Dining plan killing Disney?

[goofyintoronto]

Originally Posted by disneyfan2kids

I disagree. You don't "have" to pay Disney for your food. There are other options - in room dining (kitchenette), offsite, etc.)

yes true. but you do have to eat and pay for food regardless. so no matter, what you're spending money on food. for us, we are only interested in Disney restaurants. i don't like to cook/prepare meals on vacation. lol.

Originally Posted by Disneyfan2kids

It's not free IMO. I'd rather spend $120 per night on the room...and spend my $80 discount the way I want (souvenirs/QS/Drinks/etc.) Then spend $200 and tell myself I got "free dining." It's not free if you paid for it.

that's your preference. just because you prefer it that way it doesn't mean its not free.

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[Amy&Dan]

For many of us Free Dining means the food is free and the room is full priced. If that room is a value or moderate and we have a family, that free food that we get with a rack rate room is our best discount.

We stay moderate. Originally I had a room only discount and it saved me around $600 for our ten nights. When free dining was offered I jumped on it. Because even though my room went up by $600 there is NO way, we could eat, the four of us (kids are 16 and 17) for $600 for ten days. It would take more than a TIW card to equal my savings on Free Dining. And I know because I had the TIW (back when it was the DDE and when it was TIW) for quite a few years.

In about four years dh and I will be empty nesters and I predict we'll go back to having AP's and a TIW card. For now, its Free Dining all the way and praise heaven its been offered for three of our last four trips!

I cannot speak for every man, woman and child that gets free dining, but this woman knows quite well how Disney discounts work and fd is the end all be all for us. It saves us more even than the four/three deal back in 2009.

Back to the original question of "is the DDP killing DIsney" is that for many of us, we feel its not. There are many things into play as to why dining at Disney isn't the same way it used to be. The DDP might be one of them but as far as "killing" anything, I again beg to differ.

Disney as a whole (cruise, World, Land, Channel, Store, motion pictures etc) hasn't survived this long and done this well because somebody in charge would "kill" anything with one plan or feature.

[goofyintoronto]

Originally Posted by Amy&Dan

For many of us Free Dining means the food is free and the room is full priced. If that room is a value or moderate and we have a family, that free food that we get with a rack rate room is our best discount.

We stay moderate. Originally I had a room only discount and it saved me around $600 for our ten nights. When free dining was offered I jumped on it. Because even though my room went up by $600 there is NO way, we could eat, the four of us (kids are 16 and 17) for $600 for ten days. It would take more than a TIW card to equal my savings on Free Dining. And I know because I had the TIW (back when it was the DDE and when it was TIW) for quite a few years.

In about four years dh and I will be empty nesters and I predict we'll go back to having AP's and a TIW card. For now, its Free Dining all the way and praise heaven its been offered for three of our last four trips!

this is exactly what i was trying to say.

also, if paying out of pocket for food and getting the room discount works for you then that's great. but don't tell me that free dining isn't free etc etc. i did the math. i know this is the best deal for us particularly since we stay at values most of the time. and also i don't like making my own meals on vacation.

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[arissavolk]

I always felt like the deluxe plan was worth it for us because we like planning sit-down meals and the resort hotel restaurants and the signature dining places have more options for people like me with food allergies. We don't eat at fancy establishments as much at home as we do at Disney. In fact, the last time we ate at a nice restaurant at home, the bill was nearly $200 before tip. Often our bill pre-dining plan at the signature restaurants is $120-150 before tip at Disney, even with a third person joining us, so it's a plus in our book.

[Mad Hattered]

Killing Disney? No. Becoming the equivalent of a chain restaurant? Yes.

[TDC Nala]

Originally Posted by Mad Hattered

Killing Disney? No. Becoming the equivalent of a chain restaurant? Yes.

But that is not because of the dining plan, or even because of free dining.

The dining plan is a symptom, not a cause.

And free dining is a package discount, just like a room discount or a kids stay free discount. It is a resort discount, not a restaurant discount. The restaurants are paid the same no matter what; the cost for free dining comes out of the resort's profit center.

It's just a decision to make on whether it's the best discount for your party.

[Nancyg56]

Originally Posted by Mad Hattered

Killing Disney? No. Becoming the equivalent of a chain restaurant? Yes.

It is easy to blame the DDP for the changes that we have experienced within Disney. We really have no idea if the DDP is the root cause of the perceived decline in Disney Dining or if it was designed in order to keep Disney Dining to a higher standard. we do know that Disney has worked very hard to answer their guests need to allow some sort of all inclusive resort stay and they have used the DDP along with Magical Express to ensure that they do have a captive audience once those guests step into WDW.

Management in every business redesign their marketing strategy in order to maintain some sort of profit margin and while some assume that Disney reduced their menu selections to accommodate their DDP it can also be assumed that the changes were made in spite of it.

[carrie1626]

If it was killing Disney, it wouldn't be offered.

You can stay at a MOD resort during a Value season and eat TS Free if you're able to make plans on short notice. Put 4 persons in a room that EAT and it's very, very cost effective.

It doesn't work out that way for everyone, but it sure does for some!!!

[ppony]

Originally Posted by davedmaine

It's not killing Disney itself, just the dining experience

Add another one agreeing w/ this.

I'm so sick to my stomach I didn't get the TiW card this Jan. when we knew we were coming back in October. I had no idea how many places it would save is money. DUHO! We had eaten at Cape May for dinner, CG and Shula's just to name a few and the discounts there alone would have paid for it. grumble grumble