2009 Dining Plan

[Tinkerdreams]

Let's take a guess at what the DDP and the DDDP will be for 2009. Post what your best guess on what changes will take place and price increases. Also post what you wish would happen. Here's mine.

Basic Dining Plan

Wish - Choice of either appetizer or dessert and tip included. Price
adjustment of $3/person.
Actual - No change. Price adjustment of $3/person.

Deluxe Dining Plan

Wish - Stay the same but include the tip. Price adjustment of $3/person.
Actual - Only 2 TS and 1 counter and 1 snack. Price adjustment of
$4/person.

 

[Married_Him_@_Disney]

Not really a wish - but just thinking it's happening:

Counter Service DDP
2 CS Meals
2 Snacks
Price guess - $30 / Person

 

[bgbodnar]

I would like to see a dining plan with all counter service meals and maybe one character meal included. I think alot of families with children would go for this dining plan. I don't have children at home anymore, but this would have been great when they were home and we went to Disney.

Wish-the tip included back in the dining plan. Plus your choice, of the appetizer or desert.

 

[LadyOmega]

Not really a wish - but just thinking it's happening:

Counter Service DDP
2 CS Meals
2 Snacks
Price guess - $30 / Person

I've heard some preliminary speculation on a counter service DDP as well. I'm guessing more like $28 pp. (Are we taking bets? )

I'm hoping that the tip will be added back to the basic DDP. Otherwise, I'm not sure if anything will change dramatically for 2009, cept maybe a raise in price, I'm thinking maybe $2.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I would like to see the tip back in the plan and a choice of either App's or dessert.

 

[Hopefully]

I don't think the tip will ever be included back in the DDP. This item was an area of negotiation with the union, and not having it included was what the union wanted.
That said, I wish I could choose between an appetizer and a dessert.
I always order an appetizer and nearly never a dessert and DH is exactly the opposite. If we could choose it would be perfect for us.

 

[dogodisney]

Since the prices of everything is going up, I think they'll either raise the price or keep the price the same and do away with dessert.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Talking to the servers when I was down there in April. They were not happy at all about this. Everyone of them told us to call and complain about it. Not one was happy with the tip not being included.

 

[Married_Him_@_Disney]

Talking to the servers when I was down there in April. They were not happy at all about this. Everyone of them told us to call and complain about it. Not one was happy with the tip not being included.

The dining plan has changed a lot for servers. Back when the tips were included based on your bill size, I think some servers took advantage of this. Let me explain: When there was the Gold Key packages - you could literally order whatever you wanted. Lobster for breakfast if you wanted! They would make it happen. I ordered an apple pastry - and do you know what came out? A huge assorted basket with enough to feed 10 people, and they made a "swan" with foil out of the basket. It was crazy! I thought - how nice they do this for us. .. but it never dawned on my that the server was acutally just raking in the tips.

That said, the past dining plan was not like that. It was very regimented (App, Entree, Dessert, Tip) - and I liked it that way. It was predictable and you always knew the server was getting a good tip. We always tip well, but I am sure there are some out there tips a small amount, and I can see where that frustrates servers. . .money that last year was virtually guaranteed in tips is no longer for them.

I would love to see tips come back.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

The dining plan has changed a lot for servers. Back when the tips were included based on your bill size, I think some servers took advantage of this. Let me explain: When there was the Gold Key packages - you could literally order whatever you wanted. Lobster for breakfast if you wanted! They would make it happen. I ordered an apple pastry - and do you know what came out? A huge assorted basket with enough to feed 10 people, and they made a "swan" with foil out of the basket. It was crazy! I thought - how nice they do this for us. .. but it never dawned on my that the server was acutally just raking in the tips.

That said, the past dining plan was not like that. It was very regimented (App, Entree, Dessert, Tip) - and I liked it that way. It was predictable and you always knew the server was getting a good tip. We always tip well, but I am sure there are some out there tips a small amount, and I can see where that frustrates servers. . .money that last year was virtually guaranteed in tips is no longer for them.

I would love to see tips come back.

We were just on the Platimun Plan back in April when they were complaining. I understand totatly what you are saying.

 

[DisOrBust]

The changes are already posted by the Brits:

This is available to book for any booking departing from 11 January 2009 onwards.

The new Quick Service Dining Plan is in addition to the current Dining Plan and Deluxe Dining Plan.

Please Note:

These prices include 2 Quick Service meals and 2 snacks per person per day.

1 Refillable Resort Cup per person (can only be used in hotel where guests are staying, NOT in any Theme Parks).


So there will be 3 plans:
Quick Service: 2 snack,2CS and a mug. $28.00
"Normal " DDP: CS, Snack, mug ts with appy and tip
DxDDp Same as now with appy and tip

Appy and tip are back but prices are up. 50ish for the DDP and I think 90 for DxDDP>

 

[WishesQueen]

Appy and tip are back but prices are up. 50ish for the DDP and I think 90 for DxDDP>

This works for me!! (DDP for 50ish)

 

[TDC Nala]

What I wish would happen is they'd scuttle the plan.

Please note that the prices offered to British bookers may or may not be the same as those that will be offered for domestic reservations.

 

[solfan68]

We used the DDP in June, but it was a bit of a nuisance compared to years past. If someone with a "nametag" is reading this... charge me a few more bucks but just put the tip back in for goodness sake. Order, sign, and go. Simplicity at its finest.

 

[wifey]

I may be wrong but I seem to remember some one mentioning that Virgin Holiday UK guests are to be offered a CS only dining plan which will be about the same price as the basic plan. I sincerely hope they don't tell us we can no longer use the current basic plan and that all we will have as options are the new CS or deluxe plans. We would find it hard to get by on either plan to be honest we get sick of counter service places and we would never eat all the food available on the deluxe.
I hope they leave things alone or it's going to seriously ruin planning our ADRs for our next trip. It's hard enough without them removing character meals to plan a family holiday everyone can enjoy.
Disney need to remember with the economy the way it is they should appreciate the fact that so many families are trying to keep to a budget, including the cost of food, to go to WDW especially those guests who travel thousands of miles to get there and many want to be able to go again in the future.

 

[TDC Nala]

Speculation regarding the UK plan offer seems to be that the CS plan will be offered in addition to the basic and deluxe plans; and that the prices for the basic and deluxe plans might be substantially increased, but may include the TS gratuity on both and possibly appetizers on the basic.

 

[LizinSTL]

I've heard some preliminary speculation on a counter service DDP as well. I'm guessing more like $28 pp. (Are we taking bets? )

I'm hoping that the tip will be added back to the basic DDP. Otherwise, I'm not sure if anything will change dramatically for 2009, cept maybe a raise in price, I'm thinking maybe $2.

Purely speculation, of course, but the DDP light (CS ddp) would have an average value of $25 to the customer (2 ave. CS meals and 2 ave. snacks.) Charging much more than $25 would have no value to the customer.

I mean, you could maximize the value with some locations but the most you'll pay at theme park locations for 2 CS meals and 2 snacks in a day would be about $30 or so.

For the kids plan, I have no clue how they could price it considering the DDP is $10 now. The kids meals are about $4 each and snacks have an average value of about $2.50 each . The MOST a child would spend on 2 CS and 2 snacks a day would be about $18 but it would average more like $13.

 

[ExtinctDino]

The changes are already posted by the Brits:

This is available to book for any booking departing from 11 January 2009 onwards.

The new Quick Service Dining Plan is in addition to the current Dining Plan and Deluxe Dining Plan.

Please Note:

These prices include 2 Quick Service meals and 2 snacks per person per day.

1 Refillable Resort Cup per person (can only be used in hotel where guests are staying, NOT in any Theme Parks).


So there will be 3 plans:
Quick Service: 2 snack,2CS and a mug. $28.00
"Normal " DDP: CS, Snack, mug ts with appy and tip
DxDDp Same as now with appy and tip

Appy and tip are back but prices are up. 50ish for the DDP and I think 90 for DxDDP>

Actual: see above
Wish: Restore tip and appetizer at TS; add alcoholic beverages

 

[CDolacki2003]

I would love to have the choice of appy or dessert. As far as the tip being included, does anyone know how much they actually got when it was included?

 

[catne]

The changes are already posted by the Brits:

This is available to book for any booking departing from 11 January 2009 onwards.

The new Quick Service Dining Plan is in addition to the current Dining Plan and Deluxe Dining Plan.

Please Note:

These prices include 2 Quick Service meals and 2 snacks per person per day.

1 Refillable Resort Cup per person (can only be used in hotel where guests are staying, NOT in any Theme Parks).


So there will be 3 plans:
Quick Service: 2 snack,2CS and a mug. $28.00
"Normal " DDP: CS, Snack, mug ts with appy and tip
DxDDp Same as now with appy and tip

Appy and tip are back but prices are up. 50ish for the DDP and I think 90 for DxDDP>

The prices listed in this post are supposed to be UK pounds, not US dollars...right? At least, when I went to the Virgin UK website, seems like those numbers were listed as pounds. 28 UK may seem a not so unreasonable amount, but in dollars, it would be hard to make that come out at all. And $50 (in US dollars) for the regular DDP would be an enormous jump in price...since US 2008 price was $37.