Poll: If you are a previous user of DDP, what will you do in 2008?

[Colleen27]

I spoke with a CM earlier this evening. I told him I had heard there would be some changes to the DP for 2008 and that the TS meals would not include appetizers or the tip. He said, that was correct!

The CM I talked to earlier also confirmed part of the rumor - they have received "preliminary" information on the tiered dining plan and she expected it would be released to the public "very soon". DH & I both like the sound of the new plan enough to be considering pushing our trip back a little to take advantage of it, since this will be our last Disney trip for a while, but I'm not making any decisions until we know details from Disney, along with '08 room rates.

 

[slduck]

I feel bad for the servers! I hate that the tip is not included. We would have to worry about bring cash for tip. If we aren't on the plan, we will use plastic for everything. I guess that will mean fewer ts meals.

 

[jlx2]

If they are going to scale down a bit I like the idea that was mentioned about having a choice of either an appetizer OR dessert. The one point that really bothers me is the tip though. I just loved not having to figure it out and just handing over my room card. For some reason it seemed to make my vacation more hassle free in a sense I guess. I voted on the poll I would not get the dining plan in 2008, but if they included the tip and just knocked off the appetizer or dessert and gave you a choice of one or the other I would still do it. I was already planning our trip for next May and was so bummed to hear about these changes. We were going to definetly do the DDP, and now it looks like we'll have to eat more in the room or even venture off site. Oh well, we'll still be on vacation and this way we'll get to try more restaurants off site that we never would have tried if we did have the DDP.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Thanks honeymo78! I figured that would be the case. Much more economical when you can stay at a Value resort and get 3 TS meals a day.

Except that at a value, it will be harder to use those credits for a sit-down meal. I mean, I think most folks like to eat one meal a day at their home resort. Maybe not every day, but it's kind of nice to have breakfast at your resort. If there is no Sit down restaurant at your resort, then it's harder to use those credits at sit down plaaces. Not impossible, but just more time consuming. If you're staying at AKL, getting to Boma for breakfast is a snap. Not that I'd want to eat at Boma every day of a week long trip....but I'd be more inclined to eat there if I was staying there. I don't think I'd bother if I was staying somewhere else. But maybe places like Crystal Palace will become even more brutal to get ADR's.

 

[SplashMom]

I'm so disappointed that the DP is changing! We have used it in the past, although not on our last trip, and we really liked it. We are planning our 25th anniversary trip in March and were definitely planning on the DP but not if those changes happen. One of the reasons we chose Disney was the dining plan but without it, our plans may change. We really aren't interested in the deluxe plan because it is too costly, especially with tips not included. Maybe we will try a nice offsite resort. If these rumours prove true, it will be a sad day...

 

[stitch and co]

We are going the first week in January, and after plugging the numbers into the proposed plan from our ADRs, we will probably get the basic dining plan.

The only reason it is still a value to us is due to Disney starting this Holiday Pricing for certain character/buffet meals. If the meals prices were at their pre-holiday price, then it would not be cost effective(yes, the accountant in me coming out) for our family. We are also only doing the buffets this time around since we are part of a Grand Gathering, so I am not going to miss the not having an appetizer for this trip.

If we were going any other time in the year, I would have to say we would not use the plan at all. The basic plan would not save me money or time the deluxe is just way too much food for our family and too expensive for the middle DD who eats like a bird anyway.

 

[scottny]

I went in July and used it and loved it. I would probably use the deluxe or the regular plan. Depends on how long I would be there for. Would I change my plans because of this, NO!!!!.
I do not really go to WDW for the food. I go for the atmosphere and the rides and just the fun of it.

 

[doeby]

We are planning on going in January. We were very excited to try the dining plan. My husband was leary of going to Disney World anyway, but the dining plan kind of lured him in. He was getting very excited, but then we saw the rumored changes and now he is saying he really doesn't even want to go. He is very mad about the changes and he said he is not looking forward to the trip. We were going to use the DDP so we would not have to go off property and rent a car, but now I think that is exactly what we'll do. My husband works at Hertz so we get a discount on the rental. This might make more sense for us now.

 

[TIGGERBOO]

I think the Deluxe sound good to us.
We are only 2 adults no children and we love dining out.
We have been to Disney a few times so we dont feel we have to rush
to do everything anymore this would work out great.

 

[aubriee]

I like the convenience of the DP the way it is now. The fact that is was prepaid and you didn't have to worry about carrying cash for the tip was nice. We liked the variety of new things we could try. Normally we wouldn't do that many sit down meals, but the convenience of the DP made it so easy. With the new changes, I don't think we'll do it again next year.

Ditto! I'm an AP holder and have the DDE card. However, I'll be using the free dining for the third time this Sept and also bought the DDP twice. I was willing to give up the AP room discount and buy a one day MYW ticket I didn't need, just for the convenience of not having to carry money around. With the tip no longer being included and with the appetizer no longer being included I can eat just about as cheap with my DDE card.

 

[tinkamom]

We will not use the DDP anymore if the rumored changes take effect. I really don't like paying more and getting less! It wouldn't make financial sense anyway.....my family could easily spend less paying OOP!

I had already been debating dropping the DDP from our next trip anyway, due to decline in menu choices/quality, so for me......its a no-brainer!

 

[cherokeemamma]

My family has really enjoyed the DP and we will be going in Oct and are looking forward to it again. However, we would not purchase it with all of the changes. Disney has just given themselves a huge silent raise and I for one, do not like it. I understand the cost of things - everything is going up but getting rid of 18% gratuity and the appetizers is a HUGE increase. The DP changes along with the room rate changes are really just too much. Disney is nickel and diming us to death. I feel everything is going up in cost except our paychecks. Disney is pricing themselves out as a place where the average, middle class American family can vacation.

I also feel they are ripping off the CMs who rely on tips as income. So many people will either tip poorly or perhaps not at all with these new changes.
I am thankful I have a trip planned before all of this takes place.

If I do go back to WDW I will pay OOP for meals and we will share TS meals and eat more CS.

I really love Disney but I think I will choose to spend my money elsewhere for the next few years. For that I am very sad...

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

We are planning a trip in August 2008. This will be an extended family trip on our (yet-to-be-purchased) DVC points.

We have used the DDP twice, most recently at Easter. It had been a good deal for us as I have two older kids who eat like adults and one kiddo. We enjoyed ordering appetizers since that is something we don't normally do. We would only order at most two desserts to share-----dd12 has food allergies so is unable to eat the majority of desserts on property (as most are made offsite).

We will not be using the DDP in August if family goes with us. My niece will be 10 and does NOT yet have adult food tastes nor a large appetite. For my sister's familyk, the DDP would not make sense. Since we'll be on the same reservation (DVC points), we'd all have to purchase the DDP.

If for some reason they cannot go with us and only my parents are able to go, we *might* get the DDP. That would save the embarrassing check grab between my dad and dh!

Yesterday I did a lot of analysis based on what we do order when we're at WDW, comparing the rumored DDP changes, everything OOP, and using the DDE. The deluxe DDP would not work for us---$300 a day. Ouch! We'll be eating b'fast in the villa

 

[lyzziesmom]

The deluxe DDP would not work for us---$300 a day. Ouch! We'll be eating b'fast in the villa

I was thinking the same thing when I saw the deluxe DDP prices. Yes it's a lot of food and a good plan, but my oh my it's a LOT of money. We are not big eaters, but we love the DDP as it is because it allows us to try different places that we normally would not go to. We especially love free dining! It really gives WDW that "all-inclusive" feel.

But for the price of the Deluxe DDP for just one day, my DD and I spent about the same amount on food on our last trip for SIX DAYS. We ate what we wanted, where we wanted, and when we wanted... and we were full and happy. Sure, we skipped the character meals and ate all CS and snacks, but that's what we like. Since we are AP holders and go 2 or 3 times a year, it was not a big deal to miss the character meals. I will not be getting the deluxe DDP, and I'd have to think long and hard about buying the basic DDP under the new plan. The only reason I'd get it is if I were traveling with other adults (not just me and my kids) and wanted to do several TS meals anyway.

I guess if you really like to eat, and you normally would eat several pricey TS meal a day, then the Deluxe DDP would be a good deal. I just cannot justify spending almost a week's net salary on food for my family for EACH DAY of vacation. I'd much rather put that money towards souvenirs and unique experiences, things that will last much longer than a Mickey waffle.

 

[smartestnumber5]

We did the DDP for free dining once and will do it again this year. We also had one trip after our first DDP experience when we didn't use the DDP (only because we were AP holders and didn't need the extra tickets we'd have to buy to get it.) Had we done a trip when we didn't have APs and free dining wasn't offered we definitely would have purchased the DDP.

With the rumored changes to the basic plan, though, I just don't see how it could ever be a good deal for us again. I figured a day worth of food for myself and OOP it would cost about $1.50 more than the basic DDP plan. (I am a vegetarian though, so that means I usually eat the cheapest thing on the menu since non-meat/seafood options are often significantly cheaper.) Plus, I really love appetizers and probably at 1/2 the TS restaurants I'm going to want one. Once I add in those costs I figure we'll probably be losing money on the new DDP plan.

The deluxe plan just seems like too much food for us. I mean, we love food, but even on the DDP as it is now we're painfully full for a lot of the trip. Plus I don't think I could justify spending that much money per person on a normal vacation. Now I would like to experience the deluxe plan on our future honeymoon, but only for a few days.

I'm still playing around with numbers, but I think our answer is "No, we won't be purchasing the new DDP given the changes."

 

[My2Angels]

For us, having 3 children under age 9, the basic dining plan is still a good value. We defiinitely could not feed them OOP for $9.99 per day, which is what the dining plan costs. One character meal for a child, being $13.99 each OOP is enough to justify the dining plan for us! We would get the character meal per day plus a CS and snack for each child.

 

[CarolA]

It will likely be available at any level of resort (not sure yet about DVC staying on points). There is currently only one package that requires a stay at a deluxe resort - platinum. Even the premium meal and recreation plan is available at value resorts.

Are we sure? When this rumor started floating a few weeks ago I read on another board that Deluxe and "wine add on" were going to be for "Deluxe" resorts.

(I have NO official information, but..... just wondered what others had heard)

 

[Andi]

Being a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children under 9,) the Dining Plan will still be a pretty good deal for us. As others have stated, the $9.99 per day per child more than pays for itself since we'll be doing a bunch of character meals. Also, we tend to do mostly buffets anyway, so the lack of appetizer is a non-issue for us. Even having to pay tips OOP, we'll still come out a bit ahead, and we like the convenience of it.

So, yes, we'll still get the Dining Plan!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I hope Disney see's this and doesn't change it. Or Disney take a survey on it first.They should definately keep the tip with this deal. The only thing they should do instead of cutting out the appetizer they should give you a choice of appetizer or dessert. I don't think anybody in my family will ever get it again.

I like your thought about a choice of appetizer OR dessert. I NEVER get desserts, but I do like appetizers. At any rate, the loss of the tip kills it for us. The DDE card will get a lot more use now!

 

[mom2alix]

We'll probably still get the DDP. We do the TS every day normally and I figure even without the tip, DDP saves 20% (not as great as the 40% it used to be, but still not bad).

I'd actually LOVE to do the DxDP, but we have family travelling with us next trip, so I'll have to see if they're up for it. I'd love to do a nice breakfast each morning and then a signature meal each night. We don't really like stopping for a meal mid-day so much, so a nice breakfast/snacks as necessary/really nice dinner would suit us well.