I have never used a dining plan

[stratman50th]

I have never used a dining plan. Since the beginning when they first became available, we have run the numbers and determined that they were just not cost effective for us. We have never to my knowledge gone on our vacation during the times when the meal plan was free, but since there is normally an either/or for room discount or meal plan, we would always choose the room because having to conform to such rigid scheduling and planning isn't our way.
The question is, are we alone? It seems that almost everyone on these boards use one type of meal plan or another, and wouldn't even try a trip without it. I'm just curious.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

I have never used a dining plan. Since the beginning when they first became available, we have run the numbers and determined that they were just not cost effective for us. We have never to my knowledge gone on our vacation during the times when the meal plan was free, but since there is normally an either/or for room discount or meal plan, we would always choose the room because having to conform to such rigid scheduling and planning isn't our way.
The question is, are we alone? It seems that almost everyone on these boards use one type of meal plan or another, and wouldn't even try a trip without it. I'm just curious.

No you are not alone. We also never used DP because it just doesn't make any financial sense to us. We never eat as much as the dining plan includes and what you definitely would have to eat to make it a bargain.
DP costs up to 43 € per person if we book it from Germany, that's 86 € for both of us or 124 $ a DAY! We never eat even for half as much during an average day at the parks, we also normally prefer CS to TS so DP would be a total waste for us.

 

[ThinkTink721]

We like to eat at the TS restaurants & w/ 5 people, the dining plan has always been more cost effective for us.
:wave:

 

[stratman50th]

We like to eat at the TS restaurants & w/ 5 people, the dining plan has always been more cost effective for us.
:wave:

Do you eat every meal at TS?
I'm not familiar with all of the plans, but there used to be 3 of us, plus my parents for 5 up until two years ago. We only ate at TS for dinner, never breakfast or lunch. Normally it would have been 3, maybe 4 TS dinners in a 7 day period. We might do one character meal like every other year.
This trip there will be 2 adults and 2 teenagers, and we have ADR's for 6 out of the seven nights, one of which is Chef Mickey. Still no TS breakfast or lunches. Maybe I'll do the numbers again after this trip, just to see. Unless anyone can figure it in their head based on the above?

 

[WeLoveTheMouse]

I don't think you're alone in finding that the DDP isn't cost effective for you. I find that when we run the numbers we save very little using the plan. HOWEVER, this year we have a split stay and it made a ton of sense to use the DDP for the first week of our trip and then a room discount for the last 5 days. Naturally I loaded up the beginning of the trip with the most expansive restaurants and saved the cheaper ones for when I have to pay.

So, in this case the DDP worked well for us.

 

[majorrfb]

Sounds like a plan

I don't think you're alone in finding that the DDP isn't cost effective for you. I find that when we run the numbers we save very little using the plan. HOWEVER, this year we have a split stay and it made a ton of sense to use the DDP for the first week of our trip and then a room discount for the last 5 days. Naturally I loaded up the beginning of the trip with the most expansive restaurants and saved the cheaper ones for when I have to pay.

So, in this case the DDP worked well for us.

We,too, have never used the DDP-just not cost effective for the two of us.
We have many meals off property in the Lake Buena Vista area or in DTD.
We prefer to use the discounts for rooms. Have a blast. :wave:

 

[mjmyers10]

It depends where you would like to eat. We usually make reservations first, then decide on whether or not to get the plan. I agree with you regarding the free dining. Unless you have 4 adults in a room, it usually pays to take the room discount and pay for the dining plan. If you like the idea about having your food already paid for, you can put money you would have spent for the dining plan on a Disney Gift card.

 

[Monty]

Tried it, it was OK when the appetizer and tip was included. But I've since found room discounts combined with using the TiW discount to be a better approach for our style of eating.

I think some folks like the convenience of pre-paying and others the idea that they don't have to think about what stuff costs... I say more power to them. If it makes them happy.

 

[BuzzGoofy]

I'm one of the ones that likes the idea of having all our meals paid for before we leave for our vacation. It may end up costing us a little more in the long run, but when we pay for it in with the rest of our tickets and room, it just makes sense to me to do it this way. We don't need to worry about budgeting for food while in the parks because we have already done it. I do wish that they still included the appetizers in the plan though.

I suppose that the dining plan is one of those things that most people wont be able to agree on, so I won't even try to sway you to my way of thinking. Hope you can figure it out to make your trip work the best for you.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I have also never used the dining plans -- no matter how I run the numbers (I almost always go alone to WDW, and have particular tastes, like particular restaurants, and don't like planning months ahead for meals) I have NEVER been able to figure out how using the dining plans would be cost effective for me. Granted, some people swear by them -- for me, makes zero sense.

 

[erstwo]

Do you eat every meal at TS?
I'm not familiar with all of the plans, but there used to be 3 of us, plus my parents for 5 up until two years ago. We only ate at TS for dinner, never breakfast or lunch. Normally it would have been 3, maybe 4 TS dinners in a 7 day period. We might do one character meal like every other year.
This trip there will be 2 adults and 2 teenagers, and we have ADR's for 6 out of the seven nights, one of which is Chef Mickey. Still no TS breakfast or lunches. Maybe I'll do the numbers again after this trip, just to see. Unless anyone can figure it in their head based on the above?

Chef Mickeys for 1 adult at dinner- $36
Dining plan for 1 adult for one night (1 table service, 1 counter service, 1 snack)- $46ish

So for $10 more you get another meal (Counter Service) and a Snack.

This doesn't mean it is the best deal for you though. :wave:

 

[TinkSassy]

It was never a good deal for us either as we didn't eat breakfast in the park and usually split a meal at CS for lunch. Even if we ate TS for dinner it was still more. However, it was nice to do the DDP once on a Free Dining deal - we ate at restaurants we never would have tried otherwise. But I would not recommend it if you have to pay - much better to budget in the meals you really want. We had so much food left at the end of our trip!

 

[Edisto Pluto]

Nor do we. We don't like planning our meals ahead.It seems to turn into almost a preoccupatiom from the folks we talked to. We usually go to two parks each day but maybe that isn't an isssue with restaurants. We seem to nibble our way through the parks during our trips.

 

[Kristamouse]

We have used it and like it. We have four kids who EAT! No sharing meals here, most of the time I order of the kids menu for our 2 year old's and who are not part of the DDP and pay out of pocket because sharing off of our plate or thier siblings plate leave someone hungry. My kids are bean poles too, the calories turn stright to energy...
Like the OP said I feel like 99.9% of the time we paying about the same for our table service meal and geting the counter service and snack for free.
Like another OP said we like having the entire thing paid for when we arrive...my husband gets sticker shock over the price of milk here at home so it is worth it to me to do the DDP so I don't have to hear him grumble about prices. :goodnevil

 

[Mikester71]

Right there with you stratman50th. We've never tried it ourselves; never wanted to. We aren't huge on planning our days or nights out so far in advance. We usually wake up and see what the day has in store for us while on vacation. Not big eaters also; would rather just eat something small in the room (usually bring some food and snacks for the room and parks with us) before heading out and usually just grab something quick for dinner at either the Pop cafeteria or at a restaurant in whatever park we happen to be in at dinner time.

My wife and I discussed whether it might be worth looking in to for any future trips though after getting back from our last trip (this past March). We spent the majority of our money this past trip on food it seemed, more than previous trips. We thought if free dining was offered next trip, we might just have to give it a try. But who knows. It looks like our next trip may just be the two of us anyways, so we'll have to see at that time.

 

[Raven66]

We have also never used it. We just didn't think we ate enough to get it. Our daughter and I would share meals sometimes. But since it was free on our upcoming trip we thought, why not? We are just doing the counter service plan. We don't do a lot of sit down meals. We do have two planned but we are just going to pay for those. I don't know if we would actually get it if we had to pay, because with it being free we will be eating more then we normally would. We also bring stuff for breakfast in the room so that covers breakfast. We shall see.

 

[stratman50th]

Right there with you stratman50th. We've never tried it ourselves; never wanted to. We aren't huge on planning our days or nights out so far in advance. We usually wake up and see what the day has in store for us while on vacation. Not big eaters also; would rather just eat something small in the room (usually bring some food and snacks for the room and parks with us) before heading out and usually just grab something quick for dinner at either the Pop cafeteria or at a restaurant in whatever park we happen to be in at dinner time.

My wife and I discussed whether it might be worth looking in to for any future trips though after getting back from our last trip (this past March). We spent the majority of our money this past trip on food it seemed, more than previous trips. We thought if free dining was offered next trip, we might just have to give it a try. But who knows. It looks like our next trip may just be the two of us anyways, so we'll have to see at that time.

This is most like the way we operate. We always bring food with us that covers breakfast every day in the room. We also have lots of snacks and fruit and stuff to hit on during afternoon breaks. Sometimes we may do counter service in the park, sometimes not. We never worried about dinner until recently. Now as a result, or symptom of depending on how you look at it, the meal plans, walk up's to table service are tough to get. Maybe impossible. So I did make a bunch of ADR'S this time. Hated to do it and be stuck with a time and place, but dinner is our main meal. Another thing, we really don't have a food "budget". We put everything on the room key and square up at checkout. In most cases the room and parkhoppers have already been paid for, so they aren't in the equation. I guess I'm saying that if I paid for a meal plan, I would feel obligated to use everything and eat more than we would normally if that makes any sense.

 

[Poofiesdream]

Used it when I get free dinning. but end up eating at more expensive places and get a lot more food. Normal we don't get it, there is just my husband and I.

 

[wannabeBelle]

I have done both ways, I have done the regular dining plan, I have gotten the regular dining plan and upgraded to the deluxe dining. I also have an Annual Pass so I also joined Tables in Wonderland for the sit down dining discount so I do not always geta dining plan. The answer is it totally depends on who I am with, what I am doing, what the focus of the trip is etc. There are all kinds of times that the dining plan does work and works well. I cant imagine anyone not at least breaking even with the food that is provided on any of the dining plans. If you prefer to not be on the Dining plan, due to any number of situations from not being on property often enough during your trip to not wanting that much food, that is fine too. Dining at Disney from the simplest grab and go type of dining to the most upscale imaginable is still available to everyone regardless of how it is paid for ( A plan or cash) As others have mentioned, the ease of pre-paying for their dining does work for a lot of people. As far as ADR's I agree they are definitely tougher to get now than ever before, but there were some places, notably the 50's Prime Time, I couldnt get into years ago, prior to the explosion of the current dining plan. For sit down meals, ADR's are ALWAYS a good idea. Whichever your choice though, Disney has got something for you!!! Marie

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

How much are the dining plans in dollars?