2011 Dining Plan Changes?

[DisneyDozen]

has anybody heard of the possibility of changes coming to the DDP for 2011?

On another board I read this....

there is a rumor that they are cutting the desserts off ALL the DDP plans in 2011 (Also dumping the mug from the QS plan- but the regular DDP will get 2 snacks per day instead of 1).

I guess the Virgin UK 2011 packages are out and that is the cuts shown. Not to say it is happening here, but I guess this has been a pretty good predictor to DDP changes in the past... Also, some kind Brit did the exchange rate for us and it looks like the regular DDP goes up to $46 for an adult (despite dropping the desserts) and the DxDDP goes down to $67 (from $72) QS plan is $33 (not sure what it costs now) and they lose desserts and the mug.

Just curious -
thanks,
D

 

[docandsix]

Goodbye, Farewell, Amen.

If so, as I've stated before, then we're done with the plan. Disney would then go from milking me for over $1500 per trip to getting a big zero, except for an occasional Dole Whip, as I find a legitimate and easy excuse for paring down my vacation budgets.

Such drastic changes (in addition to price increases) might be the beginning of the end for the DDP, which many readers around here would applaud anyway.

 

[kimmychad]

I agree that the ddp is probably on its last legs, but I don't understand why disney doesn't just drop it, why keep screwing with it and making it less and less attractive to guests?

 

[jakeman]

I agree that the ddp is probably on its last legs, but I don't understand why disney doesn't just drop it, why keep screwing with it and making it less and less attractive to guests?

Because it's easier to justify killing something to your boss if you can show it isn't performing well (see Pleasure Island).

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I agree this change is silly.

Keep in mind that these details are from the UK side, and nothing has officially been announced for 2011 packages by Disney and won't be till they arrive in August most likely.

Also keep in mind that the UK deals are sometimes different that the US ones, and that package is describing their free dining in 2011 offer, which may be different from the standard plan. Wouldn't be the first time.

I'm taking the wait and see approach.

 

[cabihler]

ummmm DDP

okay so i have used the DDP only 2 times in all my trips. honestly i liked using it both times i did but then i was with my daughter, son-in-law & 2 grandkids who had the DDxDP. i found that i each day used i would have spent more than what the DDP costed me.

NOWWWWW with the above said i have to admit that if i am taking a solo trip or go with my younger daughter then i would not use the DDP. WHYYYY? because we do far less sit down dinners, usually only le cellier and tepan edo. thus it has less value to me. the real problem to me is that to make full use of DDP you need to use the ADRs and thus you need to structure your whole trip (which park you go to or time you go there) around your ADR and not what you feel like doing. I REALLY MISS being able to go in each day and decide hmmm i want to eat here or there. my way of thinking is DO AWAY WITH the ADRs completely except for SIGNATURE dining and thus the only reservations for that day would be from ONLY RESORTS guests that day, to me this would make the walkup requests possible again.

now for the wrapup.... from reading these forums and the suggestions from posters i think that someone in disney too read them and the dropping of the dessert is something most posters said they are okay with IF they got something else instead and i think that something else is the extra snack. TP ME on the surface this seems like a good move on disney's part but the problem is the additional cost especially given that they may be dropping the cost of the DDxDP. if you REALLY like sit downs, like my elder daughter;s family, then the DDxDP makes far more sense and a better bargain than the DDP. SO I AGREE that someone in disney is trying to setup the DDP so eventually it could be dropped in favor of having only the QSP and the DDxDP.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I agree this change is silly.

Keep in mind that these details are from the UK side, and nothing has officially been announced for 2011 packages by Disney and won't be till they arrive in August most likely.

Also keep in mind that the UK deals are sometimes different that the US ones, and that package is describing their free dining in 2011 offer, which may be different from the standard plan. Wouldn't be the first time.

I'm taking the wait and see approach.

I think you'll find what been unveiled here is what will be announced in the US soon, the plan as described is now appearing on other tour operators sites. The management of a multi tire system would make it difficult to manage as well as a pain for servers.

Lets hope its the death throws of the DP

 

[Mouse Man]

So my question, if the DDP does indeed go away, will this mean the Platinum plan will stay? or will this die to?? Planning a trip already for 2012 because the DWF and I will be taking our grandson for his first Disney trip ever. He will be five years old at the time we are planning to go all out on this trip for him and of course us. We are planning 10 days and ten nights at the Wilderness Lodge, renting boats, getting a family picture, going to see cirque, special fireworks seating and so on and of course Dinning.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Lets hope its the death throws of the DP

There have been versions of a dining plan since 1997 if not before. From Food and Fun in 1997, to a slightly different name in 1999, to the Dream Maker Silver/Gold plans in the early 2000's, to the DDP in 2005, it just keeps changing.

IMHO, a dining plan will NEVER die, it may just have a rebirth/reincarnation, like a phoenix from the ashes.

For the general public, there will ALWAYS be some type of demand for a pre-paid dining plan.

 

[audiotinker]

What the????

Is anyone else just really annoyed by this and the fact that they are raising the prices in 2011 yet again. Here are my observations:

1. Raising the price of tickets in 2011
2. Raising the price of DDP in 2011
3. Possibly taking the dessert option off the DDP in 2011
4. At a value resort for two people to stay a week will cost around 4 K (including flights, rental car, DDP, hotel, park hoppers, misc.)

This seems to me a great way to LOSE MONEY considering most families, unless you have a loose 4K lying around, won't be able to afford to go. Getting the DDP will no longer be worth it and trying to afford food otherwise is going to be challenging. The larger restaurants will definitely lose money on families. No family with children is going to take their kids to San Angel and spend around $150-200 for dinner, they are going to march right over to the Cantina (excuse me... I mean Hacienda!) and get dinner for under $30 bucks for the whole fam. My husband and I would still go, and I don't think they would lose much on couples, but nobody is going to get appetizers or desserts, much less a cocktail when the average price of food (which will eventually go up as well) is around $30 a plate. Multiply that by three meals a day for a week and its ridiculous. Part of the reason everyone gets the DDP is because it helps them out. If it made us break even, then what's the point?

My Two Cents: I think you can't stop them from raising park prices. They are building onto MK. This is inevitable. Ok, let's say that they even raise the price of the DDP.... if slightly... this may also be tolerable IF they gave you more of an incentive to purchase it such as: Don't take the dessert option away (DUH!) and give the option to choose between dessert and appetizer (DUH AGAIN!). I'm a marketing genius. Someone give me a freakin' metal. What the cuss are they doing down there? :lol::lookaroun

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

There have been versions of a dining plan since 1997 if not before. From Food and Fun in 1997, to a slightly different name in 1999, to the Dream Maker Silver/Gold plans in the early 2000's, to the DDP in 2005, it just keeps changing.

IMHO, a dining plan will NEVER die, it may just have a rebirth/reincarnation, like a phoenix from the ashes.

For the general public, there will ALWAYS be some type of demand for a pre-paid dining plan.

Yes there has but none of the previous incarnations were as popular to my knowledge, and they certainly didnt impact on resturants the way the current plan has. The fact that they have been pruning the offerings indicates that Disney wants to make more money out of it, or as I posted earlier the mass appeal plan is to be phased out.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Yes there has but none of the previous incarnations were as popular to my knowledge, and they certainly didnt impact on resturants the way the current plan has. The fact that they have been pruning the offerings indicates that Disney wants to make more money out of it, or as I posted earlier the mass appeal plan is to be phased out.

Right...all the other plans were much more expensive that the current dining plan. I remember looking at the silver plan back when it was around and it was restrictively expensive as opposed to the current Dining plans.

While I have mixed thoughts on the dining plan, I do see it hard for Disney to just give up on it. There are a lot of people who use it, which means that those people are guaranteeing to eat on property. I feel like Disney will try and do what they can to keep people eating in their restaurants and not going to the Olive Garden down the road.

 

[MrsJackSparrow]

Used Food & Fun in 1994 on my honeymoon. Food & Fun was awesome.

 

[wdwmagic]

Next to FL expansion and Star Tours II, the death of the Dining Plan would be the best thing to happen to WDW in the coming years.

 

[zweltar]

Yeah, these rumored changes don't sit well with me. On our last trip, the wife and I were discussing whether DDP was worth it or not. This might be the thing that pushes us to try a trip without DDP.
While I understand the need for Disney to not lose money on a service or product, I don't see how they can think it is good PR to raise prices and lower offerings at the same time.
What I'm hoping is that they are trying to phase out DDP in order to return the park dining to a walk-up situation (although I doubt this will happen). It is very hard to have a fun, relaxing vacation when you're constantly having to stick to a dining schedule. My wife and I plan our park visits around ADRs, which allows little or no spontaneity.

 

[sublimesting]

We do love eating at restaurants we normally can't afford and I will definitely miss doing that but also you are very bound by an itinerary. Some days we just eat a walkup and get a pizza later but when you have DDP and feel like that but have 8:00 reservations at Boma you feel forced to go. Last year we sat there for days planning in detail where we would eat and what parks we would have to do each day....I do love to plan Disney stuff though....

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

If this is truly the begininng of the end of the DDP plague, I couldn't be happier.

 

[luvlifeinfl]

When we started going to WDW in 2005 the DDP included the gratuity so to us the DDP was the best, it was prepaid and no surprises since we always did a character TS for our kids. As the plan as changed they dropped the gratuity so now we have to take extra $$ to drop a tip to the server.

I also struggled this past yr getting the DDP since you can find the location menus on line and get an est. idea on the cost of a meal, I found that we were really not saving the up to 30% on a meal as the Disney site states, we basically paid more on the plan since we had to include gratuity. I wonder if consumers believe they are making out better on the plan but if they really had down research they find out they might not be.

 

[Ausdaddy]

Yeah, there's been some discussion on this. It looks like a done deal at this point and does appear to kill the value of the plan for any previous users. The issue is that new visitors or users that haven't used it before won't know they've lost value. I just don't see it killing the DDP.

 

[DisneyRunner]

I've heard of these rumors to DDP. The changes and price, will make me think long and hard about using DDP.