Tusker House is now 2 dining credits!

[momto28weeker+1]

let us know what you hear

Do we all have to call?

 

[choover2576]

The podcast mentioned they are increasing the prices to 59.99 for adults for lunch and dinner for all the buffets, I had to listen to that segment several times. I didn't hear about breakfast being mentioned but I am assuming that they will increase that too.

I just can't wrap my head around a family of 4 (kids aged 10 are adults according to Disney) paying over 240 dollars not including tip for a buffet.

My problem is that I have been to Vegas and they have some FANTASTIC buffets, Disney just doesn't compare to them. I am glad I am a DVC owner and I have enough points so I can get a one bedroom and make use of the kitchen.

Exactly! We live in Vegas and the Bellagio Buffet is around $50 and NO WAY compares to any Disney buffet. Of course it doesn't have characters, but that doesn't justify the price increase in my opinion.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I'm assuming if the change held off until 2017...people going during December 2016 and January 2017 would still be under the 2016 dining plan rules correct?
I know that the credits and things like that stay the same if you start the dining plan in 2016 and say the 2017 plan had a different snack credit allotment. That would mean that some people would be paying 1 TS while others were there at the same time and would pay 2 TS. Just wondering.

I doubt it. I would think that everyone who has the dining plan in 2017 would be on the same plan. December of 2016 would be the same as January of 2016. January of 2017 would bring the new changes. It would make things very complicated for the CMs at the restaurants otherwise. How do they know when you made the reservation? Why should they have to keep up with that?

The dining plan changes yearly and Disney publishes the plan. The only think that really makes sense is for the plan to change in 2017 for all dining plan participants and for the 2016 plan to remain the same as it has been from the beginning of 2016. Anything else would be too complicated for guests and CMs.

I don't know for certain that Disney will do what makes logical sense, but logic and reason would dictate that the plan changes once per year and is the same for everyone within that year.

 

[rdominy]

I doubt it. I would think that everyone who has the dining plan in 2017 would be on the same plan. December of 2016 would be the same as January of 2016. January of 2017 would bring the new changes. It would make things very complicated for the CMs at the restaurants otherwise. How do they know when you made the reservation? Why should they have to keep up with that?


But when you go Dec/Jan...you purchase the 2016 plan. When the rumor was going around about the 2 snack credits and the DDP because of the UK version, several different management CMs told me that I would not have that since I was under the 2016 plan even in January.

The CM at the restaurant would not be "keeping up" with anything as I would assume the charge would come from the system and be linked to the magic band.

I would think that once on the plan, it would stay consistent throughout as many people would make reservations and have verification showing 1 TS...or only 1 snack credit.

Just like CRT...if they went up on the price...visitors pay in advance so would they go back and charge them more on a second charge or just start charging for new reservations?

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I doubt it. I would think that everyone who has the dining plan in 2017 would be on the same plan. December of 2016 would be the same as January of 2016. January of 2017 would bring the new changes. It would make things very complicated for the CMs at the restaurants otherwise. How do they know when you made the reservation? Why should they have to keep up with that?


But when you go Dec/Jan...you purchase the 2016 plan. When the rumor was going around about the 2 snack credits and the DDP because of the UK version, several different management CMs told me that I would not have that since I was under the 2016 plan even in January.

The CM at the restaurant would not be "keeping up" with anything as I would assume the charge would come from the system and be linked to the magic band.

I would think that once on the plan, it would stay consistent throughout as many people would make reservations and have verification showing 1 TS...or only 1 snack credit.

Just like CRT...if they went up on the price...visitors pay in advance so would they go back and charge them more on a second charge or just start charging for new reservations?

We don't pay in advance for most restaurants on the dining plan. That's a big difference. They don't deduct credits until after you have eaten. It makes sense that they would deduct the number of credits that the meal costs at the time you eat it.

I didn't get to pay $19.99 for my BOG breakfast even though I booked it when it cost $19.99. I had to pay the cost of the meal at the time I ate it.

The CMs deduct the credits on the bill after you eat it. You tell them how many meals you want to use the dining plan for and they deduct it from the bill immediately after your meal. You can get four dinners at BOG and use one dining credit and pay for the other three out of pocket. The CM would deduct the dining credits and then have you pay for the others. The Cm needs to know how many credits to deduct per meal. Presumably that would be the same for everyone.

I am simply stating what makes logical sense, but I have no idea if that is how Disney will handle it.

 

[STLstone]

We don't pay in advance for most restaurants on the dining plan. That's a big difference. They don't deduct credits until after you have eaten. It makes sense that they would deduct the number of credits that the meal costs at the time you eat it.

I didn't get to pay $19.99 for my BOG breakfast even though I booked it when it cost $19.99. I had to pay the cost of the meal at the time I ate it.

The CMs deduct the credits on the bill after you eat it. You tell them how many meals you want to use the dining plan for and they deduct it from the bill immediately after your meal. You can get four dinners at BOG and use one dining credit and pay for the other three out of pocket. The CM would deduct the dining credits and then have you pay for the others. The Cm needs to know how many credits to deduct per meal. Presumably that would be the same for everyone.

I am simply stating what makes logical sense, but I have no idea if that is how Disney will handle it.

That makes logical sense on one hand. But when you buy the Dining Plan, you ARE paying ahead of time for the meal. And you are choosing the Dining Plan based on the information available to you at the time you pay for it.

 

[Mac30188]

We don't pay in advance for most restaurants on the dining plan. That's a big difference. They don't deduct credits until after you have eaten. It makes sense that they would deduct the number of credits that the meal costs at the time you eat it.

I didn't get to pay $19.99 for my BOG breakfast even though I booked it when it cost $19.99. I had to pay the cost of the meal at the time I ate it.

The CMs deduct the credits on the bill after you eat it. You tell them how many meals you want to use the dining plan for and they deduct it from the bill immediately after your meal. You can get four dinners at BOG and use one dining credit and pay for the other three out of pocket. The CM would deduct the dining credits and then have you pay for the others. The Cm needs to know how many credits to deduct per meal. Presumably that would be the same for everyone.

I am simply stating what makes logical sense, but I have no idea if that is how Disney will handle it.

Well the ideal situation is they just don't change the price of the restaurant after you book. Raise prices? Sure go ahead, but do it far enough in advance to match the planning calendar you shove onto your guests. If they expect the guest to know where they want to eat 6 months in advance, it is not unreasonable for Disney to know the price and TS value 6 months in advance.

That being said, the problem with dining credits versus prices, is the incremental change is vastly difference. There are no partial credits. 1 versus 2 is effectively doubling the price of the restaurant.

Finally the last problem is they released free dining before hinting on the credit change. It is not exactly as easy as just picking another restaurant that is 1 credit, not to mention it really turns into a bait and switch on the free dining promotion. Your options are so very limited that they really are strong arming more cash out of you. Fortunately for those of us that purchased the plan because it used to be a good deal based on our individual situation, we can cancel the plan if this comes to pass and have more non-Disney dining options to keep from being bullied into a few hundred more dollars in dining expenses.

 

[STLstone]

Well the ideal situation is they just don't change the price of the restaurant after you book. Raise prices? Sure go ahead, but do it far enough in advance to match the planning calendar you shove onto your guests. If they expect the guest to know where they want to eat 6 months in advance, it is not unreasonable for Disney to know the price 6 months in advance.

That being said, the problem with dining credits versus prices, is there is the incremental change is vastly difference. There are no partial credits. 1 versus 2 is effectively doubling the price of the restaurant.

Finally the last problem is they released free dining before hinting on the credit change. It is not exactly as easy as just picking another restaurant that is 1 credit, not to mention it really turns into a bait and switch on the free dining promotion. Your options are so very limited that they really are strong arming more cash out of you. Fortunately for those of us that purchased the plan because it used to be a good deal based on our individual situation, we can cancel the plan if this comes to pass and have more non-Disney dining options to keep from being bullied into a few hundred more dollars in dining expenses.

And why do they label the plans "2016 Dining Plan" or "2017 Dining Plan" if they're really only "the Dining Plan today."

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

That makes logical sense on one hand. But when you buy the Dining Plan, you ARE paying ahead of time for the meal. And you are choosing the Dining Plan based on the information available to you at the time you pay for it.

True. But the same is true for restaurants and menus. You choose the restaurant based on menu prices and menu items, but they change those frequently. We can still change reservations one or two days in advance, so I guess we need to be aware of Disney changes and change our personal plans accordingly.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

And why do they label the plans "2016 Dining Plan" or "2017 Dining Plan" if they're really only "the Dining Plan today."

My point exactly. I am saying that the 2016 plan is for 2016. The 2017 plan is for 2017. Use the dining plan in 2016, follow the rules for 2016. Use the dining plan in 2017, follow the rules for 2017.

If you purchase park tickets in 2014 and attend in 2016, you don't get the 2014 parks. You get the 2016 parks, whatever those may be.

 

[Mac30188]

My point exactly. I am saying that the 2016 plan is for 2016. The 2017 plan is for 2017. Use the dining plan in 2016, follow the rules for 2016. Use the dining plan in 2017, follow the rules for 2017.

If you purchase park tickets in 2014 and attend in 2016, you don't get the 2014 parks. You get the 2016 parks, whatever those may be.

While true, I believe the point is 2016 should be valid for all of 2016, not until they decide to up most of the TS credit costs. Where Disney is taking advantage is the "subject to change" clause. IMHO, the intention of this is to cover necessary changes. For example, if they close a restaurant down for refurbishment, you can't sue that it was on the list as being available for all of 2016. Another example is if they decided to overhaul a restaurant from a CS to a TS, they can change the classification to match the restaurant modification. What it appears is Disney sees the ability to double the cost of a large number of restaurants on people in short notice as an important necessary change, while a great many people just see that as taking advantage of the spirit of that clause due to greed and sleezy business techniques. I am still cautiously optimistic that the change will be limited, if at all for 2016 and will not be a cross the board doubling in price of a large percentage of their TS restaurants. Legal, yes. Ethical, no.

 

[Srbright]

That makes logical sense on one hand. But when you buy the Dining Plan, you ARE paying ahead of time for the meal. And you are choosing the Dining Plan based on the information available to you at the time you pay for it.

That's why it says

1. Disney Dining Plan meals and snacks may not be redeemed for cash in whole or in part, sold separately, transferred or refunded. Theme Park admission is required for some dining locations. Advance reservations are strongly recommended and may be required at some Table-Service restaurants participating in the Disney Dining Plan. Operating hours, menus, entertainment, Characters, Disney Dining Plan locations, components and terms are subject to change without notice.

1. 
   
   Stacy

 

[ParkHoppers]

Did the numbers for me and my wife on the deluxe dining plan. It only works in our favor if we do one signature dining a day. ( 2 credits) California Grill, Le Cellier etc. That with a one credit sit down meal for breakfast or lunch and we make out in the deal but otherwise the numbers are not in our favor. For most families with children it would be tough to make the numbers work.

 

[chelynnah]

I really get tired of the fact that any time virtually anything dining related is discussed around here, some people have to come out of the woodwork to bash the dining plan. Yeah, I get it. Some of you think that the dining plan was invented by Adolf Hitler himself. And you think we're all morons for using it. And for some reason, it seems to actually make some people mad that some of us choose to use it.

The truth is, there is a value in the DDP for some people, and there isn't for others. Some people lose money on the DDP and some save money. Anyone speaking in absolutes ("the DDP always costs more") is just flat wrong. And, regardless, why do you care so much how other people are choosing to spend their vacation money?

We have always done the DDP and will continue to do the DDP. Yes, even if some character meals go up to 2 credits a piece. And I guarantee you that the math will still work in our favor. Because I know our family and how we like to eat on vacation. As always, YMMV.

When DH and I started talking about renting DVC points for our trip in 201 we sat down and priced out the Dining Plans to see if they would be of value to us. Unfortinately even though we eat well when on vacation, I can't do desserts (recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes), so it didn't make financial sense when we ran the numbers. If it could have been appetiser OR dessert, it very well might have worked. I'm taking my MIL in Feb for our first on-site ever stay. It is during the British free dining promotion. Again I ran the numbers. In this case, even if we had discounted rooms, the Free QS plan worked out much cheaper in this particular instance. I didn't book because of thespian, but it happened to be available when I awaited to book. Other times I've calculated, and it would be cheaper to pay discounted room rates, and then food OOP. The benefit for me now is that the 2017 QS plan has removed the desserts but added an extra snack. That works better for me as the snack doesn't have to be 'dessert-like', and I'll be interested to see if it's that way across the board or is just the UK deal. I can't see it being UK only. If this is the case, then it might be worth DH and I having another look at the plan in another year to see if things change.

I can absolutely see how it works for some people, but also understand it's not for everyone. Looking at some of the increases that may be happening it could very well be losing its value to many who have uses it in the past, and people might do well to recalculate if it still works for them. If I lived in the US I might very well start buying the Target gird cards and saving 5% as I've read about in here, spending the same on them that I would have on DDP. That would be a sensible way of putting the same money aside, and may well work out cheaper in the long run.

But certainly no one should criticise others' choices either way.

 

[rdominy]

And one of the points I was making is that the 2016 plan offers one snack credit...so even though I will take my plan into 2017...it will operate under the 2016 rules of operation.

I'm just hoping that if things do change, they will let us know far enough in advance to be able to drop our plans. The only TS we do are character meal breakfasts so I don't see us keeping the plan if it goes to 2 credits. We would be limited in what we could get as that time is the busiest for the park and we probably wouldn't like the offerings anyway.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

While true, I believe the point is 2016 should be valid for all of 2016, not until they decide to up most of the TS credit costs. Where Disney is taking advantage is the "subject to change" clause. IMHO, the intention of this is to cover necessary changes. For example, if they close a restaurant down for refurbishment, you can't sue that it was on the list as being available for all of 2016. Another example is if they decided to overhaul a restaurant from a CS to a TS, they can change the classification to match the restaurant modification. What it appears is Disney sees the ability to double the cost of a large number of restaurants on people in short notice as an important necessary change, while a great many people just see that as taking advantage of the spirit of that clause due to greed and sleezy business techniques. I am still cautiously optimistic that the change will be limited, if at all for 2016 and will not be a cross the board doubling in price of a large percentage of their TS restaurants. Legal, yes. Ethical, no.

I agree that the 2016 plan should stay the same and I thought based on reading this thread that it will.

I have a trip coming up in a few weeks with the dining plan and two of the primary reasons I decided to go with the dining plan were Akershus and TH JB package. I believe that they will be one TS credit for the rest of 2016, but I could be wrong.

It would be nice to have some definitive confirmation from Disney, but I thought several people on this thread had already confirmed that the new changes will begin in 2017. I could be wrong.

 

[KStash]

Some folks are saying the changes will go into effect for October 2016, which is obviousy not the start of the 2017 plan. I'll be pretty angry if CM goes to 2 table service credits after I got up at 6 am to book it 180 days out for my November trip. I have a party of 8, not exactly easy to find a different reservation at this point for my group. Just looked and the only MK-area restaurant that has availability at a reasonable dining hour is Liberty Tree Tavern, which I'm not that excited about.

 

[oceanmarina]

I am never going to use two credits for TH or CM, and I rather doubt I would consider it for Akershus. If I find that taking the kids to a character meal, or having to pay for most of the experiences I have enjoyed for free in the past, is going to break my budget, I will stop. I am not at the point yet, but this is the first time I am planning a trip that I feel may be the last in a very long time.

This turns us off. Change after change. 2 dining credits for the buffets means we will be only counter service if we do another trip next year.

I truly hope this does not happen as this would be the breaking point for us.

 

[rdominy]

Are people thinking it will be all character buffets for all three meals?
I mean Crystal Palace breakfast is currently below $30...so that would be a huge jump.

 

[STLstone]

True. But the same is true for restaurants and menus. You choose the restaurant based on menu prices and menu items, but they change those frequently. We can still change reservations one or two days in advance, so I guess we need to be aware of Disney changes and change our personal plans accordingly.

In reality, you can only cancel reservations a day in advance. There will be nothing available to change them to.