Someone Check Out My '08 DDP Thinking...

[angelmav]

The idea for me at least isn't good percieved value or bad percieved value rather it is the reality of how much I would really be spending. When the plan was all inclusive it was easy for me not to worry if I lost a few dollars her or there, more of convienience of having it all prepaid. Now that the plan does not fit the way we eat it isn't worth pre paying for me anymore. Sure the new plan is still a value if you eat that way--no apps, desserts, etc. But we prefer an appetizer so we dont' eat that way--I could go for the DxDDP but I don't want to spend all my vacation time "making it worth it". We don't do 3 TS meals per day and I wouldn't want to use that much time to eat--again just us, if it works for you go for it. The big deal, IMHO is the "real price increase" as others have said about 30%--I have experimented and do know we will spend much less by paying for everything OOP. No big deal to me either way. As the OP said it either works for you or it doesn't , personally I don't care how or if others use the DDP or the DxDDP. I do know that I wouldn't have cared so much if they had taken the gratuity away but left the appetizer, I wouldn't have cared if they brought the price up and left it all alone. Keeping in mind that the menus are less appealing and more standardized and the "prices" for many thngs are not realistic--I guess I believe if TGI Friday's (and most food isn't better than that quality anymore) can give me three courses for $12.99 so can Disney and even if they tacked on a little higher price tag just because of the location it would still not be making people think they are getting a better deal by putting an outrageous price tag on the food. I guess I'm thinking in terms of look what I spent for real, not look what I percieve myself as having saved.

You summed this up perfectly for me. I am hoping that the launch goes so poorly the beginning of 08' that they at least put the Appetiser back on the plan.

 

[melomouse]

angelmav - When you say you hope it "goes poorly" when they launch '08 DDP, what do you mean? I will be there the last week in January, so what is it I might expect?

I wish there were still an appetizer, too, but if I want one to share amongst me and my "adult" kids, I guess I will, and pay OOP, just as I did before for my one adult beverage.

ALL the prices of everything at Disney has increased. If we still choose to vacation there, we pay more. I'm not too happy that we got "hooked" on WL and the prices have gone up, but it's our choice to stay there and pay, or do a mod. I'd love to stay at the Poly, but I consider us fortunate to go to WDW at all, and I'm not that great a magician!

Likewise, if Disney got you "hooked" on the DDP, it now will cost more if you still want it. Otherwise, pay OOP.

 

[angelmav]

By poorly I mean lackluster sales, drop-off in guests going to TS, that sort of thing, the kind of reaction that would make the company think, gee we scaled this back too quickly. The reality is though, the plan is pretty much on target for what you would be paying OOP anyway. For our family, after reviewing menu's and what we thought we might order at 7TS and 7CS plus counting in a snack each day, we came out ahead by a little more than $100, which really suprised me. Of course, that isnt much of a savings over an 8 day 7 night vacation, but it is still a convenience.

 

[melomouse]

ok, okay, thanks...I was thinking maybe too much ranting by new DDP customers with servers, or slower service, or tip complaints or whatever crazy stuff popped into my mind...

You are right - about $100 is what I might conceivably "save" in January. And that's fine. But I still will miss Kona crab cakes. The repetitive tomatoes and mozzarella I can easily let go of...

 

[TLCDisney]

I do wish they let you choose between dessert and an appetizer, I think this would increase the perceived value overall. I don't know that many people who are able to eat all three courses anyway. I guess I'm just not a dessert person.
I went over the plan and for the two of us it will be about the same as using our DDE card so we decided to give it a shot.

 

[angelmav]

I keep coming back to the appy as well, wish that say they at least offered it to share, you know 1 for every two paid adult credits or family credits or something, wouldnt have to be individual like before or give an option of an upcharge when buying the plan (hey they have a wine upcharge now, so why not?). As it is, I am sure we will pay OOP for a few of them. Would probably do the deluxe if they had rolled tip in, but if you go to three TS a day, thats a pretty serious amount of $$ to add to a premium plan.