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

[partyplannermom]

Myself, like so many others like having everything paid for in advance. We are going ahead for the DDP for our Feb. trip, but I am not sure if we will participate on other trips beyond that. I hate to try and budget anything out, much less thinking about tips for the meals! Our school sells SCRIP cards and I can get them for Disney, I think that is what I will do for dinning add ons and extras!

 

[patsal]

I've seen a lot of people complain about the tip for the DDP 2008 - That they tack on the 18%. I was under the impression that this was for parties over
6, but a lot of the people complaning are saying things like "My wife and I are going".....so which is it? 18% tip for parties of 6 or more, or 18% across the board?

Parties of 6 or more and all persons using the DDE will see an automatic 18% gratuity added. FOr smaller parties the tip is at your discretion. Honestly, though I think the confusion may stem from the idea that without the tip included in the new DDP packages we all need to plan for 18% tips.

 

[scottny]

I do not see the big deal, if you pay for the DDP your meals are paid for except for the tip. That is a CS meal and table service meal for under $40 a day. Then you put a tip on the TS meal. Also a snack.
Now you go elsewhere on vacation and your meals are all OOP with tips also, I still see this as a great deal. Just set money aside before your trip. It still is cheaper than most trips.

 

[racefanof88]

Myself, like so many others like having everything paid for in advance. We are going ahead for the DDP for our Feb. trip, but I am not sure if we will participate on other trips beyond that. I hate to try and budget anything out, much less thinking about tips for the meals! Our school sells SCRIP cards and I can get them for Disney, I think that is what I will do for dinning add ons and extras!

What is a SCRIP card?

 

[racefanof88]

OK, I respectfully have to say................this will be the first time we will use the DDP but, not the first time we have thought about it. So, that being said.............We are sooooooooooo looking forward to using it. We are a big family but a very diverse family. The appy was a big struggle for us as only two of the 5 of us wanted anything on the lists. We can order one appy oop for the 5 of us and be very happy, as that is what we do anyway. And as far as the tip, I will tip according to service. I am usually a big tipper but, I have also tipped nothing. When Disney had the add on for one premium service with a package years ago(2002) we chose the Character breakfast at CP and we added an extra 20% on top of the included tip as we got PREMIUM service by Amy our CM. So, I really don't see the argument here, but hey, I am always open to debate, ask my husband...........

 

[SnowWitch]

We have no plans to return to what I affectionately call "my happy place" until Dec '08 but after reading all the threads about the new plans I discussed them with the family. Our thoughts are as follows: During warmer months we will pass on the dining plan, we had struggled with all the food during summer trips and just see no need for it. Had they not eliminated the tip we may have continued using it but it is just not a value to us. During winner months we may opt for the deluxe plan. This would allow for a character breakfast and a signature dinner every night. We have found food quality to be less than it once was at some of our favorites and had fabulous experiences at some of the 2 TS establishments on our summer trip. The new set up would allow for us to try more of those.

 

[lshaw]

We have used the DDP the last two times that we've been to Disney- (November 06 and March 07) and absolutely LOVED it- What a fantastic deal that was, unless you used ts for buffets- then you are really not getting THAT great of a deal- We especially loved the appetizer and tip getting paid, so they took away our two favorite aspects of the plan and lowered it by $1-
I would rather they had just eliminated the plan all together. The upside of this is that the last two times we have been to Disney, we refused to go anywhere outside (like universal or sea world) because all of our meals were inside and we didnt want to lose out on our meals- also we tried to steer away from the buffets because we tried to get the most out of our table services (eating at more expensive restaurants) Our next trip is this November and we will have the DDP but we will NOT be having it when we go this February 08. We will pay out of pocket and have a couple of nice sit downs and be able to enjoy a few buffets.

 

[psummrs]

I agree with pretty much everyone on this that the basic DDP is not worth the expense anymore and really isn't a great deal. I personally am going to use the DxDDP on our next trip in March 08 because it allows us, me and my DGF, to visit Signature Restaurants that we would otherwise not be able to afford and ends up saving us about 20% over a 5 night/6 day trip.

But I agree that if you're traveling with a larger family, or younger kids, then the basic DDP has really gone out of sight of the deal it use to be. But then again it was a deal and now is more than likely breaking even but giving the unwelcome aspect of being somewhat restricting.

 

[winterman]

I sent an e-mail (link provided earlier in thread) expressing my thoughts about the changes to the DDP. Basically, my thoughts were that a small price increase was more justified than the elimination of the appetizer and tip.
Of course, I received the obligatory return e-mail from Disney. Today, I received a personal phone call from Disney about my comments to the changes to the DDP. Supposedly my e-mail will be sent to the committee that instituted these changes.

Did anyone else have a similiar experience?

 

[racefanof88]

I sent an e-mail (link provided earlier in thread) expressing my thoughts about the changes to the DDP. Basically, my thoughts were that a small price increase was more justified than the elimination of the appetizer and tip.
Of course, I received the obligatory return e-mail from Disney. Today, I received a personal phone call from Disney about my comments to the changes to the DDP. Supposedly my e-mail will be sent to the committee that instituted these changes.

Did anyone else have a similiar experience?

I sent an email but have not recieved a call.

 

[IluvDonald!]

I'm loving the Deluxe Plan! We enjoy the various restaurants at WDW and for us it is worth it!

BUT......I did have to change from POFQ to POP to keep the cost reasonable for our budget.

 

[disneydance]

I have used the DDP once and we loved it I believe we are going to use the deluxe dining plan next year instead of the regular one

 

[Letsbgoofy]

If I can get a room discount (AAA or some Disney promotion) we can eat cheaper than paying for the DP and the tip. We don't need desert at the CS or TS places that we eat. We would also eat at RFC and maybe offsite for one or two meals (if we rent a car).

As much as I have enjoyed the DP (2 times free, 1 time paying), it will almost be a relief not to have to plan all my meals out in advance!

Now if they offer it for free next fall...then I won't mind paying rack rate for my room!

 

[Speedemon21]

After reading this whole thread (whew) and all the opinions on it, here is what I have come up with. The only negative that I have is the tip, and not the part that it is not included but about automatic 18% with a party of 6. That will be me in August of 2008 because we will be traveling with my two adult sisters. Here at restaurants in my area of the world it is automatic for parties of 8 or 10. Six seems low but OK. Other than that we will still be using the DDP. For 37.99 you can get a TS meal and a counter service meal and a snack. To me that is still a deal and we will grab it. I mean you still have to eat anyway and are going to pay for it no matter what. Eating at counter service all the time gets old and it is nice to be able to go and sit down to eat and relax. I too like having everything all paid for and not worrying about budgeting for meals. Saving for tips is a whole lot easier, because I for one do not know what I want to eat until I sit down at a restaurant. I would like to have the choice of either app or dessert, because I do not always want dessert. My son will be 10 this time out, an adult by Disney standards, not sure how that will pan out, but we will see.

About the abuse of the DDP. I totally agree and witnessed this when we went in 2006 during free dining. This was our first experience with the DDP. We got the meals and snacks we were supposed to, did not share meals or abuse the system. If we did not use all the snacks, then so be it because we did not pay for it and did not feel the need to pig out cause we could. Boy were we the naive ones! We watched people in the food court load up on boxes of donuts, chips and etc. to take home! It was shocking. Adults and kids loading up there carry on bags like it was Christmas! So I can see why Disney is clamping down. When stuff like this goes on, do you think Disney pays for it? No we do in the end. Also, we had ADR's at the 50's Prime Time Cafe and we STILL waited for over and hour to be seated because there was just so many people. The people without reservations did not have a chance. If this new plan clears out the TS restaurants a bit then so be it.

I understand that people have a budget and so do we. We are by no means wealthy, but this is how we do it. We prefer not to stay at the values, so we save for a mod, and maybe one day a deluxe. (sigh) It is the same with our meals. If we do not have the cash to do it the way we would like, we put the trip off until we can. We will not go into debt to go on vacation and we will not stay where we do not want to or skimp or share meals just to say we went to Disney. It is vacation! I do not want stress, I want fun!

So anyway, we will be booking with DDP for August of 2008, if it is free all the better, but if not that is OK too.

 

[Barbers2005]

I really don't understand the idea that using all the credits provided on the ddp is abusing the system. I guess I missed the pamphlet from Disney-Please Waste Credits To Improve Our Bottom Line (with a little picture of Mickey saying "no" to snacks). Seriously, though, my family didn't have any trouble using every credit during our stay, but if we had any left over I would absolutely have taken the food with me. I did pay for it, after all.

 

[bookgirl2632]

I really don't understand the idea that using all the credits provided on the ddp is abusing the system. I guess I missed the pamphlet from Disney-Please Waste Credits To Improve Our Bottom Line (with a little picture of Mickey saying "no" to snacks). Seriously, though, my family didn't have any trouble using every credit during our stay, but if we had any left over I would absolutely have taken the food with me. I did pay for it, after all.

I completely agree. I resent being made to feel like I am a cheater and an opportunist because I brought home a few rice krispy treats!

We followed the rules. We did not share meals. We did not invent a new person in our room. But yes, we did use up our unused snack credits on that last of our trip. We got rice krispy treats and cookies to take home for family members. I really don't understand how that is abusing the plan.

 

[Speedemon21]

I really don't understand the idea that using all the credits provided on the ddp is abusing the system. I guess I missed the pamphlet from Disney-Please Waste Credits To Improve Our Bottom Line (with a little picture of Mickey saying "no" to snacks). Seriously, though, my family didn't have any trouble using every credit during our stay, but if we had any left over I would absolutely have taken the food with me. I did pay for it, after all.

I was talking about abuse during the free dining promotion those people did not pay for anything. When the DDP is paid for OOP I have no issues about using all the credits.

 

[Barbers2005]

I was talking about abuse during the free dining promotion those people did not pay for anything. When the DDP is paid for OOP I have no issues about using all the credits.

Really, though, free dining isn't any different from regular ddp except that you got a discount on your package. I wouldn't feel obligated to behave any differently if I got the dining for free b/c it's just a "sale." Using the same argument you could say that people who get a room discount should only use part of their room...it doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[mickey2000]

I was talking about abuse during the free dining promotion those people did not pay for anything. When the DDP is paid for OOP I have no issues about using all the credits.

THEY paid rack rate for a room and had to buy at least a one day ticket even though some had AP's .................

 

[mickey2000]

Some impressive #'s