Disney Dining Plan Returning

[Claudette]

Originally Posted by Bozza

From the numerous WDW vlogs we watch each week, there's still clearly a lot of spacing out of tables in restaurants going on, relative to pre-pandemic times.

It's very obvious indeed - some restaurants look all-but empty compared to our numerous visits where the hubbub of a busy restaurant is a regular thing.

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Agree, the restaurant capacity seems to be very low. I have been checking what the restaurant availability is like for some weeks now and it is terrible. I have been looking a long way out, at short notice, and everything in between. There is usually only a small handful of available options so very limited choice.

Getting the capacity back up will need to happen before dining plans come back. I took the article to be more about extra magical hours rather than dining plans to be honest.

[loldis]

I agree that Tusker House is still spaced out - however I believe this is to allow space for the characters, rather than for guests. Looking at non-character dining options (e.g. when PMM went to Sebastians) the tables looked back to the standard spacing to me, and all tables appeared to be sat.

I should have been clearer that by October, I don't think the remaining social distancing will exist. Their staffing issues probably will though, they have so many positions to re-recruit.

[Tsaria]

This is what I needed to book onsite! Hope to have FP+ at on point and really hoping for the 21 day ticket to be back BUT already Ddp and EMH makes me so happy.

[Charlangela]

Originally Posted by loldis

I agree that Tusker House is still spaced out - however I believe this is to allow space for the characters, rather than for guests. Looking at non-character dining options (e.g. when PMM went to Sebastians) the tables looked back to the standard spacing to me, and all tables appeared to be sat.

I should have been clearer that by October, I don't think the remaining social distancing will exist. Their staffing issues probably will though, they have so many positions to re-recruit.

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Do people not jump for the chance to work for Disney?

[jags]

This made me laugh so much as we used to say it when we were kids, haven’t heard it for a while 🤣

[jags]

Originally Posted by Wubbster

😂😂 1st the worst, second the best, 3rd the one with the hairy chest

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Sorry meant to quote!

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by loldis

I posted this in the other thread but I could see WDTC potentially offering some kind of trade in deal as a goodwill gesture, as they probably had no indication of when DDP in any form would return when they had to release their offer. So get your credit value off the cash price of DDP if you switch before balance due, as a hypothetical example.

Although you'd still effectively be paying for DDP outright, so you'd need to work out whether that's actually going to be financially beneficial. I know for me, it wouldn't be as I don't drink alcohol and always seem to want the cheapest item on the menu.

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Personally, I suspect that WDTC will just stick with their current offer and that'll be it (for dining offers this year anyway). The current offer is still available and will be avaialble until November.

(And I suspect WDTC knew DDP would be back at some point when they announced their current offer just over a month ago).

Also remember that the current free dining credit is based on a per room basis and not per person. Whereas the dining plans are based on a per person basis. The two are quite different so I can't see them offering some sort of trade in. The deal on the table today is the deal you will get.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I took the article to be more about extra magical hours rather than dining plans to be honest.

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It was. People were just pointing out that it mentions that the dining plans will be back at some point (not anytime soon!) and getting a bit overexcited by it. Up to now, we didn't even know if the dining plans would ever come back or whether Disney had ditched them for good and replaced them we've the dining credit package that is currently on offer to us Brits. Now we know they will be back, but not soon.

It also mentions on that page that they plan to open more restaurants - so that probably has to happen first before they announce the dining plan packages.

[loldis]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Personally, I suspect that WDTC will just stick with their current offer and that'll be it (for dining offers this year anyway). The current offer is still available and will be avaialble until November.

(And I suspect WDTC knew DDP would be back at some point when they announced their current offer just over a month ago).

Also remember that the current free dining credit is based on a per room basis and not per person. Whereas the dining plans are based on a per person basis. The two are quite different so I can't see them offering some sort of trade in. The deal on the table today is the deal you will get.

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I don't think DDP returning was ever an if, but a when. They ultimately always want to sell in DDP as it keeps you on site more. But I actually doubt they would have known a month ago with how rapidly the situation is changing in Florida. They couldn't legally release an offer without the when known, hence dining credits.

I do agree that they're likely to stick with their current offer. The trade in is a purely hypothetical scenario, especially if they get a LOT of requests/complaints. But it ultimately benefits their bottom line as the total value on the booking goes up. And technically, it's not much different from staying at a moderate and upgrading from QSDP to DDP. So I don't think it's an unreasonable speculation.

But I don't see it being any more than your credit amount off the full purchase price of plan at best, so the per person vs per room is irrelevant as you're working with two total prices. If we use the 2021 cash price of $78 per person per night for basic DDP, a solo in a value would have to pay $42 to upgrade. Where a family of 4 adults in the same room type would pay $276.

[KBRB]

Id guess they will allow an upgrade of the meal credits to a DDP. You simply pay the difference. No real difference from upgrading from the "free breakfast" deal at the values to the QSDP or the free QSDP at the mods to the DDP. Just more money for the mouse.

If its worth it is another matter.