Put yourself in the decison makers seat.....

[VMK_Mouse]

Just out of curiousity, not for debate over what is a good business decision for Disney and what is good for the customer, but for your own personal desires......if you could structure the dining plan for Disney, what would you do?


I would leave the the two current dining options the way they are and add a third.

I think I would create something in the middle of the two where it might include 2 meals wherever you want them, 2 snacks a day and a resort mug and make the price somewhere in the middle of the two.

I would raise the cost a little for each dining plan option and add gratuities back in. I would also give the guest a choice; do you want the appetizer or dessert.

This would be somewhat like it was when they had silver, gold and platinum packages, but without all of the activities - just the dining choices.

 

[jagar100]

I would like to have the option of dessert or appetizer. Many people don't care for sweets, or have allergies to dairy, which is a main ingredient in lots of desserts. I personally would have opted for the appetizers, to help cut back on the calories.

 

[bicker]

Just out of curiousity, not for debate over what is a good business decision for Disney and what is good for the customer, but for your own personal desires......if you could structure the dining plan for Disney, what would you do?

If not with regard to "what is a good business decision for Disney" then it isn't really "putting yourself in the decision makers' seat". The decision makers' are solely responsible for making the Dining Plan such that it is the best business decision for Disney.

In terms of personal desire, without regard to what would be the best business decision for Disney, the best Dining Plan would be plan that offers at least three TS per day and unlimited options from snack and counter-service eateries. It would include liberal use of room service, the mini-bars, and would definitely include alcoholic beverages, souvenir glasses, and glowing ice cubes. The Dining Plan would include catered Wishes Cruises and Illuminations Cruises, and would also include provision of box lunches for picnics or outings to other Central Florida attractions, and for the trip home at the end of your vacation.

The Dining Plan would also include front-of-line seating privileges, i.e., being seated, on-demand, in any restaurant in the hotels or parks, with priority over any non-Dining Plan guests. Furthermore, premium seating, such as the terrace tables at Rose and Crown, and window tables at California Grill, would be reserved for Dining Plan guests. They could also install a Dining Plan-only restaurant in the center section of the Fantasmic! amphitheater, with banquet-style table service, serving the entree about 45 minutes prior to the show, and serving the dessert just before the show begins.

It would also be nice if most of the restaurants provided special tasting menus for the Dining Plan, allowing guests to order entree platters that provides a good-sized taste of a variety of special choices on each menu, especially for restaurants in the World Showcase, where trying a little of everything could be especially fun. Similarly, appetizer samplers and dessert samplers would be available to Dining Plan guests.

And this would be for the current prices (or less), of course.

 

[DaisyD]

I would get rid of all the DDPS. I think they have made the restaurants overcrowded, brought quality down, and took variety away. Of course, all of the above saves Disney money so that would be the best business decision Disney could make.

 

[dvcdisney]

The Dining Plan would also include front-of-line seating privileges, i.e., being seated, on-demand, in any restaurant in the hotels or parks, with priority over any non-Dining Plan guests. Furthermore, premium seating, such as the terrace tables at Rose and Crown, and window tables at California Grill, would be reserved for Dining Plan guests. They could also install a Dining Plan-only restaurant in the center section of the Fantasmic! amphitheater, with banquet-style table service, serving the entree about 45 minutes prior to the show, and serving the dessert just before the show begins.

It would also be nice if most of the restaurants provided special tasting menus for the Dining Plan, allowing guests to order entree platters that provides a good-sized taste of a variety of special choices on each menu, especially for restaurants in the World Showcase, where trying a little of everything could be especially fun. Similarly, appetizer samplers and dessert samplers would be available to Dining Plan guests.

And this would be for the current prices (or less), of course.

Sounds great. Count me in!

Also wanted to add: I would also like to see it being added as an option to the APs (or DVC) with a discount (of course ) .

 

[bicker]

Nah; for APs and DVC, it should just be included in the current fee, which, of course, shouldn't go up to reflect these new benefits. Figure the less they charge, the more souvenirs we can buy.

 

[VMK_Mouse]

Just out of curiousity, not for debate over what is a good business decision for Disney and what is good for the customer, but for your own personal desires......if you could structure the dining plan for Disney, what would you do?

If not with regard to "what is a good business decision for Disney" then it isn't really "putting yourself in the decision makers' seat". The decision makers' are solely responsible for making the Dining Plan such that it is the best business decision for Disney.

I wasn't asking you what you would do if you were a Disney Executive, I asked what would you do if it were up to you.

Just no sense in being so anal over something hypothetical.

 

[bicker]

What does this look like?

If not with regard to "what is a good business decision for Disney" then it isn't really "putting yourself in the decision makers' seat". The decision makers' are solely responsible for making the Dining Plan such that it is the best business decision for Disney.

In terms of personal desire, without regard to what would be the best business decision for Disney, the best Dining Plan would be plan that offers at least three TS per day and unlimited options from snack and counter-service eateries. It would include liberal use of room service, the mini-bars, and would definitely include alcoholic beverages, souvenir glasses, and glowing ice cubes. The Dining Plan would include catered Wishes Cruises and Illuminations Cruises, and would also include provision of box lunches for picnics or outings to other Central Florida attractions, and for the trip home at the end of your vacation.

The Dining Plan would also include front-of-line seating privileges, i.e., being seated, on-demand, in any restaurant in the hotels or parks, with priority over any non-Dining Plan guests. Furthermore, premium seating, such as the terrace tables at Rose and Crown, and window tables at California Grill, would be reserved for Dining Plan guests. They could also install a Dining Plan-only restaurant in the center section of the Fantasmic! amphitheater, with banquet-style table service, serving the entree about 45 minutes prior to the show, and serving the dessert just before the show begins.

It would also be nice if most of the restaurants provided special tasting menus for the Dining Plan, allowing guests to order entree platters that provides a good-sized taste of a variety of special choices on each menu, especially for restaurants in the World Showcase, where trying a little of everything could be especially fun. Similarly, appetizer samplers and dessert samplers would be available to Dining Plan guests.

And this would be for the current prices (or less), of course.

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

Just out of curiousity, not for debate over what is a good business decision for Disney and what is good for the customer, but for your own personal desires......if you could structure the dining plan for Disney, what would you do?


I would leave the the two current dining options the way they are and add a third.

I think I would create something in the middle of the two where it might include 2 meals wherever you want them, 2 snacks a day and a resort mug and make the price somewhere in the middle of the two.

I would raise the cost a little for each dining plan option and add gratuities back in. I would also give the guest a choice; do you want the appetizer or dessert.

I kind of like this, but I think I would do away with DxDP altogether and have only 2 options.

I would get rid of all the DDPS. I think they have made the restaurants overcrowded, brought quality down, and took variety away. Of course, all of the above saves Disney money so that would be the best business decision Disney could make.

I have thought this myself a few times when it is impossible to get the ADR I want. Truly, I keep waiting for Disney to go to this.




Bicker, I saw you changed your initial response: I don't think that his (VMK_Mouse) response was anal. I think you were splitting hairs and picking his question apart to the point where you were almost saying his question was not logical. JMO.

 

[bicker]

No, you're mistaken. However, I am not the topic of the thread, so take your comments to PM please.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I see bicker's point, though (yeah, yeah, I know this thread's not about bicker but...); the conditions in VMK Mouse's original post are contradictary. That was bicker's first point - and then he went on to describe IN DETAIL what his ideal Dining Plan would entail, i.e. he answered the question. Nicely, too. I'd buy that plan in a second!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

OK... since this was a hypothetical question, we are all entitled to our answers.....this means no picking each other apart. Please be respectful of each other and if you cannot answer respectfully for whatever reasons, move on to another thread and do not come back to this one..

I personally thought Bicker's dining plan was incredible.. LOLOL

In my perfect world, I would do away with the DDP. I agree with one of the previous posters that it has indeed brought the quality down.....but since it is a money maker for Disney, it will stay. People, it is all about the profits....it is a business as someone else has so aptly said many times.

 

[dogodisney]

I believe the OP meant but did not state was... to be realistic in your answers.

I have only to been to Disney once and we did not use the DP so I have nothing to compare our experience to, so I really can't comment about it. However, we will be using the DP during the Free dining in September.

After reading so many comments on this site about poor service, smaller meal portions, decline in food quality, etc., it seems to me that people who are paying OOP to eat, are the ones who are getting the short end of the stick.
Or is there a difference between being on the DP and paying oop as far as portions go?

 

[kaytieeldr]

In my perfect world, I would do away with the DDP. I agree with one of the previous posters that it has indeed brought the quality down

Mackey Mouse - if you feel this question deserves its own thread, feel free to move it if you can, or tell me if you can't and I'll start a new one... realistically, who thinks if Disney did eliminate the existing Dining Plan, quality and selection would improve?

 

[bicker]

I believe the OP meant but did not state was... to be realistic in your answers.

The OP said this thread was "not for debate", and since "realistic" is a very controversial characteristic (i.e., I could take issue with how "realistic" just about every suggestion in this thread actually is), I suspect that how realistic the suggestions are should not be part of what this thread is about. We should take debates like that to other threads. Let us work together to keep the peace in this one. Thanks.

After reading so many comments on this site about poor service, smaller meal portions, decline in food quality, etc., it seems to me that people who are paying OOP to eat, are the ones who are getting the short end of the stick. Or is there a difference between being on the DP and paying oop as far as portions go?

Again... there are probably better places to have these questions answered, but I'll do my best to present a balanced view of each: There are a lot of people who love the Dining Plan and think it is the best thing on Earth, that they receive the same service as OOP guests. There are also people who believe the opposite. However, there is a debate about whether either side or both are biased by their personal preferences regarding how Disney should offer dining at WDW, and how that colors the way they present their overall impressions of the Dining Plan and dining in general at WDW, as a result.

Our personal experience was that we received the same service, the same portions, the same everything, with the Dining Plan as we did OOP.

 

[bicker]

Mackey Mouse - if you feel this question deserves its own thread, feel free to move it if you can, or tell me if you can't and I'll start a new one... realistically, who thinks if Disney did eliminate the existing Dining Plan, quality and selection would improve?

I really do believe that should be in its own thread. I'll move my reply there if one is created.

I believe dining is a reflection of the times, and the Dining Plan isn't the driver of how dining is but rather is the result. Indeed, the Dining Plan is substantially less generous this year than last, and therefore has substantially less impact on the cost and service model, yet there haven't been widespread reports of things "improving". That's because the service provided is the service provided, and things like the Dining Plan will be fitted to what Disney provides, not the other way around.

 

[dogodisney]

The OP said this thread was "not for debate", and since "realistic" is a very controversial characteristic (i.e., I could take issue with how "realistic" just about every suggestion in this thread actually is), I suspect that how realistic the suggestions are should not be part of what this thread is about. We should take debates like that to other threads. Let us work together to keep the peace in this one. Thanks.

HUH????? I wasn't trying to debate with anyone. To the contrary..... It was my laim attempt to keep things real and I believe that as the OP intent too.

 

[disneygal2007]

OK... since this was a hypothetical question, we are all entitled to our answers.....this means no picking each other apart. Please be respectful of each other and if you cannot answer respectfully for whatever reasons, move on to another thread and do not come back to this one..

I personally thought Bicker's dining plan was incredible.. LOLOL

In my perfect world, I would do away with the DDP. I agree with one of the previous posters that it has indeed brought the quality down.....but since it is a money maker for Disney, it will stay. People, it is all about the profits....it is a business as someone else has so aptly said many times.

I agree

 

[disneygal2007]

Mackey Mouse - if you feel this question deserves its own thread, feel free to move it if you can, or tell me if you can't and I'll start a new one... realistically, who thinks if Disney did eliminate the existing Dining Plan, quality and selection would improve?

I do agree But we wouldn't be able to eat at the places we wanted if their wasn't a DDP we would have to save for allot longer.