Free dining - training guests for promotions

[GrtWtNorth]

Do you think free dining will be a long-term trend, on that will help the Disney company fill both their restaurants and their resorts in the near long term?

I can't help but compare the free dining offer to the E-ride night promotion at Magic Kingdom (1997-2004?). That was such a popular idea, that it evolved from a pay-ticket system to a the "just show your Key to the World card" with Extra Magic Hours at all the parks. This wasn't a cheap offering -- keeping MK open for an additional 3 hours required maintaining staffing levels much longer than previously required. But it was a perk that drove guests away from off-site hotels and into Disney hotels, especially the (then new) Value resorts.

Does free dining drive guests from off-site hotels to Disney hotels? IMO, a bit. But more importantly, it drives guests away from off-site dining to the Disney dining experiences. And the cost? It's probably about half the cost of the dining package ($20/day). Does it cost as much as Extra Magic Hours? I have no idea. But I won't be shocked if Dining is included for all resort guests starting in 2012 (just in time to steal guests away from Legoland).

 

[WaltD4Me]

I think Free Dining is going to be a long term trend and because of that I hope they look into re-vamping it to make it work better for everyone. I don't see anything wrong with having two menus, one for the DDP and one for non-DDP. Or at least offering menu items that are not included in DDP. Since they have already taken pricier items off some of the menus if you have DDP they are not available anyway, why not bring them back, but not include them in the DDP plan?

 

[2Tiggies]

Or at least offering menu items that are not included in DDP. Since they have already taken pricier items off some of the menus if you have DDP they are not available anyway, why not bring them back, but not include them in the DDP plan?

I think 2 menus would cause chaos but I agree that adding/returning items to the menu that are NOT part of the DDP could be a good thing. I prefer QSDP (or none at all). Therefore my TS meals are always OOP and I feel I should be able to choose - even if it is costlier than an entree that qualifies on the DDP. I am sure that by placing a few good quality additional items on the menus that can only be purchased OOP would certainly assist in raising the standard (whether actual or percieved) of Disney dining.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I really don't know if discounts will continue or not, but I do believe that they are good for Disney and park customers. You always have the right to decide if if you want to use the discount or go during a special promotion period.

As far as special menu selections for free dinning, I think that would be easy. They would just advertise free dinning as "on select entrees". ( selected entrees being everything currently available now.) Then extra cost items could be added to expand it more for those who feel that free dining has created menu cutbacks? ( Personally, I don't feel that this is the reason, but....)

The menu could reflect a symbol next to the items allowed on the free dinning. Really an easy change IMO.

Now whether free dinning would still be a good deal is for another thread.

 

[dansyr2514]

Just my opinion...but I think having certain items marked a part of a dining plan would end up in problems. We generally purchase the deluxe dining plan..and not so much because it saves us money , but more because I like to have everything paid for. Also, I don't think many people would be happy with a limited menu. I know if they did that, I would stay offsite and save money on the room and just pay for what I wanted to eat. However, I would also probably eat offsite most of the time. Tons more choices and generally less expensive. So I think, having a limited menu would defeat the purpose of trying to keep people onsite.

 

[bkoehl]

I think Free Dining is going to be a long term trend and because of that I hope they look into re-vamping it to make it work better for everyone. I don't see anything wrong with having two menus, one for the DDP and one for non-DDP. Or at least offering menu items that are not included in DDP. Since they have already taken pricier items off some of the menus if you have DDP they are not available anyway, why not bring them back, but not include them in the DDP plan?

YES! As a family who never uses the dining plan I would LOVE this option!!

 

[bkoehl]

. Also, I don't think many people would be happy with a limited menu.

Have you looked at the menus recently??? They are ALREADY limited. Most non-Disney restaurants have at least double the selection, even the nicer non-chain ones. At least I never have the problem of having too many choices and not being able to decide what to get LOL!

 

[dansyr2514]

I think I am actually agreeing with your point. I have looked at the menus....alot.
Which is exactly my point. Cut those menus in half or a third and tell people they only have a choice of 2 or 3 entrees. I wouldn't bother staying onsite for the dining plan. I can get a 2 bedroom at Bonnet creek for $150 a night and head down the road and have a choice of probably 100 restaurants in a 10 mile radius.

My point is ...how many menus would they then have to have? A menu for people paying out of pocket, a menu for those paying for the dining plan, and then a menu for free dining? They'd have to triple the employees in their customer service dept to handle all the complaints.

I agree that the quality and selection of food needs to be improved in most places in wdw. But I don't think taking away the dining plan or limiting the menu for people using the dining plan is going to help do that.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I don't really equate DDP and free dining as two different things, so you would just need one other menu for DDP and/or free dining. And I wasn't at all referring to a menu with only 2, 3, or 4 things, but more of a regular menu that is just missing the more premium items that they have already removed anyway. However, I think you are right even two seperate menus would be a little much, but adding some things back in and not including them in the DDP doesn't seem too outrageous to me. I think Disney could handle the intial backlash.

 

[cxcelica]

Do you think free dining will be a long-term trend, on that will help the Disney company fill both their restaurants and their resorts in the near long term?

I can't help but compare the free dining offer to the E-ride night promotion at Magic Kingdom (1997-2004?). That was such a popular idea, that it evolved from a pay-ticket system to a the "just show your Key to the World card" with Extra Magic Hours at all the parks. This wasn't a cheap offering -- keeping MK open for an additional 3 hours required maintaining staffing levels much longer than previously required. But it was a perk that drove guests away from off-site hotels and into Disney hotels, especially the (then new) Value resorts.

It does seem to fit in with their trend. You mentioned extra magic hours, but don't forget the other big change that fits this mold, the Magical Express. Does it cost alot of money to bus people back and forth to the airport, of course. But the end result is people don't rent cars and generally stay on site for their entire vacation. Similar to like you pointed out, if people have their meals included in their stay its much less likely that they will go offsite looking to eat out of their own pocket.

 

[carebee21]

I think it's going to be an on going trend. I see it as a win-win for Disney. I've seen so many people upgrade their resort or stay longer because of free dining. You also have new visitors who don't understand free dining, and don't know they really have to make reservations or don't want to make reservations, so they don't end up using most of their sit down credits. And peoples perceived value of free dining is so high, that most visitors think their getting a great or amazing deal. And lastly, you'll have people, like us, who are suckers and fall for the marketing ploy Since we're getting "free" food, we're likely to order alcohol or an appitizer with most meals, which we probably wouldn't have done if we were paying out of pocket for most meals. When we go to the other resorts to eat, we're going to likely look throught their gift shops and odds are, we'll purchase something there. And when we do character meals, certain characters that my son was just ho-hum about before become favorites, which then leads to buying a stuffed animal, toy or shirt with that characters.

 

[kaligal]

I think the dining plans are already a long-term trend - "free" and otherwise.