MYO free dining for DVC'ers on points?

[tjkraz]

The $35/$10 pricing is based upon the reality that Disney is guaranteed room and ticket revenue from the same reservation. It's simple economics--comparable to paying $5 for a 100oz bottle of Tide vs. $9 for a 200oz bottle. They intice you to buy a larger quantity of the product by accepting a lower profit margin.

If not for the dining plans, one could go to Ticketmania or any other vendor and pay less for park tickets.

If they do end up offering the meal plans to DVC members, I wouldn't be surprised if it were a higher amount than to the general public.

 

[robinb]

You can still use your DDE card on the part of the meal that is not covered by the MYW Dining Plan. We plan on using it for kids meals and alcohol when we are on the plan at CSR in August.

 

[Laurajean1014]

My $.02 is that with over 80,000 members traveling constantly in and out of the resorts, it would be a huge load to include us. We are quite a majority of individuals.

WDW isn't going to divy us up - okay the '92 - '99 members go first, and so on. That would not work. Or, let's start with all the SSR owners and work our way back - that won't work either. I think they have a real issue on their hands.

 

[Chuck S]

My mom and I wanted to add it onto our upcoming trip. I was a little surprised we couldn't pay the $35 / $10 per night to get the dining plan. What makes us different? Oh ya, we got a kitchen and paid a ton of money up front promising WDW we'd visit for years and years to come.

My mom is not a DVC member, I am. And her view of us not being able to purchase the dining plan like those staying at say Pop Century in her eyes is like us being penalized. And I must say I agree with her.

If you don't think the plan is a good deal for you, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be offered as an add on option cause some of us might think it is a good deal.

We stayed in a studio, used DDE, had almost twice the number of table service meals the MYW would have allowed and spend a few $$ less than $35 per adult per day. including tax, alcohol and tips. We did NOT cook or fix a meal in the room...we did have one premade salad in the room from Publix.

I still don't get just "how" we are penalized? Again, the dining plan is partly financed through rack rate rooms, for 9 days in a studio (118 points-one Friday & one Saturday night during the stay), if my dues were $4 (which is slightly higher than we actually paid) that is: $472...add to that the 50 years of points I got for $51.50 per point in 1992...($1.03 per point per year) that brings to total to $593.54. Rack rate for that studio room would have been $2331, a savings of $1737.46, not including room tax on the cash ressie. I think I can buy my own meals for that. I wish I could figure out more ways to get such a "penalty".

 

[sarhenty]

My $.02 is that with over 80,000 members traveling constantly in and out of the resorts, it would be a huge load to include us. We are quite a majority of individuals.

WDW isn't going to divy us up - okay the '92 - '99 members go first, and so on. That would not work. Or, let's start with all the SSR owners and work our way back - that won't work either. I think they have a real issue on their hands.

But like many on this board not everyone of those 80,000 members will do the dining plan because they offer the DDE that works great for those who go multiple times a year or who take a very long vacation. It's just nice if we would have the option to purchase it, but I also agree on what tjkraz said in that its all about economics. I don't think there is much in it for them and thats why they haven't offered it to DVCers.

 

[robinb]

My $.02 is that with over 80,000 members traveling constantly in and out of the resorts, it would be a huge load to include us. We are quite a majority of individuals.

{shrug}

I don't see a big difference between Disney putting a meal plan on a room key/account at Boardwalk Inn and them putting a meal plan on a room key/account at Boardwalk Villas.

I do agree with many who say that the meal plan is subsidized as being part of a package (rack rate room, full price tickets, etc) and it's not very likely that we, as DVCers, will see it. That didn't stop me from emailing DVC today and asking for it!

 

[lenshanem]

As DVC members we all will bring way more money into the WDW resort itself over the years than the family that stays at Pop once or twice. Let us not forget we PAID to join DVC. It is not like they are letting us stay at their resorts for free.

Would it be better to offer DVC members the dining plan and make $90 per night off of us or lose that $90 cause we are eating more in our rooms and/or offsite? Eventually, many of us will start wandering offsite...

I'm sorry I ever mentioned my mom using the word "penalized". I hate when I get popped into debates on here.

 

[tjkraz]

Would it be better to offer DVC members the dining plan and make $90 per night off of us or lose that $90 cause we are eating more in our rooms and/or offsite?

That's a question only Disney can answer.

Many have documented ways in which they've saved hundreds using the dining plan over paying list menu prices. Those savings indicate that Disney is accepting a lower profit margin on guest meals for those booking a package. That lower profit margin is offset by paying Disney prices for tickets and accommodations.

Will they accept a similar reduced profit margin on DVCers who can guarantee no other revenue stream?

 

[Chuck S]

As DVC members we all will bring way more money into the WDW resort itself over the years than the family that stays at Pop once or twice.

Individually, that is true. Collectively, though, look at it this way. If Disney can rent studios for 9 days at $2331, and keep them consistently full vs. our paying < $600 for the same time period (a $70%+ discount rate), I'm not sure that is true. As long as families are willing to fork over big bucks for the "one time" vacation...and continually do so to keep the resorts busy, the company will make far more money collectively from those families than from the collective DVC members.

 

[lenshanem]

Well, I don't know about ya'll, but we easily spend $1000 to $1500 on a week's vacation on food and souvenirs alone. That figure will only increase as the kids get older, too. Those estimates are not even taking into account passes and the money we've already invested into DVC. And we typically go at LEAST twice a year. Sounds like we're creating some kind of revenue...

I don't think Disney is hurting a bit by offering DVC members a perk here and there. If anything it encourages more spending within the parks as opposed to outside the property or like others have mentioned - eating all our meals in our rooms.

 

[Chuck S]

But Shan, surely those one time visitors also spend a ton of $$ on souvenirs. Say the average fam of 4 (DVC and non-DVC) spend $1000 per one week on souvenirs, now as DVC members we get a room for $600 (amitorized cost plus dues) for that week, while the one time family spends $2300. Over the course of your 50 yr membership, you may spend $30,000 on DVC accomodations, Family "A" will spend $2300. But next year Family "A" will be replaced by Family "B", also paying $2300 for those accomodations, whereas we will once again spend $600 and so on for 50 years. So the total cost (assumig dues and cash hotel costs remain consistent) of using that room to the DVC member is $30K, but to "one time only" families, that same room will bring in $115K over a 50 year span...so while your individual family will spend more over the course of the membership than the "one time only" family, it is the "one time only families" that make the cash for Disney. Disneys advantage to selling in DVC is that it brings in aa large collective lump sum cash flow when resorts are initially sold, but once those resorts are sold, the "cash well" is relatively dry compared to the occasional WDW hotel visitors that keep the regular resort operating at relatively full capacity.

In other words, DVC and local residents could probably cover most of the WDW operating costs, but it is the "one time only" renters that make the company really profitable.

 

[lenshanem]

Still what is better? That $90 per night from our family or nothing if we start going offsite or eating in our rooms instead? If they aren't making additional money off us from the rooms then they need to make it elsewhere from us. Or else why even bother building the DVC resorts? It wasn't done out of generosity. It was done to make money. They know they'll make money off us somewhere... The "cash well'' isn't dried up. Giving DVC members the occasional perk like allowing us to PURCHASE the dining plan only helps to guarantee them our extra money will stay within the resort and not elsewhere. We are their most loyal following and have guaranteed them our continued patronage by purchasing. What if WDW loses its popularity? What if that family "A" or "B" doesn't come? They still get our money, don't they?

 

[DisFlan]

I can see it now...DVC gets the dining plan. Then (since we're DVC) we start wanting dining plan choices. DVC has a lot of kitchens, so people will start wanting a choice of maybe two sit downs and no counter service or snack stuff. Or just one meal, a sit down including alcohol. Or just breakfast and lunch. Or...

And then we'd complain (screech, howl) about a FREE plan if/when the Rack Rate people get one.

Yup, I can see where Disney is probably just humpin' their butts to get us a plan.

I didn't join DVC ever expecting to have a dining plan. I certainly don't expect a free plan. Any perks or discounts, while nice, are bonuses. They aren't expected as an entitlement.

DisFlan

 

[Chuck S]

But remember, the cost of the dining plan is offset by the full price rooms, in essence the resort revenue pays for the plan. Since DVC lacks that resort revenue, where is the offset going to magically appear from? Either our dues -or- a higher fee for the dining plan, which would then make it much less attractive. For instance, would $50 for adults and $18 for kids still be worth it? Not likely.

Folks here complained that we should be treated like FL residents...discounted APs and DDE...well now we have that and it STILL isn't good enough?

 

[DebbieB]

{shrug}

I don't see a big difference between Disney putting a meal plan on a room key/account at Boardwalk Inn and them putting a meal plan on a room key/account at Boardwalk Villas.

I do agree with many who say that the meal plan is subsidized as being part of a package (rack rate room, full price tickets, etc) and it's not very likely that we, as DVCers, will see it. That didn't stop me from emailing DVC today and asking for it!

They won't put it on a room only reservation at BWI either. It's not just DVC members being "discriminated" against. It's anyone who books room only, including annual passholders who get a discount on their room.

Still what is better? That $90 per night from our family or nothing if we start going offsite or eating in our rooms instead? If they aren't making additional money off us from the rooms then they need to make it elsewhere from us. Or else why even bother building the DVC resorts? It wasn't done out of generosity. It was done to make money. They know they'll make money off us somewhere... The "cash well'' isn't dried up. Giving DVC members the occasional perk like allowing us to PURCHASE the dining plan only helps to guarantee them our extra money will stay within the resort and not elsewhere. We are their most loyal following and have guaranteed them our continued patronage by purchasing. What if WDW loses its popularity? What if that family "A" or "B" doesn't come? They still get our money, don't they?

But where are they making a profit it you pay $90 per night but eat $125 worth of food? People are always posting how much more food they ate $ wise compared to what they paid. But they are paying rack rate for their room.

If this is indeed the case, I wish DVC would stop hiding behind the "technical issue" excuse. It's starting to wear thin.

 

[lenshanem]

But where are they making a profit it you pay $90 per night but eat $125 worth of food?

The profit is still made cause the food cost them a fraction to begin with anyway.


Regardless, I hate debating cause I take it too personally. I feel I can never express a different opinion on these boards without it turning into an attack. I never asked for the free dining plan, just would like to be offered the opportunity to purchase it when traveling using our DVC points.

FYI - I have the DDE card and have used it on two trips, soon to be three. I just personally like the idea of the dining plan and have known a couple people to have used it and liked it. Geez...

 

[keishashadow]

I can see it now...DVC gets the dining plan. Then (since we're DVC) we start wanting dining plan choices. DVC has a lot of kitchens, so people will start wanting a choice of maybe two sit downs and no counter service or snack stuff. Or just one meal, a sit down including alcohol. Or just breakfast and lunch. Or...

And then we'd complain (screech, howl) about a FREE plan if/when the Rack Rate people get one.

Yup, I can see where Disney is probably just humpin' their butts to get us a plan.

I didn't join DVC ever expecting to have a dining plan. I certainly don't expect a free plan. Any perks or discounts, while nice, are bonuses. They aren't expected as an entitlement.


DisFlan

FYI, you can customize the MYW dining plan to suit your needs (use counter serves for breakfast, including character meals if you use a dinner option; Fantasmic pkgs, if you get an accommodating reservationist; combine dinner options for signature restaurants; etc).

I look @ the dining plan as a MYW ticket option/add-on, not a rack-rate room tie in...@ the Value Resorts the difference between rack & AAA rates during value season is only about $20/day. Not a big loss for Dis considering they have you captive for dinner expenses.

The MYW plan has been offered since the new MYW tix went into effect in January. As more people experience it and realize it's benefits, the demand will increase for DVC to at least offer it to those who clamor for it.

Yes, percs & discounts are grrrreat! Imagine the outcry eminating from the Villas if the AP/PAP/Dining discounts suddenly disappeared. Horrors, all the folks used to the discount would then have to then pay full price (just like many of us want to do in purchasing the MYW Tix/Dining plan).

 

[Chuck S]

I look @ the dining plan as a MYW ticket option/add-on, not a rack-rate room tie in...

But how you look at it doesn't matter...Disney considers it part of a package deal offered only through WDW Travel Co.

The MYW plan has been offered since the new MYW tix went into effect in January. As more people experience it and realize it's benefits, the demand will increase for DVC to at least offer it to those who clamor for it.

And it has been offered since January as part of a "package", not to everyone staying onsite in a discounted room even if they buy a MYW park ticket. It is tied to the number of nights in your hotel ressie...NOT the number of days on your park ticket. Inclusive dining plans have always been part of a hotel room package.

Yes, percs & discounts are grrrreat! Imagine the outcry eminating from the Villas if the AP/PAP/Dining discounts suddenly disappeared. Horrors, all the folks used to the discount would then have to then pay full price (just like many of us want to do in purchasing the MYW Tix/Dining plan).

I fully expect the AP discount to be a temporary perk at some point in time, I'll take advantage of it while it is offered, but if it is withdrawn that's the way "perks" work...I won't complain...after all I paid full price for years for my AP and had no DDE. Not to say I won't miss it. Just like the free park passes we early purchasers enjoyed...we knew they would end, too.

 

[DebbieB]

The profit is still made cause the food cost them a fraction to begin with anyway.

Regardless, I hate debating cause I take it too personally. I feel I can never express a different opinion on these boards without it turning into an attack. I never asked for the free dining plan, just would like to be offered the opportunity to purchase it when traveling using our DVC points.

FYI - I have the DDE card and have used it on two trips, soon to be three. I just personally like the idea of the dining plan and have known a couple people to have used it and liked it. Geez...

Shan,

I'm sorry, I didn't intend it as an attack. I was just expressing an opinion on why I think they don't offer it. I commend you for fighting for something you believe in. It never hurts to e-mail or call DVC to express your opinions, maybe they will do something. I think it's sad that DVC keeps saying this is "in the works" and make members think that it's going to happen soon when it doesn't appear to be.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

What would a reasonable price be for the dining plan for DVC'ers since the plan is subsidized by those paying rack rate?