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

[verleniahall]

its not a huge deal to us - we just are planning to the deulxe plan for next year - its only 1500 more for two people for two weeks - not a horrible cost

 

[Eoghann]

its not a huge deal to us - we just are planning to the deulxe plan for next year - its only 1500 more for two people for two weeks - not a horrible cost

*blinks* only $1,500...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

*blinks* only $1,500...

I know...increasingly bad food

 

[ChipnDale79]

*blinks* only $1,500...

I choked on my food a little bit on that one as well....that's nearly (not quite) a month's daycare tuition for my 2 kids.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I choked on my food a little bit on that one as well....that's nearly (not quite) a month's daycare tuition for my 2 kids.

But that means you actually pay attention to what you spend...

...and Disney doesn't allow that type of behavior anymore

 

[verleniahall]

I choked on my food a little bit on that one as well....that's nearly (not quite) a month's daycare tuition for my 2 kids.

That is less than 4 months of Drill Pay for my DH from the military - all of his drill checks go towards vacation

Plus - we don't have kids (i can't keep a pregnancy) so we dont' have those costs

 

[verleniahall]

1500/2 = 750 per person

750/2 weeks = 375.00 per week per person -

when you break it down - we spend more than that going out on a mini weekend trip

 

[ChipnDale79]

1500/2 = 750 per person

750/2 weeks = 375.00 per week per person -

when you break it down - we spend more than that going out on a mini weekend trip

No worries, some can spend that kind of money, and some can't.

That's why disney is going in the direction they are going.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

That is less than 4 months of Drill Pay for my DH from the military - all of his drill checks go towards vacation

Plus - we don't have kids (i can't keep a pregnancy) so we dont' have those costs

It's not about your personal finances or opinion.

I'm not attacking you personally.

It's that the prices have become egregious in a vacuum and collectively people as a whole have been beaten down mentally into finding sense where there is none.

 

[dlavender]

What still kills me is the tip on top of the egregious bill.

On $1500, there's at least another $150, and that's if you do the "low ball" 10%....

Some people can eat off of just the tip amount...

ETA : Not a personal reflection on anyone who goes with the plan, just pointing out what I feel is a very high ticket item. I commend those who can afford it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

What still kills me is the tip on top of the egregious bill.

On $1500, there's at least another $150, and that's if you do the "low ball" 10%....

Some people can eat off of just the tip amount...

ETA : Not a personal reflection on anyone who goes with the plan, just pointing out what I feel is a very high ticket item. I commend those who can afford it.

Right...

Except tipping is not optional and there is no "reduced rate" for buffets...so 15-18% = $250

 

[ChipnDale79]

Right...

Except tipping is not optional and there is no "reduced rate" for buffets...so 15-18% = $250

I think i'm going to quit my job and get a new one as a server at a disney buffet......

 

[ajwolfe]

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.

Agree!! We love using the DDP but this would make it pointless.

 

[dlavender]

I think i'm going to quit my job and get a new one as a server at a disney buffet......

They've got to make a killing.

Not to beat a dead horse, but going back to my infamous 2010 Cape May trip, that server got $15 for bringing us some OJ and describing how to get food from the buffet. If he just had 10 tables, that's $150 for 4 hours of work. $750/wk for 20 hours. If he also works PT at night pouring tequila at the Mexican pavilion, he's driving a Rolls. Put me in, coach!

 

[ChipnDale79]

They've got to make a killing.

Not to beat a dead horse, but going back to my infamous 2010 Cape May trip, that server got $15 for bringing us some OJ and describing how to get food from the buffet. If he just had 10 tables, that's $150 for 4 hours of work. $750/wk for 20 hours. If he also works PT at night pouring tequila at the Mexican pavilion, he's driving a Rolls. Put me in, coach!

Actually made the comment to my wife on our honeymoon that these waiters at Yachtsman have to be making a killing. It's not like some random steak house in a normal city where it might be busy 3 or 4 nights out of the week, they stay busy every night all year long. People are on vacation and willing to spend the money....the guy was very good at his job, but i'm sure he was making a killing.

 

[Grym]

depends on how many (especially people from overseas) don't tip (since it isn't normal/second-nature for them). The only required auto-tip is 18% on parties of 6 or more still, right?

 

[21stamps]

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...

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.

I book so many character meals to avoid waiting in line or wasting a FP on a meet and greet.

I have the DDP for December but was planning on cancelling it (will have other meals OOP so at this point it doesn't make sense), BUT if the price is raised for most meals to $60, I will be keeping the dining plan for sure.

 

[Minnesota!]

its not a huge deal to us - we just are planning to the deulxe plan for next year - its only 1500 more for two people for two weeks - not a horrible cost

Awesome that you get to take advantage of it! An extra $1500 is 4 months of grocery shopping, or 2 months of mortgage for me. If the meals were THAT GOOD at Disney, and the experiences unique and fantastic every time, I MIGHT consider it. However, they are not. So, I won't.

I would love to see the dining plans fade away and have a return to quality food.

 

[aprincessatlast]

Actually made the comment to my wife on our honeymoon that these waiters at Yachtsman have to be making a killing. It's not like some random steak house in a normal city where it might be busy 3 or 4 nights out of the week, they stay busy every night all year long. People are on vacation and willing to spend the money....the guy was very good at his job, but i'm sure he was making a killing.

No doubt! There is a difference than the Yachtmans and Cape May buffet though. I worked as a server for years in my early 20's and must say the hardest part of the job was the carrying of the hot food to the table (a serious juggling act) and helping customers pick what they would like to eat. Dealing with wrong food given or undercooked/overcooked food. Bussing tables and giving drinks really was the easy part. So yeah the same tip for less work still does not seem right. I do it because I know the dis police are lurking in the shadows, but still does not seem right imho. I will say though the buffet servers are usually the most relaxed and friendliest. lol

 

[mikepizzo]

I think i'm going to quit my job and get a new one as a server at a disney buffet......

This poses a really interesting question. How much are the servers ACTUALLY making. I've worked in restaurants before, and the servers hourly pay was much lower than minimum wage (maybe $5 an hour) because they made their money in tips.

There's gotta be something somewhere that states that the server is not entitled to the whole amount of tips they get, right? That seems like an insane amount of money.

There's going to be a lot of assuming going on here, and a lot of low-balling, but...

> Let's assume a person is paying out of pocket and speds $35 a person on dinner.
> Let's also assume every single table that this server gets seated is a party of 2.
> $70 bill for every table all night long.
> Let's say each table leaves between 10% and 20% tip.
> $7 - $14 in tip for each table.
> Assume a server has 5 tables in their section.
> One whole section's worth of tips would be $35 - $70.
> Assume that server slips their section 3 times a night.
> That's $105 - $210 in tips for that one night.
> Assume a server works 5 nights a week. That's $525 - $1050 in tips, before tax obviously.

But still, this is assuming that each table is a party of 2 in which each person is only spending $35 dollars, with a varied tip. We all know that's far from the case. Getting parties of 3, 4, 5, 6 would raise that total tip drastically.

Maybe I'm tackling this the wrong way, but again, that seems like a server could be making a crazy amount of money if they are entitled to all of their tips.