New DDP 2018 Changes! Post your actual experiences

[CosmicGirl]

They gave you fries as part of the QS credit? That's new afaik. We have previously avoided D-Luxe because we felt disadvantaged using the QSDP there vs. people paying OOP. The duo deals are far better value yet they refuse to let them count as two credits. And I would not have been happy if they refused the shake as a drink on the 2018 plan because the rules specifically mention shakes are included. "Where offered" means where it's on the menu, not where they decide to grant you the privilige of ordering something. If the latter were true then they could flat out refuse all alcohol and specialty beverages everywhere within the rules of the DP and the whole 2018 change would become meaningless.

 

[MamaJessie]

I went to DLuxe with my husband and both had the boozy milkshakes as the drink for the qsdp credit. We used a snack credit for the fries.

At the AsMu and AoA food court we were able to get milkshakes (both boozy and not) as our drink on the qsdp.

Both the food court also allowed us to sub a snack for the drink option on the qs credit.

We had an issue at one qs in the park subbing a snack for a drink - but when my husband told them he has been doing it daily at the resort they yielded and allowed him to do the substitution (I cannot remember where it was off the top of my head, will ask him later)

 

[MommyinHonduras]

I went to DLuxe with my husband and both had the boozy milkshakes as the drink for the qsdp credit. We used a snack credit for the fries.

Now if this was the norm, it would be great.

 

[MamaJessie]

Now if this was the norm, it would be great.

He also had the milkshakes (non boozy) as his drink with a qs earlier in the week when he went with my son. Sad to hear they aren't being consistent because the food and shakes were excellent.

 

[DISfirstTimer]

He also had the milkshakes (non boozy) as his drink with a qs earlier in the week when he went with my son. Sad to hear they aren't being consistent because the food and shakes were excellent.

It could have just been a training thing because I was originally going to have to pay for something and then another CM came to help and suddenly I got everything I ordered for my remaining 4 credits!

 

[Maiky]

We had lunch at Brown Derby and all cocktails and beers were included. Most wines were included up to $21. Flights were not included. Since we were using the DxDDP to pay for the Fantasmic Dinner Package, we were also allowed a soft drink.

At Yak and Yeti and STK all cocktails and beers were included (I did not check the wine list in those places).

 

[sharonabe]

"Where offered" means where it's on the menu, not where they decide to grant you the privilige of ordering something. If the latter were true then they could flat out refuse all alcohol and specialty beverages everywhere within the rules of the DP and the whole 2018 change would become meaningless.

By that logic, ANYTHING on the menu would be allowed and it's obviously not. I agree that it needs to be more consistent, but it's only been a month, and it's going to take all of them some time to figure all of this out.

We had an issue at one qs in the park subbing a snack for a drink - but when my husband told them he has been doing it daily at the resort they yielded and allowed him to do the substitution (I cannot remember where it was off the top of my head, will ask him later)

This has been pretty hit or miss at the parks since the beginning of 2017 when they took the dessert away. Resorts are pretty good about it because you have the refillable mug, but it's no longer written into the brochure, so it shouldn't be expected, but always worth an ask.

 

[CosmicGirl]

By that logic, ANYTHING on the menu would be allowed and it's obviously not. I agree that it needs to be more consistent, but it's only been a month, and it's going to take all of them some time to figure all of this out.

By that logic you can always get something, not anything. To my knowledge the only drinks that have been reported as excluded are flights and the most expensive wines/digestifs above a certain price point depending on the restaurant. This no different than, say, the Wagyu beef at Yachtsman Steakhouse and makes sense. Individual restaurants randomly refusing to honor fundamental elements of a DP because they feel like it, that, does not make sense. By the "where offered logic" you can maybe get something if you're lucky but you won't know until you're at the table.

It is also clearly mentioned on both the US and UK websites in slightly different wording that most but not all alcoholic beverages are included. This distinction is not made for non-alcoholic specialty beverages, ergo they are all included. There is no way to argue that a milkshake is not included based on these rules.
US:
"A single-serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:

• Artisanal Milkshakes
• Fresh Smoothies
• Premium Hot Chocolate
• Soda, Coffee or Tea

A single-serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:

• Beer or Cider
• Wine or Sangria
• Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails

Most beer, wine and mixed drink beverages included, some exceptions apply. Guests must be age 21 or older and present valid ID to be served alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages may only be redeemed with a Quick-Service meal entitlement."

The exceptions clearly pertain to the alcoholic beverages mentioned in the same sentence, not the non-alcoholic beverages two paragraphs before.

UK (note that the "where offered" wording isn't even present on the UK site):
"1 Non-Alcoholic/Alcoholic Drink per Meal
Enjoy a refreshing selection of non-alcoholic or alcoholic‡ (for Guests over 21) beverages to accompany your meal including:

• Artisanal milkshakes and fresh smoothies
• Mocktails and sodas
• Beer, cider and most wines
• Sangria and speciality cocktails

‡For 2018 arrivals, where 'beverage' is included for table service meals and quick service meals, the guest may choose any non-alcoholic beverage, or from a selection of the beer, wine or mixed drinks available at the location (21 years of age or older with acceptable proof of age). "

 

[Colleen27]

It is also clearly mentioned on both the US and UK websites in slightly different wording that most but not all alcoholic beverages are included. This distinction is not made for non-alcoholic specialty beverages, ergo they are all included. There is no way to argue that a milkshake is not included based on these rules.

That's how I've been reading it too. There is clearly language that allows restaurants to exclude flights (as multi-serving) and high end drinks, which makes sense considering the price points of some of the choices - there's no way the DDP could reasonably be expected to include the $40 scotch at Rose & Crown, for example. I don't read it as having a comparable "out" for restaurants that simply want to limit DDP beverages to the coffee/tea/soda that have always been included, at least not for adults. For kids, I think the argument could be made that since specialty beverages almost never appear on kids menus and kids are required to order from those kids menus, the plan really doesn't cover shakes, smoothies, etc. for anyone under 10, although I'm not convinced that was what Disney intended when they made this change. I think it is more likely that they just didn't think through all the details, as tends to happen with a lot of the big changes they make.

It'll all shake out eventually, but in the meantime I really feel for both the guests who have to argue or complain to get what the dining plan brochures promise and for the cast members who are the 'face' of a plan that isn't yet well-understood by anyone.

 

[PDXmouse]

That's how I've been reading it too. There is clearly language that allows restaurants to exclude flights (as multi-serving) and high end drinks, which makes sense considering the price points of some of the choices - there's no way the DDP could reasonably be expected to include the $40 scotch at Rose & Crown, for example. I don't read it as having a comparable "out" for restaurants that simply want to limit DDP beverages to the coffee/tea/soda that have always been included, at least not for adults. For kids, I think the argument could be made that since specialty beverages almost never appear on kids menus and kids are required to order from those kids menus, the plan really doesn't cover shakes, smoothies, etc. for anyone under 10, although I'm not convinced that was what Disney intended when they made this change. I think it is more likely that they just didn't think through all the details, as tends to happen with a lot of the big changes they make.

It'll all shake out eventually, but in the meantime I really feel for both the guests who have to argue or complain to get what the dining plan brochures promise and for the cast members who are the 'face' of a plan that isn't yet well-understood by anyone.

Except that the “Child Specialty Drinks” listed clearly ON the child’s menus were not allowed on the dining plan in our experience.

 

[Colleen27]

Except that the “Child Specialty Drinks” listed clearly ON the child’s menus were not allowed on the dining plan in our experience.

Were there specialty drinks on the kids' menu that didn't double as souvenirs? It feels like it has been a while since I've seen a real specialty on a kids menu, other than the fountain lemonade/punch in a souvenir cup (which is excluded from the DDP because it is a souvenir, just like the refillable popcorn buckets, the goblet at BoG, etc.) When I was going over menus to decide whether to up-age DD9, it seemed like none of the kids menus had shakes or smoothies or other drink choices beyond soda/milk/juice. Not even 50s Prime Time, where the PB&J shakes are one of the things that keep us coming back.

 

[Maiky]

We had lunch yesterday at Yak and Yeti. All cocktails and beers were included.

At Jiko all cocktails, beers and wines were included except flights and some scotch.

 

[Maiky]

We had lunch today at Rose & Crown. All cocktails and beers were included but not the beer flight.

 

[Maiky]

Tonight at California Grill all cocktails and beers were included. The wines that were not included were clearly marked with an asterisk.

We ordered three alcoholic beverages and the DxDDP covered them all. The same happened at Kona. We ordered four alcoholic beverages and the Dining Plan covered them all (we were two adults). I think that there are glitches in their system.

 

[sharonabe]

Tonight at California Grill all cocktails and beers were included. The wines that were not included were clearly marked with an asterisk.

We ordered three alcoholic beverages and the DxDDP covered them all. The same happened at Kona. We ordered four alcoholic beverages and the Dining Plan covered them all (we were two adults). I think that there are glitches in their system.

No kids, just two adults and the system covered them all? I would say that's a glitch.

 

[Ejw5]

We used mobile ordering at satuli canteen, pizzafari, and flame tree yesterday. It was so easy and one adult was able to pick up the food with 3 alcoholic beverages with no problem. Super convenient to bypass the standby lines while the rest of the party grabs a table.

 

[Lisa LSR]

So, I have a question. I have two teenagers and we will have the DDP. At somewhere like Sci-fi, would a milkshake not count as their dessert, or are shakes not considered desserts?

 

[sharonabe]

So, I have a question. I have two teenagers and we will have the DDP. At somewhere like Sci-fi, would a milkshake not count as their dessert, or are shakes not considered desserts?

You SHOULD be able to get their shakes as their drink and then have another dessert, but they might count them as their dessert and then have a regular drink.

 

[Lisa LSR]

I was actually thinking they'd want a soda or other beverage for their drink with their meal, then a shake for dessert. It's not a big deal if we have to pay extra for the soda, but it seems to me that a shake should count as a dessert.

 

[Maiky]

No kids, just two adults and the system covered them all? I would say that's a glitch.

No, no kids. The Kona waitress told us that all the alcoholic beverages were covered by thw DxDDP and was very happy about it (no more than us, though) .

The California Grill waitress didn't even mention it. I noticed the glitch when I saw $0 beside the three alcoholic beverages.