DDP really holds up the line!!!!!!

[SeaSpray]

I know that the DDP is a great deal; I had it myself on one of our trips in 2005, but last week it was extremely annoying to have to wait for the cashiers to help people figure it all out! This wasn't just one time, it was EVERY single time I wanted to pay for food.

A lot of people didn't know how many credits they had left, many people didn't know what was included and what wasn't, many people didn't realize that they couldn't get adult entrees for their kids if there was a kids meal available, etc etc etc. I've never wasted so much time waiting in line to pay for my food in all of my trips to WDW. I don't mean waiting in line because the restaurant was busy, I mean waiting in line because the other guests were clueless. The CMs were very patient; I was very frustrated, although I didn't show it.

There really should be separate lines for people paying with their DDP card, and for people paying cash/credit card/room key. Sort of like the "10 items or less" line at the grocery store! LOL

EDITED TO ADD: I'm not blaming the guests really, they're just trying to use the meal plan that they've paid for, I'm just venting at a system that makes those of us who are paying in cash pay for it with our time, which as you all know is very precious during a trip to WDW.

 

[The Sweetness]

Perhaps there should be big signs posted on the walls explaining the **rules**? To he** w/ the decor!

Honestly, maybe it would be helpful if 1 CM could be at the food lines, offering to answer any Qs that a guest may have. Things like~ What am I entitled to for a credit? Or~ Can I substitute cole slaw or salad for fries? Can I order something else for my kiddos dessert, or can *I* have the grapes etc...

This could help clear things up while guests wait

 

[rotlex]

I would agree with you on this, and, as a first time dining plan user on our last trip, I would also say it really depends on the person you have taking your order. Honestly, we had a few counter service meals where we had to explain what we were allowed to get to the CSR and not the other way around.

Also, and i'm not complaining at all, but I would have been short changed, or charged for, a few things had I not noted to the person that the items are included, thus, taking up even more time in line, hehe.

Oh, and while I'm on it, I wanted to thank any of the CSR's out there that DID allow my 5 year old to get something off of the menu for dessert at counter service OTHER than the jello!!!!!!!!!!

 

[marivaid]

The problem IMO is that guests are given VERY LITTLE INFO about the DDP. I'd say 99% of what I know about using it came from the DIS or AllEars. At check in we were just given a small brochure that basically said we get 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack a day and listed the restaurants that take the DDP.That's it.

 

[patsal]

I know how to use the plan and I know how to order when I am in line, but for a first timer that might not be true. I get frustrated when I am in line and the person in front of me orders very slowly and thinks that drinks are included in teh combos since they are at McD's etc. This is all very frustrating. I just order by number and let it go as for the balance of credits it is printed on the bottom of the reciept. On a side note, last summer at EoS at DTD, I thought they did the best job, at lunchtime when the line was long there was one CM who came to line and asked if people were on the DDP and explained what was and was not included so when you ordered there was no surprise. Maybe if every place did that it would help?

 

[BeckWhy]

I don't mean to sound like a witch or anything... but I don't understand what people don't get about it. It's so simple. You get one CS, one TS, and one Snack a day per person. For the CS you get an entre (sp?) or combo meal, plus drink, plus dessert. For TS you get appetizer (sp?), entre (sp?), dessert and drink. For a snack it's anything with the lil "DP" sign next to it on the menu. How hard is it to understand? It says right at the bottom of your receipt how many credits you have left, and if you can't figure that out, there is someone at a customer service desk somewhere that can tell you. What makes it so difficult?

 

[marivaid]

I don't mean to sound like a witch or anything... but I don't understand what people don't get about it. It's so simple. You get one CS, one TS, and one Snack a day per person. For the CS you get an entre (sp?) or combo meal, plus drink, plus dessert. For TS you get appetizer (sp?), entre (sp?), dessert and drink. For a snack it's anything with the lil "DP" sign next to it on the menu. How hard is it to understand? It says right at the bottom of your receipt how many credits you have left, and if you can't figure that out, there is someone at a customer service desk somewhere that can tell you. What makes it so difficult?

The rules are different from one place to another. You may have to order off the kid's menu in one CS and off the adult menu in the next. Desserts are not included if you use a CS for breakfast. You can get a side with some CS meals but not with others (example : Side salad at no extra charge on the DDP when you order a $9.99 chicken alfredo that comes with pasta and breadstick at ASMO food court, but not when you order a $6.89 burger).
Some CS have restrictions on what DDP guests can get (Wolfgang Puck Express, Pepper Market for desserts, possibly Earl of Sandwich).

At TS, you may be allowed smoothies or milkshake in one place but not in another. Another example, if you order the skillet at WCC the salad that comes with counts as your appetizer. At Le Cellier, the desserts listed on the kids' menu are not included in the DDP for children.

It's not exactly rocket science, but when you're not aware of these things it can be confusing.

 

[patsal]

I don't mean to sound like a witch or anything... but I don't understand what people don't get about it. It's so simple. You get one CS, one TS, and one Snack a day per person. For the CS you get an entre (sp?) or combo meal, plus drink, plus dessert. For TS you get appetizer (sp?), entre (sp?), dessert and drink. For a snack it's anything with the lil "DP" sign next to it on the menu. How hard is it to understand? It says right at the bottom of your receipt how many credits you have left, and if you can't figure that out, there is someone at a customer service desk somewhere that can tell you. What makes it so difficult?

I agree, but people are on vacation and when that happens they don't always think things through. My thought has always been as a consumer know what you are buying, many people don't and that's where the problems happen. Personally I don't think the plan is complicated, but the inconsistencies between restaurants and CS do contribute to the problem. Some places let me have a large drink while others let me have a medium, etc.

 

[LilBlackSheep]

I don't mean to sound like a witch or anything... but I don't understand what people don't get about it. It's so simple. What makes it so difficult?

Our first trip to the World was in February. We knew that we were allowed 1 CS, 1 TS and 1 snack per day. However, we didn't know what 1 TS (for example) meant. We thought it was just the entree...we had no clue that we were allowed an appetizer, drink and dessert too!!!

Plus, just the excitement of being there for the first time EVER kinda throws all bets out of the window. KWIM???

Us Disney newbies have to start/learn somewhere.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I was at WDW the week before last, not on the DDP, and noticed the same thing. The CS lines were practically stagnant!

And I don't think it was the necessarily the customers' fault. I noticed this over a week's stay at multiple CS locations. I even noticed some confusion over at USO with their meal deal plan while in lines.

Consistency seems to be the culprit, IMO. When Junior was able to substitute cake for the sugar-free Jello over at a CS place in MK, but he can't at a CS place Epcot, problems arise. Then the group needs to re-think the menu, re-think the budget, consider paying OOP for something and sharing -- like while they're at the register after waiting in this stagnant line like everybody else. It's not like you can consult anyone at these places before you order.

WDW definitely has its work cut out for them, and I do think they're taking strides in getting some of the kinks worked out, but I think it would be helpful for all (the CMs, the guests and the company) if consistency was there.

 

[jjms97]

Seems like I read on the boards somewhere that they were testing "Cash Only" lines at some of the CS establishments. From what I remember, the report said that they were actually running quite smoothly. I'm gonna keep my eyes open for them when we go later this month. Sounds like situations like yours just might have a solution after all!

 

[Chloesmom]

The problem IMO is that guests are given VERY LITTLE INFO about the DDP. I'd say 99% of what I know about using it came from the DIS or AllEars. At check in we were just given a small brochure that basically said we get 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack a day and listed the restaurants that take the DDP.That's it.

Interesting point.. I had read the Dis boards for months and months before we went with the DDP for the first time. When we checked in we were just given a brochure and not much was said about it. I know if I had to just go off of that I would be confused too. As it was there was some confusion just because the rules differ from place to place.. Some places let us do things others would not.

 

[tndisneyfan]

I wonder if it's the DDP holding up the line or just the people. It seems to me some people just can't get thru a line. You know the type, they've been waiting in line for 15 minutes but wait until they are at the cashier to start deciding what they want. I know when we used DDP we got thru the line just as quick or quicker than everybody else.

 

[blanq]

First of all, I have to say that even before the DDP it seemed as though there was always some yahoo in line who got to the ordering part and then finally decided to look at menu, holding everyone up. That hasn't changed, so add on additional factors (people on the DDP are ordering more food, it is more food for the servers to have to pile on trays, and some people don't seem to understand what they can actually order or are confused about credits) and it seems as though the lines screech to a halt. Our family always knows what we are going to order and we get how the DDP plan works, so we can just reel it off, but it still seems to take a good bit of time and I am always so aware of the long line in back of me.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Lots of people going to WDW the first or even second time, really haven't done a whole lot of research. Therefore, they don't know how things work. I know that during our first trip, we were walking around like a bunch of idiots 'cause we were sooooo overwhelmed with everything. We went into it blind but came out saying "on our next trip......" Now 9 years and 11 trips later, we have WDW planning and dining down to a science.

We purchased the dining plan for our 2006 trip. I did lots and lots of research so that I would know exactly how it would work, what I could order, what comes with the meal, etc. etc. But....I knew where to look to find that information. Some people just don't know to do that kind of research.

So....I feel for some of the WDW newbies but not all of them. The ones that walk up to the counter and know, basically, what they want but are not sure exactly what comes with the meal, I can stand. The ones that stand in line forever, walk up to the teller and then decide to look up at the billboard size menu to figure out what they want to order, I can't stand. I mean, you stand in line for at least 10 to 15 minutes (or longer at busier times), you should have had time to memorize the darn menu for Pete's sake. By the time I get to the cashier, I can rattle off our order in no time.

Another thing we always do to help keep the lines shorter, is one of us will stand in line and order everybody's meal. The others in our family will go and find a table. This means there is only one person clogging up the line not four (in our case). If everybody would do this, and I realize some parties' can't because of small children or not enough people in the party, the lines would be more manageable.

 

[solfan68]

Planning on using the DDP for our upcoming trip. Last time we were there, it was the Food & Fun card with different rules. I have been reading up on the new version and don't see any issues. THAT SAID, I think that a cash only line would be a great idea for those who choose not to avail themselves of the DDP.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We are not on the plan and I only noticed a problem with the wait in line once. We went to MGM in Feb and tried the ABC Commissary (gross I know) and there was 2 lines open and both of them had a large party ordering food and did not know how to use the DDP and neither did the 2 cashiers! It was so frustrating....

 

[4eyedbuzzard]

Slightly OT, but what we really need are separate lines for all those GD SLOW PEOPLE out there. Seems that even at the express line at the supermarket there is always someone who needs to take 5 minutes to write a check or argue over a coupon that's for a different product. If you need to speak to customer service at Wal-Mart someone is invariably in front of you buying 15 different money orders to pay their overdue bills or sending cash to a relative being held in a Turkish prison.

What we REALLY need is a line JUST FOR ME! (Okay, I'll let you use it too - WHEN I'M DONE).

 

[blanq]

Slightly OT, but what we really need are separate lines for all those GD SLOW PEOPLE out there. Seems that even at the express line at the supermarket there is always someone who needs to take 5 minutes to write a check or argue over a coupon that's for a different product. If you need to speak to customer service at Wal-Mart someone is invariably in front of you buying 15 different money orders to pay their overdue bills or sending cash to a relative being held in a Turkish prison.

Amen!

What we REALLY need is a line JUST FOR ME! (Okay, I'll let you use it too - WHEN I'M DONE).

 

[tiggermei]

I think that many of the CMs are also glad to find people paying cash. When I was at LeCellier last time, the CM asked if we were on the DDP. I said no. She said, "Good. We can get whatever you want." I think it's a great opportunity for a lot of people, and I agree with other posters who said that most people don't really know what they're doing when going to WDW so it creates a huge learning curve. And, apparently, some people are very comfortable with making themselves look ignorant. Oh well.