Virgin Dining Plan Prices!!

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

Hi there,

I got the new Virgin 2008 brochure today, has anyone SEEN the cost of the DDP for 2008, - £28 for adults and £11 child!!!

We paid £21 per adult and £6 per child in September last year!

Does anyone know if they are going to offer a promo this year for the FREE dining plan for September 2008.

TIA

 

[wilma-bride]

I don't know if they'll offer the free dining plan to UK residents like they did last year. I doubt it - but never say never right

I have to say that I would not pay TA prices for the dining plan. I appreciate that, if you are booking with a TA and want the DDP, you don't have a choice but, personally, I think you could eat pretty well for £28 a day anyway. If you think that Disney are currently charging $39, that is only about £20. Virgin and other TAs are making a heck of a profit

 

[tashasmum]

Hi there,

I got the new Virgin 2008 brochure today, has anyone SEEN the cost of the DDP for 2008, - £28 for adults and £11 child!!!

We paid £21 per adult and £6 per child in September last year!

Does anyone know if they are going to offer a promo this year for the FREE dining plan for September 2008.

TIA

We phoned for a price for next year and asked about free dining, we were told it was a one off and Virgin would never offer it again

But you never know could have been a ploy to get us to book then and not wait and see

 

[wayneg]

I think you will have more chance direct with Disney, they have it on now for this September.

 

[Laurafoster]

When i spoke to Virgin about their dining plan costs for next year they advised me its because Disney are raising their price next year (which makes sense) and they are raising theirs to compensate?! Not quite 2008 yet though!!!

 

[wilma-bride]

When i spoke to Virgin about their dining plan costs for next year they advised me its because Disney are raising their price next year (which makes sense) and they are raising theirs to compensate?! Not quite 2008 yet though!!!

Disney haven't yet revealed the cost for the dining plan for 2008 so I don't see how Virgin would know they are putting the price up. And, even if they do, Virgin are still making a heck of a profit when selling it on to customers.

 

[DeborahS]

Hi there,

I got the new Virgin 2008 brochure today, has anyone SEEN the cost of the DDP for 2008, - £28 for adults and £11 child!!!

We paid £21 per adult and £6 per child in September last year!

Does anyone know if they are going to offer a promo this year for the FREE dining plan for September 2008.

TIA

Is that for three meals a day? Isn't £28 per adult (or $39 - even better with current exchange rate) very good for 3 meals a day?

Deborah

 

[wayneg]

Is that for three meals a day? Isn't £28 per adult (or $39 - even better with current exchange rate) very good for 3 meals a day?

Deborah

The problem is Virgin are overcharging on the Dining plan it cost $38.99 incl. which works out at £19.50 but they are charging £28 for it which is roughly $56. $17/day for 4 people over a 14 night holiday is $952. Not a bad earner for Virgin.
Glad we eat offsite, We can eat for $56 for 3 of us.(2 meals, dont eat breakfast)

 

[wilma-bride]

Is that for three meals a day? Isn't £28 per adult (or $39 - even better with current exchange rate) very good for 3 meals a day?

Deborah

It's actually 2 meals a day (one counter service and one table service) and 1 snack. I don't think anyone could argue that it is good value to get 2 meals and a snack for £28 per day but the problem is that it is so much cheaper if booked direct with Disney.

 

[Lizzy Lemon]

Also you would have to buy your park tickets from Virgin, which can be bought a lot cheaper elsewhere. Since booking our holiday in May 2006 which included park tickets £193 each for 4 of us and Dining plan £21 each I've wished I had not bothered and got the tickets cheaper elsewhere and paid for our food OOP. Thought I'd done my homework before booking but I hadn't done enough.

 

[Andy B]

A couple of points, Tour operators have to plan their prices on likely exchange rates and so Virgins rates for DDP this year cannot be campared to the current exchange rates as no one was tipping a 1.99 exchange rate.

That been said Virgin will factor in making a profit on all the extras they sell.

I cannot see haw Virgin can say they will not offer free DDP again as this comes from Disney and they do not make these decision this far in advance. For 2008 you can expect any news on this in Ocober at the earliest.

 

[Laurafoster]

Disney haven't yet revealed the cost for the dining plan for 2008 so I don't see how Virgin would know they are putting the price up. And, even if they do, Virgin are still making a heck of a profit when selling it on to customers.

I wasnt disagreeing with that, Virgin over charge for everything IMO! I just phoned to get a quote a few weeks ago and that was the story i got!

 

[Elise79]

Last year the free dining was offered over here from Septmeber to the beginning of November because we booked as soon as we got back last year for the following September

They may well offer it again but it is wait and see time still. Don't expect anything much before the end of August.

Elise

 

[DeborahS]

The problem is Virgin are overcharging on the Dining plan it cost $38.99 incl. which works out at £19.50 but they are charging £28 for it which is roughly $56. $17/day for 4 people over a 14 night holiday is $952. Not a bad earner for Virgin.
Glad we eat offsite, We can eat for $56 for 3 of us.(2 meals, dont eat breakfast)

I guess it depends on the exchange rates - maybe VH have some insight (or worry?) about the exchange rate next year.

$39 =
- £19.50 at $2 per £1
- £24.38 at $1.60 per £1
- £27.86 at $1.40 per £1

I certainly remember not long ago the exchange rate reaching just under $1.40 per £1 a few years ago.

I would guess that VH prices are based partly on a price increase and partly on a worry that the exchange rate will weaken.

It does seem like a good deal and maybe the answer is to book direct through Disney. But you would want to pay in full whilst the exchange rates remain so good - if the exchange rate plummits to $1.40 per pound, you will be paying the same as if you had booked through VH.

Deborah

 

[wayneg]

I guess it depends on the exchange rates - maybe VH have some insight (or worry?) about the exchange rate next year.

$39 =
- £19.50 at $2 per £1
- £24.38 at $1.60 per £1
- £27.86 at $1.40 per £1

I certainly remember not long ago the exchange rate reaching just under $1.40 per £1 a few years ago.

I would guess that VH prices are based partly on a price increase and partly on a worry that the exchange rate will weaken.

It does seem like a good deal and maybe the answer is to book direct through Disney. But you would want to pay in full whilst the exchange rates remain so good - if the exchange rate plummits to $1.40 per pound, you will be paying the same as if you had booked through VH.

Deborah

With the state of our 2 ecomomies things are on track to stay as we are for the forseeable future but who knows?
The only reason Virgin are doing it is they think they can get away with it and profit from it, thats what businesses do. Its an item that they feel Disney has undervalued and they can charge its customers a premium without losing any package sales.
Like I have said personally we dont eat onsite, Don't like being onsite or eating in Disney even with AP discounts and Dining plan I think they are overpriced. Dont enjoy planing where I am going to eat weeks in advance or busy places. $10-$15 is more than enough to pay for a meal. Disney dont do many of them lol. Sweet Tomatoes is perfect for me $20 for 3 of us last week with a voucher I used.
We did it one holiday all Disney it was too much, after the park all day we just want to get away from it.
Glad lots like onsite though its quieter for us Offsite