People Angry Over Disney Dinning Plan

[Disney MDACK]

According to everyone's friend Mr. Jim Hill their seems to be an uproar over the new Disney Dinning Plan. If you ask me it doesn't seem worth it anymore.

 

[nolatron]

We never used it because we probably would never fully take advantage of it.

We most of the time don't get a snack during the day, and many times the DW and I split a meal because they are usually pretty big portions depending where we are eating.

 

[New2WDW]

These are the problems that many of WDWMagic members have said would come about with the change and now it seems there is proof. Well, as far as Jim Hill goes anyway.

 

[Hoop Raeb]

No wonder my server breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when I told her I wasn't on a dining plan. It's stupid that Disney's making the front line people deal with this. Just keep the rules the same and charge more. People will pay it.

 

[Master Yoda]

I doubt this is a big shock to anyone on this board. Disney changed the dinning plan from a no brainer, you will almost always come out ahead great deal to come out a little ahead if you really do your homework or get taken to the cleaners if you go in blind deal. All of us knew that this would not go over well especially with the guests that had used the old DDP and for what ever reason were ignorant of the changes. We all knew that the people that made this decision would not bear the brunt of his horrible change but the managers and the waitstaff would have to run point on this suicide mission. I do not think it will be long before the DDP either goes the way of the dinosaur or has the gratuity and or the appetizer added back on.

 

[Brian Noble]

I go the same time every year---late February. Empirically, ADRs are much easier to come by this year than the past couple. I'm guessing that this is due to the new (and presumably less popular) DDP.

 

[tink5417]

so i just got back and we have a server that we have met and known to love over the past 10 years... he is one of those people that you will rarely see in the same place twice.

anyway getting to the point...
the word is for the new disney dinning plan..

*there will be no 18% gratuity already added,
* you will receive a counter service, a snack, and your sit down, however for the sit down you will only be able to have a entree and dessert, and soft drink

other then that he said nothing else was final.

personally i think that for the sit down you should have the choice between dessert or a appetizer.
the changes were due to customer complaints of bad service...

we've been using this service since 2005, and i have realized that when we go there SOME of the servers are a unattentive and kinda push you aside, because they already know that they are getting their 18%

 

[imamouse]

I'm not a fan of the DDP (it's too much food), and I sent my feedback on the plan in general and the 2008 changes to WDW and received a reply saving that my feedback would be forwarded to the decision makers, yadda, yadda, yadda. At least I tried.

 

[imamouse]

personally i think that for the sit down you should have the choice between dessert or a appetizer.

I agree and don't understand why guests can't be given a choice between an appetizer or dessert - even if it means putting a dollar limit on the choice.

 

[The Mom]

I've never used the plan, because the old one was too much food, while the new one is too limited. I'm also someone who rarely eats dessert, but MIGHT order an appetizer, so it would be nice to have the choice. This is especially true for people who may have dietary issues; so many desserts are high in carbs and/or sugar.

 

[007mickey]

We never used it because we probably would never fully take advantage of it.

Same here, our appetites and cravings change daily. One day we want a turkey leg for lunch the next for a snack, the next day we eat dole whips all day long, etc, etc. I always feel like it would be a pain in rear to keep up with, probably just me not wanted to "hassle" with it.

 

[bfbulldog]

Is anyone really surprised at all that people are upset over these changes?

Fact is the waitstaff and the restaurant managers are the ones who have to take it on the chin with all these irate customers, not the upper level geniuses who decide constantly that nickel and diming people to death makes good business sense.

People are ticked off because the cost of the plan has basically increased by 15-25% over and above what they paid. Servers are no doubt getting screwed because you'll have people who aren't aware of the change and leave nothing and then you'll have people who are aware and will simply pretend they don't and leave nothing. Either way, I predict that Disney in relatively short order will announce an increase in the price of the plan and include the gratuity.

 

[Pete C]

If they wanted to decrease the plan they should have just dropped both the appetizer and the dessert and kept the gratuity, though they probably took a page out of the cruise lines bible on that one. Let people buy additional food out of their pockets if they want to. At the very least it should be a choice of appetizer or dessert like people are saying...especially with the trend of people cutting out sweets from their diets these days. I would get the plan if it was appetizer rather than dessert. I don't want dessert every night, just occasionally.

 

[Glasgow]

Maybe I am in the minority but the DDP worked perfectly for us. Whether on the meal plan or off of it, we order almost exactly the same things -- thus, we were always saving money on the plan. I understand it didn't work for a lot of people due to the amounts of food, types of meals you could get, etc..

The new plan seems to be more of a hassle though - it's not quite the no-brainer that it used to be, at least for us. Unfortunately we will need to reevaluate the whole thing next time we go. I suppose Disney made these changes in order to lower the amount of participants or address the gratuity complaints .. either way, I'm sure they weren't losing money by offering the plan because they probably would have just axed the program altogether.

 

[MichWolv]

My family used the DDP three times during free dining. It was more food than we needed, but we loved the plan, because of the prepaid (free for us) nature and the fact that we tried some places we wouldn't have otherwise. We had determined that we would certainly buy it the next time we stayed on-site that wasn't during a free dining promotion. But the changes probably mean we won't.

I actually told my wife last year that I expected Disney would realize they could change the TS to appetizer OR dessert instead of both without too many people complaing. So they get rid of the appetizer and kill the tip? Price goes up 18% or so, effectively, and you get less. Even for Disney, the effective 25% increase is too high.

I only hope that the complaining is so strong that the tip is "re-included", to coin a new word.

 

[ConstanceIrene]

Maybe I am in the minority but the DDP worked perfectly for us. Whether on the meal plan or off of it, we order almost exactly the same things -- thus, we were always saving money on the plan. I understand it didn't work for a lot of people due to the amounts of food, types of meals you could get, etc..

It was a very good deal when the appetizer and gratuity were included. In fact, it was too much food for us and we wound up taking homes lunches and snacks galore.

We won't be using the dining (not dinning, please) plan this year because of the changes.

 

[bradandsarabr]

Now I had heard that Disney's solution was that they are going to charge everyone mandatory gratuity - DDP or not. I thought I read that here.

 

[PhilharMagician]

With the cost of the DDP dropping only $1.00 and the loss of the appetizer and tip is rediculus. The is a huge increase to the guest.

I really feel sorry for the wait staff. It must be tough right now during the changeover. As said by the OP they are most likely being shorted tips from people not knowing or trying to pretend they don't know.



Does anyone know if any signs have been put up in the restaurants explaining the new tipping changes??



Another note is that in 08' the DDE members using the card are now automatically paying 18% tip. The tip is shown on your receipts. We started seeing this in November. We were not aware of this and I wrote in a tip on the receipt and then noticed it was already added. It was no in all locations that we dined, but it did catch me off guard a couple of times.

 

[Master Yoda]

Now I had heard that Disney's solution was that they are going to charge everyone mandatory gratuity - DDP or not. I thought I read that here.

That was a mistake on Disney's part in particular the Disney Dinning Experience department. They sent out an e-mail that was worded in such a way that it looked like an 18% gratuity was going to be added to all TS meals when in actuality it will only be added to those TS meals using a DDE and I believe a CM discount.

 

[mickey&me]

We used the dining plan in Dec., for the first and last time. It was a good deal, but I didn't like the hassle of keeping ADRs for every TS meal (b/c we wouldn't have gotten in without them). I prefer to eat 1 meal a day, and snack the rest of the time.

I feel sorry for the servers who will get stiffed on their tips, and I feel sorry for the guests who will get stiffed on service b/c the wait staff was stiffed on tips.

To Disney, I say, "Bad form!"