What would you do to improve DDP?

[mhelsley]

I haven't done DDP yet but i have a few ideas.

I think we should be given two snack credits and then take away our CS dessert. But then i think Disney should allow CS desserts to count as a snack credit(for those who want dessert). This would help those of us with sugar problems plus make the coming back for dessert(icecream or at another location)much easier. I know that the CS desserts cost slightly more but i really believe DW would come out on top as it seems most people don't want dessert with every meal and they would use the extra credit for the cheaper options(the regular snack they offer now).

So what changes would you make?

[sameyeyam]

:stir: I would let people trade 1 sit down meal for 2 counter services. Some days we really don't feel like having a giant sit down meal. We could then have a counter service breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Also, many CMs are confused by what a snack is. Minute Maid frozen lemonade is a snack at EP, but not at TL! All ice cream at Pop Century is a snack, except Hagen Dazs. Seems like they would state that on the freezer, next to the DDP symbol. I guess they like people to get up to the cash register and have to argue! I would make sure that all snacks at each location area CLEARLY marked! :banana:

Here would be my ideal DDP: You eat whatever you want, wherever you want at all Disney Parks. Think about it, you eat a ton of food on the DDP plan anyway. I made a pig of myself eating so many huge meals. If they had just allowed me to eat anywhere or whatever I wanted each day, I probably would have consumed less than the huge meals I was served! If you are a snacker, you could just have small things to eat all day, if you are into buffets, why not sample a little of all of them??

Boy, do I live in a Disney Dream World or what??!! :jumping1:

[calie_j]

I'd change the snack credits to any item under $3 (just picked that number out of thin air). This would give a much bigger variety to snacks and allow them to be used for breakfast items, dole whips, bakery items, etc. I like your idea too.

Calie

[formernyer]

I agree with the snack credit idea and $3.00 is the perfect value for it (since that's the high-end of what currect snack items cost. The problem is that people are never happy...if Disney changed the snack credit to any item $3.00 or less, then people would change their complaints to, "Why can't I buy a $4.00 item and just pay $1.00 OOP for it?"

IMO the absolute most important change Disney needs to make to the DDP is to add a Juniors price for the 10-13 year olds. Many kids in that age group still have child appetites. Disney should offer Junior DDPs for somewhere in the $23.99/day range and the meals should include the child's choice of either a larger-sized portion of a kid's meal or a smaller-portioned adult meal. Appetizers should be included for the Juniors, but in a smaller portion than the adult menu offers. The Junior rate should be an OPTION for kids this age, but parents should be able to purchase the full $37.99 adult meal plan for Juniors if they have a larger appetite.

[wdwobsessed]

Well the biggest thing would be for them to send you the DDP information with your reservation confirmation. We didn't get ours until check-in. People who are not internet savy wouldn't have a clue about ADR's or anything!

More snack options.

WDWO

[ShellyMouse]

IMO the absolute most important change Disney needs to make to the DDP is to add a Juniors price for the 10-13 year olds. Many kids in that age group still have child appetites. Disney should offer Junior DDPs for somewhere in the $23.99/day range and the meals should include the child's choice of either a larger-sized portion of a kid's meal or a smaller-portioned adult meal. Appetizers should be included for the Juniors, but in a smaller portion than the adult menu offers. The Junior rate should be an OPTION for kids this age, but parents should be able to purchase the full $37.99 adult meal plan for Juniors if they have a larger appetite.


i totally agree with this. i think it's ridiculous to charge $38.00 for a 10 yo to eat.

[LoriZH]

I wouldn't change anything except to make it CLEARER for those who have never done it before.

I love the plan, think it's great. I obviously don't get everything you're entitled to because it's just too darn much! lol But I wouldn't change a thing...oops except give it away for free....oh snap they are :rotfl2:

[PrincessNED]

BOOZE :teeth: :teeth:

[aubriee]

1. Include three meals/day (two CS and one TS) as well as a snack item.

2. Enforce that if someone pays for a child's plan that it is used for a child. I think it's absurd that people are using a $11.99/day plan (for kids) to buy adult meals (complete with appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks) at TS restaraunts. No wonder childless couples are contemplating inventing kids.

[bicker]

I'd definitely like to see them enforce that if someone pays for a child's plan that it is used for a child. Any program structured to provide incentive to make up things like that is just-plain-wrong.

I'm not sure about three meals per day. I think the dining plan already includes too much food as it is. :eek:

[fakereadhed]

IMO the absolute most important change Disney needs to make to the DDP is to add a Juniors price for the 10-13 year olds. Many kids in that age group still have child appetites. Disney should offer Junior DDPs for somewhere in the $23.99/day range and the meals should include the child's choice of either a larger-sized portion of a kid's meal or a smaller-portioned adult meal. Appetizers should be included for the Juniors, but in a smaller portion than the adult menu offers. The Junior rate should be an OPTION for kids this age, but parents should be able to purchase the full $37.99 adult meal plan for Juniors if they have a larger appetite.

I think that's a great idea. :thumbsup2 Maybe they should create a junior menu anyway. Or go back to kids being 3-11...I think the 10-12 age range gets the most complaints about the DDP around here.

[bicker]

I think junior pricing would be a great idea. Say $38 regular price, then, $26 for juniors (9-11), and $12 for young children (3-8).

[Pedler]

I think an option to add an extra CS meal per day for everyone in the group would be a good idea and relatively simple. They could have a $5 per person per day charge or something like that.

I also agree that they should give people the dinning plan info with the rest of their documents once they pay for the package. Lets face it when you check in you are ready to start enjoying your Disney vacation, not read through all the documents that they give to you at check in.

I also think that it would be good if they established consitency in how the plan is implemented across the board. If a frozen lemonade is a snack then it should be a snack everywhere. If its not a snack then it shouldn't be a snack anywhere.

A junior rate would be nice especially as our oldest turns 10 next year. I don't really see that happening as right now Disney essentially has 2 age groups and I can't see them creating a separate a third group just for the dining plan.

As for the enforcement I also agree that Disney should enforce its policies across the board. I think they do that for the most part now but of course that all depends on what you think the actual policy is. pirate:

BTW I think you could take the consitency in implementation and enforcement and apply it to many areas outside of the dinning plan as well.

[Hannathy]

I would like to see them fix the child credits so you can ONLY use them for child menu items. I think it is terrible how people are using the kid credits that they are paying child prices for as Adult Meals. Unfortunately if any loop hole is left dishonest people, and yes people are dishonest that do this, will find it and take advantage of it. You know what you paid for. Until this is fixed I don't see a Jr. price coming.
Allow you to use TS credits for CS esp since it can be so hard to get ADR's.

[Tink_Fan]

I like all of those ideas! I know that next year our daughter will be 10 and I doubt we will consider the dining plan because she eats like a bird. I just don't think it is worth us paying that much for her when she could really just share an adult meal with me.

I also wish we could eat where ever, not that I don't like the choices but there are places that I'd like to go to that isn't included in the plan. We would go but with all that food we already have it is kind of pointless for us.

I'm more of a grazer, so at the end of our trip I can barely look at any more food.

[Lewisc]

Allow customers to pay an up charge instead of using 2 credits for signature meals. Allow restaurants to offer one or two "signature" menu items that have an up charge. This will allow restaurants to still offer some exceptional dishes and will get rid of some of the hidden policies some restaurants are following. I'd consider dropping dessert with CS meals in favor of an extra snack credit, but only if Disney could do it within the present cost structure. That would limit items which are currently dessert but not snacks but would give us a little more flexibility.

Although it would be nice to include more snacks I suspect the wholesale price of the food, the difficulty in preparing the item and storage concerns rather than the selling price of the item is what determines what's included. Disney gets the bottled water and soda for next to nothing. That said I'd like to see if muffins and pastries could be officially added as a snack. That combined with coffee in our room or a refillable mug could be a light breakfast.
I don't know if the system could accomodate it, but I'd like the option to purchase an extra day of dining. Some trips I arrive before lunch and have an early evening flight home.


Changes which wouldn't benefit us but I'd like to see implemented only if the alternative is higher prices include a sharing charge and segmenting the credits into adult and child categories.

Disney recently changed the age for dining. They wanted the age for purchasing dining to be the same as tickets and it didn't make sense to charge 10 year olds the adult rate for dining but give them children meals. I don't see them adding a junior rate. Kids who are 9 and eat a lot don't do well on dining and 11 year old who eat very little don't do well. Famlies have to look at the plan like a buffet, if the family as a whole eats enough to get their monies worth then it's a good deal.

[Pedler]

I would like the idea of one more snack credit and removing the desert from the CS meals. We ended up throwing out more than one CS desert that was included with our meal. The extra snacks could have been used for more bottled water.

Expanding the snack choices would be nice but I would think that it would impact the cost. Right now the choices they have on the plan are high margin items.

[NYMom]

I would like to see Kid sized portions of adult meals at CS rest. It is sometimes difficult finding something healthy for DS8&11 to eat. Even though I don't like to do it, I sometimes order adult CS for DS8 to get him away from eating fried/carb rich foods at every meal. After a week of chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, PB&J's he is misrable with stomach problems.

[sameyeyam]

I was very appreciative of the CM's at CS meals on the DDP. They did not make my son stick to the kid's menu, so we did order adult meals for him that had a little higher nutritional content.

You are very right, the kids meals seem to be very high carb, high fat and lacking in vegetables & fruits! Seems like they could do something better for kids meals rather than just throwing a couple of carrot sticks on the side of a high fat mac n cheese meal and thinking that somehow makes it healthier.

We also found a good CS dessert that was available at many places. It was a sugar free strawberry desert with pudding. My entire family liked it better than the regular CS desserts (chocolate cake, brownie, etc...).

[cdtommie]

I would like to see some sort of signature dining plan option...maybe drop the snack credit and dessert with the counter service (two desserts in one day is a lot anyway) and have a basic one counter service and one signature dinner option (at a higher price at course). We tend to go to mostly signature restaurants and are trying the dining plan for the first time starting Sunday and are doing Spoodles/Kona Cafe/Cellier/Biergarten etc. during our five day trip - but my heart wants Flying Fish, Jiko's and Citrico's which we probably would have done using the DDE instead. We figure we'll give the dining plan a shot and see how it goes.

[gina2000]

I'd like to see the kids' credits only be allowed to be used for kids' meals. AND I'd like anyone on the plan to be able to buy and use a kids' credit option. This way, birdlike and/or picky eaters can eat from the children's menu on a child's credit option plan and adult type eaters could eat from the adult menu on an adult credit option plan. This takes care of the tweens.

[justplaingoofy]

I love the idea about the price for a snack... Whatever it is...

Instead of 1 snack... snack up to the value of $2.50? If you want something that costs more than that they you pay the difference. I think that would make it soooo much easier and would make their CM so much more consistent.

my vote.. :Pinkbounc yep... thats my vote :Pinkbounc


Okay, I have a second.. Be able to get dessert later..

[kaytieeldr]

IMO the absolute most important change Disney needs to make to the DDP is to add a Juniors price for the 10-13 year olds. Many kids in that age group still have child appetites. Disney should offer Junior DDPs for somewhere in the $23.99/day range and the meals should include the child's choice of either a larger-sized portion of a kid's meal or a smaller-portioned adult meal. Appetizers should be included for the Juniors, but in a smaller portion than the adult menu offers. Okay, the "Junior" pricing isn't a bad idea (except what do you do about the parents trying to pass off their sixteen year old as thirteen to save a little money) but the portion thing wouldn't work.
"Okay, the slip says this order is for an eight-year-old, so we'll put three chicken fingers and fifteen fries on the plate; now this other person on the same order is a junior so we need to put four chicken fingers and twenty fries on that plate; now this other person on the same order is a junior but ordering from the adult menu so we'll plate four ounces of pot roast, one scoop of mashed potatoes and ten green beans; and for the adult meal we need eight ounces of pot roast, two scoops of potatoes and twenty-five green beans...."

BOOZE Hey, now that's not a bad idea for an addo-on option, or an entirely separate plan :)

A junior rate would be nice especially as our oldest turns 10 next year. I don't really see that happening as right now Disney essentially has 2 age groups and I can't see them creating a separate a third group just for the dining plan. Okay, good point. If they added a junior option to the dining plan, the next series of complaints would be "But my child is eleven and pays the Junior rate for the Dining Plan; what do you mean I have to pay the adult price for her park admission????"

Now, is this fantasy or reality? If I could make any change in the plan, it'd be to eliminate the Signature Restaurant designation and require the use of only one credit for all table service (but it's okay with me to continue to require two credits for the dinner shows :)) So cdtommie's suggestion of a (slightly) more expensive option that allows you to use just one credit at the Signature restaurants is brilliant! You could use the credits for 'regular' table service venues as well, but it wouldn't be quite as good a deal.

Reality: I agree with everybody above who wants the plan changed so that childrens' credits can only be used for/by children ages three to nine.

[sameyeyam]

BOOZE :teeth: :teeth:


I SECOND THAT!! Add that to the DDP and who would really care what the plan did or did not have!! Let the kids talk to the CM's and figure it out when the meal's over!!

Of course if they added Booze to the plan my DH would probably move us into one of the Disney Resort's for eternity! Beer in hand, both of us weighing 600 pounds each from all the food, sitting next to the pool would be our retirement home! :drinking1 :drinking1 :cake: party: :stir:

[MinnieM3]

More snack offers! Anything $4.00 or less. Or anything sold at any cart or something definitive. I'm still kind confused about the snack options and whether they are enforced routinely at all locations.

[LoriZH]

oh brotha...can we please just have a fun post without tearing people apart?

I would like to see them enforce the "no picking on other disers" rule. Isn't this place for fun and for information not policing Disney, don't they have people who do that?

I have seen everyone been called cheap (for using the ddp) by the non ddp users, to dishonest for purchasing a child's meal, then use the credit for another meal for an adult (who cares, honestly, please if Disney cared they would tell you in the first place that you can't use them for all adult meals nevermind enforce it, what is it to any of us?). I just want everyone to stop policing Disney here, how bout' that for changing of the DDP, and I want them to stop giving it away for free because sooner or later someone is going to get really mad and write a wordy letter and I don't want to see any trees hurt by writing that nasty letter. I want to add tolerance to that list of what would I change on the DDP, yes that's it tolerance oh and I want to add that they send an apology card (via the internet to not hurt any trees) to all those who don't partake in the DDP on behalf of those who do...ummm that's it for now but I reserve my right to change my mind and add a few in case I get flamed :lmao:

Sorry don't mean to snap but every post here has a follow up by someone who has a gripe about other people. Gripe about the price, gripe about the meal, but don't gripe about other people using it the way Disney allows it. Disney never told me personally that I have to use it for a child, they just said that a child has to order off the children's menu, if that was the case I wish they would recognize a 13 yo as a child not an adult, oh there I just added another one! In the words of that stand up citizen himself, Rodney King, please people can't we all just get along ;)

now how bout that group hug??? :grouphug:

[bicker]

In other words, you want everyone to agree with your priorities. :rolleyes:

[LoriZH]

In other words, you want everyone to agree with your priorities. :rolleyes:

lol, just lighten up here...it's meant to be a bit funny, didn't it make you laugh? lol

my priorities are family, friends and disney, so yup I do want them to agree :thumbsup2

[bicker]

Oh yes, my message was meant to be funny too. :rolleyes2

[formernyer]

Okay, the "Junior" pricing isn't a bad idea (except what do you do about the parents trying to pass off their sixteen year old as thirteen to save a little money) but the portion thing wouldn't work.
"Okay, the slip says this order is for an eight-year-old, so we'll put three chicken fingers and fifteen fries on the plate; now this other person on the same order is a junior so we need to put four chicken fingers and twenty fries on that plate; now this other person on the same order is a junior but ordering from the adult menu so we'll plate four ounces of pot roast, one scoop of mashed potatoes and ten green beans; and for the adult meal we need eight ounces of pot roast, two scoops of potatoes and twenty-five green beans...."

The portion thing would absolutely work. You make it seem like a science to make a Junior-sized portion. It's just not that difficult to scale up or scale down the entrees and sides. A possible exception would be steak, but honestly that shouldn't be too much of a problem either since my guess is that there would be a huge demand for Junior steak meals and the restaurant could just order a supply of smaller cuts. The concept isn't that difficult and it's already being done to an extent. Disney restaurants are generally very accommodating to requests for "adult-portion of child's menu entree," since there are so many "Junior" aged kids who are forced into the $37.99 adult DDP and don't like the adult menu choices.

[Pedler]

The portion thing would absolutely work. You make it seem like a science to make a Junior-sized portion. It's just not that difficult to scale up or scale down the entrees and sides. A possible exception would be steak, but honestly that shouldn't be too much of a problem either since my guess is that there would be a huge demand for Junior steak meals and the restaurant could just order a supply of smaller cuts. The concept isn't that difficult and it's already being done to an extent. Disney restaurants are generally very accommodating to requests for "adult-portion of child's menu entree," since there are so many "Junior" aged kids who are forced into the $37.99 adult DDP and don't like the adult menu choices.

I think the problem with Junior portions, and I would love to see it, is too many permutations of what to make if you had it for all the menu items. At most fast food places they have set routines to make everything. I still remember the exact portions that go into the items at the my first job when I was 16. They drill it into you. They can do that because there aren't that many portions. It isn't rocket science but in the fast food biz they don't want the folk making the food to think at all. It is strictly assembly line cooking.

[Pedler]

Lots of great ideas for suggestions to changes in the dinning plan but I think I can see why it is as simple as it is and will most likely stay simple. It has wide appeal in its current form and helps increase occupancy rates and spending while at the same time being simple to administer. As much as the suggestions are great having a 3 tier plan (adding a junior catagory), or an extra CS, or extra snack credit and so on just adds to the permutations that they have to sell and manage. Also the changes probably wouldn't bring in that many more sales but would increase the complexity of administering it and potential problems when mistakes are made.

I could see it now. Some one would ask for 1 child plan, 2 juniors, 2 adults, hold desert with CS but add a snack credit on the side and the booze option but only the domestic beer version not the mixed drink version. Wait, on second thought change that to an extra CS, no snack and add the import beer option. pirate:

[jjatwdw]

Way to go LoriZH!!! Very well put.

[bicker]

You may not have realized, jj, but Lori was joking. :rolleyes2

I think the problem with Junior portionsPortioning wouldn't really matter much: The cost of ingredients is pretty minimal, so giving a full portion to a junior would be okay. The problem would be the actual options: Juniors wouldn't be universally happy with just more chicken fingers, nor would they be universally happy with a slightly smaller sized Malay Shrimp Curry -- you'd then have folks feeling that junior pricing wasn't an improvement at all because it didn't introduce a whole new set of menu items (something young teens would like). So the only way junior pricing would please everyone is if they expanded the menu substantially (make it like a New York Diner), and of course that would increase the prices pretty substantially too. No easy answers.

[Pedler]

You may not have realized, jj, but Lori was joking. :rolleyes2

Portioning wouldn't really matter much: The cost of ingredients is pretty minimal, so giving a full portion to a junior would be okay. The problem would be the actual options: Juniors wouldn't be universally happy with just more chicken fingers, nor would they be universally happy with a slightly smaller sized Malay Shrimp Curry -- you'd then have folks feeling that junior pricing wasn't an improvement at all because it didn't introduce a whole new set of menu items (something young teens would like). So the only way junior pricing would please everyone is if they expanded the menu substantially (make it like a New York Diner), and of course that would increase the prices pretty substantially too. No easy answers.

I wasn't so much talking about the food cost as the operational details at the CS places. They function by having a set plan to make each item. Some places like Quiznos (sp?) even have posters setup near the workstations that show a visual flow chart of how to assemple each sandwich. This is a big training issue as these places have high turnover. They need to have consistency and speed with low skilled employees. (I know, I was one once many years ago in high school) The more options you offer the more challenging it becomes to have that cookie cutter approach. Its not that it isn't possible but I don't think most fast food operations would want to increase the number of menu items by having a junior version of everything.

[mickman1962]

I'd definitely like to see them enforce that if someone pays for a child's plan that it is used for a child. Any program structured to provide incentive to make up things like that is just-plain-wrong.

I'm not sure about three meals per day. I think the dining plan already includes too much food as it is. :eek:

I agree 100%

[bicker]

The more options you offer the more challenging it becomes to have that cookie cutter approach. Its not that it isn't possible but I don't think most fast food operations would want to increase the number of menu items by having a junior version of everything.Yes, definitely. Good point!

[formernyer]

I wasn't so much talking about the food cost as the operational details at the CS places. They function by having a set plan to make each item. Some places like Quiznos (sp?) even have posters setup near the workstations that show a visual flow chart of how to assemple each sandwich. This is a big training issue as these places have high turnover. They need to have consistency and speed with low skilled employees. (I know, I was one once many years ago in high school) The more options you offer the more challenging it becomes to have that cookie cutter approach. Its not that it isn't possible but I don't think most fast food operations would want to increase the number of menu items by having a junior version of everything.

We're not talking about fast food establishments where teenagers are serving. Most of the people working in the kitchens at Disney TS restaurants are adults and many of them are educated/trained chefs. They don't need a cookie cutter approach and, quite honestly, it isn't rocket science to put together a plate with 2 extra chicken strips or a few less grilled shrimp.

[bicker]

We're actually talking about both fast food establishments and table service restaurants. Unfortunately, whatever Disney does with regard to the Dining Plan must work for both environments.

Regardless, the age of the staff isn't the determining factor. One primary reason why small, new restaurants fail is that they put forth menus that are too large to be profitable. Ask any of the chef-consultants out there -- the first thing many of them recommend to the chef or owner of a struggling restaurant is to cut down the menu. Serve only a few items, but serve them very well.

Now, if you're just talking about entree size, that's another matter. I doubt that there is a mutually-acceptable price-point and menu offering combination for a junior priced option at TS restaurants.

[Pedler]

We're not talking about fast food establishments where teenagers are serving. Most of the people working in the kitchens at Disney TS restaurants are adults and many of them are educated/trained chefs. They don't need a cookie cutter approach and, quite honestly, it isn't rocket science to put together a plate with 2 extra chicken strips or a few less grilled shrimp.

I was just talking about the CS places. I thought that was the primary concern for junior meals.

Edited to add: BTW the Concourse Steakhouse has a great kids menu. They have a kids steak and shrimp cocktail.

[Pedler]

I'm not sure about three meals per day. I think the dining plan already includes too much food as it is. :eek:

Isn't there already a dinning plan that includes 3 meals a day?

[kaytieeldr]

Sorry don't mean to snap but every post here has a follow up by someone who has a gripe about other people. Gripe about the price, gripe about the meal, but don't gripe about other people using it the way Disney allows it. :confused: Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see anybody in this thread griping about Guests abusing the plan; it appears to me everyone who brought up the (mis)use of child credits wants DISNEY to CHANGE (topic of this thread :)) the plan, or more to the point, ENFORCE the rules to prevent this.

Isn't there already a dinning plan that includes 3 meals a day? Well, there's the Platinum Plan - three meals, a light snack, Hopper/WP&M passes, various recreational options...

[Pedler]

Well, there's the Platinum Plan - three meals, a light snack, Hopper/WP&M passes, various recreational options...

Thats what I was thinking of. The 3 meals that are included, are they anywhere whatever you want or some combination of TS / CS credits? I forgot that in order to get this plan you had to go all out.

[Nancyg56]

1. Include three meals/day (two CS and one TS) as well as a snack item.

2. Enforce that if someone pays for a child's plan that it is used for a child. I think it's absurd that people are using a $11.99/day plan (for kids) to buy adult meals (complete with appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks) at TS restaraunts. No wonder childless couples are contemplating inventing kids.

This would be my vote. I would pay a little more in order to have 2 light meals. When on vacation. my DH likes 3 meals a day. I would give up the snack credit, as I always forgot w had them.

I also think allowing adults to purchase meals with child credits can be a problem, but I confess, I don't think too much aboutit.

[Nancyg56]

I would like to see some sort of signature dining plan option...maybe drop the snack credit and dessert with the counter service (two desserts in one day is a lot anyway) and have a basic one counter service and one signature dinner option (at a higher price at course). We tend to go to mostly signature restaurants and are trying the dining plan for the first time starting Sunday and are doing Spoodles/Kona Cafe/Cellier/Biergarten etc. during our five day trip - but my heart wants Flying Fish, Jiko's and Citrico's which we probably would have done using the DDE instead. We figure we'll give the dining plan a shot and see how it goes.

This would be nice. I would like a "Premium Plan" optio that would not incluse all of the extras on the plan. We are not ready to take all of the tours, golf, and shows etc, but would enjoy the ability to plan meals where ever we want. I would pay extra for this plan.

[formernyer]

This would be nice. I would like a "Premium Plan" optio that would not incluse all of the extras on the plan. We are not ready to take all of the tours, golf, and shows etc, but would enjoy the ability to plan meals where ever we want. I would pay extra for this plan.

Another reason the Premium Plan is so high is because Signature meals are included for just one credit and the plan even includes a meal at V&A.

I personally wouldn't want to see the normal DDP expanded, but I can understand the appeal and I think it would be in Disney's best interest to do it.

The only extra meal that would be included would be a CS breakfast, which only costs about $8 OOP including drink. My guess is that the DDP price would increase about $5 per day to include this meal. Personally I'd rather just eat eat poptarts in the room or CS breakfast with conserved credits (via meal-sharing). I really have no interest in paying an extra $5 for breakfast.

On the other hand, it's probably worth it for Disney to change the plan to include breakfast. It would really cut down on all of the adult vs. child credit and meal-sharing controversy. The reason why we share meals, etc. is because it "saves" credits for the meals which aren't covered.

Of course there will still be people who try to conserve credits so that they can apply kid's credits to adult Signature meals, but the abuse would certainly be a lot less than it is now.

[Cruz Family]

Enforce that if someone pays for a child's plan that it is used for a child. I think it's absurd that people are using a $11.99/day plan (for kids) to buy adult meals (complete with appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks) at TS restaraunts. No wonder childless couples are contemplating inventing kids.
I agree totally!
I have an 8 yr old DS and the only way I will pay OOP is if he is not ordering off the kids menu. He loves lobster and we are going to let him order it at Yachtsman so that I will be paying OOP. This works out fine because we are doing a few extra TS meals and he can his extra credits then.

[prairie]

From where I'm sitting, this disney dining plan results in either a) too much unnecessary food being eaten or b) too much unnecessary food being wasted.

I don't like either scenario. If an appetizer, entree and dessert are put in front of me, I guess I'm going to eat them but I can't imagine doing this every night for a week!

I would like to see a more spartan plan offered for the diners who don't order appetizers, desserts, or even drinks (I'm a water person), then if you're really feeling hungry you can pay OOP for extras on a meal-by-meal basis.

[Lewisc]

From where I'm sitting, this disney dining plan results in either a) too much unnecessary food being eaten or b) too much unnecessary food being wasted.

I don't like either scenario. If an appetizer, entree and dessert are put in front of me, I guess I'm going to eat them but I can't imagine doing this every night for a week!

I would like to see a more spartan plan offered for the diners who don't order appetizers, desserts, or even drinks (I'm a water person), then if you're really feeling hungry you can pay OOP for extras on a meal-by-meal basis.

Disney is looking to charge a certain amount per day per dining customer to cover the fixed costs of the restaurants. Any reduction in the amount of food being offered will probably only reduce the price by the actual cost of the food. Disney pays next to nothing for soda and the food cost of appetizers and desserts isn't that much.

Your TS meal is worth around $22-$23 after you back out tax and tip. You'll pay that in most restaurants even if you skip appetizer or dessert.

I'll agree if you skip most drinks AND appetizers AND desserts the meal plan might not be that good a deal but if you order ANY of those items the plan still works.

[Hope73]

I wish the snack options would be larger or maybe you could use your snacks for anytihgin under 3.oo

[disneyjunkie]

From where I'm sitting, this disney dining plan results in either a) too much unnecessary food being eaten or b) too much unnecessary food being wasted.

You don't have to order everything that comes with the plan. My son and I used the plan last year. There were plenty of times when we didn't order a dessert or an appetizer. Even though we didn't max out the plan, I still came out ahead.

I'd like to see Disney add more snacks to the plan.

I'd like to see them define pooling and not allow "child credits" (I know, I know :lmao: ) to cover adult meals.

I'd like to have a dining plan that includes all meals and maybe Cirque tickets, but not tours, golf, and all the other recreation options.

[prairie]

Disney is looking to charge a certain amount per day per dining customer to cover the fixed costs of the restaurants. Any reduction in the amount of food being offered will probably only reduce the price by the actual cost of the food. Disney pays next to nothing for soda and the food cost of appetizers and desserts isn't that much.

Your TS meal is worth around $22-$23 after you back out tax and tip. You'll pay that in most restaurants even if you skip appetizer or dessert.

I'll agree if you skip most drinks AND appetizers AND desserts the meal plan might not be that good a deal but if you order ANY of those items the plan still works.

It would still probably work dollar-wise, but not by much and in a way that does not appeal to me at all. I'd be at the table saying, bring on the appetizers and desserts not because we're hungry, but because they're paid for. NOT my cup of tea.

I understand that Disney is a business and needs to make money -- every package they offer is designed number one to keep you on-site, not to save you money your way.

I'm just saying, for a plan to appeal to me, it has to work for me and this one doesn't. I don't like a plan that tells me what my family has to eat. A flat fee package would appeal to me more.

If DDP works for others, great!

[disneymom3]

I like the OPs idea of adding a snack and taking out the CS dessert but adding them as snack options. I am thinking many times we will not want dessert right away, but some of them sure look yummy for later.

I for one could not care less what other people do with their child credits. Life is too short to worry about things that do not effect my vacation in the least.

[Pedler]

It would be nice if you were able to get Turkey legs as a CS meal.

[angel's momma]

It would be nice if you were able to get Turkey legs as a CS meal.

You already can - at Lunching Pad at MK.

I'm pretty sure there's a place at MGM too.

At Lunching Pad you only get a turkey leg, bag of chips, and drink - no dessert.

[bicker]

You mean you can't?

[Pedler]

You already can - at Lunching Pad at MK.

I'm pretty sure there's a place at MGM too.

At Lunching Pad you only get a turkey leg, bag of chips, and drink - no dessert.

Arghhhh!!! At the end of last August the turkey leg carts disappeared. I didn't even think of finding them elsewhere. I could have had a turkey leg. :rolleyes2

[Conservative Hippie]

I haven't done DDP yet but i have a few ideas.

I think we should be given two snack credits and then take away our CS dessert. But then i think Disney should allow CS desserts to count as a snack credit(for those who want dessert). This would help those of us with sugar problems plus make the coming back for dessert(icecream or at another location)much easier. I know that the CS desserts cost slightly more but i really believe DW would come out on top as it seems most people don't want dessert with every meal and they would use the extra credit for the cheaper options(the regular snack they offer now).

So what changes would you make?


That is exactly what I would suggest!

[disneyjunkie]

They're making a few of the changes we wanted. :cool1:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=12527979#post12527979

[Disney Debbie]

http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw/images2003/languagespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/MYWDining.pdf

It's amazing to me how many folks worry about people using child credits for adult meals or following "the rules". Who's rules?? They aren't Disney's rules. I've put a link to the plan as defined by WDW from their website above - no where does it say that if you pay a child's rate you can only get children's food. It specifically says "The Disney Dining Plan includes (1) Quick Service Meal etc..... per person, per night of your package stay for everyone in the party ages 3+. For example, a party of 4 staying for 5 nights would receive 20 Quick Service Meals, 20 Snacks and 20 Table Service meals to use during their package stay."
Under the "Using your Meals" in an example it specifically says "You can continue using meals any way you like for the rest of your package stay until the number of meals/snacks are depleted."
They do not distinguish between child credits and adult credits at all - and it seems to me if that was a problem for them they could easily keep up with the credits by child and adult if they wanted to. They can distinguish between snacks and counter service - so why not adult and child if it mattered to them?

My child is 20 - so it's not like I'm going to be able to do that anyway - but the only reason I can see that people are upset about it is jealousy that someone is getting meals for a real deal! If Disney sets it up this way, if they don't specifically address it and if they don't keep up with the credits separately - then what's it to me if Joe Blow is getting to have 2 table service meals a day while his 5 year old is eating peanut butter sandwiches from home??? :lmao:

[Cinderumbrella]

I'd like it to go back how it was in the '90s where you could choose a package with 3 meals per day (any combo of CS and TS) or 2 meals per day (again any combo of CS or TS). I personally don't care for most of the CS meals. We enjoy TS breakfasts and TS dinners with a light snack as needed in the middle of the day.
I too do not need all of the other frills that the premium packages have to offer- just more TS meals! :thumbsup2

[mhelsley]

WOW just read the expanded snack option thread. Now i really wish they'd do the 2 snack credit(i'm the OP). This change could with the expanded list provide someone with a light breakfast(muffin/bagel and Drink) for those who want three meals. Thanks for all the post so far they've been very interesting.

Melinda

[Nancyg56]

I'd like it to go back how it was in the '90s where you could choose a package with 3 meals per day (any combo of CS and TS) or 2 meals per day (again any combo of CS or TS). I personally don't care for most of the CS meals. We enjoy TS breakfasts and TS dinners with a light snack as needed in the middle of the day.
I too do not need all of the other frills that the premium packages have to offer- just more TS meals! :thumbsup2

This is exactly how I feel! We enjoy sitting down to breakfast, and having a light lunch, ending the day with a nice TS dinner. I looked at the platinum plan(?) and would not use any of the extras that are part of the package. Maybe when DGD is older, but for now, it would not work. But we would love the option to upgrade to more TS meals.