Dining plan speculation that I have heard for 2008~

[Pumbaa_]

why would anyone take out their upset against circumstance or against Disney on the server!?!? Are there really many people so quick and willing to be so unfair to someone working hard to make ends meet?

Sorry bicker, the answer to that is yes there are. Just recall ANY of the past tipping threads and how many people have said just because they could not afford the tip does not mean they should not go out for a nice dinner.

Or the foreign visitor that does not understand the US tipping protocol.

Or any of the other posts that have come by in the past.

Can't wait for the official release from Disney to its direct customers. Will be nice for the speculation to end.

 

[Lewisc]

A party of 6 or more will get a bill for an 18% service fee. Walking out on that check is the same as walking out on any other check. My guess is Disney will assume you forget to sign the check and will just add it to your room charge.

ok someone clarfy for me,next year if we do ddp dont get and app.when wait staff then comes with bill there will be a slip for the tip 18% as stated in lot of posts.
Whats to stop me from just getting up and not paying?Where dos it state i have to tip?If you have to tip this says to me its part of the price so why wasnt it inclueded?
Think this will happen a lot as people will pay for ddp and assume everthing is inclueded.Me i will tip accordind to service not what is presented to me on a slip as i would find this insulting if not begging
Paul

 

[Lewisc]

Certainly we're not entitled to an explanation BUT if a company choses to provide an explanation we're entitled to something that resembles the truth.

I think that's unfair. These people aren't elected officials. They're explaining their changes in the most appropriate manner possible given the circumstances. Keep in mind that often, if you don't like the answer, the problem might have been either with the question, or with asking the question. We, as customers, aren't entitled to any answers to the question, "Why?" yet often it seems that many customers feel entitled to such answers.

 

[RiversideGal]

RiversideGal, did the CM give you info on the price of the "deluxe" package? Is tax included on the basic and deluxe?

Nope...no talk of rates were mentioned at all. Although the CM did say that the revamped Basic Plan would be costing less, and emphasized the 40 percent savings a coupla times.... and as far as I can remember she said no tips included on deluxe ( the 3 TS plus 2 snacks) or basic plan, but would be part of the plan that included dining and recreation.....

Someone asked in an earlier post when package rates came out for 2007, and upon checking, I see that was August 6 of last year....maybe we are getting closer to knowing our Disney fate perhaps???

 

[Cruiser1969]

Just posted a thread about this . . . I probably should have just put it here first . . .

http://www.allearsnet.com/blogs/debwills/2007/07/2008_dining_plan_changes_1.html

 

[klj27]

Just posted a thread about this . . . I probably should have just put it here first . . .

http://www.allearsnet.com/blogs/debwills/2007/07/2008_dining_plan_changes_1.html

Thanks for posting. We are going to have to rethink the plan for next year. I don't care too much about the appetizer but I am very disappointed about the tip. I like having everything prepaid and they didn't lower the price enough to make this a deal.

 

[global_mom]

Thank you for posting the Allears site! If this does come to be, we are going to try the Deluxe Dining Plan for our Jan. trip. We really love TS meals and we would utilize the credits for the dinner shows, signature dining etc. By my calculations, our family of 5 could still save over $100 per day. However, it sure sounds like alot of food! We will have to come home and go straight to a family Weight Watchers meeting!!

 

[Colleen27]

Thank you for posting the Allears site! If this does come to be, we are going to try the Deluxe Dining Plan for our Jan. trip. We really love TS meals and we would utilize the credits for the dinner shows, signature dining etc. By my calculations, our family of 5 could still save over $100 per day. However, it sure sounds like alot of food! We will have to come home and go straight to a family Weight Watchers meeting!!

I knew I wouldn't be the only one who liked the look of that plan! If it is officially announced with the same info & pricing that Allears has, I'd be sorely tempted to push our Dec trip back a month, to try the new plan... Hmmm... Food or Christmas lights. Tough choice! At the very least, it'll be a nice consolation if FIL does book his Grand Gathering for dates that would force us to push our family trip back.

 

[mickey2000]

Rumor 2008 Gone will be the appetizer from the Table Service meal.

Imagine this in 2008
Place Ma ma Melrose on DDP

"May I have bread and butter with my meal"
Sorry we no longer serve bread and butter howerver you can get it
as an appetizer! Your on the DDP plan ?
"Yes"
Sorry you no longer get an appetizer ! You will have to pay for it out of pocket

 

[bicker]

Can't wait for the official release from Disney to its direct customers. Will be nice for the speculation to end.

Come, come now; you know that that won't end the speculation. It will just prompt speculation about other stuff (maybe "will service suffer" -- that's a popular one whenever there is a change; how about "how long until they change it back" -- that has been a favorite recently; then there will be all the financial speculation: "they are definitely going to lose money on that decision" and "Disney's managers are idiots").

 

[bicker]

Certainly we're not entitled to an explanation BUT if a company choses to provide an explanation we're entitled to something that resembles the truth.

They must be polite. That precludes just telling you to shove off when you ask an impertinent question. Therefore, they have to say something, and using the opportunity to present happy-happy rhetoric is perfectly appropriate.

I know you want to "trick" them into saying something which would end up revealing more of their internal operations than they care to. That's just not a reasonable expectation, Lewis.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

2008 will see the introduction of the Magic Your Way Plus DELUXE Dining Plan. This plan will include: 3 meals a day - your choice of table service or counter service; 2 snacks per day per person; a Resort Refillable Mug for each person on the reservation. Signature restaurants will still count as 2 Table Service meals, but now with the additional table service meals, dinner shows and signature restaurants may be more doable. Price will be $69.99 for those 10 and older and $19.99 for those 3-9.

I hope this is true. I'm looking forward to more details. It sounds like it's possible to have a TS breakfast/ brunch, 2 snacks, & a Signature dinner daily with this plan. That would be an ideal plan for my family. Let's hope it's as good as it sounds.

Hopefully, this plan will include an appetizer, at least for Signature restaurants. My family is obviously one of the rare families who orders appetizers & desserts with dinner. We'd rather have 3 smaller courses than one huge entree. Odds are appys will be an OOP expensive, even with this plan though.

 

[tfiga]

Just wondering how it will work with places like O'Hana's and WCC? Since the meal comes with apps. I am assuming that there will be no changes for these places...What do you all think?

 

[global_mom]

Hopefully, this plan will include an appetizer, at least for Signature restaurants. My family is obviously one of the rare families who orders appetizers & desserts with dinner. We'd rather have 3 smaller courses than one huge entree. Odds are appys will be an OOP expensive, even with this plan though.

The Allears write-up does not mention the app and tip on this Deluxe plan. Does anyone have speculation if it is still included with this DDP version? Wishful thinking on my part? We are also a family who likes the appetizers. The kids meals are usually semi-icky and my 2 DDs usually eat our apps instead. They are 7 and 9 and really need a "Junior Dining Plan" as opposed to an adult or kids plan. More wishful thinking!

 

[disneyjunkie]

Just wondering how it will work with places like O'Hana's and WCC? Since the meal comes with apps. I am assuming that there will be no changes for these places...What do you all think?

I don't think we'll see any changes with those meals.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think you missed the point (though, I cannot imagine how you did so). In those cases, it was the server advocating folks over-order, perhaps to boost the server's gratuity. Yet Disney's management could very readily have reliable information indicating that guests didn't care for some food, or more properly, didn't value having so much food, as part of the offering.

More likely the information Disney people have and are using here is that the people who say the DDP has too much food included are the ones who have tweens and don't feel that their 10 YO can eat so much and want the cost reduced. The people who don't value the amount of food do not want a reduced value for the same amount of money, they want a reduced price for a reduced amount of food.

 

[Nancyg56]

Sorry bicker, the answer to that is yes there are. Just recall ANY of the past tipping threads and how many people have said just because they could not afford the tip does not mean they should not go out for a nice dinner.

These past threads came to my mind as well. I think the servers will end up "paying" for this compromise becasue I keep thinking about the posters who have said that the servers will never see them again so they will not bother to leave a tip, yet will go to the most expensive restaurants because they do deserve nice meals .

This is why all of the "poor service because of the DDP" speculation may come to pass after all. If DDP guests start to have a reputation of stiffing the server, even the most professional server may feel the need to change their priority, where now it makes no sense that a DDP guest would receive less service. It is impossible to "boost" a guaranteed gratuity if you ignore the table.

 

[BCV23]

RiversideGal, thanks for the response and the actual news as well.

I like the deluxe plan. We've never been fans of QS and that was the only part of the current DDP that I didn't like.

I do wish gratuity was included.

Oh, and where are my manners? Welcome to the DIS, RiversideGal! What a way to join the community! Thanks for the news.

 

[pilferk]

I knew I wouldn't be the only one who liked the look of that plan! If it is officially announced with the same info & pricing that Allears has, I'd be sorely tempted to push our Dec trip back a month, to try the new plan... Hmmm... Food or Christmas lights. Tough choice! At the very least, it'll be a nice consolation if FIL does book his Grand Gathering for dates that would force us to push our family trip back.

I'm in the same boat.

If they allow DVC guests to use the Deluxe version, I think we may try it in Jan.

We'll still likely do a couple breakfasts in our room....but that will get us a couple of signature meals (at least one at Jiko's) which we REALLY wanted to do before, but were unable to "fit in" under the old plan. We'd considered doing them OOP, but decided against it. This would bring those back into the equation.

It IS a lot of food...and that's the one thing I'd worry about. I'm not sure we could possibly use all the benefits to realize a discount...I'm going to run numbers tonight. I just don't think we could do 3 TS a day (MAYBE 2 on some days) and still get enough "touring" time. I don't really want to spend 3+ hours of my day eating....especially breakfast because we're trying to get into the parks. But I can see a TS lunch and dinner...

 

[pilferk]

I don't think we'll see any changes with those meals.

I agree...buffet and price fixed family style meals (like Ohana's..or even the skillet at WCC) will likely remain unchanged.