Rumored DDP Changes - Would they impact your use?

[Inkmahm]

I also think that TS locations will see a drop in reservations, as most are full because of the dining plan.

Yay!

I would love for that to be the case!

 

[Inkmahm]

I wish that DVC members could purchase the DDE card without having to have an AP! That would be the best plan for DH and I. A fellow Dis'er and DVC member pointed that out to us this past May, on our trip.

It's one of the reasons that I have an AP. DH has 10 day parkhopper never expire tickets. We needed at least one AP to be able to buy the DDE. As we use it usually for lunch and dinner, it is valuable to us.

 

[ransom]

I just checked the rumored DDP's costs versus DDE, and for us on average we'd save $8 per day using DDE (including the cost of buying the DDE card itself).

Most of that savings comes from not buying desserts at lunch and dinner, but that's no loss since we normally don't have them. Under DDP, since we were paying for them already, we'd get them and have a couple of bites just to see what things we'd never tried before tasted like.

So, the question for us will be whether the convenience of DDP (and occasionally trying desserts we've never had before) is worth an extra $8 per day?

 

[Granny]

I also think that TS locations will see a drop in reservations, as most are full because of the dining plan.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Our trip is booked the same way, spanning 2007 and into 2008. The confirmation that I receveiced was that the dining plan would not change mid-trip. The "old" plan would remain on the reservation since it is a 2007 reservation. Yea!

That is awesome- I hope they don't try to take away my salad come Jan. 1st!

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

Well it seems like a bit more than a rumor now. There are brochures up online on the Dining board.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1537899

 

[CarolAnnC]

Welll, they could have taken away dessert instead of appetizer - might help those with weight issues to get rid of the excess sugar! LOL!

DDE still is the way for us to go here - we like breakfast and an occasional lunch or dinner in our DVC resort room. Gotta put that kitchen to good use!

 

[Chuck S]

While the DDP has never been of value for me...I'm willing to bet that the servers will be allowed to substitute some appetizers for desserts, but there may be a limit as to which locations allow this, and/or which appetizers are allowed.

I'll stick with the DDE, and even if they automatically add a gratuity (as has been rumored), I usually "tipped" the amount of the discount...so it won't make much difference.

 

[JimMIA]

While the DDP has never been of value for me...I'm willing to bet that the servers will be allowed to substitute some appetizers for desserts, but there may be a limit as to which locations allow this, and/or which appetizers are allowed.

I don't think so. I think they really have three aims with the elimination of the appetizer: 1) a very modest cost savings, 2) elimination of an entire course greatly speeds up turnover in the restaurants = more diners per shift = higher profit, and 3) elimination of the appetizer does a lot to stop people sharing to stretch one TS into two and thereby get more meals on DDP than Disney intended. Of those effects, obviously 2 and 3 are the ones with the greatest benefit to Disney.

It would have been a very simple matter for them to say, "Okay, no more appetizer, but you can have a soup or salad." Most DDP people would have been very satisfied with that, except at the Signature Dining venues. But they didn't do that. I think they decided not to because they would still be serving three courses and they want to reduce table time per seating to increase revenue.

[ETA: If they allow either/or an appy or dessert, you will have some people in a party getting appys while others get a dessert. They'll share both, and Disney ends up with the worst of all possible worlds -- sharing to stretch meals and drawn out turnover times.]

 

[JMLBrats]

The tip is HUGE. It amounts to raising the price of the plan by 15-20% depending upon the amount people tip. However, perhaps this will improve what had been perceived by many as declining service. Now the servers will again need to work for their tips. So it might be a benefit overall, whether you're on the plan or not.

The appetizer per person was a lot of food. However, what should have been done here was to change it to either an appetizer or a dessert per person. We thought during our last trip using the dining plan that such a plan would be perfectly sufficient. We would be happy sharing one appetizer and one dessert between two of us. But the current change, with only dessert but not appetizer is not nearly as customer friendly as the choice of either would be. What about diabetics and those who don't care much for sweets? We have one of each in our family, who'd much rather have a salad, soup, etc. before dinner than a big gooey dessert afterwards. Now if it turns out they'll substitute an appy for a sweet, then we may still be interested on that count.

Lowering the cost $1. Well, it's not much, but at least they threw us a bone lol. And that's all it is. A bone.

The net result for our family would be $5 less per day for the plan and at least $20 more per day in tips, so a net increase of $15 per day, minimum. The reduction in amount of food doesn't bother me as much as taking away my choice to get a healthier alternative (ie; salad - on menus where salad counts as a starter, instead of dessert).

I really don't know... I'll have to run some numbers and give it some thought to see if it seems worthwhile or not. My gut reaction though, is that it won't be for us anymore.

The deluxe plan? Holy moly, that would be a ton of food!

I agree, it would be nice to see the OPTION of dessert or App-that does bother me a lot actually. We probably won't do the plan when it gets changed, without the tip it just doesn't seem worth it.

 

[JimMIA]

I agree, it would be nice to see the OPTION of dessert or App-that does bother me a lot actually. We probably won't do the plan when it gets changed, without the tip it just doesn't seem worth it.

I agree too. I could live without the appy, but taking the gratuity out is a huge price increase and our family was right on the borderline anyway.

Everybody's math will vary depending on the composition of their family and their eating habits, but the gratuity sealed it for us. The new DDP costs us more than we will spend without it.

 

[patsal]

I agree too. I could live without the appy, but taking the gratuity out is a huge price increase and our family was right on the borderline anyway.

Everybody's math will vary depending on the composition of their family and their eating habits, but the gratuity sealed it for us. The new DDP costs us more than we will spend without it.

We're in the same place with it--using the plan we about broke even and if it was a bit more spending it didn't matter because it was so close, but with tip OOP and no appetizer the plan costs more than it used to and it loses its convienience appeal. Honestly, can't even imagine those folks that get the premium plan being asked for tips on top of that price! Anyway we enjoyed it while it lasted and look forward to great off site dining and expanding our touring of other Florida attractions.

 

[brianm27]

If it was just the appetizer I might still think the plan was worth it (although I wish it was a choice of desert OR appetizer). The deal breaker for me is the tip. I feel like it is making me pay for my meal twice. I would have rather lost the appetizer and had a price increase if the tip was included.

As far as the deluxe plan goes - 3 TS/CS meals a day = way too much food.

 

[CarolA]

Am I the only one thinking the Delxue plan is a CASH COW for Disney LOL!

There are very few people who can keep that level of eating up for more then a few days. I bet that if folks get this a week's vacation they wind up with LOTS of leftover credits. Disney got your cash and you never got food... a win/win for Disney!

 

[sajetto]

With the change of the dining plan we're done with it. We now plan on purchasing grocery items for lunch and dinner since we stay in a 1 bedroom each time and will save all of our dining out for table services in the parks and use the DDE.

 

[kritter]

I have never gotten the DDE card. But think for our April trip that is going to be the way to go. I will plan accordinly and get some groceries delivered and then go that route. THe tip being taken out was the deal breaker for us.......