News from the BWV annual meeting - Dining plan

[byoung]

Would be nice to have, we probally will use it.

 

[cherylp3]

For the person that thanked me, you're welcome. No time taken out of my trip though since I live in Orlando.

 

[lisareniff]

Sofabeds will be changing at BWV.

Getting new sofabeds is great news too!!!

 

[canwegosoon]

Thanks for the info...I just wish it was beginning in March for our trip...but at least I still have a valid DDE card. I think we will use it in future trips if available

 

[robinb]

On some other thread, don't know if it was DVC or on the restaurants board, someone said someone from Disney said that believe it or not, tons of credits never even get used.

We were on the free dining plan in August. We cancelled our SSR reservation to be at CSR instead. We left one Table Service meal (I took my DD who was acting up back to the room rather go to lunch with a brat) and many, many snacks on the card.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm taking my 12 year old niece next June, a junior price would be great, she eats like a bird. I didn't think I would be interested in the dining plan but those character meals are expensive and it might be worth it for that trip. I am surprised DVC pulled it off at the same price. Last year the AP discount and now this. Hats off to Jim Lewis!

p.s. I hope the sofa beds don't go the same way as the coffee table for studios that was announced in last years meeting.

 

[DebbieB]

I was reading on the other dining plan and they offered a "Junior" for kids 10-17. Are they offering that too? That would be a HUGE help for us with three kids in that age range!! I don't think my girls could eat adult portions by themselves!! Thanks!! Kim

I'm trying to find where that is. Are you sure it's not the total package price that is charged for juniors? They don't pay for part of the room but they pay adult price for the dining plan & tickets, that's why they have a different price.

 

[ceejay13]

cherylp3-Thanks for the information. I've been waiting for this and it is good news!

 

[yitbos96bb]

Interesting, I too am shocked they are offering the diing plan at the same price. But even so, I doubt we'd use it. It seems for us, staying 9 or 10 nights per visit, and being adults, that the DDE is still the best for our situation. I added up all our restaurant bills, including tip, from our last visit and "the plan" was about a "break-even" point, even paying cash for CA grill, which is two dining credits.

I am curious for the justification of this Chuck... mainly because I am looking at doing the same thing. On a per person basis, the Dining plan seems like the MUCH better deal than the DDE.

Lets use Le Cellier as an example.
With Dining Plan we get the following included:

Appetizer: $3.95 to $8.95
Entree: $15.95 to $24.95
Dessert: $2.99
Drink: $2.50 (this is an estimate)

Total is: $25.39 plus tax to 39.39 plus tax.
Lets estimate tax at 7%, so the totals are $27.17 to $42.15. Also remember that the tip is included so that is another 15% of value.

Now the same meal with the DDE discount and a 15% tip is $24.99 to $36.24.

With counter service, using the Tusker House as an example:

With the Dining Plan, you get:

Entree - $6.99 to 7.99
Dessert - $2.99 to 3.79
Drink - $2.39

So $12.37 to $14.17 or $13.24 to $15.16

With the 20% Discount
With taxes $9.90 to $11.34 or $10.59 to $12.13

So the totals per person with the DDE based on these menus (a good average):

Low End to High End
Snack about $2.50
$10.59 to 12.13
$24.99 to 36.24

38.08 to 50.87 versus 37.99

on top of that add $50 for the cost of the DDE.

So if you eat the exact same as what you are given with the meal plan, you are only going to break even IF you go as cheap as possible at every restraurant.

I guess the cheaper the meal, the better the DDE is, but if you did the higher end meal, that almost pays for the whole Dining plan... and you still get a counter service meal and a snack. Obviously if you are doing nothing but table service, DDE is better, since the DP only covers 1 table service meal. But if you do 1 counter and 1 table, I can't see coming ahead with DDE, unless you are ordering the cheapest thing on the menu, and even then it seems a wash.

SO I just ask for justification to your statement... My math says the best value is the meal plan (unless you eat all table service meals in which case all bets are off) given that you get more food for a cheaper cost.

Please for all you DDE fans, I would like to hear why you choose DDE over the dining plan. Did you not know tips are included? Do you always do table service meals? Please let me know.

 

[yitbos96bb]

and I can see how -- we have a quick bite to eat in our DVC accomodation and always snacks/drinks and have one main sit down. I am so full after that one main meal---I do not see how some ppl can eat 1 snack, 1 CS, and 1 sit down every day!!

I still like the DDE card --

Apparently you are not as POOH like as some of us are ;-) We bought DVC in June while on vacation. Table service wasn't a problem. We split our counter between breakfast and lunch. The snacks we didn't use as much, but cashed them all out for treats for the plane - the All Star dining place took the snack credits.

Look at my above post. The more you eat, the better the DP is over DDE. The less you eat, or if you like multiple table meals, then DDE is better. For us, the DP is much better as I showed in the math. But Chuck is right, best to add it up. If you plan on eating one CS and one TS per day, then go Dining Plan, especially if you are a foodie.

 

[JABEAR]

yitbos96bb, I agree with everything that you have mentioned. I too believe the Dining Plan is a better value for us. I emphasize, it is a better value for US. That doesn't mean that it is a better value for everyone. But, I don't see how more people don't agree with what you have said. With DDE, your choices are more limited, but I am guessing that some DVC owners take advantage of their kitchens or kitchenettes more than others. We prefer to eat out and don't mind making time for the Table service meals. However, if you are using DDE, you are also saying that you will be eating at Table Service locations quite often since that is the main thing that it covers. So I don't get that. Does everyone realize everything that comes with the meal plan? We used it last summer and loved the convenience and savings. We recently bought into DVC and were upset that the Dining Plan wasn't offered to members. We have never used DDE so maybe I am missing something. You pay $50 for it and you get 20% off selected Table Service and some resort food courts? I don't think tips are included or are they? I know some will say that they don't eat that much food. If your bill is on the low side it will take some time to make up the $50 you paid for the card. If you were able to get more for the same price why wouldn't you take it? Did I mention that the Dining Plan price includes TAX and TIP? What am I missing?????

 

[JodyTG]

This is such great news! Thank you for sharing. We don't use the DDE since we like one counter service meal a day and this meal plan will, if not save us money, at least allow us to break even without worrying about our DD ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. (Yes, she does this. ) We will definitely be using this.

 

[cgcruz]

hmmm... I wonder if this option will be available to those who rent points from DVC members. That would be great! Too bad it wont be available in March! Argh!

 

[JodyTG]

One question about the DVC meal plan: Is tax included in the $37.99 & 10.99 price?

 

[senecabeach]

Can anyone share if the "Magic Your Way" dining is any better deal than the "Disney Dining Experience"??

Pros...cons...

Is the difference that MYW includes counter services too??

 

[dianeschlicht]

We never do counter service, and rarely do snacks except for the occational Mickey bar, so I think the DDE is still the better deal for us. I will be looking into it though for December 2006. Our other two '06 trips are before April.

 

[zulaya]

I'm looking forward to more info on this.

I SO wish that DVC would send out an e-mail with a minutes/summary of the meeting for those of us who can't make it.

And I don't mean the Vacation Magic that comes out months after the fact with the "new" news.

I too am wondering if a Junior pricing will be in effect. My "babies" will both be 10 on our next trip. Even in a growth spurt, I'd be hard pressed to feed them with an adult portion.

But given their ages, the Dining Plan is looking more and more "good" for us versus DDE. And I LOVE DDE.

 

[SnowWitch]

I am so excited I can't stand it. We don't generally eat that much food but we do tend to do 1 CS and 1 TS per day. And our boys are or will be 16 and 13 on our next trip and they spend time at the water parks so on some days they can have my and DH's CS credits and we will skip over to the CG and use their TS credits. Couldn't have worked out better for us!!!

 

[keishashadow]

FYI, although you must purchase the plan for the #nights you are booked @ DVC resort, the Dining Plan is good until midnight the day you check out (we were able to stretch 6 days worth of meals out of the 5 we paid for w/o any problem).

As for value - my DH & DS are not advent. eaters, at times they had to request plain vanilla ice cream for dessert & a simple appetizer. I, however, would rather have appet. & desserts for dinner anyday. My DS & I usually divie up our 2 meals and we're both happy.

As for selections/cost -

Based on August menu @ LeCellier you may select from the following:

Appetizers: Canadian Cheese Selecton $12.99; Beef Tenderloin Kabob $10.99

Entrees: 20 oz Grilled Prime Ribeye $36.99 (although this is occasionally not on the menu); Mushroom Filet Mignon $27.99

Desserts: Canadian Club Cake $7.99, Cheesecake $5.99

Child's Menu: 6 oz steak $8.99, Northern Lights Dessert $5.99

Meals @ LeCellier Cost: Adult meal could cost $57.97, add in tax & tip, approx. $72/A &
Child meal could cost $14.98, w/tax & tip, approx. $18...

***Or $159 for our family @ dinner; add at least a $36 value for lunch & $5 for snacks we've eaten $200 in food for less than $87.

I remember that our dinner @ Cindy's in Feb would have cost us $180 (Peter Pan & Capt. Hook running past our window view was priceless

Of course, I'll be the first to agree that it's a lot of food/day...but we're not big on breakfast & usually eat CS @ 11:00 a.m.

DH sez I'm always "scheming", I'd like to think of it as "planning"....what's to prevent me from booking my DVC as 2 sep., consecutive, segments & only purchasing the plan for one of them. I'm a newbie; know you can book day by day; but can this work?
TIA

 

[CNMooner]

I'm not really surprised the price is the same. I think the dining plan itself is a money maker in its own right, even when people try to maximize it's value. The restaurants are packed. People are committed to paying for two meals onsite a day for their entire length of stay. All those folks at table service are probably ordering wine and beer, not included in the plan. Now that the dining plan has been around for almost a year, they must have decided it's a moneymaker. I don't think it is being subsidized and I don't think they are doing it to be nice.

On some other thread, don't know if it was DVC or on the restaurants board, someone said someone from Disney said that believe it or not, tons of credits never even get used.

I'm sure it is a moneymaker for Disney or they wouldn't be offering it! We used the plan on our honeymoon in October, and saved about $100 on the plan, but I'd say that Disney came out AHEAD of us if I took into consideration the fact that by our 8th day, I was actually SICK of food and STILL ordering an appetizer, entree and dessert! We ordered a ton of food, just to sample, and of course lots of wine and drinks. So Disney soaked us pretty good.

One of the main reasons we decided to purchase DVC was so we wouldn't have to eat like that, in restaurants, at every meal the next time we went down to Disney. I love the idea of having a real kitchen to make a piece of toast in the morning, or a normal sandwhich in the afternoon, or even grill at night! I love eating out, but every night ruined the enjoyement of the wonderful restaurants. From now on, we'll probably have one or two special meals and the rest will be some counter service (which is excellent most of the time) or eating in our villa.