Why not point-based Dining Plan?

[bwbuddy5]

I've always thought I would be more inclined to buy the Dining Plan if it were a bit more flexible across formats, perhaps point based. I'm tempted to buy the quick service plan, but want a couple of table service meals as well. But, I don't want to buy the deluxe plan that includes a table service every day, because I don't want to invest that much time every day to eat.

So, couldn't Disney design a point-based system to be more flexible, keep everyone happy, and still provide the margin they want? They could require you to purchase a minimum amount of points, with one point required for quick service, 2 points for table service, and 4 points for signature.

Would anybody else be more tempted to purchase under this format?

 

[LSUfan4444]

That kind of sounds like going to my daughters school fair where I want to order beer that costs $3. But, they cant sell me a beer. If I want a beer I have to go to the ticket booth and buy $3 worth of tickets then bring them the tickets. If I wanted a bag of popcorn, well I need to go buy $2 worth of tickets. The DDP is not a good value, but people pay for the convenience of not having to think about.

couldn't Disney design a point-based system to be more flexible, keep everyone happy, and still provide the margin they want?

That sounds like paying OOP to me.

 

[bwbuddy5]

The DDP is not a good value, but people pay for the convenience of not having to think about.



That sounds like paying OOP to me.

Agreed, again, convenience.

 

[LSUfan4444]

That sounds less inconvenient to me. With the DDP you can interchange your ADRs based on three levels. With your suggestion you could only make changes within the same point parameters before needed to add extra points. Paying OOP would be much easier. What would the advantage or convenience be of a package? You would be confined by what you can order on the menu (just like you would be now) but also confined eve more by the places you can dine.

 

[Srbright]

While I disagree on the value portion (we have saved money every time but one) the convenience is a huge factor to many people.

With all the trouble some people have working the dining plan as it is, a massive amount of change like that would be a nightmare for both WDW and the consumer.

YOU personally could probably handle the change but the average WDW visitor could not. DH and I were just talking the other day about something we witnessed at Fultons either 2 or 3 trips ago... a man and two kids sitting next to us who had the DDP and was struggling with the fact that he couldnt get appetizers on the plan. We finally learned over and told him that it wasnt that they were REFUSING to provide them; only that he would have to pay OOP.

Stacy

 

[Hopefully]

I think it sounds like a terrible idea. It would be far more complicated to manage and to use.
If you don't like the current plans just buy a gift card and use it to cover the cost of what you do want

 

[Earning my ears]

We are going to DW April 1-8. There are 6 of us with 1 child (8 & 12). We are doing the dining plan because we have 3 character meals and are there at prime time. I figured it out and the dining plan at this time is a GOOD deal.

 

[ErinsMommy]

I think it sounds like a terrible idea. It would be far more complicated to manage and to use.
If you don't like the current plans just buy a gift card and use it to cover the cost of what you do want

I agree with this - we personally pay for the dxdp just more for convenience of not having to think about the cost of food than anything, and we just come prepared with tip money for those places that dont have tips included. I just wish Disney would give the option to add the tip back into the cost.

 

[sharonabe]

So, couldn't Disney design a point-based system to be more flexible, keep everyone happy, and still provide the margin they want? They could require you to purchase a minimum amount of points, with one point required for quick service, 2 points for table service, and 4 points for signature.

Let's flesh this is out a bit more. What's your price per point? What's included in the meal? What about kids? Are you going to charge a different price for kids? What about snacks? I hear over and over that snacks are one of the most important parts of the plan, because they don't have to say "NO" when the kids want an ice cream. Are you going to throw in the refillable mug just for buying the plan? I'd love to hear your thoughts, but I'll start with mine.

I'll start with all meals include an entree, dessert and a non-alcoholic drink. $15/p makes it pretty valuable to me, but Disney would be losing money. $18/p puts the QS and regular TS meal in the ball park of current DDP values, but spending $72 at a signature would be harder. So at $18 consumer might save a little on QS and TS, but loses on signature. Disney could probably live with this price point, but $18 is a strange number and they're probably still losing a little too much. If you put it to the rounded $20/p, signature dining would be off the table for most users, but character meals would still be a great value, QS could be maximized, but is more of a loser, any a la carte TS could also be maximized. At $20, users will need to do some planning to save a little, and since the majority of users probably won't do that, Disney will make money. So would you pay $20 per point for your plan??

The only way I see a point plan working is if you don't tie it to the number of nights and people in the room. Staying onsite could still be required, but I don't see a way to do an adult point system and a kid system. You buy points for the adults and the pay OOP for kids unless kids meals just go away and everyone pays the same, which is ridiculous. That takes the pre-paid, convenience factor out of the equation, though. However, the flexibility of buying the points you want might out weigh that. For DISers and others in the know, they could really maximize such a plan and just buy the points for the meals they know they will save.

As for snacks, at $20/p I'm thinking users could get 4 snacks per point, but since you can't divide a point, you'd have to get them all at the same time at the same place. That wouldn't work for my family as we all like different things, but it might for some.

So what do you think? Still want to go to a point plan? How would you flesh it out?

 

[Carie Young]

As a DVC member I think the points system could be great, but also agree with implementing it could be a nightmare.

I think if they added one more plan inbetween the regular and deluxe it would be benificial to families that want to do character meals (expensive and the DP credit really does save $$$) and want to have 3 meals with no worries.

2 TS, 1 QS, 1 S
-or-
1 TS, 2 QS, 2S

 

[mom2my3kids]

I agree, we don't want to have to have a sit down every day..For us the dining plan does not work we would actually spend way more money...We have Ohana, Via Napoli, Sci-Fi and Rainforest breakfast for our upcoming trip the rest will be QS or eating back at our room..We are staying at OKW in the one bedroom so we have a full kitchen so we want to cook out a couple nights..We get a bit tired of park food, sit down and QS...

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

I think it sounds like a terrible idea. It would be far more complicated to manage and to use.
If you don't like the current plans just buy a gift card and use it to cover the cost of what you do want

Or, just put it on your Credit Card like you would any other meal purchase at a restaurant. I don't know why people feel they have to use gift cards etc for meals when it is just as easy to just pay cash or credit for them like you would any other purchase on any given day. I can easily save my receipts and/or look at my CC statement and figure out what I spent.

The dining plan is of value if you have kids under 10 or you eat buffet and/or character meals every single table service meal. One nice thing about the plan if you do have kids under 10, their QS credits count the same as the adults. We have taken advantage of this before, especially at Epcot where you can try a lot of great foods.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Like @sharonabe, I think fleshing out a points program would be complicated and wouldn't really create the value the OP is hoping for.

The DDP is a better value for Disney than the guests, except those who are heavy eaters or know how to play the "dining calculator game." For my family, we do a TS every day at Disney and most are character meals...so we do save, even when we have QS/snack credits remaining. Personally, I like the change to the DP with the two snacks, as we can use one for an on the go breakfast bagel or muffin and still save some for treats.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Or, just put it on your Credit Card like you would any other meal purchase at a restaurant. I don't know why people feel they have to use gift cards etc for meals when it is just as easy to just pay cash or credit for them like you would any other purchase on any given day.

Some - like me - feel GC work out much better than CC because as you're going along you can stash away $$ here and there in GCs over the year, or longer if you're planning over a longer period. The dining plan works for us for a similar situation - its paid for through the package and once the package is paid off, so are the meals.

 

[Hopefully]

Or, just put it on your Credit Card like you would any other meal purchase at a restaurant. I don't know why people feel they have to use gift cards etc for meals when it is just as easy to just pay cash or credit for them like you would any other purchase on any given day. I can easily save my receipts and/or look at my CC statement and figure out what I spent.

The dining plan is of value if you have kids under 10 or you eat buffet and/or character meals every single table service meal. One nice thing about the plan if you do have kids under 10, their QS credits count the same as the adults. We have taken advantage of this before, especially at Epcot where you can try a lot of great foods.

Similar to @ErinsMommy I like the gift card because I buy them over time. I will have $2000 in gift cards for my upcoming trip in October. I purchased the first $500 Gift Card yesterday. I will spread them over the remaining months, and pay them off in real time.
I do not like coming home from vacation with a large credit card bill. We always are able to pay our credit card bills in full each month, as we are careful with what we charge. Having a large bill would not work for us.
You may be different, but there are reasons it works for others.

 

[rwdavis2]

Regardless of how it's done, dining plans are not designed to save you money except in very specific circumstances. I've been checking out all the various planes offered by Disney since about 1998 and none of them ever seemed like a good deal. Just pay out of pocket. It's just as simple and convenient as having a dining plan.

 

[HopperFan]

The current system is easy and straightforward. Anyone can figure it out.

They used to have a dining plan that was based on values. So if your family had $80 worth of dinner value and you went to Coral Reef and spent $100, then you had to pay the difference. Way too much work in planning it and implementing it. Simple is best. It's all about making it easy for guests, not for getting guests their monies worth.

As others have posted there are other ways to handle your dining, pick a way that is easiest for you.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Regardless of how it's done, dining plans are not designed to save you money except in very specific circumstances. I've been checking out all the various planes offered by Disney since about 1998 and none of them ever seemed like a good deal. Just pay out of pocket. It's just as simple and convenient as having a dining plan.

The amount of people who would actually order a table service, quick service and tow snacks a day (per person) is small. The % of those would would order an entree, dessert and n/a drink (not water, or a beer, etc....no apps or soup, etc) per table service is even smaller.

Peoples FEEL like they are getting a good deal because they see the receipt at the end and "what it would have cost" and they don't have to pull out their CC/cash and pay so again it FEELS like a bargain but for the LARGE majority it isn't. Alot of people accept it and pay for the convenience which there is nothing wrong with but alot of people are in pure denial.

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

What is the difference between spending $2000 on gift cards or keeping the $2000 in your checking/savings account to pay off a credit card bill when you return? There are potential issues with having so much tied up in gift cards, I'd rather have the money under my control. That is just me.

 

[LSUfan4444]

What is the difference between spending $2000 on gift cards or keeping the $2000 in your checking/savings account to pay off a credit card bill when you return? There are potential issues with having so much tied up in gift cards, I'd rather have the money under my control. That is just me.

I'm with you 1000%. I would rather have my money than give it to Disney promising it to them in one way or another until the point of purchase. Alot of people use it as a budgeting tool to help limit their spending to ensure the funds are there when it's time. If it helps keep people out of debt and paying interest for luxury items I'm all for it but it's not how I like to do it either.