If you could design the Disney dining plan-what changes would you make?

[John park hopper]

Get rid of it and put the quality back in the food to pre DDP levels

 

[jpinkc]

Get rid of it and put the quality back in the food to pre DDP levels

That would cost Disney to much money. Quality is not a Disney watchword anymore........

 

[James J]

I agree with all the comments as to why the DDP is not a good thing and overall I would rather see high quality affordable menus anyway rather than a plan that tricks you into thinking it’s good value.

But as a user of the DDP if I were to get it again on a UK free dining offer I would want
Tips included, this makes costs more predictable, particularly for UK visitors who maybe aren’t used to tips.
Option for alcoholic beverages on table service only.
No dessert with quick service, snacks are easier to use.
So my preferred configuration is TS with dessert or app at extra cost plus alcoholic drink, tips included.
QS meal with soft drink.
2x snacks.

I wouldn’t object to some menu items being additional cost.

Your preferred configuration is pretty much what the dining plan was for the last few years, minus the included tip and a dessert for TS being an extra cost. It was 2 snack credits per person per day, 1 QS credit (no dessert) and 1 TS credit which included one alcoholic drink. Plus your refillable resort mug.

 

[Hcalvert]

I’d love to see it include tips (the original plan did) and have the option to not buy it for everyone in your group. I’ve got a nine year old who will definitely not eat adult food next year and there’s no way I would pay for an adult dining plan for him.

I remember the tips being included. The first time I participated in the DDP was in 2004 and California Grill only required one TS credit, but character dining required two. I would be okay with character dining requiring two credits since my youngest is now 13. However, since he is 13 now, it is not cost efficient for me to pay for him as he doesn't eat like an adult or like half the adult entrees at TS restuarants.

 

[Hcalvert]

Regular DDP per pack (1 person/day)

1 TS with appetizer, dessert and drink and tips included
1 QS with dessert and drink.
2 snacks (all snacks without limits)
1 refillable mug used anywhere

Free dinning for guests who stay at Disney resort. The price of reservation must be include tickets for the parks and DDP regular.

I have visited Walt Disney world more than 15 years.

I would go for that, but as an out-of-state Platinum AP holder who stays on property in DVC villas, I am always disqualified unless I want to buy tickets to use toward renewal. I often stay two weeks and would have to do a split reservation or exceed the cost of my renewal. Therefore, I would like to see a perk for AP holders who are staying property that does not require the purchase of tickets.

 

[aliceismad]

I agree that DDP has not previously been a good value for me or my family.

I would consider a DDP if there is an option for less food. Not all of us want an appetizer and an entrée and a dessert. It's too much food. But we do want to enjoy TS, not just QS and snacks. Alternatively maybe rather than 1 TS credit that includes several items, each menu item is assigned a credit value and people receive a number of credits so they can choose what they want to eat. Gray stuff at BOG - 1 credit, steak entree with sides - 3 credits, etc.

Or, easier still, Disney could replace it with a dining credit, similar to what Atlantis does. Pay $100 and get a dining credit for $125. At least that way people could use it how they choose. I guess that's similar to the TiW card.

I would not be surprised if Disney offered an earlier reservation window for DDP buyers. It would give some people incentive to purchase and it costs Disney nothing.

 

[Jon81uk]

Pay $100 and get a dining credit for $125. At least that way people could use it how they choose

This actually would be a great solution, give those staying on property the ability to prepay funds to their room account and get a bonus. It incentives staying on property, allows those who want to prepay to do so and offers a saving if you do so.

As there is currently no dining plan the offer for UK guests booking for 2022 is a room credit to spend on dining in lieu of the free dining. It’s no where near as much credit as free dining saves us, but it’s something for free. So Disney can offer that sort of credit to room account for food spending, doing it as a buy X get Y promo would work well.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

There is no perfect plan...aside from that being truly impossible, it's partly by design. I'm sure there's some great formula filled with all kinds of algorithms and variables determining the cost per offering ratio for the various plans...i.e. so it seems appealing to the most people while still keeping Disney well in the green with profits.

I have several friends who are dining plain fans and will buy it every trip they can. The two points that stand out the most to me with them...
1. They're willing to sacrifice savings for convenience.
2. Their significant others already balk at Disney's prices and somehow overpaying for the plan on the front end is mentally more palatable than having to pay the physical check amount at the end of the meal.

My biggest issues are that Disney has yet to make a plan that fits our needs, and they probably will never be able to do this. If it were just convenience vs cost, I'd probably pay for the convenience, but the plans all cover too much of some things and too little of others. There's also the cost factor...the person ordering the most expensive entrees is going to see more value in the plan than the one who goes with something cheaper. i.e. Disney makes more money off of the plan user who chooses chicken over steak.

At the end of the day, whenever we've done deluxe, there were things that went unused because it was just too much. Whenever we've done the regular plan, there were things that went unused because they weren't things we wanted/needed along with a lot of $ out of pocket to make up for that plan's deficiencies with regards to our personal preferences.

As for quality...we've seen a significant decline over the years. So, I'd quickly say scrap all plans if it means giving people food that's worthy of the prices being charged.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

As we all know, the Disney dining plans have been put on ice while we the pandemic continues. I feel it is a sure bet that at some point Disney will bring back the dining plans. If you had full responsibility for designing the new Disney dining plan, how would you design them?

I would have one menu for the DP and another for regular paying guests. I know that will never fly, because disney couldnt' cost cut that way. But it's wishfull thinking

 

[Jon81uk]

I would have one menu for the DP and another for regular paying guests. I know that will never fly, because disney couldnt' cost cut that way. But it's wishfull thinking

Disneyland Paris basically does that.
Their meal plan options are slightly confusing, but generally you either get to eat at a buffet, or take the prix fixe menu at other places. I think there are even two prix fixe menus for different levels of the meal plan even. It is possible to get a “cash” sum towards ordering a la carte instead but that can actually be lower than the cost of the prix fixe that is included.

 

[harryk]

The Delux dining plan ( or platinum what ever they come to be called) has been great for my family visits. We have always had snacks left over - but we know that is going to happen. If we had children with us - they could use the snacks but as it is --the children are no longer children. It would be great if we could just exchange some snacks into meals toward the end of visits. If not going to happen - leave the plans as they now are.

 

[JoMarch]

I wish it was a points system. This way you could use your points however you’d like.

I always have snack credits left over. Maybe I’d use my leftover points to go to a signature restaurant - or use them for a table service breakfast.