2009 Dining Plan

[lisaanddenny]

Here is an interesting article........ I believe we found our new "free dining plan" The restaurants will be so less crowded now for free dining 2009.

Disney also announced a revised Magic Your Way plan. For fixed price per day, guests can add a Quick Service Dining starting Jan. 11, 2009. The package offers two quick service meals and two snacks for each night of stay, as well as a refillable drink mug for unlimited refills of non-alcoholic beverages at Disney resort hotels.

If this is true, this will be a fantastic option for Disney World resort guests. It has become nearly impossible to get dining reservations at most of the WDW restaurants, due in large part to the popularity of the Disney dining plan. This new plan will allow guests to book a dining plan, but will not require any stress on the reservation ecosystem, as all meals will be counter service, no reservations required. This new plan may also reduce the demand on many of the restaurants as guests opt for this plan rather than the more expensive ones.

We are expecting to see all 2009 rates and package shortly. I will update you with any additional information I am able to find. We would expect this plan to be priced around $25 - $30 for adults, and $7 - $10 for children per night, while the existing dining plans increase in cost a few dollars.

 

[bangzoom6877]

From what I have read here, it is to my understanding that many servers at TS restaurants would not give impeccable service when they knew the tip was included (back in 2007 and earlier), because they would ask you when they greeted you if you were on the dining plan. Many people complained about that, and I am sure many also complained directly to WDW about it. Before anyone starts throwing *flames* about this, please keep in mind that I said many servers, not all servers. I am aware that there were plenty of servers who still gave incredible service at TS restaurants when gratuity was still included.

We only had one experience where we did not care much for the service. It was at Crystal Palace. We tipped 15%. Normally we tip between 18% and 20%. DH and I appreciated the fact that the projected gratuity was printed on the bill. It helped us figure out how much to tip without having to do math! I felt this was a very nice courtesy to the customer.

Furthermore, in our economy, Disney is simply doing what many other companies are doing...instead of increasing price right away, they take something away from the package. Have you noticed some local or chain restaurants serving smaller portions than they used to, but keeping prices the same? That is one way that restaurants are cutting back, yet keeping prices the same for the customer so it still attracts people (in other words, people still feel they could afford to go out to eat since the price has not gone up). I know many people who have a problem with this at regular restaurants, when not on vacation, because they are obviously getting less than before for the same money. I personally do not have any problem with it because I always had food left on my plate but now I pay the same amount for either an exact amount I will eat, or even still have food left on my plate! So I feel less is being wasted, but I am not paying more for it. Just my own opinion on that.

For us the 2008 DDP was more than worth it. We loved it! Especially when I saw that for our 2 meals and DS3's kids' meal at the CS location in Morocco at Epcot, lunch would have cost us $50! We pay less than that at regular restaurants at home, so the DDP felt like a great deal for us. We had also planned to go to all the character meals we went to anyway, so we truly did save money. The only thing we would have done differently was not get a dessert if it was not included in the plan or we were paying OOP, at CS locations. I really felt that was unnecessary but we got it because it was included (tried to keep it healthy though, with apple slices, or one day with yogurt and gave that to the baby). I can understand though how it feels like it is not such a good deal to people who have used the 2007 plan or earlier. They did take a lot away. Again, for us first-timers it was very nice and we would definitely do it again, depending on the changes.

My guess is also that if the DDP is going up in price, so is everything else at WDW, including the price of a CS or TS meal out of pocket. Everything I am sure, will be relative in the increases at WDW. I would like to see a choice of app. or dessert at TS though. This past trip we did character meals so they were all-you-can-eat with everything included, but when we go back in 3 years, we would like to do a couple that are not buffet or family style, to try something different, plus the kids will be older then and maybe do only 2 or 3 character meals. But who knows what will happen in 2011!