Gratuity to be removed from DDP!!

[bookgirl2632]

How do u figure disney isnt loosing money? For just under $40 u get 1 CS and TS meal and a snack, plus tip. Say you go to do this:

CS Meal for Lunch - Cosmic Rays - 1/2 Chicken and BBQ Rib Combination ($13.99), Triple Chocolate Cake ($2.49), Coke ($2.39) = $18.87

Snack - Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar - $2.50

TS Meal for Dinner - LTT - $27.99 plus 18% tip = $33.03

TOTAL $54.40

PRICE FOR DDP = $38.99

DISNEY LOOSES = $15.41

And thats just for 1 day.

Those are the prices that Disney charges for the food. It is not their cost. You don't think there is a huge mark up on those meals we're eating?

Disney is not losing money on the DDP.

 

[averysmom]

How do u figure disney isnt loosing money? For just under $40 u get 1 CS and TS meal and a snack, plus tip. Say you go to do this:

CS Meal for Lunch - Cosmic Rays - 1/2 Chicken and BBQ Rib Combination ($13.99), Triple Chocolate Cake ($2.49), Coke ($2.39) = $18.87

Snack - Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar - $2.50

TS Meal for Dinner - LTT - $27.99 plus 18% tip = $33.03

TOTAL $54.40

PRICE FOR DDP = $38.99

DISNEY LOOSES = $15.41

And thats just for 1 day.

IMHO this is false economy.

Disney "lost" 15.41 IF the items you received cost Disney the same amount that you paid for them. Since we know that this isn't true - the cost of the food that Disney paid is probably 1/10 of the retail price (and yes, I know that eating at a restaurant you are also paying for someone to wash the food, cook the food, serve the food, buy the cutlery, pay the hydro etc.)

I'd bet that they are STILL making a profit on the food. And since a lot of ppl wouldn't have eaten that many meals at the parks in the first place, then they ARE making money - rather than PF Chang's or Denny's or *gasp* Universal or Sea World.

And think of the profit that they are making by ppl paying rack rates for their rooms, spending all their times in their parks - more souveniers, more miscellaneous items like film, sunscreen, photopass, more extra actvities, like Bippity Bobbity Boutique, etc.

Disney's goal is for vacationers to stay as long as possible and as much time as possible on Disney property. They want vacationers to spend all 7 days of their 1 week holiday on site - that's why they introed the MYW passes (gets cheaper per day as you stay more days) the DDP (if they buy it ppl will see leaving Disney property as losing money) and Magical Express (harder for them to leave property)

With adding gratuity to the DDP - they are going to lose customers to off site hotels, IMHO.

 

[KKB]

How do u figure disney isnt loosing money? For just under $40 u get 1 CS and TS meal and a snack, plus tip. Say you go to do this:

CS Meal for Lunch - Cosmic Rays - 1/2 Chicken and BBQ Rib Combination ($13.99), Triple Chocolate Cake ($2.49), Coke ($2.39) = $18.87

Snack - Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar - $2.50

TS Meal for Dinner - LTT - $27.99 plus 18% tip = $33.03

TOTAL $54.40

PRICE FOR DDP = $38.99

DISNEY LOOSES = $15.41

And thats just for 1 day.

snacks can go up to $4...
CS you probably listed the most expensive.
TS could be QUITE a bit more than that!
If I ordered the most expensive appetizer, entree, dessert & beverage at Wolfgang Pucks Cafe, it is about $67 plus $12 tip!!!!
SOOOO that is more like $100/day/adult !!!!

BUT above posters are correct...Disney is NOT losing $ or they SOOOO would not do it!
First of all, the POINT of DDP is to get people to stay at WDW (not outside for CONSIDERABLY cheaper), AND to fill restaurants...full restaurants creates interest for those NOT on DDP...wow, that place is always busy! PLUS it guarantees we eat onsite and NOT offsite...and you might add drinks & such to your bill. The more Disney can keep us ON WDW grounds, the more we spend overall....(drinks, shopping, extra food, etc.)
Plus, most people do not go around ordering the MOST expensive items.
Most order coffee,soda or water to drink...those cost PENNIES to Disney. And the MORE food Disney orders, more than likely the better deals they get from their vendors...SOOO...they may be serving more food w/ DDP, but it may cost them little more.
And free DDP...well, you are generally paying rack rate for the room to get free DDP...but most importantly, WDW is getting a LOT more people to come to the parks/stay onsite at a notoriously slow time of year...SMART! Who doesn't love a good deal??!! Hey, I would have changed if we hadn't already booked airfare! But we did get 40% off our room, so we saved a nice chunk, too.
DDP was marketing brilliance. Particularly because the consumer generally feels that they are getting a deal, but Disney knows that THEY are. I'm thrilled w/ DDP. I'm not AS excited about it if they change the gratuity deal...guess I will have to experience it before I make a judgement on that one! Disney is thinking of the change to improve profits of course. It is a risk...will upping the price to consumers be enough to offset those that will no longer do DDP with such a change. Oh, be rest assured, Disney will watch those figures VERY closely!

 

[mickey2000]

How do u figure disney isnt loosing money? For just under $40 u get 1 CS and TS meal and a snack, plus tip. Say you go to do this:

CS Meal for Lunch - Cosmic Rays - 1/2 Chicken and BBQ Rib Combination ($13.99), Triple Chocolate Cake ($2.49), Coke ($2.39) = $18.87

Snack - Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar - $2.50

TS Meal for Dinner - LTT - $27.99 plus 18% tip = $33.03

TOTAL $54.40

PRICE FOR DDP = $38.99

DISNEY LOOSES = $15.41

And thats just for 1 day.

Read my whole post.... They will keep you on property and they will get ALL of your spending dollars. Also you must consider the cost of thier food in bulk (next to nothing for most items). Just trhe other day I bought chicken at $1 a pound what do you think they buy it for

 

[Disney8704]

OK people, I get your point already. I already said you all made valid points, so can we just please ignore my post and just move on with the OT?

 

[starbox]

Just trhe other day I bought chicken at $1 a pound what do you think they buy it for

Well, I am sure Disney did not offer to put "Sponsored by Stouffers" on the LTT sign for free. I have a feeling that many brands (like Coca Cola, Nescafe, etc.) are giving Disney serious discounts to "advertise" their brand. And I am sure other food distributors bid very competitively to get the primo Disney contract.

Disney's mark-up on their food is ridiculous. I can eat an amazing meal from a gourmet, independantly run restaurant in Atlanta for far less $$ than the cafeteria-quality food at CRT. They are making loads of $$ on the DDP - especially since it fills otherwise slow restaurants with the overflow of people who did not make ADRs.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Everyone thinks they have valid points concerning this change. But it does no good to argue on this board about whether or not the DDP will still be a good deal since everyone's opinions differ and here is mine: if you don't mind the fact that this is basically a price increase that Disney is being pretty sneaky about, by all means continue buying the DDP. If you feel like it was a bit underhanded and more than likely the servers making way less than minimum wage will suffer for it...then don't buy the plan. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

[Disney8704]

Very well said!

Everyone thinks they have valid points concerning this change. But it does no good to argue on this board about whether or not the DDP will still be a good deal since everyone's opinions differ and here is mine: if you don't mind the fact that this is basically a price increase that Disney is being pretty sneaky about, by all means continue buying the DDP. If you feel like it was a bit underhanded and more than likely the servers making way less than minimum wage will suffer for it...then don't buy the plan. Seems pretty simple to me.

 

[hansel1]

Everyone thinks they have valid points concerning this change. QUOTE]

Seriously, my opinion....doesn't have many valid points if any.

However, my non-valid opinion is that they won't change the dining plan. They will just increase the price like last year.

 

[Jenniww]

Everyone thinks they have valid points concerning this change. QUOTE]

Seriously, my opinion....doesn't have many valid points if any.

However, my non-valid opinion is that they won't change the dining plan. They will just increase the price like last year.

There was a price increase from 2006 to 2007? How much did it go up?

 

[faindrops27]

Is this change official. If so, where can I find the report?? I have not read through the pages. So, can someone point me to the official thread. Pertaining the change. Thanks.

 

[mickeysaver]

We are giving the DDP a chance this time, but if the change goes through, we won't be doing it again. Maggie

 

[Hodder]

Hmmmm...alot to consider. On one part kinda brings down the fact that everything is paid upfront, another is that some guests won't tip even with great service, and another is that bad or indifferent servers will have to earn their tip. I am a tipper, I appreciate the hard work, but I have had times where I have tipped less for bad service (even left a penny once just to let server know that it wasn't because I forgot but because of service-also complained to manager) and i have tipped more than the usual when the server was top notch.

 

[brighteyes]

I would not do the DDP if gratuity is not included. I have a hard time swallowing the fact that I am paying 700$ US funds for the dining plan for 10 days when I know my picky 11 yr old son will want to be eating chicken fingers and pizza and fries. So already I am throwing money away just so I can have the ease of not worrying about food costs while I am there, We are also doing some character meals etc. but even if I paid cash for those and the luau I would stil come out ahead not doing the DDP. I am only doing it for convenience on this trip because it is our FIRST trip maybe our only trip and we have never been on vacation. So I am throwing money away to have convenience. Okay, going to stop talking about it now, before I decide to cancel the DDP for this trip If I had to pay 38.99 a day PLUS tip for my son I would not do it again.

Stephanie

 

[bookgirl2632]

Well, I've done the calculations and decided that I'll still be doing the DDP. I looked at my receipts from our last trip and figured out that even if I have to add my own tip, we'll still come out ahead. Our party consists of adults who are not picky eaters. I even went through and calculated what we would get if we weren't on the DDP, eliminating some appetizers and desserts and getting cheaper entrees. The difference was negligible.

I like the DDP for convenience and because I don't like having to look at the prices on the menu. Even if I end up saving only a few dollars, it will still be worth it. I'll just have to budge tip money into my plans.

 

[bicker]

There was a price increase from 2006 to 2007? How much did it go up?

$1 for adults. The child price remained the same.

 

[bicker]

Is this change official.

No, just talk at this point.

When it is official, you'll see a new brochure released announcing it, and it will be mentioned prominently in the FAQ: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=16079998

 

[Uncleromulus]

Have any other CM's out there been party to the talk as well?? Certainly someone else must have heard Union reps saying this--
Or no?

 

[rotlex]

Well, I've done the calculations and decided that I'll still be doing the DDP. I looked at my receipts from our last trip and figured out that even if I have to add my own tip, we'll still come out ahead. Our party consists of adults who are not picky eaters. I even went through and calculated what we would get if we weren't on the DDP, eliminating some appetizers and desserts and getting cheaper entrees. The difference was negligible.

I like the DDP for convenience and because I don't like having to look at the prices on the menu. Even if I end up saving only a few dollars, it will still be worth it. I'll just have to budge tip money into my plans.

If this change actually happens, I 100% agree with this. It's STILL an amazing deal, and figure that last month when we were there, we saved nearly $500 by using the plan, I don't think having to tip is going to break the bank.

Even our 4 year old daughter was quite happy with all of her choices!

 

[BrianD]

I am glad for this change. I'm for anything that raises the price of the plan or causes some to reconsider the plan. I believe that the DDP has been a contributer to why the menus & food quality have been gradually dumbed down. The restaurants themselves typically don't like the DDP because the cut they get from Disney makes it very hard for them to be profitable, so that means cheaper ingredients and less unique menu items. JMO.