Who will no longer use DDP in 2008?~Tips will be gone.

[tiggrsbride]

I say no. We will probably revert back to our old ways of travel, doing TS at lunch without loads of apps and dessert, and CS at dinner. A trip of 8-10 days adds a lot for DDP, but it is prepaid, and throwing some extra down on the table each night doesn't hurt. Having to add in +20% each night would sting! My family will be so bummed out though, since we really do enjoy our nightly TS!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Voted no based on what I estimate for our Nov trip this year.

I've booked the plan and made our ADR's. Plan will cost us close to $900. I figure we'll get about $1,200 worth of food value out of the plan, $1,000 of that on table service. 18% on that $1,000 puts my cost at about $1,070. Still a savings compared to the $1,200, but included in the $1,200 is $100 or so of money I might not spend (apps, a more expensive meal) if I was paying OOP. So, without the tip include I might not save much of anything over what I would have spend OOP, and I have to deal with the hassles of the plan.

Without the tip included I'll skip the plan and spend my money how I want rather than staying within the requirements of the plan.

 

[Booknut]

We had free dining last year and although it was nice we probably would not pay for it if tips aren't included.

We don't really go to Disney for the food and although we have a few fave restaurants we don't need to eat a huge sit down 3 course meal every day. Once or twice would be enough for us.

But the dining plan is a great thing for families who otherwise might not be able to afford to eat at all the great Disney restaurants (most of which are overpriced for what they are if we're being honest). Pulling back the tipping is a really cheap way to save a buck off the backs of families who save up sometimes for two years to come spend time at Disneyworld. I think corporate disney should be ashamed of themselves. Is Disney really hurting that much for money?!

If anything this will probably push some people towards even staying off-site (we will probably stay off-site next time we go) or (God forbid!) trying other resorts like Universal - especially with this Harry Potter themed area coming soon (secretly super excited about it!!!!!)

 

[rluey29]

My family will probably stay offsite and dine offsite if this takes effect. This makes me very upset because the convenience was just awesome. We might vacation elswere also. Not sure yet haven't decided. It stinks cause we were looking so forward to all the fun and food.

 

[apirateslife4evr]

Since we really don't get to WDW that often anymore......I'd still do the mealplan w/o the tip.....we tip extra as it is now...

You have to remember, all of this is STILL speculation......just a bit of is all I see right now, but that's JMO

 

[disneyjunkie]

I voted yes. Even without the tip, the dining plan is a grea deal for us.

 

[we6clarks]

We would not get the dining plan again if they raise the price and tips aren't included. We've used the dining plan on some trips and not on others. I guess we'd eat cs in the parks and go off site to eat on days when we're not in the parks.

 

[Steph9072]

We just returned from our first family vacation. We were on the ddp. I loved it all but the fact that the tip was worked in. There were at least two meals that the server did a horrible job and I wish I had had the chance to tip based on the servers performance. When we return hopefully fall 08 we will use the ddp again!

 

[kandb]

I will not only not use the DDP but I will most likely seriously consider staying off-site. We stayed at POFQ and I think it was around $150 a night. My dh and I are government employees and we could much better at a hotel that offers government rates and most of those hotels includes a breakfast in the AM. We are staying at AKL in October but I got a great rate. Linda

 

[bookgirl2632]

I will not only not use the DDP but I will most likely seriously consider staying off-site. We stayed at POFQ and I think it was around $150 a night. My dh and I are government employees and we could much better at a hotel that offers government rates and most of those hotels includes a breakfast in the AM. We are staying at AKL in October but I got a great rate. Linda

We may not decide to do the DDP, but there is no way I'm staying offsite ever again. There are too many perks to consider otherwise. I mean, you may get a slightly cheaper rate at an outside hotel. But then there's car rental (which we never do), parking fees (if you don't have an AP), and gas (a huge expense in this day and age).

Nope, won't ever stay offsite, DDP or not.

 

[CR88]

I originally said yes, but after thinking about it I have decided to wait until the details are released, but leaning towards NOT using the plan in '08. We are new DVC members and used the plan last year. We loved it and were planning to use it for all of our future WDW trips. At first the tip not being included didn't really bother me that much, I mean it was only for TS. I was always tipping over the 18% anyway because it didn't really hurt to leave a $5-$10 or so on top of the included 18%. Now that I am laying down the hole 18-20%, I am going to feel it more. I think the servers are really going to take a hit on this. But again, I will have to see how the plan is setup when the details are released. As much as we loved the plan, and did find value in it, I just don’t think we will use it if tips are excluded. I have read on numerous threads that this change may only be temporary. I hope that there is enough of a backlash that it does in fact return to the original plan. Does anyone know, was this whole re-evaluation due to the effects of the FREE dining plan, or the dining plan in general?

 

[auntsister]

I have stayed at a moderate the last few visits and I really would prfer the Swan or Dolphin beacuse they offer lower rates for nurses and are a deluxe but I wanted the DDP so chose to stay onsite. I really like the DDP but wouldn't want to pay a tip for the amount of the TS meals! Not only does it take away the convenience of prepaying but it would just be too expensive for my family. Next May when I go I will have my DD, my DS age 10 , DGD age 11 and DGD age 8, so it would be 4 adult and 1 child per day. Even though the kids don't eat that much I was going to purchase the plan because I like not worrying about the bill.
I really hope this is just another rumor or else that Disney will change it before long.

 

[Tam1067]

We'll still stay onsite, but we likely will not do the DDP. On the DDP, we get a lot more food than we normally do (we're not dessert or appetizer people generally). With the tip removed, the value of the DDP is also lessened.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I didn't vote because I would've said "I don't know." We don't know the price yet. Once details are released, we'll price out our next WDW vacation under two scenarios: staying onsite and using the plan with us paying the tips, or us staying offsite, not using the plan and figuring the cost of meals. Under the 2nd scenario we'll probably eat CS and a couple of TS meals onsite but eat the rest offsite because there are some local restaurants we really like.

DDP was the thing that got us to start staying onsite. If tips aren't included and the DDP is no longer cost-effective for us, staying offsite is back in play for our family.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I'm an AP holder and a DDE user and this summer is the first time I'm using the DDP due to the free dining. Already I've realized that it doesn't fit the style my family and I are used to eating (we do a lot of TS) so I wouldn't 'buy' it unless it was offered for free.

I'll be glad to go back to just using the DDE for meals.

 

[rluey29]

I didn't vote because I would've said "I don't know." We don't know the price yet. Once details are released, we'll price out our next WDW vacation under two scenarios: staying onsite and using the plan with us paying the tips, or us staying offsite, not using the plan and figuring the cost of meals. Under the 2nd scenario we'll probably eat CS and a couple of TS meals onsite but eat the rest offsite because there are some local restaurants we really like.

DDP was the thing that got us to start staying onsite. If tips aren't included and the DDP is no longer cost-effective for us, staying offsite is back in play for our family.

Same Here, I am so hoping that they don't remove tips from the plan.

 

[scottny]

I do not see the big deal. I go to Disney for the rides, the fun and the ambiance. The food is last to all others. If it came down to it have a quick breakfast, skip lunch and then have a dinner somewhere. I would not stay off site just because of this. McDonald's is in Downtown Disney so I would go there.
Why make myself suffer and not enjoy what I enjoy most just cause of food.

 

[sallyjane]

I voted no because we would not normaly order as much food as you get on the DDP. Our bill would normally be lower if we just paid out of pocket for the food so the tips would be lower. I do like having my food prepaid for but if I have to keep aside the money for tips then I might as well put all the food money aside. Maybe we would buy the DDE card and try that instead?

 

[hygienejean]

Sad to say but we won't do the DDP in 2008 if the tips are taken out AND they raise the price.... I would just cook in my villa and do more CS....I HOPE this new scenario doesn't come to pass...

 

[Praying Colonel]

I do not see the big deal. I go to Disney for the rides, the fun and the ambiance. The food is last to all others. If it came down to it have a quick breakfast, skip lunch and then have a dinner somewhere. I would not stay off site just because of this. McDonald's is in Downtown Disney so I would go there.
Why make myself suffer and not enjoy what I enjoy most just cause of food.

I see your point and I'm sure that's best for you, but our family's different. DW feels very strongly that we should have a sit-down TS-type meal every day--not fast-food at every meal. So we're going to end up doing something that looks like a CS/snack/TS meal every day at WDW. The issue's going to be, will it be happening on site or off?

For us, staying offsite isn't "suffering." There are some definite advantages to staying onsite, but offsite isn't the Gulag, either. We can get lots more room for the same price renting a condo or vacation home and it's not that far from the parks.

Maybe Disney has calculated the possibility of losing room occupancy if they make this move and decided they come out ahead--maybe they haven't calculated it. (My guess is very little is left to chance by the green-eyeshade guys and gals at Disney. ) All I can say is that for my family, what was once a slam-dunk in terms of staying onsite will now be reevaluated depending on what any new plan looks like.