It think the people that say it is not worth it are making a comparison to a trip with no DDP and a room discount vs a free DDP. The assumption is valid if you do not intent on doing DDP and going ala cart you may be better of taking a room discount over Free DDP. It really comes down to personal preference and choice. Personally Free dining is the better choice for us since we would do the character and sit down meals anyway. I do miss the DDP the way it was the first time we did it in 2005, app, meal, desert and gratuity included.
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No "free dinning" rumor
- Thread starter BIGCAT1978
- Start date
It think the people that say it is not worth it are making a comparison to a trip with no DDP and a room discount vs a free DDP. The assumption is valid if you do not intent on doing DDP and going ala cart you may be better of taking a room discount over Free DDP. It really comes down to personal preference and choice. Personally Free dining is the better choice for us since we would do the character and sit down meals anyway. I do miss the DDP the way it was the first time we did it in 2005, app, meal, desert and gratuity included.
steve2wdw
WDW Fan Since 1973
I know I'm going to ruffle a few feathers here, but the other aspect of "free dining" is the guests who act like they're at their local McDonalds during their meal. As a "pay as I go" patron, the whole experience can be made miserable by a family with kids that are crawling under tables, crying, and generally making a mess out of their whole table area. I've had this happen a number of times, and there really isn't much you can do, especially when the restaurant is full. If they had had to pay, they probably wouldn't have been in the restaurant to begin with. The last meal I had at Les Chefs de France was more like a meal at Chuck-e-Cheese when it came to the atmosphere in the dining room. Sadly, if we're visiting Disney during free dining periods now, we tend to skip making any reservations at TS restaurants.
Maybe like the DCL, WDW should start experimenting with some adult-only establishments that aren't on the DDP and don't take reservations 180 days out.
I should add that my two daughters grew up going to WDW and the only TS restaurants we frequented (when they were little) were character meals. We never wanted to take the chance of ruining someone else's meal at a regular TS restaurant that was filled with adults.....(this was before ANY dining plans existed).
Maybe like the DCL, WDW should start experimenting with some adult-only establishments that aren't on the DDP and don't take reservations 180 days out.
I should add that my two daughters grew up going to WDW and the only TS restaurants we frequented (when they were little) were character meals. We never wanted to take the chance of ruining someone else's meal at a regular TS restaurant that was filled with adults.....(this was before ANY dining plans existed).
c-one
Well-Known Member
It's worse at some restaurants than others. I agree that sometimes it's pure insanity, and there's no way to address it without sounding classist or opposed to children. But if you eat late at a place like Artist Point or The Wave or Flying Fish, most of the little brats are in bed already.
Little chance of anything changing there, though -- the mean age of Disney's target market has been progressing downward since the place opened. I've said before that I'd visit WDW more frequently if it had more entertainment options for adults, though -- y'know, like the old days.
It definitely depends on the establishment. Some places leave little chance of a walk-up, others are rarely booked solid. But outside of the poshest restaurants of Manhattan, I've never visited a vacation destination where so many restaurants are so hard to get seated at.
For me, though, I prefer to avoid counter-service. In the parks that aren't Epcot, I'll go counter-service, but I prefer to do most of my eating at the table-service restaurants at resorts and at DTD.
steve2wdw
WDW Fan Since 1973
Yeah...I miss the old days.
menamechris
Well-Known Member
So true... And I must agree with a previous poster. Disney was always expensive, but the runaway railroad pricing is new. Prices for people paying out of pocket can increase on a whim. Even Beaches and Cream. They increased their prices in December. Now they have increased them again as of last month. Three months....two price hikes. It's getting out of control...
dsdmbU2
Member
No memorable dining experiences at WDW?! Watch my kids' (ages 14 & 11) faces as they laugh at Whispering Canyon, or all of us in hysterics at our server's "parental" comments at 50s Primetime, or how we NEVER go without hitting our favorites Cape May & Teppan Edu and knowing there's no place(s) we'd rather be. The "experience", much like WDW itself, is what you make of it.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Exactly. This is a problem. Disney is pricing things to force people to opt for the dining plan (free or not). The goal is to tie people to their properties to keep people from straying off to the competition. Rather than step up their game with innovative new attractions and high quality in all aspects (food, parks, resorts, etc.) to get people to want to stay they hope to use these other tactics to hold onto their visitors. It's pretty obvious, really. You don't see the dining plan at Disneyland operated this way. You dont have to make ADRs 6 months out. Their eating establishments and parks seem to do just fine. :shrug:
I've given up trying to figure out why I don't find the awesome cuisine in the places people on fan boards rave about. I honestly believe there's a significant difference in standards. Just because it's Disney doesn't make it awesome for me. I feel bad for folks. I'm no gourmet cook but if that food is what they think is "great" I believe I could open the heavens and make angels sing for them. Lol!
steve2wdw
WDW Fan Since 1973
Completely agree......
steve2wdw
WDW Fan Since 1973
I don't disagree with your statement, I've (we've) still had plenty of memorable experiences at Disney restaurants....it's just that the food used to be as memorable as the experience. Now I find just the experience memorable. Lack of "wow" factor when it comes to the eats.
menamechris
Well-Known Member
No, prices won't decrease. But it is part of their strategy. Once "free dining" is no longer offered...and you are forced to look at prices to decide if you want the dining plan or not - with the prices so incredibly inflated - you will opt for the dining plan. As someone else said - this is part of the tactic to keep you at Disney and not go eat anywhere else (say...if you go see the Wizard Boy down I-4). Unfortunately, this ultimately screws DVC members and locals. We have no choice but to pay the out of control prices if we want to eat at the resort. And it has also created an amazing amount of pretty much "equal pricing" across restaurants so that people on the dining plan view their meal as being "worth the dining credit" no matter where they eat. There used to be a time in the not-so-distant past that guests would pay roughly what the meal was worth - not what the dining plan dictated the prices should be....
G00fyDad
Well-Known Member
Why doesn't Disney recognize this and give DVC a decent discount? Oh, wait... That is not how to make money. :lookaroun Honestly, I see your point and I agree. And DVC should be given some sort of a dining discount. After all, you've bought into their time shares for God's sake. :lol:
Dads 2 Boys
Well-Known Member
How so? I gotta hear this.
Well said, I have read the replies to this post and from the first reply on, it has become way off topic. The original question was whether people think free dining was going to be offered for late fall. Everyone then began debating whther free dining was good or not. Most of the negative comments were not necessary. It was not asked if you like free dining or not.
menamechris
Well-Known Member
Well, it's made for good discussion, since the question was answered in the first couple replies. While may be slightly off the OPs original question, in a thread with a topic of debate like this...drifting is gonna happen..just sayin...
Brava Centauri
Member
As a local, I've gotten really creative with finding ways to limit my spending on food at the parks--because I simply can't afford otherwise. From bringing in my own water and using it exclusively with meals (refilling at water fountains) to ordering kids' meals and bringing my own food. Eating at a table-service establishment requires either a CM coupon or a very special occasion. During my first trip to DLR last summer, I don't remember prices being that much different, but I did find the selection and quality to be better. I would venture to say that by pushing out-of-towners to buy the multi-day tickets (a better value, they say), they make up for any loss of profit in the food and souvenir sales. With tourism back on the rise and the resorts selling out year-round, what incentive does Disney have to continue offering the dining plan "for free" when they can charge you for it and make it so you "save money" by doing so since a la carte is so expensive?
I don't think anyone is putting down the dining experience itself, but when prices rise and food options/quality/portions go down, Disney relies on that "magical factor" to keep you reserving tables. Most of my World Showcase table-service experiences have been great, but they're simply out of my price range during almost all my casual visits.
flavious27
Well-Known Member
I wish that disney had an option somewhere between plus dinning and plus deluxe. I would like a realish meal for breakfast, something smallish for lunch, and a nice dinner. Using a table service for a hamburger for lunch is a waste.
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Welcome to a discussion forum.
nc_disneyfreak
Well-Known Member
understand both views..
now my family and i have only been once (april 2010) so obviously still a newbie. I feel i do need to say i love the dining plan. We chose the quick service plan because we have two kids under 6 and it works perfect! We did the math and we came out saving over 1000.00 for our weeks stay. That was a major selling point for our even being able to go. I have been on these wdw sites for awhile and i do agree from reading posts and menus, that since the inception of the DDP, alot of the food was streamlined into having generally the same fare at each place. That i dont like and thats where I can understand the other viewpoints.
now my family and i have only been once (april 2010) so obviously still a newbie. I feel i do need to say i love the dining plan. We chose the quick service plan because we have two kids under 6 and it works perfect! We did the math and we came out saving over 1000.00 for our weeks stay. That was a major selling point for our even being able to go. I have been on these wdw sites for awhile and i do agree from reading posts and menus, that since the inception of the DDP, alot of the food was streamlined into having generally the same fare at each place. That i dont like and thats where I can understand the other viewpoints.