Dining Plan has ruined everything!!!!!

[yitbos96bb]

This is my first post here but I am a daily reader...I have been a passholder from New Jersey for Year and years and go down to my beloved disney 7 times per year. It is official for me ...the dining plan has ruined many of the the restaurants that I frequent. I just got back yesterday and am convinced that even my beloved places: Flying Fish, Citroccos, Coral Reef, Jikos and the Kona Cafe have all gone down hill. I have been to all of these places four seperate times since February and the quality of the fish, meats , breads and others has been greatly reduced. I don't use the dining plan and I do not mind paying the prices for the better restaurants as long as it is worth it!! It is no longer worth it!!! I am so disgusted at this point since I have visited disney four times since february that I am changing my plans for next month to go elsewhere . I realize I am in the minority here and most people go once per year but it seems the only quality restaurant left is victoria and Alberts and the California Grill. The quality of fish and types of offerings at my beloved Flying Fish has gone down to a "c" in my book. The menu no longer offers daily specials and like I said the last few times have not been good.
I also would like to comment on Disney's new hiring practices. I feel like I am in Universal Studios!!!! The people they have been forced to hire for one reason or another lack the Disney flair we have always been used to . I have come in contact with people who looked drunk or high (MGM Prking Person taking the money at the Kiosk this past week ) I have experienced rudeness like I have never seen at Disney at various places. I have had CM's who are anything but articulate or friendly like I have been used to all of the years I have come to the resort. What the hell is going on ???? What happend to quality ???? I am disgusted.
I have been going to Disney for every vacation , my honeymoon etc. etc. like most people on this board... my last kid was conceived there Xmas eve... you get that I am an Addict for disney....
Half the stuff in MGM is closed .... as is much in Epcot now.... I am booking a cruise next month!!!! My husband and I were to go down alone in August but forget it now... I was down there last week for a basketball tourney, then in June with my other son , Easter with my daughter and Valentines myself. I have been to Anaheim as well as Paris Disney. I love Disney but I am sick of all the cutbacks and the lack of quality and the lousy CM's they have been pressured into hiring that do not get the Disney Frame of mind and do not exhibit what I am normally used to from the CM's.
Sorry so long of a post but I am really upset.... I know only a select few may realize what I see but they better get it together!!!!!

I hate to say it, but its NOT the Dining Plan... This quality of Disney restaurants has been on the decline over the last 10 years... I remember in the 90's menus that were much larger and varied from TS to TS than now... Spoodles, a former favorite, is a fraction of the menu it had 10 years ago. The creativity is gone from most TS and instead everything has been hogenized across the world. Its disappointing I agree.

As for service, THAT i might give you is the fault of the dining plan. Knowing that they were getting a tip already and that many do NOT tip above the included, they don't care... there money is safe. Under the new proposed changes if Tips are removed, I would expect to see an increase in service.

 

[luckytobeme88]

I only have one thing to say to all the people who was wrong by WDW/DDP: IF YOU DON"T LIKE IT ANYMORE, STOP GOING THERE LIKE A MILLION TIMES A YEAR. YOU ARE MAKING YOURSELVES SICKED AND BORED BY GOING TOO MUCH.

 

[ehrn]

Just stopping trips to WDW doesn't address the issue--people who are willing to spend their time and money on a vacation deserve to have a say when they aren't satisfied customers. Customer service is TANKING in every industry, it's a horror! I worked in retail and was indoctrinated with good customer service principles which I carry over in almost every area of my life today--and I expect to be treated with the same, it just rarely happens! WDW has set many of those high standards and should fight the good fight to keep up the quality. And by continuing to patronize WDW we reinforce how important it is, esp. when we are willing to give constructive criticism. We can't let the negative, greedy, soul-less forces win!!!!! must retain Disney magic, lol!!!!!!!

 

[Sammie]

while venting here probably makes you feel better, it accomplishes nothing about getting things changed.

Complain, complain, complain to Disney. Only then will things change. As long as a majority of the guests are happy with things the way they are, it will not get better.

I will say though in one area, Disney would love to hire the typical Disney employee but they are few and far between anymore and you can't make a purse our out of a sow's ear.

Write to them: wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just stopping trips to WDW doesn't address the issue--people who are willing to spend their time and money on a vacation deserve to have a say when they aren't satisfied customers.

Absolutely - but luckytobeme88 has it exactly right. Don't spend your money at/on/with a business to show your dissatisfaction. Money speaks MUCH louder than words!

 

[chrismb22]

Wow, original poster, "ruined everything" I really think you need to look at this post:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1536023

 

[DancingBear]

Well, then, I guess we should just shut this whole website down, and never complain about any of the petty annoyances that we face in our lives.

For that matter, we probably shouldn't be planning any trips to Disney World; rather, we should be working to eliminate suffering in the world.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I wanted to say that I am sure that all of us are very upset over the fall of that bridge and the death of innocent people in Minnesota....but this is the Restaurant Board and more specifically the DDP board and we can post how we feel about the DDP on this board.. Hopefully Disney is reading how people feel about the expected changes and how they feel the plan has changed dining at WDW. I would definitely follow up with a letter to Disney about how I feel as well, but it is good to vent sometimes and I believe that is what the OP was doing.

By the way, let me welcome you the Dis as I did notice this was your first post and hopefully you will post many others... Now before this thread takes the turn to the dark side, I am locking it. I think we need to all do some deep breathing here and realize that we all have the right to our opinions. The OP was stating hers, others followed in suit, and I think that just about says it all. Please do write Disney with your thoughts on how you think WDW is changing..