Why I Hate the DDP

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

For all of you DDP haters, would you also be furious if Disney just announced it would give a 50% discount on room rates because (using your reasoning) of course there would be more people at WDW and then the resorts and restaurants would be filled up and then Disney would have to cut costs to make up for reduced profit, and then the resorts and restaurants would go to pot, etc. Would you complain about that too?

And let's not forget, even before the DDP, you had to make ADRs in advance or you took a great risk that you would not get the restaurant times you want.

Yes I would. As you stated then the "resorts would go to pot," they would take a steep incline in quality just like dining has.

 

[marivaid]

If it does cost how will you be dining at 8 ts you would have never "splurged" on? You just proved my point about DDP making quality, service and availabilty ridiculous.
The fact is CS people now use TS where they never would have in the past. This has caused all the above mentioned issues.

It does cost because the DDP users will be the ones paying rack rates for their resorts when AP holders pay less than $200 a night instead of $350. Funny how it's acceptable for some people to get a good deal and not for others.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

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

Offense Taken...Have you ever done a trip last minute? How would you remedy couples, etc. who decides on a Wed. that Fri. night they would like to return to the GF for a long weekend? They shouldn't be able to eat at TS (which is all they use $$$) for 4 nights but yet there are plenty of GF rooms available how would you fix that?

 

[Laren]

Offense Taken...Have you ever done a trip last minute? How would you remedy couples, etc. who decides on a Wed. that Fri. night they would like to return to the GF for a long weekend? They shouldn't be able to eat at TS (which is all they use $$$) for 4 nights but yet there are plenty of GF rooms available how would you fix that?

Yes, I have planned a trip for a family of four on Saturday night and flown out Tuesday morning early. I have planned several other trips on a week or less.

Think of it from Disney's standpoint. They can't count on last-minute travelers, it's not their business. Most people can't afford to take spur of the moment vacations like that especially nowadays (we are going back to the World for the first time in four years ourselves this fall; that's a new record for length between trips and it was purly economical)

I personally think that they should hold back a few tables at resort restaurants for guests of that resort only. when I realized that we might not be able to eat at Kona even though we're staying at Poly, that bugged me. But since we're planning so far out, I just booked ADR's there twice so we will get in.

When you go last minute, you have to take what you can get. But to me that's part of the fun.

On our planned in less than 48 hours trip, we got there, hated the resort we picked, and so chose to move hotels 3 times in 5 days to stay in deluxes instead. Our choice. We didn't get upset that they didn't have rooms available to offer us at the CR when we wanted to stay in the room they had for 2 nights. We just moved hotels.

If you do last minute anymore, you get what you get. It's not the fault of other travelers, it's that disney would rather bank on long-term planners with big families than the couples who can drop everything and go for a long weekend.

I think that's shortsighted, but I understand the business of why they do it.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Offense Taken...Have you ever done a trip last minute? How would you remedy couples, etc. who decides on a Wed. that Fri. night they would like to return to the GF for a long weekend? They shouldn't be able to eat at TS (which is all they use $$$) for 4 nights but yet there are plenty of GF rooms available how would you fix that?

But that happens everywhere! For instance my friend and I decided in March on a Wednesday that on Saturday morning we were going to take our daughters up to Glenwood Springs (about three hours from where I live) in the mountains to enjoy the hot springs and stay overnight. Couldn't get the hotel we wanted. So we had to stay at another place much further away. The place was packed, I have never in 35 years of living in Colorado seen Glenwood that crowded that time of year. The people at the hot springs remarked they were shocked and that for the last couple of years it just keeps getting busier, all year long. I am sure that if I lived right outside Vegas and wanted to take a last minute trip there, stay in the hotel of my choice and dine at one of the many nice restaurants at that hotel, I might have trouble. WDW is one of the most popular destinations in the world. I still think that the DDP is not the real culprit of ruining the last minute, flexible vacation but rather a travel industry that is much more busy. And again, I want to stress that at Disneyland where there is no DDP, you can't walk into restaurants anymore, or stay onsite for last minute getaways there either.

 

[marivaid]

Offense Taken...Have you ever done a trip last minute? How would you remedy couples, etc. who decides on a Wed. that Fri. night they would like to return to the GF for a long weekend? They shouldn't be able to eat at TS (which is all they use $$$) for 4 nights but yet there are plenty of GF rooms available how would you fix that?

December 31st, 6pm, we checked at the front desk to see if we could change our ADR that night. We had 3 options : Maya Grill, Grand Floridian Cafe and the TS place at POR. If there are ADRs available on New Year's Eve on such short notice I really doubt that you can't get an ADR somewhere on a regular night.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Hotels hold rooms for those with ressies, but restaurants shouldn't? Or just Disney? I agree, they should seat you if half the place is empty. Those ressies are for next available. But why would anyplace hold tables for drop ins and not take ressies?

 

[mkross]

We'll, this will be our first year on DDP, but last year my DD9 and I went to disneyland (pre-disboards...don't know how we survived!)....and we could not get into a single TS without a two hour wait....ended up at CS again. I have to say this was very upsetting. Now mind you.....this was DL....no DDP there and still impossible w/o ADR's. I made mine at the 180 mark for our upcoming trip. As nice as it would be to fly by the seat of my pants (which my DH loves to do), I am a planner and at least know we can eat TS on vacation this year!

 

[luv2nascar]

I think disney could alleviate the problem with walk ups and adrs with more table service restaurants. The buffet they had in El Pirata y el perico sounded good. Why not a table service there.

 

[MommaPooh217]

You can always try walking up. Last year DFam (9 in all )wanted to dine at Teppanyaki and I kept calling and calling and the answer was no no no ADR's every time. On 9/30 I took DD 7 to MNSSHP and DH along with 6 other members of my family went to Epcot that evening and while DD and I ate at LTT in MK they walked up to Teppanyaki and got a table there, they had to wait maybe 30 minutes but they got a table. So don't give up on walking up and trying. You never know you might get lucky .


Blessed Be,
Tina

 

[myladyisatramp]

We are doing the DDP in November when we go. I called at 180 days out to get my ADR, best I could think up this far in advance. I knew about 5 of the nights where I wanted to eat. There is nothing like sitting down to a nice meal and being waited on after running around all day, to catch up with everyone. I don't think its all that bad. I am sure I will change or cancel a few but at least I have something to work on. Just my opinion

 

[limabeanmom2003]

We just returned from our trip with the DDP. Have to say I loved it! The food was great and service was great too. I was afraid that it would be way to much food, but the portions were reasonable. All the TS restaurants were packed, so I was glad I made my ADR's way in advance. What I did notice was that when I had concierge at our hotel print out a list of our ADR's the ones I had called and cancelled months ago were still listed. HMMM... not sure why. There were several where I had changed the time and both the original reservation and the newer one were both listed. I had made the changes months ago. The one complaint I have is that TS takes way too long. We have 2 little ones and we found that TS meals were running about 2 hrs. It seemed to take forever to get the desserts. We found that the best way to shorten the dinner was to order everything at once. However, in Morocco this caused our dessert to arrive before our entrees. He He He - no problem, they just brought them later. Normally, at a TS I would never order a $30 entree. I would instead order the $18 pasta dish. And we would never eat TS everyday. But with DDP, we ate like royalty, never worrying about prices of entrees and spending the same or less per day than we would if we were paying out of pocket and eating CS twice a day. I especially loved the fact that it was all paid in advance. And the food! So much food! I will definitely do the DDP again and I have been recommending it to friends who are traveling to disney in the future. My big piece of advice is book your ADR's early because the TS fill up!

 

[Mickeyluver37]

If it does cost how will you be dining at 8 ts you would have never "splurged" on? You just proved my point about DDP making quality, service and availabilty ridiculous.
The fact is CS people now use TS where they never would have in the past. This has caused all the above mentioned issues.

I definitely agree with this. For us, if we would have had to eat nothing but counter service in the past, we just wouldn't have gone at all. (People really eat nothing but cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, etc for a week straight?) Now that being said, we were going to do just that this year- not go at all. But we just couldn't pass up free dining. It sounds like it's gotten out of control, and I'd be surprised to see it offered again next year.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I personally think that they should hold back a few tables at resort restaurants for guests of that resort only. when I realized that we might not be able to eat at Kona even though we're staying at Poly, that bugged me. But since we're planning so far out, I just booked ADR's there twice so we will get in.

I always thought there was a un written rule that if a guest wanted an ADR at the last minute for a restaurant in their own Resort where they are staying, most likely the Cast Member will be able to make them that ADR.

 

[TheDisneyClan]

I always thought there was a un written rule that if a guest wanted an ADR at the last minute for a restaurant in their own Resort where they are staying, most likely the Cast Member will be able to make them that ADR.

I really wanted a ressie for Park Fare dinner with Cindy and Prince charming, however no ADRs avail. Fast forward to my vacation. I stopped at the front desk of GF and after 5 minutes of wonderful conversation...a TS for that night at my requested time. I was so pleased...we weren't staying at the GF, but they treated so well!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I really wanted a ressie for Park Fare dinner with Cindy and Prince charming, however no ADRs avail. Fast forward to my vacation. I stopped at the front desk of GF and after 5 minutes of wonderful conversation...a TS for that night at my requested time. I was so pleased...we weren't staying at the GF, but they treated so well!

Congragulations that must have been a nice surprise?

 

[3jsmommy]

Hotels hold rooms for those with ressies, but restaurants shouldn't? Or just Disney? I agree, they should seat you if half the place is empty. Those ressies are for next available. But why would anyplace hold tables for drop ins and not take ressies?

We'll, this will be our first year on DDP, but last year my DD9 and I went to disneyland (pre-disboards...don't know how we survived!)....and we could not get into a single TS without a two hour wait....ended up at CS again. I have to say this was very upsetting. Now mind you.....this was DL....no DDP there and still impossible w/o ADR's. I made mine at the 180 mark for our upcoming trip. As nice as it would be to fly by the seat of my pants (which my DH loves to do), I am a planner and at least know we can eat TS on vacation this year!

I believe this just ended the "it's all the DDP's fault" argument..thanks!
I do have sympathy for first timers who don't know any better and don't have ADRs, but if your on this site...thats your choice (as has been said) just not a very smart one

 

[Mackey Mouse]

It is supply and demand. If you go, when it crowded, i.e. Spring Break or over Holidays... then I would say you definitely need to do ADR's if you have certain times that you have to eat at certain restaurants..

We have always been flexible, maybe we do not get our first choice, or the exact time, but we always do table service... very rarely counter, an occasional hot dog at Casey's, we just go with the flow. But we always try to avoid peak times when we visit, we are DVC and have no restrictions on when we can visit... our children are grown and do not have to stick to school vacations (although I notice many do not do that, we did, but that is another subject entirely) and try to go when it is cold where we live and warm in Florida.

 

[a1tinkfans]

We got the free dining promo last year and LEARNED HERE ON THE BOARDS that Adr's were needed! That was invaluable because we too experienced a time when we thought we could make a change of restaurant, but could not. As far as service goes, we really have positive experiences there too!
I agree to three things mentioned here
1. People should really cancel their ADR's if they know they are not going to use it.
2. I agree that tables should be available to those without the DDP (and I'm rather sure they do that but the demand is likely more than what they have available)
3. I think it is Crazy/funny that we are planning what and where and when we want to eat 180 days out, LOL when I can't figure out what I'm serving tonight for dinner!
We are on free dining again this year (bounce back promo) and looking forward to it!
Have a wonderful day everyone!!

 

[Harambe]

Sorry - but I haven't read this whole thread. Just wanted to say that we have found that we get BETTER service because we are not on the DDP (we don't even do the free one - just a personal choice, which I don't bother to defend any longer, as others have actually called me stupid because of my choice).

We've had servers look at us warily, and sigh while asking if we're on the DDP. When we say no, they actually seem to brighten, and we get great service! Maybe it's just fun for them to "work the table" to see if they get a good tip (better than the standard DDP tip) - who knows!

And altho I can't use the word "hate", I also dislike the DDP for taking away a lot of spontaniety for folks heading to Disney. It's cool to have it as an option, but I don't like the way Disney is steering the whole thing, so folks will HAVE to have it to eat at Disney.