2018 Disney Dining Plan Prices & General Discussion

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Yes, I know that lots of adults-only frequent Disney parks, but still for the most part this is a destination for families. And now Disney is supplying alcoholic beverages with every single adult meal on the dining plan? Seriously?

:confused3 for all we know, the exclusion of alcoholic drinks on the dining plan was a major complaint. I rarely order a beverage besides water unless it's an alcoholic beverage, in which case I also get water. So whenever I considered the dining plan before this change, the option to get a soda, iced tea or what have you didn't appeal to me whatsoever.

I know people will use the dining plan but also order alcohol or extra dishes (or whatever) and pay OOP. Maybe Disney saw enough bills like that and decided to accommodate.

But whatever the decision, it remains an option. Anyone could still order lemonade instead of a merlot. If there was a point in time to complain about Disney introducing alcohol and its potential impact on WDW as a "family destination," it was when they began offering alcohol at all, not with its inclusion on the dining plan.
 
Not sure if this has been asked....but what about signatures? Signatures require 2 TS credits...any thoughts if 2 beverages would be included? I wonder if its 1 per meal or 1 per credit?

I had wondered this too, but when signatures require 2 credits they don't give you two entrees, two desserts, and so on. So my guess is that for consistency it would remain one beverage, but that's just a guess.
 
We fall in the category of at least one adult beverage per person per day. BUT, we also have two Disney juniors that would not eat/drink $75 pp/day. As with all things DDP, we will have to do the math.

Dying to know now if Free Dining will be offered for 2018.
 
Am I the only person here that thinks this is just totally bizarre on the part of Disney?

Yes, I know that lots of adults-only frequent Disney parks, but still for the most part this is a destination for families. And now Disney is supplying alcoholic beverages with every single adult meal on the dining plan? Seriously?

Now I am regretting canceling our trip in November. I could have gotten one more visit in before the madness commenced. :rolleyes:

I think it's brilliant. We haven't gotten DDP for years but now, I would seriously consider it. We stopped when they still had desserts with QS. We did math, we broke even but since it forced things on us we didn't want, desserts and soft drinks, we lost money. Now I would have a beer or cocktail with dinner, so having this included is a real value to the plan.

And while WDW is a destination for families, they will come even if Disney removed half the perks. What Disney wants is more adult guests who each have their own supply of cash, who often don't want to share rooms so more rooms booked, who stay up later spending more money, who bite on special events. They have been offering more and more to adults. Pandora was built for adults no doubt I saw nothing child like there, SW will be for adults more than younger kids .... AND I have friends with young kids and they enjoy having drinks at the parks, it's vacation.

The real question, will Disney eliminate free dining?

I think we've been on that path with more and more reduced availability, some dates eliminated and now moderate only get QS.

Not sure if this has been asked....but what about signatures? Signatures require 2 TS credits...any thoughts if 2 beverages would be included? I wonder if its 1 per meal or 1 per credit?

Why would you get two drinks? You don't get two entrees or two desserts. You get one drink now, adding liquor to the list wouldn't change that.

:confused3 for all we know, the exclusion of alcoholic drinks on the dining plan was a major complaint. I rarely order a beverage besides water unless it's an alcoholic beverage, in which case I also get water. So whenever I considered the dining plan before this change, the option to get a soda, iced tea or what have you didn't appeal to me whatsoever.

But whatever the decision, it remains an option. Anyone could still order lemonade instead of a merlot. If there was a point in time to complain about Disney introducing alcohol and its potential impact on WDW as a "family destination," it was when they began offering alcohol at all, not with its inclusion on the dining plan.

I do think one of Disney's biggest competitors is cruise lines. They got in the business but I think the other lines give them a real run for their money. What has become very big on cruise ships - Beverage (alcohol) Packages. While they would never offer something unlimited like that I would imagine they felt pressure to enhance their offerings to keep some of the older family groups from shifting from the theme parks to the big boats. I bet many cruisers are also buyers of dining plans.
 


Friday-Sunday
Room one: Mom and Grandma
Room two: Dad and three kids, with DxDP

Friday night:
Ohana with lapu lapus! $250 out of pocket, or 6 dining credits.

Saturday lunch:
Biergarten with grapefruit beer! $200 out of pocket, or 4 dining credits and $40.

Saturday night:
Grandma takes the kids to Akershus: $200 out of pocket, or 4 dining credits.
Mom and Dad have date night at Flying Fish: $200 out of pocket or 4 dining credits.

Sunday morning:
Chef Mickey brunch: $200 out of pocket, or 6 dining credits.

Cost out of pocket: $1050 ($44 per person per meal)
Cost with dining plan: $512 ($21.30 per person per meal)
(ignoring tip, you sillies)
Do they not enforce child vs adult credits at TS?
 
Do they not enforce child vs adult credits at TS?

Not if you're on the Deluxe plan. Regular TS is still separated and enforced, but DxDDP is not.

Anyone want to take bets on how long it will take Disney to figure out people are paying child DxDDP prices and getting adult meals and alcohol with them? For people who need two rooms or can afford two value rooms and put mostly kids in the one with the plan, this is the cheapest way to eat at Disney restaurants.
 


Not if you're on the Deluxe plan. Regular TS is still separated and enforced, but DxDDP is not.

Anyone want to take bets on how long it will take Disney to figure out people are paying child DxDDP prices and getting adult meals and alcohol with them? For people who need two rooms or can afford two value rooms and put mostly kids in the one with the plan, this is the cheapest way to eat at Disney restaurants.
Maybe the 2018 changes will be implemented with adult/child credits and only adults can order adult beverages.
 
Not if you're on the Deluxe plan. Regular TS is still separated and enforced, but DxDDP is not.

Anyone want to take bets on how long it will take Disney to figure out people are paying child DxDDP prices and getting adult meals and alcohol with them? For people who need two rooms or can afford two value rooms and put mostly kids in the one with the plan, this is the cheapest way to eat at Disney restaurants.

I would think a good business move is now close this off so you get what you paid for. Never made sense to me. I would think by 2018 Plan time, this has changed, especially since the price barely went up. Why continue to give away higher priced meals and lots of alcohol not paid for?

Can you elaborate on who you think is going crazy and your hell comment? I'm not following.

I don't think anyone is going crazy. Maybe their comment was because they don't like the idea. Nothing has really changed as to what Disney sells, they have just offered more drink options with the plans.

Folks who normally purchase drinks will now find great value in the Dining Plans, are excited. I think Disney will sell more of them.
 
But whatever the decision, it remains an option. Anyone could still order lemonade instead of a merlot.

Yes it is technically an option, but so is ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. People do it because they can and because they perceive that's how they get value from the plan. I doubt it will be different with the alcohol. People who normally wouldn't drink will get drinks because they can and it's a a great "value".


If there was a point in time to complain about Disney introducing alcohol and its potential impact on WDW as a "family destination," it was when they began offering alcohol at all, not with its inclusion on the dining plan.

Well I was far and away when that happened, so what I didn't know didn't bother me.
 
by thi
But, I think this was a misguided move. The single largest source of visitors to WDW is from the driest part of the Western World. The Southern United States. This should have been an option. Not a universal thing.

Weellllllll considering I lived in the south for 21 years and my parents ran a bar for 5-6 of those years (and still live there) I'd have to disagree there (and I do disagree there). People might think the south is "dry" until Saturday night when they all go out to the bar and drink. "Liquor by the drink" is exactly that... Liquor by the drink. Also liquor by the drink is only liquor (Jim Beam, Grey Goose, etc) and doesn't include bud, bud light, natty ice, et al., which is still alcohol.

Kansas is by far the driest state in the union but doesn't even make up a fraction of the Disney World visitors (3 mio population vs 20 mio visitors to magic kingdom). Kansas would only make up 10% of the annual visitors and that's only if every person in Kansas went to Disney World every year (hardly likely).

So please don't confuse "Southern USA" with "doesn't drink alcohol" until you actually look up the statistics.

Stacy

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_laws_of_Kansas
 
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About a 9% increase across the board for adult dining plans.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't ever remember them increasing prices that much for the DDP.
Pretty sure they have. Also if you look at the dining plan increase as a percentage of overall increases (ticket, hotel, food prices, etc) my little bit if back of the envelope math shows this change to be a fairly gentle one. Everyone pays a little more for dining plans but less so than they pay more for the rest if their vacation, and everyone gets more value from it even if non teetotalers do get a little more ahead.

This all makes sense if you look at how cozy WDW has been with local and international beverage interests. Craft beers, Florida (and other) wines ,and various liquor distributors all lose out when guests can prepay their meals but then may only choose soft drinks.
 
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