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Disney Dinning Plan Advice
- Thread starter jeffk410
- Start date
RiversideBunny
New Member
Eat when you have to, then move on.
Have fun.
Have fun.
It really depends on your eating habits. Without the dining plan, did you plan on having Table Service (at least) once per day? If the answer is "no," then you aren't actually saving money. You may be saving money based on what you order and what you pre-paid, but if you had only planned on one or two TS meals then you actually are spending more money. It seems for me, based on the foods I do eat, I practically have to order the most expensive thing on the menu to get my money's worth. Would you have purchased a dessert with a quick service meal?
Based on what you pay to be on the DDP, you will definitely see a savings (if you use all your credits). But, as I said above, if you weren't going to be spending that much initially you may not be saving at all.
lighteningqueen
Well-Known Member
Gotta jump in here. I am somewhat of a vegetarian, very picky meat eater and will skip it if it is fatty or undercooked etc etc. Which it is all the above most of the time.
Boma is the very worst place you could take her. I starved to death. There food is horrible and very little to find if she is. I ate a bit of salad that on our 3rd visit in 3 years to this place they do not replenish fast enough on the veggies. If you must go you must be on the plan, too expensive for what is there. IMHO
Never been to Le Celliar, too many good steak places here in Texas for 12.00 for a great steak dinner..
Tusker... The BEST for Breakfast in all the properties. Not sure of Dinner
We found to save real money on the plan. We ate at Tutto and I had Penne Caprese which is no meat very very good.
You need to go to wdwinfo and check the menus before you decide or go to allears.net. This will seal your deal if there is enough for her to eat at any of the places.
Boma is the very worst place you could take her. I starved to death. There food is horrible and very little to find if she is. I ate a bit of salad that on our 3rd visit in 3 years to this place they do not replenish fast enough on the veggies. If you must go you must be on the plan, too expensive for what is there. IMHO
Never been to Le Celliar, too many good steak places here in Texas for 12.00 for a great steak dinner..
Tusker... The BEST for Breakfast in all the properties. Not sure of Dinner
We found to save real money on the plan. We ate at Tutto and I had Penne Caprese which is no meat very very good.
You need to go to wdwinfo and check the menus before you decide or go to allears.net. This will seal your deal if there is enough for her to eat at any of the places.
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
I strongly disagree. Unless you're staying at a Value, you can save much more paying OOP for meals and getting a room discount than paying rack rate and getting "free" DDP.
Master Gracey 5
Active Member
Good point - I forgot the discount they are currently offering on the moderate and deluxe resorts works out to be better savings for two people. Its by no means an easy decision but depends on several factors.
Dwarful
Well-Known Member
We used to always use the DDP. But after last June's trip, we won't go with it again. I am not factoring in the price increases, or the fact that most of the desserts at the Counter Service places are crap. My biggest reason has been the serious decline in service. Now please remember we were there June 6 - 12. Our best service was at Le Cellier and the Biergarten, our worst service was at Crystal Palace. we tried to stick with buffets because the kids meals at WDW are pretty bad most places. We had meals take close to 3 hours, mostly because the restaurants seemed over booked. For example at CP we arrived 15 minutes early as recommended and were seated almost 40 mins. later. Once we were seated drinks were quick to arrive the first time, refills were hard to come by. Also, it took nearly 30 minutes to check out. I felt really bad because the front porch area was full of people waiting to sit down and we were waiting to get back to the parks.
The other thing we noticed was a decline in what we could use for a snack credit. If we want a snack I'd rather just pay for the snack I want and not worry about what was allowed. We never used all of the credits anyway (which seems to happen to lots of people). Then we had to figure out what we could get at the end of the trip with our remaining snacks.
Really you will need to put pen to paper and figure out where you will eat, how much you would normally spend, would you get all those desserts? How many snacks do you get each day? If the numbers work out, go for the plan, if they don't, put the money on a gift card before you head down if you really want to have it paid up front.
The other thing we noticed was a decline in what we could use for a snack credit. If we want a snack I'd rather just pay for the snack I want and not worry about what was allowed. We never used all of the credits anyway (which seems to happen to lots of people). Then we had to figure out what we could get at the end of the trip with our remaining snacks.
Really you will need to put pen to paper and figure out where you will eat, how much you would normally spend, would you get all those desserts? How many snacks do you get each day? If the numbers work out, go for the plan, if they don't, put the money on a gift card before you head down if you really want to have it paid up front.
radioandy
Member
We just returned from a 7-day trip with the Dining Plan. We enjoyed it, but we may not use it again. While we really enjoyed meals at Le Cellier, Boma, Crystal Palace breakfast, Raglan's at Downtown Disney and the Hoop Dee Doo, we were still paying sometimes $50 extra for a drink or two, an appetizer and a tip.
Also, there are several places where one counter service meal can feed two...especially if you have something like Le Cellier waiting for dinner! My wife and I typically eat two meals a day, and are light-to-moderate eaters, so that makes a difference, too. We also are not big on sweets, and having to eat a dessert instead of a soup/salad is a drawback for us.
With the ADR's you have planned, it may well save you some money. It can be a good deal, it just depends on your tastes and appetites.
Also, there are several places where one counter service meal can feed two...especially if you have something like Le Cellier waiting for dinner! My wife and I typically eat two meals a day, and are light-to-moderate eaters, so that makes a difference, too. We also are not big on sweets, and having to eat a dessert instead of a soup/salad is a drawback for us.
With the ADR's you have planned, it may well save you some money. It can be a good deal, it just depends on your tastes and appetites.
Yesterday's answers all seemed to say go for it, but todays leaned towards no. I do eat alot, but If I was not on the plan I would never order dessert or anything and I am not sure if I will even want the dessert. I think at this point I am leaning towards not doing it, but does anyone else have any last advice?
DisneyWall-E
Well-Known Member
My DW and I have gone 4 years in a row on the free dining plan while staying at the POP. We love the DDP because with out it we would have never have eaten at all the TS places we have gone too.
My advice to you is if you are still on the fince than I would go for it. Maybe you will go to eat at a few more TS places than normaly would have. And at the end if you dont like it than you never have to do it again.
bugsbunny
Well-Known Member
If you are lucky enough to get the free DDP offer during your stay, then YES, the DDP is a great value. But the trade off is that EVERYONE else is probably getting the free DDP offer while you are there, so good luck making any ADRs. :animwink:
But other than that, its break even AT BEST if you are using the regular plan. If you are using the quick service plan, then you don't feel anywhere as obligated to squeeze every last cent out of the thing.
The sit down plans rope you into feeling like you need to have sit down meals and use up all your credits or else you are losing money. And even if you do make them all, you have to strategically plan out what you are going to eat if you want to break even or get over on the plan.
At this point with what they have taken away from the plan since its inception combined with the obvious shrinking of menus, I feel like the only big plus out of the whole thing is that you get to pay for it all in advance and you don't have to worry about spending a lot of money while you are there.
But other than that, its break even AT BEST if you are using the regular plan. If you are using the quick service plan, then you don't feel anywhere as obligated to squeeze every last cent out of the thing.
The sit down plans rope you into feeling like you need to have sit down meals and use up all your credits or else you are losing money. And even if you do make them all, you have to strategically plan out what you are going to eat if you want to break even or get over on the plan.
At this point with what they have taken away from the plan since its inception combined with the obvious shrinking of menus, I feel like the only big plus out of the whole thing is that you get to pay for it all in advance and you don't have to worry about spending a lot of money while you are there.
Erin_Akey
New Member
We use the deluxe dining plan and for our family it works great. We like the nicer restaurants and the dinner shows.
For us, when you add it all up, we save HUNDREDS of dollars. The deluxe plan is 67.00 per day per person. When went last tme to Le Cellier, the bill for five people was almost 350.00, the same day we went to the Luau which was 275.00 and included the gratuity. BIG savings. Same thing with never needing to pay for a snack, etc.
We always go to both the Luau and Hoop De Doo review. Those two make the plan worth it almost by themselves.
We always bought the refillable mugs, and you get those free wih deluxe dining. I love it. We would eat at all of these places anyway, and so this saves us a lot of money.
I do think if you are a family who does a lot of counter service etc. this plan wouldn't be best, but now they offer the counter plan too. There really seems to be something for everyone.
For us, when you add it all up, we save HUNDREDS of dollars. The deluxe plan is 67.00 per day per person. When went last tme to Le Cellier, the bill for five people was almost 350.00, the same day we went to the Luau which was 275.00 and included the gratuity. BIG savings. Same thing with never needing to pay for a snack, etc.
We always go to both the Luau and Hoop De Doo review. Those two make the plan worth it almost by themselves.
We always bought the refillable mugs, and you get those free wih deluxe dining. I love it. We would eat at all of these places anyway, and so this saves us a lot of money.
I do think if you are a family who does a lot of counter service etc. this plan wouldn't be best, but now they offer the counter plan too. There really seems to be something for everyone.
No. Only with the QS and Deluxe plans.
Tom
Beta Return
Yeah....and that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Why did they skip a plan with the mugs? Makes NO sense at all. I always thought it was a type-o.
Ehh not really. Considering the price of the CS plan they needed something to boost the value. When you look at 2 QS meals and 2 snacks you are at about break even to the price of the plan. A refillable mug that costs Disney pennies but is perceived by guests as a $13 value puts it over the top and makes the QS plan worth it in most peoples eyes.
Tom
Beta Return
But those who opt for the Basic Plan over the QS Plan (and who are savvy enough to know what's included in each), may feel that they're being jipped by not getting the mug.
Specifically because it costs Disney about $0.50 (for the mug and the soda you fill it with in a week), it would seem logical to just "throw it in" to all Dining Plans, as one more perk. The more perks the merrier, and the lesser the blow you feel when you fork over your life savings for a Disney vacation.
IMO, of course
honestly that might be my decision to why I do not go with DDP. That mug would of thrown it over the edge.. O well. Thanks everyone for their input, but I think I am going to opt not to do the ddp. I can't get the courage too. Even though the poll is much more for doign it. :brick: So hard.