2008 DDP discussion, questions, rants and vents

[iluvdisney01]

I'm not sure if this has been asked: But what happens if there are 10 people in your party? Does the automatic 18% still kick-in?

 

[thunderbird1]

I'm not sure if this has been asked: But what happens if there are 10 people in your party? Does the automatic 18% still kick-in?

Yep. I believe it's been said gratuities will be automatic for parties of 6 of more, not 8 like it used to be. It's just that the 18% will have to come out of your pocket instead of your DDP credits.

 

[travelmel]

You sound like you work for Disney. The old plan was flawed in automatically adding in the tip and can cause bad service. The new plan does not adjust the price enough for the amount you now need to cover the tip. People who use the current plan have every right to go where they want and use it any way they want. If people want a sit down meal everyday, then can have it. Because you feel there are too many people using it, it makes it more difficult for you to book you adr's? I don't see the deluxe plan being something the majority of guests will use. So Disney is squeezing every last dime from it's guests with the new plans, not the other way around. You are losing in the range of $20 per day compared to the current plan. Adding the deluxe plan is fine, if you want it. I think it is a good idea to have this option. Many won't use the deluxe because of cost and you may get any reservation you want when Disney loses large amounts of guests from the ddp, who will not pay what is no longer a good deal. It will come back to hurt them when they are not filling their restaurants. They will lose money. If the plan was dropped about $5.00 per person and no tip included ,then it might be a better option. It makes the servers try to be better for a tip directly from guests and it makes the cost a little better.

Well said Why on EARTH would somebody say that "milking the system" is a bad thing? You pays your money, you takes your stuffs. (Free dining "milking" does seem rude but if you are PAYING for your benes then ENJOY THEM).

If you want to pay MORE for what you get than you're nutty. Simple as that. People who pay $69.99 a day and then say, "I don't care if I have left over credits.. I'm above penny pinching" are the people Disney must LOVE! Here Disney, take my money.. I won't miss it as I paid in advance.

Well, this is the rant board. 1.2 billion in profits and they needed to cut the DDP by $10-$20 a head. Seems odd.

Maximize profits? YES. Maximize profits by almost 50% in one fell swoop? Doesn't seem necessary. I'm sure it will only get worse... unless something horrible happens in the world (certainly the huge and wonderful DDP of old was a product of the decreased touring after 9/11).

With that said, I guess the price increase doesn't look so bad.

Melissa

P.S. I'm really not a negative person but I missed the DDP by THAT much!...I REALLY wanted to have fun with all those appetizers!! I REALLY REALLY DID!!!!! .. you know, if I had never heard of it, it wouldn't have been so bad. LOL

 

[bicker]

Well said Why on EARTH would somebody say that "milking the system" is a bad thing?

I think the intended connotation of "milking the system" is doing things that a reasonable person wouldn't (or shouldn't) such as sharing meals with folks not on your hotel reservation, or deliberately sharing adult CS meals between adult and child so you can use some of the child CS credits in a transgressive manner later.

Well, this is the rant board. 1.2 billion in profits and they needed to cut the DDP by $10-$20 a head. Seems odd.

What is this silliness about "need"? Any company that operates on "need" shouldn't be in business. The 2007 Dining Plan is under-priced. The 2008 Dining Plan is appropriately-priced. Correcting a wrong -- that's all that is going on here.

Doesn't seem necessary.

Just like your last salary increase didn't seem necessary??? Seriously, you made a big deal earlier in your message about getting your money's worth. Why the heck would you criticize Disney for getting theirs? That seems very myopic to me.

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry I did a bad job explaining myself.

You've already paid for your room and are contractually committed to pay annual dues. Disney gets the exact same money if you use your points, rent your points or lose your points. Disney has ZERO motivation to have any progam which encourages you to use your points. You're going to use, or rent your points, rather than lose them.

Yes, "regular" DDP guests have to book a package which requires full payment 45 days in advance. Regular DDP guests have to book a package which has different cancellation penalties then room only. DVC guests don't have any additional restrictions. Pre-payment and cancellation penalties means "regular" guests should be looking for a discount.

DVC guests might have old passes, AP or may purchase passes from a discounter. Again that restriction would also cause a "regular" DDP guest to expect a discount.

Guests booking dining may be forgoing some hotel discounts that would otherwise be available.

Free dining is a misleading term. Free dining is offered as an alternative to a room discounts during a time period where Disney has traditionally offered "great deals". DVC guests aren't entitled to free dining, any more then they'd be entited to a cash rebate if Disney was offering room discounts.

I'm not picking on DVC members, my point is a DVC member might book dining if they expect only a nominal saving. Regular guests need a larger discount to justify agreeing to the package terms imposed by Disney.

Bicker continues to call the 2007 plan "overly generous". I'll agree, with respect to DVC members, that aren't giving anything up. As a package guest I'd expect savings of 20-30% before purchasing dining. It's possible increasing menu prices will provide that savings, even with the 2008 plan cutbacks.

You are wrong on many of these points. I already have paid for my rooms and continue to do so by paying annual dues which comes out of my pocket every year(and many future years to come). I'm not sure what you mean by pre-pay. Do you mean you pay for ddp now as opposed to when you arrive, which is what I do as a DVC member? If I want passes or ddp, I still have to pay for them. Being a DVC member might mean I am less likely to cancel my reservation, because we have to use our points or lose them, so we will most likely be at wdw. The other point is, if we go and want to go to the parks, we do need to buy some type of passes. I know we don't have to buy passes to use ddp and can see your point as it being a benefit for the cost of us shelling out many thousands of dollars to become a DVC member. Would you go to wdw without going to the parks? Maybe on most days, but this way Disney is getting you to commit to going to their parks to get ddp, by making you pay for passes. I don't hear a lot of complaints when you are able to get free ddp and DVC members do not get that. I'm really not sure why you are getting on DVC members.

 

[bicker]

Of course, your whole argument falls apart whenever someone makes a reservation for which they aren't foregoing a room discount. So let's just say that your comments only apply to folks who actually forego a room discount -- and I think we also can come to an agreement that we both recommend that folks generally should not forego a room discount so they can qualify for the Dining Plan, but rather should only consider the Dining Plan if they need not forego a room discount to do so.

 

[kowalchicky]

I'm a DVC member and I do feel people who are willing to invest money should get some kind of special benefits....we are basically promising that we will come and come again.
**I'm still upset about the changes in the dining plan** I do feel an app for every person may of been a bit overboard...but I think instead of taking away the app all together they should of offered a family style app based on the number of people in your party.

 

[Lewisc]

It doesn't fall apart. A person who purchase the DDP has package requirements which result in cancellation provisions and pre-payment requirements that aren't present with a room only reservation. A person who purchases the DDP also has ticket requirements.

Guests have to consider how much extra, if any, they're paying for their room for their tickets and how much of a dining discount is appropriate for agreeing to the package requirements. The 2005-2007 DDP provided enough of a discount to allow some of us to justify paying a few extra dollars for tickets and for our room.

The 2008 DDP might make sense to your group even if you're only projecting a 5% savings. You have to pay for dining when you check in as opposed to paying for your meals during the course of your trip. NOT A BIG DIFFERENCE.

Unless I project savings of 20-30% the DDP won't be worth it.

Of course, your whole argument falls apart whenever someone makes a reservation for which they aren't foregoing a room discount. So let's just say that your comments only apply to folks who actually forego a room discount -- and I think we also can come to an agreement that we both recommend that folks generally should not forego a room discount so they can qualify for the Dining Plan, but rather should only consider the Dining Plan if they need not forego a room discount to do so.

 

[DisneyGerry]

Bahama Breeze

 

[packy]

Nope. You calculated the TOP of the range. Your math didn't factor in buffets, which would represent the bottom of the range. The actual is somewhere in between. However, I think the actual figure was 23%, not 13%. I'll fix my earlier message. Of course, that makes the 2007 Dining Plan now 23% more generous than the 2008 Dining Plan... yet-even-more justification for calling the 2007 Dining Plan "overly-generous", given how many guests still believe that the Dining Plan is worth it for them in 2008, even know that the appetizer is going to be gone, and gratuities aren't going to be included.

I understand that use of buffets may slightly lower the amount of the price increase for DDP from 2007-2008, but for those of us who no longer go to character buffets the increase from 2007 to 2008 is at least 31%. If I change the cost of an appetizer in my calculation from $6 to $8 (you can only get a salad for $6, most appetizers are in the $7-$10 range), the changes to the DDP in 2008 result in a price increase of $14.50 per person/day (adding the cost of an appetizer and tip to the 2008 price) or $37% over the 2007 plan. Inflation is about 3% and while I am not begruding Disney a profit as the do a spectacular job, an increase of this amount borders on outrageous. Also, from what I am reading in this thread and others, there are not many people believing the 2008 plan is worth it.

 

[DisneyGerry]

Ive used DDP a number of times and figured it was most likely a relatively short term thing. Last couple of times, I thought really too much food, but nice to try to share a meal and stretch it out. Many times an appetizer did the trick especially when eating in a park all day.

So. now no Appetizer--BooooOOOo!

And now we have to pay the tip? It did always bother me to pay 18% on the buffet's?

Most likely will not use the DDP due to too much food and now cutting out perhaps the best part of it--the appetizer!

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I understand that use of buffets may slightly lower the amount of the price increase for DDP from 2007-2008, but for those of us who no longer go to character buffets the increase from 2007 to 2008 is at least 31%. If I change the cost of an appetizer in my calculation from $6 to $8 (you can only get a salad for $6, most appetizers are in the $7-$10 range), the changes to the DDP in 2008 result in a price increase of $14.50 per person/day (adding the cost of an appetizer and tip to the 2008 price) or $37% over the 2007 plan. Inflation is about 3% and while I am not begruding Disney a profit as the do a spectacular job, an increase of this amount borders on outrageous. Also, from what I am reading in this thread and others, there are not many people believing the 2008 plan is worth it.

Well, nobody has to buy the DDP if they don't want to. It is not forced on anyone. So, if it is a rotten deal for you, just don't buy it. I look forward to the delux DDP myself.

Also, just because there are a lot of people ranting about the DDP on the discussion threads, that doesn't mean there are not many people believing the 2008 plan is worth it. Those of us who love the DDP in spite of the changes (and there may be a lot of us) are just reading all the posts and enjoying the discussion - I, for one, prefer at times to remain silent and just let others rant and rave. It is very interesting to just sit back and observe the posts.

 

[apostolic4life]

I, for one, prefer at times to remain silent and just let others rant and rave. It is very interesting to just sit back and observe the posts.

Me Too!!!

 

[Colleen27]

I think your example would be a quick service as opposed to table service meal. And I completely understand why they would say a single-serving beverage for a QS credit - you don't get free refills of any beverage at any QS restaurant. But why would they say that about TS? I believe your brochure is different, but the 2007 DDP brochure I was given at check-in last week doesn't qualify the beverage as being single-serving for either QS or TS. If you look on the Disney website and compare the brief descriptions of the 2007 and 2008 programs, single-serving isn't in the 2007 blurb for either QS or TS and it is in 2008 blurb.

I hope I'm just being overly paranoid here. Maybe they are referring to certain specialty drinks like milkshakes which I have heard people have ordered using the DDP.

What I should do is just write Disney and ask, huh?

I would think that specifying "single serving" is the wording that indicates the plan does not cover things like the pressed-pot coffees served in some restaurants. I can't think of anything else available at QS or TS restaurants that wouldn't be single-serving.

 

[bicker]

It doesn't fall apart. A person who purchase the DDP has package requirements which result in cancellation provisions and pre-payment requirements that aren't present with a room only reservation. A person who purchases the DDP also has ticket requirements.

Marginal considerations at best, as compared to what we've been discussing.

Unless I project savings of 20-30% the DDP won't be worth it.

I think your computations are way off-base.

 

[bicker]

I understand that use of buffets may slightly lower the amount of the price increase for DDP from 2007-2008, but for those of us who no longer go to character buffets the increase from 2007 to 2008 is at least 31%.

Your choice. I surely don't blame you, but you do need to take personal accountability for your decisions that make your own situation a worst-case scenario as compared to the broader population of guests.

 

[MissMichelle]

I just returned home from WDW and had the Free DDP which meant paying rack rate for my room. We love the DDP even when we pay for it. I am actually more leaning towards the Deluxe plan for my next trip (just a mother daughter trip) because we added up what we spent on breakfasts every morning last week. We would make out MUCH better being able to have a nice breakfast @(for example) 'Ohana and then do a signature meal at night---or even grab a breakfast @ the Pepper Market (if we can get a room there since they are booked for my time period already!) then have a midday lunch @ the Plaza for sandwiches and a later meal @ the Poly and watch wishes from the beach. These are just a few things I'd love to do and how I would plan my days. I don't think it'll work when I take a trip with my kids though---TOO much time spent eating if you want to get the full value. Just my thoughts.

 

[pigby]

posted this on the other thread - really need a response as soon as possible. Having seen the new 2008 brochure for the DDP, Coronado Springs resort is not listed - I know Pepper Market was included last year as a table service credit and Maya Grill as a TS credit - when I rang Disney Dining, a CM said that Maya Grill was 'pending' and there was no mention of Pepper Market at all.

I have just booked CSR for next year via a tour operator in the UK - have I made a huge mistake on choice of resort?

 

[bicker]

Using last year as a guide, the actual list of restaurants participating in the 2008 Dining Plan should be expected around November 15, 2007.

 

[packy]

Well, nobody has to buy the DDP if they don't want to. It is not forced on anyone. So, if it is a rotten deal for you, just don't buy it. I look forward to the delux DDP myself.

Also, just because there are a lot of people ranting about the DDP on the discussion threads, that doesn't mean there are not many people believing the 2008 plan is worth it. Those of us who love the DDP in spite of the changes (and there may be a lot of us) are just reading all the posts and enjoying the discussion - I, for one, prefer at times to remain silent[/B]and just let others rant and rave. It is very interesting to just sit back and observe the posts.

Actually, most people on these boards are not ranting and raving but trying to have an intelligient conversation about the 2008 DDP and how the changes might affect their future decisions. It really serves no purpose to attack others for expressing their opinions.