Disney Dining Plan - Little Upside............Massive Downside

[Minnesota disney fan]

One BIG thing to consider in your case with such young children: Are they into character meals? I think the dp will save you a lot if you are going to do a lot of character meals. They are a lot of fun for kids to do, and we have done these with our kids and grandkids and loved them. They are so expensive without ddp, but if you are only going do one, maybe it will be cheaper.
Bottom line: It depends on what your family wants, their ages, what they will Really eat (some kids only like chix nuggets at each meal)
Have a great time

 

[orky8]

There is nothing convenient about the DDP, so if it doesn't save money, then there is no reason to do it. I'd happily pay extra to have the "convenience" of using my credit card instead of the DDP. There is nothing more convenient then simply swiping your credit card vs. counting credits and worrying about whether you got your money's worth.

 

[Roakor]

One BIG thing to consider in your case with such young children: Are they into character meals? I think the dp will save you a lot if you are going to do a lot of character meals.

since all character meals are 2 credits now they are not the money savers they used to be.

 

[Roakor]

There is nothing convenient about the DDP, so if it doesn't save money, then there is no reason to do it. I'd happily pay extra to have the "convenience" of using my credit card instead of the DDP. There is nothing more convenient then simply swiping your credit card vs. counting credits and worrying about whether you got your money's worth.

the convenience comes from having everything paid for up front and not having to keep track of money during your trip. If your trying to actually save money then your better off not using it as MOST people will buy less food if paying out of pocket. Thus the reason for it being more a convenience not a money saver. There is also a convenience of having your group be able to split up and do meals when they want (like lunch quick service meals) instead of trying to meat up all the same time for meals. Works great for groups that have teenagers who want to go do their own thing, our just large groups in general.

 

[orky8]

the convenience comes from having everything paid for up front and not having to keep track of money during your trip. If your trying to actually save money then your better off not using it as MOST people will buy less food if paying out of pocket. Thus the reason for it being more a convenience not a money saver. There is also a convenience of having your group be able to split up and do meals when they want (like lunch quick service meals) instead of trying to meat up all the same time for meals. Works great for groups that have teenagers who want to go do their own thing, our just large groups in general.

Paying up front is not "convenient" - it is an interest free loan to Disney. And while I don't have teenagers, I believe you can give their magic bands charging privileges, so I'm not sure I see the "convenience" there either. I also fail to see the convenience for large groups, except to the extent it makes the per person charge equal (though your odds of losing value also increase the more people you have, IMHO), so there need be no thought as to splitting up a check. However, even then, you have to allocate the tip among the members of the group.

 

[Minnie Mum]

the convenience comes from having everything paid for up front and not having to keep track of money during your trip. If your trying to actually save money then your better off not using it as MOST people will buy less food if paying out of pocket. Thus the reason for it being more a convenience not a money saver. There is also a convenience of having your group be able to split up and do meals when they want (like lunch quick service meals) instead of trying to meat up all the same time for meals. Works great for groups that have teenagers who want to go do their own thing, our just large groups in general.

I think this is a false equivalence. Since we're only talking about on site resort guests, everyone has a MB, and everyone can have charging privileges attached to their band. The DDP does not afford a greater convenience for a large group to split up for meals. Anyone with a MB with charging privileges can do the same.

As Orky8 pointed out, prepaying is only allowing Disney access to your money before you even get there. Whether you pay before (DDP), or after (charging to your room and paying off your CC when you get home), you'll still be making a credit card payment. So where is the difference in convenience (ease of use and time spent)?

 

[Roakor]

Like everything else in this world people view things differently. for me the DDP in its current form is merely a convenience. I don't let everyone have charging privileges on their bands, just me. So if someone wants to do something else for lunch/dinner then, for me, the dinning plan works for that.

Does it work for everyone,no. Nothing does. Its impossible to please everyone. Does that mean one way is right and one way is wrong. No, neither is right or wrong just pick what works best for you....

 

[Dave B]

since all character meals are 2 credits now they are not the money savers they used to be.

They are not all 2 for sure

 

[Dave B]

Does it? If you go for free dining, then you're paying full rack rate for your room and are required to add PH to your park ticket. If you go for the room discount instead, you pay less for the room, are not required to have a PH ticket, and can eat the way your family prefers to eat.

It's all a matter of family preferences. If you stay at a value resort, room discounts don't amount to much. You might come out ahead by taking FD ( but you'd have to pay extra to upgrade from QSDP to DDP). And if you use the PH option, then you aren't wasting that extra money either. Room only discounts at mod or deluxe resorts are more substantial. This is where you really need to do the math. You need to look at the sum total of both rooms (rack rate or discounted price), tickets (PHs or not), and food (DDP vs the cost of food if you ate where you want and how you normally would- not necessarily opting for the most expensive items just to maximize your dining credits).

There are families that manage to save money on the DDP by maximizing use of each credit. I doubt that they are in the majority of users, though. Not with the way it is currently constructed. I've tracked our food costs at WDW for our last few trips. We buy a few groceries and have breakfast in our room most days - it's just more efficient time use, as we get ready for the day. We eat a CS lunch - and sometimes split one entree and get an extra side, since portions are so big. We rarely eat dessert at lunch. We might get one snack in the afternoon, but not every day, and never 2. We do a TS dinner every night - a couple will be signatures. An appetizer and entree, with wine, but only occasionally ordering a shared dessert. And our costs come out well under the cost of the DDP. Oh, and we don't have to eat more just to come out even. We save money on the discounted room. And we don't park hop, so no need to spend extra for that.

As for those who say they do it for the convenience - what convenience? How is using DDP credits via your MB any more convenient than using your MB to charge to your resort account? Answer - it's not.

If you want to be fiscally responsible, there's no simple answer for everyone. You have to hunker down and do the math. The DDP simply doesn't work for every family.

So we are going in November with the dining promo, we are staying at the Yacht Club in a standard room, when I did the math we were saving over $500, and that is with the Park Hopper, so I am not sure where you came up with the numbers, and YES you could go to Target or any store and pick up food and drinks, keep them in the room, we did this our first time we ever went to Disney world, and yes it saved us money, but it definitely was not the same experience, if I was on an extreme budget and could barely afford to go, then I see where you are coming from with buying your own food ahead of time, but if you want the truly magical experience I don't think there is anything like it, it makes the trip like an all inclusive feel

 

[Phonedave]

I completely disagree that it is a convenience and not a savings, it saves us almost $750 or more every trip, we take advantage and order things we normally would not think of paying for, such a luxury!!!!

And that right there is the REAL Magic Of Disney - Getting you to pay for something that you would not have normally bought, and then thinking that somehow you saved money.

If you are ordering things that you would not normally eat, then you are NOT saving money, you are spending more than you normally would.

Its like plainning to go to a store to by a $50 pair of shoes and then they send you a coupon for $25 off a purchase of $100 or more, so you buy a $100 pair of shoes and save $25, bringing it down to $75. What a bargin, you saved $25. No, what you did is spend $25 more than you would have.

In the case of WDW, it's even worse. Not only does the shoe analogy apply, but you are paying $10 for that $25 coupon.

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

Well I have NEVER paid for it, we just plan the trip during the FREE DINING promo, that makes it even more valuable in my opinion

And now you are paying full rack rate for your room.

You do realize that most of the time you could save more money than the plan is worth by applying a discount to your room rate.

 

[Dave B]

And that right there is the REAL Magic Of Disney - Getting you to pay for something that you would not have normally bought, and then thinking that somehow you saved money.

If you are ordering things that you would not normally eat, then you are NOT saving money, you are spending more than you normally would.

Its like plainning to go to a store to by a $50 pair of shoes and then they send you a coupon for $25 off a purchase of $100 or more, so you buy a $100 pair of shoes and save $25, bringing it down to $75. What a bargin, you saved $25. No, what you did is spend $25 more than you would have.

In the case of WDW, it's even worse. Not only does the shoe analogy apply, but you are paying $10 for that $25 coupon.

-dave

But I am paying less than I would have and I am eating more than I would have, how am I not saving money

 

[Dave B]

I am very confused by the logic

 

[Dave B]

And now you are paying full rack rate for your room.

You do realize that most of the time you could save more money than the plan is worth by applying a discount to your room rate.

I looked into all the discounts, I looked at regular package, the 25% room discount and the dining promo, the dining promo has always been the best deal, I am not sure where you guys come up with the room only discount being a better value, I have never seen this to be the case

 

[Phonedave]

As for those who say they do it for the convenience - what convenience? How is using DDP credits via your MB any more convenient than using your MB to charge to your resort account? Answer - it's not.
.

Some people like to have their entire trip paid off and then dont have to worry about a bill at the end. While I can understand that, I also think it is silly to pay MORE upfront than you would at the end, just so you don;t have a bill at the end. If sombody is really that adverse to having a bill at the end, then buy a Disney gift card ahead of time for the amount the plan would have cost, and use that for food instead. Chances are at the end of the trip, you are still going to have a positive credit on that card. Then you can either use it for a souvineer you really want (as opposed to loading up on rice crispy treats just to use your snack credits) or you could save it for your next trip.

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

but if you want the truly magical experience I don't think there is anything like it, it makes the trip like an all inclusive feel

Having done my share of all inclusive vacations, for me, the DDP does not even come close. Having to use credits, being told I can have a dessert but not an appitizer, having to look at a menu board to see what snacks are on the plan. Nope,all inclusive means asking the waiter "hey, could I get two lobster tails instead of one on the entree", and the waiter responding "can I get you three?"

-dave

 

[Greg in TN]

We used the DDP when our kids were little, ie--paying child's prices. They both had child-sized appetites as far as quantity, but neither one wanted to eat from the kid's menu all the time; they enjoyed variety. So, since at a buffet, a kid can eat from either the kid's buffet or the adult, we booked a lot of buffets, which are among the more expensive restaurants. Once we got around to paying adult prices for the whole family, the savings was minimal. We've paid out-of-pocket ever since, but I do miss the convenience that the DDP offered.

 

[righttrack]

What I like about the DDP
1. Spend now and have more for later (I'm sure WDW likes this option the best)
2. Allow my kids (they are older) the ability to go around and get snacks/counter service as need be so long as they understand the concept that this is their "budget"
3. Creates a bit of a schedule/normalcy to our day. We usually eat breakfast on the run, bars, bag of almonds, piece of fruit, coffee. Counter service lunch and table service dinner.
4. Makes us feel more comfortable with less "safe" choices for meals
5. You feel more like you are on vacation

What I dislike about DDP
1. Sometimes you're not as hungry as you think
2. More expensive
3. Encourages the ordering of drinks, etc because you're going to leave a tip anyway, and dinner is already paid for (I'm sure WDW likes this option as well!)
4. Encourages overeating and drinking (but hey, you're on vacation!)

We have done both. I've asked around and my wife and kids seem to prefer when we are on the plan. For me, I could take it or leave it. I prefer to order what I want, when I want, and not be relegated to set normalcy like entree/dessert. Sometimes I want three appetizers and no entree. A lot of times, I would prefer to skip dessert and get a dole whip or a snack somewhere.

 

[jaklgreen]

But I am paying less than I would have and I am eating more than I would have, how am I not saving money

If you would not have ordered the more expensive stuff if you had not had the dining plan, then it is costing you more money then if you would have paid OOP. Don't forget that you are now paying tips on the more expensive meals, so that adds to the total spent also. I don't think most people consider that when they decide to do the dining plan.

 

[Dave B]

If they earn there tips