No lobster at captain jacks?

[shellgirl]

I had recently heard that they no longer allow the lobster tails at Captain Jacks for Disney Dining Plan. Does anyone know if this is true? I had read others had it for dinner and said it was good. We want seafood one night but I really was not too impressed with most of the other Seafood restaurant menus. I was considering Coral Reef since my son loves to see fish in tanks but I am afraid he will be dissapointed if they won't seat us near the tanks. Help............

 

[ShellyMouse]

this is news to me! i sure hope we can get the "twin lobster tails"......thats why capt. jacks is on our list for december!

someone please tell us it isn't so!!

(we are also going to coral reef.....my dd is gonna love the tank too!)

 

[DaisyD]

Probably the same reason they are taking a lot of good items off all the restaurant menus. This dining plan has caused some good menu items to be dropped and the ones paying for it are the ones that would have paid for it. LOL! If that made any sense! Anyway I wouldn't be surprised. It seems as though a lot of people are heading to certain restaurants to get the most expensive thing there. Before long, there will not be anything good left.

 

[Sammie]

Probably the same reason they are taking a lot of good items off all the restaurant menus. This dining plan has caused some good menu items to be dropped and the ones paying for it are the ones that would have paid for it. LOL! If that made any sense! Anyway I wouldn't be surprised. It seems as though a lot of people are heading to certain restaurants to get the most expensive thing there. Before long, there will not be anything good left.

And if that continues to happen, I will be eating more of my meals off property.

 

[DaisyD]

And if that continues to happen, I will be eating more of my meals off property.

If it continues to happen I will be writing plenty of letters to someone to express my disappointmen in how the DP is ruining it for the rest of us.

 

[Ahnberg4]

Tell me it's not so- that is the ONLY reason why we are planning on going to Capn Jacks in December. If it ends up being true, we'll find somewhere else for our group- especially since Capn Jacks doesn't take ADRs!!!

 

[hopesmommy]

My Dsis just returned last Friday and was able to get lobster on the dining plan from Capn' Jacks.

 

[cornflkgrl]

Probably the same reason they are taking a lot of good items off all the restaurant menus. This dining plan has caused some good menu items to be dropped and the ones paying for it are the ones that would have paid for it. LOL! If that made any sense! Anyway I wouldn't be surprised. It seems as though a lot of people are heading to certain restaurants to get the most expensive thing there. Before long, there will not be anything good left.

If I pay for the dining plan why wouldn't I want to order the most expensive thing to get the most out of my plan??
If Disney's intention is to treat people on the dining plan like 3rd class then why not just make a special cheap "dining plan" menu with the least expensive and not that tasty items from each restaurant and have a special seating section for DP people over in the corner with a big sign overhead that says "cheapskates section"?

 

[blueroses]

If I pay for the dining plan why wouldn't I want to order the most expensive thing to get the most out of my plan??

I don't want to come down on you in particular, but I think the previous poster intended to point out that some people on the dining plan are placing their orders mostly based on price. It's hard to explain. It's like buying a skirt you only kind of like because it's 90% off instead of because it looks good on you. Or to bring it back to the dining plan, it would be like my walking into Captain Jack's and ordering the twin lobster tails because it's the most expensive thing on the menu even though I really prefer salmon or something.

I order what I actually want to eat whether it's the cheapest or the most expensive item on the menu.

 

[DaisyD]

If I pay for the dining plan why wouldn't I want to order the most expensive thing to get the most out of my plan??
If Disney's intention is to treat people on the dining plan like 3rd class then why not just make a special cheap "dining plan" menu with the least expensive and not that tasty items from each restaurant and have a special seating section for DP people over in the corner with a big sign overhead that says "cheapskates section"?

I think the problem is thatmany people are buying the most expensive thing just to get the most out of their money even if they don't even really love the food. Honestly at only $35 a person a day, lobster shouldn't even been part of the plan. It is slowly being made into an add on for an additional charge. I don't think anyone should be treated as 3rd class citizens. It is just a shame that Disney has taken some of their nicer desserts and appetizers off the menus to stop the gorging of all the expensive stuff. Personally I think the DP should have a $$$$ limit on entrees, desserts, and appetizers. That way the more expensive stuff can still stay on the menu for those willing to pay full price. Having the dining plan in no way makes anyone a cheapskate. I just think they need a limit on it.

 

[DaisyD]

I don't want to come down on you in particular, but I think the previous poster intended to point out that some people on the dining plan are placing their orders mostly based on price. It's hard to explain. It's like buying a skirt you only kind of like because it's 90% off instead of because it looks good on you. Or to bring it back to the dining plan, it would be like my walking into Captain Jack's and ordering the twin lobster tails because it's the most expensive thing on the menu even though I really prefer salmon or something.

I order what I actually want to eat whether it's the cheapest or the most expensive item on the menu.

Exactly. I also think Disney needs to revise the plan to put a $$$ value on each part of the meal. In doing that they could bring back the more expensive options.

 

[casey49781]

Personally, i think $35 a person a day,, is a reasonable amount to charge someone,,,because lunch should be no more than 10.00 and dinner leaves 25.00 most people dont eat appt or dessert anyways,,and let them eat what they want,,however the kids deal is all about chicken nugg and mac and cheese or hot dogs at every place on the menu and is stupid,,,,they need to redo the kids list and add other things,,,i am going to try the plan out this time and see what happens,,,i dont care how much stuff cost if i want it i will order it,,,

 

[DaisyD]

Actually Casey if you read some of these boards, you will see where everyone on the plan pretty much orders appetizers, desserts, and entrees. Many are even trying to get an adult appetizer for the kids. On another board I frequent there are people getting everything they can whether they eat it or not. I am at WDW quite a bit and have witnessed the hoggish behavior firsthand where a family orders everything whether they will eat it or not. They are terribly wasteful. Ask the Poly CMs at Kona's about the waste of food from the dining plan. Of course this isn't everyone but it must be enough to get Disney to take things off the menus. It really is a shame. I do think $35 is more then reasonable for everything you get. I just think that they might want to put a $$ limit on everything. That way they won't feel the need to take the more expensive stuff off the menus.

 

[shellgirl]

It is not that I want to order the most expensive thing on the menu but I would like to be able to order whatever I personally like off the menu. If the least expensive thing is somthing I like then I will order that. I just don't get the oportuinity to order two lobster tails very often when we eat out. I will also be sharing part of my meal with my 8 year old son because he is not going to enjoy many of the kids menu choices. I don't think they should limit what you can order if they are going to include the restaurant on the dining plan. If they feel that they don't get their money's worth out of certain restaurants being on the DDP then they should exclude them. At least those people who purchase the dining plan know in advance that those restaurants are excluded. It really is not fair to include a restaurant on the DDP and then when you arrive they tell you what you can and can't order. Wouldn't you want to know in advance if certain things are going to be excluded before you make a reservation. I feel that in some situations they probably do loose out on the cost if you are trying to plan to eat at only the most expensive places. On the other hand they are getting all the business on site instead of people leaving and spending their money elsewhere! We just tried to plan two Table service restaurants that the adults would enjoy and two that the kids would enjoy. We are using two TS meals for Hoop De Doo Revue and I feel that that is pretty even on our dining plan. I don't feel like we are trying to plan our meals around the most expensive places but only by choosing what we prefer for meals and what our kids prefer. I think the DDP is a great value if we can order what we want off the menus at the DDP restaurants. I feel like it is convenient to have it paid for in advance and we know better how to plan for how much money we will need for spending at Disney since our meals are already paid for. I will find out soon! We are leaving on April 27th!

 

[DaisyD]

I do think Shellgirl that a list of exclusions would be great for everyone. That way anyone on the dining plan knows what they are allowed to get and anyone not on the dining plan isn't getting the more expensive stuff taken off the menu. I don't think the actual restaurant should be taken off as there are many dining plan folks that would love to have access to the nicer restaurants whether they would be allowed the lobster or not.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I do think Shellgirl that a list of exclusions would be great for everyone. That way anyone on the dining plan knows what they are allowed to get and anyone not on the dining plan isn't getting the more expensive stuff taken off the menu. I don't think the actual restaurant should be taken off as there are many dining plan folks that would love to have access to the nicer restaurants whether they would be allowed the lobster or not.

I disagree. I got the dining plan specifically after looking to see what kind of food I could get. I like lobster. I like filet mignon. I think if you cannot order what you want the dining plan is pointless and people will not add it to their packages as often. If they don't want you ordering all the good/expensive food they should not include the restaurant on the dining plan. I also think these comments make it sound like some who chooses the dining plan is cheap. My husband and I are going to Bistro de Paris (not on the dining plan) one night and paying OOP for that. We chose the dining plan because I thought it was a good deal for the money and if they limited us to the cheapest stuff on the menus, whether it is intentional or not I think we WOULD feel like 3rd class citizens. Also, this would cause the waiters and waitresses to treat us as such because the price of the total meal would go down, so would their 18% tip. Therefore they would treat the OOP people like royalty and basically, as I said before, I think the cheapy dining plan people would be left out in the cold. Just my opinion as someone who is using both the dining plan AND paying out of pocket!

 

[DisOrBust]

I completely agree with CornFlake! What good is the DDP if you have "limits" and exclusions. I am sure they are making a good profit out of the DDP that lobster here and there isn't going to effect. someone in the Biz had posted that after a certain amt of customers your costs are pretty much the same

 

[Ava]

I completely agree with CornFlake! What good is the DDP if you have "limits" and exclusions. I am sure they are making a good profit out of the DDP that lobster here and there isn't going to effect.

That would be true if all of the restaurants that accept the plan were owned by Disney, but they're not. Disney only pays the restaurant a set price for each meal purchased via the dining plan. Other posters here have quoted that price as somewhere in the $22-$25 range. That includes tax and the mandatory 18% tip paid to the server. Using the lobster tails at Cap'n Jacks as an example, the regular menu price of that entree is $31.99 (from AllEars menus). Already the cost of that meal is $7-$10 over what Disney is going to pay to Cap'n Jacks for that person's meal. Add on the appetizer (average price ~$8), dessert (average price ~$5), and drink (probably ~$2), 6% tax, and 18% tip for the server and you're up to ~$58. Even knowing that the menu prices at restaurants are nowhere near the actual cost of the food, these menu prices are how a restaurant makes a profit. Being paid only $25 of what would normally be a $58 bill causes a loss of profit for the restaurant. Disney, the corporation, is who ultimately makes money off of the dining plan because it gets more people to stay on-site, spend more time on Disney property, etc. The actual costs of the meals really has nothing to do with their profits/losses, it's the bigger "goal" of getting more people to stay on-site that makes their profits for them. A restaurant that is not owned by Disney does not benefit at all from the Disney Corp's added profits.

You may say restaurants do not have to participate in the dining plan, but if they don't they run the risk of losing the little profit they may be getting from the dining plan payouts, depending on how popular the plan becomes and what percentage of Disney guests are using it.

It sucks for the people who choose to pay out of pocket for their meals that many of the more expensive menu items are being removed because restaurants cannot afford to keep serving them for Disney's low-ball dining plan payback.

 

[rluey29]

The reason people get on the dining plan is for the bargain. if they keep removing things from menus the plan will be less attractive and probaly be removed. They shouldn't limit anything IMO becaust the parks are making big bucks on everthing. Why not give the consumer a break on something that most people love which is food.

 

[abk96]

We had the dining plan in July and are using it again in April. We are not at all "cheap" people. We go out to restaurants at least twice a week and spend big money on good food because we appreciate good food...period.

It is horrible to even say that people using the dining plan should get a set menu to choose from, what's the point in that then. No one would buy the plan. And just because you purchase the dining plan doesn't mean you are a hog and a cheap person.

If Disney is offering, then we'll order what we'd like to eat. I can't believe that someone would order Lobster and then not eat it just to get the priciest item on the menu. That doesn't make sense. We order what we like to eat reguardless of price.