Dining Plans: Worth the cost?

SquierJosh

New Member
We're booked for a week in January at Saratoga Springs. We'd prefer to buy some groceries and make most of our meals, but realize we're going to be pretty busy that week. Are the plans worth it? They seem awfully expensive for what I hear isn't the greatest food. Are we better off packing some PB sandwiches and just stopping for the occasional snack inside the parks?
 

BigRedDad

Well-Known Member
In my opnion only, unless you plan EXACTLY what you are going to eat and where for every moment of your trip, it is not worth it. In my experience, the portions are so big we cannot eat that much any way. We can get by with a single counter service meal for the 3 of us. We bring breakfast foods for the room: bagels, cereal, yogurt, fruit. We bring snacks to take into the parks. You can save a huge amount of money and still eat very well.
 
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SagamoreBeach

Well-Known Member
We ate very well on the dining plan this past March. But it was way too much food...we had credits leftover so we purchased some food items at the quick service which we ate on the rest of our vacation in Naples.
Was it cost effect? Less filling, tastes great? On vacation...don't care. :rolleyes:
-T
 
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smk

Well-Known Member
It's funny how that works, that tipping is based on the value of the meal... $10 plate gets less tips than a $20 plate, yet they take the same amount of 'taking order time' as well as foot steps to and from the kitchen...

While my tipping percentage varies on the service itself, its crazy that the total amounts are governed by the cost of the plate... o_O
What is even crazier...if that is a word...is that the chef, who prepares such a great meal gets NO TIP at all. Only the person bringing out the great food, they did not cook, gets a tip. Maybe they make a smaller hourly wage but when it is all said and done it is really not their job to cook the meal. They may take the blame if the meal is not to the patron's liking but then any good chef will come out and talk to their customer to see what can be done, not let the wait staff take the heat. Most chef's barely make a living wage, sign me mother of an Executive Chef! Hopefully WDW tips shares with the chef, most places do not.
 
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jlsHouston

Well-Known Member
I like the DP for the convenience and having it "prepaid". But honestly even though most are meals end up being TS, as long as we aren't doing the character dining TS restaurants, it is a small savings to just pay cash and use TIW card for meals.
We happen to really like the food at disney......
 
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englanddg

One Little Spark...
I like the DP for the convenience and having it "prepaid". But honestly even though most are meals end up being TS, as long as we aren't doing the character dining TS restaurants, it is a small savings to just pay cash and use TIW card for meals.
We happen to really like the food at disney......
I agree with this, for the same reasons.

I could do better with TIW, and paying out of pocket, but going Deluxe, I am faced with so many credits and food, that I end up trying things I otherwise wouldn't.

And, no shell shock when the bill comes.
 
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hull327

Well-Known Member
It's worth it (the Regular plan, not the Deluxe) for my family and I for convenience alone and I paid for it for our upcoming December trip. Our last trip in October 2012 came with the free plan. At that time it was somewhere between $900-950 to pay for it. We never once deviated from the plan for the entire week and never purchased any food with our own money. Whenever I'd sign the receipt with the dollar amount on it I'd write it down. At the end of the week we wound up "purchasing" $1100 worth of food. So, for us, we would've paid $950 for the DDP and received $1100 worth of food plus I had the convenience of not carrying a bunch of money around with me. Where they get a lot of people with the DDP is the lack of restrictions on it and people don't discipline themselves. They start their trip with X amount of points and for us was set up as 1 sit down, 1 table service and 1 snack per day per person but they don't cut you off after you spend that day's points. If I chose to I could use all my snack points in a single day leaving me nothing for the rest of the trip and that's where people get caught. They spend too many points one day and now they've purchased the DDP plus they have to spend money out of their own pocket to eat the rest of the trip. Or they go to their table service meal early in their trip and decide, because they have a stack of points at the beginning, to splurge and order a 2 point meal meaning you've now taken away a full meal point from tomorrow's allotment. I'd like to thank the young lady from Brazil at the check-in desk at Coronado Springs for fully explaining this to us that first morning. It was our first WDW trip staying at the park with the DDP. She was very explicit on how this worked and the pitfalls many people fell into.
 
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Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
I see that everyone has responded to your monetary question about whether the DDP is worth it, and that depends on your family's needs. Let me just respond to your comment about the food not being so great at Disney. Our family has had some truly wonderful and delicious meals at Disney table service restaurants (as well as some quick-service ones), and some great character interactions as well. Don't knock Disney food! :hungry:.

Good point! Like any destination, there are good restaurants and not-to-good restaurants. If you spend most of your time at some of the "must-do for kids" restaurants and character buffets (e.g., Hollywood & Vine, Chef Mickey's, T-Rex), you're not going to come away impressed with the cuisine. If you choose restaurants based on food quality instead (e.g., California Grill, Kona Cafe, Be Our Guest, Jiko, Biergarten, Raglan Road), you'll be pleasantly surprised. The same goes for counter-service locations, where quality can vary greatly by location. I recommend browsing the quality ratings on touringplans, the Disney Food Blog, and on this site before selecting dining venues. There is tremendous variety and quality to be had in WDW dining, but only if you know where to look! :)
 
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Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
In the age of MagicBands, I'm a little confused by the references to the "convenience" of the DDP. Whether you pay via DDP (with a tip on the credit card linked to your band), or pay the whole shebang by credit card, somebody is swiping your band, bringing you a receipt and having you sign it. What is the inconvenience of foregoing the DDP for these guests (unless they are assuming that the alternative to the DDP is to pay via cash, money order, personal check, or wampum)?

All joking aside, I am asking sincerely: for those who find the DDP a "convenience," what is it about the DDP that is more convenient than simply paying by credit card?

Since my family usually pays by credit card, a dining experience without the DDP is actually MORE convenient and simple for us, in that we don't need to "do the math" to figure out how many "credits" we have left when making ADRs or planning a meal, and don't need to scan the menu for only the DDP-covered items of the greatest value -- we can make ADRs unhampered by whether a restaurant is 1 or 2 "credits" on the DDP, waltz in at the appointed time, and order whatever we actually feel like eating, which nearly always costs us less than we'd have paid for the DDP (and most certainly costs less than the DDP, if we're visiting one or more 2-credit restaurants). Again, to each his own, and clearly the DDP has many supporters, but clearly there's something I'm not "getting" about the "convenience" of the DDP (to which so many refer as their primary reason for purchasing it). What am I missing?
 
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JillC LI

Well-Known Member
All joking aside, I am asking sincerely: for those who find the DDP a "convenience," what is it about the DDP that is more convenient than simply paying by credit card?

I personally don't describe the plan as a "convenience" but I like knowing that everything has been paid for before I arrive (with the exception of a few alcoholic drinks - we don't drink much - and tips). I choose my dining experiences based on where we want to go, not based on the DDP, because we are the sort of family that likes to eat one quick-service and one sit-down meal per day anyway. If we want to go to a signature restaurant one night, we can do that and pay out of pocket for another sitdown meal (perhaps a less expensive breakfast or lunch). I like knowing that we can walk into the restaurant we have booked, and if my 12 and 15 year old say they both want to order the most expensive steak on the menu (which they often do), I don't have to give it a second thought. While we might otherwise order 2 desserts to share amongst the 4 of us, I like that the kids can pick out whatever they want for dessert without arguing to agree. Is it more food than we need? Yes. Do I care on a Disney vacation? No. We are a healthy, active family year-round so indulging on a once-per-year vacation is not a big deal.
 
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Mr Toad

Well-Known Member
Whether or not it's "worth it" depends on your family's eating habits. It's not really with it for us. However, it's awfully nice to have your meals paid to in advance. I can see it being worth it for that aspect alone. We have done the meal plan in the past but with all the picky eaters and the toddlers, it doesn't work for us at tho moment.
 
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Mr Toad

Well-Known Member
Whether or not it's "worth it" depends on your family's eating habits. It's not really with it for us. However, it's awfully nice to have your meals paid to in advance. I can see it being worth it for that aspect alone. We have done the meal plan in the past but with all the picky eaters and the toddlers, it doesn't work for us at tho moment.
2nd sentence should be worth, not with...darn auto correct
 
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Dwarful

Well-Known Member
We are also big Dave Ramsey followers. We used to do the DDP and loved it back in the day when menus were more varied, meal included app, entree, drink, dessert and tip...and we always left a bonus back then. Now, food portions at some locations are shrinking, quality isn't what it used to be and variety is becoming a new 'four letter word' if that is possible.

This summer we didn't do the DDP, we ate half as many sit downs and still had a great time. This next trip we are going in Feb/ March on a school band trip. We have the plan because we are going as part of the group.

Yes the plan is now $60 but most places have started to raise their menu prices to make the ddp look attractive.
 
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BrianV

Well-Known Member
Did you ever notice that when you sit down and they ask you if you are on the dining plan, when you say "no" the waiter seems so relieved? Usually the next thng they say is "you can just go ahead and order anything you want!" I wonder if people confused by the plan and then unhappy with some aspect, even if just a small number, is frustrating to waiters who live off having happy customers who leave tips.

For those on the dining plan, have you ever noticed the waiters being less than pleased? Maybe I'm way off base here, having never had the dinng plan.
 
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Dad 2 M & M

Well-Known Member
I personally don't describe the plan as a "convenience" but I like knowing that everything has been paid for before I arrive (with the exception of a few alcoholic drinks - we don't drink much - and tips).

We shared this view until we saw a tip on WDW Magic advising to buy prepaid Visa cards for the same $$ amount the DDP would cost. Using this method allows the same "convenience" of having paid in full before arrival. When we ran the numbers, the ONLY way to come out ahead on DDP was to buy the most expensive entrees and desserts at almost every TS meal. Even buying the most expensive choices, we showed less than $100 savings for a family of 4 on a 5 day trip.

We did see the DDP as a convenience, but doubt we will use it again. It was nice to have prepaid for the food, and doubly nice to be able to "tour" restaurants up to a point. We've hit/had most of the ressies now, and are down to a couple of must do's of each trip.

The prepaid Visa tip has worked well and we will use it again in October as well as December this year.
 
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SagamoreBeach

Well-Known Member
Did you ever notice that when you sit down and they ask you if you are on the dining plan, when you say "no" the waiter seems so relieved? Usually the next thng they say is "you can just go ahead and order anything you want!" I wonder if people confused by the plan and then unhappy with some aspect, even if just a small number, is frustrating to waiters who live off having happy customers who leave tips.

For those on the dining plan, have you ever noticed the waiters being less than pleased? Maybe I'm way off base here, having never had the dinng plan.

I can't say that I have ever been asked this question.
 
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JillC LI

Well-Known Member
We shared this view until we saw a tip on WDW Magic advising to buy prepaid Visa cards for the same $$ amount the DDP would cost. Using this method allows the same "convenience" of having paid in full before arrival. When we ran the numbers, the ONLY way to come out ahead on DDP was to buy the most expensive entrees and desserts at almost every TS meal. Even buying the most expensive choices, we showed less than $100 savings for a family of 4 on a 5 day trip.

We did see the DDP as a convenience, but doubt we will use it again. It was nice to have prepaid for the food, and doubly nice to be able to "tour" restaurants up to a point. We've hit/had most of the ressies now, and are down to a couple of must do's of each trip.

The prepaid Visa tip has worked well and we will use it again in October as well as December this year.

I have considered the prepaid Visa cards, but like another poster said, I like that I feel as if I am at an all-inclusive resort when I have the DDP. I can order any entree I want off the menus without considering cost as can the kids. (We're not big appetizer eaters anyway.) Although the Visa cards are prepaid, I would find myself thinking, "Well maybe I should get the less expensive entree" or "maybe we should try to agree on one dessert to share" in order to keep the amount used on the Visa cards to a minimum with extra to spare. I like not having to think that way. But I can understand why it works for some.
 
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Dad 2 M & M

Well-Known Member
I have considered the prepaid Visa cards, but like another poster said, I like that I feel as if I am at an all-inclusive resort when I have the DDP. I can order any entree I want off the menus without considering cost as can the kids. (We're not big appetizer eaters anyway.) Although the Visa cards are prepaid, I would find myself thinking, "Well maybe I should get the less expensive entree" or "maybe we should try to agree on one dessert to share" in order to keep the amount used on the Visa cards to a minimum with extra to spare. I like not having to think that way. But I can understand why it works for some.
Makes sense to me...we did get a rush while on the DDP whenever we achieved max-value for a TS meal...
 
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sxeensweet

Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
In the age of MagicBands, I'm a little confused by the references to the "convenience" of the DDP. Whether you pay via DDP (with a tip on the credit card linked to your band), or pay the whole shebang by credit card, somebody is swiping your band, bringing you a receipt and having you sign it. What is the inconvenience of foregoing the DDP for these guests (unless they are assuming that the alternative to the DDP is to pay via cash, money order, personal check, or wampum)?

All joking aside, I am asking sincerely: for those who find the DDP a "convenience," what is it about the DDP that is more convenient than simply paying by credit card?

Since my family usually pays by credit card, a dining experience without the DDP is actually MORE convenient and simple for us, in that we don't need to "do the math" to figure out how many "credits" we have left when making ADRs or planning a meal, and don't need to scan the menu for only the DDP-covered items of the greatest value -- we can make ADRs unhampered by whether a restaurant is 1 or 2 "credits" on the DDP, waltz in at the appointed time, and order whatever we actually feel like eating, which nearly always costs us less than we'd have paid for the DDP (and most certainly costs less than the DDP, if we're visiting one or more 2-credit restaurants). Again, to each his own, and clearly the DDP has many supporters, but clearly there's something I'm not "getting" about the "convenience" of the DDP (to which so many refer as their primary reason for purchasing it). What am I missing?
Convenience we are talking about is about it being pre paid! We like knowing all we have to pay for is the tip and if we get any alcohol. Has nothing to do with not wanting to swipe a card etc. We like that we already paid for our meals and snacks! :)
 
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HRHPrincessAriel

Well-Known Member
we "pre pay" by getting discounted WDW gift cards and using those to pay our bill. We didn't think twice about what we wanted to order nor did we keep tabs. We spent less than we would have with the DDP and that included booze and souvenirs.
 
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BrianV

Well-Known Member
we "pre pay" by getting discounted WDW gift cards and using those to pay our bill. We didn't think twice about what we wanted to order nor did we keep tabs. We spent less than we would have with the DDP and that included booze and souvenirs.

You can also prepay by sending your credit card company $1000 extra before you travel. Walla...your meals are all paid for in advance, including tip. :)

But I do get it, joking aside. My only thinking is I want the plan that charges me the least amount of money for the food I want to eat and doesn't make me pay for food I don't want to eat. I think the ddp is a great deal for big eaters. For me, not so much. Also, we don't drink soda at all. Occasionally lemonade or tea, but 90% of the time just plain water. I wouldn't want to pay for soda.
 
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