nEW DINING PLAN CHANGES ARE LOUSY!

[rdsx28]

My family and I love to stay at CSR. I just read on all ears that none of the restaurants there will be on the dining plan as of 2007. I think that totally stinks! Are they trying to stop non covention goers from staying there? I'm sure not many families will want to stay there on the dining plan when they can't even get a meal there. Between the rise in ticket prices and the meal plan I don't know what's going on. Sorry everyone just had to vent!

 

[mking624]

That's a bummer, but honestly if it wasn't a part of the dining plan, it wouldn't stop me from staying there. I don't stay at a resort just because of what it offers for food...but that's just me.

 

[taylorl25]

I don't think about food options when choosing a resort either but I want to have some options to actually use the plan at my hotel.

If it doesn't accept the plan it basically means I will have to pay for breakfast out of pocket, which is inconvenient but I can live with it, and won't be able to use the resort for lunch or evening meals without paying OOP.

This is more inconvenient for me, for example my flight lands at 5pm so won't get to the resort until about 7pm. I was planning on using some CS credits at the Pepper Market then going straight to bed. Now to utilise the dining plan on arrival day I would need to get a cab to a different resort or the bus to downtown then on to another resort and back. Neither of these options will be appealing after a 9hr flight so we'll just pay OOP.

To be honest if I hadn't already booked Coronado and the dining plan months ago I would be looking to switch resorts or not utilise the DP. However I'm hoping there will be some participation at Coronado by the time January comes round, and until I know for definite I'm not paying a hefty change fee at the TA.

 

[nurseypoo5]

give it some time, i have a wierd feeling that the list is not completely up to date. I think some of the restaurants that WILL be on it, arent yet.

Lets wait and see. I would stay there anyway. i dont plan on really eating at our hotel at all. I'll buy breakfast stuff for our room and have it delivered with cokes and juice/milk and water. Lunch is always a CS at the park, and dinner is where ever we have a TS adr. If you like the hotel, keep it!

 

[bicker]

FWIR, this is the way it works, each year. All Disney can announce now are their own restaurants, because they own them and can tell them what to do. For all the other restaurants, contracts have to be negotiated, and signed. They cannot tell you that a restaurant will be participating in the Dining Plan if the contract isn't signed yet, and 2007 is still over four months away.

So don't think of these as "changes" -- think of that just like the list that came out last year: Preliminary. Over the next four months, especially towards the end of that period, it is possible that many more restaurants could be added.

 

[bluejasmine]

I dont stay at CSR (always wanted to tho) and I think the changes STINK! So many restaurants pulled out! From my point of view there isnt that much to choose from now. I cannot believe the only ones in DTD in Captain Jacks which we dont like. Also Epcot is so limited now.. I know I wont pay for that plan. If it doesnt change my family will be back to eatting counter service for the majority of our trip with a TS thrown in maybe for first and last nights..

 

[bluejasmine]

FWIR, this is the way it works, each year. All Disney can announce now are their own restaurants, because they own them and can tell them what to do. For all the other restaurants, contracts have to be negotiated, and signed. They cannot tell you that a restaurant will be participating in the Dining Plan if the contract isn't signed yet, and 2007 is still over four months away.

So don't think of these as "changes" -- think of that just like the list that came out last year: Preliminary. Over the next four months, especially towards the end of that period, it is possible that many more restaurants could be added.

Has this actually been the case in the past? Has anyone actually seen this change once a list was produced?

 

[bicker]

I'm going to try to find messages in the archives from last year which almost surely would exist if that was the case.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I find it hard to believe that all those restaurants pulled out unless that is what Disney wanted. I have eaten in Morroco many times, and it has never been busy. Why would a restaurant like that CHOOSE not to participate in the DP? I'm sure the DP brought them a lot of business.

I also believe that we will see many restaurants added as contracts are signed.

 

[bicker]

So far I've been looking for 20 minutes and there is no sign that this happened last year.

 

[n2mm]

So far I've been looking for 20 minutes and there is no sign that this happened last year.

I don't remember this happening last year. We did the free dining in September 2005, but didn't do the dining again until April 2006, when DVC members could purchase it. I think the biggest issue last year was whether LeCellier was 1TS or 2TS, then the news that Coral Reef and many other EPCOT places dropped from 2TS to 1TS.

I also think this may change too and believe that negotiations are still in the works. I do think it's strange that they published the dining brochure so early when it doesn't have to be handed out until folks check in in 2007.

 

[bicker]

The 2006 Dining Plan information started coming out on July 8, 2005. The most notable discussions were about the fact that the price went up, and that that was to provide the CMs with a better gratuity. I found no discussions that mentioned that a bunch of 2005 participating restaurants weren't participating in 2006. However, it isn't clear to me that the two things -- the details of the plan and the list of participating restaurants -- were linked at the time. I found the list of 2005 participating restaurants, and that's all it was, just the list of participating restaurants. Apparently, it wasn't until the 2006 brochure that this was combined with the details of the plan, and it isn't clear to me that that happened until the beginning of 2006. Still looking.

 

[bicker]

<snip>

 

[Pedler]

So far I've been looking for 20 minutes and there is no sign that this happened last year.

Last year participation continued pretty much without change. At the start of the program in 2005 the DTD and WS places were not on the plan.

If I had to guess I would say that the original contract negotiated by Disney probably ran through the end of 2006 and they are now renegotiating the contract. It would also explain the month delay in getting out DDP info.

 

[Buzz2001]

That's a bummer, but honestly if it wasn't a part of the dining plan, it wouldn't stop me from staying there. I don't stay at a resort just because of what it offers for food...but that's just me.

I agree! I never participated in DDP anyways. But I wouldn't write it in stone yet. 2007 is still far enough away where changes can still happen to the final product.

 

[jjohnson]

There were some very minor changes to the plan last year. Nothing like the current 2007 list.

 

[Lewisc]

Bicker--The WS restaurants came into the plan in 2005. I'll agree with those posters who speculate the original contract was probably for around 18 months, through 12/31/2006.

The major change on 1/1/2006 was Coral Reef going from 2 credits to 1 credit and CRT going from 1 credit to 2 credits. I'm not sure when that was announced but it really wasn't worth a lot of posts. CR was a positive and CRT was a given when the new pricing structure for cash guests was announced.

The 2007 changes are the first major changes that weren't improvements.

I'll speculate that at least some restaurants found more MYW Dining guests than anticipated (particularly with Disney offering free dining), found guests were more creative with sharing than anticipated and some restaurants found guests were cherry picking restaurants based on lobster. Teppanyaki found they couldn't afford to be one of the only 1 credit restaurants that serve lobster. Pepper Market may be questioning why they're giving a $30 rib eye steak dinner for under $10. The compromise was allowing PM to restrict the dessert but now even that concession is gone.

 

[rdsx28]

I don't choose my resort based on the food offerings. This year will be the first time we are using the dining plan. My point was that I would not get the dining plan if I was staying at CSR. I feel not having the flexibility to at least use it if we wanted to is lousy.I truly think the free dining was a big mistake for Disney. Why not offer 10.00 off a room per night.When some people hear free they take advantage of a situation and I'm sure that happens frequently.As far as the Pepper Market goes the food is ok,there but overpriced. Maybe they should change the menu a bit to fit the dining plan.Of course people will get steak instead of a sandwich when it is offered free or on the dining plan. Maybe they are discouraging the dining plan by these changes. I think discounted rooms would be just as good as the dining plan and probably more cost efficient. I love CSR and feel it is the best moderate and I will stay there just not on the dining plan.Thanks for listening

 

[skater]

The "free" dining plan has been incredible for our family - its so much fun to eat at restaurants we normally can't afford. Its also great because both our kids like to try new foods and its nice to not have to limit them to burgers and fries on vacation. Its also fun to think that its free (even w/o codes it feels like we are getting an incredible deal). The free dining plan sucked us right back to disney this Sept.!

We would definately not go to CSR if they are not on the dining plan. We have finally learned to plan days at the resort and would not enjoy paying OOP when its hard enough to eat up all those credits!

 

[ktbugsmom]

Based on the number of Epcot WS restaurants that will not be on the list for 2007- I will most likely not do the dining plan this January now. I am a little sad, but I will live. I now think I will get a DDE card (I have an annual pass) and then can take advantage of the 20% off cocktails at participating restaurants on that list. Works for me! It may just work out to be the same now.