Who feels like the DDP should be stopped??

[disneyfan369]

Just my thoughts on this....for all you people that think you're saving a bunch of money on the DDP...you're really not.

Yes, I may not be saving money on this, but considering we would be reduced to eating CS for the whole trip and maybe one TS place, I'm willing to pay the extra money, whatever that may be. Plus, I plan to splurge and get the most expensive items on the menu. Why not? The DDP is great. After all, it allows people who would otherwise have to eat hamburgers to eat the Atlantic salmon at the Hollywood Brown Derby. Not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to whip over to Disney whenever they feel like it. As others have very correctly pointed out, some of us scrimp and save to pay for a trip to Disney.

[2manykats]

Well I had already made all of my ADR's when I was talked into moving my vacation back a day to get the free dinning. I had booked room only for app. 1,600. I now am paying 2,500 app but this includes base tickets to the parks (which we can upgrade) and almost all my meals. I did have over 14 TS Adr's made but I am now wondering if we are going to be able to use all of the counter service meals. So for about 900 more I think I am getting a great deal.
Oh by the way I am staying at POFQ.

[iceicebritney]

although i do agree that there are negative sides to the disney dining plan (like the downgrading of quality restaurants into self serving buffets across the property), i do think it is great for families.
we go to WDW 3 times a year, every year, with a very huge party - and it costs a lot... since the dining plan was introduced, its been great for us all because we can actually save money somewhere! we've always used whatever form of dining plan disney offered... (ahh - we miss the days of the Grand Plan!) and we've really enjoyed our meals a lot more - it may be a hassle to get your ADR's, but thats why they are available to be made so far ahead of your stay. and you should plan ahead, so you dont have to make changes to them. we always plan our trip around our adrs.
bottom line- the DDP is wonderful. suddenly you feel less guilty about dinner when you (or your parents) dont have to actually pay that enormous bill at the end of the nite.

[Guya103]

We are a family of 6 that live in Michigan, go every year for two weeks and have never done the dining plan. I just don't like the idea of paying with meal tickets. I can understand how it is beneficial for some families, but I prefer the freedom of paying out of pocket with no restrictions of what I can and can't eat. I do think that it is a positive factor for the greater good, just not for us.

[kgoulash]

i admit i haven't read through all the responses but here is my 2 cents

1. i think there should be some sort of penalty, for lack of better word, for adrs, i mean like cali grill you will be charged if you don't show up that way people won't clog the system with so many unfulfilled adrs. i also think 180 days is a bit much, how about 90 days?
2. it's harder for us 'old timers' to justify the newer dinning plans. my family and i have been using disney dinning plans since the days of the 'gold key card' where you could eat anywhere anytime as much as you pleased. i understand disney needs to make restrictions to make it profitable for itself but it just doesn't work for some of us used to a different way.

[Jillirose]

We have never done the DDP, but saved our receipts last time, and figured we would have saved $400 or so. SO, next time we will!

We always made reservations, without the DDP.

I think the reservations should be available online, not only by phone. That is so annoying!

I think they do save for walk ins. Everytime we've gone, they have been 'booked' at Sci-Fi Theatre. We always check (in person) first stop and get a table. It may not be right at prime time, so we plan our snacks accordingly.... Also, we have found if they only have reservation for 2 available, when you check-in and say you've added to your party, they usually find the space.

[vamaggie]

HI All,

ADR's are getting harder and harder to make....especially for last minute trips.

I will be going down for a last minute trip next weekend. Hey...$39 on Southwest....I couldn't say no.

ADR's are almost impossible to make.....trying to eat dinner at Ohana....yeah, if I want to eat at 10pm!!

I have AP's so I don't do the DDP.

I feel like the DDP, although may save some folks a little money...is a big hassle and makes getting ADR's harder and harder.

DDP should be discontinued...that's just my humble opinion.

Comments?????

I'm sorry---you get to go next week/now? and for $39 airfare? and you are upset you can't eat at the restaurant you want? If I was able to fly off and go on whim, with APs, knowing I would be going back again (soon? at least w/in the year?) I would not be upset that those who have been planning and saving for a trip for months (years!) and already made ADRs got the time I wanted. For some folks, this may be their ONLY chance to eat at Ohanas. I agree Disney needs to look at their TS capacities and open more restaurants if they are filling them up all the time but I would not fault the DP exclusively. Just my

[snifflesmcg]

I totally disagree! I love the DDP and don't think I'll ever go to WDW without it. It's nice for people like me, who can't just go anytime I feel like it, plan their trip better. I do agree with the 180 day ADR's should be scaled back to 90 again. I never plan my trips 6 months in advance. It's also not like you CAN'T get a sit down meal anywhere in WDW. It's like anything. If I go to Applebee's at dinner time on a friday night....they are going to be pretty booked, I'll just go to, let's say, TGIF instead. I have seen in Town Hall in MK a list of restaurants with times that were available for that day.

[GrmGrninGost]

NO WAY! DDP forever!

[crazypoohbear]

Last year my family of 4 went down for a week.
our room was 750. I saved all our dining receipts for the week. We "spent" over 1400.00 in food. This did not count our snacks.
We never would have been able to afford the trip without free dining.
Yes it does put you on a schedule but we would never have tried any restaurants without free dining.
When we ususally go it's peco's bills all the way:!

[tinksmom02]

I know several people say they could not go without having the dining plan available and I am assuming they are talking about free dining.

Actually, we are fans of the DDP, free or not. Our first trip was in 2004 and we didn't use a dining plan. We ate at Coral Reef, Rainforest Cafe (both lunch, by the way) and had breakfast at Ohanas. We are a family that enjoys going out to eat, but without the dining plan, there's no way we'd be able to enjoy as many sit down meals! I would never stay at Disney without the DDP again, regardless of it being free, or having to pay for it.

[princessjojo]

Personally, I love the DDP. Without it my family and I would fall into the counter service only restaurants in order to keep within our budget. There would be some exceptions, but for the most part the DDP gives us a real vacation feel. A day full of fun, great dinners at night, and a relaxing evening doing whatever we feel we want to do.

I agree with many others who have posted here in that if I were to try to get a table of WDW's table service caliber anywhere in our area, it wouldn't be easy at all, unless we wanted to eat anytime after 9:30 and we would still often have to wait about 15-30 minutes if not longer.

Even if Disney were to add more tables in their restaurants, why would they want to save tables or strictly walk up customers? I agree that it would be nice and though you can pretty much assume that they would be filled sometime during that evening, the ADR's are typically guaranteed revenue for them.

I can remember trying to get ADR's at restaurants before the DDP and it wasn't any easier then than it is now. But those who frequent Disney usually know which restaurants will be difficult to get ADR's in anyways and wouldn't be surprised trying to make them for a spur of the moment trip and not having them available.

I love the DDP and hope it never goes away. Otherwise I will be making grocery runs each trip to WDW because the food is otherwise too expensive for my family who is never full.

[Mickey91]

Well, I agree that it would be nice if the restaurants would save some seating for walk ins. But, I also would NOT get rid of the dining plan. It is a big financial stretch to take a trip to WDW for most families. The ability to experience the magic and also be able to enjoy some finer dining is a major plus for most of us. We don't normally eat at places like LeCellier unless we are on vacation (at WDW). With DDP we can now not only afford it, but have it paid for before we go so we are not constantly pinching pennies to see how much is left for the gas home. I'm sure for the more affluent, the DDP gets in the way of their normal luxurious spontaneity. But for those of us on a budget, and used to having to plan in order to get to do something, it is part of life.

[Spaceship Tigger]

I'm not afraid to say that I honestly don't like what the DDP has done to WDW dining and would not be upset at all if it was gone. Only when the DDP is free do we save any money at all - the paid-for DDP would cost us more money since we would be paying rack rates for the room.

Since '05 when the DDP began we are now seeing a lot of differences in quality. If you compare menus from then to now, many of the better entrees have been removed. In a few years I'm afraid all of the menus will look like the current kids menus - just a few choices per restaurant.

While it's great that many people can enjoy their vacations more since the advent of the DDP, it has still undoubtedly changed WDW dining, and certainly not for the better.

[USCTinkerbell]

I'm not afraid to say that I honestly don't like what the DDP has done to WDW dining and would not be upset at all if it was gone. Only when the DDP is free do we save any money at all - the paid-for DDP would cost us more money since we would be paying rack rates for the room.

Since '05 when the DDP began we are now seeing a lot of differences in quality. If you compare menus from then to now, many of the better entrees have been removed. In a few years I'm afraid all of the menus will look like the current kids menus - just a few choices per restaurant.

While it's great that many people can enjoy their vacations more since the advent of the DDP, it has still undoubtedly changed WDW dining, and certainly not for the better.

I really like the DDP but feel the quality of the waitstaff has really suffered.
We've had great waiters and some REALLY bad ones. The bad thing is the bad ones know they will get the same tip on the plan as a good one unless we tip more which we do for great service!

Also, we did alot of character meals the last two times we went but are steering clear of the buffets because the quality of them are mediocre at best. We've had good dinners at 190 Park Fare (which will be closed on our next visit) and Hollywood and vine but the Crystal Palace was one of the worst dinners including the waitress that we had the entire trip.

Le Cellier was tops on waitstaff during our last trip which we visited 2 times that trip. We really love that place!

I like the flexibility of trying new restaurants and not having to worry about where we will go and how much out of pocket but I hate not being able to be spontaneous as well.

[Seasonscraps]

I'm not afraid to say that I honestly don't like what the DDP has done to WDW dining and would not be upset at all if it was gone. Only when the DDP is free do we save any money at all - the paid-for DDP would cost us more money since we would be paying rack rates for the room.

Since '05 when the DDP began we are now seeing a lot of differences in quality. If you compare menus from then to now, many of the better entrees have been removed. In a few years I'm afraid all of the menus will look like the current kids menus - just a few choices per restaurant.

While it's great that many people can enjoy their vacations more since the advent of the DDP, it has still undoubtedly changed WDW dining, and certainly not for the better.

I feel the same way about the impact of the DDP on the menus at DW.

[Brooklynos]

We love the dining plan. We went 3 times before it was offered and paid a fortune for our food. We have gone 4 times with it, 3 with just my DH and I and got to try lots of neat places we couldn't before. Last year we actually took our inlaws and all 6 of us paid for ddp and was well worth it. That trip was during free dining and we didn't book in time to get it free but loved it anyway. We are going back in Sept for free dining and just figure, It is our vacation , it is what we make of it, let's have a good time with what is offered. Plus, we are pretty simple people, don't need too fancy of meals, as long as they are good, and filling which we have always had both. just my.

[Minnie4me]

I'm sorry---you get to go next week/now? and for $39 airfare? and you are upset you can't eat at the restaurant you want? If I was able to fly off and go on whim, with APs, knowing I would be going back again (soon? at least w/in the year?) I would not be upset that those who have been planning and saving for a trip for months (years!)

I'm sure for the more affluent, the DDP gets in the way of their normal luxurious spontaneity. But for those of us on a budget, and used to having to plan in order to get to do something, it is part of life.

I just want to set the record straight...

I am a working class person. I work 7 days a week. I drive 77 miles each way at 0430 in the morning for my day job (supporting our country)...and I work side jobs on the weekends.

I am not affluent by any means...heck I drive a 1989 Caprice Classic for crying out loud. I am sure that both vamaggie and Mickey91 drive a better car than I do.

With that off my chest. Yes, I did get a good airfare and I am able to get down there for 3 days. My work schedule won't allow for more than that. Most of the time we drive down.

I have AP's because my family lives down there... so I do drive there fairly often. If I am there I go to Disney.

Yes, I do get frustrated when I try to make ADR's and everything is booked up. I was wanting to take my mother to Ohana's as a belated Mothers Day surprise, it is her favorite restaurant. She doesn't get out very often unless someone takes her out. I really wanted to surprise her, but after a thousand calls there is no room at the Inn...so to speak.

I agree with many of the responses...180 is too much, 90 days would be more reasonable.

I am sure the DDP helps alot of families...and for that I am glad. I just feel that with the DDP and 180 day reservations, the restaurants fill up way too fast.

Oh yeah....vamaggie....nobody like sarcasim.

[bleukarma]

I just want to set the record straight...

I am a working class person. I work 7 days a week. I drive 77 miles each way at 0430 in the morning for my day job (supporting our country)...and I work side jobs on the weekends.

I am not affluent by any means...heck I drive a 1989 Caprice Classic for crying out loud. I am sure that both vamaggie and Mickey91 drive a better car than I do.

With that off my chest. Yes, I did get a good airfare and I am able to get down there for 3 days. My work schedule won't allow for more than that. Most of the time we drive down.

I have AP's because my family lives down there... so I do drive there fairly often. If I am there I go to Disney.

Yes, I do get frustrated when I try to make ADR's and everything is booked up. I was wanting to take my mother to Ohana's as a belated Mothers Day surprise, it is her favorite restaurant. She doesn't get out very often unless someone takes her out. I really wanted to surprise her, but after a thousand calls there is no room at the Inn...so to speak.

I agree with many of the responses...180 is too much, 90 days would be more reasonable.

I am sure the DDP helps alot of families...and for that I am glad. I just feel that with the DDP and 180 day reservations, the restaurants fill up way too fast.

Oh yeah....vamaggie....nobody like sarcasim.

I'm going to have to back-up Minnie4me about some comments that seem to be running through this topic regarding how people should feel lucky to make a spontaneous trip to WDW and not complain about not getting into specific restaurants they want. Not only are the comments off topic, but sometimes having the "luxury" of going there "on a whim" doesn't mean that you can afford to eat at the best restuarants if the options were available to you. Just because I live close enough to where I could wake up tomorrow morning and drive over doesn't mean I have the luxury of being able to afford to get in, much less eat anywhere. I save and I work two jobs to make my trips. I've even considered working a second job at Disney to get tickets for free. My reasons for disliking the DDP is becuase I don't have the option to use it since I only "go on a whim". If I could afford to stay a week or two then yes...I probably would use the DDP. But I can't afford more then a day or two (which makes all my meals OOP) therefor I probably haven't ate at a quarter of the restaurants that most people on this board has even though I've been going at least once a year for the past 20 years. My family just can't afford places like Coral Reef and Le Ceiller and I grew up on CS. I could make my ADR's 180 days out just like the rest of you but since I live so close and we only go over for a day or two, our trips aren't normally planned out like people that live 500+ miles away. To those of you who are lucky enough to be able to afford to spend two weeks (or even a week) at WDW and can take advantage of the DDP, I'm very happy for you. But please don't knock the people that "have the luxury" of "going on a whim".

[Tygger7]

I am glad to see that someone else besides myself realizes this.

Okay, let me just say, II may not be the smartest person in the world, but I'm not that stupid. To address both comments, I HAVE figured out EXACTLY how much I save. Not only have I saved all of my dining receipts and compared them against what I paid for the dining plan, but I also priced just our room, just our tickets, a package price without the dining plan, the separate cost of the dining plan, AND the all inclusive price we paid. We don't "pig out"....to be honest, before the dining plan all we did were counter meals (because we couldn't afford anything else)...and we were starving all the time. We couldn't afford the sit-down restaurants...and couldn't afford to eat more than one meal a day, which was usually just a hamburger, potato chips, and a small drink. I guess I still don't see why you have such "sour grapes" over the dining plan...if you're close enough to be able to use Annual Passes, then why complain? If you are lucky enough to be able to get off work, pay for airfare, and spend a few days at WDW, why in the world would you are you fussing about not being able to eat at a sit down restaruant? Cripes, if I could afford go at the last minute, I'd eat counter meals and make the best of it. I guess when you have family, are on a tight budget, and have to scrimp and save for two years to take a vacation, then you get a little irritated to hear people complain about dinner reservations.