DDP a bad thing?

[jrt1176]

I'm new to the boards and dont really know much about the DDP. We usually eat at WDW maybe 50% and eat at fine dining restaurants and prime steakhouses off-site 50%...

But, it seems from reading the board that people are having to make reservations a ridiculous time in advance!

I guess if you plan the trip a year in advance thats ok...

We usually decided to go places a few months before hand at most...except a big trip at xmas or something...

I didnt have trouble with my reservations, but I had a 3rd party make them for me...I usually dont use their services, but I guess I pay for them and from reading the board I didnt feel like spending a lot of time trying to schedule it all...

 

[crzy4mk]

Yeah, there are lots of people unhappy about the current reservation situation, but I'm not sure how much the DDP has to do with it. I really think it's more of the 180+10 rule that eats up all of the ADRs so fast.

MY problem with the DDP is that it seems to have had a negative effect on the quality/variety of the food. I think many of the menus were much better before the DDP was born. Now it seems like Disney is trying to either:

a) Save the $$$ they are "losing" on the DDP by changing the menu offerings.

or

b) Cater to the masses with a more general menu that tends to be duplicated between restaurants more and more all the time.

Maybe it is affecting the ADR situation, but I think this is a much worse problem.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think it is more a combination of: 1) upturn in WDW attendance; 2) surging popularity of the dining plan resulting in more guests staying onsite (so they're eligible for 180 + 10) and wanting table service reservations so they can use their credits, especially 1 credit restaurants in theme parks and character dining; and 3) WDW's interest in making running the restaurants (and the bars, which aren't affected by the dining plan but went the same way) easier and cheaper by homogenizing as much of the menus as they can, plus providing types of food they see as preferred by most visitors.

I have friends who are local who state they believe the dining plan has killed most spontenaity involved in dining at WDW. It is no longer regularly possible to go onto property and walk into restaurants. Reservations are necessary, and at further and further out from the date you wish to eat.

 

[bicker]

I think the changes to the Dining Plan for 2008 really has reduced the extent to which the Dining Plan places undue pressure on the reservations system. People simply like to eat out on vacation, more, now than in the past, and that is stressing the system.

 

[JimMIA]

I'm not sure it's DDP, and I'm pretty sure the +10 benefit of staying onsite has little to do with the reservation pressure. Only a portion of the availability is supposedly open during the +10 period. I think I've gotten something in the +10 period about 1/3 of the time -- the rest of the time there's nothing available, but I always get it when I call back at exactly 180 days.

I think increased park attendance is the real culprit, although DDP has probably contributed. You have to remember the current DDP was introduced as they were struggling with the aftermath of 9/11. Attendance has increased greatly in the last 3-4 years, and I think that is most of the pressure. On our Nov-Dec trips, we have seen numerous days when there were signs posted saying there was no TS availability at any MK restaurant, for any meal, at any hour.

After the hurricanes of 2004, they started Free DDP during September, and that has certainly made a big difference during that one month.

OTOH, I think Bicker is right about the 2008 changes decreasing participation in DDP. This time last year, these boards were full of threads from people frantic because they couldn't get ADR's during Free DDP. We don't see that so much these days.

Lower traffic in the restaurants is not necessarily bad for Disney. If they're making 30% more on each DDP participant than they were prior to 2008 (which they are), they're probably better off.

However, I'm sure the combination of lower traffic and the tip situation has been rough on the servers. I saw a post yesterday in which someone said that virtually all of the experienced, professional servers had left the better 2 TS restaurants.

 

[pdscott3]

I wish we had done a little more research before going to WDW earlier this month. The DDP would have saved us a lot of money. With enough advance planning, I think it could be a great deal. We were unable to get into most of our favorite restaurants because they were booked up, but we are now looking at trying to get back in August and start booking now. Maybe the off-season bookings will be better.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I was with some friends this last weekend who had some ADRs for their trip.
Repeat, some ADRs.

Here is what I think is typical without:

We are hungry. Let's eat here. (Walking into a few restaurants, and walking out when finding they are booked up. And even off hour from a typical meal. Although they did book an ADR for another day.)
Go to another restaurant at another location. Hour + wait.
Go to another restaurant. Not open yet.
Go to a stand by I knew would be able to seat us.

No ADRs lead to longer wait periods and running around to get something decent. Or settling for lackluster counter that leaves you wishing you had made an ADR.

 

[IWANNAGOBACK!]

wondering how??, I know someone who has reservations on property with DDP for 6 nites and got park passes for the 6 days she wanted to add an 7th day to the passes and they said no,
so I guess you would have to do it all separate but then we loose the DDP??
I figured I would ask the professionals...

 

[asmit4]

Iwannagoback- WHO said no to them??? The DDP is NOT related to the park tickets (other than that you have to buy at least a 1 day base ticket for everyone in your party).

The DDP is based on the number of nights in your room. A 6 night stay means 6TS, 6CS and 6 snacks per person on the basic DDP.

If I am understanding your post correctly, they were told wrong and should ask someone else.

 

[planitdad]

In response to OP, I would say the DDP is only as good as one's ability to incorporate it into an overall plan / budget .

But , if I may , just a quick acknowledgement and thanks to JimMia and bicker. You two, along w/ robo and a few mods are my favorite disers. My posts are low, but I'm not new to the boards or the "world". I have learned alot from you guys and never pass up one of your posts.