An in-between dining plan

[aaarcher86]

Totally agree with you. The premium plan is too much food (and not sure we'd want to be spending so much of our day in sit down restaurants), but a plan with 2 TS and 1 QS per day would be perfect. We went for the middle one, but will still be paying OOP and its not as laid back as what I wanted with 'everything is paid for'....esp with some costing 2 credits such as CRT. And I know we can do things to make it not as pricey like making breakfast ourselves in our hotel room, but this is vacation and so would rather eat out and be able to have a vacation myself.

You do understand that what you're asking for IS the DXDP...

I usually get the DXDP and eat a TS breakfast, QS lunch, and TS dinner. The credits on the DXDP can be used at either type of meal.

 

[Frozen2014]

You do understand that what you're asking for IS the DXDP...

I usually get the DXDP and eat a TS breakfast, QS lunch, and TS dinner. The credits on the DXDP can be used at either type of meal.

Yeah. I realize that the credits can be used for either TS or QS, but doesn't seem like you'd get your money's worth if you used a credit each day on QS...plus the 2 snacks on top of that. Way too much food (well, for our family anyways). So am just agreeing with the OP that there should be a plan in-between.

 

[supersnoop]

Yeah. I realize that the credits can be used for either TS or QS, but doesn't seem like you'd get your money's worth if you used a credit each day on QS...plus the 2 snacks on top of that. Way too much food (well, for our family anyways). So am just agreeing with the OP that there should be a plan in-between.

The problem is that the deluxe plan IS the plan that's flexible enough to be the PLAN you want. It's just not the PRICE you want. Why would Disney create a new plan that competes with one they already have, but with a lower price? The dining plans have been about convenience, not cost savings, for a few years now. If you want to pay less, you'll be better off paying out of pocket as you go.

 

[mrsbicewdw]

I'm not sure I would want a new PLAN, but the option to prepay for the type if meals I want would be nice. BUT - there are ways to do that already. When we haven't done the dining plan we usually look at the menu for each place we plan to eat, pick what we want, and then budget for it and save that amount. We add some "wiggle room" in case we order something different. If you want to pre-pay to avoid sticker shock, another option would be gift cards. I believe you can use Disney gift cards for food, correct? And if you bought them at Target with red card you would save 5%. Still "prepaying" for meals and with the flexibility you seek.

 

[dparksfan]

Totally agree with you. The premium plan is too much food (and not sure we'd want to be spending so much of our day in sit down restaurants), but a plan with 2 TS and 1 QS per day would be perfect. We went for the middle one, but will still be paying OOP and its not as laid back as what I wanted with 'everything is paid for'....esp with some costing 2 credits such as CRT. And I know we can do things to make it not as pricey like making breakfast ourselves in our hotel room, but this is vacation and so would rather eat out and be able to have a vacation myself.

This is exactly what I was talking about. This is not the Deluxe plan. It could be, but that's not a good way to use it. 2 TS, 1 QS and 1 S each day would be exactly what we need. Instead of paying meals OOP with the regular plan, we could get exactly what we want. The regular is $60, the Deluxe is $109, a $50difference?! I would pay $85 for an in-between plan. Disney could do this.

In the meantime, I will pay for a plan that doesn't quite fit, for a variety of reasons.

 

[maxiesmom]

This is exactly what I was talking about. This is not the Deluxe plan. It could be, but that's not a good way to use it. 2 TS, 1 QS and 1 S each day would be exactly what we need. Instead of paying meals OOP with the regular plan, we could get exactly what we want. The regular is $60, the Deluxe is $109, a $50difference?! I would pay $85 for an in-between plan. Disney could do this.

In the meantime, I will pay for a plan that doesn't quite fit, for a variety of reasons.

 

[aaarcher86]

This is exactly what I was talking about. This is not the Deluxe plan. It could be, but that's not a good way to use it. 2 TS, 1 QS and 1 S each day would be exactly what we need. Instead of paying meals OOP with the regular plan, we could get exactly what we want. The regular is $60, the Deluxe is $109, a $50difference?! I would pay $85 for an in-between plan. Disney could do this. In the meantime, I will pay for a plan that doesn't quite fit, for a variety of reasons.

They could, but why would they when people will pay the higher price?

 

[smileygirl55]

That's what we are doing. But instead of OOP, if an in-between plan had 2T and 1Q a day, then we would be able to do more of the meals we want to do. I think ppl using the Deluxe this way are losing $. I actually like the Dining plan so that we don't have to have sticker shock at every meal, that's not a vacation. My husband freaked out at LTT one trip when we were paying cash, and that's when our kids were the kid's price. Last time we did the dining plan and it was zero stress!

I agree I would love to see a 2T 1Q a day, that would be perfect for us. . We would lose money on the deluxe plan, but the regular isn't quite enough TS for us.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So, again, if none of the dining plan option/pricing work for your families, don't participate. Use one of the other suggestion in this thread.

The dining plans do not work for every guest. aaarcher86's point is accurate: Disney offers the plan that provides the options several people in this thread seek. Guests who don't like the pricing of that option can make other arrangements. Nobody's forced to get a dining plan.

 

[GWhitten98]

I think the biggest thing is that the delux plan is so much more expensive, most will not want to purchase it if they are not going to utilize all the credits for TS meals.

We are a 3 meal a day family, but 3 TS meals are too much food, time and cost(mostly b/c we do not do signature with 3 small kids). For this reason we don't get the delux plan, but do pay OOP for meals each trip. If Disney offered a plan with 2 TS, one quick service, 1 snack for a price point somewhere between the two plans they currently offer I think a lot of families would go for this option. I know we would!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

despite there (currently) being five different plans.

There are three dining plans and two package plans.

The Premium and Platinum package plans are not Disney dining plans - totally different program, although they do have dining included in a manner that is almost the same as the deluxe dining plan (with one big difference - all meals are 1 credit, even signatures)


If there's no dining plan that works with the way your group tends to eat then you don't need a dining plan and are probably better off without one. Deluxe would do absolutely what the 1 CS 2 TS people want, but they consider it too expensive which is fair...just buy food as you go, you'll save money. Instead people are settling for a plan that really doesn't work for them because they just want to have a dining plan, and wondering why Disney doesn't have a plan that works for them.

If all you want is the prepayment, consider using gift cards - you can prepay on gift cards and if you don't use it all, then you can use it to buy something else besides food - you can't do that with DDP.

 

[LilyWDW]

I think the biggest thing is that the delux plan is so much more expensive, most will not want to purchase it if they are not going to utilize all the credits for TS meals.

We are a 3 meal a day family, but 3 TS meals are too much food, time and cost(mostly b/c we do not do signature with 3 small kids). For this reason we don't get the delux plan, but do pay OOP for meals each trip. If Disney offered a plan with 2 TS, one quick service, 1 snack for a price point somewhere between the two plans they currently offer I think a lot of families would go for this option. I know we would!

Which is why they won't do it. They offer a plan that can be used that way for a higher cost. It would be silly to then offer another plan that is cheaper. I mean, I know you are looking at it from the perspective of what is best for your family. Disney looks at it from the perspective as what is best for their bottom line.

 

[Frozen2014]

I think the biggest thing is that the delux plan is so much more expensive, most will not want to purchase it if they are not going to utilize all the credits for TS meals.

We are a 3 meal a day family, but 3 TS meals are too much food, time and cost(mostly b/c we do not do signature with 3 small kids). For this reason we don't get the delux plan, but do pay OOP for meals each trip. If Disney offered a plan with 2 TS, one quick service, 1 snack for a price point somewhere between the two plans they currently offer I think a lot of families would go for this option. I know we would!

 

[GWhitten98]

Which is why they won't do it. They offer a plan that can be used that way for a higher cost. It would be silly to then offer another plan that is cheaper. I mean, I know you are looking at it from the perspective of what is best for your family. Disney looks at it from the perspective as what is best for their bottom line.

That it the thing, it could actually be better for disney's bottom line to offer an in the middle plan. We would pay an increased price for a 2 TS/1CS plan (even if more expensive then paying OOP) for the convience, but will not go delux b/c it is well over the cost comparison. For the most part, we make good use of the DDP (although we are over by 1 or 2 meals per trip), but if I had the above mentioned option I would definately book even more TS dining then I currently do which should make Disney money. I don't think we are alone on this, I think there are a ton of disney guest that just like us.

 

[supersnoop]

That it the thing, it could actually be better for disney's bottom line to offer an in the middle plan. We would pay an increased price for a 2 TS/1CS plan (even if more expensive then paying OOP) for the convience, but will not go delux b/c it is well over the cost comparison. For the most part, we make good use of the DDP (although we are over by 1 or 2 meals per trip), but if I had the above mentioned option I would definately book even more TS dining then I currently do which should make Disney money. I don't think we are alone on this, I think there are a ton of disney guest that just like us.

We're going to have to disagree on this point; I don't believe it would be better for their bottom line. You're asking them to sell more food at a bigger discount, and you make the point that you "make good use" of the dining plan. Would the plan sell? Sure. But where are those customers coming from? Are they people who would normally buy the regular plan but are willing to pay more? I'd argue that those people are already considering the Deluxe plan. Or, are they people who already buy the deluxe, but would save money with your new plan?

You're asking for more value out of the dining plans. While that may increase revenue for Disney, the expenses associated would take that away.

 

[aaarcher86]

That it the thing, it could actually be better for disney's bottom line to offer an in the middle plan. We would pay an increased price for a 2 TS/1CS plan (even if more expensive then paying OOP) for the convience, but will not go delux b/c it is well over the cost comparison. For the most part, we make good use of the DDP (although we are over by 1 or 2 meals per trip), but if I had the above mentioned option I would definately book even more TS dining then I currently do which should make Disney money. I don't think we are alone on this, I think there are a ton of disney guest that just like us.

I think if there was enough demand for it or a financial gain Disney would have already done it.