Is the Dining Plan Worth It Anymore?

[Chef Mickey]

Well, we haven't been 60 times, but we have been several times, starting when MK opened and the buffet was$3.95 each for good food!
When on the dining plan, we didn't notice the food quality too much, but did notice it was becoming on par with a strip mall buffet. The characters are great, as always.
As I stated, it was OUR experience and opinion. Our reservation was late, at 2:30PM, so maybe the items were being kept warmed up from lunch for too long? If you are being picky, the chicken nuggets were on the buffet and tasted like frozen ones. The cost was over 80 dollars if you want to argue that. You are entitled to your opinion, as we are
We were very disappointed with the CP at that time and date. It's nice you are never shocked at the prices at Disney, but if you have been getting free dining for years, then yes, it is a shock on some restaurants. I know, I know, all prices are high at Disney, I get that, but felt that FOR What we got for the 80plus dollars was poor quality. I don't mind spending more than that for excellent food.
I was just preparing the OP for the surprise we got when we paid OOP at the CP. It was not meant as an affront to all those who have had good meals, but just an OPINION and a recounting of our experience for the OP! Afterall, this is a discussion board where we can all share our experiences so others can read them!
Have a magical day

Ah yes, the good old days when the food was dirt cheap, tasted great, and ice cream was a nickel. This idea is the typical rose colored glasses effect and the $3.95 of yesterday is not the same as today anyway. Times have changed and everything is more expensive, including Disney. This isn't the Great Depression.

If you had such a negative experience, I'm sure Disney would have taken care of the situation. They always do. Did you give them a chance to make it right?

Was your food cold the one time or is it always cold when you go? I've never experienced cold food and again, Disney would fix the issue if you made it known.

The price is higher because of the character dining aspect and I don't see a problem with it. CP is considered one of the better buffet choices at Disney and I always find a ton of options and fun environment.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Also, spoiler alert: All chicken "nuggets" are frozen as the process in making the kid loved junk food is impossible in the kitchen. If you're filling up on chicken nuggets, might I suggest other more adult options? Perhaps then you'd be more impressed.

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

If you're in any doubt as to whether or not you'll save money with it, cancel the dining plan. It's only worth it if you would have bought the most expensive things on the menu at every resturant already, which you probably weren't going to do.

Hasn't been worth it in a decade. Ever since they removed the appetizer and tip. Buy an AP and get a TiW. Use it for 20% off, including alcohol, which the plan doesn't cover at all. Big savings if you use it over more than one trip as well!

Also this.

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

I don't think I will use up a snack credit on a banana again though.

Ouch :x

 

[harryk]

As a family of 4 adults, we have purchased the Delux Dining Plan each year and have found that we have saved $$ each visit. I guess it all depends on what you purchase for meals as you go.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

You realize you could get the same "pre-paid" effect with gift cards, right? Best of both worlds.

This is exactly what we're doing for our March trip. Between now and then we plan to buy a $50 gift card from Sam's Club each month. Between those and the Disney Rewards dollars we get from our Visa card, we will have more than enough money for food, souvenirs,etc.

 

[Weather_Lady]

You realize you could get the same "pre-paid" effect with gift cards, right? Best of both worlds.

LOL - I was going to ask the same thing, in an even more old-timey way! As in, "why not take the money you'd have spent on food otherwise (cost of the DDP+tips+non-included items you intend to order), put it in an envelope ahead of time as your "pre-payment," and then dole it out as you pay for your meals?" I bet most folks would be shocked to find they still had money left over at the end of their trip.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

"If I buy the most expensive entree, eat dessert at every meal when I don't want it and am forced to have as many snacks as I pre paid (or take home overpriced poor quality candy so I don't waste credits) then I might save a little over paying out of pocket for the same items"

The DDP is like going to the car dealer to buy a Corolla for 16k and getting convinced to buy the BMW instead cause you save $100 off the regular bmw price of 45k

Well said. The illusion of "saving" money on the DDP is based on the premise that you'd order the same stuff if you were paying cash. However, the DDP forces you to change your behavior because, psychologically, you want the math to work so you feel like you're getting a good value.

 

[KordovaJD]

Using all of everyone's helpful info, here is the spreadsheet I did based on the dining reservations I'm making Wednesday morning. As a disclaimer, we planned all of our restaurants independent of the dining plan concept. We had not anticipated adding it. This is, sadly, because we're real Americans, how we would eat on any trip to WDW. That is to say, I was going to spend this amount of money anyway.

It lists every restaurant we're planning on eating at. Below it lists the average (or actual price in some instances) that it costs an adult and a child to eat there.
The bottom line is the average (likely) daily food costs to eat at the restaurants we've chosen.
I have calculated the 18% into each meal as it is not included. We're going to be in a group of 6, so 18% will be automatic.
I also calculated the snacks to be worth about 1 bottle of water and 1 piece of fruit/ice cream/etc per person per day (abt $9). It may be more or less, but...

Looks like, based on out plan, that the dining plan will put us out on top.

 

[KordovaJD]

In re: the above spreadsheet, the Hollywood Brown Derby is 2 entitlements. We're paying for a 5 day deluxe dining plan, but notice we're only having 1 meals on both Monday and Saturday. If I am correct, the last entitlement for the 6th day should be used for the 2 entitlement Brown Derby dinner, thereby using every entitlement for the week.



What? I work...

 

[TXDisney]

I think it 100% makes a difference. It all depends on how your family does a WDW trip. For us right now it doesn't make sense bc most our meals are at table service restaurants and we drink (we don't have kids yet). But when we go with kids we will more than likely use the dining plan bc we won't drink as much and won't do so many table service meals.

 

[KordovaJD]

I think it 100% makes a difference. It all depends on how your family does a WDW trip. For us right now it doesn't make sense bc most our meals are at table service restaurants and we drink (we don't have kids yet). But when we go with kids we will more than likely use the dining plan bc we won't drink as much and won't do so many table service meals.

Alcohol aside, which is a considering, the deluxe dining plan would still meet your needs for that.

We're doing DDP basically for the ease of use with our kids I guess.

 

[Weather_Lady]

In re: the above spreadsheet, the Hollywood Brown Derby is 2 entitlements. We're paying for a 5 day deluxe dining plan, but notice we're only having 1 meals on both Monday and Saturday. If I am correct, the last entitlement for the 6th day should be used for the 2 entitlement Brown Derby dinner, thereby using every entitlement for the week.



What? I work...

I'm not sure I understand the spreadsheet -- some of the totals don't seem to make sense (they "whole family totals" are too high for 2 people at the adult/child prices you list, but not high enough for a party of 6, so I'm not sure how many people you intend to have dining at each meal), but that might just be because I'm not intuitively good at math. However, you're calculating the total family cost for those meals (for a party somewhere between 3 and 6 people, it appears, depending on the meal) at $2,208. The cost of 5 days worth of deluxe dining for your party of 6 would be over $2,600, would it not?

Also, FWIW, dinner at CRT is also 2 credits on the 2016 deluxe DDP (although gratuity is included, so you don't have to add it for that meal), so I think one of your other meals will have to be paid for OOP (or skipped) to make up for it.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

I love the dining plan. I don't wanna worry about numbers and paying on vacation. The fact that you're in this magical bubble where you aren't handling real money to eat just makes my vacation seem a bit more special. Maybe I'm strange, but I love the dining plan.

 

[Minthorne]

I love the dining plan. I don't wanna worry about numbers and paying on vacation. The fact that you're in this magical bubble where you aren't handling real money to eat just makes my vacation seem a bit more special. Maybe I'm strange, but I love the dining plan.

If staying on property you could have the same experience by using your magic band to charge everything back to the room, pay one bill at the end of the trip, and probably save money while not being limited in any way to what you choose to eat at any time. Add an AP, Disney Chase Visa or DVC member and you'll get 10% off at several places just by showing the card (and ID).

iMHO just putting all meals on the room is even easier than the DDP. No credits to keep track of or plan. With the DDP you invariably get a bill you still have to pay at every table service for the tip and any additional items you may have purchased outside the plan. You cannot escape the numbers.

I understand the not having to worry thing but to me having more $$ to spend is even better.

 

[KordovaJD]

I'm not sure I understand the spreadsheet -- some of the totals don't seem to make sense (they "whole family totals" are too high for 2 people at the adult/child prices you list, but not high enough for a party of 6, so I'm not sure how many people you intend to have dining at each meal), but that might just be because I'm not intuitively good at math. However, you're calculating the total family cost for those meals (for a party somewhere between 3 and 6 people, it appears, depending on the meal) at $2,208. The cost of 5 days worth of deluxe dining for your party of 6 would be over $2,600, would it not?

Also, FWIW, dinner at CRT is also 2 credits on the 2016 deluxe DDP (although gratuity is included, so you don't have to add it for that meal), so I think one of your other meals will have to be paid for OOP (or skipped) to make up for it.

Sorry, some information you don't have. I have two kids and their two aunts are tagging along on their own dime. So I am on the hook for paying for 4 total, and my two sisters-in-law are on their own. That is what the numbers are based on.

Our 5 day Deluxe dining plan as was an add on to our room at the Poly and our 6 day park hoppers at a price of $1,223.80. Again, the sisters are on their own. The additional cost for their dining plan is $1,035.70. Not sure if they're use it.

Thanks for the heads up on CRT. I missed that. CRT is definitely a 2 entitlement seating. Will likely go OOP for a breakfast at the Poly as that's the cheapest ticket, so to speak.

Out of my many trips, this is my first to do dining plan and use a travel agent. Not sure why I used a travel agent really. She's a friend of a friend that I wanted to do a favor for. In any event, made me actually look at the literature for the DDP and other things a little harder than normal.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Sorry, some information you don't have. I have two kids and their two aunts are tagging along on their own dime. So I am on the hook for paying for 4 total, and my two sisters-in-law are on their own.

I see. Even then though, DDP for 5 nights (deluxe, 2 adults, 2 children, 2016 rates) is over $1,440, not $1,223. Obviously you will still save if you plan to eat the way that spreadsheet suggests (nothing but steak for dinner, it would appear, as your numbers appear to be taken from the most expensive item on every menu!), though...

 

[KordovaJD]

I see. Even then though, DDP for 5 nights (deluxe, 2 adults, 2 children, 2016 rates) is over $1,440, not $1,223.

It is currently on my reservations at $1,223.80. So other than saying that that is the deal I received, I cannot explain the discrepancy. I will check with my agent.

 

[Weather_Lady]

It is currently on my reservations at $1,223.80. So other than saying that that is the deal I received, I cannot explain the discrepancy. I will check with my agent.

If you booked in 2015 (at the lower, 2015 rate), that would explain it.

 

[KordovaJD]

If you booked in 2015 (at the lower, 2015 rate), that would explain it.

I found the flaw. You're not crazy, but neither am I, really, well not because of that. I have had to re-work the numbers slightly. The $1223.80 is for 2 adults and 1 child for 5 nights.

My son is going to be 1 month shy of his 3rd birthday on our next trip. He is therefore not eligible for the DDP. While I do not have to pay for his park ticket, I do have to pay for his food OOP.

So my value calculations were off by the amount of his food for the week, which I will stipulate as being the same as his 4 y.o. sister. They typically eat the same thing for every meal.

That adjusts the total savings to $336.90 for the week with an approximate 5% tolerance in either direction for differences in what is ordered versus what the price of the prototype meal used to calculate value at each individual restaurant.

For example, for a lunch meal at Chefs de France an adult meal was prototyped as a $8.99 bowl of soup and a $24.99 entree and a $3 drink ($37), whereas a child's meal at the same meal was prototyped as an $8.50 meal with a $3 drink and a $3.50 chocolate chip cookie ($14). However, it also goes worth saying that my daughter may likely order a full adult entree to split with her little brother. In that case, the OOP cost would be greatly reduced while the DDP cost remains static. It would increase the value of the Childs DDP by as much as 50% if they did so for every meal.

My only questions is, is that allowed? I find it hard to believe that a 4 y.o. and a 2 y.o. may not share a meal, regardless of how it's being paid for.

This system will, of course, lend itself to slight variances. For example, the average price of an entree at Chefs de France is about $28.50 mathematically. I know that what I would order is $32.99, but my wife would order something on the lower end ($22) based on her typical diet. That puts us within 3.5% of the average price of an entree. So, for as often as the system is too high in terms of its prototypical price, I think it is more likely to be too low, thereby increasing the DDP value. I think the biggest flaw comes with the price of children's fare.

But even if I'm off 5% on the high side, which I doubt, I still end with a saving so $220, which is fine by me.

*edited* Had to hide my Spotify playlist from the picture. I wouldn't want anyone to know I listen to Justin Bieber at the office.