Ideas for changes to the 2008 Dining Plan

[dcibrando]

There are a TON of threads discussing the problems with the 2008 dining plan changes... so since we know Disney on occassion monitors message boards to get people's feedback, comments, idea, etc... Let's hear everyone's ideas (realistic ideas) to make the 2008 dining plan (or even in 2009) even better.

 

[dcibrando]

my ideas would be some of these below:

- allow option for appetizer or desert
or
- lower the price of the dining plan if keeping as is
or
- raise the price and go back to including the appetizer and gratuity


my preferred suggestion would be to raise the price ($45 to even $50 per day if necessary) and go back to including the appetizer and gratuity. It should go back to being a convenience of not having to worry about paying out of pocket here and there for additional things and having everything prepaid in advance. Maybe raise the price to $50, include a refillable mug and include gratuity and appetizer?

The 2008 dining plan changes in my opinion are a BIG step in the wrong direction. I understand Disney is trying to get people through dinner faster without giving appetizer, but they are also taking A LOT out of the prepaid plan and only decreasing the cost by $1. Also, now we have to be concerned about paying extra if we just want a small salad with our meal and also tips. I just want to sit down, order, eat, hand them my dining plan card and be done with it.


what are your thoughts?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I am here right now and on the plan. We are finding it great. But then again, we would never eat an appy, meal AND dessert.
My thought would be make it appy OR dessert and raise the price to 39.99 a day and have it include the tip. I am paying about $6-8 OOP on tips at every table service for us.

 

[Ragnrok23]

I think if they don't want to change the price, drop the desert and add the tip


that way at least you can eat a meal without having to pay any money. if you want extra's, then you will pay OOP

 

[pepperw23]

I am here right now and on the plan. We are finding it great. But then again, we would never eat an appy, meal AND dessert.
My thought would be make it appy OR dessert and raise the price to 39.99 a day and have it include the tip. I am paying about $6-8 OOP on tips at every table service for us.

I agree, or to add to this a bit, why not something like this:

Dining Plan, standard 39.99 day Tips included/choice of Appy or Dessert:
49.99 per day- tips appy and dessert included...like it was

It seems to me something like this would show Disney what people prefer...in other words, which plan do they sell more of.

 

[bicker]

(realistic ideas)

Good luck with that limitation!

 

[bicker]

Here's what I think is needed to make the indicated ideas "realistic":

- allow option for appetizer or desert

For an additional $3 per day per adult.

- lower the price of the dining plan if keeping as is

Sorry, but I cannot think of anything for that one.

- raise the price and go back to including the appetizer and gratuity

For an additional $7 per adult per day. This still MUST remain optional for 2008, because folks already have a right to expect things to be as spec'ed out in the brochure for 2008. They cannot make it an across-the-board change. And that's mostly why that dollar-amount is as high as it is: Figure everyone electing it will be ordering both every time. If it was an across-the-board change, we could have relied on some reduction in that dollar-amount, associated with the expectation that a number of patrons would pass on appetizer or dessert at some meals.

My thought would be make it appy OR dessert and raise the price to 39.99 a day and have it include the tip.

Plus an extra $8 per day, so that would make $46.99, I think.

I am paying about $6-8 OOP on tips at every table service for us.

And that's where I came up with my number.

I think if they don't want to change the price, drop the desert and add the tip

I think that is almost completely realistic. We just need to remember that they'd have to make it optional for 2008, again, because folks already have a right to expect things to be as spec'ed out in the brochure for 2008. That idea sounds like a winner though!

 

[Melissa_E]

I think the biggest factor is trying to figure out how to include the tip back in. I'm sure there are people like me that don't want to worry about carrying cash or paying on their CC the tip. I want to have my meals prepaid without thinking about it later.

 

[kamgen]

I love the idea of raising the price to $47.99 and including app and tip. We LOVED getting apps and dessert, doesnt mean we had to finish them! LOL! It is just nice to have so many choices and have that "all inclusive" feeling. That would be something we would be happy with. We are heading down in a few weeks and got the new plan. We will see. We are already considering some OOP since we love some of the appetizers.

 

[bangzoom6877]

I like the idea of not having the tip included, but think there should be an option of appetizer OR dessert. Some people cannot eat dessert due to health reasons, and I know they include sugar-free suggestions but what if say, someone is allergic to strawberries and sugar-free strawberry shortcake is the only option for them? Let them choose an app instead. It would just allow for more flexibility.

The reason I prefer to tip on my own is because I am worried about servers not giving good service since they know the tip is already included. I have read about those kinds of problems, though have not experienced this myself since I am new at all this (last trip to WDW was in 1994!). Before some people start thinking it (which would be logical since I am saying not to include tip), no I am not cheap and yes, I am a very good tipper. Actually DH and I tend to overtip b/c we both have been servers in the past in restaurants. But I would just like to make sure we get the best service possible so prefer to tip OOP. No big deal for us to tip OOP.

Bonnie

 

[praline3001]

give a choice of appy or dessert and include the tip ...
It seems more people are willing to pay more if they don't have to worry about tipping! I betcha after this past week the servers are all for bringing the tip back to the plan

 

[SpaceRangerEric]

Since I want to control how much to tip the server based on performance(not Disney's arbitrary 18%), I would prefer that they just raise the price of the plan. "Working" for a tip usually gives you better service....usually.

 

[dcibrando]

I guess when it comes to an appetizer... I am thinking more along the lines of a salad which in most cases is NOT very expensive...but for instance if I am ordering a steak, I would really like a small salad before hand. Unfortunately salads are placed in the appetizer area on the menu and are not included in the entree's

I'd even be happy if they did not give us the appetizer but start including salads with the table service main entree's

 

[cymbaldiva]

I think if they don't want to change the price, drop the desert and add the tip


that way at least you can eat a meal without having to pay any money. if you want extra's, then you will pay OOP

That's a really good idea - I agree!

 

[angelmav]

That's a really good idea - I agree!

I have to agree with this idea as well!

And since were a big family, we dont get to decide how much to tip anyway, so I would rather have some option that took care of that ahead of time.

 

[50 years Too!]

I'd like to see them have it be appetizer or dessert.
Also raise it $10 to include tip.
I thought the deluxe plan was going to include tip? I'm treating some friends and relatives to a few days at Disney and was going to buy the deluxe plan for us so we wouldn't have that fighting over the bill, trying to figure out who owes what stuff. That will happen anyway with the tip having to be out of pocket.
Sounds like most people find it awkward with their server, also.
Just going to do DDE and charge it to the room, I guess.

 

[jwdizney]

I'd like to see them have it be appetizer or dessert.

just to add another voice, I like this idea. I don't mind paying a little more, but we're not a dessert family, we like appetizers, so having an option is a big plus for us. as far as tip, even when the tip was included on the DDP, we would add additional tip for exceptional service, and that happens a lot in disney restaurants. I don't mind the "no tip included" plan, but it was certainly a lot more convenient in vacation planning when is WAS included. if it's a money issue with Disney, according to the traditional disney management philosophy, why not keep all the service aspects intact (i.e. tip, app. dessert and no change to snack classifications) and just raise the price (reasonably, anyway)? by adjusting the "quality" of the DDP, Disney now has a 'mediocre' product in a world known for premium service... (shades of Michael Eisner..?????.....)

just my .02

 

[caroline1851]

Raise it back to what it was and include tips and give a choice of appetizer or dessert.

 

[JenSop]

I'd just be happy if tip was included. I liked our last trip when we didn't have to really carry around cash at all. It was GREAT! We NEVER had poor service because we were on the plan, so I'm not concerned about that aspect.

I would have been willing to pay more if the plan had remained the same as before.

 

[Elmo888]

Raise it back to what it was and include tips and give a choice of appetizer or dessert.

Yes, this.

I think that they are trying to keep the plan to under $100 per day for a "typical family" of two adults and two children 3-9. Just from their commercials ("$1600 a week for a family of four"), I think that they are trying to appeal to families with younger children.

And that commercial is on as I type.

So, I don't think that they want to go over that $100 mark total for a family of four.