2008 DDP discussion, questions, rants and vents

[TLSnell1981]

The general public DDP brochure has been update as of this morning still no Tokyo Dining, Teppan Edo, or Tutto Italia.

I guess we will still have to wait and see. I made my ressie at Tutto Italia this past weekend and was told that it is on the 2008 DDP. I asked how many credits for this location and was told one.

 

[huey578]

I'm curious, has there ever been a resturant that was not on DDP??

I guess we will still have to wait and see. I made my ressie at Tutto Italia this past weekend and was told that it is on the 2008 DDP. I asked how many credits for this location and was told one.

 

[bicker]

Gosh yes. Bistro de Paris has never been a part of the Dining Plan. Rainforest Cafe hasn't participated in the past. And so on...

 

[TLSnell1981]

Gosh yes. Bistro de Paris has never been a part of the Dining Plan. Rainforest Cafe hasn't participated in the past. And so on...

I knew about Rainforest, but I never really considered that a Disney restaurant. Are you sure about Bistro? I could have sworn years ago we used the dining plan while eating there. It was the only time we took the whole brood there for dinner.

 

[firechick139]

Where do I find the updated list of restaraunts for the general public DDP and not on the DVC? Are they all the same restaraunts? Is this a dumb question? LOL!

 

[huey578]

Here's a link to the general public 2008 DDP brochure. I believe they are all the same resturants.
http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/m...agespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/08Dining.pdf

Where do I find the updated list of restaraunts for the general public DDP and not on the DVC? Are they all the same restaraunts? Is this a dumb question? LOL!

 

[Lewisc]

I'm curious, has there ever been a resturant that was not on DDP??

V&A is probably the only Disney run restaurant that doesn't participate with the DDP. There are many non-Disney restaurants that don't participate. Bistro in EPCOT, RFC and several DTD restaurants including Bongos. None of the restaurants in the Swan or Dolphin participate.

 

[bicker]

I knew about Rainforest, but I never really considered that a Disney restaurant. Are you sure about Bistro? I could have sworn years ago we used the dining plan while eating there. It was the only time we took the whole brood there for dinner.

The Dining Plan we're talking about in this forum started in 2005, and I am pretty sure Bistro de Paris was never a participating restaurant.

 

[Lewisc]

The Dining Plan we're talking about in this forum started in 2005, and I am pretty sure Bistro de Paris was never a participating restaurant.

Bistro never participated in the current (2005) DDP. Previous plans were more expensive, included recreational activities and included some restaurants not in the current DDP such as the RFC, Fulton's and Portobello Yacht Club. I'm not sure if Bistro participated in those plans.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm curious, has there ever been a resturant that was not on DDP??

The only park restaurants not on the DDP have been Bistro de Paris, which is very upscale and not really family-oriented, and Rainforest Cafe.

 

[Lewisc]

The only park restaurants not on the DDP have been Bistro de Paris, which is very upscale and not really family-oriented, and Rainforest Cafe.

I may be nitpicking but the non-Disney WS restaurants, including Chefs and Alfredo's weren't on the current DDP in the beginning of 2005. They were added a few months after the plan started.

It's certainly possible a few restaurants are considering not participating. Tutto Italia would be an expensive one credit restaurant and I don't think they'll do very well at 2 credits.

 

[minikk]

I have posted this on a separate thread, but I was hoping to get an answer asap.

So I bought my Disney Dining Plan package in 2007, but I am not going until March 2008. I know with the new 2008 Dining Plan says that gratuity is not included. But what happens if I bought the plan in 07 thinking it was?? Am I still going to have to pay gratuity or is my 07 plan honored where it was already included?

 

[Tricia1972]

I have posted this on a separate thread, but I was hoping to get an answer asap.

So I bought my Disney Dining Plan package in 2007, but I am not going until March 2008. I know with the new 2008 Dining Plan says that gratuity is not included. But what happens if I bought the plan in 07 thinking it was?? Am I still going to have to pay gratuity or is my 07 plan honored where it was already included?

The gratuity will not be included in your plan. You will pay for gratuity additional and OOP.

So long as you are a party of 5 or less, what you pay will be at your discretion.

 

[tjkraz]

The gratuity will not be included in your plan. You will pay for gratuity additional and OOP.

So long as you are a party of 5 or less, what you pay will be at your discretion.

...bearing in mind that if you DO decide to short-change the tip (even in the face of excellent service), the only person being hurt is the Disney Cast Member providing the service.

Under the terms of the 2007 DDP, a portion of the daily DDP fee was routed back to dining CMs as their gratuity. Thru '07, most restaurant CMs received 18% of the value of the food purchased directly from Disney. Beginning in 2008 they will receive nothing from Disney (other than their sub-minimum wage base pay) and are 100% reliant on customer gratuities to receive that benefit.

Please don't make the CMs pay for policy decisions on Disney's part--either purchase the DDP with the intention of tipping appropriately or send a message to Disney buy opting out of the DDP this time around.

 

[ChrisMouse]

Hi everyone,

My DH and I are considering booking the dining plan for our trip in May. We haven't been to WDW since our honeymoon in 1995, so a lot has changed!

We are strongly considering booking the dining plan for our trip, because of some of the meals we have planned (I haven't done a dollar to dollar comparison yet, but I'm fairly sure we will come out ahead doing the plan).

My question is this--our "credits" are coming out uneven because the four of us are occasionally splitting up (DH and I are doing California Grill while the kids are with a Fairy Godmother...DD and I are doing CRT, etc.)

How do you all deal with this type of situation, where everyone in the family has a different number of TS credits? I'm on hold with my ADR's because of how it's working out:

Fantasmic pkg @ Mama Melrose
CA Grill (for two)
Sci Fi Dine In
CRT (for two)
San Angel (haven't made this one yet...will it be open in May?)

Ok, so if the above works out, I will be using 7 TS credits (7 day stay), my DH will be using 5, my DD will be using 5 and my DS will be using 3.

How do I juggle this and make sense of it? Can the "adult" TS credits for our family be "shared"...giving my DH and I each 6, so we could add one more TS meal? And then my DD will be using 6 and my DS will be using 4...what happens with the ones they don't use?

TIA for any help. I'm dizzy with all of this!

Chris

 

[TLSnell1981]

...bearing in mind that if you DO decide to short-change the tip (even in the face of excellent service), the only person being hurt is the Disney Cast Member providing the service.

Under the terms of the 2007 DDP, a portion of the daily DDP fee was routed back to dining CMs as their gratuity. Thru '07, most restaurant CMs received 18% of the value of the food purchased directly from Disney. Beginning in 2008 they will receive nothing from Disney (other than their sub-minimum wage base pay) and are 100% reliant on customer gratuities to receive that benefit.

Please don't make the CMs pay for policy decisions on Disney's part--either purchase the DDP with the intention of tipping appropriately or send a message to Disney buy opting out of the DDP this time around.

Why should someone opt out of DDP because Disney doesn't tack on the mandatory service charge? Are you trying to encourage Disney to take away everyone's ability to actually GIVE a gratuity as they see it is warranted? I do not understand those that feel this is an entitlement...and why is it all Disney's fault? The union had a hand in this. I know the servers don't want the responsibility, but they have a part in this too. It amazes me how little health care workers make, but people scream about health care cost.....or how little teachers make, but complain about the school system. What do you feel is a "good" wage? I have known many servers that make more for an hourly wage (including tips) than nurses and teachers. I know I've gotten somewhat off topic, but this begging for 18% is getting to me.

 

[tjkraz]

Why should someone opt out of DDP because Disney doesn't tack on the mandatory service charge? Are you trying to encourage Disney to take away everyone's ability to actually GIVE a gratuity as they see it is warranted? I do not understand those that feel this is an entitlement...and why is it all Disney's fault? The union had a hand in this. I know the servers don't want the responsibility, but the have a part in this too. It amazes me how little health care workers make, but people scream about health care cost.....or how little teachers make, but complain about the school system. What do you feel is a "good" wage? I have known many servers that make more for an hourly wage (including tips) than nurses and teachers. I know I've gotten somewhat off topic, but this begging for 18% is getting to me.

As stated in my original post, "tipping appropriately" is the responsibility of every diner. There is no obligation to tip at a certain level when poor service is received. But guests also should not view this policy change as an invitation to stiff a server whose compensation is based upon the expectation of appropriate compensation in return for appropriate service rendered.

 

[bicker]

You're both correct: There is no "fault" here, really. Guests can make their own decision whether they want the Dining Plan as it is provided, and then take personal responsibility for that decision, and for taking on the commitment to ensure that they comply with our nation's cultural obligation for the compensation of service staff. If guests don't like the offer, guests should forego the Dining Plan.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Why should someone opt out of DDP because Disney doesn't tack on the mandatory service charge

Some/anyone not happy/disappointed/upset/angry/etc. that Disney will no longer take responsibility for providing the tip to the server can/may/should/might consider NOT purchasing the DDP - it's not an 'opt-out' aspect of a trip, it's an 'opt-in'.
And yes, healthcare workers at the basic levels are not particularly well-paid.... but they at least earn minimum wage, if not more.
Sure, teachers may be underpaid given the importance/value of the work they do, and the field as a whole - but they earn well OVER minimum wage.
$2.13 an hour x 40 hours x 52 weeks = $4,430.40 per year (restaurant server, tipped position)
$5.85 an hour x 40 hours x 52 weeks = $12,168.00 per year (counter clerk, fast-food restaurant)
$31,800 = elementary teacher, base pay, per salary.com, US

 

[firechick139]

Hi everyone,

My DH and I are considering booking the dining plan for our trip in May. We haven't been to WDW since our honeymoon in 1995, so a lot has changed!

We are strongly considering booking the dining plan for our trip, because of some of the meals we have planned (I haven't done a dollar to dollar comparison yet, but I'm fairly sure we will come out ahead doing the plan).

My question is this--our "credits" are coming out uneven because the four of us are occasionally splitting up (DH and I are doing California Grill while the kids are with a Fairy Godmother...DD and I are doing CRT, etc.)

How do you all deal with this type of situation, where everyone in the family has a different number of TS credits? I'm on hold with my ADR's because of how it's working out:

Fantasmic pkg @ Mama Melrose
CA Grill (for two)
Sci Fi Dine In
CRT (for two)
San Angel (haven't made this one yet...will it be open in May?)

Ok, so if the above works out, I will be using 7 TS credits (7 day stay), my DH will be using 5, my DD will be using 5 and my DS will be using 3.

How do I juggle this and make sense of it? Can the "adult" TS credits for our family be "shared"...giving my DH and I each 6, so we could add one more TS meal? And then my DD will be using 6 and my DS will be using 4...what happens with the ones they don't use?

TIA for any help. I'm dizzy with all of this!

Chris

Hi Chris!

I'm sure others can help you more, but from what I have been reading on the boards, your DDP cards will only show how many Adult TS and Child TS credits you have left, not who they belong to. So, you can still evenly split what is left. Also, the credits you don't use by the end of the trip are just gone. You don't get a refund for them.

You may also consider paying out of pocket for a couple of things. We will be going to CRT also, and I plan on paying OOP for it since the money has to be paid up front anyway. This will save me 2 TS credits for each person.