Specifically, the "table-service" meal dining plan:
- is $1 cheaper than in 2007 - (yay!)... but...
- no longer includes an appetizer (apparently people complained that there was "just too much food"!!), and no longer includes gratuities (apparently many people were tipping as well, even though gratuities were included before...)
- So now they are charging essentially the same amount of money for less food and people have to tip on top. To our eyes, that's no improvement...
The dining plan is still better value than buying the same food "off-plan", but for some families the dining plan was "borderline" value before (if you don't need to have a proper "sit-down" dinner every day, for example, or if your kids are 10 or 11 and would prefer the food on a kids menu still). This latest change may end up taking the Dining Plan right off the menu for those people... It will be something to think about, certainly.
Dedicated Disney-watchers will note that this is the only "bad news" that I have posted on this blog. Generally-speaking I am very supportive of the Disney World product and experience as I believe it is one of the best travel experiences that many families will ever have, and is very good value for the fun that you will have. This is the first material change to a package that I can remember Disney introducing, which I think is a clear reduction in value. Hopefully Disney will forgive my negative comments... Or, better still will re-think the change!!!
Please Note: coverage for the rest of 2007 is unchanged
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2 comments:
To be honest the changes to the DDP were very needed. We experienced two rampant abuses of the DDP on our trip last week.
1. Lots of groups are abusing the DDP table service credits by "sharing meals". For example, a couple gets 2 table service credits per day of their stay. Instead of eating table service once per day, they eat it twice per day by sharing one plate at each meal. This practice is aided and abetted by the inclusion of the appetizer and large meal portion plus dessert. In the larger picture, this is really negatively impacting the restaurants because that couple then takes up two ADRs per day, effectively making it harder for everyone else to get their table service meal spots.
2. The servers are abusing the gratuity situation. We tried the DDP plan for one trip. We occasionally ordered off-plan items (a special cup for our son, a glass of wine, etc.). We discovered through doing some careful math that the servers were including gratuities for the off-plan items in the DDP charge-off, but then also they were bringing a room charge receipt to our table, with only a total dollar amount (not itemized) for the add-ons, with a pen and request for an additional tip. We double tipped on extras a few times before we realized just what a scam this was. I began insisting on itemized bills for extras after that, so I could see what we were being charged for each item, how much tax, and whether the tip had been accounted for already. But I don't ever want to have to do that again - I go on vacation to relax, not watch my purse for electronic chicanery. Give me a nice old fashioned itemized bill.
We also received spotty service a few times and yes, we know you can ask that the gratuity be removed, but how many people are going to go through the hassle to do that?
So basically the system was being abused at both ends - by customers milking it, and by servers fleecing customers for extra tips and sometimes giving poor service, knowing the tip would come anyway.
By cutting down on the amount of food (a chef I spoke with said entree portions would be right-sized as well as the appetizer going away), hopefully the meal-sharing and ADR-double-dipping will stop. By removing the included gratuity, servers have to provide good service, and customers who purchase extras are not being misled into double tipping.
Lastly, about half of World Showcase and all of Downtown (except Captain Jack's) are being dropped from the Plan. That means for those of us who wish to dine out without the DDP hordes and chaos, we now once again have some on-property options to enjoy in 2008.
All in all, good changes.
Hi,
Thanks for your reasoned comment.
You make good points about the potential abuses that Disney are attempting to curb with these changes. I was not aware of the server-end shenanigans that were leading to some of the double-tipping.
It just seems a bit of a shame to me that they aren't reducing the price a little more than the token $1 per person.
As you point out the newer system may be fairer, and therefore better for all, but would you still agree with the "value-reduced" heading on the page?
Cheers,
Alex
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