Trying not to be a free DDP SG
Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:32 am
I've been lurking for....possibly slightly longer than 24 hours. That makes this my fastest de-lurking ever, totally due to the hilarious yet respectful nature of the boards here. :waves:
I shall start by offering up an SG confession. My family only ever went to WDW on vacation when I was growing up, so statistically speaking, we were going to have an SG moment at least once along the way. We'd always stake out our spots for parades/fireworks ridiculously early to get the best view. But there was problem with this strategy for Illuminations when I was still young and short enough that up in the "front row," the fence around the lagoon obscured my view.
As we were determined not to be whatever the 80's term for an SG was, I would obviously NOT be going up on my father's shoulders where I'd block the views of everyone behind us. Instead, my father plopped me down on the lagoon side of the fence. A CM quickly swooped in to instruct that I be returned to the proper side for safety reasons. Stupid, but not belligerent, we complied, but after the CM left, we wondered aloud what difference a few inches really could make for my safety. Well, we got an object lesson in just that. A few minutes into the show, a firework launched from the shoreline directly in front of us. :kaboom: Never again did we make this SG mistake!
Now I have a question. I don't have to read between the lines to gather the general opinion on Free Dining here. I'm going to WDW with Free Dining next year (pause for the shocked gasps of despair). I am unashamed of trying to make my trip as cheap as possible, but I WILL be ashamed if I become an SG. So I've got a list here of things I will and will not do/say.
I will absolutely:
1. Keep my children from treating the aisles/other guests' tables/other guests' ears like a playground/decibel meter. In fact, I can promise my children will be so quiet no one will know they're there. (cuz I don't have any)
2. Let the server know before ordering that I understand I will be paying for appetizers, alcohol, and tip.
3. Use my inside voice just like my 2nd grade teacher taught me. (She'd be so proud. Personally, I'm prouder of my teacher voice.)
4. Treat the server like a human being.
5. Make reservations as soon as allowed.
6. Make the exact same number of ADRs as I actually intend to show up for.
7. Tip 18% minimum.
8. Kick my dining companion under the table if he's being a smartass.
I will absolutely not be so uncouth as to:
1. Utter the phrase "but only if it's included in the plan."
2. Utter the sentence "I'm paying ____ so you have to _____ ."
3. Attempt to switch from one non-alcoholic beverage to another.
4. Attempt to order something which is not on the menu.
5. Attempt to order a highly abridged version of something that is on the menu. (Except maybe at Akershus, which I hate, but then I promise not to get mad when it takes a long time to come out.)
6. Attempt to share a meal to stretch the dining credits.
7. Show up with more people than for whom I made the ADR.
8. Hide Le Cellier's pretzel bread in my purse, then ask for more.
9. Put a Contemporary restaurant spoon in my purse, then abscond with it. Ok, ok, I confess, I did this once. But I was 3 months old at the time! (Yes, I still have it, 27 years later.)
So my question is: what am I missing?
(PS the name is what a lady at the Poly called me when I was 4 and on a child leash.)
I shall start by offering up an SG confession. My family only ever went to WDW on vacation when I was growing up, so statistically speaking, we were going to have an SG moment at least once along the way. We'd always stake out our spots for parades/fireworks ridiculously early to get the best view. But there was problem with this strategy for Illuminations when I was still young and short enough that up in the "front row," the fence around the lagoon obscured my view.
As we were determined not to be whatever the 80's term for an SG was, I would obviously NOT be going up on my father's shoulders where I'd block the views of everyone behind us. Instead, my father plopped me down on the lagoon side of the fence. A CM quickly swooped in to instruct that I be returned to the proper side for safety reasons. Stupid, but not belligerent, we complied, but after the CM left, we wondered aloud what difference a few inches really could make for my safety. Well, we got an object lesson in just that. A few minutes into the show, a firework launched from the shoreline directly in front of us. :kaboom: Never again did we make this SG mistake!
Now I have a question. I don't have to read between the lines to gather the general opinion on Free Dining here. I'm going to WDW with Free Dining next year (pause for the shocked gasps of despair). I am unashamed of trying to make my trip as cheap as possible, but I WILL be ashamed if I become an SG. So I've got a list here of things I will and will not do/say.
I will absolutely:
1. Keep my children from treating the aisles/other guests' tables/other guests' ears like a playground/decibel meter. In fact, I can promise my children will be so quiet no one will know they're there. (cuz I don't have any)
2. Let the server know before ordering that I understand I will be paying for appetizers, alcohol, and tip.
3. Use my inside voice just like my 2nd grade teacher taught me. (She'd be so proud. Personally, I'm prouder of my teacher voice.)
4. Treat the server like a human being.
5. Make reservations as soon as allowed.
6. Make the exact same number of ADRs as I actually intend to show up for.
7. Tip 18% minimum.
8. Kick my dining companion under the table if he's being a smartass.
I will absolutely not be so uncouth as to:
1. Utter the phrase "but only if it's included in the plan."
2. Utter the sentence "I'm paying ____ so you have to _____ ."
3. Attempt to switch from one non-alcoholic beverage to another.
4. Attempt to order something which is not on the menu.
5. Attempt to order a highly abridged version of something that is on the menu. (Except maybe at Akershus, which I hate, but then I promise not to get mad when it takes a long time to come out.)
6. Attempt to share a meal to stretch the dining credits.
7. Show up with more people than for whom I made the ADR.
8. Hide Le Cellier's pretzel bread in my purse, then ask for more.
9. Put a Contemporary restaurant spoon in my purse, then abscond with it. Ok, ok, I confess, I did this once. But I was 3 months old at the time! (Yes, I still have it, 27 years later.)
So my question is: what am I missing?
(PS the name is what a lady at the Poly called me when I was 4 and on a child leash.)
(Although I know enough to be annoyed that Monster Inc's Boo can draw a fairly accurate picture of "Kitty," yet barely talks. Just sayin')
clipped that right out of her post upthread.