Wow Almost Time For The 2009 DDP updates?

[racefanof88]

Looking back at the thread for the 2008 DDP I noticed that the thread started on 8/5/2007. WOW almost time for Disney to announce the 2009 plan . this is what we need for better updates to the plan. It just makes you wonder what we will see for '09? Can't wait to see

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I'm anxious to see as well!

 

[racefanof88]

I'm anxious to see as well!

I sure hope it is better than this years.......... We used the basic plan last month and it was alot of food and time wasted on ADRs, so there is no way I would pay $69.99 for the deluxe plan and have to deal with more ADRs and food. And being that I have to pay my tip oop why not just pay it all? Maybe the new plan will have better updates and it will make it worth trying again, like letting me decide if I would rather have an appy or a dessert . Anyway, just waiting .

 

[asmit4]

We all know that the DDP is set up to make DW $$$. The plan is not and was not set up in the past to help tourists.

With that said, it would be nice if they would allow an appy OR dessert. If they do that, I'd be happy. I don't expect much else to change, as they lost their butts last year (I'm presuming due to the massive changes from last year). I also presume the cost to go up 1-2.00 per person. Perhaps just the adults, leaving kids at 9.99.

 

[JimMIA]

We went non-DDP in May, due to 2008 changes and also to the standardization of the menus over the last couple of years. It's getting to where it doesn't matter which restaurant you choose, the food is the same...and that's as big a loss as the financial changes.

Having done WDW without DDP, we won't be going back to the dining plan.

We just ate better, had much more variety, had two spectacular fine-dining meals (better than anything Disney has to offer), and were a lot more spontaneous. We did one character breakfast OOP (Norway), and we ate a couple of CS meals and a bunch of snacks OOP. The rest of our main meals (dinner for us) were at typical national chain TS restaurants.

For us, that was perfect.

As far as next year, I look for a modest price increase, continued standardization and downsizing of the menus, and not much else. They could try to emphasize the Deluxe DDP more, and to make it really the only viable option, but I certainly don't expect any improvement with the basic DDP.

 

[racefanof88]

We went non-DDP in May, due to 2008 changes and also to the standardization of the menus over the last couple of years. It's getting to where it doesn't matter which restaurant you choose, the food is the same...and that's as big a loss as the financial changes.

Having done WDW without DDP, we won't be going back to the dining plan.

We just ate better, had much more variety, had two spectacular fine-dining meals (better than anything Disney has to offer), and were a lot more spontaneous. We did one character breakfast OOP (Norway), and we ate a couple of CS meals and a bunch of snacks OOP. The rest of our main meals (dinner for us) were at typical national chain TS restaurants.

For us, that was perfect.

As far as next year, I look for a modest price increase, continued standardization and downsizing of the menus, and not much else. They could try to emphasize the Deluxe DDP more, and to make it really the only viable option, but I certainly don't expect any improvement with the basic DDP.

I agree about the menus. The menu they have for children is so limited it is horrible. Unless your child eats chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, pizza, or peanut butter you are out of luck at most places and this includes CS and TS.

I didn't find the ddp any help and not much savings at all. The fact that I have to pay tip oop makes it all the less attractive.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

Count me as a Delux DDP LOVER!! Complain all you want, but one Character meal per trip, and some OOP snacks, and a few CS and mostly off property chain restaurants just doesn't appeal to us. This is WDW!!!...We did in April on Delux - CM BFST,CP,1900 PF, CG, HDDR, Narcoossee's,BD, LeCellier, GG, PSB,The Plaza,Boawright's,Kona, Ohana, CRT, H&V, CM DINNER,Concourse. Plus a couple from Food Court at POR, plus we had refillable mugs!! Could not have been a more pleasant and fun trip!!!

Sorry so many on the disboards cannot get over "the dreaded changes from last year". But if you keep away, that leaves more ADRs for the rest of us!! Please go and enjoy your meals from the chain restaurants, I sure won't cry over it.

 

[JimMIA]

Sorry so many on the disboards cannot get over "the dreaded changes from last year". But if you keep away, that leaves more ADRs for the rest of us!! Please go and enjoy your meals from the chain restaurants, I sure won't cry over it.

One of the great things about WDW is that it offers so many options for so many different needs. If you want to eat at least one TS meal in a Disney restaurant every day, the basic DDP gives you an affordable way to do that. If you want to eat three full meals a day, or some combination of TS and Signature, deluxe DDP gives you a way to do that. If you are locked into staying onsite for all your meals, you don't have many options. Your only choices are TS or CS, but both DDP plans are still great options for many families.

We enjoyed DDP on numerous 4-5 days trips over the last several years, but I never could imagine us being satisfied with it for longer than 5 days because of the same-old, same-old problem. We actually used the majority of our credits for character meals, but we've done all those now and one character meal per 4-5 day trip is perfect for us. Honestly, I think we would have skipped DDP this year anyway, even without the changes, simply because we're tired of it. So we're happy that you can take advantage of the ADR's we would have hogged!

(In the same vein, we used to visit twice a year. Now, we visit once a year, and DW and I were just discussing a Western US national parks trip next year instead of Disney.)

Getting back to the original topic of this thread -- I have a longer-range prediction. I fearlessly predict that Disney will transition to offering only the Deluxe DDP and it's offshoots (Wine & Dine, etc) for purchase. I think they'll only offer the basic DDP as Free DDP during the September doldrums, and they will probably scale that down a bit more by "streamlining" the menus during that period.

I don't expect that to happen in 2009, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it in 2010.

 

[TDC Nala]

With that said, it would be nice if they would allow an appy OR dessert.

If the restaurants are still filling up, this will not happen. If they do this, it will be only because they NEED it to keep the restaurants full.

I don't agree that they "lost their butts." The dining plan is still very popular. Most of the posters on these boards use it, even in its current incarnation.

I am a little intrigued by the "spectacular" offsite meals (were they steakhouses, though? I don't do steak). Not enough to get me to rent a car and drive to them, though. I love Emeril's. But I like wine pairings. If I drive over there, no wine pairings. I have DDE and don't need to use the dining plan.

The menu they have for children is so limited it is horrible. Unless your child eats chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, pizza, or peanut butter you are out of luck at most places and this includes CS and TS.

WDW flirted for awhile with "healthy" selections for children's meals, but due to guest demand they had to put the above items back on the menus because the kids apparently didn't want to eat anything else.

Aren't the "healthy" selections still out there though?

 

[JimMIA]

I am a little intrigued by the "spectacular" offsite meals (were they steakhouses, though? I don't do steak). Not enough to get me to rent a car and drive to them, though. I love Emeril's. But I like wine pairings. If I drive over there, no wine pairings. I have DDE and don't need to use the dining plan.

The two wonderful meals we had offsite were at Charley's Steak House on I-Drive and Columbia in Celebration.

Charley's is obviously a steak house. I haven't eaten at V&A onsite, but Charley's is somewhat better than either Shula's or California Grill, and I suspect it's better than V&A as well. Also probably less expensive than any of those three. Here's their website: http://www.talkofthetownrestaurants.com/charleys.html

Columbia is an old-line Spanish restaurant from Tampa's historic Ybor City district. It has a wide range of dishes, and the food quality is outstanding. I had Snapper Alicante, which was outrageous. One must, no matter what else you order, is their 1905 Salad! Their Ybor City Gold beer (when they have it; it's a microbrew) is also excellent. Here's their website: http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/default.asp

Both places are fine-dining restaurants and feature very good service. Charley's has several locations in the Orlando area, including two on I-Drive. Columbia has a number of stores in Florida, but the Celebration location is the only one in the Orlando area. Sadly, they don't have one in Miami, so we have to visit WDW, St. Augustine, Tampa, or Sarasota to enjoy their food.

There are some other great choices offsite, but we're saving those for next trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

Thanks for the rundown! No steakhouses for me. And since I couldn't try the beer if I was driving, the other one is out too...not that I'll have a car in Orlando anytime soon. I could bribe some local friends to drive to Celebration though.

 

[racefanof88]

Well, I don't think I will do either plan next year. I can pay oop for the food at the ADRs I want and I can still eat at some cool places off property(Margaritaville, Nascar Cafe, Emerils...........etc) I am not a huge US fan but, they do have some good places to eat. I LOVE Disney but, I don't go to Disney to eat, I can do that at home as the food, at several restaurants in my area, is equal to or better than Disneys.

Unless there are some major changes we will just skip the ddp or the dddp. I think they should consider the old plan they had at AK at every park and offer it to day guest. Just my .02.

 

[Luv2Roam]

The Columbia is VERY good. But consider yeaterday I had lunch there -- a salad, and ice tea, with tip was over $15. The salad was good, as is all their food. But not WOW good. (Although their bread is. )
Columbia is good. But not known for being on the conservative side for price either. Plus if you were in the park leaving, getting there, etc.