using DDP must use a credit, no combining credits and no sharing with people not using DDP.

Just so I understand; a couple has DDP credits and travel with a group of four (2 Adults, 2 kids), will the couple be allowed to use 4 TS credits on the 4 adults and order a kids meal paying cash for the 2 kids?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes, so long as you buy the kids a meal and don't just share yours with them.

It's not unusual for a party to consist of both persons on the dining plan and persons not on the dining plan. Just explain when you order which meals belong on which check (don't wait until you pay to do this).

 

[Colleen27]

wow, REALLY? I never heard of a place that does that - are there any more? I need to know because we are going with 2 toddlers (one is just 3 years old and BARELY eats); I can not waste a TS credit on him - especially as it would be an adult credit. Actually I am very surprised they are allowed to do this, if I hadn't read it here I would never have known and it could have caused problems. Anyone know if there are ANY OTHER PLACES THAT INSIST on every person no matter how young using 1 TS?

As far as I know, Via Napoli is the only one. There were a handful of reports of Beaches & Cream doing the same but it has been a while since I've seen one and I'm not sure it was ever consistent because we've shared dining plan credits there in the past. There have been a few other oddities with the dining plans and third-party restaurants - some allowed an individual to order a for-two appetizer, while others didn't allow two people to share a for-two item and limited the plan to single-portion menu choices, things like that - but even that seems to have gotten worked out over the years, leaving Via Napoli as an outlier in having so many restrictions on plan use.

 

[mommyboys3]

We've done a combination of DDP & OOP at VN twice with no problems. DH & I used TS credits & paid OOP for a pizza for our 3 boys. We shared everything amongst the 5 of us (including the 2 desserts). I can't imagine getting 12 apps, 12 entrees & 12 desserts there especially with 4 of them being small children. It would be such a waste of food plus drive your check up sky high & in turn what tip you need to leave. If I were you I would plan on using 8 TS credits & getting a pizza OOP for the kids. The individual pizzas are very big but the one time I got an entree (chicken parm) I thought the portion was pretty small so maybe do a mix of pizza & entrees.

 

[Pluto777]

We've done a combination of DDP & OOP at VN twice with no problems. DH & I used TS credits & paid OOP for a pizza for our 3 boys. We shared everything amongst the 5 of us (including the 2 desserts). I can't imagine getting 12 apps, 12 entrees & 12 desserts there especially with 4 of them being small children. It would be such a waste of food plus drive your check up sky high & in turn what tip you need to leave. If I were you I would plan on using 8 TS credits & getting a pizza OOP for the kids. The individual pizzas are very big but the one time I got an entree (chicken parm) I thought the portion was pretty small so maybe do a mix of pizza & entrees.

8? Why do you say 8 and not 4? there are 4 adults and I am under the impression it is a 1 TS P person ressie, no?

 

[sharonabe]

8? Why do you say 8 and not 4? there are 4 adults and I am under the impression it is a 1 TS P person ressie, no?

The original poster has 8 adults.