Even though we are AP holders and DVC members, we still usually purchase the dining plan, but recent dining plan changes and price hikes seem to have diminished that value even further. We try to remember that we are paying for convenience and atmosphere... but we still like to eat, and the quality of the food is only comparable to a hospital or school cafeteria at most Disney restaurants. Looking at receipts from our last trip in May, we probably won't book the dining plan again unless it is just my wife and I, as we always order to obtain value for the cost (my teenage daughter could live on chicken nuggets). The sad thing is that unless you order the most expensive thing on the menu, you won't come out ahead, so the Dining Plan encourages you to order expensive, whether you want that dish or not. Often, my wife would prefer an appetizer, but orders an entrée because she feels she has already paid for it. If the dining plan would allow you to swap a table service for two counters service meals, that would be a great option for users. Or to use a certain amount of snack credits in exchange for a counter service dish. We always leave snack credits on the table (you can only carry home so many mickey rice crispy treats). Since we always drive, we will be going outside for meals more often, preferring Chuy's and other places along IDrive. We will probably go less often, using our points to book villas with kitchens to cook our own meals more often.
, Disney has always had a problem during the summer in filling there higher end restaurants like the Jill's and Citrico's etc. it's just now they are trying to do something about it. Speaking with two of my friends who work at these restaurants, they usually have openings because the summer crowds are more family visitors then anyone else and put their money in cheaper places to eat to get through the week. This is a play for locals to come on out and draw a few more families to these spots during a dip in their usual bustling rest of year. By offering these discounts and free app's they are already seeing a uptick in filling the tables.
