Has anyone else read this?/DDP Changes [Merged Threads]

[Ms.Disney]

I think that the DP would still be worth it....but I was thinking the same thing as another poster, the poor staff maight be making even less because some people dont go by 15 18 or 20 % they only tip one flat price no matter what the bill is. I have seen it. I have even seen people post here that say they tip 1.50 per person at the table! (sorry I guess this turned into a mini rant )

[BrerStitch]

Well, just like the rest of the people, I have seen the rumored changes to the DDP. I wondered myself why the $1 decrease, seemed a bit odd in light of the fact that I was expecting an increase due to gas prices, travel costs, etc.

Anyway, if you stop to think about it, and maybe this is just my family, the amount of food that you get with the DDP is outrageous. I mean truthfully, think about it, how many of us actually would order all that anyway. I don't think the appetizer thing is such a big deal, you want one, order it.

It was convenient to have the tip included, but as long as you can charge the tip through the room key or regular credit card, who cares?

As for the rumored premium dining plan, WOW! Umm...I don't know about anyone else, but I don't need that much food! The refillable mug would be nice. I guess you could get the premium plan if you plan on eating at a bunch of signature places.

I think we would take a serious look at the cost of the plan and where we wanted to eat, but I think it will still be cost effective next year for us. As for the person posting about DME, perhaps they meant DDE, the Disney Dining Experience, just a thought!

Either way, some people were unhappy with the way it was, some people are unhappy with the way it might become. 'Can't please everyone all the time!

[DizneyRox]

It was convenient to have the tip included, but as long as you can charge the tip through the room key or regular credit card, who cares?

Well, I think the DDP has always been about value. While I have never seen the "value" in the plan, others were very happy with it.

The difference would be:

Before, for $38.99 you got a snack, CS and dinner for $38.99. And just estimating, you could get a snack ($4) a counter service ($10) and with the remaining $25 you got a full table service meal with the tip, etc.

Now, you get a $4 snack, still about $10 for the counter service, and for $24 you get a entre and dessert and have to pay a tip to the server. That tip is NOT based on your $24 allowance, it's based on the entire bill, so if you get a $24 meal, you're looking at an additional $3.50 for tip OOP. Say you manage a $60 meal, you should leave $9 for the tip.

This in effect makes the DDP cost $41.50 a day possibly, maybe $47, maybe less, maybe more.

I can't reember the last time I spent $41 a day (average) over the course of a vacation. Certainly not $70 plus tip a day.

In general I'd consider a dessert as a freebe. Whenever there's a problem, I'm always comped the dessert, nothing else is usually offered, but they are quick to offer that. To me, that implies it's the most worthless portion of the meal.

I see no value in the plan anymore, other than overpaying for prepaying for your meals.

[LauraF]

3) A new Magic Your Way Plus DELUXE Dining Plan will debut in 2008. This plan will include, per person, per day: three meals, your choice of table service or counter service (appetizer included in the dinner); two snacks; and a resort refillable mug. Signature restaurants will still count as two table service meals. Price, including tax, but NOT gratuity, will be $69.99 for ages 10 and older and $19.99 for ages 3-9.

Wait a second . . .

If this ends up being the way it goes, then it would cost me much more on the new plan. It would cost me much less to pay cash at all three meals, even TS meals. And I *do* eat appetizer, entree and dessert at all my meals, so I would order one anyway, plan or not.

Example:
On my upcoming vacation, for giggles, I figured the cost of our meals for two people - CS or snack breakfasts, TS dinners, TS or CS lunches and snacks for a 6 night trip for two adults - $781, including gratuity, at a cost of $467.88. ($38.99 (2pp) x6) That's a 40% savings. Good deal!

On the new plan, $139.98 (2 pp) x 6 = $839.98. This doesn't work out to any savings. That's all I need to know.

EDIT - the above poster beat me to the calulations on the cheaper DDP sans appetizer (so I've deleted that section in my post), but they're right. You would end up paying more, for less. Let me think for a second . . . NO!

[mulderxcoltrane]

Wait a second . . .

"If this ends up being the way it goes, then it would cost me much more on the new plan. It would cost me much less to pay cash at all three meals, even TS meals. And I *do* eat appetizer, entree and dessert at all my meals, so I would order one anyway, plan or not."

Don't forget - the 69.99 per person is for the deluxe plan - which adds more food (mainly a 2nd TS meal).

[LauraF]

Don't forget - the 69.99 per person is for the deluxe plan - which adds more food (mainly a 2nd TS meal).

Agreed.
I assumed in my total a combination of TS and CS lunches, because I hear many people talk about not wanting a huge lunch. I don't know if I would want that every day either. A $25 CS-sized lunch for 2 is about right.

[IloveDisney71]

they are taking away the appetizer and the tip, and those two things are worth only $1?? I don't know...the reason I was so excited about the DDP was because it was such a great value. The "new" plan doesn't sound like such a great value. It would be cheaper for us to go back to our "old' way of just one or two TS (breakfasts and lunches are cheaper!), and grab counter service the rest of the time. Which means that Disney will be losing a lot of money from this family!

I was thinking the same thing! I'm glad we are going again this December before they "possibly" do away with the current dining plan.

[LibertyTreeGal]

Yikes! Now the DDP costs too much and the Deluxe provides WAY too much food -- (anyone remember the silver plan )

Bye-bye DDP for me if this goes through! I can do without all the extra desserts and appetizers anyway and just have myself a nice entree every couple of days.

[dolphinmickey9170]

I just read the same thing from Deb Wills.

Now I know she's not Intercot, but she's pretty darned good. Reading it from her, I take it that it's a done deal.

I have to agree with you Frank, everything I have ever heard come from her has been right on the head of that nail. Not that I like what I hear, but there is nothing we can do about it.

I guess the 20% discount for the DDE would be the better way to go from now on for us.

[crazykids]

I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I'm really looking forward to the deluxe plan. My family really enjoys good food & we go to at least a few of the signature restaurants on each trip. We never look at the prices when we go out to eat, we just order what we want - this typically gets expensive. One night my husband & I dropped around $250 for dinner at Narcoossees! The $70 per person would be a welcomed change.

[kaylamag]

I myself would like the deluxe plan; however, i don't think i could talk my husband into it! I would do some nice table service breakfasts, cs lunch, and then nice dinners! It's nice that it gives you a choice of cs or ts, but i think the only way it would pay would be to do at least two ts per day.

[SignguyTom]

...


All I know is I am dining at Wolfgang Puck's my first night and they only give there employees $5 "tip" per person on the dining plan. As I know we will spend more than $25 per person, I'll leave extra for my server so they will get 18-20% (it is my understanding if a person gives extra tip on the Dining Plan, the server does get that money).

$5 is 20% of $25.00. Sounds like an OK deal for the server for a $25 meal....

[GoinGoofyPlanninThisTrip]

$5 is 20% of $25.00. Sounds like an OK deal for the server for a $25 meal....

I believe that is what Hammer was trying to say...$5 is good for a $25 tab, but they will be spending more thus he is adding on to that $5.

[CleveSJM]

Not including the tip is stupid IMO. The servers will get even less now I bet, not to mention all the confusion that will happen as people will not realize the tip is not included and still think it is the old way and not have any moey for it. Plus at Disney prices for food people will start leaving less than 18%, and perhaps a lot less if the service isn't outstanding! If this happens I'm thinking the DME will be the way to go instead...

You are exactly right. The servers will get even less now. Especially with all the foreign guests that don't tip at home anyway.

As for the servers not recieving their 18% from the DPP meals, that seems very illegal. My bill says I paid 18% for a tip. If the check says 18% and they are not getting it, then I would talk to HR and Legal pretty quick about how they are accounting for that "income." Does anyone want to hear "financial restatement?"

[princessjojo]

ASSUMING the dining plan changes are true, do I think it's worth the cost, absoutly not with regards to what I could pay out of pocket. I will consider it on way too many levels before I purchase it for our trip in June.

That said, it is hard to put a price on convience and from that perspective I can get closer to justification. With our family, the biggest losers here will be the wait staff. DH is a firm believer in the meaning of TIPS (To Insure Prompt Service) and leaves them accordingly. I can remember a handfull of occasions where the wait staff seldom came by our table, though most of these restaurants weren't Disney-owned at the time (ie Wolfgang's) and deserved minimal at best. I don't carry cash, and if we can't charge it to our room, then we have a problem. I don't want to sit and think about the tip when I'm finishing dinner either.

I don't know next time. I do like having the trip pretty much all inclusive, but this time, I'm not quite sure.

Ya know, when we eat at any of the character meals (CM, LTT, CP) there are no appetizers per say. If I were to do these type of meals, family style & buffets, I still lose the gratuity aspect, but it's a smaller bite off my budget

[starrmomof2]

Another problem with this, unless they change the way you end the bill, several times last year, once we said we were on the dining plan, we didn't get receipt showing the total cost of what we ate; it was a zero receipt with a place to sign. If they do that again, I won't know on what to base the tip. And, like others, if they do this, I hope they provide charging on the room key to clear the tip. I don't want to carry that much cash in the parks for the tip amount needed for TS meals. Saying all that, though, we would probably still buy the plan and enjoy the time we spend doing a TS each day.

[DizneyRox]

... One night my husband & I dropped around $250 for dinner at Narcoossees! The $70 per person would be a welcomed change.

Yes and no.. I see where you're going, and yeah Narcoossees is good way to get value out of the plan, but don't forget.

A. You're not going to eat Narcoossees for every meal during your stay.
B. It's eating up two of your meals per day to eat there.
C. You're paying tip based on the $250 dollar bill, NOT the $70 for the DDP.

Using your math, you're at $90 so far ($70 DDP per day plus the $20 tip on your 1/2) and that doesn't take into account other meals you may have or need that day.

I still don't see any value in the deluxe DDP tier. Unless you're going to be going from restaurant to restaurant all day every day. There will either be lost credits, gained inches, extra OOP, or a combination of the three (most likely).

[luvdiznee]

When I first read about this "rumor" I started thinking how we would have to pay a tip based on food that we hardly ate. Such as the app and desert. And even sometimes the entree, because it was a lot of food for us. Normally when the 3 of us go out to eat, we get maybe one app for all of us and MAYBE a desert for 2 of us and certainly not both app and desert in the same meal. But I would rather pay a tip based on that. Based on what we actually are eating and eating most of it. Not when I order a creme brulee or wings for app and after one bite have had enough. I guess my point is, that if I have to pay at tip aside from the plan it is not worth it. Even if they take the app away and are charged a dollar less but still have to pay a tip I just don't see where it is worth it. On the other hand I have a feeling after this dining exp that I will no longer be intimidated by TS's. That I will still want to do them. Maybe not every night, but every other night. And we will just do it the way we usually do when we go out and be much happier paying a tip based on that.

[angedeaile]

Wow…I feel so many emotions! I was looking forward to trying out the Disney dining plan for the first time! I will be SO disappointed if this all turns out to be true.

I don't mind the removal of the tip, since I am a pretty big tipper. 20% is our norm. Although, I am a bit confused at what you would figure the 20 percent from...would it be what your meal would normally cost or what you are paying by being on the DDP?

I think the biggest disappointment is the removal of the appetizer. That was the seller for me. I love appetizers and desserts. Like a previous poster stated, I chose all my January ADRs based on appetizers, entrée and a dessert.

Now, the DDP isn’t worth it to me and neither are all five of my ADRs. I already figured out which three I might be canceling if this is rumor is confirmed.

As for convenience, in my OP, putting my credit card onto my room key and charging it that way instead of using the ddp is just as convenient.

I really think they are loosing sight of what sells this plan to their guests…the value and ease.

And as for the deluxe dining plan, that is way too much food! Are they trying to slow us down? You would be able to pick out who is on that plan by the folks that are looking abit or those that are waddling down main street!

Yeah. It is decided. If these rumors are true, we aren't adding on the ddp plan to our reservations.

[DizneyRox]

... Although, I am a bit confused at what you would figure the 20 percent from...would it be what your meal would normally cost or what you are paying by being on the DDP? There goes any convenience for me.

Normal meal cost. If the tip was based on the DDP cost, then it would be easy to just add into the plan.