Dining Plan poll

[dixiegirl]

We got the free dining when it was first introduced and said at the time what a great deal it was ..a steal ,at that.....but we knew as with anything else it was only a matter of time before they changed it ....last year we became dvc & ap members so free dining not for us anymore , but even if we we were'nt don't think we'd pay for it....

 

[sbkline]

On our MGM day, we still haven't decided on Sci-Fi, Mama Melrose, or Hollywood & Vine.

We ate at Mama Melrose twice before on our off property trips and had the chicken Parmesian. If we had that again, it would be 17 bucks for the main course (I rounded it up to the nearest whole dollar), and 6 bucks for the dessert. It says nothing about drinks, so I don't know if the drink is figured in the price or not. So there's 23 bucks plus tax. Subtract that from the cost of the DDP per day, of $38 and that leaves 15 bucks to cover my counter service and snack for the day. Not quite as much of a value this time, but I think I would still come out a little ahead, or at least break even. And that's assumming that I go with the chicken parmesian this time around, as the steak for 20 bucks looks pretty good, too.

The price of the buffet at Hollywood and Vine looks like it would pretty much come up to the same price I quoted above for Mama Melrose.

What about Sci-Fi? My drink would be $2.99. Looking at the menu, it looks like I would have the butcher steak entree for $19.99 like I had last time. So that puts me at $23. I would probably have the same dessert I had last time...the chocolat tart, which was pretty good. 6 bucks. So now we have 29 bucks, plus tax. So, roughly 32 dollars, I'd guess. Subtract that from 38 dollars, and I now have 6 bucks left to cover my counter service and snack for that day.

So ya, it looks like I'm still coming out ahead. Obviously not by as much as before, since I now have to pay tip out of pocket and if I want an appetizer, I have to fork out the dough for that as well. But even with the new changes, I still seem to get more for my money on the DDP, and plan to purchase it again for next year's trip.

 

[dox]

SBKLIN: You may be right as to Liberty Tree Tavern, where a set meal costs (per allears.net) $27.99 and includes salad, appetizer, etc. But I think you are off a bit on two fronts.
First when it comes to Chefs de France, under the new plan as rumored, you don't get an appetizer. So an average entree alone at Chefs De France is about $26.00 and desserts are $7. So yes you're right at this point you'll have about $6 to $7 bucks left over which immediately covers your counter service for the day, which means you are more or less breaking even. And on average thats what a counter service meal would cost you with dessert and a drink. But the minute you order that appetizer at Chefs, you're at a loss now. You have no longer saved any money if you had to pay for the dining plan.
Second, how about the signature dining experiences which are increasing in number. Lets take Cali Grill for example. As you know you have to bank two TS credits for dining there. Looking at the menu the average price for an entree is $30 and $10 for dessert. Remember per the rumor the plan won't cover an appetizer. So in total the bill not incl. tax and tip will run you $40. Now if you banked two TS credits for this dinner you are so losing out without the appetizer. Doing the math, the plan over two days is $76 which should cover two CS and then one signature dining experience. That leaves $36 to cover two CS meals and lets say a counter service for the sake of argument could be as much as $10 x 2 = $20, that still leaves $16 left over. Even with two snakcs thats still alot of money left over Disney is keeping.

It seems to me that with the rumored changes, you are either A - going to break even or 2 - lose money.

Personally, I've never used the plan as I usually travel with a florida resident discount on the room rate. But I will be glad if this new change results in fewer people taking part in the plan. Over the last 2 years as the plan has grown in popularity i have seen the menu choices become fewer and the quality of the experience lessen.

 

[sbkline]

Another place I want to eat next time is Le Cellier.

So looking over the menu, it looks like I would probably have the 14 ounce New York Strip Steak for 27 bucks. For dessert, I would either have the whiskey cake for 8 bucks, or the s'mores for 5 bucks. Let's go with the cheaper option of 5 dollars, which puts my total at 32 dollars. I'll assume that I would have a plain ol' coke for my beverage at 3 bucks, and now we're at 35 dollars. Add tax, and the DDP for the day just paid for itself with one sit down meal. I still have a counter service and snack to use that day.

My wife eats less than I do and is not nearly the red meat lover that I am. I'm guessing she would most likely get either the porkchop entree for 21 bucks or the free range chicken for 20 bucks. Add a 5 dessert and that's 25 bucks, plus tax. She is mostly a water drinker, so if paying out of pocket, we wouldn't be paying for a beverage for her. But that still leaves about 12 dollars to cover her counter service and snack.

So just with the number crunching I've done so far, I'm not sure why so many people are ditching the DDP over these changes.

I guess I'm just much less willing than many others are to resort to store bought food back in the hotel room. When I go on vacation, I want to enjoy some nice restaraunts. And as the figures have just shown, the DDP is STILL a way to make this more affordable to me.

 

[sbkline]

SBKLIN: You may be right as to Liberty Tree Tavern, where a set meal costs (per allears.net) $27.99 and includes salad, appetizer, etc. But I think you are off a bit on two fronts.
First when it comes to Chefs de France, under the new plan as rumored, you don't get an appetizer. So an average entree alone at Chefs De France is about $26.00 and desserts are $7. So yes you're right at this point you'll have about $6 to $7 bucks left over which immediately covers your counter service for the day, which means you are more or less breaking even. And on average thats what a counter service meal would cost you with dessert and a drink. But the minute you order that appetizer at Chefs, you're at a loss now. You have no longer saved any money if you had to pay for the dining plan.

The appetizer, like the tip, is something you would have to pay out of pocket whether you did the DDP or not. So I disagree....I think I am STILL saving money. If I paid for that meal out of pocket, at say, 26 dollars, and then ordered the appetizer, I'm paying out of pocket for that as well, so now I am spending about 36 out of pocket (not counting dessert, drink and tax).

If I pay for it on the dining plan, I STILL pay the appetizer out of pocket. That's why I didn't figure that or the tip into my figures...because I will be paying those out of pocket either way, so it comes out a wash.

Think of it this way:

I pay 38 dollars for my food for the entire day on the dining plan. At one meal, I purchase an appetizer for 10 dollars. Now, I've paid 48 dollars on food for the day.

Let's say I pay it all out of pocket instead.

I buy the $26 entree and a $7 dessert, which comes up to $33, plus tax, which comes up to about $36. I buy a $10 appetizer, which brings me to $46. Above, I just paid $48 for ALL my food that day. But I just spent $46 on my table service alone out of pocket, and I still have to buy my counter service and snack.

 

[sbkline]

Second, how about the signature dining experiences which are increasing in number. Lets take Cali Grill for example. As you know you have to bank two TS credits for dining there. Looking at the menu the average price for an entree is $30 and $10 for dessert. Remember per the rumor the plan won't cover an appetizer. So in total the bill not incl. tax and tip will run you $40. Now if you banked two TS credits for this dinner you are so losing out without the appetizer. Doing the math, the plan over two days is $76 which should cover two CS and then one signature dining experience. That leaves $36 to cover two CS meals and lets say a counter service for the sake of argument could be as much as $10 x 2 = $20, that still leaves $16 left over. Even with two snakcs thats still alot of money left over Disney is keeping.

I haven't done much number crunching on the signature dining part, so I can't respond to much to this part of your argument. I was actually planning on eating at Artist Point next year, and now I'm thinking of meeting up with someone else at California Grill as well. I figured I'd probably pay one of those out of pocket, but I haven't really crunched the numbers to see whether or not it would be better to use 4 credits on two signature meals and then just pay out of pocket for the other table service meals...except that on at least one day of our stay, I plan to be at Sea World all day...not getting back until after 9 PM. So I wouldn't be around to use that day's table service credit anyway, which makes it convenient to just use it towards a signature restaraunt on another day.

It seems to me that with the rumored changes, you are either A - going to break even or 2 - lose money.

As I explained in my last post, I think I still come out ahead, but even if I break even, it still makes the DDP worth it, just for the convenience of having it prepaid and having that much less cash to carry around. :wave:

 

[dox]

I think the main issue seems to be that with the loss of the appetizer and the addition of the gratuity, you are paying for a plan that is giving you less than what you paid for before. Thus, I think many people will be breaking even with the loss of these items or close to even. And with respect to the signature dining, you are losing money.

 

[dox]

As I explained in my last post, I think I still come out ahead, but even if I break even, it still makes the DDP worth it, just for the convenience of having it prepaid and having that much less cash to carry around. :wave:

Well thats a good point. And I guess its one of those extra factors on the plus side for the plan.

As for signature dining, i think the only way to come out ahead or get close to breaking even and not losing money, is to order the most expensive items on the menu.

Either way i'm sure you'll enjoy your trip. :wave:

 

[sbkline]

I think the main issue seems to be that with the loss of the appetizer and the addition of the gratuity, you are paying for a plan that is giving you less than what you paid for before. Thus, I think many people will be breaking even with the loss of these items or close to even. And with respect to the signature dining, you are losing money.

I guess it all depends on what restaraunts the person is visiting. Because as I have shown in my examples, even on a 27 buffet, which includes everything but the drink, you still come out ahead with the DDP.

Naturally, if you eat only at $19 buffets, it may not be a good plan. But if you have an evening supper at most restaraunts, you will come out better than merely breaking even.

That you are paying for a plan that gives you less than you paid before, is a fact that no one can dispute. But from my number crunching, it appears that you still come out ahead.

 

[yodathefrog]

I will still continue to use the dining plan. Last December we used the plan and came out $15 ahead per person everyday. Losing just the appetizer (which we sometimes skipped) and tip means it is still worth it for me and my family.

 

[Ausdaddy]

The appetizer, like the tip, is something you would have to pay out of pocket whether you did the DDP or not. So I disagree....I think I am STILL saving money. If I paid for that meal out of pocket, at say, 26 dollars, and then ordered the appetizer, I'm paying out of pocket for that as well, so now I am spending about 36 out of pocket (not counting dessert, drink and tax).

If I pay for it on the dining plan, I STILL pay the appetizer out of pocket. That's why I didn't figure that or the tip into my figures...because I will be paying those out of pocket either way, so it comes out a wash.

Think of it this way:

I pay 38 dollars for my food for the entire day on the dining plan. At one meal, I purchase an appetizer for 10 dollars. Now, I've paid 48 dollars on food for the day.

Let's say I pay it all out of pocket instead.

I buy the $26 entree and a $7 dessert, which comes up to $33, plus tax, which comes up to about $36. I buy a $10 appetizer, which brings me to $46. Above, I just paid $48 for ALL my food that day. But I just spent $46 on my table service alone out of pocket, and I still have to buy my counter service and snack.

I, for one, am not arguing that some money can still be saved using this plan. It can. It's the drastic change in savings from 2007-->2008 that makes it much less attractive. We're talking 40% reduction in savings or higher. That definately gives me the feeling that it's a rip. It's just too much change in a single year.

 

[WDWFigment]

Well, if there is one bit of good news from all this (if the poll is any indication of how the general population will react) it's going to become a lot easier to make reservations!

 

[dox]

Well, if there is one bit of good news from all this (if the poll is any indication of how the general population will react) it's going to become a lot easier to make reservations!

:sohappy:WOO HOO!!! And hopefully some menus will go back in quality to where they were a few years ago --- u listening California Grill???

 

[thedisneyfan]

The whole notion is I'm not going to also pay for all my food 45+ days in advance when I get the same or nearly the same value of paying out of pocket. Right now Disney is raking in the dough (YES PUN INTENDED) because they are driving guest into complete packages and longer stays by offering such a value(discount) with the dining plan as it is now. If they change it you will see revenue decrease as people break apart their vacation purchases and give less money to Disney in the end. It doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Disney05]

We have always saved money using the dining plan. We have to see what the changes will really be. If it's not going to include tip but still they will raise the price, I think that will either make the servers work harder for the tip or we won't tip as high. Let's redo the poll when the changes are in black and white.

 

[elabron]

When will these changes go into effect?:shrug:

Hopefully not until next year.

 

[lilclerk]

When will these changes go into effect?:shrug:

Hopefully not until next year.

It would be for 2008.

 

[Disney05]

Hopefully never.

 

[thedisneyfan]

When will these changes go into effect?:shrug:

Hopefully not until next year.

Remember these are only rumors so far. Although they do appear to be very unpopular rumors.

 

[Ausdaddy]

Remember these are only rumors so far. Although they do appear to be very unpopular rumors.

Rumors they are, but well substantiated ones from reliable sources. I see no reason to discount them.