Dining plan coming back!

[Nursemanit]

As well, there were definitely dining experiences that were priced at an inflated rate to build the value prop for DDP. Thinking back on the old BOG QS meals. They weren't even proportional to other QS in MK, but were the constant example of "look how much you save!" for DDP.

That and it limits what they could put on the menu - hard to have $28 items and $38 dollar items. So we may lose some interesting items in non signature dining. I think for 2 credits you can still offer $65 items like they have now.

 

[mort1331]

I never got a DVC discount off the dining plan

Correct,,,the 10% was off reg dining prices at resturants. Not off the Dining Plan

 

[Sandisw]

Correct,,,the 10% was off reg dining prices at resturants. Not off the Dining Plan

Okay…I thought you were talking about the plan!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I remember that I used to get the dining plan way back when you got an appetizer, entree, dessert, and I think tip was originally included too. Then they took a lot away, but it seems to me that they added alcoholic beverages, which I don't drink, so maybe that's why I stopped getting the dining plan. It seems it got too pricey for me. It'll be interesting to see the price now. Can someone please tell me for sure if some form of alcohol was added? I don't see it now.

 

[AvidDisReader]

I remember that I used to get the dining plan way back when you got an appetizer, entree, dessert, and I think tip was originally included too. Then they took a lot away, but it seems to me that they added alcoholic beverages, which I don't drink, so maybe that's why I stopped getting the dining plan. It seems it got too pricey for me. It'll be interesting to see the price now. Can someone please tell me for sure if some form of alcohol was added? I don't see it now.

Yes, I remember when the tip was included. Went to a table service and of course the first thing the server asked was if we were on the dining plan. Once we said yes, we received our initial drinks and never saw the server again--he totally ignored us since he knew his tip was guaranteed. I was actually happy when they did away with the tip part.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I guess we are on our way to 10 pages of discussing the good old days when Free was never Free . At least that’s the way I remembered it.

 

[Nursemanit]

Gotta have a guess the price of the dining plan thread ….

 

[RoseGold]

That and it limits what they could put on the menu - hard to have $28 items and $38 dollar items. So we may lose some interesting items in non signature dining. I think for 2 credits you can still offer $65 items like they have now.

Meh, they can fix that with a surcharge on the dining plan. Seems obvious.

 

[badeacon]

DVC discount was 10%, the Dining Plan worked for us 1/2 the time. I would work out where we were eating and average out. If it was close we would get the plan for ease. If not then dine anywhere. I will say, with the plan it was less stressful as I did not worry if my kids wanted anything,,order what you want.
Now if TiW comes back that is a different story

110%agree about TIW!!! Much better than dining plan.

 

[Nursemanit]

If they price the DDP to be profitable on its own ( fee per day > expected use ) it makes sense to offer it to DVC and AP.

If they price it at a discount to expected use - then it only makes financial sense for Disney as a tool to sell room and ticket packages and prop up cash occupancy rates. So offering to DVC would not be profitable.

Basically, if it is offered to DVC it may not be worth it to DVC members. I know some say it is a convenience. I could understand that thinking back when the tip was included as sort of a leave your wallet at home all-inclusive cruse ship like experience. But I don't get the convenience of having to look for icons on the menu, find and ADR participating restaurants and restrict yourself from offsite or in-room delivery options. I have weird eating patterns at Disney paradoxically I tend to not eat as much on vacation. I hate crowded restaurants so I tend to grab Epcot festival offerings during off hours in kind of a round-the-world tapas thing more than sit-down meals. DDP would not work for me other than resort days.

 

[Sandisw]

If they price the DDP to be profitable on its own ( fee per day > expected use ) it makes sense to offer it to DVC and AP.

If they price it at a discount to expected use - then it only makes financial sense for Disney as a tool to sell room and ticket packages and prop up cash occupancy rates. So offering to DVC would not be profitable.

Basically, if it is offered to DVC it may not be worth it to DVC members. I know some say it is a convenience. I could understand that thinking back when the tip was included as sort of a leave your wallet at home all-inclusive cruse ship like experience. But I don't get the convenience of having to look for icons on the menu, find and ADR participating restaurants and restrict yourself from offsite or in-room delivery options. I have weird eating patterns at Disney paradoxically I tend to not eat as much on vacation. I hate crowded restaurants so I tend to grab Epcot festival offerings during off hours in kind of a round-the-world tapas thing more than sit-down meals. DDP would not work for me other than resort days.

When we would get it, it was when I was taking guests who decided it was nicer to be able to budget and plan ahead thst way.

For some of them, it did work out, especially since we were able to split some CS meals which allows us to get three meals a day

We split stay so we would get it for the first resort, to get the mug, and cover one TS meal, and not the other resort which gave us flexibility.

 

[Bmramaut]

I’m interested in the pricing. We are white card dvc members without annual passes. The math would really have to work in our favor. We previously had an annual pass and utilized discounted gift cards to really get our moneys worth while eating in Disney. We love trying new restaurants and eat out for essentially every meal at Disney.

 

[nlenguyen]

From the DVC website it says that we can call member services, so I think DVC members are able to book the dining plan

 

[Simba's Mom]

Does it say anywhere what DVC members pay, and what they get for that amount? Also, it seems that I remember getting a refillable mug as part of the dining plan. Is that no longer?

 

[FFMickey]

Does it say anywhere what DVC members pay, and what they get for that amount? Also, it seems that I remember getting a refillable mug as part of the dining plan. Is that no longer?

Unless I missed it, they haven’t announced pricing yet. Looks like only the QS dining plan and the DDP are coming back. Not the DDP+ or deluxe DDP. Apparently you still get the refillable mug, but only 1 snack per day.

 

[Sandisw]

Does it say anywhere what DVC members pay, and what they get for that amount? Also, it seems that I remember getting a refillable mug as part of the dining plan. Is that no longer?

Still waiting on pricing for everyone. DVC always paid the same as cash guests....refillable mug still part of both plans, but they have reduced them to only one snack per day and not two....it was borderline worth it before so not sure how it will work out for us.

As I have mentioned, because we split stay, it can work because of the value of the mug alone when we only have to do it for half of the stay and have the mug for the entire trip!

 

[Nursemanit]

If I recall refill mugs are $20 for the week

I did some numbers using the online menus ordering within the DDP and I get a break even of $70 a day

The thing that gets me is I don’t order dessert and would prefer the old plans where you had appetizers available. Or an appetizers or dessert option. I would really be ok with the meal choices but I would be surprised if it was less than 70 a day.

 

[Sandisw]

If I recall refill mugs are $20 for the week

I did some numbers using the online menus ordering within the DDP and I get a break even of $70 a day

The thing that gets me is I don’t order dessert and would prefer the old plans where you had appetizers available. Or an appetizers or dessert option. I would really be ok with the meal choices but I would be surprised if it was less than 70 a day.

They were $21.99 plus tax in March for the mug.

 

[nlenguyen]

I think that the plan going down to 1 credit is about a loss of $5-7. So if they raise it, you would have to order the most expensive item on the menu to really break even correct?

 

[Sandisw]

I think that the plan going down to 1 credit is about a loss of $5-7. So if they raise it, you would have to order the most expensive item on the menu to really break even correct?

I also noticed that it talks about savings for Ages 3 to 9…so that seems interesting.