Are any veterans disappointed?

[goofy4tink]

Up until a few years ago, park hours and ADRs (then PSs) were all done at the 90 day window.
If you know where you want to eat, then you'll be fine. You can make those choices now, long before the 90 day window opens. Make a list of the spots you want to dine at. Then, as soon as the park hours are listed for your trip, you can plug in the spots you want to dine at within each park day. THere is no need to wait until the day before your 90 day window opens to sit down and figure out where you want to eat at. That can all be done right now.

Food options and quality? Yep, they have declined. After the DDP had been around for a year or so, the food started to suffer. Service at restaurants got slower. Now, I'm not sure why this happened...could be that there was a huge increase in guests eating at the restaurants. I know that is the case during 'free dining'. And I have also seen those who normally wouldn't eat at, let's say, LeCellier, order things that are on the more expensive side. I have read way too many posts here on the restaurant board where people say that if they are shelling out almost $40 a day, pp, they are going to get their monies worth. I know that the first time we ate at Coral Reef, it was very pleasant. Then, the DDP came along, followed by free dining. It has been chaotic in there, to say the least, in the past few years. I won't eat there anymore.
People will always want to get their monies worth...can't blame anyone for that.

 

[gregokdisney]

<<<Up until a few years ago, park hours and ADRs (then PSs) were all done at the 90 day window.
If you know where you want to eat, then you'll be fine. You can make those choices now, long before the 90 day window opens. Make a list of the spots you want to dine at. Then, as soon as the park hours are listed for your trip, you can plug in the spots you want to dine at within each park day. THere is no need to wait until the day before your 90 day window opens to sit down and figure out where you want to eat at. That can all be done right now.>>>

But, if I don't know when the EMH hours (which I actually try to avoid), I can't decide which park we are going to do on which day. If I have to call at the crack on dawn on the first day of the 90 day ADR window to have a prayer of getting in where we want to get in (and that's what I've been reading on this site) then it seems I can't do that because that is the same day Disney releases the park hours - I have to wait for the park hours before I can call, and I'm already uptight about the ADRs enough - the character breakfasts are a huge big deal to our family.

Also - I agree with someone else that the value of the DDP is not having to carry cash and credit cards. That's why I'm mad about the tipping being eliminated. The intent was not to start a tipping debate, which I think I was being warned about to start with. I don't mind tipping and I actually tip pretty well, but I don't want to have to THINK about it. Of course, people were probably mad at basically being forced to leave a tip if their service was lousy, but I'm the type to tip pretty much no matter what, so that didn't bother me.

I think it's just more of the same of price going up and service going down. It's everywhere and I'm sick of it! I know the economy is bad, but if businesses tried offering exceptional customer service and value they might see a reward.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney wants butts in the seats at the restaurants and heads in the beds at the resorts - and they're getting them, even after changing the dining plan. They understand now that they can cut the quality and convenience and the guests will keep coming. I don't see any logical reason for them to change what they're now doing.

What they need to do now is figure out a way to get guests to start spending extra money in the parks again.

 

[mom2rtk]

Nothing against all you late planners, but you're the reason all of us hyper planners used to be a shoe-in to get what we wanted at the 180 mark! We had less competition. Now it's just a game of chance.........

 

[disnut8]

Been to Disney World over 50 times from various parts of the country with just my husband, and with various members of family and friends. I've seen many, many changes to what Disney has to offer. When changes are first announced or when people use the new version for the first time, there are complaints. Because it's different. When Disney had their dining set at 180 days and then had to change their hours after that 180 days, people complained. Now it's at 90 days for both and people complain. When appetizers were included in the dining plan some people shied away because having to eat all that food didn't appeal to them and other didn't care but left a lot of food behind. I'm not touching the subject of tipping with a ten foot pole.

In another year, the 90 day dining and hour window will be the norm and everyone will have figured out how to live with it. Because it's new right now, people are finding fault.

 

[eliza61]

<<<Up until a few years ago, park hours and ADRs (then PSs) were all done at prayer of getting in where we want to get in (and that's what I've been reading on this site) then it seems I can't do that because that

I think it's just more of the same of price going up and service going down. It's everywhere and I'm sick of it! I know the economy is bad, but if businesses tried offering exceptional customer service and value they might see a reward.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Not sure I'm understanding that. What service has gone down. the plan has changed. It simply doesn't fit your style right now. Thats not a service issue that is a preference issue. Carrying money is not a big deal to me, we're different. I much rather carry cash than tip some one who has not earned a tip.
Disnut8 is absolutely correct. . changes will continue to be made to the DDP and ADR's People are flipping out about park hours and such, we get use to the changes in a while or we will stop going. Disney in no way can please every one

Remember in reality, we are a very small % of folks who go to disney. So what may seem like a lot of complaints here is probably not a lot.

 

[sharadoc]

But, if I don't know when the EMH hours (which I actually try to avoid), I can't decide which park we are going to do on which day. If I have to call at the crack on dawn on the first day of the 90 day ADR window to have a prayer of getting in where we want to get in (and that's what I've been reading on this site) then it seems I can't do that because that is the same day Disney releases the park hours - I have to wait for the park hours before I can call, and I'm already uptight about the ADRs enough - the character breakfasts are a huge big deal to our family.

I think you are reading too much into some of those posts. I think you are hearing about the folks who have touring plans (10 AM POTC, 10:20 Jungle Cruise, etc. etc.) so they MUST fit their dining reservations into a small window.

My plan is to follow the advice to pick what restaurants we want, check the park hours, and then decide. I'll have a good 2 hour window for each ADR, so I expect to get SOMETHING. If I can't get Sci-Fi until 2:30 PM, then we'll eat a late breakfast that day and deal. If you can handle that type of planning, then you'll be more than fine. If you only have a 15-20 minute window for each ADR, then you'll be on the phones at 7 AM and may get annoyed!

I figured the Family Suites would sell out of free dining the first day for my dates. They are still available - so what I assumed was not correct. Hopefully that will be the case for you too