2007 Changes to Dining Plan STINK!!!

[bluejasmine]

Ok...I went and searched through my files (cause I print everything off) and found the online Dining Brochure from a previous year. I haven't gone through it with a fine tooth comb, but half of the Epcot restaurants are missing as well as everything in DTD except Cap'n Jacks. I cannot find a date on it anywhere, but it's got to be from this past year or the year before. I know that the restaurants were indeed on the DDP this past year (cause we used it) , but am not aware if they were all on the list the year before (2005) as we did DDE. Can anyone verify? So maybe they will again be added? One can hope! We LOVE the convenience of the DDP!!

Oh how I hope this will be the case! Otherwise DDP is just not worth it! Or atleast in my opinion..

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Everyone's is just going to have to wait and see what happens over the next couple of months. If the DDP ends up not having as many restaurants, I just hope everyone sticks to their guns and doesn't get the plan. Afterall, Disney has increased prices twice in one year (and who knows what will happen in '07) and seems to be taking benefits away instead of adding. All I can say is the "Year of a Million Dreams" better be something spectacular or Disney may find their attendance numbers down in '07.

 

[MinnieGi]

Oh yeah it sounds like there is hope from what other posters are saying. I hope so b/c we really liked it in July and hope to do it again in Feb. '07!

 

[JulyGirl]

I can't imagine leaving all of those Epcot restaurants off of the plan. I'm sure additions will be added in the near future.

 

[Al and Kate's Mom]

Just out of curiosty - would anyone not go to Disney because of this?

 

[Lewisc]

The issue isn't just the missing EPCOT restaurants. Le Cellier and Coral Reef are both good alternatives. The problem is those restaurants are already booked and overbooked. Without restaurants like Chefs some guests may not be able to get an Epcot reservation at one of the better restaurants for a decent dinner time. I'm pretty sure Chefs de France is one of the larger restaurants.

My issue isn't with the reduced restaurant list so much as concern with my ability to get ADRs. I generally book my trips 60-90 days in advance.

 

[Lostgirlz]

You know them holding back the packages for 07 like they did and claiming to be listening to guests to make the packages perfect was obviously not the whole truth of it, but more of a sugar coat for the push back. I honestly have to say I will go and have a nice and memorable time on our first trip to disney and our honeymoon we are doing in feb, but yeah the issue with the dining plan has put us off a bit. We wanted to get the dining plan to off a variety of experiences without breaking the bank, but we were not looking to go the cheap route either as we had planed to pay oop for 7-8 meals anyway, but wanted to use the package for places we were unsure of and wanted to try for a new experience, but 3 of my ressies are no in pending mode and I looked at menus over and over for the last month trying to plan ressies, now I am having to disscuss with my DFH what to do now that this has happend. I don't want to say cancel my ressies that are no longer on the plan, but I darn sure want a back up plan. I find the 07 year of a million dreams has started off less than a magical fairytale, and more of a oh darn wake up. I sure hope they pull something out of the hat before next year to add to the promotion for the new thing. If they are going to increase price lose half the places, and start a new promotion something needs to be done to make this all look more appealing to people planning their trips.

 

[JimMIA]

Just out of curiosty - would anyone not go to Disney because of this?

Would this cause us not to go? Naw.

Would it cause us to eat offsite? Oh yeah, absolutely.

If we're going to eat offsite, would we go to other parks other than Disney? Yes, we would surely go to Sea World because our DD4 would love it, and we might go to Universal.

Would we do a trip where we stay at DVC but never set foot in a Disney park? Yes, good possibility. We've been wanting to do other things anyway, and there'd be no reason to stay onsite the whole time.

Would we make one trip next year instead of our normal two? We might well do that. Not just because of the dining plan, but because we have other options.

Would we bank our points and skip 2007 altogether? We might -- not just because of the dining plan, but because we've been wanting to take another Boston trip to see relatives and a western National Parks trip.

We don't go to WDW to eat, but the dining plan does make WDW more or less attractive than other options.

Also, if we choose any of those non-Disney options, the whole portfolio of other things Disney comes into play -- especially our 3 AP renewals.

 

[bluejasmine]

Just out of curiosty - would anyone not go to Disney because of this?

Oh no! We've been several times where we just ate CS and a TS the night of arrival and the last night. I have been fortunate to enjoy the DDP fee last Aug and now later this month. My reasonson for going to WDW was never the food in the first place its just a nice plus sometimes. It has been nice going to so many TS places that I might not have been able to enjoy if paying OOP because frankly, my family cant afford it we are lucky to be able to afford the package and eat CS.
You know LewisC I didnt even think about how much worse it was gonna be to get ARDs at certain restaurants now that they may be one of the few left on the DDP..Hmm thats not a good thing..

 

[pennyplanner]

FYI

Last year when we booked for our Thanksgiving trip, the DDP offered similar choices to the present restaurant listings i.e. limited Epcot and DDD locations.

But lo and behold, many more were added (much to our satisfaction. )

Hang in there folks! I think the list will grow. It did last year!!!

--penny

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Just out of curiosty - would anyone not go to Disney because of this?

Heck, no! We still visit the parks, but we now stay off site. Instead of being the Disney "purists" we once were, we've ventured to other Orlando hot spots...in all honesty, what prompted that initial venture was looking for a decent meal that didn't require a reservation months out. We found out we really enjoyed the nightlife and dinner options to be had in other places right outside of WDW. It also put us back in control over our $$$.

But, no...my love of the mouse is just that. My love of good food and other vacation-related things I've just learned to separate out when I go to Orlando.

 

[bicker]

Sometimes I worry about what I read on these threads because it sounds like some folks seem predisposed to being dissatisfied. It is really important to look at offerings as "zero, plus" instead of "one billion, minus", i.e., what is being offered -- not what isn't being offered. Otherwise, there is a very high likelihood that you'll be disappointed with one thing after another in life.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Good response Bicker. I agree.

 

[Al and Kate's Mom]

It seems like everyone is pretty close to agreement - Disney is Disney and we love it, no matter what

 

[timandlesley]

Oh yeah, not saying I don't love Disney, I'm obsessed. If you read my trip report you'd see my appreciation of it. I already booked our WL package plus dining for next year. I was simply venting about many of our favorites not included at Epcot anymore that I would truly miss eating at. Especially after trying Alfredo's for the first time this year and loving it. I am happy to see I probably jumped the gun though and that these restaraunts will probably end up being added anyway, YES!

Lesley

 

[LilyWDW]

My biggest issue is that I have to tell family members who are on a strict budget how much the trip will cost them asap... which means I have to make a call NOW on if the DDP is worth it to us. ATM, with this announcement, it is not worth it to us due to the current limitations. I can not really hold on, because I need to book this trip soon (I don't want to deal with it all while also in classes) and I can't add it later because the decision has already been made at a certien cost.

Really not that big of a deal anyways... I had been questioning it as it was because I do not believe some of my family would get a good deal out of it and it would not be fair to them to force them on it.

 

[JimMIA]

My biggest issue is that I have to tell family members who are on a strict budget how much the trip will cost them asap... which means I have to make a call NOW on if the DDP is worth it to us. ATM, with this announcement, it is not worth it to us due to the current limitations. I can not really hold on, because I need to book this trip soon (I don't want to deal with it all while also in classes) and I can't add it later because the decision has already been made at a certien cost.

Really not that big of a deal anyways... I had been questioning it as it was because I do not believe some of my family would get a good deal out of it and it would not be fair to them to force them on it.

Your family will get great value from DDP if the plan itself makes sense for them based on their family composition and what they would spend if they were not on the dining plan.

If they would normally do a nice dinner or character meal once a day, they can't do that onsite at WDW for less than $38 per adult per day. That's completely disregarding ALL of the CS and snacks that comes with the plan, and only considering the most expensive meal each day.

If they would normally eat at less expensive restaurants offsite and either not do character meals, or can pay cash for them, they may be better off without the dining plan.

Either way...they will have a spectacular time!

 

[Lostgirlz]

I called today given the airline issues incase we can't make it to our depature day breakfast at boma's I would at least be able to do it on the day we had actually planned on doing breakfast room service oh well we will hit mgm that day we have lunch ressies there that day. Dinner is in epcot. they dining plan is still pending on the listed venues I asked today. I went ahead and made ressies at reglan road anyway I want to try it and just gonna pay oop.