No the Magic isn’t gone but it’s at 25%

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You make it sounds like Disney shops at the supermarket like we do. They typically sign contracts with suppliers to lock in food prices for long periods of time, which is how they are able to lock in the Dining Plan costs for a year at a time.

Right but right now it's hard to do that with costs rising or product amounts unknown. It's been up and down for a while now as a sustained strain. Supplies just may not be able to meet their quota. Not to mention fuel pricing has affected things. Tomatoes for instance are being affected right now due to severe droughts in CA, the western half of my state (KS) is under drought with some spots primarily where meatpacking (SW part of the state) is at is under the highest drought you can be. Sorgum, wheat, corn and soybeans are all being impacted.

I'm sure you've heard in your area of restaurants having difficulty meeting demands or having to increase the costs of their menus. In my area BBQ is king and we've had restaurants hit hard, one of them in early spring pleaded with customers to please don't purchase the burnt ends (a local staple and signature) but if you do it'll be very expensive. They've doubled their prices in just a year.

Sure Disney isn't going to Walmart but they are still able to be impacted the same as other places. I can understand in a volatile market why they may hold off. Just all part of the discussion I'd say.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Right but right now it's hard to do that with costs rising or product amounts unknown. It's been up and down for a while now as a sustained strain. Supplies just may not be able to meet their quota. Not to mention fuel pricing has affected things. Tomatoes for instance are being affected right now due to severe droughts in CA, the western half of my state (KS) is under drought with some spots primarily where meatpacking (SW part of the state) is at is under the highest drought you can be. Sorgum, wheat, corn and soybeans are all being impacted.

I'm sure you've heard in your area of restaurants having difficulty meeting demands or having to increase the costs of their menus. In my area BBQ is king and we've had restaurants hit hard, one of them in early spring pleaded with customers to please don't purchase the burnt ends (a local staple and signature) but if you do it'll be very expensive. They've doubled their prices in just a year.

Sure Disney isn't going to Walmart but they are still able to be impacted the same as other places. I can understand in a volatile market why they may hold off. Just all part of the discussion I'd say.

that still shouldn't stop them from offering the dining plan. I understand all of that, but if they're able to feed everyone there right now without a dining plan, there is no reason they can't offer a dining plan. I haven't seen menu prices fluctuating at the parks, i really haven't been looking all that hard either, but just scanning them over they seem in the same ballpark they've been in. I know they've cut portion sizes (standard practice, i'm just surprised they owned up to it) but we aren't really talking about the actual food, essentially just talking about how to price out the dining plan. I still think it's very doable, and my thought is it will be back probably next year, and that is just a guess on my end

 

[DCLMP]

that still shouldn't stop them from offering the dining plan. I understand all of that, but if they're able to feed everyone there right now without a dining plan, there is no reason they can't offer a dining plan. I haven't seen menu prices fluctuating at the parks, i really haven't been looking all that hard either, but just scanning them over they seem in the same ballpark they've been in. I know they've cut portion sizes (standard practice, i'm just surprised they owned up to it) but we aren't really talking about the actual food, essentially just talking about how to price out the dining plan. I still think it's very doable, and my thought is it will be back probably next year, and that is just a guess on my end

You haven’t see food costs go up at the parks? You are joking right?

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

There has not been inflation like this in 40 years…and it’s only going to get worse. The dining plan is not coming back.

Everything is bad, and going to progressively get worse, got it. I still think it comes back by next year

 

[DCLMP]

Everything is bad, and going to progressively get worse, got it. I still think it comes back by next year

How in the world would Disney benefit bringing it back?

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

You haven’t see food costs go up at the parks? You are joking right?

i've seen them go up, but they stay stable for a while once they do go up, again because Disney contracts food prices over a period of time.
Just checking food and wine, they don't look all that different from last year

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

How in the world would Disney benefit bringing it back?

because it's a profitable venture for them, has been since they started offering it.

 

[DCLMP]

because it's a profitable venture for them, has been since they started offering it.

If it’s profitable for them then it must not save you any money..so why in the world would you buy it?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

if they're able to feed everyone there right now without a dining plan, there is no reason they can't offer a dining plan

Well they aren't able to feed everyone. They are understaffed and limit dining slots as well as don't always have every place open, share staff, menus duplicated between places, etc.

For a while San Angel Inn and La Hacienda were virtually the same menu with La Hacienda IIRC being only open for dinner due to staffing shared between the two. That was in May when we went.

I haven't seen menu prices fluctuating at the parks

They have been. Disney raises prices several times a year as per normal. With a large scale place like Disney they often can't double a price in a year but they can eliminate items, substitute items especially for cheaper cost ones, slowly increase over the course of a year, started charging for things that used to be included (like chips at La Hacienda that are $6 or so IIRC), etc

Unfortunately this year inflation is interacting as well.

I'm not saying one way or another about definitive nature of the Dining Plan coming back or not but there's a lot more to it then your comments speak to.

Just checking food and wine, they don't look all that different from last year

Food and Wine is never a good indicator of the several hundred places on Disney's property and their ability to sustain a Dining Plan that is purchased well in advance nor would it be an indicator to just look at year over year when the issues have been ongoing since the pandemic started.

 

[Smugpugmug]

If it’s profitable for them then it must not save you any money..so why in the world would you buy it?

I've wondered the same since the dining plan doesn't really save you any money and in a lot of aspects you are overpaying for the amount of food you'll realistically eat. I've seen a lot of people on other Disney fan sites I'm on say they know this, but buy it for the convenience the dining plan offers. I do think when the dining plan comes back, it'll be different than the past one and/or it'll be more expensive.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

If it’s profitable for them then it must not save you any money..so why in the world would you buy it?

Well this was fun while it lasted

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I've wondered the same since the dining plan doesn't really save you any money and in a lot of aspects you are overpaying for the amount of food you'll realistically eat. I've seen a lot of people on other Disney fan sites I'm on say they know this, but buy it for the convenience the dining plan offers. I do think when the dining plan comes back, it'll be different than the past one and/or it'll be more expensive.

when we've gone, we pick the pricier restaurants (Mr.Pauls, CRT, Le Cellier, Citricos, Narcoosees, yachtsman steakhouse, California Grill, ect) , and use the deluxe dining plan, we usually only do two meals a day (breakfast and dinner), and then snack in the middle. I have yet to go down without saving on food. I think for most people though, they are paying extra to not have to worry about how much food costs on vacation, it's already built into the price of vacation. i agree that it will probably be different and more expensive, and if i value add it up, and come up underwater i won't use it again, but i'd wager it will still be able to provide someone like myself substantial savings

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've wondered the same since the dining plan doesn't really save you any money and in a lot of aspects you are overpaying for the amount of food you'll realistically eat. I've seen a lot of people on other Disney fan sites I'm on say they know this, but buy it for the convenience the dining plan offers. I do think when the dining plan comes back, it'll be different than the past one and/or it'll be more expensive.

From what I remember seeing people usually say is usually the character dining and the buffets were where your dining credits were best in terms of value of the cost well that and for those who drink when alcohol was included.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

when we've gone, we pick the pricier restaurants (Mr.Pauls, CRT, Le Cellier, Citricos, Narcoosees, yachtsman steakhouse, California Grill, ect) , and use the deluxe dining plan

Which is usually what you had to do in order to break even or gain anything. Ooohhh the days of the conversations about calculating out the average cost per meal and then looking at the menus. It was a lot for people looking at the costs of it all because it often meant tallying up the exact item on the menu you would purchase not just the place. Purchase steak over chicken for instance, etc.

Been a long while since this debate has been had lol but boy it usually got heated.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Well they aren't able to feed everyone. They are understaffed and limit dining slots as well as don't always have every place open, share staff, menus duplicated between places, etc.

For a while San Angel Inn and La Hacienda were virtually the same menu with La Hacienda IIRC being only open for dinner due to staffing shared between the two. That was in May when we went.


They have been. Disney raises prices several times a year as per normal. With a large scale place like Disney they often can't double a price in a year but they can eliminate items, substitute items especially for cheaper cost ones, slowly increase over the course of a year, started charging for things that used to be included (like chips at La Hacienda that are $6 or so IIRC), etc

Unfortunately this year inflation is interacting as well.

I'm not saying one way or another about definitive nature of the Dining Plan coming back or not but there's a lot more to it then your comments speak to.


Food and Wine is never a good indicator of the several hundred places on Disney's property and their ability to sustain a Dining Plan that is purchased well in advance nor would it be an indicator to just look at year over year when the issues have been ongoing since the pandemic started.

i'm not saying that it wouldn't be complex, all i'm saying is that i believe it to be doable

 

[Smugpugmug]

when we've gone, we pick the pricier restaurants (Mr.Pauls, CRT, Le Cellier, Citricos, Narcoosees, yachtsman steakhouse, California Grill, ect) , and use the deluxe dining plan, we usually only do two meals a day (breakfast and dinner), and then snack in the middle. I have yet to go down without saving on food. I think for most people though, they are paying extra to not have to worry about how much food costs on vacation, it's already built into the price of vacation. i agree that it will probably be different and more expensive, and if i value add it up, and come up underwater i won't use it again, but i'd wager it will still be able to provide someone like myself substantial savings

Yeah that's what I mean. Some people know they're overpaying for the dining plan but are willing to do so for the convenience of not having to worry about food while on vacation. If you knew how to get the bang for your buck in terms of dining credits, then the plan was a no brainer. But a lot of people didn't and ended up overpaying and not eating enough food to justify the cost. I never did the dining plan and probably won't - I don't eat enough food.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Which is usually what you had to do in order to break even or gain anything. Ooohhh the days of the conversations about calculating out the average cost per meal and then looking at the menus. It was a lot for people looking at the costs of it all because it often meant tallying up the exact item on the menu you would purchase not just the place. Purchase steak over chicken for instance, etc.

Been a long while since this debate has been had lol but boy it usually got heated.

It's interesting, i feel like we typically broke even around day 5 on a 7 day trip, and we weren't specifically buying the priciest thing on the menus either.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Yeah that's what I mean. Some people know they're overpaying for the dining plan but are willing to do so for the convenience of not having to worry about food while on vacation. If you knew how to get the bang for your buck in terms of dining credits, then the plan was a no brainer. But a lot of people didn't and ended up overpaying and not eating enough food to justify the cost. I never did the dining plan and probably won't - I don't eat enough food.

completely agree, which is why Disney always made a profit with it

 

[FuzzyPeach]

With the regular DDP, I don’t think it was super challenging to save money (an abundance of buffet/family style/character meals did it quite easily, especially if you had a 3-9 year old), it was more a question of “would you eat at the exact same places if paying out of pocket?”, and if that answer was no it likely wasn’t a cost savings. When you start eating at more of the TS with menu ordering, that’s where you run into the ordering more than you would otherwise IMO.

We used to be a hard yes to that. We ate that style before DDP came into play. Now though, they’ve kind of broken us of that. I don’t think we’d get it again if it was similar if it returns.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

i'm not saying that it wouldn't be complex, all i'm saying is that i believe it to be doable

Isn't the the point of contention though? I think what originated the conversation was just the idea that what the dining plan was in the past may realistically not be the dining plan of the future should it come back because conditions in 2019 and early 2020 just don't exist anymore. Part of the reason I commented with you is because I think you were coming at it like it was pre-pandemic. It's fair IMO to question if things are like they were such that they could bring it back in the past form at the relative costs that it was. And if Disney sees a need to have it as part of their product. Since they've reopened in summer 2020 there's been a lot going on that I don't think any of us would have thought was the case. O'hana for instance a place normally highly sought after took a year to reopen. Character Dining took nearly 2 years.

It's interesting, i feel like we typically broke even around day 5 on a 7 day trip, and we weren't specifically buying the priciest thing on the menus either.

If you went through your receipts it's possible you might notice something different. Some people naturally order things that are historically higher priced items as well as a good amount of food and maybe that was you but for a lot of people actually looking at the fine print to where they would decide would they or wouldn't they the common end result for just about everyone was they rarely netted anything, sometimes broke even but usually paid more than they would have when they really went over their habits. The common mentality was not wanting to worry about price (perfectly valid but separate from the conversation of cost of plan vs cost of items without plan).

completely agree, which is why Disney always made a profit with it

We don't know if Disney always made a profit on just the Dining Plan but I do think they had ways to pad costs on their end. Free Dining for instance required room rate to be rack rate and many times math-wise you were better off taking the room only discount