DDP leaves no room for spontaneity - kids menu BAD

[wolverine2010]

I really dont understand you all bashing people like the OP...This is a discussion board is it not??...So the heck what if he has 1 or 12,000 posts..He took his family to WDW and is here to ask questions or to find answers..and maybe even vent..thats what the DIS is about!

 

[Laura]

Not necessarily -- as likely as not it is just a reflection of unfounded expectations.

Well, that depends on why the person had those expectations. For a first-time visitor, or one who hasn't been for years and years, that person might assume a WDW vacation isn't much different than anywhere else dining-wise. DH and I went to San Francisco and made one reservation for dinner at Masa's, which is a very high-end restaurant. We tried for Valentine's Day, but it was booked, so we got the day before. Except for that dinner, we felt we could just wing it. And we did.

This philosophy is the same with places I've been to like New York, London, Hawaii, Arizona--you name the vacation spot, it's like that. Why would a visitor expect anything else at WDW?

 

[bicker]

Many restaurants in New York, London, Hawaii, Arizona, etc., are booked days in advance, and sometimes you do have to go elsewhere to get accommodated, espectially within the context of a single, gated venue (i.e., a single, gated theme park). Imagine going to an event at Madison Square Garden in Manhatten and being upset that you cannot do a walk-in at the Club Bar and Grill. It's just not reasonable.

Remember, there hasn't been a case where there aren't any restuarants at WDW that will accommodate a guest for dinner. Some guests refuse to open themselves to options that are available, such as Boatwrights, Maya Grill, etc. If you're going to arbitrarily limit yourself in that way, then you have to be at least partially, if not substantially, accountable for that decision.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Sadly, there are just a lot of travelers (non Disney included) that think planning is not a requirement. As has been mentioned numerous times, most of us do not expect to walk in anywhere, even a local restaurant, when it is busy or limited and expect to be seated immediate, if at all.
This puzzled me though:

I was under the impression that once our day got started and we figured out where we were going to be, we could put our names on a waiting list.

Disney tries telling guests to book ADRs ASAP, and it is their brochures. At times Dining hs even called guests and asked them to book. It's probably even entioned at check in. I think Disney gives PLENTY of warning. I don't even look for the wording and see it most anytime when booking or researching Disney.
So I am wondering where the impression came from. That pretty much goes against anything I have seen. Unless they used a TA who was not knowledgeable on Disney.
I am unaware of any kind of waiting list. I suppose before ADR and PS maybe that is the way it happened. But that is long before my time.

 

[Laura]

Many restaurants in New York, London, Hawaii, Arizona, etc., are booked days in advance, and sometimes you do have to go elsewhere to get accommodated, espectially within the context of a single, gated venue (i.e., a single, gated theme park). Imagine going to an event at Madison Square Garden in Manhatten and being upset that you cannot do a walk-in at the Club Bar and Grill. It's just not reasonable..

Whether a Manhattan restaurant is booked days in advance generally depends on the restaurant and the time of year. Yes, expecting to walk into a restaurant as you described is unreasonable, as it would be at the restaurants at the hockey arena on game night in my hometown. And like I said, Masa's was booked on Valentine's Day when we called ahead. Not unsurprising, and I think the OP and others like him/her would have such reasonable expectations. Also I think it's reasonable for him/her to expect to book a restaurant in WDW for, say, Thanksgiving well ahead of time. But all of WDW isn't a single gated venue, remember, and people are obviously having issues booking restaurants in and out of the parks at all different times of the year, some worse than others. There's a big difference between having to be accomodated elsewhere sometimes vs. almost every time.

It's absolutely unreasonable to expect all DDP users, especially first-timers, to understand why it's important to make ADRs months in advance at WDW instead of days or hours in advance like most places, why it has to be so different than other vacation spots.

 

[NMW]

Hey....its the weekly, "I hate the DDP" thread by a person with one post to their name...

Everyone rejoice!

I am sorry to sound so cynical but it has really happened every week for about the last three and I think every time it has been started by someone with absolutely no posting history...almost like someone keeps creating new user names just to continue to bash the DDP....

See, this bothers me a little. Just because someone doesn't post often, doesn't mean they are not legit. That is one of the big reasons I stopped reading the DVC boards. Every time someone posted that they stayed at, or even looked at SSR and didn't like it, SSR owners would jump all over them and call them trolls, point out their low post count, etc. It was ridiculous. And yes, I know that some of the threads were from a few banned posters as Amy&Dan pointed out, but some were real I'm sure. There was even a poster with many posts who posted that she disliked SSR and was so "attacked" by the SSR police that she went back and deleted all her posts on the thread. It's crazy! If someone dislikes something like the DDP, making ADR's or the SSR resort, they should be able to post their opinion. EVEN if it is their first post. Just my opinion, sorry. For what it's worth I plan all my meals and LOVE the DDP.

 

[bicker]

Whether a Manhattan restaurant is booked days in advance generally depends on the restaurant and the time of year. Yes, expecting to walk into a restaurant as you described is unreasonable, as it would be at the restaurants at the hockey arena on game night in my hometown.

And WDW is that popular almost all year 'round.

Also I think it's reasonable for him/her to expect to book a restaurant in WDW for, say, Thanksgiving well ahead of time. But all of WDW isn't a single gated venue

Each theme park is a single gated venue. Everything that applies at Madison Square Garden applies at the Magic Kingdom.

There's a big difference between having to be accomodated elsewhere sometimes vs. almost every time.

Yet, at very popular venues, like WDW and MSG, that's the way things are.

It's absolutely unreasonable to expect all DDP users, especially first-timers, to understand why it's important to make ADRs months in advance at WDW instead of days or hours in advance like most places, why it has to be so different than other vacation spots.

I think that's one reason why we'll see a pretty stiff increase in price for the Dining Plan (or whatever they call it) next year.

 

[Lewisc]

Probably correct BUT DME and DDP is the only reason I was motivated to stay on site. Prior to the DDP I stayed at S/D and at Gaylord Palms (via Priceline). As soon as the cost of the DDP becomes close to a "break even" my motivation to stay on site will disappear. Prior to DME and DDP I would stay offiste if I couldn't book a deluxe, at a rate, I thought was reasonable.

I think that's one reason why we'll see a pretty stiff increase in price for the Dining Plan (or whatever they call it) next year.

 

[ajdeen]

I just got back from a week at DW and our family of 4 was on the dining plan. Had we not had reservations we would not have been about to use any of our table service meals. EVERYPLACE we went to was booked. And yes, it sort of does put a damper on things when you know you have to be at a certain restaurant at an exact time or you will miss out on your meal. If I had it to do all over again I would really have to think hard about purchasing the dining plan again. Yes, I am sure it saved us money but we would have never purchased the amounts of food that were available on the dining plan. But, some of the time we were not ready to sit down and have a meal, a snack would have been better, but we had already paid for the dining plan and had made a reservation and we knew that walking in somewhere at a later time was not an option.

FYI - The food at The Wilderness Lodge is wonderful !! Our experience at the SCI Fi at MGM was horrible.

 

[HappyMomof4]

I feel bad for dallas2disney for getting some negative responses. I hope this won't be your last post. I enjoy reading everyone's opinion about their experiences.

I do disagree about the DDP because our family of 6 really feel like we got our value from it. I did a tremendous amount of planning for this trip but it really paid off. I do know from reading the boards that it is nearly impossible to get in without ADR to most restaurants. My in-laws were able to get into the Concourse Steakhouse after a 30-45 minute wait on a Friday night for dinner.

 

[tndisneyfan]

A trip to WDW involves just about the same amount of planning as, say, assaulting Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Your post reminded me of the first time our family went to WDW. DH wanted to buy a guide book. I asked him why in the world would we need a guide book it's just WDW. Boy, did I have a lot to learn!! With the DDP, ADR's, EMH, and all the other acronyms you really need to do research. Anytime I hear of someone going to WDW I always try to encourage them to buy a guidebook or at the very least send them to the DIS.

 

[peggyjean123]

I have to say I love the DDP, I was new to the disney experience in 2006, but thankfully I had a great representative, who strongly urged me to make ADR. I got off the phone and started researching. I was shocked that over a month away some dining experience were already booked. This time I will plan better and much further in advance. Also the dining plan helped us out finicially, we ate at counter service for lunch used snack often at breakfast, and had wonderful dinners over 90% of the time. The character meals were great times to snap pixs and not wait in line, and my daughter met Mary Poppins, she ws thrilled becuase I was a nanny for 10 years in NYC. I enjoyed not having to shell out money at dinner, lunch and often even breakfast, it helps those of us working on budget! I give DDP a

 

[pixdust]

As a newbie myself on the Dis, I would be sad indeed if people felt like they could not post the good with the bad. I feel like I can learn from both. Gives you the feeling that you are getting the real story and not some glossy brochure. I have 2 trips under my belt with my son, and all I can say is the children's menus at Disney are some of the worst I have ever seen. We are planning on a trip in late September, and my grand-daughter is a picky enough eater with out being offered the very limited offerings on the children's menu. While I haven't completely ruled out the DDP, for the convenience of having all paid in advance, I am thinking if we did do the dining plan, she would just have to share food off of every one elses plate to just get some decent food. I hope dallas2disney will continue to post and hopefully learned from the experience of no ADR. It is still too bad that the dallas2disney family had a not so whoopie experience.

 

[bicker]

As soon as the cost of the DDP becomes close to a "break even" my motivation to stay on site will disappear.

Surely they'll have to strike a balance -- the point is that they probably now see the need to strike a BETTER balance than has been struck over the past three years.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

I know a lot of people like to eat where and whenever they want to feel good about their vacation. BUT can you imagine if the majority of them decide to eat at the same time (5pm - 7pm period) Guess who will complain after they were made to wait for an hour or more for dinner?

 

[bicker]

Disney is pretty-good about knowing people's thresholds and simply sending them away if the wait for a table will be too long.

 

[lorelei_smiles]

If the kids menu choices are the same at every restaurant why not share your meals with the kids?

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

My family is extremely organized so when we go on vacation, we like to wing it. Should have never invested in the dining plan. The information we had was that reservations were encouraged, not REQUIRED. None of the table service restuarants took walk ins regardless of when you tried to get in. I was under the impression that once our day got started and we figured out where we were going to be, we could put our names on a waiting list. Not true.

We only stayed 4 days and used the Park Hopper option. Since we'd never been before we didn't know where we were going to be and I certainly didn't want to cut off the fun in order to eat. We're not picky, just wanted food with veggies. I guess we were asking too much.

This put a HUGE damper on the trip. IF we ever go back again, will plan to dine away from WDW for dinner.

Our kids are 7 & 8. At Pop Century, their options were chicken noodle soup (made with chicken lo mein - YUK), sloppy joes, nuggets and PBJ. Where were the hot dogs, spagetti, nachos, hamburgers, pizzas? Throughout all of the parks, these items were hard to find. My kids asked if they could spend their own money to buy something they really wanted to each. Now that's a shame.

You said your family was "...extremely organized,...so we like to wing it..." Correct me if I am wrong, but that seems to be a contradiction. If you are extremely organized, I would think you would be a planner. I have found that we are happy on DDP because we are organized (call 6 months out for ressies, etc) and our trips go more smoothly. Yes, you may change your mind later, but if you need a place to eat you have your dinner ressies there to use or not to use. As for kids meals, substitutions may be made, and CS are pooled, so they can really have whatever they want.

 

[allyphoe]

You said your family was "...extremely organized,...so we like to wing it..." Correct me if I am wrong, but that seems to be a contradiction.

I read that as "We do a lot of planning for day-to-day life, and don't want to work that hard on vacation." I certainly don't blame the OP for that, but IMHO he picked either the wrong destination (WDW for a first-timer doesn't really lend itself to winging it) or the wrong package (DDP in particular doesn't lend itself to winging it, unless you're willing to leave a lot of credits on the table and pay OOP).