DDP needs an overhaul - how about a "credit" system?

[kayjaybe]

Just got back from WDW. We had the regular dining plan (1 snack, 1 CS, 1 TS). The snacks & TS were pretty clear, but I saw a lot of confusion (myself included) with the CS.

I wonder if Disney has ever thought of just doing a "credit" system instead. On the different plans, you get a certain number of credits. Then, the menu items all have credits assigned along with the prices. So a water/soda might be 1 credit, a sandwich might be 2 credits, a larger sit-down meal with sides included might be 7 credits, etc.

Doing it this way, I wouldn't feel pressured to take a dessert I don't want/need and won't waste as much food. There were many times we just didn't want/need the dessert but would have loved to be able to save those credits for something later...but no can do.

Colleges used to do this (not sure if they still do) and it really shouldn't be that complicated. It would make it so much easier, IMO, for the guests. I saw lots of people having to put stuff back or go and get the thing they "missed" (but didn't actually want) with their CS meals.

Anyone know if Disney has ever tried this approach?

 

[SnipsNSnails]

On the one hand, that sound wonderful, on the other, it sounds even more complicated! Keeping track of all those credits would be a nightmare! I think a slight modification to that might work, if for instance the CS and TS credits remained largely the same (meal + drink) with the exception of desserts and appetizers and those were converted to snack credits basically, maybe the appetizers would be 2 credits, but then snacks, desserts and appetizers could be purchased with credits as wanted. So QS would be 2 CS and 4 "Snack" per day, DDP would be 1 CS, 1 TS, 3 "Snack" and DxDP would be 3 TS (or CS) and 8 or 11 "Snack" depending on whether appetizers cost 1 or 2 credits. It would give greater flexibility and eliminate ordering those unwanted desserts or appetizers. The only hiccup is whether QS could use credits for appetizers or desserts at TS locations, that's the main problem I see with it. Although easily fixed by marking the KTTW card with QS thus making it ineligible for use at TS locations.

 

[vicki_c]

You're missing the point. Disney does not offer the DDPs as a good deal for visitors - they just market it that way. Disney offers the DDPs because it makes THEM money. The reason it makes them money is because the vast majority of people don't actually get the value out of it that they paid for it.

It works for THEM specifically because of the way they have it structured; they are not really interested in making it better for guests from a value obtained standpoint.

 

[DCDisney]

At Disneyland they use more of a voucher system for their dining plan but it doesn't save any money at least the WDW version offers you the possibility of saving some money. The vouchers aren't good everywhere and you can't get change back so that system definitely wouldn't be an improvement. Clearly WDW runs the numbers every which way on what is the cheapest for them but won't keep people from buying the plan. People seem to like the idea of all the desserts even if they can't or don't eat them. Snack credits are easier for people to use up and take home treats, etc. or use for breakfast items to avoid paying out of pocket for more food.

 

[2Tiggies]

The dining plans already available are fine and cover pretty much any family's needs (if you include the OOP option for those who opt not to use it).

Contrary to popular belief I think the basis of the dining plans is very simple. The problem arises with the many inconsistencies in implementing the 'rules' - a lot is left open to to each participating location to have a final say.

 

[Allison]

I don't think this seems like it would be easier. It's really the same thing but even more credits to keep track of.

 

[no capes darling]

I don't think this seems like it would be easier. It's really the same thing but even more credits to keep track of.

Totally agree with this. I think for those who don't understand how the dining plan works it's confusing.... As someone who knows how it works and the idea of implementing the credits you mention makes my brain go The only thing I would do differently with the dining plan is to allow an appetizer or dessert. I really loathe the idea of desserts only given the pricing seems to be about the same on both sides.

 

[smiths02]

You're missing the point. Disney does not offer the DDPs as a good deal for visitors - they just market it that way. Disney offers the DDPs because it makes THEM money. The reason it makes them money is because the vast majority of people don't actually get the value out of it that they paid for it.

It works for THEM specifically because of the way they have it structured; they are not really interested in making it better for guests from a value obtained standpoint.

I don't think that is totally true. I think it does save people money vs. Ordering those exact same meals OOP. I don't think Disney is offering the plans hoping that people" waste" credits. I think that Disney has a vested interest in making sure peole feel they get "value" out of the plans.

I would think that the biggest profit for Disney comes from people coming to Disney and staying there and spending ALL their vacation money at Disney.

But to OP, that system is just confusing. They could make the plan cost an extra $2 or something and choose app vs dessert

 

[mb_uh]

I think it would be great if you could get app or dessert.

I really like the idea of splitting desserts from cs meals into snacks.

I wish their was some sort of exchange rate for cs to ts like maybe 2 cs and 2 snack credits then those doing qsdp could squeeze in 1 ts or character meals.

 

[NewlyDisneyCrazed]

I agree with OP that the dining plan should allow for a way to opt out of dessert for CS meals and get something else at another time instead. I don't really think that would be too hard to keep track of.

 

[Colleen27]

I don't think that is totally true. I think it does save people money vs. Ordering those exact same meals OOP. I don't think Disney is offering the plans hoping that people" waste" credits. I think that Disney has a vested interest in making sure peole feel they get "value" out of the plans.

I would think that the biggest profit for Disney comes from people coming to Disney and staying there and spending ALL their vacation money at Disney.

Exactly. A successful transaction here should be win-win, like using a coupon or special offer at a real world establishment - the customer feels good because s/he is paying less than "sticker price", while the business makes a slightly smaller per item/per transaction profit but makes up for it in a higher volume of transactions. It is just a twist on the classic Econ 101 price/demand example: better to sell 20 discounted pizzas with a $3 profit margin per pie than 10 full-price pizzas with a $5 profit margin.

I don't think a more complex system would benefit anyone. Micromanaging entitlements makes it harder to price at a slight but not too significant discount, which makes it more likely that it would end up comparable to DLR's dollar-for-dollar vouchers. It makes it harder on CMs and guests who now have to track point values for myriad items rather than the three broad categories that exist now. And more complexity means more room for error (right now no one can accidentally ring up a TS as CS, but inputting the wrong number of credits would be a fairly simple mistake to make) and more complaints from guests who don't understand the system.

To "solve" the CS dessert problem for those who don't care for them the obvious solution would be to remove the dessert entitlement and add a snack credit in its place, so instead of 1TS, 1CS, and 1 snack you'd get 1TS (which includes dessert), 1CS (entree/combo meal & drink only) and 2 snacks per night. But that would be a losing proposition for Disney because it is trading a very low value item for a credit that can be used for much pricier item.

 

[aubriee]

I'd love for them to just assign a price for each CS credit, each TS credit, and each snack credit and then let you buy exactly how many of each you want. We are more TS people. There are very few CS restuarants that we really like, but there are a few. We are not breakfast people, nor are we snackers. For us there are not enough TS meals on the basic DDP but too many CS credits, but the DxDDP is too many meals (unless you dine at a Signature restaurant every night). Snacks don't interest us at all and we always have to run around on our last day trying to find something to use them on to take home with us. We'd love to be able to say, buy 13 TS credits and 4 CS credits. For us that'd be perfect. We wouldn't have to deal with snack credits we don't want anyway, nor would we be forced to eat alot of CS like the basic DDP makes us now, nor would we have to dine in so many Signature restuarants just to use up the DxDDP credits. We could eat our preferred two meals a day, use mostly TS, with a few CS, and one Signature restaurant thrown in.

 

[havoc315]

I don't think that is totally true. I think it does save people money vs. Ordering those exact same meals OOP. I don't think Disney is offering the plans hoping that people" waste" credits. I think that Disney has a vested interest in making sure peole feel they get "value" out of the plans.

I would think that the biggest profit for Disney comes from people coming to Disney and staying there and spending ALL their vacation money at Disney.

But to OP, that system is just confusing. They could make the plan cost an extra $2 or something and choose app vs dessert

They absolutely do it because it makes them more money. A small handful of people truly save money -- those who always order dessert, who eat exactly 1 TS and 1 CS per day, always order the most expensive items.

But overall, the DDP is an upsell -- an offer of a discounted extras, in exchange for the customer agreeing to spend more.

It's a way of taking a person who may just normally spend $30-40 at Disney on food, and getting them to spend $47 instead with the promise of included desserts.

It works best for Disney, when the customer has the perception they are getting value, all while they are actually handing Disney extra revenue.

 

[Allison]

I'd love for them to just assign a price for each CS credit, each TS credit, and each snack credit and then let you buy exactly how many of each you want. We are more TS people. There are very few CS restuarants that we really like, but there are a few. We are not breakfast people, nor are we snackers. For us there are not enough TS meals on the basic DDP but too many CS credits, but the DxDDP is too many meals (unless you dine at a Signature restaurant every night). Snacks don't interest us at all and we always have to run around on our last day trying to find something to use them on to take home with us. We'd love to be able to say, buy 13 TS credits and 4 CS credits. For us that'd be perfect. We wouldn't have to deal with snack credits we don't want anyway, nor would we be forced to eat alot of CS like the basic DDP makes us now, nor would we have to dine in so many Signature restuarants just to use up the DxDDP credits. We could eat our preferred two meals a day, use mostly TS, with a few CS, and one Signature restaurant thrown in.

That is the same thing as paying out of pocket.

 

[Cafeen]

They absolutely do it because it makes them more money. A small handful of people truly save money -- those who always order dessert, who eat exactly 1 TS and 1 CS per day, always order the most expensive items.

But overall, the DDP is an upsell -- an offer of a discounted extras, in exchange for the customer agreeing to spend more.

It's a way of taking a person who may just normally spend $30-40 at Disney on food, and getting them to spend $47 instead with the promise of included desserts.

It works best for Disney, when the customer has the perception they are getting value, all while they are actually handing Disney extra revenue.

Going to disagree slightly with the assertion that Disney does it specifically to make money off of those who "aren't in the know". I do believe that the DDP works for the majority of the people who get it. Not at the advertised "up to 25%!" numbers of course, but at least some savings is seen. Pretty much as long as you follow the general outline for the plan, it's nearly guaranteed if you're at least mildly intelligent and/or logical about it (e.g. focus DDP usage on the more expensive meals you have planned, don't leave leftover credits, etc)

I would venture to guess that, at least originally, Disney was solely cutting into the profit margin on the items, making less money per individual item to increase the overall volume sold (and thus gaining more profit that way). I do agree that it's a way of making someone who would spend less, spend more, but I see it as due to volume rather than misdirection.

 

[havoc315]

Going to disagree slightly with the assertion that Disney does it specifically to make money off of those who "aren't in the know". I do believe that the DDP works for the majority of the people who get it. Not at the advertised "up to 25%!" numbers of course, but at least some savings is seen. Pretty much as long as you follow the general outline for the plan, it's nearly guaranteed if you're at least mildly intelligent and/or logical about it (e.g. focus DDP usage on the more expensive meals you have planned, don't leave leftover credits, etc)

I would venture to guess that, at least originally, Disney was solely cutting into the profit margin on the items, making less money per individual item to increase the overall volume sold (and thus gaining more profit that way). I do agree that it's a way of making someone who would spend less, spend more, but I see it as due to volume rather than misdirection.

I think we are basically in agreement. While there will be people who feed Disney profits by wasting credits, for the most part, DDP increases Disney profits by creating an incentive for people to spend more than they would ordinarily spend.

 

[RMerrell]

I have been to WDW twice with the DDP, first time it was free and second time we got a basic dining plan free then paid to upgrade. The first trip took a little getting use to the program. But I will never go without it, I know how much I'm spending before I go, it's all paid for, and all I have to take in the park is my KTTW card and my ID. I don't have to worry about cash falling out of my pocket or carrying a purse and where to put my wallet, I just stuff it in my back pocket. As far as deserts go I would get a fruit cup or something at QS meals, toss it in our backpack and we would eat it in line later. Snacks would usually not get used so much so on our last day we go in a store and get souvenir snacks for nieces and nephews neighbors etc. They love getting Mickey rice crispy treats and whatever other snacks we find. I like it better than hunting for a small token of my trip they will lose or break in a few hours.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

That so many people state they would never go without one of the dining plans, or cannot imagine how they could afford to go without one, etc., is the crowning glory of Disney's success in selling the plans.
People sincerely believe it too. They really cannot imagine going OOP, and most discussions presume the DDP.
People are hooked to it like heroin. They rationalize it different ways--"It's already paid for", "I don't have to worry about how much I am spending", "It makes it easier to budget the trip", etc, etc. They are completely and utterly brainwashed and hooked.

 

[Colleen27]

That so many people state they would never go without one of the dining plans, or cannot imagine how they could afford to go without one, etc., is the crowning glory of Disney's success in selling the plans.
People sincerely believe it too. They really cannot imagine going OOP, and most discussions presume the DDP.
People are hooked to it like heroin. They rationalize it different ways--"It's already paid for", "I don't have to worry about how much I am spending", "It makes it easier to budget the trip", etc, etc. They are completely and utterly brainwashed and hooked.

Hooked, sure, but I think brainwashed is too strong a word. That implies that the reasons for purchasing the plan aren't valid, when in fact many of them are. The dining plans do offer some savings for those who eat the way the plan is designed, and there is a significant non-monetary benefit to never having to look at menu prices. Many DISers (myself included) look at the numbers for every trip and still conclude that one of the dining plans is the best way to go.

 

[pooch]

its how DD and I roll. We are totally familiar with the reg DDP, know how and where to use it and go every year to get it free. We don't mind staying at Pop although, for the first time this year, we had to pay to upgrade so a little less of a deal. We split CS meals for breakfast & lunch (and take sliced apples for the lunch dessert to munch later - you don't HAVE to get chocolate cake!!!) and then each enjoy our own TS dinner. Easy, breezy, lemon-squeezy!

But last year, DD couldn't come & DBr tagged along instead. It was much harder to make the plan work with him. He is more of a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy and didn't like the somewhat structured nature of the plan (although he loved the TS meals!). So now I do understand both sides of the debate!!