Dining Plan Gripe

[Goes4FastPass]

What would be great is Touch Screens for guests paying by credit card, room charge or DDP.

Touch screens with pictures of what's available. You "touch a hamburger" then it shows beside it a choice of fries or fruit.

All the while showing $ price and DP credit cost.

When the guests confirms, the order is charged. First guest person to person contact is at pick up.

Once this system was developed having a dozen screens side by side would hardly cost more than a couple.

There are sandwich shops that work like this, displaying a picture of your sub as you add ingredients. Disney could do this so much better those places.

WDW is an international destination.
Of course, users first step would be to select a language - touch the symbol for Mandarin and you're ordering your hot dog in Chinese.

The touch screens could present as various DIsney characters. Mickey could take your order... or Cinderella... or Tinkerbell... or Stitch...

I wish I had been an imagineer.

[January-2007]

Touch screens wouldn't work. I work at a place that has self check outs and the people are afraid of them. It's really bizarre. They would rather wait 10 minutes in a line that has a regular cashier than to have to check out with a computer. Plus, you have the problem of kids playing with them. In theory it would be great, fits in with certain theming, like Cosmic Rays in Tomorrowland, this is the way of the future, yada yada yada, but people just aren't ready for this kind of thing. They take long enough while they still have someone to talk to, I can just imagine if they have a question and they're just staring at the screen...

[Goes4FastPass]

Touch screens wouldn't work... They would rather wait 10 minutes in a line that has a regular cashier...

Good points. It would make sense to have a CM walking around helping those who need it and you'd have to keep at least a couple of conventional cash registers for the people you describe as "afraid of them" (self-service). I suspect these are the people who would rather wait in a standby line for 90 minutes than get a FP.

[January-2007]

I suspect these are the people who would rather wait in a standby line for 90 minutes than get a FP.

Yep, pretty much. I don't really get it either.

[PETE FROM NYC]

Dw and I just got back 3/9-18.Travelling with her side of the family,who are all WDW rookies.They had us(read ME)do all the planning ,which parks on which days,making ADRs,etc.
Well THEY screwed everything up.Never showing up for ADRs,changing schedules.DW and I lost several CS and TS credits waiting for them.
My beef too wwas that I could not find anyplace in the Marketplace to take credits.Granted,I did not try too many places due to my limited mobility,but we still wasted our money.

[Katiebell]

Touch screens wouldn't work. I work at a place that has self check outs and the people are afraid of them. It's really bizarre. They would rather wait 10 minutes in a line that has a regular cashier than to have to check out with a computer. Plus, you have the problem of kids playing with them. In theory it would be great, fits in with certain theming, like Cosmic Rays in Tomorrowland, this is the way of the future, yada yada yada, but people just aren't ready for this kind of thing. They take long enough while they still have someone to talk to, I can just imagine if they have a question and they're just staring at the screen...

They work beautifully at Taste Pilot's Grill in DCA. It's our favorite CS in that park. And the touchscreens are intuitive and very easy to understand -- we've never noticed anyone having a problem using them.

I will refrain from commenting on the idea of separate lines for DDP guests, because I don't think my comments would be constructive. I'll just wear a special T-shirt that says, "Warning: I purchased the dining plan" and will try not to stand in your line.

Cash only lines are good -- they work well in grocery stores, and can speed things along if people are in a hurry and have green in their wallets. As bicker pointed out, it wouldn't require any computer changes at POS.

I also like the idea of having a CM or supervisor walk the lines if it's busy to see if there are questions. Also, it would probably be helpful for the CM's at the register be very knowledgeable about the dining plan. Some people have reported that CM's told them they must select a side with a CS meal, even though that's not included. Or that a CM charged snacks to the room instead of using snack credits. And maybe an official looking printed sign at the register explaining that you can't order more adult meals than the number of the adults on your key -- harder to argue with a policy in writing, clearly posted. Bright colored indicators on the menu boards was another great idea I saw on here -- red for entree or combo meal, yellow for beverage, green for dessert -- pick one of each, you are done. Pink for optional snack choices.

[magicofdisney]

I've used the DDP and I don't get why ppl are offended by a DDP only line. Am I missing something?

[bicker]

"If line ups are too long, then management needs to open up more registers or help out by talking to people in line before they reach the register to place their order."

I think the idea of having a CM (or even supervisor) "walk the line" to see if people have any questions or don't understand how to order is a GREAT idea.

Both of these ideas beg the question, "How much more are you willing to pay for your meal?" If the general public is not willing to pay for more better service, they won't offer better service. Companies must understand their customers and do what they want -- not what they SAY they want, but what they ACTUALLY want, as demonstrated by their purchasing behaviors.

[bicker]

I've used the DDP and I don't get why ppl are offended by a DDP only line. Am I missing something?

It smacks of being treated as a second-class citizen. Invariably, that line would move slower (due to the questions and confusion that are the context of this thread). Dining Plan patrons are sold on the plan because they're promised, explicitly, that they'll be treated as well as all other guests.