Tusker House is now 2 dining credits!

[speeb]

That's an interesting idea, I could see them keeping the amount of credits per night, but adding an option to purchase more. That would make a lot of sense for them. They could charge more for character dining, therefore people have the option to purchase the additional TS credit to cover that meal, without the consumer having to take a credit from another meal.

Right. That's the thing that, as someone with 6 character meals booked, is frustrating to me. If those all become 2 credits, it no longer makes sense for me to bother buying a plan unless I can SOMEHOW get it to cover them.

 

[Missyrose]

Well if we are suddenly charged 2 credits for our already planned out and booked week in mid-October, our lunchtime Tusker House reservation will be opening up. We'll be cancelling and eating elsewhere. We won't have the credits left for it in our plan and paying out of pocket in addition to paying for the dining plan means the DDP was officially a scam and lost us money in the end.

You can adjust your package to take the DDP off. As long as you're more than 30 days out, there is no penalty for dropping it.

I thought Disney contracts for restaurants went from January to the end of December. Wouldn't it make more sense since they don't have dining (which restaurants will accept DDP etc) until 2017 to just change it for 2017 instead of messing with 2016 dining plan? I hope that's the case or I will be cancelling some reservations I have in November.

The restaurants that are being discussed to increase DDP/price are all Disney-owned restaurants. So Disney can do whatever it pleases with them. Where the January-December contracts come into play are the non-Disney owned restaurants. Those contracts stipulate they can't pull out of accepting the DDP during that period of time.

 

[OldsDr]

So how long after these price increases before they significantly reduce in park meet n greets to force people into the restaurants in order to meet characters?

 

[LSLS]

You may be right, but that's not what Pete said. He specifically said "this was not a glitch" and that the new, increased pricing was coming this year in October.

Think we are back to what people are considering a glitch. That is a glitch (the program loaded the new changes early, and it was quickly fixed).

As for the rest, could be very interesting. I remember a few years back we went to Hollywood and Vine. Was almost impossible to get ADR, and it was slammed (including outside with people waiting). Fastforward (with quite a few cost raises) to January, and as we walked around DHS, Hollywood and Vine was a walk in. And I mean walk in. We ate there with 5 other families and 4 characters. Now, admittedly, January is a down time, but I wonder how the price raises played into that as well.

 

[beer dave]

The problem is that with the character meals, show and parade meals, this really is no longer a dinning plan.... it is becoming an entertainment plan....so they have to charge more credits for dinner and a show than they charge for just dinner.....What a mess. If the credits don't increase for the character meals, it will become a character meal plan, where the only people using it will be using for the discount on the entertainment venues. If they don't increase the credits for the entertainment portions, they will have to increase the cost of the entire plan to where it is useless unless you are going to character meals....

 

[TheMaxRebo]

For some time now, the buffet/AYCTE thread at the top of the Dis restaurants threads shows NEW prices for the beginning of Oct. 2016. Chef Mickey's will be over $50 for dinner!; Akerhus will be close to $70!; TH lunch & dinner will bump up to the JB dining package price!
As such, the increase to 2 TS credits would be in line with the upcoming prices.

NEXT they will probably raise Crystal Palace(which recently had the lunch buffet raised to the dinner price) to $50, and bump CP up to 2 TS credits. The bean counters are continually looking for ways to ever increase profit.

Correction. Ahershus shows $57.51 effective Oct. 2, 2016. CM's dinner shows $51.12. Tusker House lunch & dinner show almost $45. That is an almost doubling of TH lunch price in a mere 5 years!!! ALSO, TH used to have the Nemo Musical dining package back then( no characters for lunch then).

Those numbers seem in line with the figure Pete threw out of "near $60" - which is a) very high and b) definitely not just an incremental price increase

One good think is the increase doesn't seem to impact breakfast (at least not as much) - which is what we most often do when it comes to buffets

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Think we are back to what people are considering a glitch. That is a glitch (the program loaded the new changes early, and it was quickly fixed).

As for the rest, could be very interesting. I remember a few years back we went to Hollywood and Vine. Was almost impossible to get ADR, and it was slammed (including outside with people waiting). Fastforward (with quite a few cost raises) to January, and as we walked around DHS, Hollywood and Vine was a walk in. And I mean walk in. We ate there with 5 other families and 4 characters. Now, admittedly, January is a down time, but I wonder how the price raises played into that as well.

I think what Pete was saying was that it wasn't a glitch that "2" appeared at all - that had to be inputted at some point. I think you can call it a glitch that the 2 appeared when it did (so a timing glitch)

 

[ChipnDale79]

Those numbers seem in line with the figure Pete threw out of "near $60" - which is a) very high and b) definitely not just an incremental price increase

One good think is the increase doesn't seem to impact breakfast (at least not as much) - which is what we most often do when it comes to buffets

We do the breakfast as well, it'll be interesting to see if these will see an increase or not. If they are initially, i do see more people shifting to the breakfast meals, and therefore at some point it'll increase as well.

 

[LSLS]

I think what Pete was saying was that it wasn't a glitch that "2" appeared at all - that had to be inputted at some point. I think you can call it a glitch that the 2 appeared when it did (so a timing glitch)

Yeah, exactly. My thought was the same thing (2/price increase is coming). My next question is how will this affect the rest. I'm not sure breakfast won't be impacted. Lets say there is a magic number that bumps a restaurant to 2 credits (maybe $50?). Well, if you bump all up $10-15, that is still a large increase for breakfast, but wouldn't put it in the 2 credit territory. All this a year after they got rid of a big perk (free pictures). And does this mean they are going to bump CRT up even more, or are they going to consider Akershus on the same level now? CRT I got reservations for 3 weeks out from our trip.

What I can't comprehend is why would this be the time for this? At a time when all of these Disney Springs restaurants are opening, why would you put a large jump like this in your restaurant? We went to Morimoto for lunch one day and for $25 we got a ton of really good food. Now you have like 2-3 more big name places opening, and you are going to put a giant bump in your prices?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yeah, exactly. My thought was the same thing (2/price increase is coming). My next question is how will this affect the rest. I'm not sure breakfast won't be impacted. Lets say there is a magic number that bumps a restaurant to 2 credits (maybe $50?). Well, if you bump all up $10-15, that is still a large increase for breakfast, but wouldn't put it in the 2 credit territory. All this a year after they got rid of a big perk (free pictures). And does this mean they are going to bump CRT up even more, or are they going to consider Akershus on the same level now? CRT I got reservations for 3 weeks out from our trip.

What I can't comprehend is why would this be the time for this? At a time when all of these Disney Springs restaurants are opening, why would you put a large jump like this in your restaurant? We went to Morimoto for lunch one day and for $25 we got a ton of really good food. Now you have like 2-3 more big name places opening, and you are going to put a giant bump in your prices?

I definitely think breakfast will go up some - but seems like indications are it won't be 2 dining plan credits and the price increase isn't "as much" therefore to match

good point about CRT and I know a big pull for Akershus for us was that it was a cheaper option than CRT - so if that gap is now closer if paying OOP and gone if using dining credits that will really increase demand back to CRT I would think (unless they make CRT 3 credits or something)

As for timing - well, the focus is on character meals which no restaurant at Disney Springs has ... so they probably figure let's maximize revenue from the unique options we have (also probably why they added the MSEP package to Tony's ... other locations may have Italian restaurants but none have it connected with viewing the night parade).

 

[LSLS]

I definitely think breakfast will go up some - but seems like indications are it won't be 2 dining plan credits and the price increase isn't "as much" therefore to match

I don't know. Breakfast is already like $10-15 cheaper than lunch/dinner, so if they increase by the exact same amount, that could put lunch/dinner over the 2 credit mark but not move breakfast over it.

Another thing just came to mind. As I stated before, since raising prices 6 months or so ago, Hollywood and Vine was completely dead when we were there (never seen it half of what it was). Can that place really afford a large increase? Are they going to just increase some dining and not others (another one, 1900 you can usually get reservations for. Same with Cape May). H&V is on par or even more expensive than Tusker already. So many questions about this and so much frustration.

 

[Grym]

You can adjust your package to take the DDP off. As long as you're more than 30 days out, there is no penalty for dropping it.

Thank you for the info. I was actually going to look into that possibility today on the chance this change does take effect. Because if it does for our trip, paying OOP will make more sense for us this time around.

 

[HopperFan]

I think what Pete was saying was that it wasn't a glitch that "2" appeared at all - that had to be inputted at some point. I think you can call it a glitch that the 2 appeared when it did (so a timing glitch)

YUP, glitches don't strategically change numbers. Humans do.

So maybe it "leaked" early ..... mistake?

Thinking more like a strategic leak - can't say we weren't warned.

If it could impact me, I'd be double booking until the last minute.

 

[mikepizzo]

YUP, glitches don't strategically change numbers. Humans do.

So maybe it "leaked" early ..... mistake?

Thinking more like a strategic leak - can't say we weren't warned.

If it could impact me, I'd be double booking until the last minute.

Now if it was a strategic leak though, who are they trying to ease the pain of? Us die-hard planners? The ones that pretty much know off the top of their heads what's 1 credit and what's 2 credits? I think we can all agree that we are in the minority of Disney visitors. I feel like the "laymen" would just be like, "Oh, ok".

Not saying you're wrong, just posing the question.

 

[verleniahall]

we just deicded to go from DDP ot Deluxer Dining - whats another 1500?

 

[Mac30188]

You can adjust your package to take the DDP off. As long as you're more than 30 days out, there is no penalty for...

Does the same hold true for via DVC? Would it go back to the same gift card? Hopefully I still have it.

This actually is probably the best answer as it gives me some flexibility and prevents being bullied. Regardless this will be a major dissatisfier if it comes to pass. I hope we get at least 30 days notice. I would assume there gets to be some legality concerns if they change the price while you are eating. Best answer is still make change for 2017 and publish changes ASAP so people know the TS credit cost as they book.

 

[HopperFan]

Now if it was a strategic leak though, who are they trying to ease the pain of? Us die-hard planners? The ones that pretty much know off the top of their heads what's 1 credit and what's 2 credits? I think we can all agree that we are in the minority of Disney visitors. I feel like the "laymen" would just be like, "Oh, ok".

Not saying you're wrong, just posing the question.

I hear you but why would they even change the credits if it's off in the future or not true? This is not a glitch, this was a change made by a person. The real questions are why and if it's not applying now, why not immediately fix it.

They know how to do it and make it work. If you are testing yourself why not check with "live view"? If you upload to check, not necessary, as soon as you see it works, why not immediately fix it? WHY would you let it sit there, what 36 hours when all the "in the know" folks are sure to see it, the TAs are checking their sources etc? Bloggers are publishing the info. Why? If this is not happening or not happening until October why would you change the code from 1 to 2 now and let it sit? Because word will now spread quickly and folks will plan around the possibility that this may happen in the fall. Restaurants that don't get filled, even with free dining, will now be booked. And all those not in the know will fill up the 2 credit restaurants and .... Disney improves the bottom line. Why not leak the information out so the booking starts to move in the direction they want? They "leaked" about the extra hour events online, then they disappeared. It's not the first time this has happened.

 

[Mac30188]

I hear you but why would they even change the credits if it's off in the future or not true? This is not a glitch, this was a change made by a person. The real questions are why and if it's not applying now, why not immediately fix it.

They know how to do it and make it work. If you are testing yourself why not check with "live view"? If you upload to check, not necessary, as soon as you see it works, why not immediately fix it? WHY would you let it sit there, what 36 hours when all the "in the know" folks are sure to see it, the TAs are checking their sources etc? Bloggers are publishing the info. Why? If this is not happening or not happening until October why would you change the code from 1 to 2 now and let it sit? Because word will now spread quickly and folks will plan around the possibility that this may happen in the fall. Restaurants that don't get filled, even with free dining, will now be booked. And all those not in the know will fill up the 2 credit restaurants and .... Disney improves the bottom line. Why not leak the information out so the booking starts to move in the direction they want? They "leaked" about the extra hour events online, then they disappeared. It's not the first time this has happened.

I am not sure it is quite all roses for Disneu. The biggest headache for Disney is this will drive up reservation hording. People will make multiple reservations until they see what Disney is going to do and then unload them back into the system once people know. This also drives up call volumes as people are confused and making changes.

 

[LSLS]

I hear you but why would they even change the credits if it's off in the future or not true? This is not a glitch, this was a change made by a person. The real questions are why and if it's not applying now, why not immediately fix it.

They know how to do it and make it work. If you are testing yourself why not check with "live view"? If you upload to check, not necessary, as soon as you see it works, why not immediately fix it? WHY would you let it sit there, what 36 hours when all the "in the know" folks are sure to see it, the TAs are checking their sources etc? Bloggers are publishing the info. Why? If this is not happening or not happening until October why would you change the code from 1 to 2 now and let it sit? Because word will now spread quickly and folks will plan around the possibility that this may happen in the fall. Restaurants that don't get filled, even with free dining, will now be booked. And all those not in the know will fill up the 2 credit restaurants and .... Disney improves the bottom line. Why not leak the information out so the booking starts to move in the direction they want? They "leaked" about the extra hour events online, then they disappeared. It's not the first time this has happened.

See I think it's much more that they were testing their systems behind the scenes and preparing for the changes and something happened where it went live as opposed to staying offline. Then they had to figure out where that was coming from, how to take it down and put the old info up without disturbing the website bookings, make sure doing so was not going to impact reservations in the system, etc. I can see it taking a day or two to fix. Without being IT guy, my guess is something as large as the Disney site with as much going on as there is, it's not quite as simple as just rolling back to a previous version.

 

[Mac30188]

See I think it's much more that they were testing their systems behind the scenes and preparing for the changes and something happened where it went live as opposed to staying offline. Then they had to figure out where that was coming from, how to take it down and put the old info up without disturbing the website bookings, make sure doing so was not going to impact reservations in the system, etc. I can see it taking a day or two to fix. Without being IT guy, my guess is something as large as the Disney site with as much going on as there is, it's not quite as simple as just rolling back to a previous version.

Agree, well and to be honest this is not a high severity item. It was probably high priority because it was a quick, easy fix that was customer facing, but not an emergency. It really was in no way impacting the ability for the system to make reservations accurately.