Is the DDP/Free Dining having an adverse effect on WDW Food & Service..Or a Fix??

[estherhead]

I do understand this post being started as I read the previous thread started by the OP & he was accused of being harsh & a newbie right off the bat & I think he was trying to start a thread where it was more a discussion than accusations, which so far this seems to be turning into a pleasant conversation.

I've never had DDP & will be experiencing the free DDP in September. But in defense of Disney, most American restaurants where you can wear shorts in all cities have gone to not taking reservations which has resulted in 1-2 hour waits on Friday & Saturday nights while holding a little thing that lights up when your table opens. Personally, I HATE this & don't eat out that often & love being able to call & get reservations so that I'm seated immediately. But I realize that they do this because American people make reservations & then don't show up while they have held the table & not made money. So irritating as it is, this is a consumer driven country.

I'm very sorry that Florida residents are sad. I would be sad too if I lived in Orlando & was used to spending a pleasant, uncrowded day at Disney and then suddenly it was all taken away by hordes of hungry people who called months before & stole my table. It would take away the feeling of Disney being MY community. But, again, in a consumer driven country I'm not sure what Disney could do. Maybe have a few places just for Florida residents? Or a few more places where they don't take ADR's like Bongos in the actual parks?

But I have a feeling DDP is here to stay as it turns Disney into an all-inclusive resort and lets it compete with cruises & Caribbean resorts. I know my family was thrilled with the concept of DDP this year. It actually was the reason we chose Disney. Prior to knowing about it we were undecided. With 3 young kids, I just wanted something easy that was pre-paid. I have my Sept trip all paid for & it is much easier for me to read menus at home & call to make ADR's while my baby naps in her crib & the kids are at school than it is to try & figure out where we are going once we are there & people are hot & hungry.

That's my two cents on the subject in general. Obviously, I can't say anything about the quality going down as I will have no prior Disney Dining experiences to compare it to.

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't think the DDP is a problem either. I have had good food and excellent service for the most part and on the occasion where the server was less than stellar, I think it was the server, not the plan.

I realize that there are those who would like their experience to be the way that they remember it was prior to the DDP but I wonder if that experience would have changed in any way if Disney had not implemented this plan. It is a response to something and seems to have filled restaurants and resorts.

The easy answer is to determine that the DDP is the culprit if you are not satisfied, but that is not necessarily true.

 

[Pumbaa_]

This thread has been moved to the DDP board.

 

[deltachi8]

I think the DDP was the second shooter hidden in the grassy noll. Discuss.

 

[CR88]

I think the DDP was the second shooter hidden in the grassy noll. Discuss.

Hmmm, it's all coming together now. Nice!

 

[Flametamr]

I agree its difficult to get a table at most places just walking up. I experienced this last year. That was my first time on the DDP. I only made a few ADRs and had to wing it. This year I planned way ahead and booked during the free DDP time. I have an ADR each day and two on a few days. I am sure it will be a little stressfull keeping a schedule of when I have to be somewhere to eat at a certain time but where else can I experience such great food ? The only answer to this problem if there is one, is to build more resturants. Because I'm sure some people who get turned away will not return next year. Eventually success could turn on you.

 

[ElizabethB]

We can discuss it on the boards forever. Yes, DDP/Free Dining has had a very negative effect on the food, the service and the overall ambience of the dining experience at WDW. As one who has been to WDW at least once and sometimes as many as three times per year for the last decade, I've seen it very clearly and experienced the severe decline. For those who say they haven't seen a difference, they clearly don't have experience from, say, 5-7 years ago.

But, only WDW can fix the problem. And, they aren't going to because they can see that tons of average or below average food is what the people want. So, WDW will keep dishing that out -- although I'm convinced that DDP has been something of a loss leader and we will see the price start to increase annually or even semi-annually now (much as they have done with ticket prices).

As for those of us who enjoy fine dining, good wine, excellent service and restaurants that aren't packed to the gills with sloppily dressed patrons and tired, bored and noisy kids -- we are planning vacations to other places now.

 

[Lewisc]

The decline of food, particularly at the signature restaurants, is greatly over-stated. The standardization of the bar menus suggests DDP is not the cause of most of the changes.

The paragraph I quoted sums up the "REAL ISSUE". Disney has come up with a program that makes Disney restaurants more popular with Disney's customers. Casually dressed customers with kids. A handful of posters don't like that change.

V&A gives you exactly the type of dining experience you're looking for. Disney has decided one such restaurant is enough. There are also 3 restaurants in the S/D, Bistro and a handful of restaurants in DTD.

Some posters don't like having to "share their restaurants" with others. You confirmed what many of us suspected; the real issue is Disney has found a way to convert empty restaurant to full restaurants. It's harder to get a last minute ADR and you may have a family seated next to you.

The OP is looking for a "fix". Those customers who don't like the alleged effects of the DDP should patronize restaurants that don't participate. Enough customers show a willingness to pay $$$ and Disney might drop one or two signature restaurants from the plan. Willingness to pay includes not complaining when a restaurant doesn't provide a DDE discount.

As for those of us who enjoy fine dining, good wine, excellent service and restaurants that aren't packed to the gills with sloppily dressed patrons and tired, bored and noisy kids -- we are planning vacations to other places now.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it... and the Disney Dining Plan ain't broken!!!

My intentional use of formerly unacceptable grammar notwithstanding, and this is not a criticism - if the OP would use complete words, proper punctuation, and capital letters where they're expected, her/his posts would be a LOT easier to understand.

 

[CR88]

We can discuss it on the boards forever. Yes, DDP/Free Dining has had a very negative effect on the food, the service and the overall ambience of the dining experience at WDW. As one who has been to WDW at least once and sometimes as many as three times per year for the last decade, I've seen it very clearly and experienced the severe decline. For those who say they haven't seen a difference, they clearly don't have experience from, say, 5-7 years ago.

As for those of us who enjoy fine dining, good wine, excellent service and restaurants that aren't packed to the gills with sloppily dressed patrons and tired, bored and noisy kids -- we are planning vacations to other places now.

I was there about 10 years ago and the food and service seemed about the same, maybe the portions where a bit smaller, but that’s it. I had delicious meals then and now, but I didn't go yearly so my experiences may not match a frequent visitor and I don't discount your experiences whatsoever. I do agree that it wasn't NEARLY as crowded or as hard to get a reservation. When we went back in December '05 it was kind of surprising that we couldn't get into a few restaurants without ADRs. For the most part, we didn’t have a problem before. But it's OK we just plan ahead now; we love to plan. I am also not a big fan of trying to eat around noisy kids either, but it's a theme park and I kind of expect it. I do however think that the dining is head and shoulders above the other theme parks such as Cedar Point, Six Flags, Kings Island, etc. At least Disney has a number of 2007 4 & 5 star/diamond award-winning restaurants on site for those who like that type of thing.

What I have noticed is the types of problems mentioned being widespread. Does anyone really notice the changes ONLY at Disney World? EVERY ONE of the chains that we frequent, or just occasionally dine at has been experiencing problems similar to those described on this forum. Not sure if people can blame the DDP for issues at Fridays, Cheesecake Factory, Applebees, Outback, etc., but many of the issues people say that the DDP caused at WDW are being noticed by patrons of the big chains as well. Maybe free dining has caused some issues, I don't know, but isn't that only during the hurrican season? Plus, many people have mentioned similar issues at Disneyland, and while I am not 100% certain because I have never been there, I am told that they don’t even have the Dining Plan.

A fix is simple, if there needs to be one. If more and more people start eating offsite and the results of the DDP start negatively affecting the bottom line, you’ll see changes, pretty quick ones too I suspect. Disney Corporate is usually pretty fast to take action if things get bad.

 

[ElizabethB]

Yep -- the ambience isn't the same -- and the way it is now, these are not restaurants I'm interested in patronizing. We used to love (love!) Chefs de France. The food was delicious, we often had an opportunity to chat with our waiter or waitress about their home country, etc. We were there once at 9:00 p.m. Our waitress moved our boys to a table by the window so they could see Illuminations. She taught them a few words in French and it was just an all around delightful experience.

A year later, the place was so packed the waiters could barely keep up with the service demands -- they were all running top speed. The food had declined in quality and good things like the filet had been removed from the menu. It was noisy, more tables had been crowded into the space, we were seated right next to the waiters station with silverware and dishes clanking. We also felt like we were nearly on top of the family next to us. We asked to be moved and were accommodated. But, we found that the seafood pasta was gone. In its place was a tuna dish which came out serious overcooked. Our waiter informed us that "it's the way the customers like it!". Great, we paid a lot of money for overcooked tuna because the customers don't like it the way it's supposed to be served.

Yet, the meal cost as much as ever (or more). We find that if you're not on DDP, the prices have become seriously outrageous. It's just like health insurance -- if you're on a plan, the rates have been negotiated and the prices are bearable. If you're not on a plan, you will pay through the nose.

I don't like paying huge amounts of money for the food and ambience that is now available at the World Showcase restaurants. It's that simple.

As a result, we're planning trips elsewhere. The World Showcase restaurants were part of the reason to visit Epcot. Talking to people from different countries and giving our boys the opportunity to experience that made it worthwhile. To have them eat seriously Americanized food from waiters too busy to even tell us their name defeats the purpose of eating in Epcot.

This will be my last post on this because, as I already indicated, WDW is the only one that can fix this and they ain't gonna! To their way of thinking, the restaurants are jam-packed, so the problem is fixed!

 

[DisneyBride'03]

What if my kids were just tired and bored, but dressed nicely, and not sloppily?
As far as the fine dining aspect, isnt there a dress code for certain restaurants, I know there is at California Grill, so that should deter some sloppily dressed patrons.

Yes , I am being pleasantly sarcastic

I have found reading some posts that "visitors" love DDP, and some locals do not. Everyone has their reasons, hence the "discussions" and/or debates.

I actually just view it as a "plan"....I plan our trip, thus plan our schedule, and plan our dining. I used it in March, and am using it again in a few months. We dont do TS everynight, so we enjoy Narcoosees or CG....
I can try to empathize with FL residents, as their dining experiences have changed. But is it truly due to the DDP?

 

[Lewisc]

I know everyone likes blaming the DDP for menu changes but the fillet is back on the menu at Chefs de France. Not every menu change is a result of the DDP. You can't blame Chefs for cooking tuna the way customers want it. The waiter could have asked how you like your tuna cooked or you could have sent it back. I don't like tuna rare, "the way it's supposed to be served" but any restaurant is more then happy to cook mine medium. I'd be shocked if Chefs wouldn't have cooked your tuna to your specifications.

I agree with your last paragraph 100%. Disney likes full restaurants. Disney likes being able to charge premium pricing. Guests who aren't happy should find other places to dine because Disney isn't likely to change. Sometimes we find a special restaurant at home. Great food, great service, not too crowded and reasonable pricing. That restaurant gets a couple of great reviews and suddenly you can't get a reservation, the menu is reduced and the prices go up.

I do think some posters are seriously overstating menu changes. Some people think the steaks at the Yachtsman went from the quality at the Palm to the quality of Sizzler. The food isn't as good as many posters remember and it's not as bad as many posters think.

Yep -- the ambience isn't the same -- and the way it is now, these are not restaurants I'm interested in patronizing. We used to love (love!) Chefs de France. The food was delicious, we often had an opportunity to chat with our waiter or waitress about their home country, etc. We were there once at 9:00 p.m. Our waitress moved our boys to a table by the window so they could see Illuminations. She taught them a few words in French and it was just an all around delightful experience.

A year later, the place was so packed the waiters could barely keep up with the service demands -- they were all running top speed. The food had declined in quality and good things like the filet had been removed from the menu. It was noisy, more tables had been crowded into the space, we were seated right next to the waiters station with silverware and dishes clanking. We also felt like we were nearly on top of the family next to us. We asked to be moved and were accommodated. But, we found that the seafood pasta was gone. In its place was a tuna dish which came out serious overcooked. Our waiter informed us that "it's the way the customers like it!". Great, we paid a lot of money for overcooked tuna because the customers don't like it the way it's supposed to be served.

Yet, the meal cost as much as ever (or more). We find that if you're not on DDP, the prices have become seriously outrageous. It's just like health insurance -- if you're on a plan, the rates have been negotiated and the prices are bearable. If you're not on a plan, you will pay through the nose.

I don't like paying huge amounts of money for the food and ambience that is now available at the World Showcase restaurants. It's that simple.

As a result, we're planning trips elsewhere. The World Showcase restaurants were part of the reason to visit Epcot. Talking to people from different countries and giving our boys the opportunity to experience that made it worthwhile. To have them eat seriously Americanized food from waiters too busy to even tell us their name defeats the purpose of eating in Epcot.

This will be my last post on this because, as I already indicated, WDW is the only one that can fix this and they ain't gonna! To their way of thinking, the restaurants are jam-packed, so the problem is fixed!

 

[bookgirl2632]

Yep -- the ambience isn't the same -- and the way it is now, these are not restaurants I'm interested in patronizing. We used to love (love!) Chefs de France. The food was delicious, we often had an opportunity to chat with our waiter or waitress about their home country, etc. We were there once at 9:00 p.m. Our waitress moved our boys to a table by the window so they could see Illuminations. She taught them a few words in French and it was just an all around delightful experience.

A year later, the place was so packed the waiters could barely keep up with the service demands -- they were all running top speed. The food had declined in quality and good things like the filet had been removed from the menu.

Hmm, interesting. We were there in September and had a wonderful meal. Our waiter was from Marsailles and took time out to tell us about his region. He was extremely friendly and did not seem rushed at tall, despite the fact that it was very busy.

At Citricos, we had another waiter who stopped to chat with us in between serving his tables. He remembered us from our previous trip and it was nice to catch up with him. Again, it was busy and the food was excellent, just as we remembered it.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Out of all or our ADRs, I can think of only one that was average, Alfredos. The food was fine, but our waiter did looked rushed. He was pleasant, but we never really spoke to him much. And the service was fine, in that our orders were correct and came out promptly.

I will admit that I have not been fortunate enough to go to WDW on a yearly basis. Therefore, I don't have a frame of reference to keep track of any decline. All I know is that the service and quality of food we experienced on our last trip was well above average. In some cases, I would say it was excellent. So I don't see a problem.

 

[DiszyDean]

Simply stated, if you do not like Disney dining, you are obviously in the vast minority because the restaurants are packed.

Your alternative is to go somewhere else to eat. It is your perogative. Disney will survive (and continue to do very well). Disney will not go back to the days of half-empty restaurants.

Personally, I think someone should sticky a thread called. "Why I hate the DDP" and let the relatively few who do hate it vent all they want in that thread.