How I'd Fix the DDP

[starbox]

I understand that Disney feels the need to increase their profit/decrease loss on the DDP - but I also think customers feel disenfranchised by the new version of the plan. Here's how I think Disney could make guests happier while still "cutting back" on what the DDP offers.

1. Increase the price enough to include tips.

2. Get rid of the electronic cards and move to a bar-coded voucher system (similar to the old ride "tickets" - but barcoding would allow flexibility, simplicity, and an easy way to replace lost/stolen vouchers).

3. Give guests the following vouchers per day:
1 TS entree, 1 TS appetizer OR dessert, 1 CS entree, 3 snacks (which could be used for non-alcoholic drinks at TS or CS)

4. Give refillable resort mugs to each adult guest. This adds to the enviornmentality of the plan by cutting down on the purchase snack-credit bottled water/sodas at resorts. Plus - it makes people happy.

This way, guests could choose how much they wanted to eat at any given meal. They still would not get appetizers and desserts at every meal - and automatic desserts would be removed from CS to allow guests to choose when to use the extra snack credit (at the meal, or in the park at a snack kiosk)

 

[TDC Nala]

Choosing appetizer or dessert still doesn't address the fact that Disney apparently eliminated a TS course on the basic plan to facilitate quicker table turnover. They'd have to increase the price what it would cost to include the tip to make up for that, also. By then, you've got the deluxe plan with the tip and without the flexibility.

It's pretty much unworkable to insist that every person at the table must order EITHER appetizer OR dessert.

 

[disneyjunkie]

3. Give guests the following vouchers per day:
1 TS entree, 1 TS appetizer OR dessert, 1 CS entree, 3 snacks (which could be used for non-alcoholic drinks at TS or CS)

How do you keep Family A from using the vouchers to cover meals for
family B?

Vouchers would be too much of a hassle. I'd rather deal with one room key, instead of a bunch of vouchers.

Then again, I like the changes to dining plans.

I'm free to choose what I want with the current plan. If I don't want a dessert, I don't order it.

If I want something that isn't included with the plan, I pay OOP for it. The whole thing is very simple and easy to use.

 

[starbox]

How do you keep Family A from using the vouchers to cover meals for
family B?

I suppose they could - but they'd be giving up their own meal. It seems like family A could still treat family B to dinner on the current plan - all they'd have to do was give them a room key. I've never had photo ID checked at a restaurant. In fact, I've known people who gave their room keys to friends on the last day of the stay so they could use up the TS credits.........


Awhile ago, there was a meal plan that used tickets. Personally, I enjoyed pre-paying but also being able to choose when I wanted to get my sodas and desserts (ice cream).

But, it's just an idea. I think people enjoy feeling like they have some sort of choice - even if it's just the illusion of choice.

 

[christa112]

I like the your ticket being your one thing to do everything. I think that is great. Being a family of 5 I would not want to have to carry around vouchers for 2 meals a day, plus snacks. That could be a disaster if lost or stolen.

I do agree on the tip aspect and I do like the mug idea. Even one mug per reservation would be great.

I still think Disney should offer a mug for the parks that you could refill at any park. Six Flags does a huge cup that cost $8.99 and you refill for .99 the rest of the year and I bring my cup back every year. I know Six Flags cannot be compared to Disney my any means. But I would spend $25.00 on a mug that would get me free drinks at any of the parks for my 7 to 9 day stay.

 

[Tricia1972]

1. Increase the price enough to include tips.

$6-$7 would be enough of an increase to cover the cost of tips in most cases. The $6 is figuring an average $25 Entree, $7 Dessert and $3 for Beverage.

2. Get rid of the electronic cards and move to a bar-coded voucher system (similar to the old ride "tickets" - but barcoding would allow flexibility, simplicity, and an easy way to replace lost/stolen vouchers).

I think vouchers would be more cumbersome. You'd be more likely to lose vouchers (which would create extra work for Disney CM's and cut into Disney's profits). Also personally I feel that there's enough for me to carry around the park without adding to it. My room key, or the KTTW as it's called, is something that I have with me anyway. If you want to separate out the credits further, I think you could achieve that and keep it simpler by further separating it out on your card. (How the TS's were all pooled up until last year, and then they separated them into Adult and Child on the card and in the computer system)

3. Give guests the following vouchers per day:
1 TS entree, 1 TS appetizer OR dessert, 1 CS entree, 3 snacks (which could be used for non-alcoholic drinks at TS or CS)

I agree with TDC Nala, I think that the appetizer move was an attempt to free up tables faster. The implementation of the DxDDP was to include appetizers for those who still really want one, but to also create more revenue for Disney while tying up the tables for longer.

I also think that the three snacks would not work well for Disney. My guess is that you'd have frugal families of four ordering three waters and one soda for each meal. They could split the soda - saving the snacks for later where they can get more value for their credit. Anytime that the consumer gets more value for credits, Disney loses a little. I personally feel that they changed so drastically this year because they wanted to increase their profits. This would dip back into it, unless they increase the price further.

4. Give refillable resort mugs to each adult guest. This adds to the enviornmentality of the plan by cutting down on the purchase snack-credit bottled water/sodas at resorts. Plus - it makes people happy.

It would make people happy, and Disney certainly wants us to think that that's why they're there. However, they'd lose revenue. Instead of buying a soda that costs Disney nothing with our credit, we can now purchase candy or a pretzel, which Disney purchases.

The flip side to my own argument is that resort mugs aren't ultra convenient. If you fill up at your resort and go to a park, more often than not it's gone by the time you get to the park, meaning you have to purchase a soda or water anyway.

Again though, they have made the mug available in the DxDDP, and are charging extra to purchase this plan.

This way, guests could choose how much they wanted to eat at any given meal. They still would not get appetizers and desserts at every meal - and automatic desserts would be removed from CS to allow guests to choose when to use the extra snack credit (at the meal, or in the park at a snack kiosk)

Actually your plan doesn't account for the missing CS dessert. Currently the plan has:
2 Sodas/Beverages included with meals
1 CS Dessert
1 Snack
Total of 4 'snacks' per day, and your plan has 3 snacks figured in.

So that works in Disney's favor and helps to generate some of the revenue that they'd lose in other areas of your plan.

I think it's great that you're thinking of ways to make it work both for Disney and for us. More people need to think like you (especially people who work for Disney )

 

[simonkodousek]

1. Increase the price enough to include tips.

This gets my 100% YES vote! Tips need to be included in order for the DDP to become as popular as it once was.

2. Get rid of the electronic cards and move to a bar-coded voucher system (similar to the old ride "tickets" - but barcoding would allow flexibility, simplicity, and an easy way to replace lost/stolen vouchers).

No offense, but I really don't like this idea. Having the credits on the room key is easy enough.

3. Give guests the following vouchers per day:
1 TS entree, 1 TS appetizer OR dessert, 1 CS entree, 3 snacks (which could be used for non-alcoholic drinks at TS or CS)

I like the appetizer or dessert idea. There are some days where I don't want many sweet items. I think the 3 snacks idea would be really confusing...

4. Give refillable resort mugs to each adult guest. This adds to the enviornmentality of the plan by cutting down on the purchase snack-credit bottled water/sodas at resorts. Plus - it makes people happy.

YES!! The mugs would eliminate the need for paying OOP for beverages.

 

[Twende]

Increase the price to include tips? Oh Yeah!

Allow a choice of either an appetizer or dessert? YES YES YES!

Include a mug? Nah, no bigger for many people!

I like using the room keys for the plan, no sense to carry more stuff with me all day.