Dinning Plan 2008

[Magical JenK]

Regarding the snacks I guess I just never thought of trying to use it for anything but the single serve items...my loss I guess!!

I'm honestly not surprised at the problems they are having, espeically the first few days of the new year. Think about the people who booked long before the changes were announced & they don't look at the disboards or anything & on 12/31 tips were included & on 1/1 tips weren't! I'd be mad too, but thankfully I know about the disboards!!

[LuvMyBoys]

Regarding the snacks I guess I just never thought of trying to use it for anything but the single serve items...my loss I guess!!

I'm honestly not surprised at the problems they are having, espeically the first few days of the new year. Think about the people who booked long before the changes were announced & they don't look at the disboards or anything & on 12/31 tips were included & on 1/1 tips weren't! I'd be mad too, but thankfully I know about the disboards!!

We ended up using our snack credits on all single serve things, however, I just like the certainty of "anything $4 or under". Makes things much less confusing and gives a broader range of choices.

From reading on the Dis it sounds like Disney hadn't fully updated the website with the info, CRO's were (and some still are!!) giving people the wrong info that nothing had changed, didn't send out a letter to those who had booked in advance pointing out the changes, etc.

To me that is really bad business practices. I would feel very sorry for a family who went thinking app/tip was still included and then found out differently when they got their first TS bill

[Magical JenK]

Yeah that is much easier isn't it!! No guessing involved there at all!!

Yeah, I agree...seems like many a ball was dropped on this one!! I feel bad for the servers too, they're getting the brunt of it...which again I'm not surprised. Even if people knew about the changes, the servers are apt to not get the 18% they used to be given. Everyone has their own idea of tipping....should be interesting!!

[bs4free]

Well after just reading that Jim Hill Blog post! I think what i hope keeps happening is that the complaints do not drop off they keep up, customres keep upset, and disney has to change it back to the old ways! Just thing about all those guest coming in aug/sep who booked a bounce back that will not know! Its going to be Jan 1 all over again but for 2 months! And as the blog points out who gets hurt in the end is the servers! Which have no chocie, I think for all involved the old way was the best way even if it had an increase in price to help the food service part of the resort!

[LuvMyBoys]

I agree with you guys, it's the servers who will get the earful and will take it in the pocket book - not Disney.

If the thinktank at Disney dining could come up with the Deluxe plan then they certainly could have come up with a better compromise on the current plan that was more fair to guest and to servers.

Was it really too much to ask for appetizer or dessert for those who can't eat sweets or don't b/c of health reasons? Or to figure out that the main reason a lot of people choose the ddp is b/c they like the "all inclusive" nature of it and not having to worry about paying cash/charge for the tip? They could have just upped the price a few bucks per person and avoided a lot of this unpleasantness, IMO.

I think I need to send a resume and cover letter to Disney dining, I may be an attorney but even I have better business sense than what they currently have on board!!

***Oh, there was one thing that is a "group item" that we used ddp snack credits on - the bunches of lollipops (mickey heads or pooh) from Goofy's - that is no longer allowed

[m 'n c]

See i understand the no donuts or milk thing since a snack for one person is normally a single serving sized item.

The rest of the stuff I just don't know. When I checked in 2 years ago I was given a brochure about the plan and the ins and outs along with where it was accepted and not. Some of it might just be people too busy to bother reading or who don't want to read.

[Kycha]

The 2008 plan is kinda confusing. I have been poring over it for 2 days to decide if it will benefit us for our December trip. Anyway, there are a few exceptions to the "gratuities not included" thing. If you do Cinderella's Royal Table or any of the dinner shows(Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Spirit of Aloha and HoopDeeDoo) or do In-room dining/pizza delivery the gratuity is included with the plan. I have a feeling a lot of people will end up overtipping because they don't know, don't understand or just plain forget. I wish they would just make it easy for everybody and make it one way or another. Either include grats or don't include them.

[fordisneyap08]

We decided to go ahead a book the DDP for our upcoming trip. (even after much flip-flopping back and forth whether it would be good for our family). I have read tons of reviews lately about all the trouble they are having. I feel bad for the servers. Hopefully things will start working themselves out. I do think a person should be able to decide if they get appetizers or dessert though. Keeping an eye on eligible snack credits ( box of doughnuts would have been nice) But I understand the whole single serving thing. However it seems to me the under $4 item was an easier rule.......

[Pooh's Pal]

Had coffee with a good Disney friend of mine (that I often travel there with) the other day and we were talking about the new dining plan, confused whether we'd use it again.
Both of us are in the restaurant business and always overtip..even on the former dining plan. We both feel really bad for the servers at WDW now. Some people were mad before about the gratuity being added to their bill, but now with no gratuity added, those poor servers will NEVER see a dime! They make about $3.00 an hour in FLA serving...they really depend on their tips!!
Anywho...we also said, Disney should take away the dessert with the counter service meal and put back on the appetizer on the table service.
Who needs dessert then?? Remember most table service restaurants in Disney, a salad can be your appetizer! Or add on the tip to table service again and take away something else!..or just charge more, people will pay for it, just for the convince of an all inclusive plan!

Just my opionion.....??

[m 'n c]

Yeah I'm with you on the dessert at the counter service meal. We really didn't need a dessert then. I am not really a dessert person to begin with and that was just overkill to me that week we did the plan. I would prefer an appetizer to dessert anyday but looking back and looking at our plans for this year we mainly do buffets/family style meals at Disney so the changes foodwise don't affect us as much as it does others.