How would you revamp the Dining Plan?

[Wendy&Grumpy]

I would change it to a points (or credits) system -

1 point = snack or kid's meal
2 points = quick service meal
4 points = table service meal
8 points = Signature meal

Then have packages of points that can be purchased to be used as you wish during your stay?

Your thoughts?

 

[Tanyabeth8]

Instead of a dessert with counter service meal I'd do another snack credit and I'd give the option of dessert or appetizer with regular table service or if Disney feels appetizers are more $ than desserts do a small up charge (maybe $2) to substitute an appetizer for your dessert.

 

[disneychristmasx3]

I love the point system but would separate it even more in order to be able to do the appetizer vs dessert or snack vs dessert.

everyone gets refillable mugs on any dining plan - no points needed
1 point= snack/QS dessert
2 points = TS dessert
2 points = TS appetizer
3 points= QS entree + drink
6 points = TS entree + drink
12 points = signature entree + drink

QSDP would give you 9 points per day
DDP would give you 13 points per day
DxDP would give you 32 points to use

I think if my math was right this equals out to pretty close to what they already give you on the plan (ex. QSDP = 2 QS + 2 QS desserts + 1 snack = 3+3+2+1= 9) but gives you options on how to use it.

This really could never happen because it would be so hard to keep up with, but it would be very nice!

 

[Masonmj84]

I think the PP's points system is a good idea.

It allows a lot more flexibility in allocating your credits (can pick appetizers instead of desserts, can share appetizers, desserts, etc.).

In addition, I'd like to see a tweener category for kids between, say, ages 8 and 12.

The prices would be somewhere between kids dining plan prices and adult prices.

In non-buffet restaurants, there'd also be menu choices for this age range that would be more substantial than the current kids' menu choices but not as substantial as the adult choices.

Esentially, you'd have:

0-2: free
3-7: kids' dining plan (with corresponding menu items)
8-12: preteen dining plan (with corresponding menu items)
13 and over: adult dining plan (with corresponding menu items)

Currently, the difference in food and price between the kids' and adults' dining plans and menu options is too abrupt.

For example, my oldest son is almost 9 and finds the kids menu choices limited, boring, and small. On the other hand, when he turns 10, there's no way I'm paying for him to be on an adult dining plan. So our family will probably drop the dining plan at that point (unless we get free dining). But if there was something like a "preteen dining plan", we might continue to stick with it.

 

[lilstint]

Instead of a dessert with counter service meal I'd do another snack credit and I'd give the option of dessert or appetizer with regular table service or if Disney feels appetizers are more $ than desserts do a small up charge (maybe $2) to substitute an appetizer for your dessert.

Totally agree! I've been flamed for this before but I will stand by my conviction that the DDP's are WAY too heavy on sweets. We've found a way to use our snack credits for soups, pretzels etc. but there seems to no away around the deserts other than skipping them all together which is what we sometimes do. We have never had any luck with substitutions.

 

[CraigInPA]

I think they should introduce a 2 TS meal plan in between the DDP and DxDP. The plan should have app, entree, and dessert, and 2 snack credits per day.

 

[havoc315]

Either TiW eligibility for all...
Or.... For most similar to the current system:
Eliminate the mugs (and don't use them to justify a higher price)
Keep 1 TS and 1 CS per day, with beverage, BUT --- Change desserts and snacks -- Instead of making desserts part of the meal, give everyone 2 "bonus credits" per night. A bonus credit can be redeemed for a traditional snack, or a dessert in a CS/TS restaurant. For signature restaurants, 2 bonus credits for dessert.
Thus, no reason to skip using CS for breakfast due of losing the dessert value... no reason to fret if you don't like the CS dessert options. So it's a ton more flexibility.

 

[havoc315]

I think they should introduce a 2 TS meal plan in between the DDP and DxDP. The plan should have app, entree, and dessert, and 2 snack credits per day.

While they could do that... the problem is, it would ultimately be about the same price as the DxDP. In pricing the DXDP, they aren't assuming you will have the 3 most expensive TS meals. They are factoring in the possibility that some of your meals will be cheaper, will be CS, or will be skipped.
But if you only had 2 TS per day -- Then you would use it for your most expensive 2 meals....
So where the DxDP is about $100 per night... The plan you suggest would still be about $90 per night.

Look at it this way -- The current DDP is about $55 per night. You would add another snack -- For the extra snack, let's bring the DDP price up to $58. You want to add 2 appetizers -- Let's add another $15 -- So now up to $73. And instead of a $10 CS entree, you now want a $29 TS entree. So add another $15-$20 -- So now at $88-$93. Oh, and you want a $7 TS dessert instead of $4 CS dessert So that's now $91-$95.

So I can't picture them offering the plan you suggest, for less than $90. Likely more like $93-$95. At which point, why not just get the DxDP?

 

[Glittercat]

Instead of a dessert with counter service meal I'd do another snack credit and I'd give the option of dessert or appetizer with regular table service or if Disney feels appetizers are more $ than desserts do a small up charge (maybe $2) to substitute an appetizer for your dessert.

Agreed. The lack of flexibility in regards to dessert is very frustrating. During a hot day playing in the parks the last thing many want to consume is a cloying packaged chocolate "cake" , when a small salad would be so much more refreshing! At dinner in a TS would love to be able to choose an appetizer over dessert at least a few times.

 

[serene56]

Instead of a dessert with counter service meal I'd do another snack credit and I'd give the option of dessert or appetizer with regular table service or if Disney feels appetizers are more $ than desserts do a small up charge (maybe $2) to substitute an appetizer for your dessert.

I do not think this will work- For one Disney is all about turning those tables and a family will split the dessert and appetizer so they are taking up more time.

I would like to get a dessert later-- maybe do away with the dessert after a meal and make it an extra snack credit to be used with dinner or later in the day

 

[Cafeen]

TBH, I think the current systems are fine as is. They're very easy to use once you get the hang of them and a full points-based system will get too confusing. The key is that the plans don't work for everyone. If you're better going OOP, then you should just go OOP. There isn't much savings to be had in any of the plans anyway now a days, and Disney dining no longer truly need them to fill their restaurants (so they don't need the carrot as much to lead people into them).

For the juniors idea, it seems doable, but they'd have to create a 3rd menu for it, mixing larger kids' meal options with smaller adult meal options. I have a feeling that it still wouldn't work out very well though and adds an additional layer of confusion and complexity that the plans may not support.

The only thing I could think of to add would be a prepay account of sorts, that you can pay money into and then withdraw money from (as a 1 to 1 basis). No savings offered, but a way for those who are not so good at budgeting to set aside money within Disney (who then makes the interest off of said money) to later pay for their meals. Barring that, a way to prepay for all fixed price meals would also work.

 

[vicki_c]

It seems like all these ideas are geared towards making it more cost effective or convenient for the guests (which I get). Disney doesn't want to do that. The way it is now, Disney makes money on the plan, especially due to unused credits.

If they allowed you to purchase points, most people would only buy what they need and Disney wouldn't want that.

 

[CraigInPA]

While they could do that... the problem is, it would ultimately be about the same price as the DxDP. In pricing the DXDP, they aren't assuming you will have the 3 most expensive TS meals. They are factoring in the possibility that some of your meals will be cheaper, will be CS, or will be skipped.
But if you only had 2 TS per day -- Then you would use it for your most expensive 2 meals....
So where the DxDP is about $100 per night... The plan you suggest would still be about $90 per night.

Look at it this way -- The current DDP is about $55 per night. You would add another snack -- For the extra snack, let's bring the DDP price up to $58. You want to add 2 appetizers -- Let's add another $15 -- So now up to $73. And instead of a $10 CS entree, you now want a $29 TS entree. So add another $15-$20 -- So now at $88-$93. Oh, and you want a $7 TS dessert instead of $4 CS dessert So that's now $91-$95.

So I can't picture them offering the plan you suggest, for less than $90. Likely more like $93-$95. At which point, why not just get the DxDP?

Your math is wrong, since you're adding retail prices on top of the discounted DDP plan to justify the small difference your math creates. Doing it the other way, working back from DxDP, you can come to a different conclusion with similarly specious results. Take the deluxe plan, subtract the cost of one table service meal, on average $35 (calculated by using $15 for breakfast, and $45 for each of the other two meals), and you're now saving $35 per day. Even if you took the price of the cheapest meal off, breakfast at $15, that's still $15 in savings at FULL RETAIL. So, just as wrong as the way you've calculated it upwards from DDP. Mixing the "25-30% savings" discounted number with full retail prices isn't the way to do it.

Going back to the original point, Disney's 3 table service plan is designed for one of two types of diner: 1. the type who can actually eat 3 meals a day (which is VERY few people) or 2. the type who eats a TS and a signature. When we last went, in December 2011, the average we "spent" for each day was $115 per person. We were type 2 people on DxDP. The price then was, IIRC, around $85 per day per person. That coincides with the advertised savings of 25-30%. Now, if I had only two credits per day, I'd use them for 2 sit down meals. The average "spend" on a sit down meal was $45 per person when we went in December 2011. That means $90 per day per person. Add in the cost of the two snacks a day at $8, brings you to $98 retail. Subtract 30% for the savings, and you're now at about $68 per day. In December 2011, the price of the DDP was about $53 This new plan slots in almost perfectly half way between the $53 DDP and the $85 DxDP. The advantages this plan offers are many:
1. It is closer to the original DDP than any existing plan.
2. It is optimized for people who eat normally, and don't necessarily want to eat in signature restaurants.
3. It allows the patron to avoid QS entirely if they want, but still allows them the opportunity to have that if they chose.
4. It's doesn't prevent the patron from buying OOP the "missing" meal if they desire it.
If Disney were to offer this in 2013, it would be about $75, since the DDP is $56, and DxDP (which has undergone a HUGE price increase) is now $99.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

I am always surprised to see the people at resort counter service who have a mug yet get a can or bottled drink which is allowed on the dining plan. I see Disney giving away tons on a daily basis and cannot believe they do not stop this.
At breakfast you are allowed 2 drinks--that means a family of 4 can fill their mug with soda or coffee and grab 8 $4.00 monster drinks.

 

[Aggiegrl]

For me personally, we'd get more use out of a Quick Service plan that has 3 entrees, 3 drinks, 0 desserts, and 0 snack credits.

 

[mcd2745]

I think they should introduce a 2 TS meal plan in between the DDP and DxDP. The plan should have app, entree, and dessert, and 2 snack credits per day.

While they could do that... the problem is, it would ultimately be about the same price as the DxDP. In pricing the DXDP, they aren't assuming you will have the 3 most expensive TS meals. They are factoring in the possibility that some of your meals will be cheaper, will be CS, or will be skipped.
But if you only had 2 TS per day -- Then you would use it for your most expensive 2 meals....
So where the DxDP is about $100 per night... The plan you suggest would still be about $90 per night.

Look at it this way -- The current DDP is about $55 per night. You would add another snack -- For the extra snack, let's bring the DDP price up to $58. You want to add 2 appetizers -- Let's add another $15 -- So now up to $73. And instead of a $10 CS entree, you now want a $29 TS entree. So add another $15-$20 -- So now at $88-$93. Oh, and you want a $7 TS dessert instead of $4 CS dessert So that's now $91-$95.

So I can't picture them offering the plan you suggest, for less than $90. Likely more like $93-$95. At which point, why not just get the DxDP?

Your math is wrong, since you're adding retail prices on top of the discounted DDP plan to justify the small difference your math creates. Doing it the other way, working back from DxDP, you can come to a different conclusion with similarly specious results. Take the deluxe plan, subtract the cost of one table service meal, on average $35 (calculated by using $15 for breakfast, and $45 for each of the other two meals), and you're now saving $35 per day. Even if you took the price of the cheapest meal off, breakfast at $15, that's still $15 in savings at FULL RETAIL. So, just as wrong as the way you've calculated it upwards from DDP. Mixing the "25-30% savings" discounted number with full retail prices isn't the way to do it.

Going back to the original point, Disney's 3 table service plan is designed for one of two types of diner: 1. the type who can actually eat 3 meals a day (which is VERY few people) or 2. the type who eats a TS and a signature. When we last went, in December 2011, the average we "spent" for each day was $115 per person. We were type 2 people on DxDP. The price then was, IIRC, around $85 per day per person. That coincides with the advertised savings of 25-30%. Now, if I had only two credits per day, I'd use them for 2 sit down meals. The average "spend" on a sit down meal was $45 per person when we went in December 2011. That means $90 per day per person. Add in the cost of the two snacks a day at $8, brings you to $98 retail. Subtract 30% for the savings, and you're now at about $68 per day. In December 2011, the price of the DDP was about $53 This new plan slots in almost perfectly half way between the $53 DDP and the $85 DxDP. The advantages this plan offers are many:
1. It is closer to the original DDP than any existing plan.
2. It is optimized for people who eat normally, and don't necessarily want to eat in signature restaurants.
3. It allows the patron to avoid QS entirely if they want, but still allows them the opportunity to have that if they chose.
4. It's doesn't prevent the patron from buying OOP the "missing" meal if they desire it.
If Disney were to offer this in 2013, it would be about $75, since the DDP is $56, and DxDP (which has undergone a HUGE price increase) is now $99.

A plan with two TS credits and two snacks per day would be the ideal plan for us as well. We like to eat an early TS breakfast, get by (and not waste a lot of precious time in the heart of the day) with a snack or two during the early afternoon and then a TS dinner. That said, we are probably done with any dining plans for the forseeable future with our DS now 10 and he doesn't eat anything at all like an adult, so it would be silly to pay for him as an adult on any plan. And even if he starting eating like an adult in a few years, our DD will be 10 then and we'll still be in te same boat. I really like dthe idea of "pre-teen" type of tier, but also understand the reasons why it would be too much trouble for Disney to introduce something like that.

 

[Rafikifan]

I agree with those who have said they wish they could choose an appetizer instead of dessert.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I would make it truly all inclusive...tax, tip, all types of drinks, desserts, appetizers & snacks. They'd have to add a price tier for people under 21 and perhaps have the option to exclude alcohol from the plan on a guest by guest basis.

 

[tinka-belle]

FWIW, years ago WDW had something called a Silver Plan (some others too, but Silver was the most popular). You paid $50 per adult per night and got $55 to spend on food on your KTTW card. Very flexible for dining choices, pretty straightforward. I don't remember the child price.

Honestly, we saw so many people confused by it and it was really so simple. People would run out of "money" during their stay and have to pay for meals and would get upset. Some assumed the $50 would cover all their meals for a day, which it could but might not depending on what you ordered. Others would frequently forget to use it (CMs at the restaurants were not well trained on it so did not explain it well) and would pay OOP and have funds left at the end of the trip on their KTTW card that they didn't use.

Thus Disney went to meal credits that would cover one meal and compared to those old plans the current Dining Plans are a big seller (or draw when "free") since one meal for one credit SHOULD be easy to understand. Then they annually tweak entitlements, some restaurants are inconsistent, questions on what and where is included always come up, result is people are still getting confused.

The old point (or money) system just didn't work and was not a big seller for a 10% discount on food. When the DDP first came out people were thrilled
with the idea of all-inclusive meals (app, entree, drink, dessert, tax, tip). It's always been more of a convenience factor for most people, not everyone plans meals to maximize their credits. Food is big vacation cost, and 1 credit = 1 meal was easy when DDP started and gave people a handle on their total trip cost (less souveniers of course!).

 

[rachel09985]

I think they should introduce a 2 TS meal plan in between the DDP and DxDP. The plan should have app, entree, and dessert, and 2 snack credits per day.

I like this idea too but I think they would have to 2 TS plus a counter service per day I think for me to buy it.