2008 DDP discussion, questions, rants and vents

[kowalchicky]

when I booked our 2008 trip the woman on the phone asked if I would like to sign up for the dining plan...I told her I would have to think about it due to al the changes, I told her I understood that alot of resturants were not included in 2008....she said the only changes she is aware of is the appt.and gratuity changes,plus the fee for the DDP............so maybe AAA as it right

 

[silverhaze269]

I apologize if this has been asked already, but does anyone know when they will be offering free dining in 2008? I'm trying to help my cousin plan her first trip with her 4 year old son, and I just stumbled upon the fact that Disney has offered free dining at certain times of the year. Do they do it at random?

 

[Tricia1972]

I apologize if this has been asked already, but does anyone know when they will be offering free dining in 2008? I'm trying to help my cousin plan her first trip with her 4 year old son, and I just stumbled upon the fact that Disney has offered free dining at certain times of the year. Do they do it at random?

Generally free dining is offered in late August and September, which is historically hurricane season.

Whether they will offer free dining to everyone remains to be seen for 2008. The announcement is usually made in April. They had a 'bounce back' program for those doing free dining this year, offering them free dining next year. That is giving many hope that free dining will be announced for everyone sometime next April. I believe if you have a Disney Visa you can book your trip a few days before everyone else.

Worth noting, if you use the free dining, you are not eligible for any other room discounts.

 

[Shazzie B]

For us UK travellers they offer the free DDP quite early - book certain 2008 holiday dates before 4th Nov to qualify for free ddp (10th August to 30th Sept I think). I think they offer in America aprox May.

 

[firechick139]

I received my '08 Disney Brochure yesterday in the mail, and I have been away for a week or so and may not have read a post about AAA's list of restaurants on the plan for next year. The brochure has more restaurants than Disney is telling us. Does AAA know something we do not. For instance, Downtown Disney has Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Raglan Road, and Planet Hollywood included in the Dining Plan and Epcot has San Angel, Restaurant Marrakesh, 9 Dragons, Teppan Edo and Chefs of France included. Do you think AAA started print before the new list came out 2-3 months ago?

Is this a AAA brochure? I am a AAA member and just booked my trip today. She will be sending me my info tomorrow. Do you think this will be in it? If not, how do I get one?

 

[englishrose47]

My TA knows I know before her so they probably don't have more info than the DIS!!

 

[bassoon2]

This makes we want to get the dining plan and not tip. Hey they are asking for it. Poor servers.
I think what will do is NOT go to the disney restaurants. We will have a car there and we will just go offsite for our big meals. Luckily last Jan we used the dining plan and it was great, this year, no way. We are hitting our SECOND year of a million dreams and we probably wont see a dream team.

 

[bassoon2]

Yeah, in Jan the parks close earlier,,,get in the car at hit the Macaroni Grill or whatever. This is really pissing me off at this moment.

 

[hipchickie]

FWIW, I sent an email expressing my love for the appie/dessert option. I hardly ever eat dessert, I don't have a sweet tooth. But I always get an appetizer. That is much more of an integral part of my TS meal than dessert is. Now I'll have to either pay OOP for an appetizer or not get one, even though I'll still be stuck getting a dessert I might pick at for a few minutes but did not want in the first place. Actually what I'll end up doing is not ordering dessert at all, because in my eyes wasting food is worse than wasting money.
The only reason I'm still doing the DDP is for convenience.

ITA, and bingo! that in part explains the changes

People who are hand wringing and posting about "oh, people are giving thier kids part of thier meal! asking for extra buns!! blame them!!!" are really off base. It is hard to look at this as a business, since disney is such an emotional thing for many people (here especially )
but take it from someone in the restauraunt business, there are easy, financial reasons for any changes, and it isn't because someone got a popcorn snack even it they were not really hungry . Does anyone think disney really threw previous incarnations of the plan out there without thinking about all these things occuring?

food cost on america is *so* low - why does it cost a lot to eat out? - LABOR. What is less labor - an involved app, or a cut and plate dessert ?
Tables do need to be turned as many times as possible. And once you start turning tables faster, you are getting better cost/value from your expensive kitchen staff - not only at service, but at prep time too.

as for me, I currently have the ddp on my jan.feb/ res's, but am rethinking it. dh and ds have diabetes, and the last thing they need is dessert every night.

 

[YesMickey]

Is this a AAA brochure? I am a AAA member and just booked my trip today. She will be sending me my info tomorrow. Do you think this will be in it? If not, how do I get one?

I booked in August, and just received it. I can only assume the brochures just came out, and since I was already booked, they sent it to me because that is all I received. I will have to get my vacation package in person once I complete payment. This brochure has to be accurate because I looked again after I posted to see if the new dining options were there (ie. deluxe dining etc.) and they were.

 

[firechick139]

I booked in August, and just received it. I can only assume the brochures just came out, and since I was already booked, they sent it to me because that is all I received. I will have to get my vacation package in person once I complete payment. This brochure has to be accurate because I looked again after I posted to see if the new dining options were there (ie. deluxe dining etc.) and they were.

Hmmm, I just got my AAA info today and the only thing she sent was our confirmation numbers. No brochure. I'm going to call and ask for one. We won't get our other info until we pay off the trip, too, but I would like to have one of those brochures!

 

[firechick139]

Also, I have another question about the automatic tip for a group of 6 or more. If you are on the dining plan, do they just give you a bill with only the tip on it? Or do they take the dining plan off at the end, and the tip is left on the bill? And, tax is includud in the dining plan, correct?

 

[bicker]

We don't really know yet how they'll handle the automatic tip with the Dining Plan in 2008. My expectation is that they'll present two bills; one a Dining Plan bill just for the food, and the second a bill just for the gratuity, which you could settle either via cash, credit or room charge. However, we won't know for sure until it happens.

Tax is included, yes.

 

[micknpluto]

Im so confused
Im also too lazy to read.
hey, as long as they continue the DDP for 2008.
I was confused when I saw the DDP card you could purchase???
Im going in Sept 08-Oct.08

 

[YesMickey]

Hmmm, I just got my AAA info today and the only thing she sent was our confirmation numbers. No brochure. I'm going to call and ask for one. We won't get our other info until we pay off the trip, too, but I would like to have one of those brochures!

It's the "How To Guide" from AAA Vacations. At the top of it, is reads Must See-Must Do. It is very informative. It has a map of the parks, AAA Benefits and info on something I did not know existed. Nightime kid's clubs. For $10/hr there are Nighttime kids "clubs" located at the Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian, Yacht Club & Beach Club and the Dolphin where you can take your kids from 4pm-midnight with a 24 hr. notice if you want to have a grown up dinner etc. for a couple of hours. There dinner is included in the price. I never knew such a thing existed. But this brochure is great and is very indepth.

 

[gr8tdame]

subscribing.

 

[korzmom]

going in feb on the dining plan and i was just wondering why some of the restraunts arnt on the list from last year? the cm on the phone said they were still in negotiations....WHAT???? are they or are they not a DISNEY owned restraunt? it just doesnt make sense to me!!!!

 

[bicker]

Many of the participating restaurants are not owned by Disney.

Last year, the full list of participating restaurants was released on November 15, so we don't have much longer to wait, if last year is a good guide.

 

[Shazzie B]

Hope Coronado Springs restaurants are on the 'new' list-that's where we will be staying!

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

going in feb on the dining plan and i was just wondering why some of the restraunts arnt on the list from last year? the cm on the phone said they were still in negotiations....WHAT???? are they or are they not a DISNEY owned restraunt? it just doesnt make sense to me!!!!

Epcot rstaurants in World Showcase are not Disney-owned. I expect all of them to be on the final list, we had the same situation last year...