Have you ever had a dining CM push the dining plan?

[Liz]

Today I let my DS18 make a lunch reservation for Sci-Fi for our upcoming trip (teaching moment)! I wrote down all the info he needed to say, etc.

I could tell the conversation wasn't going as normal so he put it on speaker phone. When he said we weren't on the dining plan the CM wanted to know how many days we were staying. When he said 7 nights she said "then you definitely need to be on the dining plan". She went into great detail about what the plan includes and said it "basically works out to getting your counter service and snack free".

I told him to tell her we have a DDE card and she said that was good too. I was just surprised because I've called Disney dining many times and have never had them push the dining plan.

 

[DisneyMom5]

That is kind of weird. But, since the dining plan is $ in WDW's pocket, maybe they are having the cms do some sales suggestions.

 

[trvlr4301r]

A friend of mine was going last month and she wasn't going to get the dining plan. She thought it was just too much to plan and took too much time to eat at all the places. She called to make her dining reservations and she was planning on eating TS every night so the CM talked her into getting the plan because it was going to cost her more if she didn't. This way she got all her CS free and snacks free. She said it was definitely worth it so she was glad she ended up getting it.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

That is kind of weird. But, since the dining plan is $ in WDW's pocket, maybe they are having the cms do some sales suggestions.

1) It has been making bunches of bucks for WDW.
2) it actually benefits them more than the guest.
3) Primarily because most guests don't get the value from it.
4) Purposely, no literature explains the best way to use it.

 

[JulyGirl]

Yes, I agree that the average guest does not know how to "use" the dining plan. Many won't use all the credits and that means Disney has your money. The people on these boards are in the minority when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of Disney Dining. I am helping a friend of mine plan her trip with the Dining Experience. She can't believe that I would be thinking about where to eat 6 months prior to a trip!

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

Yes, I agree that the average guest does not know how to "use" the dining plan. Many won't use all the credits and that means Disney has your money. The people on these boards are in the minority when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of Disney Dining. I am helping a friend of mine plan her trip with the Dining Experience. She can't believe that I would be thinking about where to eat 6 months prior to a trip!

I agree - most don't know how to use the plan. I can also identify with your last statement. When I was sharing some of my plans for my December trip with some friends they couldn't believe that I had booked dining places that far in advance. I don't have every CS and snack planned but thanks to this board I know my options!

 

[Liz]

I also thought it was odd she would mention the dining plan when we were making a reservation for Sci-Fi and that's a place many people seem to consider paying OOP for. I find it hard to believe we'd be getting our counter service and snack free if our TS restaurants were Sci-Fi and the like.

Not a big deal, I was just surprised the conversation went the way it did!

 

[mmmears]

IMO Disney pushes the plan because they make money off of it -- that's just good business. For our family, we calculated it beforehand and we would lose money on the plan. We eat at TS at least once per day, but never order app, entree, and dessert all at the same meal. We also didn't do a CS every day. We ate when, where, and what we wanted to (not worrying about the price) and, at home, did the math -- we would have lost money. It is just too much food for us (and most people, really, since we are pretty big eaters). I can see the fun in having the plan, though, and trying out lots of things even if you cant finish them.

But for most people, Disney is making money on this deal in multiple ways -- more people eat there and dont leave the property, more people are paying higher hotel prices to get the package, and plenty of people dont plan their trips around getting the most out of the plan.

 

[nanalisa]

We noticed during our trip to wdw last summer that most people on the dining plan, took part of their entree and dessert in a "doggie" bag. I would be fun to order everything to you like but since we use AP rates for hotels, we can't get the dining package.

A CM hasn't pushed me to get the dining plan, but the one I spoke to the other night while making ADR's, kept pushing me to book Raglan Road at PI. I kept saying we would check it out but I thought I was going to have to hang up on her. Must be a spiff on Raglan Road reservations!

 

[PrincessParty]

I must have had the same CM! I had never had more than "Are you on the dining plan?" before in any ADR conversation. This one was trying really hard to sell me on the dining plan.

 

[kcrew]

I just got off of the phone with a Dining CM and she tried to push a tour! She asked me if I was planning any tours and I said "no". She then said there was a great MK tour for families and I said "sorry, my money is already spent!" She laughed and that was it....Obviously there is some sort of commision in play.

 

[The Sweetness]

When I called to reserve my room only in Feb, for May/June07, the CM questioned me about the DDP too. Even though I couldnt get a pkg yet, if I wanted to

 

[NMW]

I get asked all the time, but I thought it was just more for their records. On our last trip the DDP was not available to DVC members and when I told the dining CM that, she said "that's too bad, because it would save you alot." I knew she was right, so I agreed. This trip, we have the DDP and I'm thrilled.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Been pushed many times recently!

We are DVC so no free dining for us. For now, DDE works better for us but although we are not using the DDP for our Sept. trip we are considering trying it in Jan.

The last 3-4 times I have called to make an ADR & say I am not on the DDP I have gotten the sales pitch.