Rant: The DDP is ruining everything!

[chrissyk]

chrissyk, this is very disheartening news...I really hope you decide to tell this to someone from Guest Relations - the only way we can make a difference is if everyone who is unhappy writes a letter/email that clearly states why these changes are convincing many of us to spend our money offsite.

I'd be willing to write them a letter. We're DVC owners, so we don't mind cooking in our unit. We just don't like feeling forced to do so because the majority of the restaurants are overrun by the DDP. We'll definitely be back at Disney frequently, but only if we stay in a DVC unit and can cook for ourselves. We won't take shorter trips to Disney to stay in their hotels anymore, because we can't cook in a hotel room and we don't want to eat in their restaurants anymore unless they end the DDP and improve the food again.

 

[deltachi8]

I'd be willing to write them a letter. We're DVC owners, so we don't mind cooking in our unit. We just don't like feeling forced to do so because the majority of the restaurants are overrun by the DDP. We'll definitely be back at Disney frequently, but only if we stay in a DVC unit and can cook for ourselves. We won't take shorter trips to Disney to stay in their hotels anymore, because we can't cook in a hotel room and we don't want to eat in their restaurants anymore unless they end the DDP and improve the food again.

I apppreciate your points, just remember there are another mass of people who have started staying onsite BECAUSE of the dining plan. I have a feeling not only is the DDP going to stay, it will become more of the standard for onsite guests.

 

[chrissyk]

I apppreciate your points, just remember there are another mass of people who have started staying onsite BECAUSE of the dining plan. I have a feeling not only is the DDP going to stay, it will become more of the standard for onsite guests.

I think you're correct, actually. Luckily I like to cook and I don't mind doing so on vacation. It's just nice to go out to eat on vacation too, KWIM? Maybe some of the 2 credit places will drop off or just become unpopular w/the masses, though. We do like places like Citricos, Narcoosee's, etc. I hope that they don't go downhill too. That would stink!

 

[dustysky]

You really want to bet? OK

What about folks like us who don't use the DDP? Shouldn't we get bigger portions, better service,and all the little doo dads the restaurants are getting rid of(excuse the preposition)? After all,we're paying deluxe prices. It's like the pools.You pay more for a deluxe hotel and you get a better pool. You pay OOP for food,therefore, you get better service,food,etc.

I say YES, a huge YES!!
I am a season pass holder and visit the parks more often then I should, I however can not eat at the places that the DDP people can, why because we as season pass holders can not get the DDP. Hmmm... so in the end we loose out.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Finally, we dined at Narcoosee's. It didn't reach the quality level of the other two, but was nice. As usual, I had the incredibly overpriced lobster ($54!). Nonetheless, it was tender and good.

Thank you for confirming that lobster IS still available at Walt Disney World as currently as October 2006

I am a season pass holder and visit the parks more often then I should, I however can not eat at the places that the DDP people can, why because we as season pass holders can not get the DDP. Hmmm... so in the end we loose out.

No, the reason you cannot get the Disney Dining Plan is because you're season pass holders (although you, just as EVERY resort Guest using purchasing the DDP, can purchase the package required to make you eligible to get the DDP; or rent from a DVC owner and buy the Dining Option with NO ticket purchase).

Not purchasing/getting the DDP most assuredly does NOT mean you 'can not eat at the places that the DDP people can'. There are NO exclusively-DDP facilities.
Now, if you mean you can't eat at "those" restaurants because you can't get a table, that's ENTIRELY different - although with rare exceptions, you surely CAN get seated at the restaurant of your choice. Perhaps not at the exact SECOND you want to dine, but that's true of MANY restaurants, everywhere.

 

[lillygator]

I say YES, a huge YES!!
I am a season pass holder and visit the parks more often then I should, I however can not eat at the places that the DDP people can, why because we as season pass holders can not get the DDP. Hmmm... so in the end we loose out.

I am not sure I understand this?

Why can't you eat in the same places? All the restaurants are available to anyone.

 

[dustysky]

I am not sure I understand this?

Why can't you eat in the same places? All the restaurants are available to anyone.

We can eat there, we just have to pay the huge price and get the small portions brought on by DDP.

 

[deltachi8]

We can eat there, we just have to pay the huge price and get the small portions brought on by DDP.

EDIT - removed my comments, this topic really isn't worth a holy war.

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

Not even at Signature places? You have to be kidding me. Please say your kidding!!!

Delicious lobster at Blue Zoo (of course, not owned by Disney, but in the Dolphin hotel). A whole lobster is fried and glazed with a soy sauce. Expensive, but yummy.

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

Disney TS restaurants don't generally offer food to go. The kitchens are large enough to accomodate the number of tables but not large enough to handle signficant take out business. It's certainly possible the increased business, due to the dining plan, may have caused Olivia's to follow the same rules that other Disney restaurants have.

Where is the crime in a restaurant no longer being able to accomodate to go orders?

I didn't believe it at first but I now realize there are some "foodies" who's real objection is the formerly empty restaurants are now crowded.

The problem with Olivia's no longer having "to go orders" is that OKW can sometimes feel like an isolated resort (especially for guests with small children) and that was a great way for guests to bring a good meal into their villa.

I think since OKW opened, I've only taken food out of there a couple of times, so it really doesn't matter to me personally, but I can see what a great perk that would be for families with children or others that just don't feel well and want to eat well in their own rooms without the hassle of leaving the resort.

It was just a nice thing to have for guests of OKW and now it's gone and, in my opinion, it takes away some of the "cozyness" of the resort.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Are you saying the food in Universal parks is better? Can you give some examples!? They have a dining plan too, it's cheaper and you can eat as many meals as you want. Of course it is all burgers and pizza.

We love the variety of the menus at USO/IOA/City. I can't speak to their meal deal promo, but we've been AP holders there for years, and we get anywhere from 10 to 20 percent off our meals (excluding alcohol) with just our AP card. Even Mythos! The only places we haven't gotten a discount were at soda/popcorn carts and Tchoup Chop. Tchoup Chop might even offer one, but we forgot to ask (enjoyed too many of the wine pairings).

The discounts on food pay for our APs. And no burgers or pizza for us on vacation! Blackened redfish, crawfish etouffe nachos, risotto with scallops, baby back ribs, bleu cheese chicken pasta, fish & chips, creative and unique salads -- strong drinks and big dark beers is what we've found at USO.

I'm sure you'll get differing opinions on this, but after a Disney dining week from hell several years back, we just moved on -- with the exception of Jiko; however, if more menu items are removed from Jiko like the duck firecrackers were, we'll say bye-bye to them, too. Disney gets our money to get in the parks and souvies, but for dining and cocktails, we go elsewhere, and we love the options available at USO.

 

[Nancyg56]

I didn't think about competing with the cruise line either.

I think many families would enjoy the all inclusive option. It is definitely one less thing on the vacation list to think about. It is just a shame that the entire TS experience is changing rather drastically.

I'm not sure that Disney is trying to compete with cruise lines but I do think that they are trying to create an all inclusive cruise atmosphere. From magic Express to the Dining plan Disney captures their guests and makes it more convenient to stay onsite and have all their meals onsite as well. Once you are there and situated ans fed, there is no reason to take your spending dollars anywhere else. Between the convenience of ME and onsite lodging and the bargain as well as the convenience of the DDP, families will choose to stay onsite. DIsney wins if the resorts are filled and the restaurants are filled. If people add cocktails and additional meals, better and better. Souvenier spending another bonus for Disney.

I cannot compare the TS experience prior to the DDP and then after, but we were pleased with the meals and the service we enjoyed in January and again in August. We'll see in January if the changes that are in the works change my opinion.

 

[CPer'sMom]

There are NO exclusively-DDP facilities.

Now THERE'S an idea!!

 

[jenfur]

After years mired in mediocrity, WDW finally became a dining destination.

Wow, what a long thread for something that could have been solved easily! WDW was and is not trying to become a dining destination...It's a family/theme park destination. Sure, others can have a wonderful time there, but families are what it was created for and to whom they will always cater.

As for DDP, I haven't used it yet, but will be in 27 days. Its actually costing me a little more than what I would have paid without it. The whole idea that DDP is "like the food stamps of WDW" is ridiculous. I had to pay rack rates when many on these boards where getting all kinds of discounts. I couldn't get the discounted tickets either, had to buy them with the package. The main reason I am getting them is for convenience. My family had noticed a slight decline in portion and quality two years ago way before the dining plan. I haven't been a couple of times a year like some though, so my opinion may not count.

Another thing, it just cracks me up to think of Jean-Claude in the kitchen weeping over the fact that he must used dried instead of fresh herbs I have a few family members in the restaurant business so the idea that this DDP is hurting Disney financially is laughable. Especially if the restaurants are as crowded as everyone is complaining about. If people would step back and think about the situation rationally, they would see that the DDP is not causing all of these problems; it just makes a convenient scapegoat.

 

[lillygator]

actually I don't think of it as so much a savings. Rack rate at Pop on Wed was $99 add to that the $37.99 and take away my few hundred dollar meals....

 

[kaytieeldr]

I however can not eat at the places that the DDP people can, why because we as season pass holders can not get the DDP. Hmmm... so in the end we loose out.

I am not sure I understand this?

Why can't you eat in the same places? All the restaurants are available to anyone.

We can eat there, we just have to pay the huge price and get the small portions brought on by DDP.

Well, isn't that entirely different from "I however can not eat at the places that the DDP people can, why because we as season pass holders can not get the DDP. "?

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Is there a whine pairing to this thread? I didn't pay for it, but it sure as heck is everywhere.

NED

 

[jodifla]

actually I don't think of it as so much a savings. Rack rate at Pop on Wed was $99 add to that the $37.99 and take away my few hundred dollar meals....

This is an excellent point. Once people realize how much they are paying for this "great deal" maybe they'll rethink, especially when their kids are getting sugar free jello as dessert every day.

 

[DCDisney]

This is an excellent point. Once people realize how much they are paying for this "great deal" maybe they'll rethink, especially when their kids are getting sugar free jello as dessert every day.

We are going in Jan and will get the same discount whether or not we do dining so for us it makes sense. But in trying to decide between a mod or deluxe I am thinking about the number of extra meals I'm going to have to buy for my kids. If they have the kids meal with drink I can probably get away with buying an extra pizza or chicken strips every few days for them to split that they can't get as kids entrees. I must say though that the diet jello is ticking me off. I'll happily eat it but won't let my kids. It just takes away from the ease and convenience of the dining plan if we have to share and make group decisions. Previously the kiddos just got a whole dessert and ate a few bites. The point to doing the DDP is that everyone got whatever they wanted and didn't have to be concerned about trying to order things to share like we had done on previous trips.

Yvonne

 

[CPer'sMom]

Wow, what a long thread for something that could have been solved easily! WDW was and is not trying to become a dining destination...

Actually if you read through this thread (and others) you'll see that there was a time when Yes, some of the WDW restaurants were good enough that people considered them a dining "destination".

It's a family/theme park destination. Sure, others can have a wonderful time there, but families are what it was created for and to whom they will always cater.

"others" ???