'08 Changes make me DROP it

[jszczur5]

On a side note, I really wish they would let you choose between an appetizer and a dessert though!

You're preaching to the choir on this one. This seems to be the overwhelming opinion here. Apparently, however, Disney is committed to giving the new plan a full year test run, so you probably won't see any tweaking until 2009, and then, only if the DDP proves to be less popular and less profitable.

[SignguyTom]

... However the norm for regular customers is you must pay rack rates for the room in order to participate in the DDP.....

I thought you had to pay rack rate in order to get the free dining promotion they've had the past couple of years...

I've never heard that they would deny selling you the DDP because you have a discounted room during other times of the year...

[JPL]

It's not really widely publicized by Disney. I mean they aren't going to say come enjoy our food and lose the saving on your room. But if you take advantage of a promotion like the Disney Visa Room Discounts or AP Rates and then try to add dining they raise the room price back to rack rates.

[jszczur5]

It's not really widely publicized by Disney. I mean they aren't going to say come enjoy our food and lose the saving on your room. But if you take advantage of a promotion like the Disney Visa Room Discounts or AP Rates and then try to add dining they raise the room price back to rack rates.

That doesn't seem rght. What next - I pay more for my room because I upgraded my park tickets to Park Hopper Plus? More again if I add the Waterparks option? Huh?
Usually when you ADD something to a package, the overall discount goes down - the base price isn't suopposed to go up. That's why we all started bundling our phone, cable and internet services.

[DizneyRox]

Usually when you ADD something to a package, the overall discount goes down - the base price isn't suopposed to go up. That's why we all started bundling our phone, cable and internet services.

You'd think, wouldn't you...

Disney packages have never been a good value to me. Length to stay tickets were never appealing to me, dining has never made sense for me, and I have NEVER, EVER, used Disney to book my flights.

I really think they are riding the package are better thought process, when in reality, you're paying more overall. People ask how I can go to Disney all the time... I consider it a cheap vacation actually, much cheaper than most other destinations I can get to. Then when I hear what other people pay for their trips, I understand why they think it's so expensive! WOW!

[Ian]

Disney packages have never been a good value to me. Length to stay tickets were never appealing to me, dining has never made sense for me, and I have NEVER, EVER, used Disney to book my flights.

I really think they are riding the package are better thought process, when in reality, you're paying more overall. People ask how I can go to Disney all the time... I consider it a cheap vacation actually, much cheaper than most other destinations I can get to. Then when I hear what other people pay for their trips, I understand why they think it's so expensive! WOW!

I actually agree with everything you said here. Disney packages aren't (normally) a very good deal. They kind of wrap them up in a nice little package with a pretty bow on top, but when you unwrap them you normally find you could have done much better booking things separately (or just using MJT, for that matter).

If I wasn't getting dining free as part of a package or if I wasn't a DVC member, I probably wouldn't use it either. It just works for us in our particular situation. I don't think I was clear enough about that before ... in the majority of cases, Jeff and Rox are correct that it's not as good a deal as it seems on the surface.

[Meteora]

I really think they are riding the package are better thought process, when in reality, you're paying more overall.

I think it's also that most people, when offered the package, will assume that because it comes from a Disney representative it is the best and most effective deal they can get. After all, the vacation planners are there to help you, right?

The length of stay pass and the DDP are both tricky in subtle ways, but one thing they have in common is this--if you're paying for a Disney park every day or you are pre-paying for meals that can only be redeemed at Disney, you're far less likely to venture off property. In the coming years, as nearby attractions add some interesting new components, it would not surprise me at all to see more "package" options that will encourage people not to leave the property.

[Jeri]

Now I am confused.
We went last October and had the Visa special. So once MJ gave us the discount our final cost for 9 nights 10 day park hoppers and the dining plan for 2 adults a 4yr old and 10 yr old was $530.00 less.
So you guys are saying we still paid rack rate for our room? Where did the savings come from? Park tickets? Dining plan cost?
I cant believe we paid rack rate .

I did add up how much we would have spent on food if we didn't have the dining plan and how much the dining plan was for all 4 of us and the savings was around $400.00

I think we will use it again just because we like to eat at table service when on vacation , and we like having it paid for in advance. The tip doesn't bother us because we tipped an extra $20.00 at each table service above what they were already getting.