Any estimates when this might be reinstated this year? Or, I should say, if it will be reinstated?
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Dining plan?
- Thread starter YasssYzmaYasss
- Start date
ilovelabs2021
Well-Known Member
I honestly don't think, they can bring it back until they are at fuller capacity and more restaurants open. If people purchase a dining plan and can't use it fully, that won't look good for Disney, lol.
Fuller capacity. Checks park. full for next 9 days.
Disney never employs a lagging capacity strategy, I cant see them implementing it now. Lost sales are hard to measure, but I am sure they are aware of the massive demand for it.
ilovelabs2021
Well-Known Member
This may be true, but I feel like they can’t offer the dining plan with so many of the restaurants closed.
Schweino
Well-Known Member
Someone had another post in a different thread - but agree. It doesn't make much business sense to offer a dining plan when you are not at 90% of restaurants being open and you have social distancing. IMPO, Dining Plan is not coming back until both social distancing is no longer required and greater than 90% of restaurants are open.
Bumping this! Any new thoughts now that more and more restaurants are reopening?
Hoping never.
StarshipDisney
Well-Known Member
Having used the dining plan on multiple trips, we were going to try our next trip without it anyway as I have found that it can be limiting:
- Got sick one day and did not use a lunch credit. Had to use the credit so ended up getting snacks
- If you (once could) reserve a tour that includes food, then that conflicts with using the dining plan. You end up with extra credits.
- Sometimes you don't want a big meal before a (once could) dessert or fireworks party but must use the credit.
- Sometimes if you snack too much then you effectively waste dinner but must use the credit.
- You will NOT make out converting dinner/lunch credits to snacks.
Yes, you can come out ahead on the dining plan. I have done it. But with the (once could and hopefully again) array of options that you have (had) today, then I have found the dining plan can be limiting and did not meet our needs.
But I would still love to see it come back if only because other things would likely come back with it!
- Got sick one day and did not use a lunch credit. Had to use the credit so ended up getting snacks
- If you (once could) reserve a tour that includes food, then that conflicts with using the dining plan. You end up with extra credits.
- Sometimes you don't want a big meal before a (once could) dessert or fireworks party but must use the credit.
- Sometimes if you snack too much then you effectively waste dinner but must use the credit.
- You will NOT make out converting dinner/lunch credits to snacks.
Yes, you can come out ahead on the dining plan. I have done it. But with the (once could and hopefully again) array of options that you have (had) today, then I have found the dining plan can be limiting and did not meet our needs.
But I would still love to see it come back if only because other things would likely come back with it!
Hoping soon. If you don't wanna get it, then don't. I personally don't mind paying a premium to have as close to "all expenses paid" as I can. Not to mention, it gets us to try new places.
Not sure I understand the hate....
Simple. It has destroyed the quality of food at Disney. The high end places are a shell what they were. That’s the hate
SteveAZee
Premium Member
It seems to do two things.
The first is that Disney isn't motivated, on a restaurant by restaurant basis, to provide a quality product since there are so many people will eat there regardless with the Dining plan... people use it or lose it, so they'll eat mediocre food while Disney benefits having 'butts in seats' for meals that would otherwise not sell out.
Second is that it is likely homogenizing the menu in most places. Disney, wanting people to sign up for the plan year after year, don't want to put someone off by offering an actual authentic meal in Morocco and instead want to appease the lowest common palate (sounds like this isn't you but applies to at least some others).
In the end, any interesting or creative meals from the places that have actual chefs are price constrained and obligated to make the general public happy. As an alternative, it would be great if people just ate (and received) great quality and perhaps unique and interesting experiences at the myriad restaurants available, but then Disney's not maximizing dollars spent for food, which is bad for the bottom line.
It's one-price cafeteria-style dining writ large.
Personally, I go to sit-down restaurants for the experience, not necessarily the food.
I agree in part, however I would say there are many good meals still to be had at Disney. Do I think every TS is great? NOOOOOOO way, but I would compare it to a similar meal you would get while eating out at a decent restaurant back home. Right or wrong, thats the way it is. I enjoy the theming, sometimes the characters, and the overall atmosphere. If I want something better, Ill pay for it. I have dined at Victoria and Alberts the last 2 times I visited, and 5 times overall, I think its great, expensive, but a great experience. California Grill is another great meal. to me at least. I don't expect amazing dining in the parks, even at the sit downs, maybe I should, but I don't. Do people settle, yes, but people settle for Applebees too.
SteveAZee
Premium Member
I'm pretty aligned with you on that. I've never had expectations of an amazing meal at Disney... though I've had a couple that were surprisingly good. I go to places like Hoop De Doo and 50's Prime Time because it's entertaining and the food is decent enough. LOL, I also go to sit down restaurants to do just that... sit down and relax.
I think the question was that you didn't "understand the hate." I think it comes from people who don't appreciate the dining plan lowering the meal quality. My last visit in late 2019 I booked probably 15 ADR's for a 9 day stay. I started canceling some toward the end of the trip because I was too exhausted from all of the eating and had a fridge full of leftovers. Next trip I'll probably just pick two or three favorites, maybe one or two new things, and call it good.
I love 50’s Prime Time, its a must do for me every trip. I understand your view, and it can be a lot of food and overwhelming. I’m still terrible at managing snacks, but Ive gotten better over the years, especially when I can use the snack credits at the food carts around the world for Festival of the Holidays.
I love the idea of the dining plan but not as a savings but I have always considered it a free pass. A free pass to go into the restaurant and order anything I want on the menu without looking at the prices. How many times would you consider ordering something less expensive vs what you actually wanted. I try not to do the math on spent vs actual and just enjoy the meal.
I hope it’s back or perhaps a newly revised plan by our January trip.
I hope it’s back or perhaps a newly revised plan by our January trip.
Figgy1
Well-Known Member
It would never work out for us. Everybody but me eats 3 meals a day, now that the kids are older sometimes we split up for meals as the kids would sometimes like to just grab a qs meal and ride more rides while we go and do a TS, we're appetizer people and I almost always without fail order the least expensive item on the menu.