? about Premium DDP

[disneysteve]

We never stay on site and think the DDP is a waste for the way we travel (like Kevin) but I was intrigued by the Premium or Platinum plan, whichever was the most expensive. Not that we are planning on doing it, but I was wondering. If you are on that plan, do you still need to book your dining reservations months in advance or do they give those folks special consideration and accommodate them last minute? On the show, you talked about it being like an all-inclusive resort but at an all-inclusive, you don't typically need to make reservation in advance of your arrival.

If I knew that the plan would let us eat wherever we wanted on short notice, perhaps the day before or even the morning of, that would be great. I could see possibly doing a few days on that plan in the future when it's just my wife and I and we want to do something really special and different at Disney.

Same for the tours and other perks on the plan. If they don't need to be booked in advance, that makes the price so much more worth it.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I have used that plan twice in the past. You still have to make ADRs like the rest of the public. There's no special treatment.

 

[disneysteve]

I have used that plan twice in the past. You still have to make ADRs like the rest of the public. There's no special treatment.

Thanks, Nikki. In that case, I wouldn't even consider it. I simply don't know when or where we are going to want to eat in advance. It just isn't the way we vacation (or live our lives in general for that matter).

I can't even understand the folks that plan out which park they will visit each day in advance. We decide the night before where we will go the next morning. It depends on how we feel. It depends on the weather forecast. It depends on what kind of mood we're in.

The whole new Fastpass system and being able to book FPs in advance equally holds zero appeal to us. How can I possibly know that at 2:15 on Tuesday 2 months from now, I'm going to want to ride Space Mountain?

 

[derekburgan]

Glad to see this question here. I just finished listening to this show and was fascinated by the Premium and Platinum plans (and their price). After it finished all I could think of was "two people paying $500 per night for food and they'll find out there's no quality restaurants outside of quick service they can get into?"

Also, I'm assuming it's the case, but is the tip included so that there is no money out of pocket whatsoever? Are there any current/former servers on the Dis that can say whether that ends up being a good or bad deal for them?

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Glad to see this question here. I just finished listening to this show and was fascinated by the Premium and Platinum plans (and their price). After it finished all I could think of was "two people paying $500 per night for food and they'll find out there's no quality restaurants outside of quick service they can get into?"

Also, I'm assuming it's the case, but is the tip included so that there is no money out of pocket whatsoever? Are there any current/former servers on the Dis that can say whether that ends up being a good or bad deal for them?

I have used both plans before - when they offered more and were a bit less expensive. The tip was included when the plans first came out, but that changed once all of the dining plans took it away. I believe it was a 20% tip that was given to servers regardless of service.

Remember that the two plans offer more than food. They also include a variety of activities including backstage tours, spa treatments, recreation, etc. depending upon which is chosen.

 

[disneysteve]

Remember that the two plans offer more than food. They also include a variety of activities including backstage tours, spa treatments, recreation, etc. depending upon which is chosen.

True, and that was appealing too, but if you can't get into the top restaurants, it would be a waste. I don't want to have to make advance reservations, especially if I'm paying $500/day for a VIP dining plan.

Now if Disney would come up with a truly all inclusive plan, similar to something like a Sandals resort, I'd be interested for sure.

 

[PainInIL]

I believe you will start to see MyMagic+ get rolled into this top-end plans with extra Fast Passes allotted per day.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I agree that there should be a way to avoid 180 days out ADRs, but am not sure how they could do that. I had no issues and had signature meals every night and sometimes for lunch (Brown Derby, etc.). Again though, this was because I made the reservations far I'm advance.

 

[mattincanberra]

I have done the Platinum Plan a couple of times.

When we booked it the first time, I think we basically looked at what we were prepared to spend on a vacation, the total was about the same as a cruise we were looking at, and the Platinum plan is even more inclusive than a cruise.

I just priced it out, 5 nights at the wilderness lodge in April for 2 with hopper tickets and the platinum plan comes out at $2670 or thereabouts each, which is about the same price as the Backstage Magic ABD.

And the best bits - Dinners in Victoria and Alberts, I got to dive in the Shark Tank, Segway around EPCOT, and they let me ride around that lake for as long as i want in those damned boats - and these are things it's unlikely I would have ever taken out my credit card to pay for individually

 

[Cherinva]

I think the DDP is a value to our family and our style of vacationing. I know it's not for everyone. I've never done the Delux plan, because that just isn't for us. But, I've done the TS dining plan a couple of times and it was great, but I found that it took a lot of time away from touring the parks...so mainly now, we just do the QS dining plan, and we are happy with that. There is plenty of food and we can eat on our schedule....not something that we planned 180 days before the trip. I've run the numbers each time, and the QS plan does save us a little money, but more important than that....it's already paid for.

To each there own...if it works for your family as it does with ours then go for it....if it doesn't...then don't. No way is wrong here.