New Disney Dining Plan 2008

[Amy5000]

I also think if Disney is going this route they should offer a choice of appetizer or dessert instead of just dessert. This way everyone can share and not waste so much food.

You know...I don't think Disney wants people to share. Think about it. If you share an appetizer and desert you are taking the table for longer (without a corresponding increase in profit), increasing the amount of service (it adds an extra course to serve), and I also suspect that appetizers involve significantly more kitchen prep work than deserts...which I would bet are massed produced for many Disney restaurants.

I do wonder if some restaurants will let people sub appetizers for desserts any way...

 

[HaleyB]

I don't recall reading this gossip on the Allearsnet newsletter

No one wants to believe it, but Deb is a very reliable source and Unofficial Guide is reporting the same thing.

www.all ears net.com/blogs/debwills/2007/07/2008_dining_plan_changes_1.html (can't link to it from here, remove the spaces)

Without the tip and appetizer it is hardly cost effective anymore. I think you would have to work to break even. DDE looks better by the minute. I sure hope they don't change that too much in 2008.

 

[kidsister]

I thought the old DDP , while a great value, encouraged OBESITY by including 2 desserts a day. Sorry, but while I envy anyone who can eat 2 desserts a day...I'm already overweight without ANY desserts a day! Yikes! So I think that they should be offering either appetizer or dessert with evening meal.
Tip included is why I loved the DDP. I usually tip 20% and that will add at least $10 to the normal TS dinner (well, the old one with both app and dessert). I didn't much care for the CS meals. The deluxe plan, offering 3TS would work for me IF I could share it as opposed to using it all myself. If I am traveling solo, I wonder if I can give food away to any friend that shows up at one of my meals!

 

[Small Town Princess]

This is terrible news. Our family also had table service meals total between $200-$250 per night. A $50 tip for 7 nights is an extra $350!!!

I like the appetizers too! Sure it's a lot of food...but I'm on vacation! I want to spoil myself and family for one week out of the year. Besides, with all the walking around the parks we wear it all off anyway.

It was so nice to know up front what the entire trip was going to cost. Now instead of carrying around one little "key to the kingdom" card I have to try and guess how much extra cash I need to bring each day. Or I charge it all back to my room and get hit with a whopping credit card bill at the end of our stay.

I just don't see how they can hit us with two big whammys at once and justify it by decreasing $1.

 

[JustSayin]

There is no way that the new DDP will be an economically feasible option IMO, assuming these rumors is accurate. Taking away the tip removes a large portion of the value from the plan. I understand wanting the servers to feel they have more of a stake in their tip, but if you are cutting out that high of a percentage of the value out of the plan, you need to drop the price more than $1. That doesn’t even address the loss of appetizers and the convenience of money free dining.

I know Disney loves to tweak, but this new plan removes the big perks of the old plan, and leaves all of its drawbacks. All this for a (basically) the same price! I can see the deluxe plan being nice for those who are more interested in convenience than they are in economy.

 

[starwood]

It will be interesting to see if they implement these changes and don't sell as many of these plans as they did before if they will change them again.

I also think eliminating the appetizer (approx $6.00/day) and the tip (approx $25.00/day) and only decreasing the package cost by $1.00/day is an insult to our intelligence.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

It will be interesting to see if they implement these changes and don't sell as many of these plans as they did before if they will change them again.

I also think eliminating the appetizer (approx $6.00/day) and the tip (approx $25.00/day) and only decreasing the package cost by $1.00/day is an insult to our intelligence.

I agree, I will be enjoying the DDP in December but I think that will be the last time for me.

 

[Teacher03]

That's the clinker right there. The MAIN reason we like and participate in the DP is that we don't have to deal with money or budgeting AT ALL. I love not having to deal with budgeting at Disney, because before it was a real headache having to figure out where you wanted to eat and how much it would cost. Now with the DP all our ADR's are made, everything is included so we just have to show up.

I agree. I loved just showing up at the restaurant and not worrying about money. We won't be using the DDP again, and unfortunately that means we won't be staying on site. We stayed on site mainly so we could get the dining plan.

 

[KandiB47]

Yes, I agree the regular dining plan isn't worth it anymore now that a tip is not included. I was hoping the price would go down more especially now that an appetizer is not included. $1 just doesn't cut it for me.

I do like that with the deluxe plan you can eat table service for every meal. There is no way I could eat that much food though. DS will be 2 during our 2008 trip and he won't want to sit through three meals a day.

Maybe I will just buy the DDE for 20% off.

 

[WDW Fan]

It will be my first time ever using the DDP in Sept. (for FREE and Dec. paid) but if those changes go through I'll just wind up taking the room discount offered through my AP which I can't use if taking the DDP and eat mostly counter service meals for lunch and dinner. That price is way too high, and without the tip included, it would really increase my food budget allowed for WDW trips!!! I love my Disney trips but I'm feeling lately that they're making it more difficult for a family to go on a budget. I hope this is just a rumor!

 

[MyZoeJane]

Tips are not mandatory, are they? At least not for a group less than say, 6? Although now that I think about it, when we went last September and I paid OOP for DD's kids meals on occasion, I remember them adding tip in automatically for just her.

Hmmm.... DOES Disney automatically force you to pay a tip regardless of the size of your party? If so, then THAT is bogus, if you ask me.

But if they DON'T force a particular tip amount and leave it to the discretion of the guest, I foresee a lot of guests either tipping very low or skipping out ont he tip entirely. THAT will be enough for the servers to be outraged about the change in the dining plan.

 

[Nancyg56]

Tips are not mandatory, are they? At least not for a group less than say, 6? Although now that I think about it, when we went last September and I paid OOP for DD's kids meals on occasion, I remember them adding tip in automatically for just her.

Hmmm.... DOES Disney automatically force you to pay a tip regardless of the size of your party? If so, then THAT is bogus, if you ask me.

But if they DON'T force a particular tip amount and leave it to the discretion of the guest, I foresee a lot of guests either tipping very low or skipping out ont he tip entirely. THAT will be enough for the servers to be outraged about the change in the dining plan.

I read that if you are a party of 6 or more and automatic gratuity will be added to your check. I don't know if this is a fact.

I agree that there will be a lot of people who will not leave a tip or whose tip will not be generous. I was always satisfied with my service while on the DDP, but I also wonder if the servers experience a pattern of poor tipping practices if it will impact the level of service.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Losing the appetizer is not a make-or-break issue for me. But the dropping the tips is a bigger issue. I liked the idea of not having to carry cash with me for meals. DD17 was going to book a package w/DDP next spring for her graduation trip. Now, she and her friends may reconsider it. Tips will add another $6-$10 per day to their costs. They'll probably choose to do all counterservice and maybe one character meal instead.

 

[NMW]

I think a lot of people are just reacting badly to change. The new Deluxe plan is fabulous for many families. Mine for example!

the current dining plan would cost my family $164 a day or $1148 for a 7 night tirip. However, we ALWAYS eat a TS/character breakfast and a couple TS lunches that we pay OOP for every trip. This costs us about $1200 over and above what the DDP gives us (going by what we spent in Oct). So for our family, the DDP costs us $2348.

The new Deluxe plan will cost our family $300 a day, or $2100 for a 7 night trip and cover 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, and refillable mugs! What is not to love about that?? That is ALL of our food-nothing OOP anymore except alcohol and tips.

Also, you can use 2 meals for a signature (according to Deb's blog).
You could do:
Crystal Palace for breakfast
use your 2 snack credits per person/perday for lunch
California grill for dinner

or:
Crystal Palace breakfast
Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch
Le Celliar for dinner

Or:
use snack credits for breakfast-pastery & drink
Sci Fi for lunch
Yachtsman steakhouse for dinner

The possibilities are endless, all for only 69.99 a day! I can't wait to start planning our May 08 trip. I really think once people look closely at this plan, they will love it.

 

[ceecee]

I would rather have appetizers than dessert as well. The tip is the biggest thing for us, it was great to add extra to a great server and not worry about the rest, most were pretty good though in our opinion.
No snacks in the new plan?? That wouldn't be good either. Probably wouldn't buy it again if that's the final word, we'll have to just wait and see.

 

[pjb0216]

I dont like what they did to the regular plan, but I love the Deluxe plan. It will work perfect for our family.

 

[disneyjunkie]

You know...I don't think Disney wants people to share. Think about it. If you share an appetizer and desert you are taking the table for longer (without a corresponding increase in profit), increasing the amount of service (it adds an extra course to serve), and I also suspect that appetizers involve significantly more kitchen prep work than deserts...which I would bet are massed produced for many Disney restaurants.

I do wonder if some restaurants will let people sub appetizers for desserts any way...

I have to agree. I believe they are trying to put an end to all the sharing.

I think a lot of people are just reacting badly to change. The new Deluxe plan is fabulous for many families. Mine for example!

the current dining plan would cost my family $164 a day or $1148 for a 7 night tirip. However, we ALWAYS eat a TS/character breakfast and a couple TS lunches that we pay OOP for every trip. This costs us about $1200 over and above what the DDP gives us (going by what we spent in Oct). So for our family, the DDP costs us $2348.

The new Deluxe plan will cost our family $300 a day, or $2100 for a 7 night trip and cover 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, and refillable mugs! What is not to love about that?? That is ALL of our food-nothing OOP anymore except alcohol and tips.

Also, you can use 2 meals for a signature (according to Deb's blog).
You could do:
Crystal Palace for breakfast
use your 2 snack credits per person/perday for lunch
California grill for dinner

or:
Crystal Palace breakfast
Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch
Le Celliar for dinner

Or:
use snack credits for breakfast-pastery & drink
Sci Fi for lunch
Yachtsman steakhouse for dinner

The possibilities are endless, all for only 69.99 a day! I can't wait to start planning our May 08 trip. I really think once people look closely at this plan, they will love it.

The deluxe plan is awesome.

 

[branv]

Well next year was going to be my first time to try the DDP, but not with this bogus change - only a $1 decrease, while removing one course and decreasing the value by 20%? No way.

That being said, I can see how it is still a good value for people who always eat a TS a day. We are the types who, for our 3 night trips prior to the DCL, usually only do one table service meal, maybe two. Even if I did one buffet a day, like Crystal Palace, this dining plan is only a good deal if you choose the right time of day.

Considering what they offer - one snack, one CS, one TS for $37.99:
Breakfast at WL: OOP $8.50
Lunch at CHH: $10
Snack: Dole Whip $3.20
Crystal Palace Dinner: $27.99 (OOP $6 tip)

If buy it myself: 57.51 (includes tax and tip)

If buy dining plan, plus cost of OOP items: 37.99+breakfast+tip at CP= $52.49

So assuming any TS meal I'd buy would be more than say, $23/pp, I would still be saving money. This means that if I used my TS meal as a breakfast at CP, I'd actually be spending more on the DDP.

Since the only TS's I want to do during my stay, regardless of whether I have the DDP or not, would be Le Cellier and maybe Kona for breakfast, I find that the DDP is not worth my while in the long run. I'm fairly happy with some of the selection from CS - it's not all burgers and fries

 

[Lisa_M]

I don't think we'll be doing the dining plan in the future either. I really like appetizers. I wish I could pick dessert or appetizer because I would never get dessert. Also, having to pay the tip OOP means that we will have to carry more cash with us, which we always keep to a minimum. We certainly would never do the deluxe one because $70 per person is just too much for us for food for 1 day.

 

[stefffe]

well of course the new plan is gonna look wonderful compared to the other...they want the cheap plan to look crappy to everyone so they WILL get the new one. they want to insult our brain power with the cheapy plan so we will all feel sooo much better about spending 70 per person per day.

i personally dont see it. im not sure we can eat huge meals 3 times a day...we dont go to disney to eat..we go to ride and play. the food is just for nourishment purposes. we will be using the DDP on our trip next week...but i doubt VERY seriously that we will EVER spend 70 bucks a head on any other trip.