Return of Dining Plan

[Master Yoda]

People on these boards know better, but I wonder how many people buy the plan with the assumption that it will save them money. I sat next to a couple at a wedding a few years ago who had recently visited WDW for the first time, and the husband absolutely insisted that the dining plan was the best thing ever because it saved them 40%. I gave it some thought, but ultimately decided I had no obligation to correct that nonsense.

Quite a few and that is by design.

Typically, if all you look at what you pay vs. what you can get then there are some perfect storm restaurants that make it look like a huge bargain. (Dinner at Boma at $50 and Dinner at Chef Mickey at $55 come to mind) However, when you look at what you would actually order at any given restaurant, the savings tend to quickly errode.

About the only situation where the last version of the DDP came out ahead for the guest was when a group wanted to do a good bit of character dining. That is of course due to Disney pricing character dining to the moon.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

About the only situation where the last version of the DDP came out ahead for the guest was when a group wanted to do a good bit of character dining.

And even then, this really relied on all of the kids in the party being under 10 years old. Character dining is a bad enough value as it is, I really don't understand anyone doing it with kids who are full price.

 

[networkpro]

And even then, this really relied on all of the kids in the party being under 10 years old. Character dining is a bad enough value as it is, I really don't understand anyone doing it with kids who are full price.

If they are typical teenagers the DDP makes sense as they tend to eat everything that doesn't have a coat of fresh paint on it.

 

[Master Yoda]

And even then, this really relied on all of the kids in the party being under 10 years old. Character dining is a bad enough value as it is, I really don't understand anyone doing it with kids who are full price.

Neither do I, but I must confess that the wife and the kids enjoyed it well into adulthood.

What I hate more than anything is this pricing model has spread to the non-character dining buffets. The wife and I love Boma, but not at $50 a person. Yet another example of how the DDP affects everyone.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Neither do I. What I hate is this pricing model has spread to the non-character dining buffets. The wife and I love Boma, but not at $50 a person. Yet another example of how the DDP affects everyone.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If they are typical teenagers the DDP makes sense as they tend to eat everything that doesn't have a coat of fresh paint on it.

But a 10 year old eats nothing.

the age is wrong. Not charging for child tickets is also wrong.

yet another example of acceptance leading to exploitation

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Neither do I, but I must confess that the wife and the kids enjoyed it well into adulthood.

What I hate more than anything is this pricing model has spread to the non-character dining buffets. The wife and I love Boma, but not at $50 a person. Yet another example of how the DDP affects everyone.

That's new pricing though, and it fluctuates fairly frequently. Pre-pandemic, I think it was running around $42. I'm not offended by that price, as long as there's beef on the menu that night.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Related/unrelated…

4,300,000 people quit their jobs in August.

that is a pretty big number

 

[Master Yoda]

That's new pricing though, and it fluctuates fairly frequently. Pre-pandemic, I think it was running around $42. I'm not offended by that price, as long as there's beef on the menu that night.

Allears currently has the price at $49. I simply can not eat $49 worth of buffet level food. I would much rather go next door to Jiko and drop $52 on a fillet.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Allears currently has the price at $49. I simply can not eat $49 worth of buffet level food. I would much rather go next door to Jiko and drop $52 on a fillet.

Absolutely nobody can…

but the shift is accepting $5-$10 off the top in the past and now demanding $20

what’s gonna happen when they try to pass off the supply shortages in a few months? Yikes

 

[nickys]

And even then, this really relied on all of the kids in the party being under 10 years old. Character dining is a bad enough value as it is, I really don't understand anyone doing it with kids who are full price.

We saved money by doing it for a three night stay, 4 “adults” and doing several of the character dining / buffets.

That was over a Christmas weekend when TIW was blacked out. When we did the sums for the New Year weekend it didn’t work out for us so we skipped it.

And with international guests hopefully returning in 2022, the dining plan was offered free as part of the U.K. packages for many years. Literally free, as in the cost whether you took the dining plan or not was identical. Who in their right mind would not take it under those circumstances. We don’t get room discounts through Disney U.K., so there was no comparison to be made there either.

So there will be a large number of people genuinely hoping for it’s return, even if paying for it is not necessarily worth while.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We saved money by doing it for a three night stay, 4 “adults” and doing several of the character dining / buffets.

That was over a Christmas weekend when TIW was blacked out. When we did the sums for the New Year weekend it didn’t work out for us so we skipped it.

And with international guests hopefully returning in 2022, the dining plan was offered free as part of the U.K. packages for many years. Literally free, as in the cost whether you took the dining plan or not was identical. Who in their right mind would not take it under those circumstances. We don’t get room discounts through Disney U.K., so there was no comparison to be made there either.

So there will be a large number of people genuinely hoping for it’s return, even if paying for it is not necessarily worth while.

You get a much better deal…
And you wonder why we’re so cranky over here?

The question is will it continue?

I get why they did it. The Europeans - especially the Brits - are much more disciplined consumers. If they got it last year…don’t even bother trying to take it away this year.

but will a 2 year break in the cycle embolden slappy to try it?

 

[nickys]

You get a much better deal…
And you wonder why we’re so cranky over here?

The question is will it continue?

I get why they did it. The Europeans - especially the Brits - are much more disciplined consumers. If they got it last year…don’t even bother trying to take it away this year.

but will a 2 year break in the cycle embolden slappy to try it?

Disney have confirmed the dining plan is returning. And IIRC they said further details will be available in the Fall.

The question is when, not if, it will return.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I get why they did it. The Europeans - especially the Brits - are much more disciplined consumers.

They're also much less likely to rent a car and much more likely to stay for 10-14 days. A captive Brit is $$$.

 

[King Panda 77]

They're also much less likely to rent a car and much more likely to stay for 10-14 days. A captive Brit is $$$.

A lot of the packages come with free hire car.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They're also much less likely to rent a car and much more likely to stay for 10-14 days. A captive Brit is $$$.

They stay forever…and do as much as they can in Florida. Which means cars to the beach, other parks, offsite dining, etc.

you don’t seriously think they’re riding tower of Terror 11 times, buying after hours and paying $25 for Rise of the dull ride, do you?

…of course not. They’re smarter than us

Other than the Council of Elders here…most UK holidayers like FLORIDA as much or more than they do WDW. Traditionally.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney have confirmed the dining plan is returning. And IIRC they said further details will be available in the Fall.

The question is when, not if, it will return.

That’s not my question…

the question is will you get the same prices forever? I had very limited dealings with UK wholesale (but some) a long time ago. But it was a different world.

what are the prices now? Why are they priced that way? It’s good to consider under new management.

 

[nickys]

The U.K. tickets are changing to date based pricing, which is potentially a big change.

If they don’t offer the free dining plan my guess would be they will lose some of the gains they made in getting U.K. guests to stay onsite.

Other than Disney U.K., other travel companies will lose nothing by encouraging Cabana Bay or Endless Summer.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The U.K. tickets are changing to date based pricing, which is potentially a big change.

If they don’t offer the free dining plan my guess would be they will lose some of the gains they made in getting U.K. guests to stay onsite.

Other than Disney U.K., other travel companies will lose nothing by encouraging Cabana Bay or Endless Summer.

And that would be the kinda question I might come up with.

If Disney thinks they’re getting a “bad deal” from Their UK clientele…and I’m sure that idiot management does…then this is the best chance they’ll have for a hard reset on prices. Coming out of a 21 international lockdown.

but at what cost? Will they lose more than they gain? Are they smart enough to understand that?

and here’s the other thing: If you alienate that clientele…do they not patronize Disney’s problem child on the continent?

 

[nickys]

and here’s the other thing: If you alienate that clientele…do they not patronize Disney’s problem child on the continent?

Nah. DIsneyland Paris is as good as WDW for kids. Plenty of kids will tell you they went to Disney World or Disneyland, and went to Paris.

It isn’t cheap, but it’s a fraction of the cost of getting to Florida and staying for 2 weeks. DLP can easily be done for 2 nights and still be as magical if the kids don’t know any better. All they want and remember is to meet Mickey.

For those that go to Florida, WDW, is not the sole destination. It could be three days at Disney, 3 days at Universal and a week on a beach. Or 2-3 weeks in a Villa with private pool in a resort with a clubhouse and massive pool complex. The lure is all the theme parks and the sun. WDW, Universal, Legoland, Busch Gardens, Seaworld etc.

If WDW alienate guests too much they’ll lose many of those that stay onsite.