Why is it DP vs. non-DP as of late?

[Tiger926]

I know this may spark a lot of debate, but after being involved in a few threads as of late about sharing meals vs. the 'gluttony' of families who eat on the DP, I felt the need to post.

I am now noticing (please correct me if I'm wrong), 2 distinct dining camps as of late: DP families, and non-DP families. Some people are being judged because they eat too much food or not enough food (that's a debate all on its own - LOL!), but this isn't the way it needs to be. Just because a family chooses the DP, it doesn't mean that they are gluttons or have more money than other families, anymore than those who share meals are doing so because they don't have enough money to do so. Families make dining choices for a variety of reasons: health, finances, lifestyle, time constraints, etc, and so most people who read this board are looking for dining reviews, tips on how to save money, meal recommendations or special dessert options, based on the aforementioned reasons, but when other people feel the need to criticize or judge others based on whether they are doing the DP or not, than it clouds what the true purpose of this board is, IMHO.

Please don't think I'm trying to censor or stifle people expressing their opinions (I've done it many times on here - LOL!) , I'm just trying to gently remind people that it doesn't need to be a competition between those who share meals, eat in room, or eat DP or use DDE. Some of these variables may apply to your family, and some may not, and that's ok! The competition as of late that I'm seeing between the 'gluttons' on the DP, and those who are not is kind of bogging down a lot of great threads. The fact is, a lot families are grappling with this very decision, and so we need to make it easy for them to get the info they need to help in their decision.

Not trying to stir the pot, or cause a huge debate as I love this board as it's an awesome source of info as food is very much a part of our vacations as seeing Mickey and friends, and so for this reason, I love reading reviews, meal strategies, cost saving tips, etc., but that is really hard to do sometimes when I feel judged as to whether or not I'm on the DP or not.

Happy eating to all, Tiger

 

[patsal]

Very well said! The DP is a personal choice based on any family's eating habits and tastes. Sometimes it will work for folks and sometimes it will not. It can be a vlaue without over eating--salad as an appetizer is certainly not going to ad to the waistline especially if the dressing is omitted or on the side, a normal entree of a steak, chicken or seafood if eaten in appropriate portions will not add to the waistline, and a few bites of dessert will not put anyone ove rthe edge unless they have other medical conditions that should be avoiding dessert like foods for. I will never understand why people worry so much about others food choices. For DDP I just think that it works the way my family eats--we do not like to go back to the villa to prepare lunch when we are already at the parks--a pre tten and teenager really don't need the same amount of downtime a five year old needs. We always have a TS where we do not limit anyone on their order choices--hey I'm on vacation and I don't want to cook. Breakfast I will take care of in the room , I'm up an dready to go by 6:30 anyway since I have to be up at 5:00 on workdays that is sleeping in.
Some people like only CS since they don't like meals to consume their park time, some like to share meals since they feel the portions are too large, some don't like to cook at all, some don't mind preparing every meal. We are all different and that is a good thing or there wouldn't be nearly the diversity of food choices available to all of us without that.
Honestly, if you like all CS have fun, if you like all TS and have apps and dessert with everyone of those meals, have fun. If you like to cook and prepare all of your own meals, have fun!
Now if you are simply answering that a particular thing would not work for your family, that's not a bad thing either. It can be difficult to understand "tone" sometimes on a message board.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I agree - we were on the DP in January and loved it because everything was paid up front and for us (2 adults - 3kids) it was a bargain.

Because we switched to a room only res to get a great AP rate ($254 water view YC) we can't get the ddp anymore. We'll get DDE again but I will really miss the ddp!

 

[abk96]

I agree with you 100%. We choose the dp because it just makes $ sense to our family. We love the TS credits we get with the plan. I did notice this debate coming up more and more lately and I was wondering why.

We don't even take notice to what other people are getting at CS places, but someone else on a different thread said they can spot the dp families anywhere. They laugh because of their filled trays of food and drinks. I thought this was a rude comment and really not their business to judge.

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks. I really felt the need to post about this as comments like the above about DP diners that were mentioned above are rude, just as comments are that are made to families who drink water with dinner or share meals - doesn't work for my family, but it's not my job to comment on a personal level at all.

Happy eating to all, Tiger

 

[mamacatnv]

I agee 100% and your post was very well said.

My family chooses not to partake of the DP because it doesn't fit our vacation style. ADR's are a pain to us as well as the time consumed to eat at TS daily. That is just us, not the whold world. I know that we spend way more on food but it is our vacation and our money to spend as we wish.

When on vacation we eat what we want when we want it. I refuse to say no, we are on vacation afterall, when passerbys see us it looks like we are on the DP and I have the bills to prove it.

Personally how we choose to eat, where we choose to stay and how we choose to get there is no one elses business. We all make our choices based on what works best for our families.

 

[sleepydog25]

Civility is fast becoming a lost part of our cultural mores. There was a time when "live and let live" was the mantra most folks repeated. Now, it's more like "I'm right and they're wrong." There are lots of reasons for this loss of manners, and such a topic would make a great thread on another day. Suffice to say, judging anyone on something silly such as whether he or she does the DDP demeans us all.

 

[melomouse]

I know this may spark a lot of debate, but after being involved in a few threads as of late about sharing meals vs. the 'gluttony' of families who eat on the DP, I felt the need to post.

I am now noticing (please correct me if I'm wrong), 2 distinct dining camps as of late: DP families, and non-DP families. Some people are being judged because they eat too much food or not enough food (that's a debate all on its own - LOL!), but this isn't the way it needs to be. Just because a family chooses the DP, it doesn't mean that they are gluttons or have more money than other families, anymore than those who share meals are doing so because they don't have enough money to do so. Families make dining choices for a variety of reasons: health, finances, lifestyle, time constraints, etc, and so most people who read this board are looking for dining reviews, tips on how to save money, meal recommendations or special dessert options, based on the aforementioned reasons, but when other people feel the need to criticize or judge others based on whether they are doing the DP or not, than it clouds what the true purpose of this board is, IMHO.

Please don't think I'm trying to censor or stifle people expressing their opinions (I've done it many times on here - LOL!) , I'm just trying to gently remind people that it doesn't need to be a competition between those who share meals, eat in room, or eat DP or use DDE. Some of these variables may apply to your family, and some may not, and that's ok! The competition as of late that I'm seeing between the 'gluttons' on the DP, and those who are not is kind of bogging down a lot of great threads. The fact is, a lot families are grappling with this very decision, and so we need to make it easy for them to get the info they need to help in their decision.

Not trying to stir the pot, or cause a huge debate as I love this board as it's an awesome source of info as food is very much a part of our vacations as seeing Mickey and friends, and so for this reason, I love reading reviews, meal strategies, cost saving tips, etc., but that is really hard to do sometimes when I feel judged as to whether or not I'm on the DP or not.

Happy eating to all, Tiger

Hi Tiger -
Not "correcting" you, but my perception is different from yours in that I don't see "distinct camps" on the Boards of late as much as I have observed and/or learned the following:

* Folks are very, very anxious about the Dining aspect of their WDW vacations since the advent of DDP. Posters run the gamut from refusals to make ADR's in the name of "spontaneity" to those who want to know the type of lettuce used on their chicken wrap at a CS.

*While dining is an important part of the total vacation experience, if you read the restaurants and DP board, I've observed that food,(how, when, why, how much it costs and how much of it we eat on vacation) is as critical to some as their net worth, lifestyle and personal belief system!This, in turn, leads to.....

*An increase in posts re: gluttony, frugality, greed, cleverness and laced with sarcasm and downright nastiness to those with an opposing POV. I think some get all fired up by what they read, fire off responses and hit "submit" without a second read thru!

*Lots of solid factual and analytical info from DIS vets who do my thinking for me so my brain doesn't hurt so much , as well as solid, fair reviews that are well thought out and thorough

Increased options inevitably bring varying opinions and thus, dissent -this is supposed to be an informational board, not a "debate" board - but that's up to the mods, not me.I can only share with you, Tiger, what goes through my mind lately as I read the Restaurant and DP boards, and what I do...

- If I read a post that pushes my buttons, I resist the temptation to immediately respond, and go back later, definitely with a more balanced and tactful response than I would have done had I posted right away!
- I keep in mind, like you, the newbie who needs info/input/opinion/guidance, and I try to size up where they're coming from before I respond.
- As in our lives, all DIS'er's have different ways of thinking, talking, eating,spending, etc. I don't have to DEFEND my choices if they are ok for ME and my family. Some are not sure of this, are worried about their choices and the investment in such a major vacation, and they go after other members who see things differently. I know for sure that my little post will rarely, if ever, change someone's mind about ANYTHING!!!

I don't see "competition", Tiger, so much as I see a wealth of choices which confounds people who maybe need to simplify their dining strategies and have confidence in their individual choices.