No free DDP from October boycott or not

[Bugsy]

As much as we like to believe otherwise , Disney are a business. They exist to maximise returns for their shareholders. They dont make decisions based on what would be nice for their customers but what they feel will bring in the most revenue/profit.
The experience that we all love is designed to entice us to spend more, the free DDP was to bring customers into the resorts and spend money elsewhere. However the bean counters will calculate how much this costs against the profit being made ( and against whether they can sell the rooms without it being offered) and decide whether its neccessary.

We are going on Free DDP this year and i'm delighted , but if it wasnt available i'd stay offsite. Disney will easily sell any room i was going to book

[DollyDimples]

We are away to have our first experience of staying onsite and having free dining package. We have earmarked October 2021 for a return visit. DH is a teacher but we get a 2 week holiday in October. The free dining plan being on offer or not will not really influence whether we stay on-site at disney or not.

This upcoming trip we have chosen not to have a hire car for the disney part of our stay but, despite the parking charges, we are more likely to hire a car so we can go off site for breakfast or dinner if we don't have the dining plan.

We are also more likely to just go for a value hotel rather than the moderate we are going to this time.

What will be more of an influence as to whether we stay on-site again or not is what they do with fast passes and EMHs.

[joanna23]

I think we also forget how many people visit who are uninformed. My BIL is going for first time, family of 5, this Summer. He didn’t ask me for any advice. He’s booked 16 nights Yacht Club with Virgin Holidays without Dining Plan. I dread to think how much it has cost and that will be without food. It’s going to be such an expensive trip. I’m not going to interfere as it was too late to help.

[myaquarium]

Originally Posted by Mexy02

Forgive me but you sound bitter . Oct to Dec is very busy for Disney , most rooms booked out and has been for a number of years. Restaurants always full and parks always very busy . The uk market has no impact whatsoever on this period . Food and wine is on which draws large crowds of Americans as does Halloween ( let’s face it Halloween has never been a huge thing over here ) , the marathon and Christmas .
This will be our 4th visit at this time , each time very busy , but this is the first time ever we have stayed onsite for 5 nights .why onsite this time ? Because it may be my mum’s last visit so we just wanted her to experience akl but she is also looking forward to the space of the condo and it’s resort . It’s also cost us more . We stay offsite quite happily , experience faboulous food , which cannot be said for Disney meals I have paid oop for on previous occasions and stayed in beautiful hotels and apartments which in Many cases beat Disney hands down .
Go spend your £12000 offsite , perhaps at a neighbour hotel so you still get the perks ? . Disney won’t care one jot I assure you . The parks are rammed and they know it and take the $ from elswhere as Americans splurge for the few days they visit . It won’t stop us from going this time of year again for sure , not quite sure why free dining would sway it if I’m honest , Its not like the food offered is top notch.

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Not sure why you mention the jealous bit. My original post was boycotting Oct nov etc to convince them not to extend them not offering fddp. That’s what we’re doing next year and hopefully if more than a few more take it up then they will not extend it to August July etc as what’s been touted on here for years.
I’m sure people have their reason to pay £300 a night and rightly so. I would gladly pay half that to stay within the magic no whistles and bells but I don’t think they will reduce the cost when so many people are willing to pay it. Hopefully we won’t be having the same discussion next April regarding the summer when we visit again

[loves2plan]

They've done it because it's now one of the busiest times of year and don't need to incentivise it in order to fill rooms. They're certainly not going to be worried about a few disgruntled UK customers who decide not to go. I've read that from October-December that some resorts are at 95% occupancy, and the the UK market will make up a tiny % of that.

[myaquarium]

Originally Posted by loves2plan

They've done it because it's now one of the busiest times of year and don't need to incentivise it in order to fill rooms. They're certainly not going to be worried about a few disgruntled UK customers who decide not to go. I've read that from October-December that some resorts are at 95% occupancy, and the the UK market will make up a tiny % of that.

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As July and early August have

[loves2plan]

Originally Posted by myaquarium

As July and early August have

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I don't believe that's been the case recently. The US free dining offer is usually for autumn, but this year it was for check in dates between 5th July - 30th September, indicating that it's a quieter time than October- December now. They've stopped it for both the US and UK and wouldn't do so without good reason.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by myaquarium

Again who would really pay £300 to £500 a night to stay in average rooms and pay parking in the biggest parkin lot in the us that is Florida. Without incentives. Admittedly USA holiday makes will break the bank for 2 or 3 nights but non us vistors are on holiday for a minimum of 2 weeks in most cases.

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We have booked two weeks in September and are staying on site without the dining plan. We are paying £385 for club level in a deluxe, I am sure plenty of people will pay the prices for the other benefits of staying onsite (FP booking, ADR booking, EMH).

Obviously I would have preferred a dining plan, but we made a late decision to go again and I am quite looking forward to not having it and trying something else. We don't hire cars, another advantage of staying onsite for us.

[myaquarium]

good shout about the club room. I had forgotten all about them since iv been doing the ddp

[Mexy02]

Originally Posted by myaquarium

Not sure why you mention the jealous bit. My original post was boycotting Oct nov etc to convince them not to extend them not offering fddp. That’s what we’re doing next year and hopefully if more than a few more take it up then they will not extend it to August July etc as what’s been touted on here for years.
I’m sure people have their reason to pay £300 a night and rightly so. I would gladly pay half that to stay within the magic no whistles and bells but I don’t think they will reduce the cost when so many people are willing to pay it. Hopefully we won’t be having the same discussion next April regarding the summer when we visit again

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Nope I Never mentioned anyone being jealous at all! . I said your tone was bitter. You mentioned boycotting Disney for not offering ddp in October when they clearly don’t need to , just look how many people are still planning to go just in this forum . Others will continue to go as before and it will have very little effect on Disney at all .
It may be disappointing that the offer has gone , and that’s all it was , an offer to fill quiet times , but with all things if they don’t need to do it they simply won’t . Disney has a full agenda to draw crowds in for at least the next 5 years with Star Wars, 50th anniversary , 100 years of disney etc etc. And possibly a 5th park .