People Angry Over Disney Dinning Plan

[Master Yoda]

I've long said this...

Dining plans are too complicated. Too many rules. Sure most people who post here can handle them, we are the manic, elite of Disney fans. We read messageboards, watch the rumors, etc. For average Joe Family, these plans are difficult to understand, and so they are best avoided. I've steered people into it, even when they offered free dining a couple of years ago. Even free, one family said, it was just too much to keep track of.

I really do not see how the DDP in particular is too complicated. One TS, one CS and one snack seems pretty straightforward to me. About the only wrinkle would be the 2 credits for a signature restaurant.

Now weather you will save money using it or if it is a better value than DDE can be very complicated, even for us Disney vets. But that is simply a factor of the huge amount of resturants on property and nearly endless options and not a fault of the plan.

 

[colleen2997]

That's what we do. Sad, because we used to eat the vast majority of meals on property. But the dining plan has changed everything. Yes, with my wife and two kids I could save money with the dining plan. But it would take scheduling every dinner to the minute and making a conscious effort to use all my other meals & snacks to the utmost. It's an added level of stress that I don't need on vacation.

I want much more flexibility than the dining plan allows. I want to wake up in the morning not knowing which park we're going to that evening or where we're eating. Let the kids decide what they feel like doing and then make dinner arrangements that work with that. I don't want to schedule all my activities around when I could get priority seating for the restaurant that will give me my money's worth on the plan.

I believe this is how the DP makes money for Disney, because everyone wants that flexibility to some extent, and people end up missing meals or not getting maximum value for the plan.

I'm leaving for WDW in 17 days. I have ZERO priority seating reservations, nor do I expect to make any before I arrive on property. If that means I don't eat on property, then so be it.

Count me among the ed.

I have the complete opposite attitude. Having ADRs makes the trip more exciting. Our trip isn't for months but we are already excited to know that we have Boma first night, LeCellier 2nd night...For us the dining is part of the fun and part of the Disney experience. Yes, of course we aren't able to "wing it" while down there and have to follow a schedule, but who cares? We plan our day accordingly so we can make our reservations to enjoy our Disney Dining. I just don't get how anyone would find using the plan complicated. Everyone buys a drink or snack during the day, everyone needs lunch...For me it is a huge weight lifted just knowing we will be eating at great restaurants AND it is all pre-paid so we will not be watching our $$$ down there. And the free dining allows families like mine, who are on a budget, to possibly spend more days down there and at a nicer resort to boot, since we don't have to budget for food.

 

[WDW 3]

I want much more flexibility than the dining plan allows. I want to wake up in the morning not knowing which park we're going to that evening or where we're eating. Let the kids decide what they feel like doing and then make dinner arrangements that work with that. I don't want to schedule all my activities around when I could get priority seating for the restaurant that will give me my money's worth on the plan.

I believe this is how the DP makes money for Disney, because everyone wants that flexibility to some extent, and people end up missing meals or not getting maximum value for the plan.

I'm leaving for WDW in 17 days. I have ZERO priority seating reservations, nor do I expect to make any before I arrive on property. If that means I don't eat on property, then so be it.

AMEN!!! Someone recently compared going to WDW as going to NY or Paris. "You wouldn't assume you could just stop and eat at Sardi's in Times Square or Jules Verne in the Eifel Tower, Paris without reservations would you? " Sorry, but it's not the same to me. Sardi's V. Prime Time 50's?

 

[colleen2997]

AMEN!!! Someone recently compared going to WDW as going to NY or Paris. "You wouldn't assume you could just stop and eat at Sardi's in Times Square or Jules Verne in the Eifel Tower, Paris without reservations would you? " Sorry, but it's not the same to me. Sardi's V. Prime Time 50's?

No, Prime Time cafe isn't Paris, however, it is located in the busiest tourst destination in the US, possibly world. Of course you will need reservations!

 

[pax_65]

Yes, of course we aren't able to "wing it" while down there and have to follow a schedule, but who cares? We plan our day accordingly so we can make our reservations to enjoy our Disney Dining.

If it was just my wife and I going, I might agree with you. But we find it's nice having flexibility in our schedules to accommodate the kids. If they want to hang at the pool a little longer in the afternoon, fine. If they want to go back to Magic Kingdom to see Wishes instead of going to Epcot as we planned, fine. It's their vacation too.

Yeah, we might make dinner plans several nights and the kids just have to deal with that. But every single day? That's way too limiting. (In fact it even bothered me sometimes - I felt like a slave to our dinner plans!)

The dining plan is ALL or NOTHING. If they gave me 4 dinners, 4 lunches, 4 snacks to spread out over my week's trip, great. But to have to plan every single day is just too limiting.

We've been to WDW many times and while we have our favorite restaurants there (Prime Time, Yachtman's Steakhouse, Le Cellier, etc.) if we don't get to eat there, so be it.

Having a fun, relaxed trip with the family is more important than the food.

 

[ShookieJones]

Wing it or Plan it

I have the complete opposite attitude. Having ADRs makes the trip more exciting. Our trip isn't for months but we are already excited to know that we have Boma first night, LeCellier 2nd night...For us the dining is part of the fun and part of the Disney experience.

I agree 100% - I really don't see what the big deal is (and It's not confusing at all).
I guess it's just two different types of thinking here. There is the "wing it" camp and the "plan it" camp.
Although, I don't know how anybody can "wing it" and get anything done in WDW.
I have the relaxing vacations where I can "wing it" but those are usually at the Cape or any other beach destination.
When your in the world...it's about having a plan and burning the candle at both ends! wooHOO!.

Oh well to each his own!

 

[WDW 3]

Exactly, to each his own!! That being said DDP and ADR make dining difficult for us "wing it" or "go where the magic take us" types.
Gosh, what would you do if your are on your way past ToT and there is no line, zero wait!!! WOW yipee:sohappy: It's happend to us!
We want to be able to ride as many times as we want without watching the time and worrying about missing a reservation.
"Winging it" can be fun.

 

[gmg]

I love to plan. It makes the wait for vacation go faster. I like the meal plan and have used it twice and will be using it again on our trip in October. We know what we will be getting and can make sure that we get exactly what we want. Everyone is happy.

 

[wdwmomof3]

I love to plan. It makes the wait for vacation go faster. I like the meal plan and have used it twice and will be using it again on our trip in October. We know what we will be getting and can make sure that we get exactly what we want. Everyone is happy.

I feel the same way. We really love being on the plan for so many reasons. I love having a plan and eating at our favorite places and this is so easy with ADR's. I also like having everything paid in full before we get there. You are right when you say that everyone is happy, everyone in our group is happy when we use the plan. I wasn't sure about the changes but DH says we will do it anyway & he's the boss. (so he thinks:lol

We are going in Oct of 09 and I am already wanting to start planning. :hammer:

 

[WildLodgeFan]

Exactly, to each his own!! That being said DDP and ADR make dining difficult for us "wing it" or "go where the magic take us" types.
Gosh, what would you do if your are on your way past ToT and there is no line, zero wait!!! WOW yipee:sohappy: It's happend to us!
We want to be able to ride as many times as we want without watching the time and worrying about missing a reservation.
"Winging it" can be fun.

True - but I have to say folks it's been mostly this way at Disney for years. I made my first trip in 1989 with my soon-to-be-husband at that time (where has the almost 20 years went to?!?) and we made ADR's then and that was before they had all the restaurants they have now! I guess I am a wing it and plan it person - we plan our evening meal and the park for the day (we don't ever seem to take advantage of park hopping) and then wing the rides, breakfast and lunch for what strikes us for the day.

It is interesting to see everyone's point of view, especially since we are trying the free dining for the first time and I don't even think we will get it free because we are traveling a few days later and since it's to celebrate the 16th birthday for our eldest, we can't switch the dates. :brick: c'est la vie!

 

[Minnietoo]

I love to plan where we are going to eat every night! We are actually debating between the deluxe plan and the 2 meal plan. I can't remember the name of it now.

My kids just came back for a week in WDW with their aunts and my 5 and 8 yr old asked for TS meals! When their aunts tried to give them counter service my 5 yr old was said to put the puppy dog eyes on and convince his aunts they needed a TS! Heck the Aunts couldn't believe they didn't ask for all kinds of toys while at the park but they asked for TS meals! So we are leaning towards the deluxe plane even more now.

We also just want everything paid for before we go. If my hubby has to pull out his wallet for every meal he will get stressed so for us doing the dining plan is a good thing.

We also need to really plan where we eat because my daughter has Celiac's so we have to call ahead to make sure the place has gluten free stuff ready for her.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Talk about a ressurection....

I ALWAYS plan my dinner each night. To me, it isimply part of the fun of the planning process.

I don't buy the "be spontaneous" argument. Planning is the key. If you wanted to be spontaneous, and eat on a whim, that is what CS is for.

 

[Disneykidder]

I think the DDP is a saver, especially since the TS costs almost $90 for a family of 3. Then you get a CS and a snack, too. I think it is a great saver. Not having to carry all that cash, great, as well. If we weren't on the DDP, we wouldn't eat at that many TS. We were always full and content. Disny dining is excellent. :slurp:

I am also a planner. I make my ADRs according to which park has EMH. This way we are right there in that park or near a hotel. I like to plan...makes it fun!

Which did they delete, the appetizer or dessert? Either way, it is still a cost saver. Having to pay the tip now...a bit of an annoyance, since we always had great servers which is why I heard they did away with that aspect, but not a problem.

 

[Dwarful]

I've long said this...

Dining plans are too complicated. Too many rules. Sure most people who post here can handle them, we are the manic, elite of Disney fans. We read messageboards, watch the rumors, etc. For average Joe Family, these plans are difficult to understand, and so they are best avoided. I've steered people into it, even when they offered free dining a couple of years ago. Even free, one family said, it was just too much to keep track of.

This is so true. This past summer I took my oldest daughter's girl scout troop (with families). Our group included 36 people, 7 of us regular WDW'ers, 6 who had been once or twice, the rest 1st timers. Thankfully Pam booked all of our meals. I walked everyone through the first counter service meal (uh, what an experience)and explained how to use snack options. More than once group members told me how lost they would be if they didn't have someone to guide them. Plus they would have been w/o dinner res. if Pam hadn't taken care of that for them. Many of them assumed you could make your plans the day you were in the park (like they did the first or second time they were at WDW).

 

[pax_65]

If you wanted to be spontaneous, and eat on a whim, that is what CS is for.

True enough, and I'm sure we'll be doing a bit of that also. (Cosmic Ray's here we come! Whoo Hoo!)

I guess I miss the days (not that long ago) when you could make a reservation a few days advance and get in virtually anywhere on property. So you could plan a few days in advance, versus weeks or months.

Still, I have no problem planning weeks or months out if dining at a specific restaurant is that important to me. But that's one or two nights out of a week's trip - not EVERY SINGLE NIGHT for the entire night. Ugh. But as was said, to each his own.

From a business point of view, if everyone who did the DP planned that well and maximized the value of the plan, Disney would lose their shirt (well, maybe not now that they are taking things away from it, but still). In a way, Disney is counting on people to either not plan sufficiently or just miss meals or use them poorly over the course of the week so Disney comes out ahead. I'm sure this is what happens. In some office somewhere somebody has the numbers...

 

[JimboJones123]

I am not sure I understand the 20 minute meal thing. I know we figure about 1 1/2 hours for a TS meal and it is typically that. Since the addition of the DDP I would say the dining times have increased, not decreased. I wish that it would get back to where you could when in a rush get in and out of a TS restaurant quickly when needed.

It is true that the menus have changed. The selections seem to have become very generalized among most restaurants. Now doesn't WDW have a central food prep facility that prepares and distributes to all restaurants? I thought I had seen that somewhere, maybe the Food Network. Over the past 10 years or so I have noticed all restaurants (not just WDW) have reduced the amount of items on their menus in a way to reduce costs. This seems to be a general trend that really does not make me very happy. With the economy trending downward, maybe restaurants will go back to the old ways and offer more choices.

In the end I would like to see the plan change or at this point just go away, but it has been around in differant forms for a long long time (I remeber it in the early 90's) and it will probably not be going anywhere.

I'm the opposite with my TS. I don't want the 30 minute wait. 20 minutes to get the order in. 40 minutes to get the food. 40 minutes to order dessert. 30 minutes to pay the check. After all this we find ourselves spending 2 - 2.5 hrs on ADR TS spots. It's very annoying. Especially if you have 2 in a day. Especially if you plan them 5-6 hours apart and it becomes closer to 4.

 

[pheneix]

I don't buy the "be spontaneous" argument. Planning is the key. If you wanted to be spontaneous, and eat on a whim, that is what CS is for.

Greetings! I speak for the Orlando resident. There's at least three quarters of a million of us that hold APs or some form of frequent visitor pass to WDW. Because we live here, we generally don't plan our day trips to WDW months in advance. We have no need to. We're also a little smarter than the average tourist and know that eating Disney's counter service is equvilent to dropping on all fours and eating a vulture's pickings beside 192. Therefore, we like to eat at a decent restaurant during our day trip to the park.

Eventually Disney is going to standardize their table service fare to the point that it will be as bad as their counter service and we will not want to eat there anymore. Until then, it really sucks for us when we call looking for reservations this Friday night at Cape May Cafe and we find out its already booked solid.

Cheers!

 

[yankspy]

I am in the wing it group and I have to say that I think there is some exaggeration going on here. If you go to WDW during the slower times of the year, you can get same day or even walk-up seating at some of the most popular restaurants. In recent years we have done this and we have managed to eat at Le Cellier, Yachtsman, Boma, Ohana, as well as most of the countries and many other places as well. I have nothing against planning it is just not for me. Too much planning for something that is supposed to be fun is sort of like planned intimacy.:wave: To each His/Her own.

 

[scarpiapiano]

But it would take scheduling every dinner to the minute and making a conscious effort to use all my other meals & snacks to the utmost. It's an added level of stress that I don't need on vacation.

I want much more flexibility than the dining plan allows. I want to wake up in the morning not knowing which park we're going to that evening or where we're eating. Let the kids decide what they feel like doing and then make dinner arrangements that work with that. I don't want to schedule all my activities around when I could get priority seating for the restaurant that will give me my money's worth on the plan.


Count me among the ed.

I love planning for WDW and I love planning meals. For some of us the day they annonced the DDP was a blessed day. I love saving money and I love paying for a meal before you eat it. I'm with the authors of the Unofficial Guide who say that Disney World is not a very sponteneous place. Being able to go to a restaurant and not having to look at the price of an entree - that greatly eases my stress.

 

[manatee74]

After several trips with the old dining plan, we chose to do the deluxe plan this year. We will not do it again. Unless you have 3 table service meals a day it is not worth the cost. We were there in the beginning of Feb. which is value season. We were not able to do any same day reservations. We had to cancel so many of our ADR because of timing( riding sm one more time etc.). We didn't want to drop everything to make our ADRS It takes way too much planning.