2008 DDP discussion, questions, rants and vents

[TiggerMomNine]

I have read through dozens of pages of comments and rants on the changes. I can't remember who posted it (so I apologize for not giving credit where due), but this explanation seemed to me to make the most sense, from Disney's point of view.

When you eat a meal, you are much more likely to pay OOP for an appetizer than a dessert AT THE RESTAURANT. If dessert were not included, you would likely just get dessert later at a cart - there are LOTS of choices for desserts other than the restaurants (and they are usually MUCH cheaper choices!). If you really want an appetizer, you will still buy one. This is the best of both worlds for Disney.

You buy an appetizer. You use the DDP credit for the meal and dessert. And, it's likely you will STILL buy an extra dessert at the carts or elsewhere. Disney wins!

So, if it all comes down to dollars (and of course, it does), then this makes much more sense for Disney.

If Disney were to give you a CHOICE between dessert or appetizer, than I think most people would choose to share some of each (one appetizer shared and one dessert shared, as an example). In this example, Disney loses the cost of the appetizer.

Also, with these changes, Disney will be able to seat more people during a meal period. Without every table ordering appetizer AND entree AND dessert, they will be able to seat more parties at the same table. More parties equals more money.

Disney is just a business. Money talks.

 

[bless7ings]

I'm hoping that that is just someone's view of what Disney thinks. Disney also does try to keep people happy and there are a lot of unhappy people who want to have at least a choice between the appy and the dessert. I'm hoping they will change the plan back to at least that! Alot of people do not obviously like the tip not being included, but are not shouting as much about that. I think the general answer would be they want a choice and tip included and would be willing to pay more for this convenience if Disney doesn't want to include it back because of their lack of savings.

I think there is a fair amount of people who are deciding not to do DDP because of the results.

People need to reavalulate. I did and I found if I chose what was on the DDP and added it up, there was a savings. But I realized I wasn't ordering what I wanted but just getting it because it was on the plan. When I took those same restaurants that I choose and ordered what I wanted their was a savings for me to not be on the DDP!! So people need to not only do the first tab, but know what you want and order what you want. Btw, I am one of those people who would order an appetizer(not OOP though ) and pick to eat a dessert in the park later. So yes the restaurants would be losing money on desserts! I don't particularily like most choices in the restaurants. I would rather have banana splits, ice cream bars, slushies, smoothies, doughboys, french patries in Epcot or Norways bakeries in Epcot. Someone's right, their are a lot of delicious desserts out of the restaurants and usually a lot cheaper!! Plus I am just not ready to eat a dessert right away, too full from having that appetizer! Now let's talk about splitting that appetizer and dessert...if my husband and I can agree that is!

 

[DizzDoll]

I just booked our vacation for August (yah-hooooo!!!) and I bought the DDP. After doing the math, and knowing what my kids will eat, and knowing that we can't get appies unless I pay out of pocket, I'm going to cancel it. My kids would have to order the most expensive item on the menu in order for the DDP to work, and they won't do that. My daughter will have soup, or a Caesar's salad, my son will have either chicken or a burger, so it will cost me more to be on the plan. Plus, as another poster said, we like the snackeronies in the parks better than the desserts, and we're usually stuffed to the gills after a big meal, so we wouldn't be able to enjoy them. For some the DDP will work well, for others it's not worth it. Oh well, c'est le vie. I'll still book a breakfast buffet at the Crystal Palace and a dinner at Boma's anyway!

 

[Tricia1972]

People need to reavalulate. I did and I found if I chose what was on the DDP and added it up, there was a savings. But I realized I wasn't ordering what I wanted but just getting it because it was on the plan. When I took those same restaurants that I choose and ordered what I wanted their was a savings for me to not be on the DDP!! So people need to not only do the first tab, but know what you want and order what you want. Btw, I am one of those people who would order an appetizer(not OOP though ) and pick to eat a dessert in the park later. So yes the restaurants would be losing money on desserts! I don't particularily like most choices in the restaurants. I would rather have banana splits, ice cream bars, slushies, smoothies, doughboys, french patries in Epcot or Norways bakeries in Epcot. Someone's right, their are a lot of delicious desserts out of the restaurants and usually a lot cheaper!! Plus I am just not ready to eat a dessert right away, too full from having that appetizer! Now let's talk about splitting that appetizer and dessert...if my husband and I can agree that is!

I did the same thing, figured what I want not what I could get. Ordering what I want I save money not doing the DDP at all. We too order an appetizer (usually just one or two to split), entrees, and eat desserts in the park later on.

One question, if they had an appetizer allowed on the DDP, would you have saved money with the DDP? We found that we wouldn't save even if they put the appetizers back on.

I doubt though that we'll ever get the choice of appetizer and dessert. One of the benefits of the DDP downsizing is faster turnover of tables. More revenue for the restaurants and more ADR's available for everyone else. Which is kind of a win-win.

Giving appetizers or desserts would cause many to just split between the two, and would decrease revenue and the tables wouldn't turn over as quickly.

Allowing a party to choose whether they'd order an appetizer or dessert at the onset of the program may work better, but it'd be nearly impossible when you had two rooms both on the DDP dining together at the same table. What if you picked appetizers, but the other group picked dessert? You're sitting together and now need to decide who is getting what as only appetizers or desserts are allowed at one table. It just gets too complicated/potentially confrontational for the customer and the servers.

 

[bless7ings]

Tricia,

I don't know if we would save money still? I would have to do the figures up on another trip with those circumstances on the DDP. I guess it is a trip by trip calculation. For a trip w/ just my husband & I we save to pay OOP. You are probably right and we would save on the family as well, but it would be more hassle to figure out and both my husband and I would probably go with the DDP anyways because of convenience w/ kids knowing what they can order and us knowing the bottom line instead of stressing me out during the trip to make sure we are actually coming out less or around the same during the trip! Plus it has been a no brainer, we went during free dining! My husband prefers that time of year because of low crowds and he loves the heat and it's easier on the pocket! And hopefully, free dining again! So it is a win win sitution for us!

p.s. When I was talking to you earlier, it was in reguard to a trip for two in May.

 

[boardom]

I'm hoping that that is just someone's view of what Disney thinks. Disney also does try to keep people happy and there are a lot of unhappy people who want to have at least a choice between the appy and the dessert. I'm hoping they will change the plan back to at least that! Alot of people do not obviously like the tip not being included, but are not shouting as much about that. I think the general answer would be they want a choice and tip included and would be willing to pay more for this convenience if Disney doesn't want to include it back because of their lack of savings.

I agree that this would make the plan much more attractive. I booked the DxDDP for our upcoming trip, but was pretty on the fence about it. For a variety of reasons, it suits our situation, but it was a close call. If they left tip included and gave a choice of dessert or appy with Deluxe, instead of both, without tip, I wouldn't have hesitated! I actually found Deluxe less attractive because of including both, because I feel like I'll be "paying for" food that won't get eaten.

I guess it's impossible to come up with a plan that would suit everyone, no matter what they do.

 

[Tricia1972]

Free dining makes it easier to calculate the DDP savings, that's for sure!

We too will have to look at it case by case. For Spring Break this year it was a no brainer for us when I punched in the numbers.

 

[LETSGOFAM]

I agree that this would make the plan much more attractive. I booked the DxDDP for our upcoming trip, but was pretty on the fence about it. For a variety of reasons, it suits our situation, but it was a close call. If they left tip included and gave a choice of dessert or appy with Deluxe, instead of both, without tip, I wouldn't have hesitated! I actually found Deluxe less attractive because of including both, because I feel like I'll be "paying for" food that won't get eaten.

I guess it's impossible to come up with a plan that would suit everyone, no matter what they do.

We will be on the DxDDp and I didn't realize that adults also got appys and desserts. I thought only kids got appys. could someone clarify?

 

[Tricia1972]

We will be on the DxDDp and I didn't realize that adults also got appys and desserts. I thought only kids got appys. could someone clarify?

DxDDP includes Appetizers, Entree, Dessert and non-alcoholic Beverage

DDP includes Entree, Dessert and non-alcoholic Beverage

This of course applies to TS restaurants only

 

[Mom2PixiePrincess]

We recently did the DDDP for our Feburary trip. We had a miserable time with it. Last May we did the DDP and loved it, saved 42% on the actual food cost. This year we spent an average of $30 more per day for the plan than the actual food cost! We also had a terrible time with many of our servers. Not ALL, but several became very aggressive about getting a tip as soon as they brought out the bill. We normally tip, but we were put off by this aggressive behavior. It just made the whole experiance UN-magical!

We have two more trips planned this year and we've cancelled the dining plan. Personally, I think they should go back to the 2007 plan. OR if they wanted to give people more options for restaurants then maybe a plan like this:
2 Meal Credits per day (TS or CS, patrons choice)
Meal to include appy/entree/dessert/drink
2 snack credits per day
refillable resort mug
Gratuity INCLUDED
$55-ish per adult
$12-ish for children 3-9

That plan would work out very nicely for my family!

 

[LETSGOFAM]

We recently did the DDDP for our Feburary trip. We had a miserable time with it. Last May we did the DDP and loved it, saved 42% on the actual food cost. This year we spent an average of $30 more per day for the plan than the actual food cost! We also had a terrible time with many of our servers. Not ALL, but several became very aggressive about getting a tip as soon as they brought out the bill. We normally tip, but we were put off by this aggressive behavior. It just made the whole experiance UN-magical!

We have two more trips planned this year and we've cancelled the dining plan. Personally, I think they should go back to the 2007 plan. OR if they wanted to give people more options for restaurants then maybe a plan like this:
2 Meal Credits per day (TS or CS, patrons choice)
Meal to include appy/entree/dessert/drink
2 snack credits per day
refillable resort mug
Gratuity INCLUDED
$55-ish per adult
$12-ish for children 3-9

That plan would work out very nicely for my family!

Was it confusing on the ordering? Did anyone get frustrated at you when trying to figure out how it works and what food it includes?

We have never been before and picked the DDDP because we have 3 kids and hoped it would be less stressful having everything paid for upfront.

 

[JLKennedy]

Hopefully the "kinks" will be worked out when we go in September. We booked the deluxe solely b/c we want to maximize character dining (even 2 table credit ones) with as little OOPE as possible. We will very likely be having 3 sit downs per day and probably cashing out our snacks (2 per day).

 

[micknpluto]

can someone help me out with something.. hopefully someone knows the correct answer.....

If I wanna do the DDP and do the Hoop Dee Doo Review (using 2 TS credits) but they require a deposit-prepaid when booking HDR. Ive read in this thread something about getting a refund or a gift card with the rfund on the gift card once at wdw.. but I dont want to pay for it ahead of time.. i dont think thats fair when you are using DDP...

has anyone had experince with this?

 

[tnmomof4]

Hopefully the "kinks" will be worked out when we go in September. We booked the deluxe solely b/c we want to maximize character dining (even 2 table credit ones) with as little OOPE as possible. We will very likely be having 3 sit downs per day and probably cashing out our snacks (2 per day).

I was just wondering if you have figured out how much money you will be spending in tips if you will be having 3 sit downs per day?

I am just wondering because at first I had the DDDP and then I changed it to regular DDP mainly because I was afraid the cost of tips would add up to a lot of money eating at 2 or 3 TS a day.

 

[minniekissedme]

My family just returned from the Riverside 2/2-2/9. May have been the best week ever...weather was perfect and the dining plan worked well. We have been to Disney the last four years using the dining plan for the first time last year. Tremendous deal, no doubt, and too much food. In researching chats about the plan I had reservations about the changes for '08 and the impacts they would have for us (3 adults, 2 children).

First...we saved $508 compared to menu pricing.

We utilized our table service meals for dinner which provides the most value. We had six dinners (one was a double at Narcoossee's w/fireworks!) and enjoyed every meal. Either I was extremely fortunate or just dumb luck but we had zero problems w/servers regarding tips, service, anything that they are supposed to do. In fact, I personally think that now that they have to work for their tips the service is better.

We share three or four counter service meals among the five of us which allows us to bank some of those meals and not waste food ordering five meals everytime we eat. It's too much food for everyone. Some counters were breakfast, some were lunch. Knowing that we always had dinner later in the day we were careful to not stuff ourselves and not have room for the outstanding meals.

This plan can work if you want it to work. From various chats about this I get the feeling that many want something for nothing. I also would like to have a choice of appetizer or dessert. I personally perfer apps but ice cream in the park versus the key lime pie, almond crusted cheesecake, and the other delicious offerings, come on.

Using the dining plan requires some effort in planning and acquiring reservations. You must want to eat dinner at these fabulous restaurants. If you can survive on quick service meals than by all means don't get the dining plan. But you'll find me again at Narcoossee's for fireworks and surf and turn, Kona Cafe for the unbelievable Tuna Oscar, Coral Reef with it's incredible aquarium wall and the blackened catfish using the dining plan on my next visit...

I'm not much of smiley or abbreviation kinda guy so apologies if it gets too lengthy.

 

[mickey2000]

My family just returned from the Riverside 2/2-2/9. May have been the best week ever...weather was perfect and the dining plan worked well. We have been to Disney the last four years using the dining plan for the first time last year. Tremendous deal, no doubt, and too much food. In researching chats about the plan I had reservations about the changes for '08 and the impacts they would have for us (3 adults, 2 children).

First...we saved $508 compared to menu pricing.

We utilized our table service meals for dinner which provides the most value. We had six dinners (one was a double at Narcoossee's w/fireworks!) and enjoyed every meal. Either I was extremely fortunate or just dumb luck but we had zero problems w/servers regarding tips, service, anything that they are supposed to do. In fact, I personally think that now that they have to work for their tips the service is better.

We share three or four counter service meals among the five of us which allows us to bank some of those meals and not waste food ordering five meals everytime we eat. It's too much food for everyone. Some counters were breakfast, some were lunch. Knowing that we always had dinner later in the day we were careful to not stuff ourselves and not have room for the outstanding meals.

This plan can work if you want it to work. From various chats about this I get the feeling that many want something for nothing. I also would like to have a choice of appetizer or dessert. I personally perfer apps but ice cream in the park versus the key lime pie, almond crusted cheesecake, and the other delicious offerings, come on.

Using the dining plan requires some effort in planning and acquiring reservations. You must want to eat dinner at these fabulous restaurants. If you can survive on quick service meals than by all means don't get the dining plan. But you'll find me again at Narcoossee's for fireworks and surf and turn, Kona Cafe for the unbelievable Tuna Oscar, Coral Reef with it's incredible aquarium wall and the blackened catfish using the dining plan on my next visit...

I'm not much of smiley or abbreviation kinda guy so apologies if it gets too lengthy.

Thats great !!!!
$508 ????
Can you explain how ,,,,,,,,, Thanks!

 

[angelmav]

My family just returned from the Riverside 2/2-2/9. May have been the best week ever...weather was perfect and the dining plan worked well. We have been to Disney the last four years using the dining plan for the first time last year. Tremendous deal, no doubt, and too much food. In researching chats about the plan I had reservations about the changes for '08 and the impacts they would have for us (3 adults, 2 children).

First...we saved $508 compared to menu pricing.

We utilized our table service meals for dinner which provides the most value. We had six dinners (one was a double at Narcoossee's w/fireworks!) and enjoyed every meal. Either I was extremely fortunate or just dumb luck but we had zero problems w/servers regarding tips, service, anything that they are supposed to do. In fact, I personally think that now that they have to work for their tips the service is better.

We share three or four counter service meals among the five of us which allows us to bank some of those meals and not waste food ordering five meals everytime we eat. It's too much food for everyone. Some counters were breakfast, some were lunch. Knowing that we always had dinner later in the day we were careful to not stuff ourselves and not have room for the outstanding meals.

This plan can work if you want it to work. From various chats about this I get the feeling that many want something for nothing. I also would like to have a choice of appetizer or dessert. I personally perfer apps but ice cream in the park versus the key lime pie, almond crusted cheesecake, and the other delicious offerings, come on.

Using the dining plan requires some effort in planning and acquiring reservations. You must want to eat dinner at these fabulous restaurants. If you can survive on quick service meals than by all means don't get the dining plan. But you'll find me again at Narcoossee's for fireworks and surf and turn, Kona Cafe for the unbelievable Tuna Oscar, Coral Reef with it's incredible aquarium wall and the blackened catfish using the dining plan on my next visit...

I'm not much of smiley or abbreviation kinda guy so apologies if it gets too lengthy.

Which plan did you use regular or deluxe? Im glad that you had a great trip, but based on what you listed, I dont see how you could get that kid of savings from the current version of the regular plan.

 

[minniekissedme]

Wife and I and 10 year old as adults, our 8 and 6 as children. DDP cost for the five of us is $133.95 per day.
The biggest reason we saved so much was using table service meals for dinner. They are the most expensive and ultimately the best "value" with the plan. Plus the food is awesome. Make no mistake, we ate the good stuff, too! Our average dinner was app $154. Take out the one dinner at Narcoossee's and it still averaged $135.
We dined at Les Chefs de France, Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Coral Reef, Marrakesh, Narcoossee's, and Kona Cafe.
Getting to dinner was the goal so we ultimately share three or four quick service meals for breakfast and/or lunch and/or add a snack or two along the way. Riverside Mills food court was a great place for the quickies...big variety of breakfast and lunch. Average price of a quick service meal was about $12 there or anywhere in the parks.
We learned last year that there is too much food for us to eat everytime we needed something...hence we shared and stocked up a couple quick service meals each day rather than tossing uneaten food. Also, we avoid taking the children thru the lines where they are supposed to order from a children's menu. There is absolutely no value and even less enticing food on most of the children's menus you will come across.
And that comes in handy when we have seven days of DDP and we're there for eight days. We even had to "dine and dash" with our bus waiting for the airport and snack credits remaining! Brought home some goodies from the bakery and sucked down milkshakes on the way to fly home.
But it's all about the dinners to get the most bang for your buck. It's hard work finding and making reservations but we enjoy the dinners. And I think part of it also is related to how often you go to Disney.
This was our fourth straight year of going so we've done nearly everything there is to do. We are now much more relaxed about doing what we want when we want. We used to run and run and run...It also helped that we dined throughout Disney w/o the DDP in years past and knew what was what.
Also, we bring some snacks and this year even brought two cases of water on the plane. I paid $2.99 per case...buy a bottle of water at Disney and it's $2...makes sense to me!
I can see where it may not work for all but my personal opinion is there's a lot of complaining going on that I feel is unnecessary if not unwarranted. I was concerned in reading some of the various discussions prior to our trip but I know that we had a plan and stuck to it. And I'll do it again the next time we visit...maybe as a DVC member. Hope this helps...let me know if you have other questions about it.

 

[lexmelinda]

The biggest reason we saved so much was using table service meals for dinner.

My strategy is very like yours and we eat at most of the same restaurants as your family. And we also split CS meals as they all seem to be meant for two people....so much food! We "save up" for a couple of signature meals.

Glad you felt it was still a good value. Although I will miss the mussel appetizers. (I had mussles 3 times last trip.)

What did you spend in tips? What did you think of Marrakesh?

 

[JLKennedy]

can someone help me out with something.. hopefully someone knows the correct answer.....

If I wanna do the DDP and do the Hoop Dee Doo Review (using 2 TS credits) but they require a deposit-prepaid when booking HDR. Ive read in this thread something about getting a refund or a gift card with the rfund on the gift card once at wdw.. but I dont want to pay for it ahead of time.. i dont think thats fair when you are using DDP...

has anyone had experince with this?

They require a cc when making "reservation" to hold your spot. This is one of the "hot" spots. When you make your ADR, tell them you'll be using the dining plan and you'll still need to give a cc, your cc won't be charged unless you don't show up. It's just a "deposit" in good faith.