Dining plan speculation that I have heard for 2008~

[Lewisc]

Several DIS have reported that restaurants hold back tables for last minute ADRs for concierge guests.

More then one DME bus driver said GF is supposed to be the first (or second after POLY) stop BUT many drivers ignore that rule and drop off passengers based on a logical grouping.

Some of the other points are DIS legends. In my experience, a club level CM has no better shot at getting you a dinner reservation than the same hotel's desk concierge. They absolutely can not get you in a restaurant that is booked solid. Now perhaps there is a backdoor way to do it for a big star or politico but for the average Joe, you're out of luck.

My daughter and I took ME to the GF and we were the last stop. We stopped at the CR, Polynesian first and although I may be confusing it with another trip I think we also stopped at one of the resorts off Bonnet Creek. At any rate, she and I were the last two off that bus. Another trip we stopped at FQ, POR, CR before again being the last off the bus at the Polynesian. I'm certain we were paying more than those at POR/FQ.

 

[BCV23]

Several DIS have reported that restaurants hold back tables for last minute ADRs for concierge guests.

More then one DME bus driver said GF is supposed to be the first (or second after POLY) stop BUT many drivers ignore that rule and drop off passengers based on a logical grouping.

I haven't read any posts from an actual DME driver stating that policy but believe you. But if it's a policy that is ignored anyway....

Have you read a post from a club level CM that states that? I haven't. I have read posts from guests who think that it has happened to them but I remain unconvinced. The club level concierges we've dealt with just look at the screen and grab a reservation if it's there in the same manner that the front desk concierge does. We did have one CM in RPC call down to the GF Cafe to see if there was availability but he put it like that to the CM at the Cafe....not as "can you please squeeze these guests in" but rather is there a reservation available for 12:30 or whatever.

I have seen those folks that think otherwise but fear others will be misled into thinking that if they book a club level room, they will magically be able to get a CRT or Chef's Table reservation at the last minute.

 

[global_mom]

How does that work for American Travel Agents can they do the same thing?

No.

 

[Nancyg56]

Nancy, if WDW promised an appetizer and the server says "that comes with chicken soup or house salad," I wouldn't want to be that server. If somehow it could be clearly communicated upfront as Lewis suggested, that would be different. But it would take a huge change in how WDW has advertised their plans IMO.

I thought that you said that offering a soup or salad for the appetizer would be confusing, I sure would not accept that it was the only offering if it was not disclosed in the plan. Any change that minimizes what is allowed on the plan will need to be clearly advertised. The plan the way it stands is very popular so there would be a chaos when diners tried to order what they got the last time and found chicken soup as their appetizer when they were hungry for shrimp cocktail

 

[digman6]

I have to tell you as someone in the food industry for many many years. Its all about the actual person who serves you. You can be in conceierge and get a snooty person who is not helpful or friendly OR you can get same level and someone who goes above and BEYOND what they have to.

Dinner you can get someone who totally enjoys the atmosphere and "gets into it" as we here all do OR someone who is not liking there job anymore.

One person at V&A may have a experience to die for and the next person may say not worth it .

It boils down to individual expectations and those who you happen to deal with at a meal, a resort level, anything.

maybe the higher up big wigs have a protacal they make others follow but I bet they most likely are thinking~ they put there pants on one leg at time as I do. If I have to pay extra for someone to be pleseant then you know what the world is more messed up then I thought.

I would hope they drop of in what is most time effiecent. I think it makes sense to go in the time saving order so if the ME drivers are using there heads that way GOOD.

 

[AnninIowa]

Why don't the Disney owned restaurants just lower prices and not worry about a dining plan at all?

 

[bicker]

Well, I would think it would be all in or all out rather than half in and half out: Either leave prices as they are and NOT participate in the Dining Plan, or lower prices AND participate in the Dining Plan. Lowering prices and not participating in the Dining Plan delivers them the worst of both worlds.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

So many things have changed since the beginning of Disney World and I am sure that there will be many other changes in the future.

Some we will like, some we will not. Some people will like some things and not others and the reverse.

Whether things change and how they change is something we have yet to see.

When we do we can each make a decision as to whether it is right for us or not.

Disney is not likely to make any changes (or at least keep them) if the majority of us do not like the program.

Appears as if there will be a whole lot of changes coming next year though. I will wait and see what is actual and factual and what is not and determine my plan from there.

Slightly Goofy but not entirely dumb

 

[BCV23]

Any change that minimizes what is allowed on the plan will need to be clearly advertised. The plan the way it stands is very popular so there would be a chaos when diners tried to order what they got the last time and found chicken soup as their appetizer when they were hungry for shrimp cocktail

I agree, Nancy.

Well said, Slightly Goofy. :

 

[kristenrice]

We did the "Gold Plan" on our honeymoon and I cannot believe that people can eat 3 TS meals in one day! Holy cow that is a lot of food! We tried it for the first 3 days but it was too much. We still ate three meals a day, but we cut back and used a few CS meals too. We were there in September so the park hours were short and we had about 6 hours in between meals. By dinner, we were in pain! Three TS meals a day was just too much food. My DH thought he was a big eater (he is an avid weightlifter and downs about 4500 calories a day) and Disney food did him in! Why can't they have an "unlimited" meals plan that just allows you to pay a "per adult/per day" (or per child) price for your food and non-alcoholic beverages? I choose to do the DDP because of the pre-paid convenience. We do mostly buffets because our youngest DD is still under 3 so she can eat for free. The DDP is still a money saver for us even if we ONLY do buffets for our TS credits. The TS meals with an app/entree/dessert is a lot of food, but I feel compelled to order it all because it is included in my $37.99/day. If Disney just said, "Here's your key. Your food and drinks are included for $99.99/day" I might not even eat as much at the TS restaurants! I might eat more snacks and munch more frequently, but I might not actually sit down for a meal.

I'm an idiot when it comes to business and marketing stuff so I'm sure there are a million reasons why this would be a very bad business decision on Disney's part. I just love the convenience of everything being pre-paid with no credits to keep track of. I am a sucker for an all-inclusive plan! I did the Gold Plan before (loved it) but now I have 2 kids (3 if you count DH) and so we won't have time to golf, parasail, fish, etc. so the recreational offerings aren't worth adding. In addition, our kids haven't seen the World yet. Maybe in 10 years once they've seen everything (yeah, that's possible ) we'll consider it again.

 

[GusT]

Instead of getting rid of the starters, why don't they do away with dessert for counter service meals? Who needs two desserts a day anyway?

My DH for one. He always needs "a little something sweet" after each meal.

 

[GusT]

Would hate to see the appetizers taken away, we love to try all sort of things that we would not normally order.

I agree, we love trying all kinds of new foods!!

 

[lonegungirl]

Actually I'm kind of surprised that most people seem to be focusing on the wine/appetizer issues, and are ok with the tip/taxes part. For me, that's the real annoyance, since I considered the convenience of pre-paying all the dining a big asset, and probably worth it even if you only broke even, money-wise, on the food.

Now, not only will you still have to pull out your money and calculate out the tip each meal, not only do you lose the exact knowledge of what each meal on the plan will cost you, but you even have the indignity of knowing that you actually had to pay twice for each meal--once before, for the plan, and once at the time of the meal, for the tip/taxes. Feh.

 

[bicker]

Just a thought, this morning (since we're currently planning our February cruise).... the cruise lines don't include the gratuity in the cost of dining included in the cruise fare, and taxes aren't necessarily included in the published price either. That is pretty-much parallel to what we're hearing in terms of the 2008 Dining Plan.

 

[global_mom]

Well at least we dont have long to wait until the new plans come out. Then we can all decide if they will work for us and end the speculation. Here's hoping that the new plans are "user friendly"!!

 

[bicker]

Rest assured that you can get user-friendliness anytime you want by whipping out the MasterCard! The Dining Plan will inevitably be more complicated than that.

 

[patsal]

Just a thought, this morning (since we're currently planning our February cruise).... the cruise lines don't include the gratuity in the cost of dining included in the cruise fare, and taxes aren't necessarily included in the published price either. That is pretty-much parallel to what we're hearing in terms of the 2008 Dining Plan.

Yes, but look at the recommended tipping amounts for the length of cruise, they are still less than I would be paying if I tipped 20% on each TS meal.

 

[bicker]

That's only because the people who you're paying are from cultures where those pittance amounts are relative fortunes. There have been a lot of discussions about what the "real" cost of service would be, if both American and foreign cruise lines serving American guests had to pay American wages to American workers. You can be sure that it would be more than what those providing that service now are getting!!! And yet (and this was my point) the pricing could, and I believe likely would, still be "cruise fare plus gratuities" rather than a single blanket amount, as is the case with the 2007 Dining Plan.

 

[Lewisc]

Disney said the (2005) Dining Plan was a response to guests who requested a cruise type of dining experience at WDW. I don't have the link but it from one of Disney's press releases.

Just a thought, this morning (since we're currently planning our February cruise).... the cruise lines don't include the gratuity in the cost of dining included in the cruise fare, and taxes aren't necessarily included in the published price either. That is pretty-much parallel to what we're hearing in terms of the 2008 Dining Plan.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

Why don't the Disney owned restaurants just lower prices and not worry about a dining plan at all?

Because the dining plan is tied to a stay at a disney resort. If you actually save money using the dining plan one could consider it a (costly) benefit of a resort stay. Lowering the prices across the board would benefit all disney park guests and there would be one less reason to consider staying at a disney resort.