DDP and free dining ruining WDW restaurants!

[dumbo71]

DDP and free dining are the roots of all evil as far as WDW dining is concerned.

These ill concieved plans have led to a dummying down of WDW menus, elimination of To Go orders at many WDW restaurants, packed restaurants where ADR's are necessary 90 days or more in advance or you won't get in, a decline in service and more.

Really none of these can be disputed if you have been visiting WDW for many years.

These plans have forced the restaurants to streamline the menus to make it easy to serve, and have ended up prompting a reduction in portion size. Waiters/ waitresses are also reporting losing money because they are not tipped properly. This has resulted in a loss of staff and for those who have stayed, a declining level of service. Why work harder for the extra tip from the cheap DDP and free dining plan users?

Thank you to all of the DDP and free dining users. You have helped ruin dining at WDW and things will only get worse.

What do you care? You saved a few bucks, right.

 

[glitzybabes]

I THOUGHT THAT THEY GOT AN 18% TIP FROM THE DDP.
This is just an example but my family of 8 were dining at the 1900 Park Fare on the dining plan and I saw the tip that our waitress receive for all of us and it was about $50 for just refilling our drinks and taking away used plate. I think that is very good. I'm I wrong???

Tiffany

 

[Lewisc]

Servers get an 18% gratuity, at Disney owned restaurants the gratuity is based on the dollar value of the menu items ordered by the customer. An automatic gratuity is added on for out of pocket menu items. I'll dispute the claim that servers aren't being tipped properly. The server doesn't have to worry about guests who stiff them. The issue is the DDP tips are reported to the IRS The servers who used to "cheat" the government now have to pay their fair share of taxes. I'll dispute your claim that servers aren't tipped properly.

In general the Disney TS restaurants, with the possible exception of Olivas (sp), didn't offer take out service prior to the current DDP. Beaches and Cream limited take out to ice cream because the kitchen couldn't handle the orders for things like burgers. This was prior to the DDP. I'll dispute your claim.

Restaurants like CRT, Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's were very hard ADRs to get, even prior to the current dining plan. I'll partially dispute your claim, but I'll agree the dining plan is responsible for it being more difficult to get ADRs at short notice at some restaurants.


With the exception of Coral Reef I've observed very few menu changes that can be attributed to the dining plan. CRT "dumbed down" the menu at the same time they went from a one credit to a two credit meal. Everyone blamed the dining plan when Chefs de France droped the filet in favor of flank steak but the filet is back on the menu. The quality of food at Chef Mickey's dropped long before the current dining plan. Disney has standardized the bar menus and they're not included in the dining plan. I'll dispute the claim that the dining plan is responsible for all the changes.

I'll not only dispute your claim but think you're rude to blame the DDP customers. Disney, not the customers designed the plan. The plan works great. Disney's restaurants are now more filled than they were in the past.

Fortunately Disney still has options for "foodies" V&A doesn't participate. Bistro doesn't participate. Some of the better restaurnats in DTD don't particpate. S/D has two (soon to be 3) fine restaurants that don't accept dining.

Disney is using the dining plan in order to fill their restaurants and to serve the desires of their customers. If more customers were willing to pay $$$ for the kind of dining experience you're talking about Disney would exclude more restaurants than V&A.

DDP and free dining are the roots of all evil as far as WDW dining is concerned.

These ill concieved plans have led to a dummying down of WDW menus, elimination of To Go orders at many WDW restaurants, packed restaurants where ADR's are necessary 90 days or more in advance or you won't get in, a decline in service and more.

Really none of these can be disputed if you have been visiting WDW for many years.

These plans have forced the restaurants to streamline the menus to make it easy to serve, and have ended up prompting a reduction in portion size. Waiters/ waitresses are also reporting losing money because they are not tipped properly. This has resulted in a loss of staff and for those who have stayed, a declining level of service. Why work harder for the extra tip from the cheap DDP and free dining plan users?

Thank you to all of the DDP and free dining users. You have helped ruin dining at WDW and things will only get worse.

What do you care? You saved a few bucks, right.

 

[WDWfor5]

I THOUGHT THAT THEY GOT AN 18% TIP FROM THE DDP.
This is just an example but my family of 8 were dining at the 1900 Park Fare on the dining plan and I saw the tip that our waitress receive for all of us and it was about $50 for just refilling our drinks and taking away used plate. I think that is very good. I'm I wrong???

Tiffany

You're correct - they get an 18% tip plus many of us who enjoyed the service tip extra.

The OP obviosuly got up on the wrong side of the bed today and just wants to pick a fight. I personally won't take the bait.

 

[WDWBetsy]

I'm just wondering if someone has a case of the Mondays.

The way I see it: I bought a package offered by WDW which is promoted as offering convenience and saving money. It's also wonderful to have everything paid for in advance.

The package includes gratuities and taxes. We also tip extra if the service is outstanding. We were extremely pleased with the quality of food we enjoyed, as well as the service.

I'm happy with the product I purchased in the past and for our upcoming trip - and I am not apologizing for it.

 

[Pugrpooh]

Uh-oh, sorry. We went for free dining in August and we just booked it again for September. I guess we're partially to blame. However, I can't think of one meal we had last week at WDW that we all didn't waddle away from! We enjoyed every one of our meals last week.

 

[DLBDS]

I agree that it's a little obsurd to blame the DDP users. Heck, if I thought I could benefit from the DDP, I would be using it too! As it is, I think only overeaters and large families benefit from the DDP.

 

[dumbo71]

Beaches and Cream limited take out to ice cream because the kitchen couldn't handle the orders for things like burgers. This was prior to the DDP. I'll dispute your claim.

Then you would be wrong. This came straight form the GM at BC. DDP directly caused the change at B&C.


With the exception of Coral Reef I've observed very few menu changes that can be attributed to the dining plan.

Then you aren't looking.

I'll not only dispute your claim but think you're rude to blame the DDP customers. Disney, not the customers designed the plan. The plan works great. Disney's restaurants are now more filled than they were in the past.

Disney may have designed it but only because this cheap society of money savers we live in demanded it.

 

[dumbo71]

You're correct - they get an 18% tip plus many of us who enjoyed the service tip extra.

The OP obviosuly got up on the wrong side of the bed today and just wants to pick a fight. I personally won't take the bait.

So you believe that $38.00 per day per person covers tip and all? I don't care what WDW tells DDP users, wait people are getting stiffed. If they aren't then Disney is losing money hand over fist on this "plan".

I do blame the users of DDP AND WDW. Saving money is not worth the loss of choices, decline in standards and packed restaurants.

Enjoy your discounted grub.

I will put my money where my mouth is and each and every time I visit WDW I will eat meals off site. I will save those receipts, copy them and send them directly to WDW, letting them see how much money they lost on my trip. I encourage others to do the same until this ridiculous plan goes away.

EDit: another unfortunate side effect of DDP and free dining is that many of the fine WDW chefs are leaving. They simply do not want to work where no creativity is allowed and generic mass appealing food must be served.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't have to believe anything, Disney says the plan includes tips, the checks indicate an 18% gratuity is included, servers who post on DIS say they're getting an 18% gratuity and AFAIK the servers are unionized.

Don't take this the wrong way but I don't care what you think, the facts don't support it.

The restaurants are crowded, even without your patronage. Between the S/D and DTD there are plenty of restaurants on site you can enjoy.

So you believe that $38.00 per day per person covers tip and all? I don't care what WDW tells DDP users, wait people are getting stiffed. If they aren't then Disney is losing money hand over fist on this "plan".

 

[vital]

Disney may have designed it but only because this cheap society of money savers we live in demanded it.

So, you'd rather families with children not go to WDW and miss out on a vacation full of memories because they couldn't afford it without the plan? You must be sitting on a few oil wells in TX to not have to worry about saving money.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Does $38 per person cover the menu price of food ordered at TS and CS restaurants, plus snacks, and gratuities? Well of course not. Although there is a rather large difference between price and cost. Oh, and add to that the fact that the DDP is added to all those WDW vacation packages that include rooms at rack rate. No, Disney is not losing their shirt on the DDP.

Disney didn't invent the DDP because the cheap society of money savers we are demanded it, the designed it as a way to sell vacation packages that brought them a larger profit on the room portion, while giving the cheap money savers we are a perceived value in the "savings" we cheap grub eating slobs get with the DDP. In the end Disney fills their rooms at a higher rate, and the guests save a little money on their food, and everybody is happy.

I disagree about the servers getting stiffed....at least at Disney owned restaurants where they get 18% of the total amount of the food bill. You really think they were averaging 18% before the plan? Likely not. I know on each and every meal we had, the server got a larger tip than they would have had I not been on the plan. The point about what tip income get s reported now is a good one. Overall the tip income, reported or otherwise, is probably higher, but that doesn't mean that what stays in pocket is.

On our recent 9 day trip the food quality and service was as good or better than it has been as far back as I remember........and I'm talking 15 years of Disney trips. The menus, at least for the restaurant we ate in, were not any more limited than they ever were, with the exception of the kids menu changes which probably have little to do with the DDP.

Yes, it is harder to get a reservation now, but that is what Disney is supposed to do....fill their establishments.

Our trip provided no evidence that the DDP is ruining WDW restaurants.

 

[jodifla]

So, you'd rather families with children not go to WDW and miss out on a vacation full of memories because they couldn't afford it without the plan? You must be sitting on a few oil wells in TX to not have to worry about saving money.

Families need to pay what the plan is worth. It's a loss leader right now, and it's severely dragging down the quality of meals from just a few years ago.

I have no "oil wells" but I see a pyramid scheme here. Also, I don't know how folks can cry poor mouth when they are paying rack rates for rooms and expensive park tickets as well. The DDP on top of that is a huge expense!

I have DVC, so I'd never spend that much on food.

 

[jodifla]

Does $38 per person cover the menu price of food ordered at TS and CS restaurants, plus snacks, and gratuities? Well of course not. Although there is a rather large difference between price and cost. Oh, and add to that the fact that the DDP is added to all those WDW vacation packages that include rooms at rack rate. No, Disney is not losing their shirt on the DDP.

Disney didn't invent the DDP because the cheap society of money savers we are demanded it, the designed it as a way to sell vacation packages that brought them a larger profit on the room portion, while giving the cheap money savers we are a perceived value in the "savings" we cheap grub eating slobs get with the DDP. In the end Disney fills their rooms at a higher rate, and the guests save a little money on their food, and everybody is happy.

I disagree about the servers getting stiffed....at least at Disney owned restaurants where they get 18% of the total amount of the food bill. You really think they were averaging 18% before the plan? Likely not. I know on each and every meal we had, the server got a larger tip than they would have had I not been on the plan. The point about what tip income get s reported now is a good one. Overall the tip income, reported or otherwise, is probably higher, but that doesn't mean that what stays in pocket is.

On our recent 9 day trip the food quality and service was as good or better than it has been as far back as I remember........and I'm talking 15 years of Disney trips. The menus, at least for the restaurant we ate in, were not any more limited than they ever were, with the exception of the kids menu changes which probably have little to do with the DDP.

Yes, it is harder to get a reservation now, but that is what Disney is supposed to do....fill their establishments.

Our trip provided no evidence that the DDP is ruining WDW restaurants.

Then account for the no take out rules, which REALLY suck when you are at Olivia's, and the menu similarity all over the parks.


The DDP has DEFINITELY made life worse for me.

 

[DisneyKidds]

It's a loss leader right now, and it's severely dragging down the quality of meals from just a few years ago.

How do you figure this plan is having an impact at the individual restaurant level?

 

[WDWBetsy]

I'm so glad there's an ignore feature to these boards. It's not a discussion for some, but an outlet of anger.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Then account for the no take out rules, which REALLY suck when you are at Olivia's, and the menu similarity all over the parks.


The DDP has DEFINITELY made life worse for me.

I won't argue here. Along with making reservation harder to get, the changes in takeout offerings may be an unfortunate side effect of the plan....problems that go hand in hand. Higher volume means less resources for take out. But on the whole more people are getting perceived value out of the plan than are being hurt by the unfortunate side effects......which means Disney will continue to offer it.

If 100 people who never would have eaten a table service meal walk away raving about he food (after having gone to the restaurant from their rack rate room) while half a dozen people lament not getting takeout at Olivia's Disney views it as a positive as they will sell more packages.

Hey, I'm not saying the DDP is a great strategy for Disney. It's a means to sell what may be overpriced rooms. I'm not sure it's a great long term strategy.

 

[Lewisc]

Then account for the no take out rules, which REALLY suck when you are at Olivia's, and the menu similarity all over the parks.


The DDP has DEFINITELY made life worse for me.

There are small group of posters who don't like the cutbacks at the signature restuarnts. I think most of the cutbacks are overstated and/or not directly attributed to the current dining plan but some might be. I don't understand why restaurants like blueZoo, Shula's, Il Munio, Fulton's, Bistro, V&A isn't enough to satisfy that market segment.

Most of the TS restaurants don't offer take out, the kitchens aren't large enough to accomodate the demand.

 

[ElizabethB]

The OP has made some valid points. We, too, have noticed a decline in variety and food quality. Moreover, we don't enjoy restaurants that are packed to the rafters with diners.

I think Disney came up with the plan to compete more effectively with the other family vacation options -- cruises and all-inclusive resorts. I know my teenage nephew would much rather go on a cruise than go to WDW. My friend's 9-year-olds just came back from their first family cruise and feel exactly the same -- they've been to WDW once and Disneyland numerous times. They are begging to go on another cruise.

One way to compete with a cruise for the family vacation crowd is to offer an all-inclusive dining option. But, along with that goes a requirement that food service become more streamlined and, in order to offer the option at a somewhat affordable rate, the quality has to suffer, too. See cruise line dining if you don't understand this.

DH and I are pretty much resigned to this. We stick to the signature restaurants and don't try to dine in, say, World Showcase now. Also, DH says there's nothing anymore that could even tempt him to visit WDW except the Food and Wine Festival. We went to some fine wine dinners during the most recent Festival and enjoyed them. So, we'll go for what we like and leave the rest.

Also, people keep insisting that packed-to-the-rafters restaurants are a good thing -- shows WDW has a winning formula and is making tons of money and is meeting the needs of the majority of vactioners.

That's all well and good -- but three-hour ride lines would demonstrate the same thing! Yet, I'd never stand in such a line. Similarly, I won't dine where patrons are packed in like sardines. So, Disney has made its choice. All that's left is for us to make ours.

 

[gina2000]

Hey, I'm not saying the DDP is a great strategy for Disney. It's a means to sell what may be overpriced rooms. I'm not sure it's a great long term strategy.

I agree with this. I think this is a way of showing shareholders that the revenue generated by rooms covers interest expense on bonds floated to pay for the buildings.

I think DDP is a great strategy to entice first time TS patrons to appreciate and enjoy a sit-down dining experience. It appeals to people who formerly chose not to use TS due to cost or time. For those of us who have used TS dining extensively, it does appear that the quality of TS dining has declined. I know I won't patronize a couple of mid-priced TS restaurants that I formerly adored. The food no longer meets my expectations and doesn't deliver value and enjoyment for the price charged.

We'll be dining at the better WDW restaurants during our next visit. We've dined at all of them prior to the DDP. I can't help but wonder what will have changed. Unfortunately, I don't expect changes, if they do exist, to be for the better. We'll see.