People Angry Over Disney Dinning Plan

[t3techcom18]

As a son of a Front Desk/Concierege employee at WDW, it's actually pretty funny to have this topic come up when I just talked about it with him the other day.

It is indeed VERY true that lots of people are PO'ed about it. Lots don't like it with the aforementioned reasons above, as in at first it was too big, now too limited, and now the tax and gratuity is gone as well. However, that's not the ONLY issues with the DDP.

Unknown to many, the DDP made SEVERAL radical changes for 2008. Where are the radical changes? The seperate DDP packages. At first, you had your snack options, your dinner options, or options that were integrated (correct if I'm wrong, I was never a fan of DDP, and never will be as it's going on at the moment, and I don't have much knowledge of the prior DDP before the 08 version, just a skimmed one.).

However, the tables have turned. Not only are managers/servers of Food and Beverage CM's are hating it, but also Front Desk/Concierege CM's as well. Why you ask? Well, adding on to the fact of the changes made by the original incarnation, there were the several new packages. One that came for fancy meals, one that came differently. Two that were practically the same, but yet they were different in two totally different ways.

For example: There's one DDP plan now that has a wine option. Wine Option 1 is to have wines with every meal, but it's the cheap wine, not the fancy '32 Cognac. Wine Option 2 on the other hand, has less times you can have wine with your meal, BUT, you have the higher end wines, such as the '32 Cognac. Add that to the fact of how now pretty much every package of the DDP now has a brochure of it's features and how to use it, and then add on as well to the fact most tourists don't read anything while on vacation - Well, that's the part where everything is blowing up in WDW's face now.

That's what's making the DDP plan now go downhill. It's simply too complicated and too much in the fine print. Heck, people have already started to yell at my Dad saying, "We don't want to plan and organize everything, we're on vacation!" Disney should've left it how it was, OR, like mentioned before, include appetizer, and just make it as simple as how it was before, with almost no need to read the fine print.

 

[JimboJones123]

I still don't like the fact that they changed the CS breakfast. Year One DDP, because they didn't have dessert on breakfast menus, they let you get a fruit. Year Two, NO MORE FRUIT. DAMN YOU SALAZAR!!!!

 

[pennyarcade]

Add me to the chorus of folks who won't be using the DDP from now on. My husband and I have purchased it every trip since it first began, and loved it - the dining at WDW is one of the biggest draws for us. I'm kind of sad our upcoming trip will be DDP-free, but them's the breaks.

 

[tomm4004]

How much of the $38 per day was allocated for tips? Doubtful that it reflected the actual cost of the bill at a particular table.

Also, Disney does not own many of the WS restaurants. They take a percentage, I believe. So how is that money split between the owner of the restaurant and Disney? I don't see how the restaurants themselves come out ahead, since they would be pretty busy regardless.

 

[ryguy]

The beauty of the old plan was that you didn't have to worry about money. Now you have to pay tax and tip, so it becomes more of a hassle. I feel you should have the choice of appetizer or dessert. If enough people complain I feel they will change it back. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
I wish you could just get the plan without buying a package. I always stay on property but don't feel like buying a package. A lot of times I already have my tickets. And I hate the cancellation policy with the packages. I would be willing to pay a little extra to just buy the DDP, without a package. But I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

 

[tomm4004]

I wish you could just get the plan without buying a package.

But isn't that part of the point? Disney wants to sell those packages. The DDP is an enticement. Perhaps it's a loss-leader.

Question: Do posters use the signature dining part of the plan? Isn't doesn't seem to make financial sense. Salmon at Chefs de France is $27 and $31 at Citricos. $4 more but you're using two credits - essentially another $25 - to get it.

 

[TOCPE82]

My entire family booked the free DDP in Sept. 07 for Sept. 08, and when we booked we were told the only difference was that the appetizer will be dropped. Bait and Switch. Like someone said earlier, this KILLS the convenience factor. Money isn't even the primary concern. My grandfather is taking our whole family to Disney (for his retirement) with the DDP and paying for everything except incidentals..... the question is who pays for the tip? Should he? Should the family members? What if some tip and some don't? How many bills could / would / should they bring to a group of 16?

It's just too much more chaos in an already chaotic situation. Bad show, Disney.

 

[mousefan1972]

I've seen more than one post that says "tax and tip are not included". Just to clarfiy, I have the '08 DDP brochure in front of me and it states "Gratuity not included" in several places... no mention of tax. Also, the gratuity IS included for dinner shows and in-room dining/pizza delivery at select resorts. (Who would use 2 table service credits for pizza delivery?? )

 

[nibblesandbits]

I don't understand the "complaint" that you get too much food.

I used the dining plan this past Sept. (granted it was free, but still) and used it relatively effectively. At dinner, I'd eat what I wanted off the appetizer, eat what I wanted of dinner and eat what I wanted of dessert. Not once did I finish everything, but I never expected to. I ate what I could and enjoyed what I did.

For Lunch, I'd get my meal and the desert...I'd eat the meal and if I was hungry for the dessert, I'd eat it at that time (or if it was something that I had to eat at the time like ice cream) or I'd save it in my purse for later and munch on it. One of my desserts, I actually brought home and ate at a later date.

For snacks, we ate them much less often, but I found a great way to use those extra snack credits that I ended up having. I bought fudge to take home to enjoy, once again, after the trip. Or, I could have bought chips from the hotel (big bags too, not little ones) and enjoyed them as a late night snack or I could have bought a box of doughnuts for the morning. Plus, there were various other snacky things I could have bought and done something with. These last things I didn't find out until the end of our trip, but I knew it then for the next time.

So, yes, it's a lot of food, but when you use it effectively, it can work to your advantage. And I would never complain about being given too much food. It just seems like a strange thing to complain about. You don't complain about that when you go to your local Applebee's or TGI Fridays when they have their 3 course meal deals. Why complain about it with Disney? You knew what you were getting when you signed up for it.

Which brings me to the new DDP. I do think it's a bit of a rip off now. I think what would work better for the company would have been (if they absolutely needed to change it) would have been to offer the choice of appetizer or dessert (b/c my DH doesn't eat dessert, but I prefer the dessert to the appetizer--or we could even share, should we want to) and put the tip back on. Then the convience of the plan is back and Disney is still saving money.

 

[wdwmagic]

I am just hoping this is the beginning of the end. Let's just go back to paying for what food you want, when you want, and where you want it. The end of the DDP might also mean its possible to visit restaurants without making a reservation 180 days in advance. We might also get back to the point where people actually respect the finer restaurants again, instead of using them as a coutner service.

 

[DisneyPirate85]

So many good and Valuable points being made in reguards the new vs old plan. We have used it twice now (old plan) and enjoyed it, yes alot of food and sometimes wait staff really sucked but for most part wait staff was typical Disney and were very good. I think we will try the new plan and if it doesn't work for us we'll know. If wait staff is Great then Tip will be also, if not, then not. No diffrent then if we went to Outback or Red Lobster. Just my 2 cents.:wave:

 

[unkadug]

I am just hoping this is the beginning of the end. Let's just go back to paying for what food you want, when you want, and where you want it. The end of the DDP might also mean its possible to visit restaurants without making a reservation 180 days in advance. We might also get back to the point where people actually respect the finer restaurants again, instead of using them as a counter service.

Ah yes, you took the words right out of my mouth! :wave:

 

[Glasgow]

Anyone feel like they're at a car dealership?

"We'll give you one hundred dollars off of the price of your brand new car .. 100 crisp dollar bills!! Woo hoo!! Incidentally, we're giving you 600 dollars less for your trade in. Carry on".

I think that's why everyone is angry -- not because of what the dining plan is, but because it seems like Disney is nickel and diming to the point of ridiculous. I know -- if you don't want it, don't buy it. That's fine to say and I will respect everyone's opinion but the point is Disney had a chance to make the right changes and they are not even close on this one. That is why people who use(d) the DDP are miffed.

 

[diddy_mouse]

We used the DDP on our trip in December and it seemed to work just fine for us. Granted, I did book more ADR's than planned but all of our meals were very enjoyable. Also I'm glad we were able to dine at Boma, Flying Fish, and Chef Mickey's. Places we wouldn't have been able to visit due to our monetary situation.

Now, on our next trip I'm going to read up on whatever changes happen to the DDP (if it's even still around) and make my decision then. I do miss the old days when you could just walk up to a restaurant and just wait to be seated. Kind of like the restaurants in your town.

Well, we'll just have to see what 2008 brings to this thing...

 

[mousermerf]

This stuff cycles, so i'm not particularly worried. This current version just happened to be the most popular thus far - but it'll die like all the others.

 

[Biff215]

I don't understand the "complaint" that you get too much food.

Before I tried the plan, I felt exactly the same way. I'm on vacation, how could there possibly be too much food?

I think the reality is that everyone feels a need to get the most value out of the plan. Since price is no object, you are always tempted to pick the most expensive entree off of the menu, which is typically the most filling as well.

By the end of our trip, I could barely even get the food down. While I really enjoyed the value (of the old plan), I would never put myself in that position again, even if it costs more to pay cash.

To get back on topic, I'm with Steve, let's get back to how it used to be!

 

[DisneyDadof4]

When does this go into effect? I paid for the DDP in December and no one mention any changes to me. My family uses it every time we visit and it was well worth it for us.

 

[wdwmomof3]

So many good and Valuable points being made in reguards the new vs old plan. We have used it twice now (old plan) and enjoyed it, yes alot of food and sometimes wait staff really sucked but for most part wait staff was typical Disney and were very good. I think we will try the new plan and if it doesn't work for us we'll know. If wait staff is Great then Tip will be also, if not, then not. No diffrent then if we went to Outback or Red Lobster. Just my 2 cents.:wave:

This is exactly what I am thinking of doing. We will have to see but I am going to give it a try anyway.

 

[Disneyfan1981]

This is interesting since I'm still going to WDW in 2008 and plan to add the Dining Plan to my visit especially since last time I went it cost around $800 in Dining alone (we did go to restaurants almost every night) but I do wish they gave the option of an appetizer or dessert because my wife could order one and me the other and split it. I'm nervous about trying it but since we will be six this time around I'm already planning on telling people to split the 18% tip for every TS...

 

[brucie]

We Love the DDP, at least the old one, it's not a great deal anymore, we prob wont do it anymore and that means we will for sure spend less on food when we are in the parks. We never would spend as much as we payed for the DDP but it was just so easy and lots of food, which we loved, now without the Apps included much less apealing, I can live with the gratuity not being included but not the apps, I won't use it again utntil they bring it back to it's original form, or at least just add the apps back in!! We Loved the DDP!!