Poll about banning free dining (Inspired by Geezer)

[dianeschlicht]

Okay, so lots of us on the tiered benefits page are saying we wish Disney would do away with free dining. Here's the poll!

My true preference would be to do away with it completely and bring back the unique dining experiences we used to enjoy. This would be especially at the Signature restaurants, but I would even settle for just eliminating the Signatures from the program completely.

 

[Geezer]

Expand it to DVC? NO WAY!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Sorry, Geezer, I didn't want to put that choice in there, but I thought I had to.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I tried to think of some alternatives, but in reality I just want it gone!

 

[DebbieB]

How about leave it the way it is? I don't really care either way, it's just another promo.

 

[LauraLea]

I so agree FD has ruined what use to be one of our favorite thing about WDW.

Getting ready to head to WDW next week and I've been looking over the resort menus. I like lamb, and currently all the restaurants serve a "braised lamb shank", cannot find a lamb chop. What do they do, get them all delivered to the restaurants precooked and all they do is plate it differently?

Laura

 

[dianeschlicht]

How about leave it the way it is? I don't really care either way, it's just another promo.

BUT...It's a promo that has drastically changed the quality of what we used to get at WDW for fine dining. Nothing fine left there anymore. Even places like Jiko and Artist Point have been hit with the dumbing down of the menu, and are no longer "special". That wouldn't bother me so much if they didn't continue to charge higher prices for the now reduced quality of the meals. I along with many others are blaming FD for that dumbing down. Even the counter service places have lost quality.

We no longer look forward to making ADRs, and the past two trips, we have made very limited ADRs ahead, and mostly dined in our villa or off site. We still go to Teppan Edo multiple times a trip, but last time we even skipped our usual Artist Point and Jiko because they were no longer as enjoyable as they used to be.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I so agree FD has ruined what use to be one of our favorite thing about WDW.

Getting ready to head to WDW next week and I've been looking over the resort menus. I like lamb, and currently all the restaurants serve a "braised lamb shank", cannot find a lamb chop. What do they do, get them all delivered to the restaurants precooked and all they do is plate it differently?

Laura

That's about right. We used to love the lamb at Turf Club, but I had it in January, and it was seriously lacking from what it used to be.

 

[dpmfloyd]

you forgot to list, "Or keep as is" - as that would get my vote.

 

[TisBit]

Well, your options are a bit skewed. You don't even have a "leave it as it is" or an other idea.

I understand free dining and get the concept of it. I think a lot of complaints about free dining are a little short sighted. FD is blamed for lower food quality, but in all actuallity...without free dining, the restaurants would not be full in this economy. The food quality would not improve, because the profit margin would be thin, it could actually decrease the food quality if people were not going to the restaurants or you might see less restaurant choices (Signatures only opening for dinner, rotating schedules, etc).

It is like the idea of tax penalties or eliminating tax breaks for people like the big oil companies. If you are doing it because they make multi billion dollar profits, keep in mind that they are not going to just eat the costs of these items out of profits, they will pass it on to consumers. It happened with the banks and will happen with any corporation, in the end we will pay the price.

 

[goofy4tink]

Do away with it. Or offer it just for counter service..no table service at all. If Disney put out more 'specials' for resort rooms, they wouldn't need the free dining promo. If they went back to the buy 4, get 3 free promo (as in the Fairytale package) they might find that they fill just as many rooms. But, again, it's probably a money maker for Disney as it stands now.....charge full boat for a resort room and hand over substandard food for no charge. Unfortunately, we all have to suffer with that food. Gone is any individuality at any restaurant now...they are all pretty much the same.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Do away with it. Or offer it just for counter service..no table service at all. If Disney put out more 'specials' for resort rooms, they wouldn't need the free dining promo. If they went back to the buy 4, get 3 free promo (as in the Fairytale package) they might find that they fill just as many rooms. But, again, it's probably a money maker for Disney as it stands now.....charge full boat for a resort room and hand over substandard food for no charge. Unfortunately, we all have to suffer with that food. Gone is any individuality at any restaurant now...they are all pretty much the same.

I like that option too.

For those of you who thought I should have a "keep it" option in my poll...That is the asssumed norm, since it is what already exists. These are options for change. Since Free dining is not an option for DVC members anyway, this is just what the opinions are of DVC members about it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It occurs to me that some of you on this thread are confusing Free Dining with the DDP. This poll is for Free dining only, but I might be enticed to put another one up for the DDP as well.

 

[Geezer]

you forgot to list, "Or keep as is" - as that would get my vote.

That probably gets your vote because it doesn't look like you are a DVC member. I see only POP stays listed in your signature.

 

[chalee94]

don't care if they offer free dining to get people to come in late aug and september. wish it would go away for the most part, though.

 

[Bellecruiser]

This is an interesting thread. I didn't realize the impact that FD had on the restaurants. Thanks for the education.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It occurs to me that another option might be a couple of nice Extra signature places that would not be included on ANY dining plan. Maybe even have them run mostly by the chefs like AP, Jiko, CG, and others used to be.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Oh, I remember when Coral Reef was a delicious place to eat, the lobster tails were fantastic, and yes for all of the duck lovers out there, I love Fois Gras and I miss it at Disney.

I'm not so against free dining/DDP, just if they could institute free dining/DDP menu options and then upscale menu options, similiarly to an early birds type of menu idea! That way those that want to participate in the DDP/FD would have options and those that want other upscale options wouldn't be left out.

 

[sweetdana]

I like free dining, though I understand ressies are terrible to get during the time frame. I think it is a great promo for a family to take advantage of. I can get annoyed, when sched change and you can no longer get HHD dinn show 5 months out. .. and if I planned up front no sweat.

I think leave it alone, but that is not an option, so I did not vote. Right now it seems that there is a window of ADRS for DVC and long time planners, ahead of when FD usually opens. So make your ADRs early and you can get what you want. IE you can plan 180 days out, but the promo only comes out say 4 months ahead of the dates..

As far as qualify, I believe it is the dining plan, NOT the free dining promo that has lowered the food quali. with that being said. I personally could not afford 60 - 70$ a plate for a party of 3 even every 3 nights on my vacation, but I can afford 179 2 out of 3 days for a DDP and can enjoy the fine dining, dinner shows and Char dining otherwise outta budget. I love the DP and the DDP, and when I run outta points I LOVE FD at FQ. .. so sorry to not assist your vote.

There is Vic Alberts, and a # of places at swan and dolphin, and Fultons in DTD if they added say 2-3 more not included I wouldn't mind either. (Also if it is that big of a deal there are hundreds of placed in Orlando too. Univ has about 3-4 fine dining places.

 

[TagsMissy]

How about leave it the way it is? I don't really care either way, it's just another promo.

Well, your options are a bit skewed. You don't even have a "leave it as it is" or an other idea.

I understand free dining and get the concept of it. I think a lot of complaints about free dining are a little short sighted. FD is blamed for lower food quality, but in all actuallity...without free dining, the restaurants would not be full in this economy. The food quality would not improve, because the profit margin would be thin, it could actually decrease the food quality if people were not going to the restaurants or you might see less restaurant choices (Signatures only opening for dinner, rotating schedules, etc).

It is like the idea of tax penalties or eliminating tax breaks for people like the big oil companies. If you are doing it because they make multi billion dollar profits, keep in mind that they are not going to just eat the costs of these items out of profits, they will pass it on to consumers. It happened with the banks and will happen with any corporation, in the end we will pay the price.

I like that option too.

For those of you who thought I should have a "keep it" option in my poll...That is the asssumed norm, since it is what already exists. These are options for change. Since Free dining is not an option for DVC members anyway, this is just what the opinions are of DVC members about it.

You are assuming that is so, to have the poll be valid you do need to have the option to leave it as is otherwise no matter what your poll is skewed an doesn't represent reality.

Personally we only eat 1 or 2 table service meals per trip so FD doesn't really hamper our style so to me leave it as it is would be my choice, since it's not I've not voted.

People also need to remember these past couple years there's been more free dining than the norm, don't expect this extended free dining to last much longer as soon as the economy returns to more of a norm.