[whitba]

Originally Posted by woohoo

I have an even better suggestion-

you get 25 credits per day per person and you can mix and match them. Pretty simple right?

You think so... I think so... but didn't they have a point system years ago? I thought our 2004 trip was a point system, you could also use the points for recreations (SeaDoos, etc). They changed it to the current one because people complained it was confusing.

[woohoo]

it was a point system but it was confusing because you could use it for certain things and certain meals but not others and they were all odd numbered things- this would all be incriments of 5. Almost like spending money.

[PrincessPooh]

Originally Posted by emamasa

yay - Mickeymotto - food pics! glad you turned this thread back to our hidden agenda! we want more food pics!!!! lol!!

I am really torn about the whole tip part. honestly, there are just some bad servers out there - ddp or not. i work with some who are like that - they just don't care/are clueless. it drives me nuts. I can't let their tables suffer so i take care of them and mine. makes them look worse, but at least the table is happy. a bad server won't always be better just because they have to work more for the tip now. it may be more of a case of wanting to turn the table quicker (ie rushing you) so they get more tips. especially if the bill won't be as large (with no app).

just a thought. sorry, seemed like a bit of a rant - had a bad night as a server tonight!

I really have to agree with this, as a food server, restaurant manager and chef. I've been in all aspects of the restaurant industry for years, and to be honest, a bad server is just a bad server. I'm not sure this will change anything on the matter.

[gingles]

Originally Posted by lovemysons

I wonder if Disney found that service suffered because of the gratuity being included. I think the changes sound great. :)

The changes sound great until you think about the gratuity (18%) for four people at LeCellier or Coral Reef could run $30-40. So you save a dollar a person off the price of the plan ($4) and pay an extra $30-40 for that day's meal.

Somehow I knew the DDP was too good to last. They've been nibbling away at it, cutting restaurants, cutting expensive menu items in some cases, and finally cutting the gratuity.

And $69 per person per day is truly for high-rollers. That's the same old overpriced meal plans WDW used to offer.

[gingles]

Originally Posted by PrincessPooh

I really have to agree with this, as a food server, restaurant manager and chef. I've been in all aspects of the restaurant industry for years, and to be honest, a bad server is just a bad server. I'm not sure this will change anything on the matter.

We've used the meal plan on two trips at about 14 restaurants. We had poor service ONE time at LTT (a family style dinner).

[gingles]

Originally Posted by woohoo

I am absolutely disgusted by this change-
do the math!
18% of the total bill gone (gratuity)
min $4 for appetizer on a $40 per person is 10% also gone

Since when is approximately a 30% increase ever acceptable? You were not saving 30% by being on the plan in the first place!

if the counter service is about $9 and the table service is about $25 and the snack is $4 that adds up to $38. where is there any savings??

Totally agree, I'll risk 1 in 14 bad service for the gratuity savings! Basically the new plan reduces the plan benefit $70-80 per day for a family of four while reducing the price by $4!!!

[emamasa]

Originally Posted by alicefan

I guess it's the opposite? If appetizers cost more then they would make more money off of them if people pay OOP for them....does that make sense? I'm really tired and should be .

see, i was thinking they cut apps out because their profit wasn't as high on them. eh, who knows what they were thinking!!

[woohoo]

what will be interesting is to see how much dining business they ultimately lose- there will be some who do it for the convenience but many who did it to save that will not only say no thanks but will also cut down on sitdowns and snacks and appetizers. For each person that does use the plan will they really want to pay seperate for an appetizer? Or will they be more likely to skip it all together?

[rosebud]

I just want to remind everyone again, that there has been no official announcement and this is all just speculation.

If these do go into effect I don't think that restaurants would lose any buisness. We turn so many people away everyday most are locals or not on the Dining Plan, so there are always people who would like the opportunity to eat there.

[palmickey]

If this does happen I will have to re-think the dining plan. I would have liked better service at a few places we have been but most places has been good. I have always liked that the tip was included so if the service was bad I did not have to leave any additional tip. If the service was great - they would be getting a great tip between the included tip and any additional that we left.

The current plan is a lot of food but we have always enjoyed getting different appetizers and sharing so we could try different things and we never spend all of our snacks and end up buying snacks to bring home.

The $70.00 a day plan would be way to much food BUT at the same time there are days that we would like to be able to eat at more table service and less counter service. But at that $70.00 a day for a week adds up to $490.00 for food ...... thats a lot of money.

Losing the appetizer and the tip is not worth the whole dollar a day we will save.

[emamasa]

Originally Posted by rosebud

I just want to remind everyone again, that there has been no official announcement and this is all just speculation.

If these do go into effect I don't think that restaurants would lose any buisness. We turn so many people away everyday most are locals or not on the Dining Plan, so there are always people who would like the opportunity to eat there.

you are right rosebud - we are getting worked up and don't even know for sure if it's really happening. just hoping it doesn't, lol!

[zefyr]

Personally, I wouldn't mind no appetizers, but I think Disney should included a limited tip...like say 10%...and the guest can decide what else to leave based on service. If you think about the 18% that you'll have to pay, it can turn into alot of money to bring just for tipping if the new plan goes into effect.

I kind of like the idea of the deluxe plan because I've always wanted to go to places like Artist Point but never could justify 2 credits. Also, the deluxe would let me try to some of the character breakfasts in the morning and have a late dinner.

For me the DDP is a real convenience not to have to carry alot of $$ for food.

[Dopey]

Originally Posted by gingles

The changes sound great until you think about the gratuity (18%) for four people at LeCellier or Coral Reef could run $30-40. So you save a dollar a person off the price of the plan ($4) and pay an extra $30-40 for that day's meal.

Somehow I knew the DDP was too good to last. They've been nibbling away at it, cutting restaurants, cutting expensive menu items in some cases, and finally cutting the gratuity.

And $69 per person per day is truly for high-rollers. That's the same old overpriced meal plans WDW used to offer.

Sounds to me like many here are looking for something for nothing. The meal plan at $ 70.00 per person is still a good deal. It is what it would cost me (less actually still) if I'd pay out of pocket. I have absolutely no complaints if they implement those changes.
Like rosebud said, it isn't a reality yet. Let's not get so overheated. If some of the folks, that had the fortune to be on the dining plan before, hadn't taken advantage of one thing or another, they wouldn't have to make those changes, I am sure

[mickeymotto]

Just read this on the PassPorter newsletter:

Disney Dining Plan Re-design for 2008. It seems new information/rumors on this topic emerge every few days, and we expect the 2008 offering to be announced officially by Disney in the next couple of weeks. The very popular Disney Dining Plan at Walt Disney World seems too good to be true, so whenever rumors emerge, they almost always report doom -- higher prices, fewer restaurants, and less-attractive features. So far, the doom scenarios have not come to pass. It does seem highly likely that the 2008 plan will no longer include 18% gratuities in the price -- that's a change that was made to the new trade union contract, so there's little reason to believe it won't happen. After that ... evidence was found at Disney's UK site that the plan would eliminate the gratuity and table-service appetizer, and that the price per person/per day would be reduced by about $11 as a result. Seems like a fair deal. Subsequently, the UK site was re-programmed so information about the 2008 plan would no longer be divulged. Then, AllEarsNet reported a rumor with nearly the same information, with the key difference that the price would only be reduced by about a dollar. AllEarsNet also reported the possible availability of an additional, deluxe dining plan. AllEarsNet often gets good information, but this one smells like a "trial balloon" to me. Personally, I think Disney's aim will be to maintain current levels of popularity, or even increase it. I'm not sure a big price hike (by charging the same for less) will accomplish that. Rumor Status: Here's a pager. Your table will be ready in two to three weeks

I guess we all just have to wait and see......

[jaljayjar]

Not really a deal when the meals are so inflated anyway...we ate the cheapest meals on the menu's because we just don't order some of the exotic fare that was offered and those were even twice what they would be going any place outside of WDW. They make their money...don't be fooled. Even with the old plan...they were making a mad money off of guests.
With the deluxe plan...it IS a salty price....for me, DH, and my 3 kids it would be $1250 for a 5 night week I can do better budgeting than that!