DDP idea - suggestion

[Cowboysfan]

I like the DDP!

The convienence is great. The changes for '08 (re: tip and app) aren't cool, but it's not quite enough for me to dislike the plan all together. If we were paying OOP, we would only make a few ADR's and eat all other meals on the fly, but using the plan encourages us to be a little more creative with our dining plans, so we end up eating at new and different places, and we've found a few places that we like (Chef Mickey's & Garden Grill) and a few we didn't care for (50's & Concourse Steakhouse).

I also understand Disney's pricing of park tickets (child = 3-9, adult = 10+), because most children 10 and over can ride every ride at the parks (whether they do or not is a personal choice (either by parent or child), but Disney isn't restricting them from the ride), so therfore children 10+ should have to pay the same price as an adult - at least that's my rationale.

But for dining, i think the distinction for children and adults is too great. Charging a ten year old the same price as a thirty year old is a bit much. My kids feel too old for the selection on the children's menu and since they are adults in Disney's eyes, they know that they can order off the adult menu and end up throwing quite a bit of it away (full or didn't like it). Adults complain that there is too much food for them on the DDP, so for children (10-16 +/- 1-2) there is just an enormous amount of food.



My suggestion is to have a 3rd option for dining, 3-9, 10-16 and 17+. they would only need to modify the menus with an asterix or some other designation to show which selections are for the teen DDP, or they could moderate the portions for teen vs adult. They could even open the teen option for seniors (if there is a market for that there).

I just felt bad while we were there in Sept on free dining watching so much food go wasted for one reason or another (i couldn't help myself from thinking that "i'm glad i'm not paying for that!" - until the next thought came - "what if i had to pay for that?").

 

[bicker]

Unfortunately, the pricing that would result for a teen category wouldn't be satisfying -- figure:

Adult $39
Teen $35
Child $11

For a $4 difference, Disney would receive more grief than they receive now.

 

[gogo65]

I completely agree

I don't understand Disney's thinking at all.

My DD (12) still only eats small portions and I know that she will probably only eat about 30% of her meal. There is no way she would eat a large meal, so it will go to waste.

I would be happy if they had a teen/youth price as well. I think aged 10-14 years at $20-$25 with smaller portions. It would make so much sense and food would not go to waste.

I don't think Disneys cares about the amount of wastage, they are just looking at it from a money point of view

 

[bicker]

If they didn't look at it that way, I would demand that my retirement fund sue them.

 

[Pumbaa_]

another consideration is that the DDP plan is tied to a package that only has 2 choices, adult and child. For kids just over the age, may be better to order just an appy or just an entree.

For buffets, you are stuck with the adult price.

 

[Rylee]

I have a son, now 9, and I would be willing to pay more money, although not the same amount as for an adult, for him to be able to have more choices!

My son eats like a champ, his "taste buds" are far more developed than what Disney offers on the child menu, and he was soooo sick of the kids meals!

I know we can ordered and pay OOP for him to have a wider variety, and that is exactly what we have done, but... it takes away from the all -inclusive feel of having the DDP.

The kids DDP is a great price, but I would be willing to pay more for him to have a better selection. (Oh well, one more year and he'll be an adult... in the eyes of Disney.)

 

[Colleen27]

I completely agree

I don't understand Disney's thinking at all.

My DD (12) still only eats small portions and I know that she will probably only eat about 30% of her meal. There is no way she would eat a large meal, so it will go to waste.

I would be happy if they had a teen/youth price as well. I think aged 10-14 years at $20-$25 with smaller portions. It would make so much sense and food would not go to waste.

I don't think Disneys cares about the amount of wastage, they are just looking at it from a money point of view

Of course they're looking at it from a money PoV - that's what businesses do. However, I think they did a pretty good job picking the cutoff age, because we do see complaints on both sides. Your 12yo doesn't eat an adult portion. My 9yo does. For every thread we see wanting a junior price/menu, we see another asking about up-aging under-10 kids to adults so they can order off the adult menu. There is no way to make everyone happy on this one, but the complaints don't seem heavily weighted to one side or the other which tells me that 10 is a good middle ground.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think this is why I am seeing more posts from people with kids in that age bracket who decide that the DDP does not work well for them. Many seem to feel that their 13 or 14 yo just can't do justice to $38.99 a day of food.

Thinking more about Jr pricing, not only would it be hard to accomplish, as Bicker already posted, but to accomplish a third category, Disney would need a third menu for the Juniors. One that is the same as the adults menu, but with Jr pricing and smaller portions.

Think of all of the adults who would LOVE to pay a little less OOP and get a smaller portion. I think Disney would start having to fight adults who want to use the Jr's menu.

I also think about when we go out to eat in town and after age 9 or 12 kids aren't allowed to order off of the children's menu. Forcing them to use the adult menu. I don't see Jr pricing with Jr poritons in most of my local sit down restaurants either. The nice thing about a local eatery though is that carry outs are much easier to deal with than Disney. I'm just trying to point out an accommodation that I am not seeing in my day to day life.

I just think that every family has to now look at the menus, see what they realistically will eat and then decide if the DDP will work for them or not.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

My DH(15) eats at least twice as much as I do & has for a few years now. As a matter of fact, I've never seen a teenage boy that didn't eat more than I do. I also know teenage girls who eat me under the table. Their metabolism can handle it, mine can't. I've also seen lots of adults who eat more or less than others. It seems that my DH & DS compete to see who can eat more leaving me the leftovers. As far as my family is concerned, they should have a child, adult female, & adult male pricing category. There's no way they can accomodate every family, every time.

 

[musical2]

And then there's my 10 year old daughter who eats less than my 7 year old daughter. But, we're going to do DDP in January anyway. We figure we still save money because of all the character dinners we will be doing. It's a good deal for my twin 7 year olds to pay only $9.99 a day for all those character dinners plus a CS dinner and snack. We figure to still save about $200 dollars for the 7 days on the 2008 plan because of all the Character dinners.