Dining plan speculation that I have heard for 2008~

[digman6]

First of all the is what has been heard is in the works NOTHING is set in stone.
this maybe old news anyhow!
I was listening to something that a bunch of people from like Unoffical Guide etc etc were discussing on WDW radio. One of them heard from a source who is suppose to be reliable. that in 2008

Dining plan will have a plan for a WINE! Guess its bottle of wine every day of your stay ! ( no price for it yet)

the other part is you get TS BREAKFAST, LUNCH ,DINNER, SNACKs, AND THEN REFILLABLE MUGS FOR YOUR GROUP. ( no price yet ) sounds the same as the one plan but now get mugs with it also.

One of the guys said you need to be Jaba the hut to eat all that!


Also the snack choices are going to limited in a big way- water popcorn and pop not sure what else but it is suppose to be a MUCH SMALLER selection

the wine they wonder how many bottles would fall off of balconies!

All rumor nothing is for sure but they source who told these disney guys feel on a scale of 1-10 it is a 8 for accuracy

 

[wilde_oscar]

I think the rumor mill info, was more along the lines of expanded and more varied plan types. Much like the resorts are Value, Moderate and Deluxe... The DDP plans will fit in much the same categories.

Value: There will be a standard plan, that will no longer include the tip nor appetizers.

Moderate: There will be a plan that included wine with meals.

Deluxe: There will be a plan that is TS for every meal.

Part of the rumor is pretty much confirmed, as British travel agencies that work bookings much further in advance (might have something to do with the distance traveled?) are publishing the 2008 basic DDP plan as no tip and no appetizer.

 

[lilsweetpea]

the other part is you get TS BREAKFAST, LUNCH ,DINNER, SNACKs, AND THEN REFILLABLE MUGS FOR YOUR GROUP. ( no price yet ) sounds the same as the one plan but now get mugs with it also.

One of the guys said you need to be Jaba the hut to eat all that!

I don't think the current plan gets you TS Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The current plan gives you 1 TS, 1 CS, 1 Snack per day.

It'll be interesting to see what comes out for 2008!

 

[HM]

It looks like Virgin Holidays in the UK has some of the scoop.... (they are currently booking packages into Dec 2008).

And they are reporting that the 2008 DDP does not include a starter (appetizer) or the tip.

Saw this on another site....

Get ready for the grumbling to begin.....

 

[want2bamommy]

I don't think the current plan gets you TS Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The current plan gives you 1 TS, 1 CS, 1 Snack per day.

It'll be interesting to see what comes out for 2008!

I think the OP was referring to either the Premium or Platinum package where you do get 3 meals per day.

I am very curious to see when Disney will release the info for 2008!!

Missie

 

[Tink3Belle]

Grumble, grumble!

 

[hoffman1]

Why would they go back to having the limited snack options?
They started with limited snack options and expanded from that.

 

[ptrbryant]

You know, I have to believe the Unofficial Guide has some inside information and they said they thought it was a 7 or 8 out of 10 that the info is accurate as is.

We did the DP for the first time last year, but had already decided not to do it next time. Prior to last year, we usually would have our TS at lunch, so would go back to the resort and relax and have a casual CS dinner. Of course, there seemed to minimal financial value to this using the DP, so used CS credits for lunch and TS credits for dinner. We felt like we had no "down time" because by the time we'd get back to the resort, we realized we'd have about 40 minutes before we'd have get ready and leave to get to our restaurant for dinner on time. We could have made later reservations (most were for 6 pm), but didn't want to be beginning eating at 7:30 pm. or something. Also, because the way our family eats, our dining expenses were actually lower not using the DP.

If they eliminate the tip, that would really make it of no financial benefit for us. I think it's fair to say it's unlikely Disney will lower the cost of the plan, just eliminate the appetizer and tip from the existing plan.

Karla B.

 

[Lewisc]

I guess too many guests were using "snack" credits for meals. Allowing a quart or even a half gallon of milk is some snack. So is a box of donuts. Sounds like Disney is considering going back to the original snack lists. No good deed goes "unpunished". Disney expanded the list of snacks to include almost everything $4 or under and posters were complaining when non-Disney bakery's weren't willing to include pastries.

A couple of threads were started by posters who were asked about new meal plans. It sounded like the existing premium plans but with fewer, if any, recreational options. Internet saavy guests aren't stupid. The plan will have to offer cost savings, probably at least 25%, if Disney expects to sell the plan in any numbers. Giving a free mug, in exchange for not allow bottled water and soda in the resort food courts, is probably win win. Obviously most guests won't have three table service meals every day. The plan better be priced with that assumption if the plan is going to become popular.

 

[CarolA]

The "Unoffical Guide" thinks Jim Hill is a reliable source.....

Jim Hill has said the following:

1. COP will be closed (that one's an annual announcement from him)
2. Tarzan was closed because Disney will not have a Broadway Show and a theme park show based on the same movie running at the same time. (Did the executives FAIL to notice Beauty and the Beast or Lion King?)
3. There will be a Halloween Horror Night type event at MGM. (Seen that one yet?)
4. Little Mermaid was closing due to a new ride at MGM. (CLOSE.... Who Wants to Be a Millionaire closed)

And so on.... thier "rumor source" is pretty pathetic!

 

[Lewisc]

Carol--This rumor is consistent with guest surveys that Disney ran earlier this year. It also makes sense for Disney to offer a dining plan for guests who want to "trade up". The current premium plans are too expensive to market as a "trade up", in part because of the recreational items that are included.

I don't think most guests will have 3 TS meals per day but some guests might like a TS breakfast. Some guests might like to dine in a 2TS restaurant every night for dinner. The question is how will Disney price this type of plan.

The "Unoffical Guide" thinks Jim Hill is a reliable source.....

Jim Hill has said the following:

1. COP will be closed (that one's an annual announcement from him)
2. Tarzan was closed because Disney will not have a Broadway Show and a theme park show based on the same movie running at the same time. (Did the executives FAIL to notice Beauty and the Beast or Lion King?)
3. There will be a Halloween Horror Night type event at MGM. (Seen that one yet?)
4. Little Mermaid was closing due to a new ride at MGM. (CLOSE.... Who Wants to Be a Millionaire closed)

And so on.... thier "rumor source" is pretty pathetic!

 

[1000th happy haunt]

The "Unoffical Guide" thinks Jim Hill is a reliable source.....

Jim Hill has said the following:

1. COP will be closed (that one's an annual announcement from him)
2. Tarzan was closed because Disney will not have a Broadway Show and a theme park show based on the same movie running at the same time. (Did the executives FAIL to notice Beauty and the Beast or Lion King?)
3. There will be a Halloween Horror Night type event at MGM. (Seen that one yet?)
4. Little Mermaid was closing due to a new ride at MGM. (CLOSE.... Who Wants to Be a Millionaire closed)

And so on.... thier "rumor source" is pretty pathetic!

I thought Jim Hill's annual announcement was that the Haunted Mansion Holiday would be coming to WDW.

He was close on #3. Event Services was considering a Jack Skellington and/or villain event at Disney-MGM Studios (similar to MNSSHP, but aimed toward older kids), but that was put on the back burner last year, and never made it to the front again.

 

[wilde_oscar]

I don't think the current plan gets you TS Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The current plan gives you 1 TS, 1 CS, 1 Snack per day.

It'll be interesting to see what comes out for 2008!

Um, the OP is referring to what will be coming out in 2008, not the current plan.

I think the OP was referring to either the Premium or Platinum package where you do get 3 meals per day.

I am very curious to see when Disney will release the info for 2008!!

Missie

Again, the OP was pretty clear... there will be radical changes to DDP in 2008 and was referring to the rumor of new levels to the dinning plan in 2008. It was not a reference to the current standard, premium or platinum plan... but a reference to the new 2008 value, moderate, and deluxe plans that thus far look something like...

Value: 1 snack, 1 CS, 1 TS(with out an appetizer, and tip is not included)

Moderate: Similar to above but includes wine with TS

Deluxe: 3 TS a day, stuff yourself till you explode.

Do yall actually read the entire post, or just skim looking for things to comment on that are not on topic?

 

[wilde_oscar]

and in the wacky but true department...

Jim Hill's site is not where this rumor came from, It was Lou Mongello's podcast. And this rumor is consistent with what British travel agents are publishing as DDP for 2008. I guess it was too much trouble to check that before the knee jerk reactions?

 

[Lewisc]

and in the wacky but true department...

Jim Hill's site is not where this rumor came from, It was Lou Mongello's podcast. And this rumor is consistent with what British travel agents are publishing as DDP for 2008. I guess it was too much trouble to check that before the knee jerk reactions?

Carol said

The "Unoffical Guide" thinks Jim Hill is a reliable source.....

Some posters were comparing the reliability of the unoffical guide with the reliability of Jim Hill.

The source was from Len Testa, of the unofficial guide.
http://www.wdwtoday.com/


I suspect the rumor will turn out to be basically true but that doesn't change the fact that you have the source wrong and mischaracterized the Jim Hill references in this thread.
I guess it was too much trouble to read the posts, and link, before making your post.

 

[wilde_oscar]

it was

 

[Lewisc]

it was

Len Testa, of the unofficial guide, is the actual source of the rumor. You can take the time to look at the podcast if you want confirmation.

AFAIK the british travel sites have no mention of the "moderate" and "deluxe" meal plans you mentioned. I guess it's too much trouble to check the facts.

I suspect most of this rumor will become true but posters are entitled to evaluate the actual source of the rumor which is Len Testa.

 

[ksumn1]

It seems like every year since the DDP came out, it has been changed or refined. Originally form pooled credits, to seperating the Adult and Child credits. In the beginning, snacks were limited than expanded to include things that weren't technically a snack to me (Box of doughnuts, half a gallon of milk) Heck, for us that wold be breakfast for all 4 of us!! I would really hate to see the sncks limited severely. I think the $4 rule is a good one, but they should limit is to "snack" size portions only. Idon't know how I feel about eliminating the tip. I'll have to think on it. Bootom line, WDW is in business to make $$. And if giving you a $9 mug that you'll only use in the morning and at night (because you're at the parks all day) eliminating the snacks and tip makes them $$, that's the way they'll go. I actually think it makes sense from a business standpoint. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[solferino]

I think the rumor mill info, was more along the lines of expanded and more varied plan types. Much like the resorts are Value, Moderate and Deluxe... The DDP plans will fit in much the same categories.

Value: There will be a standard plan, that will no longer include the tip nor appetizers.

Moderate: There will be a plan that included wine with meals.

Deluxe: There will be a plan that is TS for every meal.

Part of the rumor is pretty much confirmed, as British travel agencies that work bookings much further in advance (might have something to do with the distance traveled?) are publishing the 2008 basic DDP plan as no tip and no appetizer.

Seems wierd to me. I thought MK restaurants didn't sell/serve alcohol. At least that's how I remember it from last trip.

 

[rogerram]

WDW is in business to make $$. And if giving you a $9 mug that you'll only use in the morning and at night (because you're at the parks all day) eliminating the snacks and tip makes them $$, that's the way they'll go. I actually think it makes sense from a business standpoint. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Where it won't make sense is when you start adding in extra cost for a tip which for me, would be in additional $25 to $30 range per day for 3 people, is getting too expensive. I will not use the plan for our upcoming trip if this happens. If they leave the tip cost included and only go up a small amount in cost per person, even limiting the snack, I would do it. I would think that many people are thinking on the same lines. In the end, what Disney thinks will make them more money, actually will probably cost them because of a larger loss of ddp guests. I hope they realize this and leave it close to the same.