Dining plan when staying on points?

[BCKatie02]

Just wondering if there has been any talk of allowing those staying on DVC points to add the dining plan...anyone know?

Thanks!

 

[vascubaguy]

I remember reading a few posts on this subject. I believe the concensus was that there have been quite a few complaints from DVC members that want the dining option and I believe it has been suggested that it "may" an option in the future, but nothing definate. I'm definately not counting on it anytime soon.

If you do a search in the DVC threads you can probably find these discussions.

 

[JimMIA]

There have been a number of inquiries from DVC members who would like the option of the Dining Plan. The response has been that they are "working on it" but that computer system incompatibilities are holding them back.

I wouldn't hold my breath, and a lot of people think the AP discount and then a DDE card is really a more practical idea anyway. Not for everybody, certainly, but for a lot of folks.

 

[gmboy95]

They do have that plan now where annual apss holders can get the "dining experience cards" that give 20% off on meals and drinks....couple that with the DVC discount on the annual pass, and it is a pretty good deal

 

[Danthesand]

For those who have run the numbers, the annual pass "backdoor" path to the 20% discount is not a full financial substitute for the full, regular dining plan (especially for those -- like me -- who don't visit more than once annually).

That's why many of us are still asking DVC to give us access to the plan. Frankly, the ongoing "excuse" about "system issues" holding that up is just that -- an excuse. Disney's CRM staff must have done some modelling that suggested that net income per DVC member household is already too "low" to deal with expense impact of the full dining plan.

 

[JimMIA]

For those who have run the numbers, the annual pass "backdoor" path to the 20% discount is not a full financial substitute for the full, regular dining plan (especially for those -- like me -- who don't visit more than once annually).

I agree.

The dining plan would work well for some folks, the DDE would work better for others...and for those who don't want to pay for either, there is always the standard DVC 10% discount (more in a few places).

Although the DDE card would probably work best for us, I would like to see them offer the dining plan to DVC members and give everyone a choice. Seems to me the more discount options Disney offers, the more they pull people into their food outlets rather than having them go off-site...and that's really what all of these discounts are about.

 

[Cricket2]

Isn't the DDE breakeven point @ $250?

 

[dizplanner]

Isn't the DDE breakeven point @ $250?

Yes, assuming you were going to get an AP anyway. If not, you need to add the cost delta between the tickets you were going to get and the AP to the $50 and then divide by .2.

For example, say 6 day tickets are all you need and you are getting the park hopper. Cost with advance purchase - $236. Cost of AP with DVC discount - $314. Delta - $78 + $50 for DDE = $128. Breakeven point is now $640. Many families will still exceed this number, but remember, many counter service places are not on DDE so not all food costs count toward the $640. While it still might save families money, it is no longer a slam dunk decision. And if you subtract off the 10% discounts you would have gotten just for being a DVC member, the breakeven point is even higher, depending on when and where you eat.

 

[Chuck S]

I really can't complain about the MYW plan not being available to DVC members, since it also is not available to AP holders, FL residents, or anyone else staying in a discounted room.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Isn't the DDE breakeven point @ $250?

The DDE card costs $50 and gives you a 20% discount for up to 10 people per meal and includes drinks. We figure we will easily have made back the cost in one meal for the 5 of us at Artist Point. Since we usually do Disney about 25 plus days a year, the DDE card is the way to go for us. Our usualy eating habits include one sit-down nice restaurant a day plus breakfast and sometimes a snack in the villa with an occational full meal in the villa. We figure the 20% off with the DDE card basically pays the tip. Kind of nice, since we don't really have to figure out tips anymore!

 

[dizplanner]

I hope they will add the dining plan next year (I definately don't think they will this year), but I doubt if it will happen. Reasons -
1. Cost - they aren't getting rooms for rack rate, so they will have less money offsetting the cost of the dining plan.
2. The popularity of the dining plan in the resorts - people are buying it and the restuarants are full. No need to offer it to more people.
3. Computer system issues - despite what people think, it does take time to make system changes. It is more than just changing the code - it has to be approved, designed, changes made, tested and tested again, people trained, etc. Making changes to an existing major system is not a minor undertaking and changes tend to be batched up until they have enough to make it worth the effort.

Personally, I won't be surprised if they raise the cost of the dining plan next year for everyone. $40pp??? And if they do offer it to DVC, it will be a higher cost option. $45pp??? At what price is it still worth it?

 

[dianeschlicht]

I guess I don't think the dining plan would be of any interest to us anyway. We never eat at the counter service places except for Flame Tree. I'd rather have the discounts at my favorite places, and those are mostly covered by DDE.

 

[JimMIA]

And if you subtract off the 10% discounts you would have gotten just for being a DVC member, the breakeven point is even higher, depending on when and where you eat.

Yeah, I agree you have to include that deduction in order to get an accurate break-even. And that makes it a tough calculation, because the discounts are apples and oranges to begin with.

I guess the formula would be: 10% off your food + 20% off alcoholic beverages - the $50 cost of the card. If that's a positive, you did better than break even. But I don't think that is hard to do at Disney if you eat in the nicer restaurants on-site a few times, even if you don't drink.

For us, it's a no-brainer...I can get my money back just on beer. Just to save money, of course.

 

[kathleena]

The call I got back after I wrote a dining plan letter to MS said it was "system differences" that kept them from offering it (again, I'm just tired of the excuse, it's time to sync the systems up) and that they hoped to have it available "later this year" for DVC members.

I think we would take advantage of it - as long as we didn't have to buy MYW passes for everyone in the room along with it. I would definately take it on any stay in a studio. We always eat out and it would be well used! For the 1br and 2br stays - it would depend on if it was just me and DH (yes we would take it) or if we had more family (maybe take it especially if it was 2 adults and 2 kids on the trip).

 

[keishashadow]

Glad to hear others are questioning MS re MYW dining...I do hope it's offered before year end.

Currently, resort guests are required to purchase a minimum of 1 day MYW tix, and can add dining plan for their entire length of stay.

Personally, I'd welcome the chance to buy the dining plan tied into MYW tix. I can't get the numbers to work for an AP or PAP since we don't just "do" WDW when we're in Florida.

It will be interesting to see how they work out the details when (not if) it's finally announced. I had hoped to see it in the newsletter this month .

 

[Chuck S]

OK, while changing the entire computer system to accomodate DVC adding the dining plan may be "optimal" for bookkeeping, lets not forget that resort computers are already capable of encoding the plan onto the room cards, they do it for packages.

Now, let us suppose that, yes, only WDW travel currently has the "switch" built into their program. If they really were in a hurry to offer this to DVC it would be a fairly simple matter to add a free standing program at the resort level to allow all resorts to add this option at check-in...all they would need to do is add a code to your room key, just like they do for discounted DVC admission to PI. The resort would have to track the number of "credits" sold and pay Disney Dining the agreed price, again, a simple program.

I still say, they are using the MYW dining program as an incentive to purchase full price rooms. That is why it is not available at check-in for DVC, AP and FL residents. Another option would be to increase the price of the plan if it is added at check-in...but then, when does it become too pricey to be "worth it"? For instance, if they added $10, would $45 per day per adult /$20 per child be too much? Most likely it would be beyond a reasonable "break-even" point, making the program basically an expensive "convenience" (like MOST all-inclusive resort-type plans) rather than a money saver that would have broad member appeal.

 

[vascubaguy]

I totally agree with Chuck S.... The have the ability to add it on now, and I'd guess it wouldn't take much at all. At most, they'd have to install some additional software that they already have. The dining plan is a marketing tool to get people to stay at the Disney resorts (for now at least) while still essentially paying the rack rates.

But hope is a good thing.... just keep bugging them.