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

[Colleen27]

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)

I haven't read anything that has tied the deluxe dining plan to resort levels, and I do read a few other Disney travel boards. I think Disney has to be aware that the target audience for the deluxe plan is far narrower than that of the standard dining plan, and wouldn't further restrict the customer base by only making it available to deluxe resort guests.

It would be easier to take full advantage of the deluxe plan when staying in a deluxe, though, because of the better variety of restaurants and (with the exception of AKL) the easier travel to other resorts for meals.

 

[honeymo78]

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)

That seems unlikely just based on current packages. Even the premium package, much more inclusive than deluxe dining, is available at value resorts.

If a value is $100/night for the room and deluxe is $300 and they add a deluxe resort requirement, it would end up being cheaper for 2 adults to get the premium package at a value resort than the deluxe dining only at a deluxe resort. I've heard from several sources that plat and premium packages aren't going to be changed.

 

[budbeerlady]

We probley will skip next year. Dh only goes for the dining plan and the food. I dont want to have to pay gratuities all the time and worry about cash flow when I am on vacation. The non-appetizer on the ts isnt the problem, its the gratuties that I dont want to mess with.

This made my vacation all inclusive and I get sick of paying every time I turn around.

 

[patsal]

Let me see, my DS (15 came up with this one)

Deluxe DDP for a family of four "adults" for 10 nights = @3000 that is the equivalent of a 30 point add on--I'll take the add-on!

 

[housemouse]

Ya know, I like Disney as much as the next person. But not to the extent that I'll allow the lining to be sucked out of my billfold. I am getting tired of the nickel and diming that eternally goes on at the house of mouse.I kinda get the feeling at Disney now that the magic has been replaced by the dollar sign.I think any trips to Disney for us after this fall will be limited to offsite hotels and restaurants. After all, I like Maui just as much as the next person too. And anymore, it's getting cheaper to go there than to go to Disney.

 

[luvsJack]

We used the ddp in Nov 06 and loved it. We are going back Nov 08 and will use it again. Going by the cost of TS meals in 06 it will still be a good deal. Keep in mind that it shouldn't be surprising if the resteraunt out of pocket prices start going up also.
Disney is a business that is intended to make money. You have to consider that the price of everything has gone up lately. Fuel prices continue to go up. Everything sold and used is trucked in and the price to have those things shipped has gone up. The price of food has gone up. And minimum wage is going up. I have no clue what Disney pays it's servers but most servers are paid minimum wage or less, so wages will go up also. Now I realize that Disney is and will always make a tremendous profit. I am not saying that they would lose money if they didn't make changes, but I am saying that it can be expected.So taking away the appetizer and tip instead of going up several dollars per person, seems to me to be better business. I would rather do without the appetizer than to pay more money per person. As for the tip, that seemed to have been a big complaint with the ddp, because guests could not choose to take away the tip if the got lousy service. We carry a certain amount of cash with us anyway, so we will just carry enough to pay the tip.

 

[jenkh]

We are a bit disappointed about tips no longer being included. It was great to not have to worry about it (though we always tipped our server extra)

The deluxe plan although intriguing is not for us. It would be way too much eating and not enough park hopping! But we said if it is true maybe down the line if we went for a more relaxed trip we may consider it, but probably not.

We'd still get the original dining plan for our normal Disney trips. The value is still there, and the app. removal isn't a big concern. Most restaurants we just got a salad anyway so it wouldn't be missed. And for the few places where an app is a must (cheddar cheese soup for one) We'd just pay OOP.

I do wish they would add an extra tier that for maybe $5-10 more a person tips are included. Then you wouldn't have to worry about money out of pocket unless you wanted an appetizer, which was the main appeal for us. The not worrying about the cost while eating.

 

[Disneyof3]

I voted yes but will be likely using the current DDP plan not the deluxe. I don't really care for appetizers so that is no loss. If they let you still get desserts that is cool. I find the food enough and sometimes to much on the DDP right now. We always double up for the 2TS credits so we pay oops for at least 1 meal anyway. I like if the desserts are still included because my kids and us use them for snacks later on during the day from CS. The TIP yes still bugs me big time but I will have to add what that will cost us when the rumours turn to real. I like to go to WDW for the parks and the fun in my kids eyes not for sitting down for 3 meals a day. Just my opinion

 

[Disfan3]

I got the FREE DDP twice and paid for it twice. I get the DDP because it is a great deal and saves us money. The new plan does not allow for that much savings therefore I will not buy it. I will go to budgeting for meals, sharing meals, eating cheaper meals at cheaper times, eating more snacks and maybe less TS (not sure about that one) but will not pay for it again

I was already on the fence about it since I will have two over 9 after this year...now it has cemented the deal. SOG and OR the Dolphin... paying oop for meals...that is what we will do.

The tip alone on some of those restaurants costs what we could ALL FIVE eat for at an offsite place....if they would have raised the price and left the options alone I may have considered it for March, but no way now.

 

[NMW]

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)

I would doubt that to be true only because the premium and platinums plans which are A LOT more than $69.99 a day are not exclusive to deluxe resorts. Just my guess though. I know people who did the premium plan with a CSR stay. They stayed there because the husband had a convention for work he had to attend there the first couple days of their vacation.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Yeah we like the DDP the way it is now. The new way not so much, mostly because the of the tip removal. We always stay concierge the deluxe dining plan wont work for us. We dont need 3 ts per day or the refillable mug.

 

[IcePrincess467]

I decided that DH & I will probably get the DDP in 2008 and here is why

We are staying 14 nights..

I calculated eating 3 meals a day...
12 breakast (food court)=240
14 lunches (CS) & 12 dinner (CS)= 520
2 TS breakfasts with 2 TS dinners
-Le Cellier (meal and drink only), Chef Mickey's buffett=418.46
Snacks=100
Total=1278.46

Now for the DDP $37.99/pp*2 people for 14 nights=1063.72 (plus add on breakfasts for 12 days $240)
Total=1271.72 (plus say 100 for tips)=$1403

That's only a difference of $125 or so...and IMO I think that it would be worth it! It's more TS meals(with desserts) and we probably wouldn't eat that much (cash wise) for breakfasts if we were eating more TS meals..

That's my 2 cents

 

[TARAMEOW]

Last year and this year we were lucky enough to be on the free dinig plan..sooo I guess if its free again next year I'll take it

Dont know if I would pay for it if I need to Tip and buy the entree

 

[patsal]

I decided that DH & I will probably get the DDP in 2008 and here is why

We are staying 14 nights..

I calculated eating 3 meals a day...
12 breakast (food court)=240
14 lunches (CS) & 12 dinner (CS)= 520
2 TS breakfasts with 2 TS dinners
-Le Cellier (meal and drink only), Chef Mickey's buffett=418.46
Snacks=100
Total=1278.46

Now for the DDP $37.99/pp*2 people for 14 nights=1063.72 (plus add on breakfasts for 12 days $240)
Total=1271.72 (plus say 100 for tips)=$1403

That's only a difference of $125 or so...and IMO I think that it would be worth it! It's more TS meals(with desserts) and we probably wouldn't eat that much (cash wise) for breakfasts if we were eating more TS meals..

That's my 2 cents

Hope it works for you, but I think you will need way more for your tips, so be prepared for that. For two peopel on TS your looking at most TS dinners reaching $80-$100 so planning conservatively,I'd plan $20 per day for tips so closer to the $300 mark.

 

[tabrizia]

We have free dining this year which is the only reason we're even going this year. That being said, if we were going and paying, we would not with the new plans (if they are as the rumor reports them). My parents have a timeshare in Orlando, it is far cheaper for me to stay for free and use the money I would spend on lodgings on food while at Disney, and possibly eat off property a few times as well. Heck even if I spend the $99 a day on food, that not staying on property saves me (if I was going during regular season to Pop), I come out ahead because my lodging is free.


The main reason we stayed on property was the plan was enough of a discount to make it seem reasonable to us. With the cost going up (having to pay tips), it isn't worth the same discount it was before, so we'll change our plans and most likely not stay on property next time we go.

That being said, we won't be going in 2008 regardless, the only reason we are going two years in a row is because of free dining this year. We may go back in 2009, but 2011 is just as likely. We like Disney, but only every couple of years, since there are other vacation spots we like just as much.

Neither of the new plans really meets our needs though, so neither is likely to be used by us. We would much prefer no desert to no appetizer, since we almost always get an appetizer with meals when we are out so we would have to add that cost to the cost of the meal, plus the cost of tips and it costs us more to get the new standard plan then we would likely pay for food, especially since we are getting deserts we don't need/want most of the time. The deluxe plan while sounding nice is just a lot of food, and even though we like signature restaurants we still likely could do better paying out of pocket and getting what we want rather then using the plan.

Neither plan works for my family at this point in time, since the Deluxe is just a bit too much food and the Standard doesn't meet our needs since it gets rid of the appetizer.

 

[mickey2000]

Hope it works for you, but I think you will need way more for your tips, so be prepared for that. For two peopel on TS your looking at most TS dinners reaching $80-$100 so planning conservatively,I'd plan $20 per day for tips so closer to the $300 mark.

 

[angelmav]

The tip aspect is the single biggest obstacle for us. I like the idea of the Deluxe DP, but adding an automatic 18% (were a family of 7), to every TS meal is a Huge addition! Plus its based on the already inflated park prices! thats an extra $135 a day on top of the DDP! Just cant see a scenario were that works! Really wish they had a upper echelon plan that included the gratuity. As it stands For our group its already $390 a day for the DDP, add in the tip and we would be over $500. Cant see this being viable, but it does make me really want the kitchen in DVC that much more!

 

[HelenePA]

I will get it... We'll have either 2 under 9 or 3 under 9 going next year depending on when we go... at 12$ a day for each of them... even with out tips included.. its a no brainer... I'm willing to put out a few dollars for tips.. i'm only asking to get what I pay for.. not more not less... I do LOVE having it all paid off before we get there...

 

[tasha99]

I won't get either 2008 plan (in 2006 I paid for the plan and in 2007 I'm going for the "free dining"). I think next time I will either:

1. Stay at Shades of Green or the Swan/Dolphin and rent a car to eat TS meals off-site. I'll eat CS meals in the parks.

2. Rent points at BC and make meals in the villa or

3. Make our next trip a Universal Studios/Royal Caribbean Cruise (I've been leaning towards this anyway since my son is a roller coaster maniac. We were going to do this for our upcoming vacation, but I couldn't pass on the free dining promo.)

It's not that I think the new plans are bad, it's just that they aren't the deal the old plan was. The old plan was such a good deal it made me stay on-site so I could get it.

 

[IcePrincess467]

Hope it works for you, but I think you will need way more for your tips, so be prepared for that. For two peopel on TS your looking at most TS dinners reaching $80-$100 so planning conservatively,I'd plan $20 per day for tips so closer to the $300 mark.

I think it depends on the percetage you tip (we ususally do 15%) and now that appitizers are now not included I think that'll drop some off the price of the meal. So I figure $10-15 per place for a tip. So still with 10 TS meals its only $100..so maybe my $100 is off a little and we will for sure be budgeting a little more, but it still works out to be worth it