Get Rid Of Dining Plan!

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I agree with you. And who cares if feathers get ruffled? It's a discussion board. There are so many problems reported with the DDP and the ADR system from quality of food to availability of restaurants I think I'll simply avoid dining at WDW as much as possible during our upcoming visit unless I can just get walk up seating.

Making reservations 6 months out is absurd. We didn't even decide to go until April! What's worse is that so many make ADR's they don't even plan on honestly keeping. They're "just in case ressies". And people will make them for every available restaurant at every time they can. Some will cancel them that day if they aren't going to keep them, but the result is that it clogs up the ADR system with "just in case ADR's" at prime meal times months in advance. Some have posted here that they bought the DDp and then could barely use it due to the ADR system and no availability. How the Sam Hill can WDW sell guests a dining plan when the only dinner times available are at 4:00pm? Some will say that these people simply failed to plan, but the majority of guests are not the experts that inhabit these boards.

I agree with the OP - can the plan and the current ADR system. Penalties should be charged for those not keeping ressies - much like guaranteed for late arrival at a hotel. Even a $5 penalty will make most people think twice about making a bunch of unnecessary ADR's. I guarantee that would free up a LOT of ADR dining availability.

You make some very good points, especially the ones about guests who make just incase ADR's and then cancel them for other ADR's. I am not referring to the guests who double book ADR's at two different locations which are an hour apart, I am referring to a lot of posts where people say they made all their ADR's and changed them a week later or just before they arrive to WDW.

 

[robynv]

I liked the hotwire vouchers myself. I used them in 12/2004 and saved tons of $$. I was very mad that the plan was implemented and vouchers no longer able to be used. It reallys sucks! Why? Because we are military and sorry, if I'm able to stay at Shades of Green for $150 a night and get discounted tickets why should I have to pay more to stay at another hotel and full price tickets, not to mention the AP that I do have. With the vouchers at least I had a way to save on food. I'd like to try the plan, but can't unless I'm willing to really shell out for it. I just wish they hadn't taken away the vouchers for the rest of us.

 

[wolverine2010]

yes i like great food in a magical place and i dont mind a busy rest...on the contrary i love it like that!!...the food/service and menu options dwindle on every trip...it really does not matter that i live a couple of hours away from something we all love...this has an effect on all of us...i am just frustrated by the decline.....i hope you understand

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

My family has used the DDP and will use it again this year. We use it if for no other reason than convenience. I have it all paid for and I don't have to worry about how much of my budget is left for food. I think you are looking at this all wrong. I live in Williamsburg and we have Busch Gardens here, and quite frankly the lack of service and quality of food has very little to do with a dining plan. People are going to eat whether there is a plan or not. Food service in general has declined at most restaurants and resorts over the last 10 years, and we as the general public basically accept it. And before anyone argues, yes we do accept it, we still eat out no matter how bad the food or service. I know for a fact that I eat at restaurants frequently because the kids like the food, DH and I can't stand it. So, we need to just realize that the DDP is not the fall guy for the decline of food or the service, it may be a contributing factor but not the sole reason.

 

[Sammie]

myladyisatramp..do you understand my complaint is w/the food and service delcine since the ddp has started??

And if you feel that is true, then your complaint is understandable. It is just that many of us do not see the DDP as the evil thing many make it out to be.

We like it and yes I have been going to Disney every year, multiple times for over 25 years, so I know what it has been like in the past.

We don't find any of the changes botherable that others complain about and we have no facts that the DDP has caused any of the complaints. We have had no service issues prior to DDP and none sense.

Fact is with or without the DDP, Disney is very busy right now. According to reliable sources only about 30% of the guests use the plan. You have to remember many people stay off property and don't have access to it. They are also filling up the restuarants.

As to planning ahead, you could just as easily blame forums like this one, that have made preplanning a necessity if you want a specific place at a certain time.

I am sure if enough people complain to Disney and not just vent here, then if the majority of guests do not like it, then Disney will respond. However if the majority does like it, then I am sorry to say you will have to consider dining elsewhere.

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

Food service in general has declined at most restaurants and resorts over the last 10 years, and we as the general public basically accept it. And before anyone argues, yes we do accept it, we still eat out no matter how bad the food or service.

It's a real shame though. When I go on vacation, I like to enjoy my meals. I don't want to just accept it for what it is. In the WS, I liked the fact that the meals were a representation of the host country and a major part of the experience. I will be really disappointed if I go to WS and get an awful meal in France (where dining out is taken very seriously, I have been to Paris and think a restaurantuer would rather shoot himself before serving a substandard meal).

 

[DiszyDean]

My family has used the DDP and will use it again this year. We use it if for no other reason than convenience. I have it all paid for and I don't have to worry about how much of my budget is left for food. I think you are looking at this all wrong. I live in Williamsburg and we have Busch Gardens here, and quite frankly the lack of service and quality of food has very little to do with a dining plan. People are going to eat whether there is a plan or not. Food service in general has declined at most restaurants and resorts over the last 10 years, and we as the general public basically accept it. And before anyone argues, yes we do accept it, we still eat out no matter how bad the food or service. I know for a fact that I eat at restaurants frequently because the kids like the food, DH and I can't stand it. So, we need to just realize that the DDP is not the fall guy for the decline of food or the service, it may be a contributing factor but not the sole reason.

Exactly, my point. Food service in general has declined...Not just in WDW. This is what I mean about using DDP as a scapegoat. It is easier to blame one entity than to try to understand that there are many contributing factors. The economy has changed dramatically from pre-9/11 to now. Gas prices and food prices are through the roof therefore the cost of doing business for a restaurant increases. How do we think the food gets to these places?

So restaurants have a choice...they can tweak their offerings a little in order to reduce cost or they can raise prices or do both. In Disney's case, they may have done a little bit of both. If anything, the DDP increases overall revenue for Disney Dining possibly helping to keep things somewhat stable. In addition, Disney makes interest off of every DDP which is purchased so the total revenue actually ends up being more than you actually paid for the plan.

 

[DiszyDean]

It's a real shame though. When I go on vacation, I like to enjoy my meals. I don't want to just accept it for what it is. In the WS, I liked the fact that the meals were a representation of the host country and a major part of the experience. I will be really disappointed if I go to WS and get an awful meal in France (where dining out is taken very seriously, I have been to Paris and think a restaurantuer would rather shoot himself before serving a substandard meal).

My suggestion is to go to the 4-star French restaurant instead of the 2 or 3 star one in WS France.

Seriously...

Most of the people that complain about Disney dining are basically going to the wrong restaurants. There are fine dining choices. Go to one of those places and have a ball. If you go to 50s Prime Time expecting 5-star cuisine, you will be disappointed.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

We tried the DDP for the first time on our trip in May. This was my 24th trip to WDW. I thought every meal I ate was delicious! Our service was outstanding at most of the TS restaurants. We never received poor service. I loved that our meals were prepaid - made the vacation so much more relaxed. I would normally never order the most expensive item on the menu if I was paying OOP, but the DDP allowed me to eat like a queen! I will definitely do the DDP again.

Now, my husband had a different take on the DDP. While he liked having our meals prepaid and he thought the food and service were good, he did see some negatives to the DDP.

1) Don't like having to plan so far in advance where we are going to eat for the day. Our TS ADR's dictated what park we went to each day. In the past we would wake up and say, "Let's go to MGM today." Can't do that anymore if you want to guarantee you get the TS restaurants you want.

2) TS meals were 2 hour ordeals. Fine for adults, but we have a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old. 4 yr old was usually ok, but the 1 yr old couldn't sit that long. We found that if we ordered our appetizer, entree and dessert together right at the start then the meal would not take as long. But, I hated doing that.

3) Crowds - every restaurant we ate in was packed. Can't just walk up and count on availabiltiy with the DDP.

4) A friend of ours was inspired by our trip and decided to go in September with free dining. I kept telling her, "Call and make your ADR's immediately." 4 months out and she couldn't get any of the popular breakfast TS meals for the whole time she is there (chef Mickey's, o'hana, playhouse disney, etc).

Anyway, I feel for FL residents who deal with these issues. I love the DDP, but sympathize with you also.

 

[Lewanc]

Any passholders or florida residents sick of the dining plan!!...it has ruined so many good times we all have had in the past esp at epcot..do you agree?..vent here

Hi There -- We have been premium passholders and Florida Residents for many years. We never chose to use any type dining plan offered as we did not feel it to be an advantage. When the Dining Experience Card came to be, we chose to get it (20% discount), as it pays for itself after the 1st or 2nd meal, and just chose what we want from the menu. The restaurants accepting DE change from time to time, but our experience has been to be able to use the card at most facilities at any given time. If by chance the restaurant we chose is not accepting DE at any given time, we just bite the bullet and pay full price. We have not found decline in food or services at the restaurants we frequent, and are always able to secure an ADR without booking far in advance. Maybe we have just been lucky.

Hope your dining experiences at the "World" change for the better in the future..

 

[LilGMom]

2) TS meals were 2 hour ordeals. Fine for adults, but we have a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old. 4 yr old was usually ok, but the 1 yr old couldn't sit that long.

Anyway, I feel for FL residents who deal with these issues. I love the DDP, but sympathize with you also.

I am a Florida resident and until our Memorial Day weekend trip we had never used the DDP and we have been going every year at least two - three times a year since 1999. I'm not sure what year the DDP started but I don't think the service or food quality has gone anywhere, either up or down, because of the DDP. I've noticed the quality and quanitity at WDW restaurants that aren't part of the DDP has gone up and down in the past.

Like I said we used the DDP for the first time this last trip and we really liked it. While making an ADR so far in advance does take some of the spontanaity out of 'where are we going to eat', I think that it was eventually going to get like that anyway with the popularity of the parks continually increasing. We had wonderful service at all of the TS restaurants that we ate at and none of them took longer than an hour. We ordered our appetizer, entree and dessert at the beginning of our meal and at no time did we feel rushed between them or had to wait very long between the items. And it is a good thing that we didn't have to wait because we have a 6 yr. old and a 2 yr. old. I didn't feel that the wait was any longer than when we go to our neighborhood T.G.I. Fridays, Chilis, Smokey Bones or any other sit-down restaurant. The DDP works for some people and doesn't work for others. I think the only way to get away from not having to make ADR's at the popular restuarants is to completely do away with ADR's of any type and do a first come first serve type deal. How long do you think that will add to your wait?

 

[DonaldTDuck]

How many TS restaurants would be left in Disney if the occupancy were still 50%. I believe DDP has saved many of the TS's. I remember going to R&C and there were not 15 tables occupied, walking in at noon at PTC and walking by many empty tables on the way to ours. Eating at GG and no one at either adjacent table. Disney wants and needs to make money or they will close places. And most of the carping in this thread is by two posters with a total of 32 posts, half in this thread.

 

[shananv]

I have not posted very much, and I have never been to WDW. Our first trip is in November, so I cannot attest to the quality of food or perceived decline in service. Without the dining plan, our family would not be able to afford to try some of the wonderful sounding restaurants. We would have to eat mostly cs or eat offsite at chain restaurants that we have at home.

 

[marivaid]

If the DDP is responsible for the difficulty in getting an ADR, how do you explain the fact that they have the exact same problem at Disneyland where there is NO DDP ?

 

[CAJUNBLAZE]

 

[photo_chick]

If the DDP is responsible for the difficulty in getting an ADR, how do you explain the fact that they have the exact same problem at Disneyland where there is NO DDP ?

I did not realize Disneyland does not have DDP. DO they have vouchers? Perhaps the difficulty in getting an ADR is not the DDP so much as it is simply the fact that people plan more now, more people are vacationing to place like WDW now, and Disney has been making a point of showing off the dining at WDW that perhaps more people eat there now because of that.

 

[marivaid]

I did not realize Disneyland does not have DDP. DO they have vouchers? Perhaps the difficulty in getting an ADR is not the DDP so much as it is simply the fact that people plan more now, more people are vacationing to place like WDW now, and Disney has been making a point of showing off the dining at WDW that perhaps more people eat there now because of that.

I agree people are just getting smarter and planning their trips especially when those trips cost 3K. We travel all the time and I have never planned a vacation the way I plan our trips to WDW!!
Disney is also doing a good job telling guests that they should make dining reservations, we got messages about this when we booked online and EVERY time I called about our resort stay I was asked if we had our ADRs.

 

[annaaidan99]

I agree that people are starting to plan more. When I booked our first trip in Feb 2006, I did a lot of research, as it was going to be a costly trip. I started planning that trip about a year in advance. I love eating out, so the DDP was a no brainer for me. At that time, ADR booking started to be available at 180 days, which was good for me, because I had all my plans in order by that time. Despite that fact, I did a trip in September 2006 that was rather spontaneous trip- booked in mid June for the second week in September. I was nervous about ADRs, but got everything I wanted. My DSIL just booked ADR's this weekend for the first week of September - and got everything SHE wanted- including LeCellier, Coral Reef, and CRT. It is probably harder to get in than ten years ago, but with a little flexibility, it isn't impossible.

 

[Katiebell]

How many TS restaurants would be left in Disney if the occupancy were still 50%. I believe DDP has saved many of the TS's. I remember going to R&C and there were not 15 tables occupied, walking in at noon at PTC and walking by many empty tables on the way to ours. Eating at GG and no one at either adjacent table. Disney wants and needs to make money or they will close places. And most of the carping in this thread is by two posters with a total of 32 posts, half in this thread.

Interesting observations

If the DDP is responsible for the difficulty in getting an ADR, how do you explain the fact that they have the exact same problem at Disneyland where there is NO DDP ?

Excellent point. Last time we went to DL, I remember one night in DTD not being able to find ANY place to eat, and finally we ended up with CS. Also, corners are being cut -- not just at DL and WDW, but at many, many restaurants across the country. There are some chains we used to enjoy, but won't go to anymore -- portions are shrinking, prices have gone up, quality has suffered. It's just the way things are now. We still love to go out to eat, and have some tried and true favorites, even some well known chains...but we have realistic expectations, too. And we go to a lot more independent, local, and ethnic restaurants.

I did not realize Disneyland does not have DDP. DO they have vouchers? Perhaps the difficulty in getting an ADR is not the DDP so much as it is simply the fact that people plan more now, more people are vacationing to place like WDW now, and Disney has been making a point of showing off the dining at WDW that perhaps more people eat there now because of that.

They have a voucher plan, but it isn't a very good deal, and isn't popular. The 3 day plan is:

ADULT/ JUNIOR- $93.00
1- Character Breakfast
1- Breakfast in the Park
3- $5.00 Vouchers
2- $10.00 Vouchers
1- $15.00 Voucher

There are 4, 5, and 6 day vouchers that run up to $220 for an adult.

You can't get any change back from the vouchers, and you can't use them at most of the DTD Restaurants (if any), from what I understand. And the most expensive Character Breakfast is Goofy's Kitchen -- if you pick one of the other meals -- the Plaza Inn, Paradise Pier, Storyteller's Cafe, or Ariel's Grotto -- it can end up actually costing a bit more than OOP.

 

[TinkerbellTris]

I live in Cali, and we go to Disneyland like 3 - 4 times a year. We are now on track to do WDW 1 time per year. But just to put in my 2 cents. WDW food and dining choices are 10 times better than Disneyland. Disneyland has a handful of good places to eat, but the portions are small and the prices very high. Example: Steakhouse 55 me, DH, DS ordered 2 ceasar salads, a side of fruit, grilled cheese for DS, and Filet Mingnon for DH. Bill $129.00 not including tip. However for the same price we can eat at Cinderellas Castle in WDW and get 5 times the food. I LOVE the DDP, and no Disneyland does not offer a DDP but the have food vouchers. After purchasing them 2 years in a row we realized it was only a 10% discount. Whereas with the WDW DDP we can rack up a $150 bill and it's included in the DDP, we averaged our June 2006 trip and we saved like 35% off our food. To me thats a good enough savings for us to love the DDP!