Booking trip/question on Dining plan

[jcehlendt]

We are in the process of booking our trip for Feb 2013 and this is our first time as adults going to Disney World wit our 7 year old son. We will be at Disney arriving Sat and leaving on Wednesday so 4 days in the park. We are debating just getting the 2 quick service meals and snack vs the table service, quick service and snack. I am just not sure we will eat a table service meal every day and I really don't want to worry about where to make reservations now when I am not sure where we will be on any given day. I know we are booking a character meal so I think for the experience we are willing to pay. Can I have your opinions please?

 

[WDWmazprty]

Personally, I think Table services are great just for a dinner. Just think, you'll have to stop anyway to eat, and just because its QS doesnt mean it'll actually be quick like eating at McD's. You might as well enjoy a nice sit down dinner at the World. We always get the basic dining plan and love it. And, since you're booking a character meal anyway, it makes more sense to just get the basic dining and have the table service.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

Personally, I think Table services are great just for a dinner. Just think, you'll have to stop anyway to eat, and just because its QS doesnt mean it'll actually be quick like eating at McD's. You might as well enjoy a nice sit down dinner at the World. We always get the basic dining plan and love it. And, since you're booking a character meal anyway, it makes more sense to just get the basic dining and have the table service.

I have to agree with this. Plus, there's always hope that free dining will be offered during your stay. (Keep your fingers crossed)

 

[Master Yoda]

The QS plan is really only good for most people when it is free. You really have to work to work the system to break even and it is even harder to come out ahead. If you are just going to do QS meals and one character meal I would forgo the QS plan and just pay cash unless you can get it for free.

 

[jim1051]

We are in the process of booking our trip for Feb 2013 and this is our first time as adults going to Disney World wit our 7 year old son. We will be at Disney arriving Sat and leaving on Wednesday so 4 days in the park. We are debating just getting the 2 quick service meals and snack vs the table service, quick service and snack. I am just not sure we will eat a table service meal every day and I really don't want to worry about where to make reservations now when I am not sure where we will be on any given day. I know we are booking a character meal so I think for the experience we are willing to pay. Can I have your opinions please?

We enjoy the break that a sit down dinner enforces. If it's hot the hour in cool comfort really helps, not to mention the breather it gives the little ones.

 

[dreamfinder]

Do the math. That's the only way to know which makes more sense for your party. Look at the menus online for the places you think would like to eat at. Guess what you think you might eat, ignoring the prices. Once you plan your meals, add up the cost and see what you would spend OOP. Then compare to what the DP would cost you.

If you think you will share drinks at a CS, or bypass dessert at some of the CS meals, then the dining plan would probably not be your best option. Save the $5-10 that food would have cost you each day, and pay for the character meal.

Since it sounds like you are iffy on planning TS meals in advance, I would lean heavily towards paying out of pocket. You don't want to be stuck eating food you don't really want at places you aren't happy eating at.

 

[disneynut4u]

We made a list of restaurants we wanted to do and printed out menus. We picked what we might order and added it up. Depending on who's going with us, we decide which sit-down places we want to do. Usually it saves us to do the dining plan. Plus it's easier to just give them our room card instead of carrying money. With the dining plan, we do restaurants that we would not normally do. We have done trips that we didn't do the dining plan and then regretted it. It's up to you.