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Disappointing Changes to 2008 Disney Dining
- Thread starter US 192
- Start date
thats good for the servers since they will get more tips this way and not a base tip for the disney dining plan.
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
I agree. While I understand the frustration, I do think this will create an incentive for better service, and people will reward servers accordingly.
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
The base tip for DDP is 18%, I think the servers will lose money with the new plan for three reasons: 1) The standard tip left by most who do tip is 15%, 2) those who used to add a bit extra likely won't leave as much total as they would have if they were adding to the 18% and 3) there will be people who won't leave a tip at all whether because of perceived poor service or mistaken belief it's still included with DDP.
now they will follow the ddp and make sure kids get from the kids menu not adult meals
BRER STITCH
Well-Known Member
Or...it will yield the opposite effect from all those guests who got the dining plan free over the years and are used to gratuities being included!
This change baffles me, as Disney has never been afraid to just raise the price on anything before! :veryconfu To try to make the Dining Plan more profitable by taking away an appetizer and eliminating the "included tip" -that has ALWAYS been a part of the "Dining Plan" - sure is a strange way to go instead of raising the price.
For many, it was much more convenient to be able to pay for the dining plan up front and/or budget it into the payments for their whole trip. Now, those same people (who, in their minds, have already paid for everything "up front") are going to be expected to come up with money out of their pockets for the appetizers and tips for the servers.
They took a good thing and made it confusing, instead of just raising the price a couple dollars.
:brick:
they can upgrade to the silver package if they want too. also people complained about not getting an appetizers at quick services.
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
You do get the appetizer but still have to tip. The cost is $60, per person per night.
NJDVCMembers
Member
Tips not included...
The servers are represented by a union, was this change a result of the union requesting it or the company?
The servers are represented by a union, was this change a result of the union requesting it or the company?
bhg469
Well-Known Member
I didnt realize until now that the appetizers were excluded as well. We always saw it as an opportunity to eat a nice sit down meal every night which to me is as important as the vacation itself. Taking time to enjoy a nice meal as opposed to eating at counter service places the whole trip adds more to our time together. The value of the dining plan has definitely gone down alot IMO. Sadly we would probably not do this again.
bugsbunny
Well-Known Member
I concur. WDW has basically cut out about 20% of the overall daily cost of a dining plan by removing the appetizer and the gratuity. However, lowering the price by a dollar is a disgrace. As someone else stated, couldn't they just have raised the price?
And the "deluxe" plan (or whatever its going to be called) is will actually abe more expensive then the loding at WDW! At $69.99/day for an adult and $19.99 for kid, a 7 day stay for 2 adults and 1 child would be $1119.79. If I add in the 15% gratuity (and I tip way more than that), your total is $1287.75.
I can eat and it is the one thing I really like about WDW and something I tell anyone who visits they must enjoy. But I cant see spending $1300 just on food for 7days.
So I guess the new game plan is you choose the chopped down plan or the beefed up over priced plan? :shrug:
And the "deluxe" plan (or whatever its going to be called) is will actually abe more expensive then the loding at WDW! At $69.99/day for an adult and $19.99 for kid, a 7 day stay for 2 adults and 1 child would be $1119.79. If I add in the 15% gratuity (and I tip way more than that), your total is $1287.75.
I can eat and it is the one thing I really like about WDW and something I tell anyone who visits they must enjoy. But I cant see spending $1300 just on food for 7days.
So I guess the new game plan is you choose the chopped down plan or the beefed up over priced plan? :shrug:
Maerj
Well-Known Member
As I mentioned on a similar thread, I think that if we are not happy with the new plan we should express ourselves to the right people. Is there an email address where we could let someone in charge about how we feel about this new plan?
I agree with others above that I would rather pay a couple of bucks more and keep it the way it was rather than do it like they are doing it now.
I agree with others above that I would rather pay a couple of bucks more and keep it the way it was rather than do it like they are doing it now.
JPVonDrake
Well-Known Member
The removal of the gratuity was insisted on by the Union.
Remember, the dining plans included in the Magic Your Way Plus Dine, Magic Your Way Premium, and Magic Your Way Platinum are Walt Disney Travel Company (WDTC) components. Restaurants that accept these plans must submit the number of meals served to WDTC each week to be reimbursed a preset amount per meal, regardless of the total food bill.
Once the restaurant is reimbursed, the wait staff is paid their gratuities in the form of a bonus check once per month. The check is based on 18% of the total food bill for each meal served by the waiter during the prior month. Being a bonus check, as per law all taxes are deducted including the higher federal tax percentage required.
With the 2008 plans the Guest pays the gratuity directly to the waiter. If the gratuity is offered in cash, the waiter receives it immediately but has to report the amount to IRS themselves. If the gratuity is paid by credit card or room charge, the waiter receives it as part of their normal weekly paycheck with the amount reported to IRS by the restaurant.
Gratuities are still included at locations that required the Guest to pay for the experience in full at the time of booking. This includes The Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, Mickey's Backyard BBQ, The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review, Cinderella's Royal Table Meals and Epcot Food and Wine Events. These locations pay their Cast normal full (non-tipped) wages.
Why were Appetizers removed from the Magic Your Way Plus Dine Package?
This is a direct result of Guest feed-back. Most Guests on this plan did not order both an appetizer and a desert at every meal, simply choosing one or the other with most choosing the dessert.
For those Guests that wish to include both an appetizer and desert, and for those Guests that wanted 3 meals per day but not include the recreational components included in the Premium Plan, the Deluxe Dine plan was created.
It is calculated that the average Guest will still save up to 30% on meals using the 2008 Magic Your Way Plus Dine Package, and will save up to 40% on meals using the 2008 Magic Your Way Plus Deluxe Dining Package. These cost savings amounts are used on most advertising materials released by Disney for these packages.
RiversideBunny
New Member
It could also be possible that Disney wanted, to some degree, to reduce the number of guests who use the DDP in order to improve ADR availability and flexibility, as a response to sustained guest complaints.
mousefan1972
Well-Known Member
Being in the minority (apparently), we would typically prefer sharing one appetizer and skipping desert. I'm curious as to why it couldn't have been a choice either/or appetizer or desert, instead of desert only?
JP,
Thanks for chiming in. My wife an I are reading this and were wondering if it will be possible to substitute a appitiser for the desert. We almost never order a desert (maybe once a year?). If you can't substitute a appitiser for the desert then the new dining plan is pretty much useless to us. The deluxe plan is also undesirable as that is way, way too much food.
thanks,
Kevin and Mona
Thanks for chiming in. My wife an I are reading this and were wondering if it will be possible to substitute a appitiser for the desert. We almost never order a desert (maybe once a year?). If you can't substitute a appitiser for the desert then the new dining plan is pretty much useless to us. The deluxe plan is also undesirable as that is way, way too much food.
thanks,
Kevin and Mona
dxwwf3
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think this is great news. Now maybe less people will actually get the Dining Plan and therefore we might see less buffets (especially characters ones which are usually more expensive) and lower prices. The Dining Plan worked so well for some because they thought they were getting such a great bargain due to Disney raising prices at certain places. A perfect example is when they opened the Tomorrowland Noodle Station as a buffet with what I believe was a $28 per person price tag (could be wrong on the specific ammount), but it was put into place mainly for Dining Plan folks who couldn't get ADR's at the other spots.
Blueyed Girl
New Member
1st off, Hi everyone! I'm new to this particular board but love discussing Disney anywhere I can. :wave:
I second that. We RARELY got desert on our trip this past February. Actually, we never order desert at home either. I would love for it to be a choice between Appetizer or Desert.
I second that. We RARELY got desert on our trip this past February. Actually, we never order desert at home either. I would love for it to be a choice between Appetizer or Desert.
For those upset with the Disney Dining Plan changes, I highly recomend the Disney Dining Experience Card. I wont go into details about all its benefites here, but there is plenty of information availalble about it on the forums and directly from Disney. We use it and love it.