I guess I am late hearing!

[honeymo78]

NMW - you make a great point. I don't think the deluxe is really intended for the people that made the jump from very few TS meals without a plan to one a day on the regular DDP. Nor do I think that the regular DDP is really meant to convert the no TS people anymore like it used to. These plans really make the most sense for people eat like that, or close to it, every day.

In my case, and for NMW, we'd be buying these meals and tipping with or without a package. Of course the plan makes it cheaper - the food itself at my 3 meals costs way more than $70. Its when you start comparing apples to oranges that you probably won't save. If you don't eat TS meals or very few of them, no dining plan in 08 is going to save you significant money.

Again I think disney is moving away from trying to convert people to being TS eaters (they already did that with some people on the last DDP) and are trying to market these plans, and savings, toward people who are going to eat TS anyway.

 

[kakiegirl]

We still feel the DDP is a deal for us as a family of three with one child. Yes we could probably eat for less money but we used the Dining Plan last year and loved it. We have alway been CS people only doing one mabye 2 TS meals at the most each trip. We like the fact that (1) It is pre-paid, we loved not having to worry about paying for our meals out of our vacation money (to us that would be worth paying a little more than normal. (2) It allows us to dine at places we would never try if we were paying OP (i.e. this year we went to OHANA's and loved it but price wise if we were paying full price at the time I know we would look at it and think it was not worth it. (3) The tips are a little inconvience but not much for us I am just estimating $100.00 a day for t.s. meals (which I don't think we will spend that much very often if any) but that would be $700 for the week at 18% which would bring the tips to $126.00. So I am planning to take $100.00 as tip money for the week. I will tip based on service because we did not have any outstanding service this past trip and I wondered if that was due in part to the fact that they knew their tip was guaranteed. So I am actually hoping this new plan will improve service. (4) The leaving off the appetizers does not really matter so us, I think last year at only two or our meals was ordereing appetizers an option and then it was not really anthing we could not live without (I am just glad they did not take out the desert )

 

[skater]

Okay, so many of you are perfectly happy to pay for the dining plan, plus tips and lose the appetizer (or at least the choice of one) and pay $1 less per day? What percent increase is that? I discussed this issue with a CM on the "special Teppanyaki cancellation #" and she excitedly told me how great the new plans were and how the regular plan is a whole $1 less. I wish I could get excited about that . On the PodCast thread about this, somebody mentioned that its somewhat insulting, and I have to agree. Has anybody figured out the percentage increase actually is? I guess there's a difference between being happy about it and accepting it. I may be able to accept it, but no CM is going to make me gleeful about it. Am I misunderstanding what I'm reading here or are some of you actually happy about this? I love you guys, but I just don't get it.

 

[septbaby]

Good points SKATER

I think the "Happiness" is coming from those interested in the deluxe plan. Those who choose the base plan probably are, as you say are "Accepting" it.

 

[kakiegirl]

I wouldn't say I am happy about it I want the best value for my money, but for my family we feel the dining plan is still the best way to go for us money wise. So I guess I am in the accepting category. I wish it had stayed the same but I will still get the dining plan with our trip next year.

 

[mickey2000]

I wouldn't say I am happy about it I want the best value for my money, but for my family we feel the dining plan is still the best way to go for us money wise. So I guess I am in the accepting category. I wish it had stayed the same but I will still get the dining plan with our trip next year.

IMO NOT a good value if they continue to dumb down the menus.
It's obvious either plan will be more than out of pocket. Maybe a break even if you order the most expensive items. Thats if there are any left in 2008 after they streamline the minues even more .. IMO just bad business. Yes Disney deserves profit and they were losing some money on the old plan. However it was just another perk like the Magic Bus to KEEP YOU ON PROPERTY. That way they can get all your spendable money. Its smart of them not wantng you to go off propert.
Guess things are good for them and we should just expect to pay more ?
At this point I can't justify the new plans until all the restaurants are listed and the food choices are clear. Look at WGP's cuts.

 

[thunderbird1]

Yes, it's true that we will need cash for tips, but we would have needed it anyway, not being on the plan. With or with out dining plans our family has eaten the same way every Disney trip-TS breakfast & TS dinner & a few TS lunches every day. The Deluxe plan is great for how we eat and the 69.99 is a deal for what we normaly eat. Would it be a much better deal if the tax was included? Absolutely! I guess the way I'm looking at it is that, you can't have everything.

At least we have a pre-paid meal plan that covers the way our family eats while at WDW. With the old DDP we paid so much money OOP (including tips) for the TS meals the plan DIDN'T cover, it really was a pain. At least now I know that the only thing I have to pay for is a tip and alcohol. We set aside $600 for tips for the week. If we need more while down there, then we need more. At least I'm not paying every day for a character breakfast plus tip, TS lunches plus tip, trying to figure out what to do with all those CS credits the old plan had, etc.

The DXDDP really does sound like a perfect plan for you and other families like yours (and I know there are a lot of them!) who like to have the character breakfast and a TS dinner as well. I'm glad they've come up with a middle ground plan between the basic DDP and the premium plans. Enjoy!

Okay, so many of you are perfectly happy to pay for the dining plan, plus tips and lose the appetizer (or at least the choice of one) and pay $1 less per day? What percent increase is that? I discussed this issue with a CM on the "special Teppanyaki cancellation #" and she excitedly told me how great the new plans were and how the regular plan is a whole $1 less. I wish I could get excited about that . On the PodCast thread about this, somebody mentioned that its somewhat insulting, and I have to agree. Has anybody figured out the percentage increase actually is? I guess there's a difference between being happy about it and accepting it. I may be able to accept it, but no CM is going to make me gleeful about it. Am I misunderstanding what I'm reading here or are some of you actually happy about this? I love you guys, but I just don't get it.

Unfortunately, because tips are based on the cost of the meal, and prices of TS meals can vary greatly, there is no way to precisely calculate what the increase was. It depends totally on where you go and what you order. septbaby did a great analysis earlier:

On the 2008 if I eat dinner at Chef Mickey's it will cost me $5.40 more than in 2007 to cover an 18% tip and $2 price increase. THE EXACT SAME MEAL FOR $5 MORE ON THE 2008 PLAN!

If I went to LeCellier and ordered: Duck Two Ways, Mushroom Filet and Canadian Whiskey Cake . . . on the 2008 plan it would cost $20.63 extra for tip and the appetizer.

Using septbaby's calculations, at CM's, because there are no appetizers at buffets, the price increase works out to less than 13%. At Le Cellier, it's more like 55% (even more if you add in a smoothie as a beverage). But you can still save money over paying OOP with the new DDP--just not as much as before.

 

[thunderbird1]

At this point I can't justify the new plans until all the restaurants are listed and the food choices are clear. Look at WGP's cuts.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the recent menu changes yet. Many restaurants in years past made some changes specifically for free dining, which just started a week ago. Most of the changes reverted back once free dining ended, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again, especially at a place like WGP, which has become so popular with DDP purchasers.

Also, keep in mind that most menus have always changed seasonally, so the exact food choices you'll have are never completely clear. I do read menus (my family might say obsessively), but try not to choose a restaurant just for one dish. Inevitably, that'll be the one that disappears days before my ADR, and is replaced by something that, at first glance, makes me go . But those have ended up being some of my favorite meals in the past.

 

[MarieA]

For us the DDP is no longer worth it. Based on the restaurants we choose the increase in cost is anywhere from 35 - 45%. (Took a look at our receipts from our trip last week and did the calculations.) If they would have raised the price $5 and took away the dessert for the CS lunch, I would have accepted the changes.

As for Disney losing money on the DDP - they wouldn't offer it at $38.99 if they weren't making money.

We'll be using the DDE for future trips.

 

[bicker]

What percent increase is that?

Probably about 25%. That's roughly how much I felt the Dining Plan was under-priced, in the past.

On the PodCast thread about this, somebody mentioned that its somewhat insulting, and I have to agree.

I cannot agree. I think it is actually a bit silly to take anything that is strictly business so personally to get insulted.

 

[skater]

Probably about 25%. That's roughly how much I felt the Dining Plan was under-priced, in the past.

I cannot agree. I think it is actually a bit silly to take anything that is strictly business so personally to get insulted.

What is insulting is the impression I got from speaking to CM's that I should be excited that the cost is $1 less. The change itself is not personally insulting.

 

[mickey2000]

What is insulting is the impression I got from speaking to CM's that I should be excited that the cost is $1 less. The change itself is not personally insulting.

I can agree !!