2018 Disney Dining Plan Prices & General Discussion

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Have a new wrinkle to add to the discussion.

Over on the DIS facebook page, a poster says they spoke with a dining supervisor who told them DxDDP users would get the app and alcohol if they chose to use their DxDDP credits for the F! dining pkg at Mama Melrose. Rationale for it is DxDDP is "guaranteed" (not sure who used that word) app, entrée, dessert, alcoholic drink at TS. I tried to caution them that there is no precedent for that and if they chose to use their credits for the F! pkg to be prepared to forfeit at least the app and possibly the alcohol. Oh, and same supervisor told them the MM F! pkg will be 2 TS credits next year. I just can't see that happening and gives me all the more reason to doubt the "guarantee."

So, what say you guys?

I'm with you - I don't see a 'guarantee' overriding the package inclusions, if only because the package is priced per-person no matter how you're paying so DxDDP guests getting more than others on the same package isn't likely to happen.

My thinking - and I hope I'm wrong on this - is that exceptions like this are the new front on eroding the value of the dining plans. Disney's bean counters have to know they're right at the breaking point as far as pricing. It is already hard to break even on the QSDP and only slightly easier on the DDP, and only the DxDDP can present a credible case for saving any money compared to what the plan covers (mostly because it covers far more than most people would do if they were paying cash). So price increases as a driver of future DDP profits are about played out, but we all know that the corporate expectation is ever-increasing, not high-but-flat, profits. Which begs the question of where they can increase profits if not on pricing. And new exclusions/exceptions could be the answer.

We already have a plan for 2018 that includes alcohol... with the massive exception of the thousands upon thousands of 10-20 year olds who pay adult prices without the full benefit of adult inclusions and who knows how many adults who can't or won't drink for whatever reason. If they toss in an exception for fixed-price meals because your non-alcoholic beverage is already included in the price, they've effectively limited the value of the 2018 changes to only a portion of the market (over-21 guests who drink) and only a portion of available dining choices (ala carte restaurants). If they do those things and start removing appetizers from packages even though the DxDDP would otherwise include them at those restaurants, essentially creating another exception - the DxDDP includes appetizers except at high-demand dining events - the bean-counters can squeeze a little extra profit out of the one plan that still offers some savings.

Throw in the apparent end of pre-park-opening BoG ADRs, which sets the stage for replacing it with a new "experience" meal that could be excluded from the dining plan, and really looks to me like Disney is exploring new ways to carve value out of the dining plans without expressly removing another element or further raising the price.

IMO, F! is probably a test case and if bookings don't drop under the new rules we'll see the same changes for RoL, Candlelight Processional, and any other dining package that includes event seating.
 
We are booked for February with the DDP - we have 4 character buffets booked (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Tusker House, and Akershus) - lunch or dinner. At these buffets, alcohol isn't included in the regular price, correct? So does that eliminate my opportunity to get an alcoholic drink included with my meals? Will we have to papy for a glass of wine with these meals? Based on what has been mentioned, I feel like we wouldn't get the alcohol included. so that makes me wonder... Would we be better off using our credits at a a la carte location? I thought character buffets were the best use of credits... but now I'm wondering if they are ... I know we won't know anything for sure until January but what is everyone's thoughts about this? We never use the DDP and this is kind of a trial to see how it goes as we normally stay CL and limit our dining. We got a good deal though so we figured, hey, why not?
 
Throw in the apparent end of pre-park-opening BoG ADRs, which sets the stage for replacing it with a new "experience" meal that could be excluded from the dining plan, and really looks to me like Disney is exploring new ways to carve value out of the dining plans without expressly removing another element or further raising the price.

I guess I have missed that discussion......is the BoG PPO going away? Had hoped to book one for out trip next Summer when our 180 opened on Monday.
 
We are booked for February with the DDP - we have 4 character buffets booked (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Tusker House, and Akershus) - lunch or dinner. At these buffets, alcohol isn't included in the regular price, correct? So does that eliminate my opportunity to get an alcoholic drink included with my meals? Will we have to papy for a glass of wine with these meals? Based on what has been mentioned, I feel like we wouldn't get the alcohol included. so that makes me wonder... Would we be better off using our credits at a a la carte location? I thought character buffets were the best use of credits... but now I'm wondering if they are ... I know we won't know anything for sure until January but what is everyone's thoughts about this? We never use the DDP and this is kind of a trial to see how it goes as we normally stay CL and limit our dining. We got a good deal though so we figured, hey, why not?

We just don't know how that's going to work, and won't until we see reports back from January travelers. There's some speculation that you won't be able to get alcohol at fixed-price meals but it is just that - speculation among Disney fans who find obsessing over this stuff a fun way to pass the time between trips. It isn't the sort of thing Disney is likely to announce formally, much less provide advance notice of, so we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.

I guess I have missed that discussion......is the BoG PPO going away? Had hoped to book one for out trip next Summer when our 180 opened on Monday.

There have been a few threads about it... Here's the most recent: https://www.disboards.com/threads/bog-no-longer-ppo.3652247/.

From what I've been reading, it looks like it isn't coming up as an option from mid-May onward. But the restaurant hours haven't been updated on the calendar so we don't know if that's an official change, a handful of DISers having really bad ADR luck, a problem with some ADRs loading into the booking system, etc. Just like the alcohol thing, there's more speculation than evidence at this point. But it is entertaining speculation!
 


We are booked for February with the DDP - we have 4 character buffets booked (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Tusker House, and Akershus) - lunch or dinner. At these buffets, alcohol isn't included in the regular price, correct? So does that eliminate my opportunity to get an alcoholic drink included with my meals? Will we have to papy for a glass of wine with these meals? Based on what has been mentioned, I feel like we wouldn't get the alcohol included. so that makes me wonder... Would we be better off using our credits at a a la carte location? I thought character buffets were the best use of credits... but now I'm wondering if they are ... I know we won't know anything for sure until January but what is everyone's thoughts about this? We never use the DDP and this is kind of a trial to see how it goes as we normally stay CL and limit our dining. We got a good deal though so we figured, hey, why not?

See Colleen's post right above yours. General feeling is, you will NOT get an alcoholic beverage with regular character meals as those paying OOP do not get one. You choose to use your credits this way.
 
So I guess the idea is... no one knows! LOL! I guess we will have to wait and see - only a few more weeks until reports should come in. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who isn't quite sure how it will work out. Too bad they can't be more transparent about it. Thanks all!
 


Crystal Palace,
There's no alcohol at Crystal Palace, so no option there regardless.
I disagree. I think any TS in 2018 will include alcohol, including character meals
I don't think the question is "character meals" but buffets. The price of the buffet includes a non-alcoholic beverage. They aren't expanding the buffet price to include an alcoholic beverage for everybody who pays the buffet price. One dining plan credit is valid for one buffet meal. Will those on the dining plan get an extra beverage above and beyond what's included in the regular buffet price?
 
What is in a Lapu Lapu?

Tropical fruit juice mixed with a decent amount of good rum served in a whole hollowed-out pineapple. I recall paying $14 and change for one in September.

It’s the quintessential Polynesian drink. Looking at it alone makes me happy. :)
 
We just don't know how that's going to work, and won't until we see reports back from January travelers. There's some speculation that you won't be able to get alcohol at fixed-price meals but it is just that - speculation among Disney fans who find obsessing over this stuff a fun way to pass the time between trips. It isn't the sort of thing Disney is likely to announce formally, much less provide advance notice of, so we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.



There have been a few threads about it... Here's the most recent: https://www.disboards.com/threads/bog-no-longer-ppo.3652247/.

From what I've been reading, it looks like it isn't coming up as an option from mid-May onward. But the restaurant hours haven't been updated on the calendar so we don't know if that's an official change, a handful of DISers having really bad ADR luck, a problem with some ADRs loading into the booking system, etc. Just like the alcohol thing, there's more speculation than evidence at this point. But it is entertaining speculation!

Thanks for that link. Not sure why it didn't come up when I searched "bog ppo". I noticed even early in the morning there was nothing before 9:00, but figure that was because I couldn't yet see 180+. Makes sense if people were making the reservation but not really eating.
 
I agree. I assume a single alcoholic beverage would be included at these meals (assuming alcohol is available).

So DDP users will get one included alcoholic drink for adults. What do you propose for the specialty beverage for those under 21? And does that mean those paying OOP will not have an alcoholic beverage or will the OOP price go up to cover it?
 
So DDP users will get one included alcoholic drink for adults. What do you propose for the specialty beverage for those under 21? And does that mean those paying OOP will not have an alcoholic beverage or will the OOP price go up to cover it?

Outside of the Magic Kingdom, these locations already have alcohol and specialty beverages available ala carte. I don't see why tha would have to change for OOP guests.
 
Outside of the Magic Kingdom, these locations already have alcohol and specialty beverages available ala carte. I don't see why tha would have to change for OOP guests.
Here's the problem:
Capture.JPG

This is the basis for confusion and debate. A buffet doesn't currently include a specialty beverage, and the 2018 dining plan does not say it's included next year. What are the options?
1. Maybe folks on the dining plan will get a specialty beverage in addition to (or instead of) the normal beverage that's included with a buffet.
2. Maybe Disney will increase buffet pricing and give everyone a specialty beverage
3. Or, based on what's published, folks on the dining plan will not get a specialty beverage at buffets.
 
I’ll know tomorrow if it’s doable tomorrow, but I won’t be there in 2018.
 
We did this in October. We had 2 resort reservations...one for us and one for my parents. We had the deluxe dining, my parents declined dining. But we shared our credits with them. We had PLENTY of meal credits to go around. But in hind sight...I would not do a deluxe dining plan...only quick service. Too much time was wasted goijg to and from our reservations and the tips were adding up fast. The menu for a dining plan are sometimes different than just paying out of pocket and that was a bit frustrating. The grab and go idea is so much better for us and that is what the plan will be when we return.
 
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