Disney News, Discussion & an Element of Fun - 2024 Edition

[disney-inspired]

Yes. Also, my wife likes it since the price of food tends to stress her out and she feels compelled to go for cheaper options. She likes the freedom to order whatever she wants since it’s prepaid.

I never, ever understand this line of thinking, tbh the dining plan is actually way less freedom because you're locked into multi course meals--no doing only apps and drinks if you're not hungry, or skipping the largely mediocre TS desserts--and if you want to get your money's worth you have to avoid certain places and always order the most expensive thing on the menu. You also still have to pay gratuities. It has just always seemed like a colossal waste of money and a sucker's bet to me except for when they first started offering it years ago, or if you're the type of folk that do a ton of character dining.

If you want the all inclusive feel, just buy discounted gift cards. That way the money is still already earmarked for dining ahead of time, but you actually can eat whatever you want without wasting money, and whatever you don't spend on food can go towards merch or other things. We've always done our dining budget this way, and it also means we're not shackled to ADRs either.

I get it - it's all about the mental workload. Yes, you can do the same with gift cards but you still need to mind the balance on the gift cards. It's really all about personal preference.

I liked the previous iterations of the DDP but since I go more frequently now, I find the cost prohibitive because I don't make as many TS reservations anymore. Now I usually just charge everything to my room CC and then pay it off before I go home. That way I get my CC points and don't worry about the wrongs things charged to my debit card.

 

[Brian Noble]

never, ever understand this line of thinking

I think some of it is "price guilt" attached to what things at WDW cost. The steak is $48, but the chicken is only $37. I don't really want the chicken. I want the steak. But I end up ordering the chicken because Reasons*.

If I buy the DDP, what I spend has (almost) nothing to do with what I order, ignoring the tip. So, now I can order whatever sounds good and I can completely ignore the prices on the menu.

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*: This is very much a hypothetical. If I want the steak I'll order the steak.

 

[Gary Stocker]

I think some of it is "price guilt" attached to what things at WDW cost. The steak is $48, but the chicken is only $37. I don't really want the chicken. I want the steak. But I end up ordering the chicken because Reasons*.

If I buy the DDP, what I spend has (almost) nothing to do with what I order, ignoring the tip. So, now I can order whatever sounds good and I can completely ignore the prices on the menu.

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*: This is very much a hypothetical. If I want the steak I'll order the steak.

When i did my solo trip and had the dining plan I ate steak for every meal...and discovered that mama melrose has one of the best on property..silver lining on a poor decision.

 

[Ismo]

I think some of it is "price guilt" attached to what things at WDW cost. The steak is $48, but the chicken is only $37. I don't really want the chicken. I want the steak. But I end up ordering the chicken because Reasons*.

If I buy the DDP, what I spend has (almost) nothing to do with what I order, ignoring the tip. So, now I can order whatever sounds good and I can completely ignore the prices on the menu.

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*: This is very much a hypothetical. If I want the steak I'll order the steak.

I feel like the dining plan is only worth it if you order the steak. I use to get DDP all the time because the people I traveled with did. Then one time, I did the math and calculated everything I would order (I’m a vegetarian) over a 2 week period and the dining plan actually cost me a lot more than what I would order. But, I know some people like having as many of their expenses as possible covered before getting to WDW. Makes it feel all-inclusive.

 

[Brian Noble]

And that's the thing. Most of the people who like the Plan don't say "it's worth it." They say "it's convenient."

 

[Eeyore daily]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/pla...arting-july-24/?CMP=SOC-DPFY24Q3wo0620240027F

New changes to Genie+

 

[Smugpugmug]

What are we guessing in terms of price for the multi pass? $50? Maybe even cross into that $100 threshold?

unless they posted prices and I'm just blind

 

[jpeterson]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/pla...arting-july-24/?CMP=SOC-DPFY24Q3wo0620240027F

New changes to Genie+

Looks a lot more like just a paid FastPass+ now. Just 7 days instead of 60 days

 

[BrianL]

I will say that I like the new naming convention - it's way less confusing and we can stop using ILL as an acronym. It makes sense that an attraction will either be on LL Multi Pass or LL Single Pass. I will have this running through my head though:

 

[mgarbowski]

And that's the thing. Most of the people who like the Plan don't say "it's worth it." They say "it's convenient."

I type this knowing I will convince nobody, but I cannot help myself sometimes.

The DDP allows you to avoid thinking about money by guaranteeing you overspend in advance, notwithstanding a small number of edge cases where people come out ahead. Yet it adds a byzantine level of complexity that is the opposite of convenience, and designed in part to hide how much you are overpaying.

When you have to research how to game the system or end up with junk food in your luggage because you had several unused snack credits, I do not see convenience. Instead of keeping track of money, which everyone does all the time and is essentially second nature to any adult, people choose to puzzle over a an unfamiliar logic game. Frankly, people on the DDP obsess over their food budget more than people who use cash. It's just that the budget is based on credits instead of dollars.

While I'm normally in the camp of "to each their own" the DDP annoys me because I think it makes dining at WDW generally more expensive and has flattened the range of quality. Because the credit system is a very blunt tool there is less room for simply having a wide range of choices and quality sorted by price.

 

[kylenne]

I think some of it is "price guilt" attached to what things at WDW cost. The steak is $48, but the chicken is only $37. I don't really want the chicken. I want the steak. But I end up ordering the chicken because Reasons*.

If I buy the DDP, what I spend has (almost) nothing to do with what I order, ignoring the tip. So, now I can order whatever sounds good and I can completely ignore the prices on the menu.

------------
*: This is very much a hypothetical. If I want the steak I'll order the steak.

Oh I know how people justify it, I just find it totally absurd when that “guilt” results in spending way more actual money than you would have if you had just ordered the dang steak in the first place. But this kind of irrationality is what Disney counts on, because they make money hand over fist on it.

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/pla...arting-july-24/?CMP=SOC-DPFY24Q3wo0620240027F

New changes to Genie+

The simplification will be very welcome to casual guests, so much that I’m actually shocked they did it. The original G+ branding reeked of consultants gone wild. I like that there are tangible advantages for on site guests, but i feel like a lot of people are looking at FP+ with rose colored goggles and we’re going to hear the same complaints again about lack of availability. Especially when you can have three rolling LLs at the same time. I’m very intrigued as a power user though, and am curious to see what the new meta will be. I’m just glad our next trip isn’t until September.

 

[NJlauren]

Does this mean it isn’t good for park hoping? Or first 3 need to be booked at the same park and then you can park hop?

 

[afan]

View attachment 870909
Does this mean it isn’t good for park hoping? Or first 3 need to be booked at the same park and then you can park hop?

Book 3 in one park, once you use the 1st you can book the next wherever. It's similar to fp+. You can hold 3 at a time so no more stacking.

 

[Brian Noble]

I type this knowing I will convince nobody, but I cannot help myself sometimes.

Choir, preaching to.

But, preach on! Each little bit helps.

I just find it totally absurd when that “guilt” results in spending way more actual money than you would have if you had just ordered the dang steak in the first place

Humans are human, and Disney is happy to leverage that fact.

And while I like to think of myself as perfectly rational, I also know I have my own absurdities. I just don't know what they are, because I won't let myself.

 

[Haley R]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/pla...arting-july-24/?CMP=SOC-DPFY24Q3wo0620240027F

New changes to Genie+

We’ll be there July 27-30 so I’m not sure how this will go for us since we can book ahead of time but it doesn’t start until July 24.

 

[kylenne]

View attachment 870909
Does this mean it isn’t good for park hoping? Or first 3 need to be booked at the same park and then you can park hop?

I would have to assume it’s the latter

 

[SealedSeven]

View attachment 870909
Does this mean it isn’t good for park hoping? Or first 3 need to be booked at the same park and then you can park hop?

First 3 need to be the same park, but after the first one is used (or 2 hour window I assume? not confirmed) can pick from any park.

Not sure what all the rules are / conditions will be. If able to book after 2 hours of opening, similar to before, this will help Stacking at evening parks. If its after first use only, then this hurts stacking for park hopping.

 

[NJlauren]

Book 3 in one park, once you use the 1st you can book the next wherever. It's similar to fp+. You can hold 3 at a time so no more stacking.

It’s interesting because it also says after using 1st selection check for more, it should be more clear in that point.

As long as I can use for hoping I’m fine, I don’t mind this change so far

 

[afan]

It’s interesting because it also says after using 1st selection check for more, it should be more clear in that point.

As long as I can use for hoping I’m fine, I don’t mind this change so far

It is clear. There's info on Twitter, once you use the 1st you can book in any park.

There's also nothing about the 2 hour thing, just using 1 you can book another, only holding 3 at a time. Stacking is dead.

But as there's 2 threads about this on news and another on tpas I don't want to keep discussing it here. There's already too many places to follow for the info.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I'm sad that stacking is dead... it was kind of nice to take it easy during the day at the resort, then roll into a park late in the afternoon and do a bunch of rides at once. Oh, well, we will adapt. I guess I gotta put my planning hat back on.