Why so much dislike for free dining?

[TheVBs]

I don't like the dining plan because we're DVC members and can't take advantage of free dining. We do like to eat at the restaurants in WDW, though, and find it extremely difficult to get ADRs at our favorite places because of all the people filling up spaces because they have the free dining plan. I think free dining was introduced to make the restaurants busier - but honestly, if they'd lower the prices a tad and offer better quality meals across the board, people would be more interested in dining in the parks.

If I were DVC I would be frustrated too. Although, really, I guess it's equivalent to having the room discount instead of the free dining. I can't, as non-DVC, book both the room discount offer and the free dining plan. So in that sense it's fair.

I do think it would be nice if the restaurants held a certain number of tables for walk ups. I think they'd be guaranteed to fill them. That would allow at least some people to be spontaneous, depending on how many walk up tables are held and how quickly they fill.

I also think with the free DDP offerings being tiered to the resorts, it will free up a lot of reservations that guests at the value resorts would have booked. I know we'll be happy to get the QSDP because we really only want a few TS on each trip. So, it will be interesting to see if booking ADRs are easier this time next year!

[Joannelet]

I think that DVC members who pay for the DDP should be getting priority seatings at WDW restaurants before the people on the free DDP. We struggle just like the rest of you do and we pay for everything out of pocket during these promotional times.

[klb]

I don't dislike the dining plan. It just isn't the best option for our family. Everyone staying in the room has to be on the same plan. Since my son is on a prescription diet, this promotion doesn't make much sense for us. We would rather take advantage of a room only discount.

[disneymom2000]

I am one of those who think the "free" dining plan has had a negative effect on the dining program and the business at Disney altogether. People are on the boards all the time whining about how they just missed it or if they should book at a certain time because of historical free dining opportunities. If you are going to Disney - go for the fun of Disney. Chances are if you wait to book to see if free dining is available at that time, you won't get a chance to book that restaurant you really want because they are already booked up. And the 180+10 ADR planning is just too ridiculous for words. Do you plan your meals at home that far in advance? I mean even Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at home get normal planning time of around a month maybe - but not Disney. So my opinion is that is has ruined the dining pleasure and spontaneity of Disney.

[DisneyFr33k]

We LOVE the dining plan and have paid for it for some trips, but last year and this year it is free - even better!!!

The big draw is not worrying with paying out of pocket. My hubbie is a huge penney pincher and would not eat at all with the sticker shock! So I pay in advance (if not free dining like this year and last), and he just eats all he can!

[MomTo3Tiggers]

This is the first year we're considering free dining, so it's interesting to read the comments. Three of the five of my family have food issues (allergies, celiac and allergies), and I've always found it easier to get a Ft. Wilderness cabin so I can do some cooking - besides they fit five! The money never worked out for the food plan.

However, the kids really love eating at the restaurants, Disney is one of the few places we do it and all 5 of us now are charged adult prices. I'm thinking about the plan because TS is much easier with our food issues than counter service. I can't imagine paying for all of us to eat TS most nights.

Having gone to Disney off and one for about 20 years, I really do miss the days when you could walk into Epcot and make your reservations that morning at a kiosk. DDP definitely is a huge pain for planning. That I really dislike, but this time I think it might work out for us.

[azcavalier]

We, for the most part, do really like the DDP, and have taken advantage of the free DDP for the last three years. But, my wife is a planner, and she loves to book our DDPs 180 days out, and figure out which parks we're going to be at, which ones have EMH, etc. And then we tell our kids the plan, and we all obsess over it for six months until the trip comes.

Spontaneity is great, but we're still going to hit each park multiple times, so who cares if its planned or not? It's just as fun to say, "We're going to Epcot the first day, MK the second, AK the third,..." as it is to wake up and say, "Hey, let's do MK today!" Of course, with the Park Hopper, you can still be spontaneous. We usually know where we're going to be for dinner, but for the mornings, we can go wherever we want. So we have ressies, but are still somewhat flexible.

[Melanie]

Having gone to Disney off and one for about 20 years, I really do miss the days when you could walk into Epcot and make your reservations that morning at a kiosk.

You've just brought back an old memory of doing just this. It was in the exit area of Spaceship Earth, right?

[faline]

You've just brought back an old memory of doing just this. It was in the exit area of Spaceship Earth, right?

Yes, it was in that area. It was located just to the left of the Guest Relations building. It was our first stop every time we entered Epcot!

[Dsnygirl]

But, my wife is a planner, and she loves to book our DDPs 180 days out, and figure out which parks we're going to be at, which ones have EMH, etc. And then we tell our kids the plan, and we all obsess over it for six months until the trip comes.

Spontaneity is great, but we're still going to hit each park multiple times, so who cares if its planned or not? It's just as fun to say, "We're going to Epcot the first day, MK the second, AK the third,..." as it is to wake up and say, "Hey, let's do MK today!" Of course, with the Park Hopper, you can still be spontaneous. We usually know where we're going to be for dinner, but for the mornings, we can go wherever we want. So we have ressies, but are still somewhat flexible.

Wow, we're the same exact way, except I'm the planner who then makes everyone obsess about it for 6 months. And like you guys, we then enjoy throwing all our plans out the window for the day if we change our minds and then changing it up, although we usually do keep our ADR's. It's a nice mix of spontanaity AND planning!

[BrerGnat]

Just out of sheer curiosity, what does everyone think would happen if Disney STOPPED taking ADR's. Walk ups only. Everywhere.

Or, same day reservations only?

Personally, I'd love it!

[Melanie]

Personally, I'd love it!

Me too!!

[JPL]

I would be happy if they went back to the 80% ADRs and 20% Walk-ups like it use to be before the current inception of the DDP.

[Dsnygirl]

I would be happy if they went back to the 80% ADRs and 20% Walk-ups like it use to be before the current inception of the DDP.

I agree -- I really like being able to do my ADR's before we leave, I enjoy the anticipation and planning aspect of it. But, if we were to change our minds and want to head somewhere else (after we cxl our ADR, of course... ) or not have ADR's for a particular meal and decide we'd like to pop in somewhere, it'd be nice to know they've set aside some of their tables for just that sort of thing!

[jpH/keD]

I LOVE the dining plan!! In fact, for our next trip I am trying to plan it around the FREE dining time frame! I am with you when you said if they are giving you something free what is NOT to like?? Some folks just dont like following the rules. Maybe they have too many issues. I love the challenge of trying to make the system work best for my family! We do not have unlimited $$ so any perks are well appreciated!! I have heard some grumblings about the crowds and I sooo hear that!!! We went the week of Thanksgiving and it was WAY too crowded! I just wont choose that week again!! Happy DINING PLAN!!!

[MomTo3Tiggers]

Yes, it was in that area. It was located just to the left of the Guest Relations building. It was our first stop every time we entered Epcot!

Ours too. It was a small adventure to find out what was open if you happened to sleep in that morning. It was also just plain kind of fun doing it via the kiosk.

[TheVBs]

Just out of sheer curiosity, what does everyone think would happen if Disney STOPPED taking ADR's. Walk ups only. Everywhere.

Or, same day reservations only?

Personally, I'd love it!

I think walk ups only would work just fine. I would love that too!

With same day reservations only, I imagine the mad rush, day of, that you now see 180 days out. Of course, the ADRs work best for Disney I imagine. People are a lot less likely to pass on a reservation they had to make so far in advance, and in some cases, work hard by continually calling to get.

I would be happy if they went back to the 80% ADRs and 20% Walk-ups like it use to be before the current inception of the DDP.

I think this would be ideal.

[brivers222]

But as DVC members, we do not receive free dining.

Which in turn also makes me angry because I am paying full price for my plan and had a harder time making ADRs.

Did they change that since 06? When we went as DVC member then we could add the Dinning plan up until the day we checked in at the resort... it was slightly lower price too...


PS... I LOVE the dinning plan... but staying offsite, its impossible to get

[MNNHFLTX]

Having gone to Disney off and one for about 20 years, I really do miss the days when you could walk into Epcot and make your reservations that morning at a kiosk.

I loved that system! It seemed so new-age at the time and it was nice to speak "face to face" (via the monitor anyway) with a cast member who was helping you!

I don't hate the DDP, but would never do it again, free or not. It wasn't a value to us. Now, if they allowed you to choose whether you wanted an appetizer or dessert along with your entry, it might be slightly more appealing. We just aren't big dessert-eating people and so would typically decline it after our meal at WDW. After talking to friends and family who have used the dining plan I think that a sizeable number of other people do the same, which increases Disney's profits. Just my opinion, anyway.

And having to make those ADR's just to ensure a table certainly does take away from any spontaneity. I think the idea of going back to a percentage of tables kept open for walk-ups during peak hours is a good one.

[Basket Mommy]

Did they change that since 06? When we went as DVC member then we could add the Dinning plan up until the day we checked in at the resort... it was slightly lower price too...

DVC members do not get the free dining if they use DVC points on the room. We could get free dining if we booked a MYW room/ticket package, but we prefer to use our DVC points (already paid for) and pay for the dining plan. Part of the magic of the parks is eating in the restaurants, and with a family of 6 (3 under 10) it makes more financial sense for us. It's just hard to get the ADRs we really, really want. I haven't eaten @ Le Cellier in 3 years because it's impossible to get in there!