Ouch! This new (proposed) plan is quite a departure from the old one. It's almost in the realm of DL's so-called dining plan, which is an astonishingly bad deal.
However the biggest perk I found when on the dining plan was being able to order any entree off the menu regardless of the cost and being able to try different items we wouldn't if I was paying out of pocket for each item ordered. Under the new 2008 plan the price of items would come into consideration for us because now we would paying 20% tip on those items.
Maybe that's part of their point--to try to get people to stop ordering the most expensive items on the menu "because they can." Or to stop booking at only the most expensive restaurants, again, "because they can." Whatever their reasoning, 20% (or so) is a huge jump in price. Even worse, IMO, is the hassle of having to carry cash or put the tip on the room charge. And I feel especially bad for all the CM's who will be stiffed because of the change.
The DDP wasn't underpriced, it was "correctly" priced to serve as a driver for higher occupancy at higher rates at the resorts.
It also drove up sales in the restaurants. We had a couple of different CM's tell us that they were grateful for the DDP because otherwise, their restaurants would be empty. Which brings up another benefit of the DDP--people tried (and maybe got hooked on) restaurants they wouldn't otherwise have considered. So whether they use the DDP or not, more people will probably consider at least some of the restaurants "must-do's" for future trips.
I am thinking because of the coming Changes in DDP
Disney may not offer
Free Dining in 2008.
Just a thought and I know that Free Dining every year
in not a Guarantee and could never be offered again.
So glad I got in on it this Year.
Me, too! Even if free DDP were offered next year, with the new plan it would be a tougher analysis to determine whether it would be a good deal or not. When you figure the difference between a discounted room and a rack rate room + 20% (of the "sticker price" on the food, not the cost of the DDP) vs. how you would eat if paying OOP, "free" DDP probably isn't a good deal for many people staying in moderate or deluxe resorts.
That deluxe plan is interesting, though. If it were just dh and I, I'd try it in a heartbeat, and schedule mostly signature restaurants for dinner. The third TS could be an early lunch, or buffet breakfast (mmm, Boma every morning
). It might even be interesting with kids < 10, because of the portability between TS and CS meals. (Right now, if mom and dad have a night out, you're stuck with extra kid TS credits, and so have to blow them on room service (if in a deluxe), pay OOP for adult meals just to use up the kid credits, or simply lose them.)
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how ADR availability changes if this new plan is implemented, especially in the more expensive TS restaurants, and how many people go back to staying off site. I'm sure if the pendulum swings too far back towards empty restaurants and resorts, this new plan won't last more than a year or two. Just long enough for us to join the rest of you on a cruise!
.
, oh well we have done a couple of TS and rest CS before and it didnt kill us....
). As far of the value of it, I just don't see it either, but I suppose we'll know more once Disney makes the official announcement.
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