An "ala carte" type dining plan???

[HHSTigerFan]

After doing 12 days on the deluxe plan, we have decided that the standard plan is not enough credits, but the deluxe plan is too much...Why can't Disney develop a plan where you can buy as many credits as you want??

Example, if we are staying 11 nights, we can buy as many dining credits as we like, with a minimum of 22 and $x for a CS and $x for a TS.. So if for our 11 night stay if we want to buy 25 CS and 2 TS, we can.. If we want to add an appetizer or desert option, we can..

Also, what was the reason they went away from the prepaid tip??? I sure liked it, but was their too many complaints about service with a prepaid tip?? Thats an option we would also prepay for if they brought it back again..

 

[bicker]

After doing 12 days on the deluxe plan, we have decided that the standard plan is not enough credits, but the deluxe plan is too much...Why can't Disney develop a plan where you can buy as many credits as you want??

Effectively, this is precisely what you get when you pay with your credit card. There is no need for Disney to offer a specific plan for that.

Also, what was the reason they went away from the prepaid tip???

There is no way to ever get an official, reliable answer to that, but there is speculation that they determined that keeping the price low, and offering less, generally yields a more profitable offering. It's a reflection of consumer purchasing behavior.

 

[Lewisc]

The earlier versions of DDP were too generous (from Disney's perspective). Some guests claimed the pre-set tip resulted in poor service. The server was getting the same tip regardless of the level of service that was provided. Disney was able to improve the profitability of the plan and respond to those customers.

I saw no evidence of substandard service to DDP guests.


One of the dining plans offered prior to the DDP was basically prepaid dining. You got a dollar amount to spend. Someone else can search, I think you got a 20% discount. I don't think it was variable, I think you had to buy a certain dollar amount per day.

 

[bicker]

Charge to your room, and pay for it using Discover this summer, and you get a 5% discount.

 

[Cafeen]

The simple reason is, it's not profitable to do that. They offer the "discounts" to those who dine the way they want them to dine. If you aren't going to, then the best bet (for your money) is OOP.

From a user standpoint, many find the different plans confusing enough without need to add all the different credit purchases and then the addons on top of that. (The addons would also get tricky inside the restaurants).

If looking for the convienance of a pre-paid solution, but do not want to stick to the designed plans, the best bet is a Visa style pre-paid card. (I suggest Visa over Disney because you can use it elsewhere after the trip if there's leftover). If you have an AP, then TiW also becomes available, and for those not eating as a plan suggests it's usally a better deal (unless you prefer QS to TS, then it gets tricky again).

The simple fact is, the dining plans were not created to satisfy everyone's dining habits. They were created for a few cases where it's in the best intrest of both parties to use them.

 

[ReneeA]

They do - it's called "paying out of pocket".

 

[HHSTigerFan]

They do - it's called "paying out of pocket".

So when I call DVC member services, I just tell them I want the dining plan where I prepay for everything, have my choice off the menu regardless of price... and then just pay out of pocket??

 

[bicker]

You don't need to tell DVC that that's your plan. You can just put a balance on account when you check in.