Why I Hate the DDP

[Amy&Dan]

Very VERY good point. Another thing we don't see, is people bashing AP holders or FL residents and blaming the resorts price increases on the AP/FL discounts. After all you can save $100 a night for a Deluxe with those discounts. That money has to come back to Disney's pockets somehow and who do you think is going to pay ? The "masses". Yet I don't see anyone complaining about "having to pay more to make up for the AP discounts".

I hadn't even though of the AP discounts making resort rooms higher correlation! I just think these DDP stinks threads are running their course. Whats next, DDP linked to Global Warming? The parks are crowded, people have to eat, therefore the restaurants are more crowded too. End of story.

 

[marivaid]

I hadn't even though of the AP discounts making resort rooms higher correlation! I just think these DDP stinks threads are running their course. Whats next, DDP linked to Global Warming? The parks are crowded, people have to eat, therefore the restaurants are more crowded too. End of story.

Like I said in another thread about the same subject.. I expect someone to blame the DDP for the closure of HM any day now. It's getting THAT ridiculous!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Like I said in another thread about the same subject.. I expect someone to blame the DDP for the closure of HM any day now. It's getting THAT ridiculous!

I read that just after I posted over on this one! Then I popped over to the Disneyland side of disboards and saw a thread where all the responders answered a "can I walk in to this restaurant" question, with a no you can't. And that was a restaurant I used to walk in to all the time. So again, its not just WDW that is feeling the affects of heighted attendance and therefore more crowded restaurants. And again, Disneyland does not have a DDP to blame for that.

 

[Olaf]

P.S. I have also found that when I change an ADR, the first one is automatically cancelled. So overlapping is going away as much as dining by the seat of your pants is.

People make their ADR's under different phone numbers to get around that one.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

'Whats next, DDP linked to Global Warming?'

This made me almost spit my coffee this morning.

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on the DDP. I am one who will probably never do the DDP.. I am on vacation and I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it. If I cannot book a restaurant that I want, then I go somewhere else. The thing is that I have been many times and so I do not have to have the thinking, I have to eat at this restaurant. For those who this may be their first trip and they are doing it with the DDP for whatever reasons, they get to go on their vacation and stay within some kind of budget for food....perfect. As far as it overcrowding restaurants and people having to stand in line behind people who do not understand the DDP, that has not been my experience in table service restaurants.. I have seen it in food courts and quite frankly am not so sure it is confusing sometimes for both planholders and the cm's.

If it is working for Disney and the people like the DDP, then it will be here and the rest of us who do not care for the plan will have to cope. I try to just go with the flow when I am there...

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Very VERY good point. Another thing we don't see, is people bashing AP holders or FL residents and blaming the resorts price increases on the AP/FL discounts. After all you can save $100 a night for a Deluxe with those discounts. That money has to come back to Disney's pockets somehow and who do you think is going to pay ? The "masses". Yet I don't see anyone complaining about "having to pay more to make up for the AP discounts".

FL resident here, and I beg to differ on the discounts currently being offered to us.

I checked into staying at AKL or CSR the week of 4/28 through 5/6, and the "best" WDW could do for this FL resident was $10 off rack rates per night at AKL and $5 off rack rates per night at CSR. Hardly a discount, IMO. I began calling to check on rates in February and continued calling through the end of March.

The CM and I had a lengthy discussion about it, actually, about how FL residents are being offered the lowest of all the discounts at this time -- compared to the two years following 9/11.

Whatever. We got a great rate at Hard Rock Hotel and spent the bulk of our time and $$$ over there instead.

For those who are disappointed with WDW dining, as we are (or their hotels for that matter), SPEAK WITH YOUR WALLETS! It's the loudest voice you have.

 

[The Sweetness]

People hold their breathe for months to get those ADRs in once they hit 180 days...

I did that. And not that this is the **right attitude** ~ but IMO, anyone who knew how things are w ADR now, and didnt make them, deserves to be turned away from TS
I know that there are some unfortunate ppl who arent aware that you NEED ADR to get the places you want at the times you want.
((If it hadnt been for the DIS, I would have been one of those (maybe, I DID get the UG as well, which also reccommends ADR) I dont know if I feel sorry for ppl who cant get into TS, who didnt research their trip properly. As harsh as it sounds~ With the amt of $$ involved in a weeks vaca, if you didnt `do your homework, do you really deserve a nice TS dinner at 6pm in the parks (or whatever you wanted)

No offense intended, JMO

 

[sportears]

We hate the DDP, because there is no doubt in our minds, that the DDP is at the root of the problem for the drop off of food quality at WDW. All we care about is quality food, no matter what the cost is. Disney needs to come up with a better solution for off season discounts, other than giving food away.

 

[The Sweetness]

Considering the way that ALL dining packages are sold (other than DVC renters, maybe) the DDP does cost. Even during the free promo. No discounts on resort... everyone needs at least a 1 dat ticket... We pay, one way or the other. I am glad I have the chance to use it this/ next month. I would never have splurges for 8 TS dinners otherwise

 

[pozey]

We need a picture of a dead horse being beaten...

 

[southjerseymom]

I was the original poster of this thread. Sorry I didn't know I was beating a dead horse. Everyone is right that WDW is more crowded. That thundering pixie dust throwing horse is everywhere!!! I just don't know what the answer is. I thought the prices were way up. If I chose to do out of pocket I don't think I should have to subsidize DDP. I think service in general at Disney has gone down - whether that is related to the "evil" DDP I don't know. As far as the confusion with the DDP and lines I just don't get why Disney has made it so confusing for people. Why don't they just do it like the cruise ships. Your food is all inclusive except for a surcharge for signature dining like they do at Palo (which is absolutely the best dining experience I have had at any Disney venue!!). The bottom line is it looks like DDP is here to stay. I may consider it my next trip - but I think I will probably just go back to Universal and do day trips at the World. The hotels are nicer, more food choices, and significantly cheaper theme park tickets with Front of the Line passes. Has to be done. Thanks for all the replies and letting me vent.

 

[southjerseymom]

LOL
The Horse is Priceless - Thanks for the Giggle!!

 

[apostolic4life]

We need a picture of a dead horse being beaten...

....and broken records. We have it all here on the DIS!!!!

 

[jezebella]

Oh I just feel like getting attacked today...sigh...

I don't think the DDE logic is that great because, as an AP holder and somone that lives less than 5 minutes from the mouse, we aren't eating out at Disney...why? because we can't get ADR's and we don't make reservations for a restaurant that's local to us 180 days out...do you?

 

[KKB]

I have only been to WDW once, pre-DDP. We are doing DDP this time and thrilled.

Has it affected service & prices? Somewhat, no doubt.

BUT let's consider....
I have found service to be less consistent WHEREVER I dine. Sad state of our society...it's all about "me me me"...and some service workers cannot even step out of this mode for their job. That being said, I have still found amazing servers...I tip them well & continue to patronize them.

I live in a small city with an enormous amount of restaurants, yet I must wait AT LEAST an hour Th-Sat nights to get in. Oh, wait...bet I could get into IHOP. Or no issues at CS restaurants. WDW is a vacation destination. Folks want good food on vaca...the best restaurants (for food or other reasons) in ALL vacations destinations usually require reservations FAR in advance, unless you are coming during slow season or willing to eat at off times. OR you must choose less popular dining spots...... HMMMMMM...doesn't sound all that different than WDW....

Last, prices. OMG HAS ANYONE CHECKED GAS PRICES LATELY??!! AND the effect on your grocery prices? I just popped into a local CS pizzaria; 2 years ago it was 1.99 for slice, breadstick & drink. Last year 2.49. This year 3.29!! Yep, a 65% increase!!! SOOOO...I'd say prices have gone up everywhere, folks!

I'll be lurking...

 

[fAnnF]

I've done both DDP and DDE and OOP

My dad and I are both light eaters so the DDP didn't work out well for us. We did like having that break in the day(we scheduled lunchs and dinners). We were there for free dining. We wouldn't pay for it if it were just the 2 of us, but for BF and I it would be worth it.

I think the DDE was the best bet for someone with an AP bf and I paid for it in just a week. We really needed the time to sit down as we're open to close park people.

I did OOP in January and felt no different then when I was on DDP and didn't notice any service changes over my 3 trips. I will say that I've been to Disney 13 times now and 10 of those I never had a TS. So the DDP works in Disney's favor as it got someone who only did CS to now want a TS a day.

I was even trying to do my June trip as a CS trip only and have 2 TS planed for a 4 day trip. Budget is keeping me from calling and booking more.

 

[apostolic4life]

Oh I just feel like getting attacked today...sigh...

I don't think the DDE logic is that great because, as an AP holder and somone that lives less than 5 minutes from the mouse, we aren't eating out at Disney...why? because we can't get ADR's and we don't make reservations for a restaurant that's local to us 180 days out...do you?

....just a little input on my view. The dining venues at WDW were not created for local traffic. They are meant for the vacationers who come to the parks and/or stay in the resorts. Not trying to ruffle feathers, but WDW would not be able to stay open based on local traffic. The only way they can guarantee a profit is to make the incoming travelers fill the restaurants to capacity......hence, the birth of DDP.

 

[CR88]

I have only been to WDW once, pre-DDP. We are doing DDP this time and thrilled.

Has it affected service & prices? Somewhat, no doubt.

BUT let's consider....
I have found service to be less consistent WHEREVER I dine. Sad state of our society...it's all about "me me me"...and some service workers cannot even step out of this mode for their job. That being said, I have still found amazing servers...I tip them well & continue to patronize them.

I live in a small city with an enormous amount of restaurants, yet I must wait AT LEAST an hour Th-Sat nights to get in. Oh, wait...bet I could get into IHOP. Or no issues at CS restaurants. WDW is a vacation destination. Folks want good food on vaca...the best restaurants (for food or other reasons) in ALL vacations destinations usually require reservations FAR in advance, unless you are coming during slow season or willing to eat at off times. OR you must choose less popular dining spots...... HMMMMMM...doesn't sound all that different than WDW....

Last, prices. OMG HAS ANYONE CHECKED GAS PRICES LATELY??!! AND the effect on your grocery prices? I just popped into a local CS pizzaria; 2 years ago it was 1.99 for slice, breadstick & drink. Last year 2.49. This year 3.29!! Yep, a 65% increase!!! SOOOO...I'd say prices have gone up everywhere, folks!

I'll be lurking...

Good post. I agree and was thinking the same thing as I read the other posts. We also live in a small city, actually outside of Chicago and I rarely wait less than 1-2 hours for anything on the weekends, or at least anywhere we like to dine. I also have noticed that prices seem to be going up everywhere and service in general seems to be suffering too. But, the last two times we have visited WDW our experience has been fantastic. Since we love early December and the Christmas themed attractions and events, we don't attend during the really busy peak times. Maybe that has something to do with it, or the fact that we have only visited the last two years, but I have yet to experience any issues with service or food quality, quite the contrary actually. Before recently my previous trips to WDW have been just to visit the parks and not stay on site. We enjoyed our last two trips so much, ESPECIALLY staying on site, that we bought into DVC this past December. We also tried the dining plan last year and absolutely loved it. We don't eat a lot, but like TS meals over CS and saved quite a bit of money compared to our previous trip not using the plan. Even with us having to use most of our snacks on the last day for the trip home because we couldn't eat as much as the plan offered, we still ended up way ahead. We spent almost as much on food in 4 days in ‘05 and always being hungry as we did for 6 days last year and having more food than we could eat. The steady flow of negative posts regarding the dining plan actually reminds me of the bashing Microsoft takes on a daily basis. People are always stating how bad it is and how it is making everything worse, even telling us how much better Apple or Linux is, but it is still on 90% of all computers and is not going anywhere soon. The bottom line is, as long as a majority of people see value in it and more importantly continue to use it, it is not going anywhere. There are so many people, me and my wife included, that are just happy to be there, and maybe unknowingly lower their standards or expectations. If I do, I don’t mean to, I am just enjoying my escape from the real world for the week that I am there. I have also read that many people have chosen to not use the plan and hope that it just "goes away" if enough people follow suit. Today or yesterday, not sure which one, is the day when tens of millions of Americans were going to voice their displeasure with the oil industry by not filling up. I wonder how that will affect the price of gas? Not much I expect. IMHO all is good, it's still Disney World after all, and in the long run, if it didn’t work I don’t think they would do it.

 

[jezebella]

I'm not getting into this again...you can see our multi page post about this whole local thing. I've just decided that we aren't eating at Disney anymore. Apparenlty if I want to eat on property at a decent TS, I need to move.

 

[afcgirl]

How can you give an opinion on something you have never done?