Dining Plan Changes

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DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
These are add-ons for the Magic Your Way package, one is the Premium Plan and the other is the Platinum plan. Both include 3 meals a day and almost unlimited recreation, tours, etc.

The Premium plan can added to a package when staying at any of the Disney-owned resorts, even the Values and Moderates, the Platinum Plan must be booked with a package at a Deluxe or DVC resort.
 
B

BeanSz

Member
Alztybrn said:
OK...so here is some quick math (BEWARE!) :lol:

Using 2007 prices:

Day at the MK

Lunch at Pecos Bill:
Cheeseburger - $5.89
Desert - $3.59
Drink - $2.39

Dinner at Crystal Palace
$28.00 (no tip)

Snack - $2.50

Total = $42.37 (what cost would be if paying for DDP features)

So...if you were on the DDP you paid $39.00 for the day, BUT now...you have to add tip to your sit down meal...another $5.04 (18%) out of pocket, which brings your total you paid ($39.00 DDP + $5.04 tip = $44.04!!!!

You are actually LOSING money by using the DDP :hammer:
Click to expand...


Change above lunch to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland -- buy 1/2 chichen - BBQ Rib Combo ($13.99); Chocolate Cake ($2.49) and Drink ($2.39). All other meals the same as proposed Total = $49.40. If you add tip for sit down at $5.04 out of pocket as noted to $39 DDP = $44.04 --- even if you bought just the 1/2 Chicken combo ($7.99), your new total would be $44.50 -- the DDP would still be a deal. Either way, you are making money!!

I love the DDP -- however, you need a plan how to use and maximize your return otherwise you can easily lose money. I also like the option of prepaying many of my meals in advance. I always supplement the dining plan, tip more, etc.
 
K

kennyj29

Member
As for me, I agree if they took the tipping angle away, I wouldn't use it. however, if they didn't have the snack included, it wouldn't bother me. When you eat two meals at Disney, that's enough for me and If I am dying for a snack I'd buy it. We had so many snacks left on the plan last year we had to pack them and take them home.............lol...........everyone must have thought we were pigs!!!!!
 
New2WDW

New2WDW

New Member
Another big fan of the DDP! I hope the tip rumor is incorrect also because I do not carry much cash to the park and if I had to leave a tip I would have to do a seperate transaction on my room key just for the tip. Snack thing - like others I could deal with the change back to the basics but I do love the options that are now available! :slurp:
 
BRER DAD

BRER DAD

New Member
Im a big fan of the DDP, but if they made the changes that are being talked about I dont think I would get it anymore....................unless of course it was during the free dining.
 
islesgirl

islesgirl

New Member
I have used the DDP twice and for us it works out amazing everytime. The tipping this isn't a big deal to me cause we usually tip on top of the tip so it would just be tipping a little more. The snack thing sucks. There are some amazing option for snacks of the DDP right now...I have gotten strawberry swirls, iced cappuchinos, root beer floats etc. Hopefully it doesn't change
 
RiversideBunny

RiversideBunny

New Member
Would it help all guests and vendors to understand the Dining Plan if they just eliminated the Snack part of it and reduced the price for the DDP accordingly?

The Snack aspect seems to cause the most confusion.

:)
 
WDWFigment

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
Pumbas Nakasak said:
No problem, just dont tip.
Click to expand...

I think this might be an unintended consequence that would occur if they took tipping out of the DDP. Either people wouldn't know it's gone (no amount of reminders are going to ensure that all parkgoers know about/understand that it's no longer included. The fact that SSE needed Mickey's arm above it to inform some that it was a Disney Park is evidence of that).

Others may be disgruntled when they learn tips are no longer included, and decide they aren't going to be fleeced that way, so they simply will refuse to put out the additional cash. These people will not reason their slighting is not affecting Disney's bottom line, but rather the waiters and waitresses who were not the ones to make changes to the DDP.

In any case, I won't be doing the DDP again if changes 1 or 3 are made.
 
D

DisneyEG

New Member
Do not like the Dining plan, never will. We spend less without it. Also, since the dining plans began I feel the quality of food has also declined. Just my opinion.
 
DABIGCHEEZ

DABIGCHEEZ

Well-Known Member
DisneyEG said:
Do not like the Dining plan, never will. We spend less without it. Also, since the dining plans began I feel the quality of food has also declined. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

Agreed... also know alot of friends & family that have used the DDP and said they wasted their credits due to too much eating!!!:hurl:
 
WDWFigment

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
I spend less without the dining plan too, but that's because I don't go to the same restaurants without it. Now that I purchase the plan, I make trips to a lot nicer restaurants. I think this is part of the allure of the plan.

I realize I'm not saving money per se by using the plan because of this, but the plan becomes more economical (maximizing my return for the money I'm spending--not necessarily getting the cheapest meals). Besides, sometimes vacation is about splurging a little bit, and this allows me to splurge without having to heavily monitoring my dining expenditures (another reason the plan is successful: food is one of the most difficult expenses to budget for, since it's rarely a fixed/flat rate, like a hotel room).
 
New2WDW

New2WDW

New Member
WDWFigment said:
I realize I'm not saving money per se by using the plan because of this, but the plan becomes more economical (maximizing my return for the money I'm spending--not necessarily getting the cheapest meals). Besides, sometimes vacation is about splurging a little bit, and this allows me to splurge without having to heavily monitoring my dining expenditures (another reason the plan is successful: food is one of the most difficult expenses to budget for, since it's rarely a fixed/flat rate, like a hotel room).
Click to expand...

I agree!
 
Kristia

Kristia

Well-Known Member
We have used the dining plan twice and have loved it. If they make the rumored changes we will probably not use it. I like the fact that I don't have to carry around extra cash for tips. The plan makes it easier to budget money for our trip. If they change the plan we will have to eat a little less (sometimes find it hard to eat all the food on the plan) and gain a little less weight! :lol:
 
sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Alztybrn said:
OK...so here is some quick math (BEWARE!) :lol:

Using 2007 prices:

Day at the MK

Lunch at Pecos Bill:
Cheeseburger - $5.89
Desert - $3.59
Drink - $2.39

Dinner at Crystal Palace
$28.00 (no tip)

Snack - $2.50

Total = $42.37 (what cost would be if paying for DDP features)

So...if you were on the DDP you paid $39.00 for the day, BUT now...you have to add tip to your sit down meal...another $5.04 (18%) out of pocket, which brings your total you paid ($39.00 DDP + $5.04 tip = $44.04!!!!

You are actually LOSING money by using the DDP :hammer:
Click to expand...

But you yourself just said that you didn't include the tip in that 28 dollar total for Crystal Palace. So, unless you are a total cheapskate, I am assumming you'd be paying a tip. So, a $5.04 tip is a given one way or the other.

Therefore, if you pay out of pocket and pay the $42.37 total, add the tip and your new total is $47.41. If you use the dining plan and pay the $39 total, then add the tip and you come up with $44.04. So you are still coming out a little over three dollars ahead by using the dining plan. However, I don't think you included tax on those estimates you gave. So, that $42.37 total, if I understand correctly, is pre-tax, so now you're out even more by not using the dining plan, even when the tip is no longer part of it.
 
jmvd20

jmvd20

Well-Known Member
Last time we used the DDP our sit down meals were all over $35.00 by the time you figured in the entree, drink, dessert, and appetizer. Most days we spent more on our sit down meal than the DDP cost us for the entire day. The DDP can be a great deal if you use it wisely.

Sure you can eat at WDW for a lot less than $40.00 per day, especially as we never get appetizers or desserts - but the DDP was a great splurge and I would definitely do it again.
 
Simba One

Simba One

New Member
RiversideBunny said:
Would it help all guests and vendors to understand the Dining Plan if they just eliminated the Snack part of it and reduced the price for the DDP accordingly?

The Snack aspect seems to cause the most confusion.

:)
Click to expand...

The snack does seem to throw people off, but that's no the only way in which people get confused/greedy. I actually overheard a guest asking a Pecos Bill CM whether he could use his dessert choice to get chili cheese fries since they were listed under a heading of "Sides and Desserts". :rolleyes: My opinion is that the DDP has created a culture wherein all participants expect all food to be theirs for the asking. They then start bargaining to try to maximize the value of their plan. Who hasn't heard someone trying to do something like trade in 2 snack credits for a CS meal or get a several snacks for a left-over CS meal on their last day? Makes me feel sorry for those food service CMs who have to calmly explain the guidelines of the program every day.
 

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