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Changes to 2015 dining plans (Update: not happening)


malem
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Food prepared but not sold increases food cost and is waste. (One hopes and prays those abandoned plates were NOT salvaged and sold!)

The whole meal plan concept seems to have pushed the full freight single meal at a time paying customer into afterthought status.

Pardon me, but that is beyond stupid.

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This meal plan seems like a Pandora's Box type situation that Cedar Fair has opened.   It seems great on paper for both sides, but when you start to pick it apart and you have incidents like all the changes its undergone (or attempted to change but didn't), the inconsistencies within the park to implement it, and little bits like the thing we had at the Reds HOF Grille throwing wrenches in the works, its just working poorly.  And it would be foolish to go back and cancel them being sold.  CF seems to have put themselves between a rock and a hard place, so to speak.  

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I went to Panda Express on Saturday and saw that the meal plan stickers were on the fried rice, orange chicken and beef & broccoli so that's what I got. The manager was getting drinks, so I asked if those were the only options or if it would switch to different days. She said you can get anything you want now. Some people were allergic to oranges and didn't like broccoli so they just opened it up. Nice to know AFTER i got my food. I would have rather had the Kung Pao(Jimmy likes his chicken spicy)

Now I wonder if they will put stickers next to everything, or if it will change if different supervisors are running it. Not really a deal breaker, but they really need to get their act together.

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On Friday morning, I approached Panda Express and asked the employees what the dining plan options were. The ladies working there informed me that it had been opened up to any two-entree plate because of confusion over the limited choices last weekend, but she also said that it might not remain that way going forward. In other words, they're still testing and experimenting.

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We're debating picking up meal plans for the family. This is our first season with passes, so we're not sure if we'll visit the park as much as we plan/want right now...but yesterday (our first day), we spent the same amount as it would cost one of us to get the meal plan (we ate just one meal each, but were buying drinks here and there, too).

 

We actually need to think about it and do some math, but it feels like if we go just four more times it's a wash money-wise.

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We get meal plans for about half of the family and enjoy it very much.  With only living 10 mins from the park we even go there just for the meal and a quick ride, dinner is served.  

 

We found that it is worth it.  And now with more choices, I think it is a great deal.  

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I apologize if this is in the wrong forum area but I felt it might be appropriate as it could have affected platinum pass holders if this was in fact true.

 

I feel this is simply the case of incorrect copy and paste but I would like to see if others have seen it as well.  This post refers to Cedar Point's mobile app, iOS in particular.  Open the app and click on the dining icon located on the bottom right corner.  Now click on the Bay Harbor icon, a table with wine glasses on it.  It should actually take you to the dining plan information screen and nothing specific about Bay Harbor's food offerings.  Anyway, scroll down to the very very bottom and read the last paragraph.  Again, I think this is a simple mistake, but who does one contact to inform them of this misinformation.

 

Thanks.

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1) Yep.  Definitely not related to the attempted changes to the All-Season Dining Plans at Cedar Fair parks from a 4-hour wait time to scheduled meal times.  :)

 

2) There's a Contact Us link at the bottom of Cedar Point's website.  That's usually a good place to submit feedback as it will be forwarded on to the right department.  I've had questions about events and gotten emails direct from marketing with an answer.

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This is precisely the reason I'm not buying a meal plan.  As someone who may have to change their dinner plans in a split second, I can see many scenarios where I would be SOL if what I want isn't on the meal plan.  I need that flexibility. 

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From friends up at CP today, there is now a surcharge to use the meal plan at some locations.

My understanding is that if someone makes a fuss at Cedar Point's guest services over this, they are offering refunds.  This is a real disgrace.  I would hope that everyone who purchased it and was promised one thing and given another would request a refund.  Bait and switch.

 

Let's both hope and pray that Kings Island isn't on board with this.

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Midway market is what I am hearing. Nowhere else. Since it was not originally listed as a location, adding it now with a surcharge is still better than not having it at all.

I still won't partake in it with my family but I am sure some might.

It appears that they "budget" $10 per meal and since the last time j checked, MWM was $15, I see the reason for the charge. Still stupid but its at least another option. Out of the four CF parks we have been to this season, Carowinds still has the best and best tasting food options for the plan.

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Midway market is what I am hearing. Nowhere else. Since it was not originally listed as a location, adding it now with a surcharge is still better than not having it at all.

I still won't partake in it with my family but I am sure some might.

It appears that they "budget" $10 per meal and since the last time j checked, MWM was $15, I see the reason for the charge. Still stupid but its at least another option. Out of the four CF parks we have been to this season, Carowinds still has the best and best tasting food options for the plan.

 

 

 

Called Cedar Point.  These are the current upcharges.  However, the lady didn't seem too knowledgeable so this could be wrong.

Midway Market $8

Subway $2

 

This was different from less than an hour ago when a friend called and they listed Panda, Chic-Fil-A and Pinks as well. (All of which were $4 upcharges)

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For those dining at the Reds Grille with the meal plan, note that the meal redemption time is apparently set at the end of the meal when the check is paid.

 

ohiocolts found this out last night when his second meal at LaRosa's didn't work; the 4-hour counter seemed to have started after the 25-minute delay we had to split the check, even though our season passes were scanned at the beginning of our meal. There were about 10 other abandoned pizza plates waiting to be thrown away from other customers who had the same problem.

 

(If you're going there with a group, and anyone in the group is using a dining plan, I suggest bringing cash to avoid having to split the check.)

 

to add to this, the time actually starts when the waiter/waitress cashes out- which in our case last weekend was about an hour after we left the RHFBaG.

 

Went there this afternoon.  No surcharge that I saw; that would be intriguing if that came true- Class Action Lawsuits have been filed over a lot less. 

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If the surcharge is not for standard park fare, but rather the buffet at Midway Market, I personally don't see a problem with that..  so long as they never claimed that it was included with no surcharge.  The lists provided in the off-season did not list Midway Market and it sounds like it might not be on the official literature handed out in the park.

 

Last season, if someone purchased the dining plan in the brief window that Midway Market was officially offered, they were put on a list to continue to use it for the rest of the season.  Those who purchased before or after did not get this privilege.

 

As the buffet offers more food and includes access to Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, I can see having to pay extra over the dining plan that promises only an entree and a side.  However, I'd rather it be more like $5 since that's about the cost difference between a typical plan meal and the buffet.

 

If, on the other hand, Chick-Fil-A, Subway, and Pink's are somehow an up-charge at CP, I'm not sure I comprehend.  As was mentioned above, the plan meals are generally ~$10.  Last I checked at least the first two fell within that range.

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I could see it for Midway Market as its not even listed in the park map for the dining plans. However Subway is. So that $2 dollar surcharge is BS. And how r u suppose to know this as they are no signs posted.

I mean, I get why it's happening with some of the locations not being owned by the park, but when I purchased a dining plan I was under the understanding that the meals would be without charge.  That was what I paid for.  Anything else would be a bait and switch, if you ask me.

 

I discussed this with a friend of mine a few hours ago.  We agreed that things such as the ribs at RHOFG being $10 instead of $22 or whatever would be a cool deal, but that's a slippery slope.  I mean upcharging for Subway? Really?  Who's to say that next year the plan won't just include a burger or pizza and everything else is an upcharge.  Unfortunately, with the popularity of this program, the park could have the moxie to either do that or charge substantially more for the plan next year.  Time will tell.

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My guess is that these upcharges are appearing as the parks are figuring out they are losing their shirts on the meal plans. If they were making money hand over fist, I'm sure they wouldn't be issuing rebates/refunds. Not making as much as projected or even losing money? Change the deal after it is sold? Really?

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So much for the "not happening."

This is not unlike a gas station raising the price of gas WHILE you are filling up. Or the park chasing after you after you enter, to let you know they just raised the price and they won't let you leave until you pay five more dollars.

There was a time a deal was a deal.

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So much for the "not happening."

This is not unlike a gas station raising the price of gas WHILE you are filling up. Or the park chasing after you after you enter, to let you know they just raised the price and they won't let you leave until you pay five more dollars.

There was a time a deal was a deal.

True, but let's not forget that Kings Island has still not announced such changes.  Even when they tried to do the time intervals discussed at the beginning of this topic they ultimately did the right thing.  Kings Island is not Cedar Point.  Keep the faith. 

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