Changes to the DDP - will this make you reconsider?

I think the changes sound good, but we stopped getting the dining plan when our oldest child of three turned into a Disney adult. With three kids that are considered Disney adults, it's just not worth it to us. When I look at menus, I cringe at the cost of some of these table service meals especially when the food is just not that good anymore. We usually go to restaurants that aren't buffets so that we can order what we want. I have done TIW a few times, but since we are traveling on my teacher/school schedule our trips this year are at Easter and Christmas when there are blackout periods, so that's useless too. Maybe someday when DH and I are empty nesters, we might do the Dining plan again.
 
I haven't done the dining plan in years, as it's way too much food but we end up eating it anyway since we paid for it. I might be interested again if we can share credits though. In January, we will be in 2 studios, and it would be nice to get the dining plan just for the people in 1 studio, and then just share the credits with those in the 2nd studio since we'll be doing all of our meals together. Even more interesting would be that we will have 2 children in our studio, so if we got the deluxe plan, we could give their credits to the 2 adults in the other studio. Seems to be within the new rules? Problem is the deluxe is way too much food, which brings me back to my original problem! LOL!!!
 
I'm not sure what to make of the changes, but it seems most of us are better off just buying the food we want to eat when we want to eat it. Clearly DDP makes Disney money or they wouldn't offer it. In some way they stand to make even more--sub a cup of soup for dessert? That sounds like a financial loss to the consumer. Most kids under 10 won't order adult meals anyway, and a whole bunch of kids over 10 will. And the fine print says that you can only sub snacks for a meal all in one transaction--so you don't get 3 snacks anytime OR a meal; you get 3 snacks all at once OR a meal (and it specifies at quickservice offering meals, so I assume that negates the use of those meal credits for snacks at FWF).

I guess DDP has always mystified me, but I'm not sure my dining habits are what DDP is designed to support.
 
We usually just pay cash when we're just making one trip a year, and we get the TiW when we're going to be making two or more trips in a year. We've occasionally gotten one of the dining plans for part of a leg when we're doing a split stay, so that we get the mugs. The changes to the plan make me a little more likely to get it from time to time; I really like the way they are handling it . Although now that DS is a Disney adult, it makes even less sense for us to get it. My 4 year old regularly out eats my 10 year old!
 


While I see these as positive changes we haven't used the DDP in years and have no intention of starting again. It was always too much food, and just restricted how we vacationed. We love TIW and will continue to use that as it allows flexibility based on how hungry we are and what we are in the mood for.
 
Hollymom1229 said:
While I see these as positive changes we haven't used the DDP in years and have no intention of starting again. It was always too much food, and just restricted how we vacationed. We love TIW and will continue to use that as it allows flexibility based on how hungry we are and what we are in the mood for.
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Agreed. Haven't used the DDP since about '08 doesn't fit our style at all.
 


So just to clarify, if I get a soup, salad, and beverage, all of which qualify as snack credits. I can use a QS meal credit? Or if I get soup, cupcake, cup of fruit and just drink water, there's 3 snack credits, but I can use 1 QS credit instead? It's just that I'm always using my snack credits (I love soup and salad), but have left-over QS credits.
 
did ddp when it was so affordable and in its early days. we do like the quick service as we would spend approx that amount on food each day oop. when you are coming in late at night the plan works the best as you have enough credits to get you through your stay. doing a split stay we are taking the quick service for 3 nights and the table service plan for one night because we have an adr and that bill alone will almost be the cost of the plan for the one day. plus we will have a quick service and a snack depending on specific situations the plan can work. oh and eat at wolfgang puck express (good value for quick service, I love the salmon and I never pay oop) we usually go to earl of sandwich if we are paying out of pocket.
 
So I was reading through the changes...what about food and wine festival? Using 3 snack credits to substitute a QS meal? To me, I can sample 3 items per country in lieu of a QS meal which I kind of like! Also, I was thinking about a place like Flametree BBQ, where we dont care for the desserts...now we can substitute it for french fries (snack item) and skip dessert! We arent big dessert people and having the ability to sub a snack for a dessert at QS locations seems nice! This seems kind of cool to me!
 
JoEllen said:
Sorry, but, what is TIW?
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Tables in Wonderland--paid for discount card that is good for one year and gives a 20% discount on all TS and very limited number of QS locations, it does require an auto gratuity of 18%, but that is a given for me anyway. I believe you have to be DVC or have an AP to qualify for the purchase of one though.
 
disprincess2213 said:
So I was reading through the changes...what about food and wine festival? Using 3 snack credits to substitute a QS meal? To me, I can sample 3 items per country in lieu of a QS meal which I kind of like! Also, I was thinking about a place like Flametree BBQ, where we dont care for the desserts...now we can substitute it for french fries (snack item) and skip dessert! We arent big dessert people and having the ability to sub a snack for a dessert at QS locations seems nice! This seems kind of cool to me!
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But each QS credit costs about $20. Can you really get that much value out of three snacks, even at Food & Wine? I doubt you'll be able to sample items anyway, since you need to redeem all three snacks at once, if this turns out to be true.
 
Hmmm.... maybe a few filets from the Canada booth lol !!! Youre right though. But I guess it could work depending on other factors!
 
On our trip earlier this week, we used DVC and AP discounts when available. And we planned some of our eating around them. We used to get TIW, but for the price of the card now and the times we go have a lot of blacked out times, it's just not worth it. Plus we ate a few table service breakfasts instead of dinners (we like breakfast more than dinner). We also did a few meals offsite for the first time.
 
I agree with another option for teen dining plan or allow a plan where you choose childs dining plan even if they are older. My 14 year old can live off grilled cheese and applesauce and fries!
 
disneyobessed said:
I agree with another option for teen dining plan or allow a plan where you choose childs dining plan even if they are older. My 14 year old can live off grilled cheese and applesauce and fries!
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They don't want you to, they want you to spend the higher amount. Though it might mean some will skip the DP, overall they'll make more. Kids meals are often a loss leader to a degree. The only place I personally know of that allows any adult (and in writing) to get the kids meals is cracker barrel, it's stated right on their menu for kids of all ages. Many places will allow it if you ask and most counter service places do as well. I've actually ordered kids meals twice this week, once at zaxby's and once as an add on with my wife and I sharing a meal at 4 Rivers BBQ. We've always made attempts not to over eat but with a new Diabetes diagnosis it's even more important to me know. Having said that Disney will normally allow children to order adults meals and older kids/teens to order kids meals. They just haven't stretched that to DP flexibility though other than in special under the table circumstances. So you could use the credits for other members of the party.
 
disneyobessed said:
I agree with another option for teen dining plan or allow a plan where you choose childs dining plan even if they are older. My 14 year old can live off grilled cheese and applesauce and fries!
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But Disney doesn't make money off of that. And their goal is to make as much as possible.
 
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