disadvantages to dining plan

[JimboJones123]

Your analysis is actually a good way for people to do it. When I was considering it, I made a point of looking at the menus and looking at a typical dinner for me, rather than adding up what the most expensive meal I could get on the plan was, since the main point of the analysis was to see if the meal plan would save me money on what I would typically eat, which it turned out it would.

I mean, it's a guaranteed fact that if you pick all expensive restaurants and order the most expensive things on the menu that you will easily get $100- $200 worth of "free food." But Disney does the meal plan because A) The price they charge for the food is alot more than the raw ingredients and labor to make it, and B) It keeps more of guest dining on property.

and what do they pay servers at disney??? maybe more then $2.13 per hour??? So, no. They pay more in A/C then they do servers. So, they are still making BIG BUCKS! Especially if a typically 2-3 sitdown meal family gets 8 days worth

 

[Space1205Mount]

I have never used the dining plan with my partner (two adults no kids) and we don't ever intend to.

There are several reasons -- breakfast is coffee and something on the go.
Counter service for a quick lunch is cheap.

Breakfast isn't included in the DP so this wouldn't be a problem.
Also your lunch is usually a Counter Service(unless you plan your table service for lunch) so this wouldn't be a problem for you either.

 

[pinkrose]

Breakfast isn't included in the DP so this wouldn't be a problem.
Also your lunch is usually a Counter Service(unless you plan your table service for lunch) so this wouldn't be a problem for you either.

If you would like to use a CS for breakfast, you can do that as well.

 

[JimboJones123]

Breakfast isn't included in the DP so this wouldn't be a problem.
Also your lunch is usually a Counter Service(unless you plan your table service for lunch) so this wouldn't be a problem for you either.

You could actually use your Table and Counter points each day for breakfast if you want. Get up at 6am and hit the food court... then have a late breakfast reservation and use one Table point... for CRT even, then use two Table points in one day plus then the Counter. The plan lets you do as you please. We hit at least 2-3 character breakfasts each trip and will use the points for that. It's on free dining, so it doesn't matter what we use the pts for.

 

[DisneyBride94]

If you like to dine off property at all... of you don't want to take the time to eat a sit down meal every day (it can take away from park touring time)... or if you are trying to watch your waist line (a shame to obsess over calories whilst on vacation...but the meal plan temps you to eat more than you normall would since you have appetizers and deserts included in your meal plan...waste not want not!).

We were on the plan last year for the first time--and it was a free promotion... we loved it... I would definitley pay for it if it made sense to book another package vs. getting a good room only ressie... We are doing free dining again this year...

Someone mentioned that a draw back to free dining was having to plan in advance... I find that planning in advance helps whether you are on the DP or not... because you gotta eat somewhere...whether you are paying out of pocket...or paying in advance with the meal plan... Nothing like being turned away from the places you'd like to eat...or having to way an hour or more for a table while your little ones grow more and more impatient...

I find planning ahead actually adds to my enjoyment of my vacation--no wondering and no last minute decisions that turn out to be ill-thought out... We make sure we hit our tried and true, and try out a few new places each trip...

I really can't say anything bad about it!

 

[Dagger]

If you ate at mostly counter service places, and wouldn't touch a sit down place with a ten foot pole, then the DP isn't for you. Also, if you read over the menus, and see yourself going for the cheaper entrees and such, it might not save you as much as it would other people.

This was us but only because we couldn't afford the TS places but maybe 1 meal per trip. I am SO stoked for this and it'll be the first time I'm using it.

I would say one disadvantage is the flexibility if you want to set yourself up at certain places, then you have to most likely make reservations a long time in advance, and you know how this can be inconvenient at the parks.