2010 Dining Plan Discussion Thread

[dennis j]

Has anyone seen how the list of restaurants participating in table service meals for the 2010 Dining Plan has been cut way back. Only 4 or so left at Epcot, no one in France, China, Mexico, Morocco, or Italy. Downtown Disney down to just 1, Cap't Jacks, used to be ALOT more than this. What's going on??


Sorry, meant 2010 Dining Plan

 

[TDC Nala]

The restaurants that are owned and run by third parties will not be added to the list until the end of the year, when their contracts are finalized.

Cap'n Jack's is the only restaurant at DTD that is owned and operated by Disney, that's why it's there. Only Epcot has as high a concentration of third party restaurants.

Use the 2009 list for planning until the 2010 one is finalized.

 

[dennis j]

Thank you for the answer, we are trying to plan for a 2010 trip and will be making reservations next month.

I'm glad I asked!

 

[snowbound78]

When I made reservations last week, I noted that they were only showing the current list to the CM on the phone, so had him take out the dining plan to make the reservations, and promised to check before our trip to be sure that the restaurants had indeed been added. He didn't realize that the list changes from original announcement to when the year actually begins, so I had to make the suggestions myself. If your restaurant choices say nothing available, check on that!

 

[plymouthmom]

I am so happy to jump in on this thread. Last year at this time, I was planning a January trip and lots of meals planned at DTD and Epcot. I WAS FLIPPING OUT! The list was complete, finally, at the end of December. Don't worry, it will all come together.

 

[bangzoom6877]

Do you think the lists be finalized by the middle of January? I remember reading last year that they took longer than usual. We make our ADRs January 14th, but I will just use the old list I guess.

 

[plymouthmom]

They were all done by Xmas. Don't worry. I am going in February and not even sweating it. Last year people told me not to worry, but I did....

 

[xipetotec]

Now, I've seen others on the board who aren't big fans on BRG. But we ARE. We ALWAYS go here, and sometimes more than once. Being at the BCV makes it easy to skip accross the lake and have a nice meal on the boardwalk with a nice pint.


Well.... I just took a look at the 2010 DP listings, and Big River Grill is NO LONGER on the DDP!!! I wrote in the Guest Services and they confirmed that it is in fact not included "at this time" .... I am a little more than frustrated and in fact considering scrapping the dining plan altogether. It's sort of a last straw thing. First they increased the price, but since we're DVC members the price at least stays on the lower side. but the more "partnered" restaurants they open, it seems less restaurants TAKE the DP ( Very few restaurants in Downtown Disney, for example, take the DDP it seems, including the new T-Rex ).

Not Happy

 

[Faldred]

The list of participating locations is subject to change, specifically, for additions. The initial release of information includes only the restaurants who have already confirmed participation (including Disney-owned locations). Third-party establishments still need to come to contract terms with Disney for 2010 and cannot be announced as participants until they come to completed agreements. This happens annually, and typically results in little to no change in participating restaurants, though there are no guarantees. Expect a full and final list by (roughly) January 1, 2010.

 

[TDC Nala]

However, don't look for T-Rex to be added. Landry's restaurants at WDW historically do not participate in the dining plan, with the sole exception of Yak & Yeti.

Cap'n Jack's is actually the only Disney-owned restaurant at DTD. The thrird-party restaurants there that usually participate are Raglan Road, Planet Hollywood and Wolfgang Puck Cafe.

 

[LisaPisa]

I just posted a new thread regarding this topic. I was just on the phone with a CM who told me the current 2010 DP list is final. Nothing will be added. Ahhhh!

Les Chefs and Marrakesh are two places I wanted to eat which are also no longer on the DP. I've booked both of them though, in hopes that all the advice givers are correct and there's a chance they'll be added in the future.

 

[TDC Nala]

I just posted a new thread regarding this topic. I was just on the phone with a CM who told me the current 2010 DP list is final. Nothing will be added. Ahhhh!

Les Chefs and Marrakesh are two places I wanted to eat which are also no longer on the DP. I've booked both of them though, in hopes that all the advice givers are correct and there's a chance they'll be added in the future.

Based on historical information the CM you spoke to is incorrect. Things would have to change drastically for 2010 for this to be true (ALL the third-party restaurants at WDW would have to drop the dining plan simultaneously for 2010), and WDW-DINE phone agents are typically not reliable enough on such subjects for me to consider this correct information.

 

[Microcell]

Yeah.. CM's know only slightly more than Bus Drivers do about what is going on..

 

[xipetotec]

Well that gives me some relief. We are a big group, and *everyone* in our group is looking forward to BRG... Not that there aren't a lot of other great options on the dining plan. But still... Seems to me you'd want to make sure as many on-site restaurants are on the plan, that way people TAKE the plan, that way, people are discouraged from leaving the property to go eat elsewhere...

 

[Colleen27]

I just posted a new thread regarding this topic. I was just on the phone with a CM who told me the current 2010 DP list is final. Nothing will be added. Ahhhh!

Dining CMs are a reliable source of misinformation.

This happens every year, and every year there are posts from people who were told by dining CMs that the list was final. Usually there will be a poster or two who claim inside knowledge posting that certain non-Disney owned locations have finally had enough of low DDP reimbursements and chosen to opt out (one year it was speculation that none of the CSR dining venues would be added, as though Disney would allow that ). And then, like clockwork, sometime in Dec or the first days of Jan, an updated brochure will quietly be released with a participating restaurants list identical to that of the previous year.

 

[dennis j]

Glad you wrote. It really seems that it would be a benefit to all to have all the Dining Plan participants listed 3 months before the end of the year. I do not know what all is involved with 'grinding' out contracts with 3rd party owned restaurants, but they should, really, figure out how to get them done at the end of September. Thanks again!

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Yeah.. CM's know only slightly more than Bus Drivers do about what is going on..

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

T-Rex isn't on it b/c it is owned by the Rainforest Cafe people...

As of right now, not all of the restaurants have agreed to be on the DP for next year and the contract deadline isn't until mid-December. There will most likely be more restaurants added around Christmas.

 

[SMWfamily]

good thing I found this thread! I am making my "180 days out" reservations tomorrow and I have a feeling, after reading this thread, that when I go to make a ADR at Moracco its going to say its not on the dining plan. Should I just go ahead and make all my reservations even if the establishments do not show as being on the DDP? We are traveling in March and I am not thrilled about making ADR so far out, especially seeing we are going to be trying to meet up with family while in Orlando. We are staying at CBR with a Dining plan for 2adult2kids. Its all alot, too soon. this is our first and probably last trip for a LONG time...

 

[nuke]

In talking to dining this morning they told me to just make the reservations for the places you want and then when they are added to dining it's not a problem. If for some reason they do not get added to the dining plan we can either pay out of pocket or cancel the adr. Made sense to me.