Dining CM just told me that Candlelight Processional will be 2 dining credits

[Doug7856]

I was so upset when I read about this, so I called Disney Dining. The CM I spoke with looked it up and told me that they don't have all the info yet. What they do know is that everything will be 2 TS credits, and the CM's should have all the info on Tuesday, and they start booking them on Weds, 8/19. She suggested that I call back tomorrow so I can get the info.

We're going late Nov/early Dec for the 1st time. We've planned this trip for several years and were looking forward to seeing the CP. Since we're DVC, we're paying for our DDP, and now to find out that it's been raised to 2 TS credits!!! We probably won't get the CP Dining Pkg.

We're also doing MVMCP, and I've read that one of the shows won't be going on this year. I feel like we're paying more and more, and getting less. WDW is taking some of the holiday sparkle out of this trip that we've planned for so long! I wish they would release the info for all of the holiday events, not to mention the Dec hours. Our 90 days is fast approaching, and since our group has 11 people, we need to know what's going on.

We have a group of eight people staying DVC, so I can relate to your frustration. We haven't decided on DDP as we are DVC also. I'm tempted to put away the frustrations by booking the CP and then eating all meals off site!

 

[twinkle49]

So I just called disney dining and the CM told me that they know nothing and they should know more on August 29th. I'm just slightly annoyed at how no info has been released. Way to wait to the last min. Sorry I needed to vent.I'm hoping someone else will have better luck!

 

[pmdeve]

We are planning to go to CP the second week of December. Since we are putting together our wish list for ADR's I hope this info comes through quickly.

 

[Bete]

had to go to her supervisor just to tell me it would be 2 TS credits this year. There was no other info as of 8:00am this morn of 8-18.

 

[Davey-D-99]

We are booked for December and was considering booking this until now...

I just do not understand the value in this??? The show is free...The Restaurants are all 1TS...Is this correct?

They are saying you have to use an extra TS credit just to get an appetizer and a seat at a free show? Why would anyone do that?

Is the show impossible to get in if you just wait in the regular line? Is it like Fantasmic where there are separate seats for the dinner package and stand-by guests?

really confused

 

[Merryweather7]

Just called and honestly I think I got the most clueless CM yet. She gave me absolutely no information and tried to direct me to the Disney website for "pricing". This one wouldn't even confirm that the dining plan was accepted. I certainly hope somebody else has a better result. I'll probably try back later to see if I can get a better CM. WOW

 

[mcgregml]

Is the show impossible to get in if you just wait in the regular line? Is it like Fantasmic where there are separate seats for the dinner package and stand-by guests?

really confused

I'm not doing dining plan - so I have no opinion on whether it's worth an extra credit or not, but I will say that seating is VERY different than the Fantasmic dinner package. Basically, they start filling the theater with the people who have the CP package first - and if there are enough of them it is possible that no one in the standby line will get a seat. Granted, this outcome doesn't happen very often, but it is possible.

Last year, my family and I opted to not do the CP package and just take our chances on the standby line. Now, it was a Saturday, but it was also the second weekend in December. We got in the standby line for the first show approximately 20 minutes before the show. I would guess that after us, another couple of hundred people got let into the show but some people at the end did get turned away. Again, we did not show up incredibly early, and there were two more performances that night - but Christmas week? I definitely wouldn't go without the package! You'd have to line up so early to even have the possibility of a seat - I think it would be worth something to me to not have to wait 45 - 60 minutes for the chance of a seat. Other times of December - not so much...

To each their own! This year, we're going down over Thanksgiving (yea!) and we will be doing the package for the last night of our stay. I want to go to the late show (where you can actually see the Candlelight) and I don't want to worry about getting a seat. But, it's just me and my parents. It's a lot easier to part with $60(ish) each when you've only got three adults to worry about.

 

[heatherbabydoll1]

I just called dining and I got the same run around. Now I was told that because I have deluxe dining I will be charged two services while those who have regular dining will be charged only one.No matter what tier and there is nothing added.

 

[Doug7856]

My theory is that the increase to two credits is due to the free dining. I think Disney is worried that the free dining folks will use up all of the seats and that locals, who love the show, will be shut out. To justify the extra credit the appetizer is included and, hopefully, the preferred Illuminations viewing. If fewer free dining package take up the seats, then locals and those who pay out of pocket will have more availability. Those who want just the food will still only use one credit. Just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[skier_pete]

I just called dining and I got the same run around. Now I was told that because I have deluxe dining I will be charged two services while those who have regular dining will be charged only one.No matter what tier and there is nothing added.

Whaaat?! That makes NO SENSE. A dining credit is a dining credit...Deluxe Dining people are paying extra for those extra credits.

This tells me we should discount EVERYTHING being said in this thread and by CM until there is (a) an official pronouncement by Disney or (b) someone ACTUALLY books a CP package.

SkierPete

P.S. This is why I don't call ahead to CRO to ask questions about future plans - some may know - but you have no idea if the CRO CM you are talking to has a clue what is really going on.

 

[Bete]

We are booked for December and was considering booking this until now...

I just do not understand the value in this??? The show is free...The Restaurants are all 1TS...Is this correct?

They are saying you have to use an extra TS credit just to get an appetizer and a seat at a free show? Why would anyone do that?

Is the show impossible to get in if you just wait in the regular line? Is it like Fantasmic where there are separate seats for the dinner package and stand-by guests?

really confused

I think one option may be to pay OOP for this package. I believe there will still be tiers and the cheapest package would be the way to go now OOP. Then I would either have an extra meal along the way with the saved credit or do a signature restaurant and live it up a little and do a true 2 credit dining experience. It's a totsl jip in my opinion to use 2 TS credits for this package; they would have to sweeten it up big time for it to be worth it; just getting an appetizer will not be enough for me.

 

[Merryweather7]

Bete, I agree 100%. OOP is looking like the way to go. No way am I giving them an extra TS for this. I think it may just backfire on them if they are doing this to "use" a couple of free dining TS. If anything, it may clog up the restaurants even more when people pay OOP for the CP and then have an extra TS to spend. You are so right that an appetizer isn't worth that second credit. I guess we'll just wait for an announcement/confirmation. This may be very interesting.

 

[skier_pete]

I think one option may be to pay OOP for this package. I believe there will still be tiers and the cheapest package would be the way to go now OOP. Then I would either have an extra meal along the way with the saved credit or do a signature restaurant and live it up a little and do a true 2 credit dining experience. It's a totsl jip in my opinion to use 2 TS credits for this package; they would have to sweeten it up big time for it to be worth it; just getting an appetizer will not be enough for me.

But here's the point - let's say you decide to do a "true 2 credit" experience, say the Contemporary Grille...well, most menu items there run $20 to $33. (There is one meal at $41.) So let's say you eat "high end" and spend $33, then add a $10 desert - that's $43. That means you are only getting $21.50 in value per dining credit. Yet you could pay $54 for that CP dining package OOP. So unless you OOP the Tier 1 lunch, I am not sure it makes sense.

I'm looking at it the opposite way...use two TS credits for a Tier 3 dinner - a $54 value. Then instead, I will pay OOP for our cheapest one TS meal. We are planning a lunch at WCC. Meals range $10 - $20. We'll pay for that OOP, and use that extra credit towards the CP package! Now, THAT's a better value for your DDP.

SkierPete

 

[blondinkaya]

I'm keeping my eye on this thread. I contacted the WL IPO, and they have no idea about the package.

I'm really hoping this is just a rumor and everything will stay as it was last year. We'll be on the dining plan. Sure we're staying concierge, but we aren't getting any discounts at all (evidently our suite is exempt from discounts). Paying for that, MVMCP (we already have the tickets), and the Wildlife Discovery Excursion is enough. Anything more, and I feel I'm being nickeled and dimed to death. Yes, this is our dream trip, but I refuse to pay oop or put a second credit towards the CP. If this rumor is in fact true, I'll be sad about missing it, but at least we'll be able to experience other holiday tidbits (Christmas Around the World, MVMCP, Osborne Lights, etc) ...

 

[Bete]

But here's the point - let's say you decide to do a "true 2 credit" experience, say the Contemporary Grille...well, most menu items there run $20 to $33. (There is one meal at $41.) So let's say you eat "high end" and spend $33, then add a $10 desert - that's $43. That means you are only getting $21.50 in value per dining credit. Yet you could pay $54 for that CP dining package OOP. So unless you OOP the Tier 1 lunch, I am not sure it makes sense.

I'm looking at it the opposite way...use two TS credits for a Tier 3 dinner - a $54 value. Then instead, I will pay OOP for our cheapest one TS meal. We are planning a lunch at WCC. Meals range $10 - $20. We'll pay for that OOP, and use that extra credit towards the CP package! Now, THAT's a better value for your DDP.

SkierPete

however, I did say in my post that I would choose the absolute cheapest package there is for the CP for OOP. In addtition, I'll be enjoying that $70 meal at Narcoosee's for my 2 credit meal ($35 per credit) or I'll do an extra meal with my extra credit in the same Tier 3 restaurant at Epcot without the show package. I will make the final decision when we hear all the details, but this is my plan, right now if the rumors are true. Also, it will depend on price for CP package; who knows it may have skyrocketed in price and OOP may not make sense, either. I'm basing my choice right now on last year's pricing.

It could end up a wash if you pay for a TS lunch OOP and do a Tier 3 for the package. I just like the idea of having lobster with my 2 TS credits at Narcoosee's if I go OOP for CP package. You can go one further and do a CS meal which will be cheaper yet for that credit that's lost, too. I think we will just have to wait to do the number crunching. It will work differently for each of us depending on what we like best.

I just don't want to give in to this change in policy; I'm a diehard. I'm going with first timers who haven't seen the CP. If I wasn't with first timers I would skip it altogether this year in protest.

 

[Bete]

I tried at 8:30pm on Tuesday, Aug 18 and still no details.

I sure hope tomorrow it's ready for us to know. It wouldn't be fair to those who need to book for the first date not to have all the details.

 

[MissBritt]

I just called dining and I got the same run around. Now I was told that because I have deluxe dining I will be charged two services while those who have regular dining will be charged only one.No matter what tier and there is nothing added.

This may be my first rodeo, but this is completely unfair and makes absolutely no sense.

 

[heatherbabydoll1]

The first call I was told that everything is going to be one credit for every one. Then I just called again and now every tier and every one will be charged two credits. But they don't have details out yet she said. So confused!

 

[steve76]

Yes, this is our dream trip, but I refuse to pay oop or put a second credit towards the CP. If this rumor is in fact true, I'll be sad about missing it, but at least we'll be able to experience other holiday tidbits (Christmas Around the World, MVMCP, Osborne Lights, etc) ...

Even if this is true, it doesn't mean that you have to miss the CP. Remember, at the moment the Dinner Package is effectively free for anyone on the Dining Plan. If they raise it to 2 credits, then fewer people will do the Dinner Package, so it should be easier to attend the show using the standby queue.

 

[krissylizzy]

i am super sad if this turns out to be true and agree with those that are saying it makes no sense to use 2 TS for a 1 TS meal and a free show. wow...

i'm going with my parents the second week of december and now we're not sure what to do because is is SUPER important to my mom to see this show, and we don't want to use 2 TS for it, but we also don't want to risk not being able to get in. what a tremendous bummer not cool disney, not cool

furthermore, we always save our epcot TS meal for biergarten, as my parents both come from strong german families and enjoy the food and atmosphere...but this is definitely NOT worth 2 TS credits!!