News Disney Dining Plan Returns in 2024

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It's not a different situation. You claim the ddp is a rip off. No alternative is applicable.

Those packages are priced with food costs included to a certain degree…and you know that. So when “applied” to the dining plan that does change the math. But that’s a unique, grandfathered travel arrangement that pre-dates the Iger era.

Now for we stateside plebs - 85% of the wdw business on your average day - it’s an overpayment. Definitive within a small margin of error. Real time. Real world.

And why? Because you pay for more than you would normally and then the “burn rate” on the coupons is lower.
But you’re not gonna believe that. So we can go ahead and just move on.

Let’s see the price? The formula is ready to be crunched - not opinion - it just needs the “constant”

 

[diminnie]

…vacation club and Florida residents

At one time

Now that I’m thinking…was it ever AP?

Yes, prior to my DVC, I was just AP and would buy it after turning in my voucher for the AP.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The dining plan never really worked for us but do know a lot of people who loved it for the prepayment aspect of it

I am curious to see about pricing and also if they make more locations 2 TS credits.

For example, when it was last offered the price of the kids regular DDP was $30.51/night. If they up it 30% that makes it $39.66 ... But right now dinner at Akershus for a kid is $41 .... So are they going to make the kids DDP like $50+ or are places like Akershus that were only 1 TS credits going to be 2?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes, prior to my DVC, I was just AP and would buy it after turning in my voucher for the AP.

I asked an old co-worker - we’re both a fine fine dessert port vintage from the 90s…and he said florida residents (original)…then dvc…then AP…

But we’re all getting older so the blood vessels harden in the brain too…

 

[JD80]

the math is pretty simple for the DDP.

Using 2019 pricing, the DDP for adults was $75.49

Dinner: Crystal Palace ~$50 adult beverage ~$10
Lunch: Star Lite Cafe - Grilled Chicken Club - $11.99 ~ Soft Drink $3
Snack #1 - Mickey Pretzel $7.50
Snack #2 - Churro $5 (or a coffee from Starbucks)

Total: $87.49

unlisted: cost of refillable mug and any beverages you use it for

Obviously your family would need to enjoy this type of food and these experiences. If you do not like eating sit down meals, or only like to eat light - then the DDP is not for you because it's a waste. Back then breakfast was cheaper than dinner so you were more forced to do lunch/dinner for "value" but currently, using Crystal Palace as an example all meals have the same price range. However you're probably not grabbing a beer at breakfast - but no judging if you do!

Some places allow cocktails as a sub for beer and wine and your value increases at that point. There are also more expensive lunches and snacks you could find to increase value too. Some of SWGE lunch QS meals were in the $14-16 range.

So even if I purchased the DDP outright, the cost was basically the same out of pocket. However, the free dining offer for me was a value of $176.34 a day (family of 5) and with paying for the upgrade from QSDP to DDP my total value on the deal was $118.34 a day which was about 5x the amount of savings as a room discount.

Of course you could eat peanut butter sandwhiches all day and drink from water fountains and you would look at me like I'm crazy on spending that much on food. Or you could think I'm dumb by giving my kids an awesome experience at Disney World having dinner every night with some of their favorite characters. And when you inevitably do, I'm going to shrug my shoulders at you and I say you do you.

Now not using a character meal in today's prices using Tonys Town Square - a dinner would cost you $27-36, Dessert $9, Drink is $3.50? Even in today's pricing a normal sit down meal is $10 cheaper than a character meal so back in 2019 the you were still having a tough time breaking even but it was close.

But that is ancient history. Going forward, with the loss of a snack, the DDP its going to be a challenge to find value unless they reduce the price or at least keep it the same.

My own personal experience with three kids under 8 in 2019? We did character meals every day which we all loved. We loved being able to sit down for an hour or so, eat, with the kids being entertained with the characters and relax in the air conditioning. I was there on a free dining promo - so even if I lost money on food each day (I didn't) the few extra dollar I did lose was well worth the cost of the experience I gained from it.

 

[Figgy1]

Still can't admit you might be wrong.

I gave it to you. You win. Let me know what the parade route is gonna be so I can get a good spot along it.

Please no fighting and agree to disagree!
For those from the UK numbers run differently so they have different feelings about it
For us it never would have worked out as my kids ordered off the adult menu by 5, part Remy/part Emille so we found buffets to be a good value. I'm vegan so there goes any value as those are usually the least expensive options. We don't always do a TS every day
That said I know some who it works out for and they're quite happy about the return
Eat and let eat

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Before sirpoststoomuch keeps going on and on for another hour or so, the math is pretty simple for the DDP.

Using 2019 pricing, the DDP for adults was $75.49

Dinner: Crystal Palace ~$50 adult beverage ~$10
Lunch: Grilled Chicken Club - $11.99
Snack #1 - Mickey Pretzel $7.50
Snack #2 - Churro $5 (or a coffee from Starbucks)

Total: $84.49

unlisted: cost of refillable mug and any beverages you use it for

Obviously your family would need to enjoy this type of food and these experiences. If you do not like eating sit down meals, or only like to eat light - then the DDP is not for you because it's a waste. Back then breakfast was cheaper than dinner so you were more forced to do lunch/dinner for "value" but currently, using Crystal Palace as an example all meals have the same price range. However you're probably not grabbing a beer at breakfast - but no judging if you do!

Some places allow cocktails as a sub for beer and wine and your value increases at that point. There are also more expensive lunches and snacks you could find to increase value too. Some of SWGE lunch QS meals were in the $14-16 range.

Now not using a character meal in today's prices using Tonys Town Square - a dinner would cost you $27-36, Dessert $9, Drink is $3.50? Even in today's pricing a normal sit down meal is $10 cheaper than a character meal so back in 2019 the you were still having a tough time breaking even but it was close.

But that is ancient history. Going forward, with the loss of a snack, the DDP its going to be a challenge to find value unless they reduce the price or at least keep it the same.

My own personal experience with three kids under 8 in 2019? We did character meals every day which we all loved. We loved being able to sit down for an hour or so, eat, with the kids being entertained with the characters and relax in the air conditioning. I was there on a free dining promo - so even if I lost money on food each day (I didn't) the few extra dollar I did lose was well worth the cost of the experience I gained from it.

Now you can keep going on about how much of an idiot I am, or how much of a fool I am to give Disney money. Great. But you're the one spending countless hours on a message board about a place you dislike harassing people.

Now do it on day 4…5….8?

And it’s FOOD. Not “experiences”.

It all ends up in the same place in a 24” service line.

I’d say “experience” if it didn’t involve pounding bacon by the vat - and to be clear I do love me some bacon - to try to eat to catch up to what you loaned Disney 6 months prior.

Just try without it. It’s less…you just have to sacrifice the “innocence of youth” using the bracelets to “not pay”

Tables is still the best…that’s been beaten like a rented mule for years…I hope that comes back.

But it’s just “my opinion” and consensus is always the enemy of the people in discussions that can’t be splained away to individuality. Which is often when you patronize parks built with mass market requirements.

Cute nickname though…I like a little rub. Can I patent “Monsieurpencepasassez” for future use?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Please no fighting and agree to disagree!
For those from the UK numbers run differently so they have different feelings about it
For us it never would have worked out as my kids ordered off the adult menu by 5, part Remy/part Emille so we found buffets to be a good value. I'm vegan so there goes any value as those are usually the least expensive options. We don't always do a TS every day
That said I know some who it works out for and they're quite happy about the return
Eat and let eat

I agree with you…
And appreciate that you at least answered the question that I knew the answer to and changes the discussion for one SPECIFIC GROUP

 

[Ayla]

I always laugh when people say character meals are relaxing.

Prices for UK customers for the DDP were lower than what the majority of WDW customers had to pay for it.

 

[HauntedPirate]

The pixie dust high beats logic once again. Have at it.

 

[JD80]

Now do it on day 4…5….8?

And it’s FOOD. Not “experiences”.

It all ends up in the same place in a 24” service line.

I’d say “experience” if it didn’t involve pounding bacon by the vat - and to be clear I do love me some bacon - to try to eat to catch up to what you loaned Disney 6 months prior.

Just try without it. It’s less…you just have to sacrifice the “innocence of youth” using the bracelets to “not pay”

Tables is still the best…that’s been beaten like a rented mule for years…I hope that comes back.

But it’s just “my opinion” and consensus is always the enemy of the people in discussions that can’t be splained away to individuality. Which is often when you patronize parks built with mass market requirements.

Cute nickname though…I like a little rub. Can I patent “Monsieurpencepasassez” for future use?

It's like you're trying very hard to insult me here, but your inability to see someone elses point of view is staggering.

Having Ariel come to my table and offer to comb my daughters hair with a dinglehopper is an experience.
Having Goofy come to our table and dance with my son is an experience.
Having Tigger come to our table and hop around with all three of my kids is an experience.
Having Snow White come to my son at 8 months old and leave a giant kiss on his forehead is an experience which is captured on my wall.

What does this even mean?

Just try without it. It’s less…you just have to sacrifice the “innocence of youth” using the bracelets to “not pay”

Are you trying to tell me how to do Disney or how to spend time with my family? I mean I can also stay home and watch a streamer walk down Main Street and sacrifice a family vacation to "not pay".

Just so we're clear here - are we have a discussion on the value of the DDP or are you attempting to tell people "what's good for their waistline"?

 

[dreday3]

Unless it can be definitely proven that the dining plan hurts the customers not utilizing it, why not say "to each their own"?

You can't prove the menus were dumbed down (people still disagree on this), prices changed directly due to plan. Maybe you can make a strong case for less availability.

Otherwise, let the people use the plan if they want. We did on two trips(once quick service, once table service) , then didn't on two trips and realized the dining plan doesn't work for us. But if it works for others, I hope they enjoy it.

 

[King Capybara 77]

UK travel package?

Anyone not from the USA (much more than the 15% you claim) .

Anyone with children that will be doing buffets character mals etc.

Anyone who likes to eat a lot of TS meals

Anyone who's cost of getting an AP or whatever for your vaunted TIW is cost prohibitive.

It's a much more complicated situation .

 

[networkpro]

I would venture that only the name has returned and the mechanics underneath its title have changed.

 

[larryz]

Now can you explain why locking in a known overpayment up front that requires an intentional glutinous mission of many days to get “value” out of it makes sense?

Gluttonous. Glutinous refers to chains of bread proteins.

 

[JD80]

The pixie dust high beats logic once again. Have at it.

Your need to dismiss how people spend money on vacation is incredible.

I'll reiterate - as US Resident - the only way you were ever going to save/break even on the DDP is if you intended to do character meals with your family most days and have a drink.

In 2019, I had a long trip where I did 6 of them. And we the dining plan offer, I saved a significant amount of money. Four years later with older kids, would I do a vacation like this again? No, because I don't find the value in the experience any more. If the DDP came back at the same cost (adjusted for inflation/disney inflation) it would have to be offered with a significant deal just for me to want to use it again.

There is value of having meals pre-paid and I'm willing to pay for it, but I'm not paying if it ends up being a 10-20% loss each day on food. Anytime I purchased a DDP, and I've always done in during Free Dining offers, I ran the math and it usually worked out pretty well.

 

[Jrb1979]

the math is pretty simple for the DDP.

Using 2019 pricing, the DDP for adults was $75.49

Dinner: Crystal Palace ~$50 adult beverage ~$10
Lunch: Star Lite Cafe - Grilled Chicken Club - $11.99 ~ Soft Drink $3
Snack #1 - Mickey Pretzel $7.50
Snack #2 - Churro $5 (or a coffee from Starbucks)

Total: $87.49

unlisted: cost of refillable mug and any beverages you use it for

Obviously your family would need to enjoy this type of food and these experiences. If you do not like eating sit down meals, or only like to eat light - then the DDP is not for you because it's a waste. Back then breakfast was cheaper than dinner so you were more forced to do lunch/dinner for "value" but currently, using Crystal Palace as an example all meals have the same price range. However you're probably not grabbing a beer at breakfast - but no judging if you do!

Some places allow cocktails as a sub for beer and wine and your value increases at that point. There are also more expensive lunches and snacks you could find to increase value too. Some of SWGE lunch QS meals were in the $14-16 range.

So even if I purchased the DDP outright, the cost was basically the same out of pocket. However, the free dining offer for me was a value of $176.34 a day (family of 5) and with paying for the upgrade from QSDP to DDP my total value on the deal was $118.34 a day which was about 5x the amount of savings as a room discount.

Of course you could eat peanut butter sandwhiches all day and drink from water fountains and you would look at me like I'm crazy on spending that much on food. Or you could think I'm dumb by giving my kids an awesome experience at Disney World having dinner every night with some of their favorite characters. And when you inevitably do, I'm going to shrug my shoulders at you and I say you do you.

Now not using a character meal in today's prices using Tonys Town Square - a dinner would cost you $27-36, Dessert $9, Drink is $3.50? Even in today's pricing a normal sit down meal is $10 cheaper than a character meal so back in 2019 the you were still having a tough time breaking even but it was close.

But that is ancient history. Going forward, with the loss of a snack, the DDP its going to be a challenge to find value unless they reduce the price or at least keep it the same.

My own personal experience with three kids under 8 in 2019? We did character meals every day which we all loved. We loved being able to sit down for an hour or so, eat, with the kids being entertained with the characters and relax in the air conditioning. I was there on a free dining promo - so even if I lost money on food each day (I didn't) the few extra dollar I did lose was well worth the cost of the experience I gained from it.

That is the only way it has value. If you either do character meals every day or pick to most expensive meal. It works for a small group of people but for the most part @Mr Ferret 88 it's a complete rip off.

IMO people only buy it to have that all inclusive feeling.

 

[Weather_Lady]

My own personal experience with three kids under 8 in 2019? We did character meals every day which we all loved. We loved being able to sit down for an hour or so, eat, with the kids being entertained with the characters and relax in the air conditioning. I was there on a free dining promo - so even if I lost money on food each day (I didn't) the few extra dollar I did lose was well worth the cost of the experience I gained from it.

Respectfully, nobody is saying that anything, including the DDP, is a bad deal WHEN YOU GET IT FOR FREE.

The point some folks (myself included) are trying to make is that the DDP has been an increasingly bad deal in the past (and looks to be an even worse deal going forward) for those who buy it.

 

[Jrb1979]

The worst part of all of it is trying to get an ADR for dinner. Right now availability is wide open.

 

[JD80]

That is the only way it has value. If you either do character meals every day or pick to most expensive meal. It works for a small group of people but for the most part @Mr Ferret 88 it's a complete rip off.

IMO people only buy it to have that all inclusive feeling.

Correct for the most part.

Once they offered adult beverages the math got better. Going from 2018 to 2019 the DDP saw no price increase (adult beverages were added in 2018). Looking forward to the new Disney World planning puzzle on how to make the DDP plan work (if possible). The loss of a snack is pointing to a big fat no on the possibility front. But I'll enjoy seeing if I can make it work on paper.