Ridiculous...

[bicker]

I believe people should be able to use the plan the way they want, as long as it's you are not breaking any hard-coded Disney rules.

I agree, and I think that's why people get so concerned about when people do advocate using child meal entitlements for adult meal, and about "treating" folks not on the Dining Plan using Dining Plan credits, since those actions seem to be driving Disney towards preventing those of us who follow the rules from doing what we should be able to do, as you suggest.

 

[vacationtime]

We (DH, DW, DS16) just came back from our very first trip to WDW (07/06-07/16) and I changed our original plans to include the DDP after we read about it here. It was very pleasant to know it was paid for in advance, so as not to have that additional OOP expense. Made our ADRs months in advance, based upon many of the reviews in here as well. We were very pleased with most of the choices we made.

And of yes, the food was plentiful!!!! We ate like kings, as far as we were concerned. It kept us perpetually stuffed! At a couple points we bought desert (allowed them to chose at one of our TS spots) for a young couple and used two of our CS credits to buy sisters visiting from England their lunches. We had about ten snack credits left and used those for some treats on the plane back home to So Cal.

I could go on and on about how great it was for us, including rapid seating on our ADRs during the 'dinner hour' (1700-1800 hours); the multiple "add ons" to the dinner choice applied to our plan; the great waiter/waitress service; et al.

In a nut shell: don't get it if you don't want it and/or don't gorge if you do and it makes you miserable.

Thank you WDW for a wonderful first experience; and it won't be our last!

 

[PaulaSB12]

Not only am I cancelling the DDP because there is to much food, I cancelling ny whole trip because it's too much fun. That Free Disney Magical Express was the final straw.

Its worse for me, not only have they forced the free dining plan on me, they shove this aweful disney magic express and all this is forcing me to take 2 and a half weeks from work (I get back to england on tuesday and go back to work on wednesday, its an afternoon shift week so its 2 or 3 at the most days at work that week!!!!!) How can I stand all of this nastyness.

 

[MissMichelle]

I agree. We would chose the DDP to have everything prepaid. We are foodies & when on Vacation tend to eat App, entree & dessert so it would be great for us. Now if they could add a drinking plan & include a few Martini's & those fufu drinks at Poly I would be in heaven

Kae

That'll be bad if they do...I'll really get used to going without the kids!

 

[Tam1067]

The DDP is just so great. It was really nice not to worry about the cost of each meal. And we never get dessert when we eat at TS restaurants normally, so getting to try them at places like Kona (which I know we would've passed on under non-DDP circumstances) was lots of fun. I hope Disney keeps it so we can use it on our next trip.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I am going to enjoy the plan and eat like royalty when we go in october.

 

[LWcalif]

The free dining plan is the reason we are going back again this year. After reading about it here, I just mentioned it in passing to the family. It took about 5 minutes for us to grab our disney visa card and call CRO! I am completely hooked and will gladly pay for it on all future trips. I like being able to try the different appetizers and desserts, which I would not be ordering if paying. Yes, we leave alot of food behind, but I've done that at other restaurants, too. Especially when traveling and a doggie bag is not an option. Some people just like to complain, no matter what. I personally think it's one of the greatest ideas Disney has come up with.

 

[Emie]

I wish they would offer ddp to those staying off site. Even if they charged extra $10 I think it would be well worth the money.

 

[Muushka]

I totally agree with the OP. But I have to wonder, where are all those posters from the threads complaining about the DDP now? Do they read something like this and just not comment or is it that this type of BB breeds chameleons?
I think I may have had too much coffee this morning .

Please ignore me.......

 

[JimMIA]

I wish they would offer ddp to those staying off site. Even if they charged extra $10 I think it would be well worth the money.

That's exactly the opposite of the intent of DDP.

DDP and the many other benefits of staying onsite are designed to get people to stay in Disney resorts.

 

[Cass]

Even when I order dessert *when paying for it* I often only have a couple of forkfuls and then I'm done. Same with salad or appetizer, I don't want to ruin dinner so I don't finish them.

On the dining plan you could order the app & the dessert and just have a forkful if you want and not have to worry about paying for what you didn't finish.

 

[Sammie]

I looked at this way the DDP is kinda like one of those clothing items that says One Size Fits All. Well we all know it doesn't.

It will be too large for some and too little for others. If the fit, decided by Disney is not good for you and your family; as stated simply don't buy it and go on as it never exisited.

 

[adrock1976]

I always have figured that with the DDP you are paying for a nice TS meal, and getting the value of most or all of the CS and snack for free...think about the average cost per person of a TS, including everything that you get AND the tip...it adds up fast...a great deal for most people I would say, still.

 

[Threeriversdisneyfan]

I personally think the DDP was one of Disney's greatest ideas. IMO it gives guests an illusion of an "All-inclusive" vacation" so you never have to worry whether or not you'll run out of money for food. I can see why people love to go on cruises. Secondly, we tried restaurants we thought we would never tried in the past. Finally, it is great deal, like someone described it before, it is like getting a snack, a CS, and a TS for the price of a TS.

Last year we went during free dinning a were so impressed with the DDP we couldn't wait to book our next trip whether we had to pay for it or not (thank goodness for that April 1st announcement). I sit and laugh how some people are ripping the plan apart. (Too much food, too flexable or whether the servers like it or not)

Now for the Disney side of things. The Free Dinning promotion was a success be cause it filled rooms, empty rooms don't buy tickets and souveiners. The DDP is a much better plan (both economically and in practice) compared to past Dinning plans. It's the best word of mouth advertising Disney could have ever hoped for, the first thing I tell people at work now is about the DDP, Not the rides or the characters. I think it swings more people to the resorts vs. off-site.

Disney has set very high standards for itself, and the DDP has surpassed it.

 

[bicker]

I wish they would offer ddp to those staying off site. Even if they charged extra $10 I think it would be well worth the money.

I agree with Jim that that would be counter to the whole point of the Dining Plan. To truly make up for staying off site, I'd guess that Disney would probably need closer to $18 extra per person per day in order to make up for what they'd lose by having you stay off-site.

 

[Pedler]

I wish they would offer ddp to those staying off site. Even if they charged extra $10 I think it would be well worth the money.

They would have to charge a lot more than that per person to make up for the lost revenue from the resort stay and other spending that occurs when you are on site for the entire trip. The dinning plan is one part of the plan to capture every single dollar you spend in Florida. It isn't just a prepaid food plan.

 

[cdntourguide]

the only thing better than the DDP is the Free DDP. It enabled me to double my vacation time at WDW.
In past years I always budgeted $50 per day for meals and snackes, so the $38 the DDP costs saves me money even if I pay for it.
As for eating too much: people need to take responsibility for their own actions. If you put something in your mouth, you did it: not Disney. Just stop eating when you have had enough.
I really enjoy character meals, and the Disney plan is allowing me to enjoy nine on my next trip. Plus I get to go to ten restaurants that I have never eaten at before. If I had to pay on my own, I could not afford to do so.

This plan has saved me more than my PAP's ever did.

 

[eblack0409]

I have to agree with the OP (who happens to be my husband!!!)..

We could not believe that there were people complaining about the dining plan....

The dining plan ALLOWS you to get 1 appetizer, 1 entree, and 1 dessert....if you don't want all that, don't order it.....I personally don't pass up free food, but if you only want the appetizer and entree..then don't get a dessert...or get something you can take back to your room and eat later!

DH and I are the type of people who like to know that everything (except souveniers) are paid for when we go on vacation, so we love the dining plan! My advice regarding the dining plan is this: go to www.allearsnet.com and check out the menus for the places you are interested in eating at and add up the prices for what you may order....the dining plan is $38 per person per day....if the totals you get from adding up the meals you would anticipate eating are greater than what you would pay for the dining plan, it makes more sense to go with DDP!

As with anything, the dining plan isn't for everyone, you just have to decide if it works for you and your family!

 

[Step]

ITA - I do wonder if the ones doing the most complaining are the ones getting "free dining" who want to stretch it even further so they get 2 TS meals a day or are able to eat at signature places more often and still have TS meals everyday. I hate making ADRs because it means I have to plan ahead where I will be at a certain time but I see the need for it with the DDP and won't even think about whining about it. I am just glad I am able to buy the plan and not have to worry about who orders what, etc. I am also glad that those who don't think it is a good value for them don't have to buy it. I can't see why anyone would think it is a good idea to get rid of it.

I am getting free dining, and I am very vocal that it is free and people shouldn't be whining cause they can't share!

 

[minniekk]

LWcalif "Some people just like to complain, no matter what."
-----------------------------------------------------------

I totally agree! We are lucky to get the free DDP for our coming Sept trip,
can't wait! We will definately buy the DDP for our next year trip, because my
DD3 is a seafood lover and when we dine out, I always order the seafood
platter for her and eat her chicken finger kids meal. Isn't that weird?