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Post by helenabear on Jan 20, 2023 21:47:56 GMT -5
They brought the dining card in. I think this is a better idea anyway. Never saw the point of the dining plan for me. I don't eat red meat. I don't drink and tips are never included. A prepaid gift card is better for most who want to prepay IMO anyway. Some were able to work the plan but most lost money in the end. the card is a pretty bad deal unless it’s just 2 people staying deluxe- for a week amounts are set per reservation- not per person per night- so in order to get the $750 you have to stay a week deluxe as a package (full room rate and tickets)…. Even a family of 4 is gonna blow through that in less than a week. I wasn't talking value, but ability to use. Truth be told free dining is a rip off 99% of the time even if one can work the system. I'm saying a dining card is a better idea to use. More flexibility and more ability. We actually often do not blow though that much in dining on a week but we don't eat as many DDP people would anyway. As a whole the DDP a way for Disney to make money. Very few can get a value out of it. Most pay more than they would OOP. Not all but most. Disney wouldn't keep it if it didn't make them money |
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Post by noreen99 on Jan 20, 2023 22:17:32 GMT -5
the card is a pretty bad deal unless it’s just 2 people staying deluxe- for a week amounts are set per reservation- not per person per night- so in order to get the $750 you have to stay a week deluxe as a package (full room rate and tickets)…. Even a family of 4 is gonna blow through that in less than a week. I wasn't talking value, but ability to use. Truth be told free dining is a rip off 99% of the time even if one can work the system. I'm saying a dining card is a better idea to use. More flexibility and more ability. We actually often do not blow though that much in dining on a week but we don't eat as many DDP people would anyway. As a whole the DDP a way for Disney to make money. Very few can get a value out of it. Most pay more than they would OOP. Not all but most. Disney wouldn't keep it if it didn't make them money Exactly why it boggles my mind that they haven’t brought it back as promised. lol we worked the dining plans hard- it was on mouse owners I learned you could break a QS credit into 3 snacks at the festival booths…as a single mom w/2 boys that was the best for food and wine |
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Post by john2247 on Feb 4, 2023 7:51:03 GMT -5
We have been really successful in getting the ADR’s we want using Open Table. Even as late as a couple of weeks out. No cancellation fees either. I have seen that ADR's are available off-site but have not seen where you can make reservations at The California Grill or Jiko's or The Yachtsman Steakhouse or other restaurants on WDW property. Are they available on Open Table?? |
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Post by JaxFLBear on Feb 4, 2023 8:14:28 GMT -5
We have been really successful in getting the ADR’s we want using Open Table. Even as late as a couple of weeks out. No cancellation fees either. I have seen that ADR's are available off-site but have not seen where you can make reservations at The California Grill or Jiko's or The Yachtsman Steakhouse or other restaurants on WDW property. Are they available on Open Table?? The only restaurants available through OpenTable will be operated by a 3rd party and will primarily be at Disney Springs. |
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Post by pooh bears mom on Feb 13, 2023 17:22:08 GMT -5
I don't think TiW will ever return either. I am hopeful for the dining plan.
Not sure how they can justify the direct cost for DVC...the perks are mostly gone.
Agree with previous post that the card is a bad deal unless its 2 people in deluxe
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Post by brp on Feb 13, 2023 18:02:37 GMT -5
I hope the DDP doesn't return. Unless you had kids and did several character buffets, it was almost never a savings, even with the "Free" Dining promotions. At best, if you optimized your restaurants and ordered the most expensive entree every time you could break even, and that took some work and "forced" you to order the most expensive thing even if it wasn't what you wanted to eat, just to make it "worth" it. Disney liked it because it was profitable for them. The restaurants didn't like it, and it put a lot of strain on the ADR system. The dining card credit thing they are doing now is an improvement since there is a lot more flexibility to eat wherever you want. Don't know that it's any kind of deal or money saving thing given you need to pay full rack rate for the room to get it. Gotta disagree on that - we loved the dining plan and felt it was an excellent value for adults , especially after they added cocktails… There's no possible way we could eat enough (and definitely not want to) for this to make sense. One main split plus an appetizer, maybe 2, is more than enough food. Beyond that is too much. And this just does not work with DDP.
Plus, we do, at most, one ADR per trip. The rest is wandering/snacking.
Cheers.
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Post by brp on Feb 13, 2023 18:03:32 GMT -5
I have seen that ADR's are available off-site but have not seen where you can make reservations at The California Grill or Jiko's or The Yachtsman Steakhouse or other restaurants on WDW property. Are they available on Open Table?? The only restaurants available through OpenTable will be operated by a 3rd party and will primarily be at Disney Springs. And Bluezoo 
Cheers.
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Post by noreen99 on Feb 13, 2023 20:06:31 GMT -5
Gotta disagree on that - we loved the dining plan and felt it was an excellent value for adults , especially after they added cocktails… There's no possible way we could eat enough (and definitely not want to) for this to make sense. One main split plus an appetizer, maybe 2, is more than enough food. Beyond that is too much. And this just does not work with DDP. Plus, we do, at most, one ADR per trip. The rest is wandering/snacking.
Cheers. If it didn’t work for you ok but that’s no reason to wish it’s not brought back for the rest of us that did enjoy it and get value from it… I haven’t quite figured out the quote button here yet but I was responding to this ”I hope the DDP doesn't return” To each his own- we don’t really wander and “snack” We really prefer sit down and enjoy signature dining- does not mean I think that the festivals should go away… but if you don’t find value in it that’s fine just don’t wish it away for the rest of us… |
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