Dining Plan no more?

[typhoonguy]

It is possible that the dining plan will not be offered for bookings after October 2007. I'm not going any further on this one until I hear more info, but it is a possibility... Reguardless, what are your feelings if it was to go away?

EDIT:

I just want to reiterate this is a possibility based on an update I just received. There is nothing official, this is not something that has been announced anywhere and may never come to fruition, just a possibility I was just recently made aware of. I'm just looking to see how people would feel if it were taken away.

EDIT 2: As soon as I hear any information that is official, I'll fill everyone in. I'm still trying to piece together what was presented earlier today. I should also rephrase the above to the Disney Dining Plan may not be offered, rather than saying the dining plan. Take that as you will.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I would call this impossible. Disney has taken great pains to ensure new restaurants have added to the dining plan, and it has increaded the patronage of quite a few of the restaurants most people wouldn't try. They really hard-sell it, and I just don't see them getting rid of it as long as it was making as much sense to keep it around. Where did you hear this from?

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Wow! Where did you even hear a whisper of the rumor? I can't imagine that happening!

 

[LuLaSue]

We booked our November 2007 trip with the Dining Plan. We love the DDP well worth every penny to us! We have a counter service for breakfast (late morning) or and early lunch and sit down to a nice dinner! I am not particularly a big eater but spending a long day in the park and all that walking ...having at least two healthy meals is important to us.

 

[St205]

Really,really doubt it. I used it two weeks ago and its one of the greatest ideas ever made. The downside is having to do those reservations for most TS restaurants(I did it anyway).

 

[Monty]

I wouldn't miss the Dining Plan itself. I have used it and liked it, but prefer the Disney Dining Experience for the flexibility it provides. I would miss the possibility of the occasional Free Dining Plan that has been offered, I'm prepared to accept less flexibility for free food

I think the biggest problem the DDP has is the impact it's had on availability. I don't mind deciding six months in advance where I'd like to eat, but there are plenty who do. With the advent of DDP, spontaneous dining at TS restaurants virtually ceased to exist, alienating spontaneous guests and locals who don't need to make long range reservations for vacations to the World...

I know it was an almost constant when we were there in February to see people being turned away because of not having ADRs or being told to come back in two hours, there might be something. "Veteran" guests who know what to expect can plan ahead, but a novice who booked a vacation to the World without doing any real research and paid for DDP might be justifiably bitter if they can't actually use all [or potentially any] of their TS credits. I would bet Guest Relations received "an earful" from a number of guests.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I am still anxious to know where this rumor came down from, or if it was just to stir up some discussion.

 

[RiversideBunny]

This sounds like a wild, Class D rumor but who knows.

I personally don't like the dining plan because it:

1. Forces you to plan ahead for reservations and takes a lot of the fun out of the spontaneous and free wheeling nature of visiting WDW.

2. Causes unavailablity if you did not plan so far in advance.

3. 'Forces' you to eat more than you normally may have.

Disney has invested a lot of time and money into the dining plan at this point.
Maybe the rumor only involves the plan's being free or not.

 

[mickeysgal]

I don't see them getting rid of the Dining Plan all together, it's a good deal and keeps guest on property. I could see them getting rid of the "free dining plan" promotion. It's a lot of money they are losing, and people don't seem to have a problem paying for the dining plan at all. Maybe that's what the OP heard.

 

[tink rules]

Maybe they are going back to the old system when you had it on the Deluxe plan, etc...

Maybe in the long run they are actually losing alot of money on the deal.

People will complain and they will adjust...

The people waiting for the free dining plans will be the most upset.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Disney has had some kind of dining plan since at least 1997 when I first became obsessed with WDW, back then it was called the "Food and Fun" plan, or something similar. It later morphed into the Silver plan, which then became the MYW Dining plan - which I believe has been the most popular of all of them, probably due to the lower price point.

I personally doubt it will cease to exist; a dining plan will continue on in some fashion.

One of my contacts tells me that free dining this year is "very likely".

As far as the dining plan "forcing" you to plan ahead....I can't see the blame being placed solely on the dining plan. Disney started releasing park hours 180 days in advance, and also allowed dining reservations to be made in that window - partly due to the dining plan, but, IMHO, mostly due to the fact that tourism and attendance is on the rise.

-Joe

 

[DisneyMusician2]

The elimination of the dining plan just wouldn't work. It is completely increasing people eating on property, and that is the entire goal of the Disney resort: to keep people on property. I've never had a problem getting an ADR, and if you forget to plan in advance.... If you don't want to do a sit down dinner every night (as I do any time I'm on vacation) then the dining plan probably isn't for you. But you can still get an ADR without the dining plan.

 

[WDWFigment]

There are enough positive testimonials regarding the dining plan that I'm sure they quiet the complaints. I don't think there is much substance to this...

And I really hope free dining makes a return this year...say late August when summer is ending and crowds are on the decline...

 

[Alztybrn]

I think it will cause a lot of people to stay off site (I may be one) and if that were the case, there would be even more dollars lost. To me, the dining plan is well worth the money to stay onsite.

 

[New2WDW]

I would hate to see the DP go, Free or not! It gives greater flexibility (for my family at least) to try restaurants that we normally could not budget in during a trip. I also love having the financial part handled during the trip and I do not mind lining up TS before hand.

So, I hope it stays and if it is Free, even better!:sohappy:

 

[DisneyMusician2]

It is possible that the dining plan will not be offered for bookings after October 2007. I'm not going any further on this one until I hear more info, but it is a possibility... Reguardless, what are your feelings if it was to go away?

EDIT:

I just want to reiterate this is a possibility based on an update I just received. There is nothing official, this is not something that has been announced anywhere and may never come to fruition, just a possibility I was just recently made aware of. I'm just looking to see how people would feel if it were taken away.

EDIT 2: As soon as I hear any information that is official, I'll fill everyone in. I'm still trying to piece together what was presented earlier today. I should also rephrase the above to the Disney Dining Plan may not be offered, rather than saying the dining plan. Take that as you will.

But what is "a source"? Pardon my ignorance, but are you a CM? Or do you have an inside source? I am just courious as to a clue where this info might be coming from.

 

[mitchk]

I have used the dinning plan on my last 2 trips, and plan to use it again in May. I could probably do without it, but my girl loves it. Now that I think about it, I really enjoy the dinning plan as well, it enables you to dine in some places that you may not have before, or at least not as much, because of the cost. I hope the dinning plan stays around

 

[DisneyMusician2]

And if this is comng to pass, I wonder what the reson would be...It certainly doesn't sound like great business, but who knows...It would certainly make them less competative with their Universal Counterparts over there....

 

[tink81]

Disney dropping the Dining Plan? No way, it brings in too much money. Even with the advertized 40% savings Disney Resort guests save on food costs (if you wold normally eat the amount of food that is included in the DDP) by adding the Dining Plan to their package, the mark up on food is extraordinary, so they still rake in money hand over fist.

I have found that the Dining Plan is a way to experience the parks in a whole new way. Each restaurant is like an attraction; well themed, clean, high quality (this may be debateable, I know), but it really is a lot of fun. Plus, if you've been there before and you only want to do the atractions that you like, you have more time to sit down and enjoy a real meal with the Dining Plan.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Disney dropping the Dining Plan? No way, it brings in too much money. Even with the advertized 40% savings Disney Resort guests save on food costs (if you wold normally eat the amount of food that is included in the DDP) by adding the Dining Plan to their package, the mark up on food is extraordinary, so they still rake in money hand over fist.

I have found that the Dining Plan is a way to experience the parks in a whole new way. Each restaurant is like an attraction; well themed, clean, high quality (this may be debateable, I know), but it really is a lot of fun. Plus, if you've been there before and you only want to do the atractions that you like, you have more time to sit down and enjoy a real meal with the Dining Plan.

I'm right there with you...I would REALLY miss it...And to me, it makes the trip much more affordable. With promotions to constantly increase attendance, I can't see eliminating it comepletely when it brings in so many...