New single day quick service dining plan test to begin at the Magic Kingdom

[DisneyDebRob]

Yep. That's all it is. Can't say I'd see myself using this. Not telling anyone not to though. I don't know that it's a "deal". Just my opinion. It's not a terrible price point I guess. I paid 25 bucks for a burger fries and drink at DLuxe Burher the other day.

But that was DLuxe, which you can't compare to any thing in the MK burger wise. I gladly paid almost the same there and would do it again in a second.

This is forcing you to order the most expensive items on the menu for you to come out at 3-4 dollars ahead. I would never do this.

You mean just like what the DDP makes you do?

 

[xdan0920]

Whether this is a *good* deal or not.... it won't be a good deal for diners if it causes a *cheapening* of the items available... like say, the fixin bar at Cosmic Rays (what makes that *burger* edible) disappearing... Or like the grilled salmon at Colombia Harbour House going the way of the Citricos Veal Shank...

What's the menu price for that Salmon? You can expect it to go up to offset this plan. Then when people stop paying out of pocket for it bc it's so over-priced, it'll disappear from the menu. That's the deal. DDP has done this exact thing for years.

 

[Disney-Trains]

Not everyone gets a discount and not everyone wants to settle for water. As a matter of fact, if you have to "downgrade" your drink to water then you're just proving how much of a non-deal this is.

Well for me, I don't drink soft drinks and the tea starts as syrup so I would want water anyways. What I will do is get a passion tea from Starbucks, a trenta (30 0z.) is only $4 with tax.

 

[MinnieM123]

If I'm not mistaken, I think this is the first time that WDW has offered any sort of meal plan for purchase by guests, who have not bought the Magic Your Way package. (Even guests who elect the "room only" reservation at a Disney hotel, cannot buy any of the meal plans.)

I'm wondering if they'll eventually offer the other meal plans for purchase to all guests, if this Single Day Quick Service one is a success.

 

[BrerJon]

Think of all the suckers that will buy this and then not eat both meals. Breakage on these will be huge. Disney will make a killing off of these.

Absolutely. Imagine families with small kids who buy this in the morning, excited about a long day at MK, but by late afternoon the kids are getting seriously cranky, everyone just wants to leave for the hotel to chill out for a bit, then maybe come back for the fireworks and dinner, so they do.

But after facing ferries and monorails, once back at the hotel the family decides not to be bother going back and just chill there, so the voucher goes unused, and Disney gets $15 for free.

With DDP you can always use credits on different days and down-use them for snacks etc., but this is the first same day limited plan they've done which makes it much more restrictive.

 

[drizgirl]

Absolutely. Imagine families with small kids who buy this in the morning, excited about a long day at MK, but by late afternoon the kids are getting seriously cranky, everyone just wants to leave for the hotel to chill out for a bit, then maybe come back for the fireworks and dinner, so they do.

But after facing ferries and monorails, once back at the hotel the family decides not to be bother going back and just chill there, so the voucher goes unused, and Disney gets $15 for free.

With DDP you can always use credits on different days and down-use them for snacks etc., but this is the first same day limited plan they've done which makes it much more restrictive.

I think that's the very reason for this plan's existence.

Heck, even if they DO eat the second meal, Disney has "locked in" 2 meal sales for a fair number of people who might have chosen something different path later in the day (settling for a snack, shared a meal, gone offsite).

 

[marni1971]

The company wins. Not the guest.

 

[drizgirl]

The company wins. Not the guest.

You expected something different?

 

[Nubs70]

This locks in meal purchases at the highest price point whether used or not.

Buy anything less than the most expensive item, WDW margin increases.

 

[RSoxNo1]

That's not a bad price point, but with the 20% discount it becomes a wash for AP holders.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Here is how I approach the DDP. I dont look at it from how much money Im saving or how much money Disney is making off of me. Trying to derive dollar value from a vacation is fruitless in my mind because Im purchasing a luxury item not a necessity. I dont have to purchase the vacation. The thing that brings me value when purchasing a Disney trip is being able to have 90 or 95% of the cost taken care of before I arive.

Relating this to DDP. I enjoy my dining experiences while on vacation much more if I have already purchased the meal before I look at the menu. If I dont "prepay" I find myself looking at prices first then what the menu item is and I tend to not order what I am in the mood for but what my mind tells me is the most cost effective. I have to make those decisions the other 355 days a year. I dont want to do that while im on vacation.

So when Im getting @Kingdom Konsultant to get my trip going for me, by the time the final payment is due, I want to be excited about a paid for trip where the biggest decisions I have to make are if the "tshirt" I want to pay too much for will fit and should I have the churro, dole whip, premium Mickey bar, or all three.

 

[raven]

You forgot to add that you would lose about three hours of park time leaving and coming back for those savings.

True, but you have to leave the park in the middle of the afternoon or early evening to get to those places. Each meal would take you of of the park for 1 to 2 hours.

My comment was referring to locals (which this seems to be aimed at). They can simply eat before and after they visit the parks, and most due because they know how expensive it is there.

 

[drizgirl]

My comment was referring to locals (which this seems to be aimed at). They can simply eat before and after they visit the parks, and most due because they know how expensive it is there.

Really? I would think most locals would be too savvy to pay that for what's offered. I think they are relying on the general Orlando visitor who wants to throw in a day at Disney. The sort that walks up and buys a one day ticket that morning.

 

[raven]

Really? I would think most locals would be too savvy to pay that for what's offered. I think they are relying on the general Orlando visitor who wants to throw in a day at Disney. The sort that walks up and buys a one day ticket that morning.

Most Orlando locals know the ins and outs and scams that Disney tries with their guests. When you live in the area you hear everything and become wise. Hence out of town guests always asking locals for advice.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Here is how I approach the DDP. I dont look at it from how much money Im saving or how much money Disney is making off of me. Trying to derive dollar value from a vacation is fruitless in my mind because Im purchasing a luxury item not a necessity. I dont have to purchase the vacation. The thing that brings me value when purchasing a Disney trip is being able to have 90 or 95% of the cost taken care of before I arive.

Relating this to DDP. I enjoy my dining experiences while on vacation much more if I have already purchased the meal before I look at the menu. If I dont "prepay" I find myself looking at prices first then what the menu item is and I tend to not order what I am in the mood for but what my mind tells me is the most cost effective. I have to make those decisions the other 355 days a year. I dont want to do that while im on vacation.

So when Im getting @Kingdom Konsultant to get my trip going for me, by the time the final payment is due, I want to be excited about a paid for trip where the biggest decisions I have to make are if the "tshirt" I want to pay too much for will fit and should I have the churro, dole whip, premium Mickey bar, or all three.

This wouldn't work for me. I can't have peace of mind knowing I paid $60 per day and might order less than that.

I have no qualms about putting dinners on a credit card, getting points back for doing so, and then having a month or more to pay it back afterwards.

If I'm in the mood to splurge, I splurge. It's decided before we open the menu.

But whatever works for everybody! That's why we have options. There's so much psychology at play here.

 

[mikenatcity1]

I was really hoping for this to be good- I was wanting to get it when I spend 1 day at MK in a couple weeks. But, with the price at $30, if I don't get the most expensive thing on the menu at any of the places, it actually becomes more expensive. The price SOUNDS like a good deal for food...until you look up the prices Sigh...

 

[RobidaFlats]

Here is how I approach the DDP. I dont look at it from how much money Im saving or how much money Disney is making off of me. Trying to derive dollar value from a vacation is fruitless in my mind because Im purchasing a luxury item not a necessity. I dont have to purchase the vacation. The thing that brings me value when purchasing a Disney trip is being able to have 90 or 95% of the cost taken care of before I arive.

Viewing convenience (including that involved with prepayment) as a value is certainly a valid calculation. However, I would suggest that just because something is a luxury does not mean that value can be ignored. In fact, if that were the case, Tiffany (or some other very expensive alternative) would be the only jewelry retailer. Instead, there are a plethora of retailers, most attempting to compete on price for a luxury.

Deriving a dollar value from a vacation is certainly difficult, and in some cases impossible, but even if it is on a subconscious level, every consumer does some sort of math when planning one.

 

[flynnibus]

This is a sucker beat for Disney to ensure it locks in the money from a guest.... regardless of future waits in the park or lines. It bets on people not being savvy with their money.

It locks you in for almost no return value

 

[COProgressFan]

Well for me, I don't drink soft drinks and the tea starts as syrup so I would want water anyways. What I will do is get a passion tea from Starbucks, a trenta (30 0z.) is only $4 with tax.

Remember when the tea didn't start as syrup? I love iced tea, but it was so much better when they actually had the fresh brewed stuff at quick serve locations. I think they switched around maybe 2009 or so -- such a shame. The premixed Gold Peak stuff is not good (though better than premixed Nestea -- that stuff just tastes like weird chemicals).

While they've improved the coffee offerings in recent years (Joffreys vs. instant Nescafe), they've downgraded their teas, unfortunately.

 

[Disney-Trains]

I do remember! Cumbia Harbor House had fresh brewed iced tea a bit longer than the others.

Would be great to get Joffreys Black tea at Disney World restaurants. At least Starbucks is an option... But with a long line.

And the joffreys tea kiosk at DAK.