free disney dining plan warning

[Britchick]

Just a warning for those looking to book free DDP for next year. It would appear that some companies that are already offering it Virgin, Complete Orlando have removed the deserts from the plans. Also the refillable cups from the quick service plan.


Apparently before Disney revealed that the appetiser and gratuity was to be removed Virgin did the same.


I'm really really peeved and officially give up!

[Keith]

It's only rumour at the moment. The sources, completeorlando and virgin have also been wrong in the past however the virgin brochure was early on the apertiser and gratuity so it's not a great sign :(

I've said it before but the dining plan needs very careful consideration. Does it allow prepayment of major dining costs? yes. Is it always good value? no.

Even when it's free, given you have to pay full rate for the room, it can turn out to be more expensive than taking the best discount and paying out of pocket.

It's definitely not the total bargain it's sometimes made out to be

[Deafjeff]

this is not for this year? When is it starts?

[Britchick]

Combined with the 42% off OKW with 4 adults to feed it was going to work out well for us. Meals paid for up front, spending money our own. I'm more upset because I've had this planned in my head for a year and had finally made a decision on what to do on Saturday, feel like not booking now! I probably sound like a spoiled brat but I've been waiting a long time for this.


2011 Jeff.

[Johnie]

The dining plan when free is only a good deal when your staying value or moderate. It is never a good deal when your staying deluxe. The rack rates are way too high.

Now, we were able to get the AP rate in May AND get the dining plan. It's my BIL's first time to Disney so it makes sense for us this time.

[Lisa1976]

WHAT??? We've booked with Complete Orlando for February 2011, staying at Port Orleans with the free quick service plan. So does this mean we wont get the refillable mugs then? Thats a bit off to suddenly take it away :(

[Britchick]

Apparently so Lisa, they've changed it on their site in the last few days. Apparently in terms says dining plan subject to changes

[Lisa1976]

Hmm, thats not good. I've just had a look, the free desert and the refillable mug has gone from the quick service plan :(

I know its not supposed to be allowed and is frowned upon, but I will be using last years mug im affraid. They take so much money off us anyway when we're there so im sure a few drinks wont kill them and i know we aren't the only ones that do it!!

[Disfan]

surely if they listed something when you bought it they have to supply it even if they do say things change? I mean where could it end otherwise, they could say the dining plan is now a packet of crisps a day or something

[lisaw]

Really sorry to hear that Julie! :thumbsdown:

[uscwest]

We never use the free dining or the paid DDP. But if they have taken away appetizers and now plan on taking away the dessert it doesn't seem as though it is worth paying for it any longer.

[Lisa1976]

I think thats probably what they are aiming for. It will come to a point where they take away so much that people wont book it anymore, thus giving them the excuse to get rid of it.

[ukwdwnut]

I think thats probably what they are aiming for. It will come to a point where they take away so much that people wont book it anymore, thus giving them the excuse to get rid of it.

then maybe it will give some walkin customers a chance to eat at them :)

[Britchick]

then maybe it will give some walkin customers a chance to eat at them :)

nice comment Mick!

[Keith]

I bet you Disney are not looking to can the dining plan. They love knowing that every restaurant they can build will be full, it helps planning how much food to buy and so on :yes:

This is just pushing and pushing to see how much margin they can get. Of course it gets to the point where less people actually buy the scheme but the price is such that fewer people actually lead to more profit. Win!

It HAS forced the dining experience way down at Disney though :(

[Tink]

Here's an odd one.

We were at Kidani Village over the past weekend (with Seth). We did not purchase the DDP, and had no ADRs. We had our food with us.

Herself decided that she wanted to take the boy to Boma on Saturday evening. Around 5:00 pm she went to the concierge and asked for an ADR. The earliest they could give her was 8:50 pm. Remember they cannot book an ADR earlier than two hours out now.

She said no thanks, too late.

We walked over to AKL, went to Boma somewhere around 6:30 maybe? Were given a pager and told it would be a 20-35 minute wait. It ended up being about 15 minutes (we had just ordered our drinks at Victoria!) then we were seated. Jiko appeared no more busy. (We stopped by Sanaa on the way back, same thing empty tables...).

The parks were very busy. There was no lack of people.

The new ADR system is NOT working to keep the restaurants full, and perhaps the word is out - Disney dining has fallen off so much many of those who used to frequent the restaurants have stopped doing so, guests and local alike (I know we have).

Needless to say, it was odd; a walk up with no problems (the first in literally years). :shrug:

[Keith]

Thats very interesting indeed Tink, I didnt know about the two hours out policy but it makes sense.

Interestingly we did a few walk ups in November last year. Not the busiest time in the world but still curious.

I think, especially with the ease of the online ADRs, people are just booking everything they can and then not turning up leaving holes. Of course whether the restaurant then lets walk ups fill the holes is another matter. I know for certain some want all they can get but le cellier for example is particularly bad for saying "nope we're full" even though inside it's half empty.

[Tink]

I think the two hour delay is stupid, quite frankly. The premise is that it takes two hours for a guest to get from point a to point b using Disney transportation.

Yeah, well not when you can walk to the restaurant in under five minutes, or when the restaurant (like Cape May) is within the resort where you are staying.

Another ill thought scheme on the part of Disney research. I really thought they were going to revise that two hour delay silliness, but they haven't. We reaped the benefits of it once before (when we first learned about it).

The drawback is, as you say, some places will allow you in, others won't, regardless of tables, they go by the numbers on the screen. Disconnect of logic.

It all does combine to make for a better dining experience off property.

Even at Boma the service was pretty poor; clearly the server thought the tip was "included." His face was a real picture when we pulled out cash. It was as if he'd never seen it before, and he suddenly (seriously!) got very friendly and started asking if we'd like coffee... blah, blah, blah. I couldn't resist, and smiled and said, "No thank you. That might have been nice over dessert though." He got the message. :) And a 15% tip. :D

[daveann]

we did sifi cafe the other day just walked up andwere seated straight away after being asked if we were on dining plan was the 1st question and like tink said cash seems to speak volumes here now :)

[Deafjeff]

oh dear we using our dining plan for the first time this year, hopefully it will turn out okay. We have done our ADR hopefully it still valid as not told them yet we will be using dining plan

:unsure: