When Will The Dining Plan Return?

[jpeterson]

Certainly it will come back, who knows when. I know this has been discussed ad nauseum but I really think the DDP is helpful for a lot of people. We've used it 3 times total. First 2 times were our first trips as non-APs and it was nice to just have credits to spend instead of worrying about each cost. 3rd and final time we were bringing family along as a gift, meals included. We knew these guests would agonize over how much each meal was costing us, so we got the DDP to take away that stress and worry. Easier for everyone.

Honestly, I do still like the DDP for a lot of reasons, it just doesn't make sense for us anymore so we don't use it. Plus, I eat a very strict diet outside of WDW, there's something extra fun about having to "use up" snack credits.... That might also be why I have to follow a strict diet outside of WDW!

 

[PaulaSB12]

I had decided after last time to work out the cost of the deluxe dining plan put it on a prepaid card and do it that way and that is how I will do it just to see how it works out.

 

[ford91exploder]

Bingo.

The irony is they totally are convinced they do... and the analytics confirms to them they do.

Revenue is streaming up... why would they think (or maybe why would you think) they don’t understand guest satisfaction?

Inertia, Disney is a big machine still riding on its past performance. The unfriendly behavior towards customers will bite soon enough

 

[ford91exploder]

Certainly it will come back, who knows when. I know this has been discussed ad nauseum but I really think the DDP is helpful for a lot of people. We've used it 3 times total. First 2 times were our first trips as non-APs and it was nice to just have credits to spend instead of worrying about each cost. 3rd and final time we were bringing family along as a gift, meals included. We knew these guests would agonize over how much each meal was costing us, so we got the DDP to take away that stress and worry. Easier for everyone.

Honestly, I do still like the DDP for a lot of reasons, it just doesn't make sense for us anymore so we don't use it. Plus, I eat a very strict diet outside of WDW, there's something extra fun about having to "use up" snack credits.... That might also be why I have to follow a strict diet outside of WDW!

The Dining plan like so many other things USED to be great, When we used to go we went as a extended family it allowed us to eat without worrying about dividing up the bill. Now this was when breakfast at Boma was 22.95 and the Deluxe dining plan was 69.95 so then the dining plan was a good value and was about on par for paying OOP.

As to snack credits - those we would save till the end and get long lasting disney treats which we could enjoy after our vacation was over.

Then the accountants struck and suddenly lunch at Tusker house was 49.95 and Dinner was 59.95 at Boma and the price skyrocketed on DDP and since being DVC and usually in 1-2 BR units we simply had breakfast and dinner in the room and did quick service for lunch.

Some would say 'i'm on vacation' but being Scottish we dinna throw out
good sense with money just because we are on vacation. While the buffet's were tasty they were not worth north of fifty bucks per plate. In the room fifty bucks fed all of us for a meal and had leftovers for midnight snacks!

Could we afford the Disney meal prices YES we could, But the VALUE was not there any longer so we made alternative arrangements.

In my opinion coming back from Covid the combination of high prices and few perks is really going to hurt Disney going forward.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The Dining plan like so many other things USED to be great, When we used to go we went as a extended family it allowed us to eat without worrying about dividing up the bill. Now this was when breakfast at Boma was 22.95 and the Deluxe dining plan was 69.95 so then the dining plan was a good value and was about on par for paying OOP.

As to snack credits - those we would save till the end and get long lasting disney treats which we could enjoy after our vacation was over.

Then the accountants struck and suddenly lunch at Tusker house was 49.95 and Dinner was 59.95 at Boma and the price skyrocketed on DDP and since being DVC and usually in 1-2 BR units we simply had breakfast and dinner in the room and did quick service for lunch.

Some would say 'i'm on vacation' but being Scottish we dinna throw out
good sense with money just because we are on vacation. While the buffet's were tasty they were not worth north of fifty bucks per plate. In the room fifty bucks fed all of us for a meal and had leftovers for midnight snacks!

Could we afford the Disney meal prices YES we could, But the VALUE was not there any longer so we made alternative arrangements.

In my opinion coming back from Covid the combination of high prices and few perks is really going to hurt Disney going forward.

The breakfast at Boma is still a great value (it's not open now but think it was only ~$30), at least my Disney standards. Though breakfast is usually not a great use of DDP credits

 

[ford91exploder]

The breakfast at Boma is still a great value (it's not open now but think it was only ~$30), at least my Disney standards. Though breakfast is usually not a great use of DDP credits

Remember there is variable pricing, Last time I was there it was holiday season and it was 39.95 for breakfast as I recall.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Remember there is variable pricing, Last time I was there it was holiday season and it was 39.95 for breakfast as I recall.

Oh, didn't realize it went that high - highest I saw in the range posted online was $34.99. I know when we last are there (was August of 2019) it was like $28

~$40 is pushing it. It is a great breakfast though

Anyway, back to the DDP talk

 

[chasgeese]

DDP is only a "money maker" if the restaurants would not be full without it. If not as a discounting program it would be a money looser

DDP is a money maker because it precisely is NOT a discount for most guests. While some people can wring some savings out of it, that typically requires a ton of planning and eating more than you normally would. Even many of those who save only save compared to what they would have spent on the same meals out of of pocket, not what they would have spent if they ate what they wanted not what the DDP made them eat.

Most of the time the DDP results in people paying Disney in advance for more food than they end up eating and Disney pockets the difference. The only reason DDP has cut the DDP is that they don’t have enough restaurant capacity to guarantee all guests who purchased it would be able to use it. It’s a big money maker for Disney and it will come back as soon as they can bring it back.

 

[ford91exploder]

DDP is a money maker because it precisely is NOT a discount for most guests. While some people can wring some savings out of it, that typically requires a ton of planning and eating more than you normally would. Even many of those who save only save compared to what they would have spent on the same meals out of of pocket, not what they would have spent if they ate what they wanted not what the DDP made them eat.

Most of the time the DDP results in people paying Disney in advance for more food than they end up eating and Disney pockets the difference. The only reason DDP has cut the DDP is that they don’t have enough restaurant capacity to guarantee all guests who purchased it would be able to use it. It’s a big money maker for Disney and it will come back as soon as they can bring it back.

The biggest problem now for the DDP is the bean counter mentality where money is taken away from food and preparation. The last time we were at Disney as a family. Wife's mother ordered a salad main dish and asked for dressing on side. We got 'Negative Ghostrider on the side request' so all the so called 'fresh' salads were in reality produced in a central kitchen. Now I can see having the greens preprocessed and ready to use - just like the salad mixes at the store but the whole salad!!!

And we saw the SAME menu items all over the property what is the value of that part of the value of WDW was the vast variety of dining options. not the same stuff at Liberty Tree and Olivia's

 

[YesterDark]

I dunno, with the addition of beer and wine on the DDP, you can typically come out even-ish. My family loves eating out and we enjoy having a sit down meal once a day. With the kids we do all the character meals. I don't think it's too much food. I never felt over fed and the experience we get with it is great.

I did the math my last trip and it was about even and we ate what we normally would have if we didn't care about everything. Probably would have spent more because I would have ordered apps with all of our meals since I'm not a dessert guy (but I'll still eat it!).

It really depends on you as a family, like in all of these debates. You can certainly eat less expensively and still have good food. Those options are there. There are certainly places where the food is not great, but being a Disney fanatic that we all are, we all know those places and avoid them. I've done exercises before, because I'm crazy, where I picked out meals for each person in my family and priced out each meal and snack and it's roughly -+ $10-30 a day

I also don't think it requires a ton of planning to get the most out of the DDP. Pre-COVID, you would pick a restaurant each day at 180 days and book it. Then as you get closer to your vacation or even while you're on vacation, you cancel and rebook. I've done it plenty of times. Just educate yourself on the options you have at each park and don't sit for a crappy burger when you can get better quick service options.

 

[Eric Smith]

The biggest problem now for the DDP is the bean counter mentality where money is taken away from food and preparation. The last time we were at Disney as a family. Wife's mother ordered a salad main dish and asked for dressing on side. We got 'Negative Ghostrider on the side request' so all the so called 'fresh' salads were in reality produced in a central kitchen. Now I can see having the greens preprocessed and ready to use - just like the salad mixes at the store but the whole salad!!!

And we saw the SAME menu items all over the property what is the value of that part of the value of WDW was the vast variety of dining options. not the same stuff at Liberty Tree and Olivia's

There's still a vast variety of restaurants on Disney property. Yes, restaurants that serve the same kind of food will serve similar items. However, Olivia's isn't overlapping at all with Sanaa or Teppan Edo.

 

[ford91exploder]

There's still a vast variety of restaurants on Disney property. Yes, restaurants that serve the same kind of food will serve similar items. However, Olivia's isn't overlapping at all with Sanaa or Teppan Edo.

all good points but not long ago Olivia’s used to serve conch soup which makes sense as OKW is Disney’s interpretation of the ‘Conch Republic’. Remember most of Disney’s restaurants had a couple of signature items available only there in large part thats no longer true.

it’s the corporate blandness and unnecessary standardization which I object to.

On Japan As I recall most of the dining in the Japan pavilion is third party except for the hibachi restaurant. the food at Japan is pretty darn good

 

[Eric Smith]

all good points but not long ago Olivia’s used to serve conch soup which makes sense as OKW is Disney’s interpretation of the ‘Conch Republic’. Remember most of Disney’s restaurants had a couple of signature items available only there in large part thats no longer true.

it’s the corporate blandness and unnecessary standardization which I object to.

On Japan As I recall most of the dining in the Japan pavilion is third party except for the hibachi restaurant. the food at Japan is pretty darn good

Olivia's has Conch Fritters on the menu right now.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/old-key-west-resort/olivia-cafe/menus/dinner/
The restaurants still have unique dishes

 

[ford91exploder]

Olivia's has Conch Fritters on the menu right now.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/old-key-west-resort/olivia-cafe/menus/dinner/
The restaurants still have unique dishes

one is made by hand fresh daily, one comes in a frozen bag. But its good that at least someone made an effort to put a unique dish on the menu

 

[Eric Smith]

one is made by hand fresh daily, one comes in a frozen bag. But its good that at least someone made an effort to put a unique dish on the menu

Do you really know how they make their food?

 

[jpeterson]

all good points but not long ago Olivia’s used to serve conch soup which makes sense as OKW is Disney’s interpretation of the ‘Conch Republic’. Remember most of Disney’s restaurants had a couple of signature items available only there in large part thats no longer true.

it’s the corporate blandness and unnecessary standardization which I object to.

On Japan As I recall most of the dining in the Japan pavilion is third party except for the hibachi restaurant. the food at Japan is pretty darn good

While I miss unique items too and wish there were more of them, I'm not sure we can blame that entirely on the DDP. The fault may ultimately lie with the guests themselves. If they aren't ordering the unique items, it becomes expensive or wasteful to buy ingredients just to have them go bad. I think that's been the death of many more interesting items, people don't seem to want them or are scared to try them.

 

[middlechild]

There is a reason why every McDonalds in the US (been overseas, and they are the same there too!) has the same look and feel. Trying new things on the menu is not the strong suit of most people. Even if the new flavours are absolutely wonderful.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

While I miss unique items too and wish there were more of them, I'm not sure we can blame that entirely on the DDP. The fault may ultimately lie with the guests themselves. If they aren't ordering the unique items, it becomes expensive or wasteful to buy ingredients just to have them go bad. I think that's been the death of many more interesting items, people don't seem to want them or are scared to try them.

Especially when you don’t have the option to change your mind or freely order something else if you don’t like your dish. Even on the DDP, you have limited credits. We’re not picky eaters, but we do find ourselves falling back on old favorites a lot on vacation. I will say our last trip with limited menus did get a little bland at the end of 9 days, but I’ve seen recent reports of menus slowly starting to expand again.

We find ourselves being even more “Willy-nilly” on cruises, even encouraging our boys to expand their palate, knowing that an alternative is an ask or a short walk away.

 

[kanerf]

The addition of adult beverages with both lunch and dinner equalized the cost somewhat for me. You can easily spend 14-18 dollars on an adult beverage that was included with the plan.

 

[Krandor]

There is a reason why every McDonalds in the US (been overseas, and they are the same there too!) has the same look and feel. Trying new things on the menu is not the strong suit of most people. Even if the new flavours are absolutely wonderful.

And it is worse if you are at a retartant and are spending $30-$40 or your only DDP dinner credit for the day on something new. If you get it and don't like it you are mostly stuck. Some places will swap it out but I never ask for that because it isn't their fault I didn't like it.

Trying expesive new food is a gamble.