Are $60 buffets Disney's incentive to purchase the DDP

[JohnDaleswife]

Do you think that the rumor about all buffets going up to $60 in October is just Disney's way of selling the dining plan?

I have a feeling that the sales numbers on the DDP are off and may have been being off for a while now because of the lack of value in it. Is this Disney's way to force this on guest who primarily eat at buffets onto the DDP?

 

[Disneylover99]

Value is only there is if they stay 1 TS credit.

 

[Grym]

We have the DDP for our fall trip. If buffets go to 2 TS credits per meal, it is no longer worth it for us and we'll be cancelling our DDP.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Do you think that the rumor about all buffets going up to $60 in October is just Disney's way of selling the dining plan?

I have a feeling that the sales numbers on the DDP are off and may have been being off for a while now because of the lack of value in it. Is this Disney's way to force this on guest who primarily eat at buffets onto the DDP?

Not if they move it to 2 credits, that's not a value at all.

In fact i think it'll do the opposite, many will choose not to purchase the DDP.

 

[rteetz]

Not if they move it to 2 credits, that's not a value at all.

In fact i think it'll do the opposite, many will choose not to purchase the DDP.

Yep we have done the dining plan in the past but if they do 2 credits for buffets and character meals I don't think we would ever do it again.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Ya, I guess so. It would need to stay at 1 credit then. Just wondering, has Disney lost thier mind.

 

[dwbrewster]

The rumor seems to be that the character meals may go to 2 credits - if it does I'd find it to be a total rip-off and I'd migrate to the QS meal plan probably.

 

[LSLS]

I have the free plan coming up (makes sense, especially on moderates), but they do this, I honestly may just cancel all of it and go stay off property to show how mad that makes me (if it starts when we go).

 

[mikepizzo]

Wouldn't it make sense to keep all the credits the same, but just increase the cost of the dining plan to keep people on the fence about if it's worth it or not?

Or do you think they'll up the credits to try to get people to go from the regular dining plan to the deluxe?

 

[Allison]

I listened to the Dis Unplugged podcast yesterday. Pete Werner, the site owner, feels pretty confident that this will be happening in October. I would think they would also go to 2 credits on the dining plan.

 

[wilkeliza]

Looks like seasonal dinning prices may be headed to the DDP already. It currently depends on when your trip is for the buffets, shows, and all you care to eat (or at least it did last time I was paying attention to that) and now the dinning plan credits will change with the season as well. Makes sense for October change as that is the very very beginning of holiday crowds.

 

[Mac30188]

Looks like seasonal dinning prices may be headed to the DDP already. It currently depends on when your trip is for the buffets, shows, and all you care to eat (or at least it did last time I was paying attention to that) and now the dinning plan credits will change with the season as well. Makes sense for October change as that is the very very beginning of holiday crowds.

The problem with dining credits is

A) If they are changing after you make reservations

B) They are locked into blocks of 100% cost increases. 1 vs. 2 credits is a huge difference and there are no partial credits.
They need to be decisive and let people know cost when they book if it is going to be that big a swing.

 

[dlavender]

I'm still hurting from the $120 we spent in 2010 as a family of three for breakfast at cape may.

Now as a family of 5, no way would we spend about $300! Unless a bar of gold or Walt himself is coming at the end, we are out of the character buffet game.

I admire those that have the capital to pull it off.

What is the ceiling on these things? I guess they are trying to figure that out.

 

[AJA]

If it's tiered pricing, say in January in drops back in the $40-$50 range, then I think Disney has accomplished two goals.

1) Higher cost summer/holidays

2) The cure for the Free Dining promotion. They can keep the much loved "free dining promotion" advertising pitch while taking away the last of the real value for the guest.
For a lot of us the free dining promotion is already not a great value, bump up buffet TS meals to two credits (or $60) and it cuts the value for almost everyone to nill.

 

[tp1830]

I can only assume that if those predicted moves happen, there may be a lot of empty tables at all the various character meals. Yaye...the non-planners can rejoice

 

[Aravan24]

Unless their long-term plan is to start reducing character M&G's in the park to drive people to the dining as the only way to have that experience...

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Unless their long-term plan is to start reducing character M&G's in the park to drive people to the dining as the only way to have that experience...

This. We don't need to see any one character. But for families with little children, this move makes me sick! And yes, I do think they will do this.

 

[Mac30188]

I am not sure about reducing M&G, but I could see this being the evolution away from FP for M&G. If they keep A&E as no FP and then add them to Akershus, some will pay a big price not to stand in the long line.

 

[davper]

The buffets were already over priced as the food quality didn't match the price. The only time I did buffets was for the 10 second meet and greet so I didn't have to wait in line for an hour+ for a photo op. I was paying for the time it saved me.

 

[Eoghann]

Wouldn't it make sense to keep all the credits the same, but just increase the cost of the dining plan to keep people on the fence about if it's worth it or not?

Or do you think they'll up the credits to try to get people to go from the regular dining plan to the deluxe?

This is Disney. They'll increase the number of credits you use and increase the cost of the plan.