Dining plan cost OUTRAGEOUS for 2012

[chmurf]

I had DDP twice before, but at that time I did not have a child to feed.
If there are many reasons why I chose OOP this year, the killer reason, for me, was the very poor offerings for kids.
I thoroughly went through the menus avalaible here on DIS and on other sites, and it really was sad.
Very few restaurants offer decent food variety for the younger ones.

With an open mind, I decided to check if it was just an impression, or if there was any reality behind that.

So I focused on MK, which will obviously be the main focus of my 4yr old (he went 25 times to DLRP in 2011, I guess by now I know what he'll go for )

So in the 3 restaurants listed in the 2012 DDP pamphlet, we have a vast variety of ... hamburger, chicken nuggets or sticks, mac&cheese, raviolu and pizza ...
Only Tony's townsquare offers grilled fish of the day. But basically all the food avalaible to kids are food I would only give my kid when I'm in a hurry and have no time to cook.
And since kids are supposed to choose from the kids menu, there is definitely no way I would put my kid on the DDP. As said earlier I would rather take him to quick service, since the food will basically be the same (sandwiches, burgers, pizzas)
And as far as mac&cheese go, my kid is old enough to know that when he gets them, it's because dad was too bored or tired to be more imaginative.
(yup I'm a "Desperate HouseHusband" )

So maybe I'm missing something here, since I have read that kids did actually get tastier sounding food. But isn't the choice of restaurants really small if you're looking for something that's worth the money ?

I don't think the general public will care that much for the menus. If DDP takes the restaurant thing off their minds, what is the chance that they take the lack of choice for kids into consideration ?
Of course I'm not talking about YOU, DISer, because your mere presence here means that you plan enough to scrutinize every menu and get the best of your dining experience. I'm talking about people in general. WE are NOT the general public. We are exceptions, because the vast majority of guests do not come on forums like this one. The vast majority of guests do little planning as compared to us. Just because we are involved enough to come in places like here means that we are specific cases. So your mileage may vary. But we surely don't reflect the general public and experience. Just look at forums and how puzzled we get by hearing "general public" experiences, sometimes it sounds out of this world.

And if people really pay attention that their kid do not only eat mac&cheese day in and day out, this means that restaurants without a kid menu, or with a wider choice of food, do get larger crowds or ADR requests. And this explains why, in such restaurants, I felt rushed.
And then it's really a first come first served basis, since ADRs are opened 180 days in advance, those who wait for deals might end up having no choice but to get to restaurants with a narrower choice a food offerings.

so not only is the cost outrageous (especially for the kid's DDP) but the relative savings will also depend on your luck, or the ability to place ADRs well in advance.

So obviously DDP will not yield the same savings and/or satisfaction depending on guests.

But overall, as said on another thread, DDP would be acceptable (for me) if it was possible to book on a number of credits basis.
Right now you can only book on a length of stay basis.
Seaworld offers a "all day dining" package (for under $30) which entitles you basically to an unlimited number of visits to any restaurant on a given day

DDP would become acceptable (as far as I'm concerned) if it was possible to book a smaller number of meal credits. For example for a 14 nights stay, DDP would allow to book a minimum of 7 days' worth of credits, and up to 14
This would provide for the flexibility I require. Aside from feeding kids stuff that really have a taste and texture ... mac&cheese ... yuk ...

 

[bledsoedoc]

We do alot of buffets to avoid the kids menu which is not the best and after 14 days is quite boring. But with the right waitress, you are able to get substitutions. I find it funny that everyone states you save with the kids menu. We always have felt that we lost money because we do get adult entrees for him...I also don't know how people are able to get the dp for a partial number of days and stretch them out for the entire trip. We have always been made to buy for each member of the party for each night of our stay. And they disappear at midnight of the last night of the reservation.
Except for last October we have always used the deluxe ddp. It was nice to have the freedom of choice. Sometimes dh and DS did a quick serve and hopped in line for a ride while I, with my severe food allergies, did a sit down meal because they are so much safer. I also on the last day use left over snacks and buy rice krispy treats to take back to my kid's school.

 

[pilferk]

So maybe I'm missing something here, since I have read that kids did actually get tastier sounding food. But isn't the choice of restaurants really small if you're looking for something that's worth the money ?

In the MK, there are only 4 TS restaurants, right now. It's the park that we have the hardest time in, too. We RARELY eat our TS in the MK (we go to a near by resort, if we're in the MK in the evening). That being said:

Crystal Palace is a Buffet, and the kids pretty much eat everything the adults do. Lots of variety.

Tony's offers the standard WDW Kids menu, + Grilled Fish, Spaghetti and Meatballs (it IS an Italian place), Pasta Primavera, or Ravioli.

Liberty Tree Tavern, for dinner, offers the same food the adults get (it's served family style). The lunch menu is, admittedly, pretty thin.

Cinderella's Royal Table (2 credits) offers some variety (Sheppards pie, Chicken strips..and they are way different than the nuggets, and baked pasta) at lunch...and, at dinner, the kids pretty much order off the adult menu.

IMHO, that's better than the burgers, nuggets, mac and cheese (and over abundance of fries) the CS places in MK offer our kids. If it weren't for Cosmic Rays and Columbia Harbor House, I'm not sure we'd get a CS meal in MK, either.

 

[TDC Nala]

In the MK, there are only 4 TS restaurants,

There's actually five (CP, Tony's, LTT, CRT and the Plaza).

There will be six (at least for dinner) with the opening of Be Our Guest.

Until this year there were no TS restaurants on the dining plan that do not have a kids menu (Bistro de Paris joined up this year, and we don't have any info yet on what they now do for a kids menu). There are several CS that do not have one, but all the TS have one.

I also don't know how people are able to get the dp for a partial number of days and stretch them out for the entire trip. We have always been made to buy for each member of the party for each night of our stay.

DVC allowed members to "segment" their reservations for the purpose of getting different dining plans or partial dining plans while staying in the same room for a short time last year. It's been discontinued.

If the thread stays on topic without attacks I'm going to leave it open.

 

[cmurray234]

Don't some people also split their stay between two resorts so they can purchase the DDP for only part of their trip?

 

[TDC Nala]

Don't some people also split their stay between two resorts so they can purchase the DDP for only part of their trip?

That can be done, but it requires two separate reservations. DVC and annual passholders can do it easily. For packages, the DDP reservation would probably need to be the first reservation because of the ticket purchase requirement - to have DDP on the second reservation would mean having to purchase tickets twice. And even then you can't stretch the credits out for the entire trip, because they would expire at midnight after checkout from the first stay.

Some DVC members, when segmenting was allowed, were booking a dining plan every other day of their stay. (I am pretty sure that's one of the reasons it was discontinued)

 

[lugnut33]

There's actually five (CP, Tony's, LTT, CRT and the Plaza).

There will be six (at least for dinner) with the opening of Be Our Guest.

Until this year there were no TS restaurants on the dining plan that do not have a kids menu (Bistro de Paris joined up this year, and we don't have any info yet on what they now do for a kids menu). There are several CS that do not have one, but all the TS have one.



DVC allowed members to "segment" their reservations for the purpose of getting different dining plans or partial dining plans while staying in the same room for a short time last year. It's been discontinued.

If the thread stays on topic without attacks I'm going to leave it open.

That segmenting led to a bunch of headaches for guests and cast members. Don't think they'll try that anytime soon again.

 

[Colleen27]

So I focused on MK, which will obviously be the main focus of my 4yr old (he went 25 times to DLRP in 2011, I guess by now I know what he'll go for )

So in the 3 restaurants listed in the 2012 DDP pamphlet, we have a vast variety of ... hamburger, chicken nuggets or sticks, mac&cheese, raviolu and pizza ...
Only Tony's townsquare offers grilled fish of the day. But basically all the food avalaible to kids are food I would only give my kid when I'm in a hurry and have no time to cook.
And since kids are supposed to choose from the kids menu, there is definitely no way I would put my kid on the DDP. As said earlier I would rather take him to quick service, since the food will basically be the same (sandwiches, burgers, pizzas)
And as far as mac&cheese go, my kid is old enough to know that when he gets them, it's because dad was too bored or tired to be more imaginative.
(yup I'm a "Desperate HouseHusband" )

So maybe I'm missing something here, since I have read that kids did actually get tastier sounding food. But isn't the choice of restaurants really small if you're looking for something that's worth the money ?

Looking at only the in-park restaurants gets you basically the bottom of the barrel except at Epcot - those are restaurants that will remain full or nearly so based on location and therefore don't tend to put as much effort into menus as the resort restaurants in my opinion. I don't remember the last time we had dinner in the Magic Kingdom; we'll hop a boat or monorail over to one of the much better choices at any of the resorts around Seven Seas Lagoon, where there are somewhat better kids' options and the adult portions are plenty for sharing if an older child isn't happy with the kids' selection or portions. Our experience has been somewhat different from the basic plan because we've traditionally done signature dining on our MK nights, but even for this trip we've got Kona (where the grilled fish on the kids' menu is actually pretty good) and Ohana where there's no distinction between child & adult.

My only child-aged child doesn't like kid food and we frequently travel with my mother who hates buffets, yet we still find good kids choices for DD on the dining plan. But it does take more planning than the average first-timer probably does.

 

[pilferk]

There's actually five (CP, Tony's, LTT, CRT and the Plaza).

There will be six (at least for dinner) with the opening of Be Our Guest.

I don't know why...but I ALWAYS forget about the Plaza.

Until this year there were no TS restaurants on the dining plan that do not have a kids menu (Bistro de Paris joined up this year, and we don't have any info yet on what they now do for a kids menu). There are several CS that do not have one, but all the TS have one.

The "menu places" all do...I agree.

The buffets, family style places (Ohana, LTT at dinner), etc.....while there are kid offerings (which, in some of the family style places, you have to ask for), there's really no kids "menu", per se. The kids can eat whatever they want.

I know you know that...but wanted to clarify for those that might not.

 

[pilferk]

Don't some people also split their stay between two resorts so they can purchase the DDP for only part of their trip?

Yup, and DVC members can STILL do that (even if they're staying at the same resort...but definitely if they're switching).

The difference is: They don't link the ressies, any more. You have to check out, and check back in, for each swap. Some folks have said they've been able to keep the same room...but I've seen a couple people mention they've had to switch, too. It wouldn't be worth it to do what they HAD been doing (booking the dining plan every other day for a trip). It still might work if you were taking a longer trip and, say, wanted to split it into two 5 day ressies (one with DDP, one without). You'd just have to check out, check back in, and possibly change rooms.

 

[pilferk]

That can be done, but it requires two separate reservations. DVC and annual passholders can do it easily. For packages, the DDP reservation would probably need to be the first reservation because of the ticket purchase requirement - to have DDP on the second reservation would mean having to purchase tickets twice. And even then you can't stretch the credits out for the entire trip, because they would expire at midnight after checkout from the first stay.

Just to add: DVC members do NOT need to buy tickets to book the DDP.

Some DVC members, when segmenting was allowed, were booking a dining plan every other day of their stay. (I am pretty sure that's one of the reasons it was discontinued)

Probably. And you can still SORT of do it....but it's such a hassle, it's not worth it. You'd have to check out, and check back in, every day...and you'd probably end up having to switch rooms, too. That's a lot of hassle for what you'd get.

 

[dawnedwards]

Maybe I am in the minority, but we love the deluxe dining plan for the convenience. We typically upgrade when ddp is offered free so we are still getting it at a deal.

We factor it in as part of the total cost of trip and then only have to worry about tips, everything else is paid.

We do a sit down character breakfast every morning before the parks open, mostly counter service lunches with a couple table service ie. when we are touring the world show case.

Dinner we mix our traditional favorites with a few signature restaurants. Could we do our dining cheaper - probably, but for us it is part of the experience.