Dining Plan.??????!..(for those interested in Dining Plan)

[keishashadow]

The following is the response I received from DVC Member Satisfaction Manager today as an update to my original query re the MYW Dining Plan:

"Thank you for your recent message. As I mentioned, offering the Magic Your Way Dining Plan is something that Disney Vacation Club is pursuing with our partners in Information Technology. Due to the complexity of the systems, several other steps need to occur before we are able to access the system that can book Magic Your Way Dining. Unfortunately, we do not have an approximate date as to when this will be available. I apologize for any disappointment this may cause, but you are welcome to contact us again the week prior to your trip to see if we are able to book the package. Thank you again for your message."

Not sure if I've received a 'don't call us, we'll call you' or whether I should be cautiously optimistic. Think I'll hope for the latter.

I hope that all of you who are interested in purchasing the MYW Dining Plan do contact member services before your upcoming trips to see if it becomes available (let me know).

 

[Melrosgirl]

Well if it ever does come available to members, it will be AFTER the free dining plan offer is over. (I will be writing them and letting them know how disappointed I am in not offering this to DVC members. How hard is it to change their computers to "let" us get this?)

 

[Lewisc]

Well if it ever does come available to members, it will be AFTER the free dining plan offer is over. (I will be writing them and letting them know how disappointed I am in not offering this to DVC members. How hard is it to change their computers to "let" us get this?)

The "free" program is being offered to guests who book at rack rate. It is a promotional program that's being offered as an alternative to the code discounts that were offered in past years. Some guests think last years plan of 5 for 7 was an even better deal. It is offered to motivate new bookings. Disney already has your $20,000. You really shouldn't be upset you're getting exactly what you were promised.

IF it was offered to DVC members it would NOT BE FREE. Currently MYW Dining isn't even offered to guests who're booking many of the discounted rooms such as AP and FL resident discounts.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Well if it ever does come available to members, it will be AFTER the free dining plan offer is over. (I will be writing them and letting them know how disappointed I am in not offering this to DVC members. How hard is it to change their computers to "let" us get this?)

Don't get your knickers in a twist over this "free" plan. When you are using DVC points, you are not paying full "rack rate", and that is what you have to do at the other resorts to get the "free" (remember, nothing is really free) dining plan at the other resorts. As others have said, read your contract...Perks are not guaranteed to be forever. If they were, a lot of foks would still be getting free park passes just because they happened to buy DVC in the first few years it existed. I doubt you would think that was "fair" either, since you purchased after that perk.

 

[Dean]

So, I've been saving my allowance for weeks for nothing! I'm all set to be the 1st on board for the CR Villas

Saving is never a bad thing but don't hold your breath for CR.

 

[Melrosgirl]

Diane,

Free or not it doesn't matter. Even those members who want to pay for the plan are not allowed to pay for it. Makes no sense to me. Obviously DVC agrees because supposedly they are looking into letting members pay.
Your comment about the knickers in a twist was uncalled for. This is a message board and I'm entitled to give my opinion about the dining plan being offered free or as a separate purchase. I'm not alone in my thinking on this. Others feel the same way. If you feel differently than I do, that's fine. Leave my clothing out of it.

 

[Lewisc]

Diane,

Free or not it doesn't matter. Even those members who want to pay for the plan are not allowed to pay for it. Makes no sense to me. Obviously DVC agrees because supposedly they are looking into letting members pay.
Your comment about the knickers in a twist was uncalled for. This is a message board and I'm entitled to give my opinion about the dining plan being offered free or as a separate purchase. I'm not alone in my thinking on this. Others feel the same way. If you feel differently than I do, that's fine. Leave my clothing out of it.

You're certainly entitled to want free dining, free tickets and even free souvenirs. You're going to be disappointed if you think you'll get any of them.

If Disney offered a promotion of $50 off the price of a hotel room would you expect DVC members to get a cash rebate when you check in? The dining promotion is really an alternative to a discount. You're already starting to see unhappy posters who are finding the number of rooms available under this promotion is limited and many resorts are already sold out.

Allowing you to purchase dining is certainly a reasonable thing to ask for, asking it for free really isn't. Disney is currently treating MYW Dining, in part, as a discount and not allowing many hotel discount guests to purchase it. FL resident discounts, AAA discounts booked through Disney and AP rate guests are also ineligible to purchase MYW Dining as are guests who chose to buy their passes separately.

 

[keishashadow]

We don't want the MYW Dining for "free" or a DVC discount, we just want to purchase it the same way other DVC members buy the DE via AP tie in...if we can purchase the MYW tix (as part of the general public), why not the dining plan?

You can take the position that the dining plan is a tie in with the rack rate rooms but, don't forget, plenty of people do pay full price. The rooms are limited in number by discounts, particularly AAA. Secondly, yes, you do have to buy a MYW park tix (minimum 1 day) but the dining plan is tied into the number of nights you're staying. May come as a surprise to you "old timers" but there are a number of DVC'ers who will only venture home once a year (perhaps for only 4 or 5 nights if they're venturing elsewhere in FL), or even less if they're banking points for future trips.

If you read some of the other threads on the board, it appears to be getting increasingly difficult to obtain PS/AR at the more popular venues - many entirely sold out during traditionally non-peak times, probably part of the fall out from the dining plan - everyone wants to get their money's worth.

One of the great attributes of the DVC is its' flexibility, don't totally discount a desired componet just because it doesn't interest you personally.

 

[tjkraz]

I'll preface my comments by saying that I really don't care one way or the other whether the dining plan is offered. Our dining habits wouldn't be particularly condusive to the dining plan as it's offered, but I would "never say never." That said:

...if we can purchase the MYW tix (as part of the general public), why not the dining plan?

The dining plan is tied to the specific number of days on a reservation. Since point stays and cash stays are managed by different computer systems, there would definitely have to be some integration.

DVC also isn't in the habit of charging members for items related to their stay. Again, more changes.

Tickets are pretty static. But it's worth noting that DVC doesn't sell tickets either. AP vouchers yes, but those only come in about 4 different varities (adult / child, AP / PAP).

I think that it's reasonable to accept DVC's comments that they are "working on it" for the following reasons:

1. It's radically different than any other offering they are used to managing.
2. By all indications, MYW dining was hatched on a pretty accellerated timeline.
3. The dining program has only been around for about 5 months now. It's not like people have been bugging DVC for this for 2 years.

It would have been very easy for them to respond that they were "evaluating their options" or some similar open-ended non-guarantee. If they claim to be working on it, I'm not sure what else needs to be done unless you're convinced that they are just flat-out lying.

You can take the position that the dining plan is a tie in with the rack rate rooms but, don't forget, plenty of people do pay full price. The rooms are limited in number by discounts, particularly AAA. Secondly, yes, you do have to buy a MYW park tix (minimum 1 day) but the dining plan is tied into the number of nights you're staying. May come as a surprise to you "old timers" but there are a number of DVC'ers who will only venture home once a year (perhaps for only 4 or 5 nights if they're venturing elsewhere in FL), or even less if they're banking points for future trips.

Part of what needs to be considered here is the fact that under the current program guests are required to pay hundreds for a cash room and park tickets. While they set the fee at $35 per night, I'm sure there was some consideration given to the combined revenue generated by a single reservation in those other two areas.

DVC members have already paid for their rooms. Will they have to buy park tickets to get the MYW dining? Will they offer the dining as a stand-alone product but at a slightly higher price?

I think both of these would be reasonable approaches to take from Disney's standpoint, and I'm sure part of the delay includes giving it due consideration.

If you read some of the other threads on the board, it appears to be getting increasingly difficult to obtain PS/AR at the more popular venues - many entirely sold out during traditionally non-peak times, probably part of the fall out from the dining plan - everyone wants to get their money's worth.

But the MYW people are subject to the same 90-day (or other) booking window as any other Disney guest. I don't see where MYW / non-MYW really has any bearing on the ability to get AR (gonna take a while to get used to THAT acronym )

One of the great attributes of the DVC is its' flexibility, don't totally discount a desired componet just because it doesn't interest you personally.

Honestly I think that every member has a right to voice some opinion on this matter. Realistically if DVC does end up offering MYW dining, every single one of us will be paying some cost for it. Remember our dues cover the operating expenses of DVC. And we will certainly be paying 100% of the operating costs of MYW dining as it applies to members, regardless of however many decide to use it.

Those costs will certainly include any start-up / computer integration costs, marketing costs (getting people aware of the offering), staffing, training, phone calls, mailings, etc.

Like I said I have no vested interest in this one way or another. But I think that we all should feel more comfortable knowing that DVC doesn't wrecklessly spend our money on programs that are of no interest to members. If only 10% of the DVC population were interested in MYW dining, I don't think there should be a single penny spent on it. But if that number is closer to 50%, obviously it's of great interest and would be a worthwile investment.

 

[Dean]

IThe dining plan is tied to the specific number of days on a reservation. Since point stays and cash stays are managed by different computer systems, there would definitely have to be some integration.

DVC also isn't in the habit of charging members for items related to their stay. Again, more changes.

Tickets are pretty static. But it's worth noting that DVC doesn't sell tickets either. AP vouchers yes, but those only come in about 4 different varities (adult / child, AP / PAP).

I think that it's reasonable to accept DVC's comments that they are "working on it" for the following reasons:

1. It's radically different than any other offering they are used to managing.
2. By all indications, MYW dining was hatched on a pretty accellerated timeline.
3. The dining program has only been around for about 5 months now. It's not like people have been bugging DVC for this for 2 years.

tjkraz,a couple of slight variations. DVC has had experience in the past of charging foot similar things. Besides the LOS passes, the FnF card was also limited to every person for the LOS though I know it's been a few years. The FnF was essentially the same set up and it also changed by the month it seemed. Personally I hope it happens because it's good to have choices. And like the FnF, I might take advantage for SHORT sstays given the right circumstances.

Sometimes I think people confuse that one can think something won't happen with the hope that it does. They assume if someone thinks some won't happen that they don't want it to. The people on this board are a very optimistic lot overall, sometimes unrealistically so. Whether that applies in this case, we'll see.

 

[NMW]

Lots of people who go to Disney pay rack rates for their rooms. We always did. We didn't want to spend the time/effort on "codes" and that kind of stuff. That's just us. We don't do garage sales or Ebay either! In fact most people we know who go to WDW, with the exception of our DVC friends, call WDWTC/CRO and book a vacation or use another travel agency. We have talked to so many families from sports/our kids school, who have trips planned for summer and they are all using the MYW dinning plan. So it's not like they are making a sacrifice getting the dining plan-they were going to pay rack rates anyway.

At one of my son's games 4 mothers were discussing their PS's/AR's and their Fantasmic dining plan choices! I have to admit the fact that we can't get the plan bums me out a little. I know we could make the plan so "worth it" for our family with the choices we'd make.

Oh well, at least we can get the DDE card. We do drink beer and mixed drinks, so it may be better for us, we shall see.

 

[keishashadow]

The MYW dining plan could be tied into the length of stay @ DVC resorts via a separate purchase price per day or could be an add on option to the MYW tix (only problem there would be on no expiration tix). Personally, I purchase the maximum I can afford & save them for future visits as I've done with PH'ers - one component I don't have to budget for the next time.

I assume that most DVC'ers purchase some sort of tix each year if they visit the parks (FL disc, AP, PAP, or MYW). What's the difference if they add on a dining plan. Yes, it would be subsidized by the members. Which applies to the current discounts on the AP's & specially ticketed events (Mickey's Halloween & Xmas), all part of maintenance fees built into the cost of purchasing each year.

The MYW Dining option is allowing people who could only afford to eat @ counter serve to experience the sit down establishments. Many posts are complaining about the lack of space at their popular favorites. Be prepared to book @ the 90 day mark & hope for the best. Several weeks ago, the LTT was sold out already during several nights of the Mickey Christmas event. CM indicated they didn't recall this happening so early in the past.

The MYW tix & dining by all accounts has been a huge money maker for WDW. This could be the spark needed to bring in more buyers & sell out SSR - bring on CRV!