Will Disney Dining Plan Return?

Fable McCloud

Fable McCloud

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So now that you are able to book packages for the 2021 Season, I saw that the DDP is not even listed on the website. What are the odds it will come back in the next 6-8 months?

Same goes for the All Star Resorts.

My husband and I just cancelled our 2020 December trip, and we were hoping to go next year, however the DDP is essential to us, as is ASM since we've stayed there every trip (it's practically home at this point). I don't think we could go without at least the Dining option, the way we eat we'd spend a fortune lol.


I know you can modify reservations, so if we book without it and it opens up we can add it in, but I'd really hope by like, Feb-March they have it available again online.
 
JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Odds ??? I'm thinking not too good for 6-8 months. It can be a money maker for Disney which is what they need. If they decide that offering free DDP will get the desire to book trips, immediately start filling the resorts and parks again, it maybe increases the odds. But I'm instead thinking further down the road. Disney probably is waiting for the Covid issue to get dramatically better, get all the restaurants open with table availability back to near full capacity again. Then with guests competing for reservations and bookings it will reappear.
 
Queen of the WDW Scene

Queen of the WDW Scene

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Odds of it returning are pretty good.
But by February or March? Unlikely.

As for the All Star Resorts... I would like to think that they will reopen by then but they may not be.

In short if these things are MUSTS then you are better off holding off until there is confirmation of when they will return/reopen.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Fable McCloud said:
So now that you are able to book packages for the 2021 Season, I saw that the DDP is not even listed on the website. What are the odds it will come back in the next 6-8 months?

Same goes for the All Star Resorts.

My husband and I just cancelled our 2020 December trip, and we were hoping to go next year, however the DDP is essential to us, as is ASM since we've stayed there every trip (it's practically home at this point). I don't think we could go without at least the Dining option, the way we eat we'd spend a fortune lol.


I know you can modify reservations, so if we book without it and it opens up we can add it in, but I'd really hope by like, Feb-March they have it available again online.
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The All Stars resorts won’t re-open until POP and AoA get booked out. Why open further Value resorts whilst there are empty rooms elsewhere?

And I suspect until restaurants can open at full capacity and more restaurants re-open (which in turn depends on park capacity increasing significantly) there is little chance of the dining plan returning. The last thing they want is people with the dining plan being unable to use it.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
UNCgolf said:
I really wish it wouldn't. Maybe then the food quality would increase to pre-DDP levels.

Probably not, though.
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Well Hollywood & Vine seems to have re-invented itself. May be more to do with the lack of the buffet but I’ve seen amazing reviews of the food quality since re-opening.
 
Jon81uk

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
If there are no character meals and similar, you might struggle to save money with the plan anyway. It was getting to the point where if you pay cash for the plan it can be hard to save money with it if you don't have a lot of the more expensive meals.

I'd rather see prices drop in general than the dining plan return. A lot of Disney meals are just crazy prices now.

But maybe Disney could offer some other kind of pre-payment options, such as buy five quick service vouchers and get one free or half price. That way it allows people to pay upfront to save a little cash if they want to. Or maybe a pay-up-front discount for character meals, so you can save $10 by pre-paying the meal compared to paying on the day.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Jon81uk said:
If there are no character meals and similar, you might struggle to save money with the plan anyway. It was getting to the point where if you pay cash for the plan it can be hard to save money with it if you don't have a lot of the more expensive meals.

I'd rather see prices drop in general than the dining plan return. A lot of Disney meals are just crazy prices now.

But maybe Disney could offer some other kind of pre-payment options, such as buy five quick service vouchers and get one free or half price. That way it allows people to pay upfront to save a little cash if they want to. Or maybe a pay-up-front discount for character meals, so you can save $10 by pre-paying the meal compared to paying on the day.
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The point of the dining plan was for Disney to make money out of it. You’re right in that doing a lot of character meals was one way that made it worthwhile, but overall they knew that most people either just about broke even or lost money on it.

You’re giving them an altruistic motive that was never there. The chances of them creating something that gives a dining discount are zero right now.
 
Jon81uk

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
nickys said:
The point of the dining plan was for Disney to make money out of it. You’re right in that doing a lot of character meals was one way that made it worthwhile, but overall they knew that most people either just about broke even or lost money on it.

You’re giving them an altruistic motive that was never there. The chances of them creating something that gives a dining discount are zero right now.
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Oh I know that Disney only do it to make money and they really want the guests who don't break even as that makes them even more money.
But the secondary purpose of the plan is to sell hotel rooms and to get people to pay up front for things. Paying up front means they already have your money and it removes some of the decision making you do later on.
Offering discounts like I suggested means they have the money upfront, they have a fully confirmed booking for something and can therefore plan staffing and ordering levels and the guest feels like they got a discount.

As long as they don't copy Disneyland Paris and the overly complicated meal plans (I've not used one, but just trying to read and understand makes my head hurt!)
 
F

Figmentfam

New Member
I was hoping and praying, too as it is essential for us too. But it dies not look like it will happen any time soon. My fo us has switched to asking for dining money for Christmas instead if gifts.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
For those who are saying it is “essential”, why not put the money you would have spent on the dining plan onto a Disney Gift Card and use that? It’s then pre-paid and all you would have to find is money for the tips. Of course you may find you need to put a bit extra on the GCs if you are certain the dining plan saves you money.
 
F

Figmentfam

New Member
nickys said:
For those who are saying it is “essential”, why not put the money you would have spent on the dining plan onto a Disney Gift Card and use that? It’s then pre-paid and all you would have to find is money for the tips. Of course you may find you need to put a bit extra on the GCs if you are certain the dining plan saves you money.
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It does save us money, we are going to be doing a lot less eating without it. That is a good suggestion. Do you know if the will let youink a gift card to your room. I am lazy y andie the convenience of magic bands.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Figmentfam said:
It does save us money, we are going to be doing a lot less eating without it. That is a good suggestion. Do you know if the will let youink a gift card to your room. I am lazy y andie the convenience of magic bands.
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You can’t link it to your room account.

But you can go to the front desk and pay down the account every night / couple of nights with a gift card.
 
NelleBelle

NelleBelle

Well-Known Member
Is it only “essential” if they bring back FREE DDP? I don’t see that happening for a long time, if ever. And when people paid cash ahead for the DDP, unless you were ordering the most expensive items on the menu at the most expensive restaurants, Disney had it rigged so you would lose money on that thing. We learned that years ago when they offered either free dining or room discount to ALWAYS take the room discount.
 

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