Please tell me why Dessert but no appetizer with Dining plan?

[tony67]

I'm not saying anything should be forced on anyone at Disney World. I'm not suggesting that desserts be eliminated from the parks, and that salads get included with each meal.

But by designing the meal plan in a certain way, guests are already being nudged in a certain direction. While nobody is being forced to overindulge, especially on sweets... Disney pushes their meal plans, and their meal plans push the overindulgence, especially on sweets.

While it is certainly possible to get fruit cups, yogurt, etc, with your dining plan credits, the more prominent choices (and those that let you maximize "value") are the items like cupcakes, muffins, ice cream, etc.

Again, I'm not saying anybody should be forced to do anything. But how about a meal plan that doesn't actually *encourage* unhealthy eating?

Heck, you could even have a "sweet tooth" meal plan, that includes desserts + 2 snacks per day...
And you can have a "healthy eating" meal plan, that eliminates desserts, and includes 2 pieces of fruit per day.

Comes down to this... the meal plan is about $47 per day I believe for 2011. I'd much rather pay $40 per day, and eliminate the desserts.

I do not disagree with you, but this plan as it is fits the largest group of people.
Until it does not it will not change.

Some health options have been forced upon us and that is wrong IMO.
You have to ask for fries with some meals, by default you get apples.

The buns on burgers and hot dogs are not good IMO.
They have gone to a healthy bun and some people do not care and some people are very unhappy.
For those that are unhappy it is just too bad.

I also recall an Italian sandwich that was served on the same type of bread instead of an Italian bread.
May have been at Pinocchio’s, I can’t recall
It makes no sense, but they wanted healthy options.

There should be healthy choices - but not forced on you.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

i think that it comes down to is you don't *have* to eat at the park or *buy* the dining plan. Just like any other business Disney will use the trial and error method. Some people like the dining plan and some don't. If your not happy i wouldn't buy it.

This is my first year on the dining plan but i think it does seem like a good value.

I think that if each person had an appetizer, meal, drink and dessert that is a lot of food per person. Now i don't know what size the appetizer was but it seems like a lot of food to me and i think people might of being wasting it which is why it was changed or it cost Disney to much.

 

[havoc315]

I do not disagree with you, but this plan as it is fits the largest group of people.

There should be healthy choices - but not forced on you.

It fits the "largest" people.. not sure about the largest group.

Nobody is being forced to eat healthy or unhealthy. Nobody is being forced to eat the whole-grain buns-- As nobody is being forced to buy the product at all. And nobody is being forced to buy fatty desserts.

But the meal plan pushes people in a certain direction. Yes, pushed towards whole-grains, but also pushed towards over-indulgent, high calorie foods.

 

[havoc315]

i think that it comes down to is you don't *have* to eat at the park or *buy* the dining plan. Just like any other business Disney will use the trial and error method. Some people like the dining plan and some don't. If your not happy i wouldn't buy it.

You are absolutely correct. Nobody has to buy it.

But just as it's wrong to push cigarettes on kids, it is wrong to push an unhealthy eating plan on families.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I agree. I'm not a fan of the desserts, give me an appetizer! I miss the old dining plan with the appetizer and tip included.

 

[kdfogliano]

I like appetizers better also, but it is nice to have a dessert at the TS restaurants!
We did the dining plan the first year when everything was included (apps and tips)
We save so much $$ it was insane!

When we had the free dining last year we would order apps and pay OOP (we like to eat on vacation... alot!)

This year we did the DxDP, oh boy did the tips kill us!!

I think they should ditch the dessert on CS meals... that i feel is a waste

 

[princesspeach]

I don't think disney is trying to push bad eating habits on anybodyIf you don't want dessert don't get it or pay oop for meals. A lot of people like to splurge on vacation and don't eat like that at home anyway. I think there are enough choices for people to eat however the want.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

You are absolutely correct. Nobody has to buy it.

But just as it's wrong to push cigarettes on kids, it is wrong to push an unhealthy eating plan on families.

There not really forcing you. You get to pick the places you eat and also the "dessert" you pick if you take one at all.

 

[havoc315]

I don't think disney is trying to push bad eating habits on anybodyIf you don't want dessert don't get it or pay oop for meals. A lot of people like to splurge on vacation and don't eat like that at home anyway. I think there are enough choices for people to eat however the want.

Precisely my point! You need to "opt out" in order to eat healthy. If you go with the meal plan, and use it as designed, it is very difficult to eat healthy. Sure, you could use your snack credits to get a piece of fruit -- but that defeats the purpose of saving money on the plan. You can skip dessert entirely, but then also, you are basically losing money on the plan.

The plan steers you towards unhealthy eating.

No, you aren't being forced, kicking and screaming. And Joe Camel cigarette ads did not force children to smoke cigarettes either.

 

[tony67]

It fits the "largest" people.. not sure about the largest group.

If it was not extremely popular with a large portion of the guests it would be gone.


I am not being "forced" to eat healthy, but if I want a hotdog in an amusement park I should not be forced to have it on the healthy bun because Disney want to use that as an example of how they are serving healthy meals.

It should be served on a proper bun and there should be the option of the healthy bun.

No one is forced to get a dessert and even if you do not get dessert with the inflated prices of the meals in Disney, the meal tax and the beverage the DDP still works out as a value to most people.
Especially if they got it “free” with the room.

 

[Sammie]

I disagree with you can't eat healthy on the dining plan. Surely people take cruises or eat at buffets and not eat the desserts. And as stated if you can not eat desserts due to a medical reason, they will offer you something else.

No one is forcing the desserts on you. When you eat QS you can get fruit as your dessert.

 

[havoc315]

I don't think disney is trying to push bad eating habits on anybodyIf you don't want dessert don't get it or pay oop for meals. A lot of people like to splurge on vacation and don't eat like that at home anyway. I think there are enough choices for people to eat however the want.

Precisely my point! You need to "opt out" in order to eat healthy. If you go with the meal plan, and use it as designed, it is very difficult to eat healthy. Sure, you could use your snack credits to get a piece of fruit -- but that defeats the purpose of saving money on the plan. You can skip dessert entirely, but then also, you are basically losing money on the plan.

The plan steers you towards unhealthy eating.

No, you aren't being forced, kicking and screaming. And Joe Camel cigarette ads did not force children to smoke cigarettes either.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I disagree with you can't eat healthy on the dining plan. Surely people take cruises or eat at buffets and not eat the desserts. And as stated if you can not eat desserts due to a medical reason, they will offer you something else.

No one is forcing the desserts on you. When you eat QS you can get fruit as your dessert.

As a diabetic, I would agree with this... except, I have to say I find it harder to manage my food when I eat QS which is why I usually get the deluxe dining, if I buy a plan. I have access to many more good quality, low fat proteins, vegetables and fruit. With my snack credits, I generally buy things like milk, juice, fruit, etc. Sometimes I will have a sugar free dessert or snack... and there are actually lots to choose from at WDW... but even these can give me issues, so I have to be careful.

Would I like to dive into a Starring Rolls Butterfinger cupcake? You betcha! But eating in a healthy manner on vacation isn't a matter of being on a dining plan or not, in my view... it's about the choices you make when you order, dining plan or OOP.

BTW, you most certainly do not have to eat a sugar laden dessert at any TS... ask, if you don't see it on the menu, and they will be happy to supply you with something like berries, etc.

 

[havoc315]

I disagree with you can't eat healthy on the dining plan. Surely people take cruises or eat at buffets and not eat the desserts. And as stated if you can not eat desserts due to a medical reason, they will offer you something else.

No one is forcing the desserts on you. When you eat QS you can get fruit as your dessert.

I'm not saying you can't eat healthy. I'm not saying anyone is forcing you.

But most of the included offerings are high-calorie desserts.
If you "opt out" of desserts, then the meal plan doesn't even save you any money.
If you get the piece of fruit for your snack/dessert credit, (which can be purchased out-of-pocket for about $1), then you are not getting much value out of the supposed meal-plan savings.

So really, Disney is giving you 3 choices--
1-- Get on the meal plan, eat unhealthy, and save some money.
2-- Get on the meal plan, eat healthy, and end up spending more than out-of-pocket costs would be.
or 3 -- Just opt out of the meal plan.

My point is simple --- The meal plan pushes people to eat unhealthy for a very simple reason -- If you get on the meal plan, and try to eat healthier, with lower calories, you will probably end wasting your money.

The basic Disney meal plan costs about $46 for an adult per day. But if you don't over-indulge, and eat in a normal lower calorie manner -- How much would it really cost?

Start your day with a bowl of cereal, 2 pieces of toast, and a glass of orange juice -- About $5-6

Lunch at Tony's in the Magic Kingdom -- A bowl of soup, a diet soda, and a Ceasar Salad -- about $20

For dinner, let's say you go to Columbia House, and get the Tuna Sandwich, bottled water, and Strawberry yogurt for a dessert -- About $13

Three very reasonable meals, including a dessert.... all for under $40. Making the meal plan quite a waste. And this is hardly a dietetic day. It's a pretty ample amount of food. But the meal plan didn't even cover this meal --- This meal actually required going out of pocket for a couple of the breakfast items. Plus, the soup wouldn't be included at Tony's.
So, based on this example day of semi-reasonable eating, your costs would be:
If you went strictly OOP -- About $40
If you were on the mealplan -- About $50

I tried putting together virtually any semi-reasonable combination, and it was almost always cheaper off the meal plan.

So my conclusion -- It is almost impossible to eat healthy on the meal plan, AND get your money's worth.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I'm not saying you can't eat healthy. I'm not saying anyone is forcing you.

But most of the included offerings are high-calorie desserts.
If you "opt out" of desserts, then the meal plan doesn't even save you any money.
If you get the piece of fruit for your snack/dessert credit, (which can be purchased out-of-pocket for about $1), then you are not getting much value out of the supposed meal-plan savings.

Not true. A container of mixed fruit as a snack will cost you $4 and the least I have ever been charged for berries or other fruit as a dessert if $5. Milk, juices, carrot/celery sticks, etc. are all over $4. I know because these are the things I buy. Check it out next time.

You may be able to buy them at you local market for $1, but in a resort you are a captive audience... no way will you find anything for that price at Disney!

 

[shelwoj]

It's been a number of years since we last did the DDP but we would order a dessert that could be eaten for breakfast the next morning. Not too different from donuts or sugary kid cereal. May not be the best breakfasts but it worked for vacation.

We'll probably do the same for the next trip.

 

[tony67]

I'm not saying you can't eat healthy. I'm not saying anyone is forcing you.

But most of the included offerings are high-calorie desserts.
If you "opt out" of desserts, then the meal plan doesn't even save you any money.
If you get the piece of fruit for your snack/dessert credit, (which can be purchased out-of-pocket for about $1), then you are not getting much value out of the supposed meal-plan savings.

So really, Disney is giving you 3 choices--
1-- Get on the meal plan, eat unhealthy, and save some money.
2-- Get on the meal plan, eat healthy, and end up spending more than out-of-pocket costs would be.
or 3 -- Just opt out of the meal plan.

My point is simple --- The meal plan pushes people to eat unhealthy for a very simple reason -- If you get on the meal plan, and try to eat healthier, with lower calories, you will probably end wasting your money.

The basic Disney meal plan costs about $46 for an adult per day. But if you don't over-indulge, and eat in a normal lower calorie manner -- How much would it really cost?

Start your day with a bowl of cereal, 2 pieces of toast, and a glass of orange juice -- About $5-6

Lunch at Tony's in the Magic Kingdom -- A bowl of soup, a diet soda, and a Ceasar Salad -- about $20

For dinner, let's say you go to Columbia House, and get the Tuna Sandwich, bottled water, and Strawberry yogurt for a dessert -- About $13

Three very reasonable meals, including a dessert.... all for under $40. Making the meal plan quite a waste. And this is hardly a dietetic day. It's a pretty ample amount of food. But the meal plan didn't even cover this meal --- This meal actually required going out of pocket for a couple of the breakfast items. Plus, the soup wouldn't be included at Tony's.
So, based on this example day of semi-reasonable eating, your costs would be:
If you went strictly OOP -- About $40
If you were on the mealplan -- About $50

I tried putting together virtually any semi-reasonable combination, and it was almost always cheaper off the meal plan.

So my conclusion -- It is almost impossible to eat healthy on the meal plan, AND get your money's worth.

If that's how you eat on vacation then don't get the DDP. You do not have to buy it.
If it does not make sense to you than don't get it, take the room discount instead and pay for your food OOP.

I think I said this already but I would love to see the plan go away.

Another example to counter yours:
I could get a piece of fruit as a snack for breakfast somewhere in the parks let’s say $2.

I could also go to lunch at sunshine season get a seared tuna salad, vitamin water and a piece of fruit about $17

I could go to dinner at le cellier and get a veal T-bone and diet soda - about $40

So 59$ in food without eating a dessert.

It is not a one size fits all. You have to decide if it is right for you.

 

[havoc315]

Not true. A container of mixed fruit as a snack will cost you $4 and the least I have ever been charged for berries or other fruit as a dessert if $5. Milk, juices, carrot/celery sticks, etc. are all over $4. I know because these are the things I buy. Check it out next time.

You may be able to buy them at you local market for $1, but in a resort you are a captive audience... no way will you find anything for that price at Disney!

Actually, if those items are $5 -- Then you can't get them with a snack credit on the Disney meal plan.

At the Harambe Market in Animal Kingdom, as one example -- An orange is $1.29, but a Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel is $4.29
Or at Sunshine Seasons -- sugar free jello was $1.39, while the chocolate mousse cake is $3.99

Don't get me wrong, there are a few value-ways to use snack credits that are not unhealthy, but the bulk of the value-use of snack credits, are for high calorie desserts.

 

[havoc315]

If that's how you eat on vacation then don't get the DDP. You do not have to buy it.
If it does not make sense to you than don't get it, take the room discount instead and pay for your food OOP.

I think I said this already but I would love to see the plan go away.

Another example to counter yours:
I could get a piece of fruit as a snack for breakfast somewhere in the parks let’s say $2.

I could also go to lunch at sunshine season get a seared tuna salad, vitamin water and a piece of fruit about $17

I could go to dinner at le cellier and get a veal T-bone and diet soda - about $40

So 59$ in food without eating a dessert.

It is not a one size fits all. You have to decide if it is right for you.

Of course you are right about not having to purchase the meal plan. But what I'm saying is, that it would be nice if they offered a meal plan that didn't require you to over-eat to get value.

Your example is a fairly normal amount of food, and it is true that the mealplan would be worthwhile for that person, on the day.
But the veal t-bone the most expensive items on the menu at Les Cellier, at $37
Let's say another member of your party got the pork chop ($24), the third member of your party got the salmon (24), and the fourth member of your family got the chicken ($22) --
So if the day was the same otherwise, the value for the other members of the party would be $46, $46, and $44.

And of course, Les Cellier is probably the most expensive 1-credit restaurant at Disney, soon to be changed to 2 credits.
If you were using 2 dining credits to satisfy that day, would you really be getting value at $59?

If you're not ordering the big steaks, etc, at the restaurants, and you choose to pass on items like desserts, it is very difficult to get good value from the dining plan.

And yes, you can choose not to buy it. But it would be nice if they actually sold a meal plan that was "healthy."

 

[Debbie Jean]

Actually, if those items are $5 -- Then you can't get them with a snack credit on the Disney meal plan.

At the Harambe Market in Animal Kingdom, as one example -- An orange is $1.29, but a Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel is $4.29
Or at Sunshine Seasons -- sugar free jello was $1.39, while the chocolate mousse cake is $3.99

Don't get me wrong, there are a few value-ways to use snack credits that are not unhealthy, but the bulk of the value-use of snack credits, are for high calorie desserts.

The $5 was the low end for a TS dessert... the others are what you would buy at any resort gift shop or food court... and yes, they are snack credits.

I would agree, that high sugar, calorie laden treats are all around... you only need to look at the DIS to see what people long for the most... i thought the thread about the cupcakes was a real killer! But if you can eat it, then everything in moderation... and it is vacation