Return of Dining Plan

[Chi84]

Well…that’s not the case now. Reservations are available all over the place for nearly empty restaurants running on small staffs

Maybe, but not necessarily where and when people want to eat. I tried to remake our reservations for HBD, Boma, Cali Grill, Topolino's, Mama Melrose (that's likely getting canceled) and Trattoria al Forno. The last was the only one left with decent times. HBD, Cali, and Topolino's were not available at all for dinner and there were only very early and very late times for the others, like Boma at 9.

Everyone vacations differently, but some people like to eat at certain restaurants and certain times. I was able to plan that at 60 days for everything but Space 220, but not now so someone must be in those restaurants. I'm not a fan of the dining plan at all, but @nickys is right about them needing restaurants back at full capacity and possibly pushing out the booking date in order to sell the plan.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Right now it’s hard to book much at 60 days out +4 or +5 days. But then we also know people are cancelling quite close to their vacation dates.

But they need the restaurants back at full capacity first. Otherwise there will be complaints when people pay for the dining plan and cannot book anything. If demand stays high at 60 days they may even decide to push that booking date out to 90 days.

I believe most if not all the hotels are still not open to full room
Capacity.
If that’s the case on-site…then there isn’t enough business for full restaurant capacity. If that’s why there’s no dining plan…it has to self correct first.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Maybe, but not necessarily where and when people want to eat. I tried to remake our reservations for HBD, Boma, Cali Grill, Topolino's, Mama Melrose (that's likely getting canceled) and Trattoria al Forno. The last was the only one left with decent times. HBD, Cali, and Topolino's were not available at all for dinner and there were only very early and very late times for the others, like Boma at 9.

Everyone vacations differently, but some people like to eat at certain restaurants and certain times. I was able to plan that at 60 days for everything but Space 220, but not now so someone must be in those restaurants. I'm not a fan of the dining plan at all, but @nickys is right about them needing restaurants back at full capacity and possibly pushing out the booking date in order to sell the plan.

No reservations does not mean full restaurants. It’s meant limited tables and staffing.

 

[Master Yoda]

No reservations does not mean full restaurants. It’s meant limited tables and staffing.

This^^^.

Nearly every TS restaurant I went into on the week of 10/1 was obviously short-staffed often with entire sections unused.

I will at least give the mouse props for not throwing the CM's they do have to the wolves by fully booking restaurants that arent staffed to deal with it.

 

[Chi84]

No reservations does not mean full restaurants. It’s meant limited tables and staffing.

I was responding to your comment that right now "reservations are available all over the place." For selling the dining plan, it doesn't really matter why people can't get reservations - those reservations need to be available in order to sell the plan.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This^^^.

Nearly every TS restaurant I went into on the week of 10/1 was obviously short-staffed often with entire sections unused.

I will at least give the mouse props for not throwing the CM's they do have to the wolves by fully booking restaurants that arent staffed to deal with it.

Their “restraint” is amazing

I was responding to your comment that right now "reservations are available all over the place." For selling the dining plan, it doesn't really matter why people can't get reservations - those reservations need to be available in order to sell the plan.

Granted. I didn’t phrase that right. Not arguing your point.

I just was saying that limited res availability is more of a logistics issue right now. It’s not a capacity/crowd issue as it was during hell decade that would indicate they can roll dining plan.

I think no dining plan also could be a side effect of “lightning lane”…they may not want to increase the cost of packages now when they obviously need to sell them. Too many hooks in their sea.

 

[MisterPenguin]

<makes a note to bring a grill and hotdogs to cook up for myself in the parks>

 

[Tom P.]

So, just to catch up here...

Without opening a new debate about the dining plan, do we have any reliable insider information as to what Disney's current thinking is about the return of the dining plan? Not speculation or conjecture, but actual reliable information as to what Disney is thinking/planning?

 

[nickys]

So, just to catch up here...

Without opening a new debate about the dining plan, do we have any reliable insider information as to what Disney's current thinking is about the return of the dining plan? Not speculation or conjecture, but actual reliable information as to what Disney is thinking/planning?

No. Other than Disney have said the dining plan will return. That’s it afaik.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So, just to catch up here...

Without opening a new debate about the dining plan, do we have any reliable insider information as to what Disney's current thinking is about the return of the dining plan? Not speculation or conjecture, but actual reliable information as to what Disney is thinking/planning?

Actual information on ops issues comes from Disney…why are you trying to get a “jump” on it with speculation? It is what it is.

 

[mattpeto]

So, just to catch up here...

Without opening a new debate about the dining plan, do we have any reliable insider information as to what Disney's current thinking is about the return of the dining plan? Not speculation or conjecture, but actual reliable information as to what Disney is thinking/planning?

I heard a good theory: Dining Plan will return on January 1st to offset the lost of Magical Express.

 

[mattpeto]

I still would like to think that a few more EPCOT restaurants, Flying Fish and Jiko would return before the Dining Plan returns.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I heard a good theory: Dining Plan will return on January 1st to offset the lost of Magical Express.

I don’t understand how that’s an offset? Take away something and add costs…to be offset by selling something that adds costs?

only in Orlando does that work.

I still would like to think that a few more EPCOT restaurants, Flying Fish and Jiko would return before the Dining Plan returns.

View attachment 595316

They need the character buffets back to really use the DDP effectively…as in from Disney’s perspective.

 

[mattpeto]

I don’t understand how that’s an offset? Take away something and add costs…to be offset by selling something that adds costs?

only in Orlando does that work.

They need the character buffets back to really use the DDP effectively…as in from Disney’s perspective.

I didn’t say it was a good offset. It’s just a little way to sweep losing DME under the rug and say “hey the Dining Plan is back now”.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I didn’t say it was a good offset. It’s just a little way to sweep losing DME under the rug and say “hey the Dining Plan is back now”.

You mean the thing people overpay for?

 

[nickys]

You mean the thing people overpay for?

Not everyone overpays for it. Some guests genuinely get it for free, as in no difference in price whether with or without the dining plan.

 

[mattpeto]

Not everyone overpays for it. Some guests genuinely get it for free, as in no difference in price whether with or without the dining plan.

Or some people just put value in having the option back.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not everyone overpays for it. Some guests genuinely get it for free, as in no difference in price whether with or without the dining plan.

I’ll fix that…

“everyone in the United States overpays for except when they have to hook people to the place during an economic recession”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Or some people just put value in having the option back.

It’s an “option” all right…

 

[King Panda 77]

You mean the thing people overpay for?

Not everyone overpays. But we know you hate it so