Rant: The DDP is ruining everything!

[Jets fan]

Haven't bumped into Donald in a couple of years now. Would love to see him again!

 

[disneygirl29]

There is no balance Disneygirl...You're seeing what's best for you. Locals and repeat visitors are staying away in droves and you miss the point that although you may be eating at a restaurant named Artist Point or California Grill you are not eating the same cuisine or getting the same expericence that earned it it's reputation.

I do agree that ther should be a balance, maybe the two menu approach is it but currently it's one sided and the future path is, IMO, very ugly.

I agree Jets fan.

I don't think I am just seeing it from my point, I am saying what my take on it is ... I do think that they have to cater to the masses, again it is a business !!!
I am a repeat visitor ! But also understand that people (even repeat visitors) go for MANY reasons... not just the food! I think that limiting, seperate menus or surcharging for items will set the wrong tone... (we will serve ok food to DDP'er, but those who pay even more can get better??!) Unless the food and menus have drastically changed from last year I will not be disappointed I am sure! I think Disney is held to a very high standard... there is no comparison to other theme parks Disney is #1 (in my book), maybe that is the problem, we repeater EXPECT perfection from Disney (which is a good thing).

On a side note: I have to agree with many posters, the tone I have read on this message is that of the upscale vs. the budget traveler (I don't use poor,I am not poor, but I am budgetwise!) heading to Disney is not an inexpensive trip for anyone. I think everyone should be made to feel like they are getting the royal treatment, not just those who wish to pay more, that is the point of Disney isn't it?. Like I said I go year after year... no cheap trip at about $8000 a trip ... not even including fun $... however I think I am budget concious as well, as this is not our only vacation each year!

I think we need to remember this is a theme park, it is a business, and everyone has a different take on what is good not good!

 

[beachblanket]

We're going back to eating off-site. I've never been on the DDP and I won't pay OOP prices for dumbed down, homogenized food. People can talk about cost effectiveness and profitability all they want to but I can't eat that and while I own stock, I won't sacrifice quality dining for price.....stock price, entree price or otherwise.

Gina ROCKS!!!

 

[Jynohn]

Sadly, I have to agree with the OP that the quality and variety of food has gone way down hill since the inception of the dining plan. DH, who takes no part in our trip planning and has absolutely no clue what the DDP is, commented more than once during our last trip that the menus seemed pared down and the portions much smaller than on our last trip.

This was most noticeable to us on our visit to Tony's Town Square. They've removed the chicken parmigian from the menu, and now only have 4 or 5 entrees to choose from. It may not sting as much to pay $19 for a plate of mushy spaghetti when you're on the dining plan, but if you're paying out of pocket, it's quite ridiculous. Then to add insult to injury, they now charge you for bread!

We find the Disney Dining Experience card at 20% off to be a much better deal for us because we like to enjoy two sit down meals a day. It's upsetting to pay more OOP for a boring, lesser quality menu because of this new plan. It's nothing to do with being elitist (we're military and far from rich ) it's the fact that we're now paying more money for a lesser experience.

And don't even get me started on the extra lines all week at the snack stands, waiting behind people arguing with CM's over what items were included in the plan...

 

[Alicnwondrln]

the days of good food are going and making adrs on the fly or walk up are gone
if you look at availablility its also down at the resorts
last dec we went for a week at pop we used the code they offered and got the DDP
that was around halloween
you cant do that this year theres not as much availability at the resorts or restaurants

 

[deltachi8]

1. Does Disney know that some "seasoned" travelers who pay top dollar for CS meals OOP may notice a decline in qality, etc and start leaving? Probably.

2. Does Disney know that the DDP along with Magical express has increased the amount per traveler being spent at Disney? Absolutely.

Does #2 outweigh #1 for Disney...in terms of volume, sales and profitability? I'm guessing it does.

Some people will be upset, some of them will leave, but overall, there will be a larger infulx of people speding money coming in theat more than makes up for the loss. While that certainly (understandably so) may upset some people, it's the reality of business - you can't be everything to everyone.

 

[disneygirl29]

1. Does Disney know that some "seasoned" travelers who pay top dollar for CS meals OOP may notice a decline in qality, etc and start leaving? Probably.

2. Does Disney know that the DDP along with Magical express has increased the amount per traveler being spent at Disney? Absolutely.

Does #2 outweigh #1 for Disney...in terms of volume, sales and profitability? I'm guessing it does.

Some people will be upset, some of them will leave, but overall, there will be a larger infulx of people speding money coming in theat more than makes up for the loss. While that certainly (understandably so) may upset some people, it's the reality of business - you can't be everything to everyone.

WELL SAID!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

so true delta
with DME less people are renting cars and people are leaving WDW property less

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Look there is nothing wrong with people using the DDP. It is a great tool for many people but you are looking with tunnel vision if you think everything's OK even though there are scads of people left out in the cold. Our opinions don't count? We're not saying get rid of the dining plan, we're saying modify it so EVERYONE can get what they want. It's some of the DDP'ers who are being greedy in almost all of these conversations!

No one arguing against the DDP has used any class distiction. Those of you that feel this need to look in the mirror. But there CERTAINLY, MOST DEFINATELY IS a quality distiction between 'now' and 'then'.

As for the business analogy that keeps coming up, FINE, I GET IT. I have an MBA, but I don't thik that alone qualifies me to run a company like Disney. Any of you who think BUSINESS should take precendent over SHOW at Disney have that right, but we really have nothing further to talk about.

 

[Lewisc]

The only DDP customers that might be greedy are the few that try to use "kids" credits for adult meals or who structure their ADRs around which restaurants and menu items are large enough to share in order. A few guests do this to stretch dining credits in order to obtain extra meals or to feed extra guests.

Disney has decided to allow the entire menu to DDP guests. That requires menus have a tighter range of menu costs. Guests aren't greedy if they're using the plan as designed by Disney.

A few posters think the Chefs are being restricted. Very few restaurants allow a chef to present an entrée that costs triple the cost of the average entrée. The Dining Plan may be shrinking the range but very few restaurants give the chef a blank check.

Look there is nothing wrong with people using the DDP. It is a great tool for many people but you are looking with tunnel vision if you think everything's OK even though there are scads of people left out in the cold. Our opinions don't count? We're not saying get rid of the dining plan, we're saying modify it so EVERYONE can get what they want. It's some of the DDP'ers who are being greedy in almost all of these conversations!

No one arguing against the DDP has used any class distiction. Those of you that feel this need to look in the mirror. But there CERTAINLY, MOST DEFINATELY IS a quality distiction between 'now' and 'then'.

As for the business analogy that keeps coming up, FINE, I GET IT. I have an MBA, but I don't thik that alone qualifies me to run a company like Disney. Any of you who think BUSINESS should take precendent over SHOW at Disney have that right, but we really have nothing further to talk about.

 

[kevw67]

Does anyone think that the possibility exists of removing certain restaurants from the DDP(ie. fine dining as compared to TS and buffets). Would this help improve the quality of service and food at these restaurants? A lot of people are complaining about both because supposedly the servers do less if youre on DDP. Personally, I use DDP but go to as many buffets as possible because of my kids. They get to eat what they want and I dont expect top notch service. Refill my raspberry tea or lemonade and Im happy. Others want better service which is also fine. I dont dare go to a fine dining or any place that is not more suited for families. Im not sure if this would work, but many of us love DDP and many of us dont. I see both sides, and if it is ruining Disney then the solution has to lie somewhere in between elimination and keeping it status quo.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Locals and repeat visitors are staying away in droves

We are? Thanks for letting me know.
I think "locals and repeat" guests are maybe just more familiar and know what to expect and what works best for them.
I could much more easily eat at home or off site. And sometimes do. But we also eat in the world and enjoy it!

 

[saschab]

A few posters think the Chefs are being restricted. Very few restaurants allow a chef to present an entrée that costs triple the cost of the average entrée. The Dining Plan may be shrinking the range but very few restaurants give the chef a blank check.

Guess it's how you define average. Average menu item at Applebee's? Average menu item at BlueZoo? The cost is different, and DDP puts a ceiling on cost.

 

[disneygal33]

I see both sides of this argument. I am going in December, but I chose to go with the Platinum package. We had done the DDP plan in the past and sure it saved us money but eating burgers or pizza once a day for 10 days just wasn't for us. I didn't save any money buying the package I bought this time, just saved the trouble of pulling out hubby's wallet at every meal, tour, fireworks cruise. I personally understand the point of some posters about the food quality, hence the reason we went with the Platinum package, but I also understand the DDP users. They didn't ask Disney to offer this package, but they would be fools not to take advantage of it.

As far as the DDP'ers ruining the dinning at Disney, that's just bull. Have any of you eaten out at all in the last few years? Ordered a pizza? Had a burger at your favorite fast-food place or a steak at your favorite 4 star place? It's all gone down hill!! This isn't a Disney thing, it's an American thing. Can you honestly say a Pizza Hut pan pizza is as good today as it was 10 years ago? Can you honestly say a Klondike bar is as big as it was a few years ago? This problem is everywhere, not just at Disney. Disney thinks they can get aways with it because everyone else has. No matter how gross tasting food outgets, people still line up around the block to get some.

 

[saschab]

As far as the DDP'ers ruining the dinning at Disney, that's just bull.

I hope you've miss-typed! I don't see anyone saying the DDP'ers are ruining the dining. It's the artificial financial ceiling the DDP (the plan, not the people using it) is putting on menu options.

I'm using it in a few weeks and it will save me a few dollars. I'm just having to take a few dollars elsewhere too. I'd like Disney to have all my dollars, I would!

 

[saschab]

As far as the DDP'ers ruining the dinning at Disney, that's just bull.

I hope you've miss-typed!

I don't see anyone saying the DDP'ers are ruining the dining. It's the artificial financial ceiling the DDP (the plan, not the people using it) is putting on menu options.

I'm using it in a few weeks and it will save me a few dollars. I'm just having to take a few dollars elsewhere too. I'd like Disney to have all my dollars, I would!

 

[saschab]

I personally understand the point of some posters about the food quality, hence the reason we went with the Platinum package, but I also understand the DDP users.

(italics;mine)

I'm confused. You get different food quality with the Platinum package? What am I missing?

 

[disneygal33]

Sorry I meant to say the DDP plan is not ruining dinning. But I have seen quiet a bit of insinuation that is in the DDP'ers fault. Read though all the threads on this subject and you'll see it. But that wasn't my point. My point was service and quality in restaurants is going down hill everywhere and the reason is Americans seem to not care. Americans still fill restaurants that serve low quality food and low quality service. Why I don't know, but the restaurants keep posting profits no matter how low quality it gets. It only makes sense for Disney to follow suit.

 

[rie'smom]

I agree mrsltg, they're not going to mess with success...But when that success falters what will they do? Will they be able to woo back the local and loyal? Will they be able to woo back the top chef's? It's a double edged sword, IMO. They are turning their back on many regular visitors and local guests in favor of the new family and groups vacationing for longer periods. The scary thing that Disney seems to be ignoring is the fact that WDW (like everywhere else) is still just one terror event away from being a ghost town again. I know we don't like to talk that way but strategically it doesn't make sense in this day and age to alienate the one group who will keep coming through thick and thin.

As to the repeated business analogies...We get it that Disney is a business, always has been but should Disney lower their standards just so they can :

I totally agree.

My sister and I are DVC members and usually bring our parents with us.
The thing that we look forward to the most is the dining and the variations you can get, all those wonderfully tasty dishes. Food is probably the largest expense on our trips as we love eating at signature retaurants and sampling different dishes.
Looking at the new menues at many of my favourite places, they have changed and lost their individuality and are pretty uninspired on the whole. Cost wise the DDP is great and cannot be beaten, but in my opinion Disney have forgotten that dining used to be an experience, different tastes and time to actually enjoy your meal.
Will I carry on coming to Disney - Yes. Will I eat there all the time - No. Orlando has alot to offer and whilst we have always been happy to eat only in Disney, we will venture out more for the variety that makes our holidays.I think that the only way to go is to have the most expensive dishes available at a supplement. Other places do it so why not Disney, it would enable restaurants to get back some of their individuality.
Maybe duck would come back to Chefs de France!!!

Thank goodness the Swan & Dolphin are on property-the menus there haven't changed except for the better.People who stay at another Disney
onsite hotel with no tranbportation can still have a great meal.
Chefs de France as well as the other "signature" restaurants are on the way to becoming Chefs de McDonalds.

Another thing,nobody is saying those who use the DDP are ruining the dining experience. We're saying that WDW is ruining the experience by cutting service and quality because of the DDP.

 

[disneygal33]

(italics;mine)

I'm confused. You get different food quality with the Platinum package? What am I missing?

No we just have the options of eating anywhere we want. We get 3 TS meals a day plus snack and we can use our meals at all the Signature places, for the dinner shows(as only 1 credit not 2) We can do room service etc. What I meant about the burgers and pizza was the CS meals we got on the DDP. I got very tired of burgers and pizza. As far as quality goes, I don't know. I haven't been able to get a straight answer out of Disney about which Signature restaurants will be effected by the new menu. But the TS meals we had in May were far from what I had come to expect from Disney, so we hoped the higher end places would be better.