Is the Dining Plan Worth It Anymore?

[Tony the Tigger]

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.

I don't handle real money! Magic bands, gift cards, credit cards… LOL.

 

[Weather_Lady]

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 2 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.

Well... yes and no. Although you might find that you want to order him a separate meal at CS restaurants (where portions are more limited), be aware that visitors 2 and under are free to eat from their parents' plates at any restaurant. (This is not something Disney grudgingly allows -- it's a part of their published policy. This means that unless you really want to order him a separate meal, and particularly when you are at a TS buffet or all-you-care-to-enjoy meal, you won't need to buy any additional food for him unless you choose to -- he can eat "off of your plate" or those of others in your party, although he doesn't need to do so literally. CMs will be happy to bring additional dishes and utensils for him.)

 

[KordovaJD]

Well... yes and no. Be aware that visitors 2 and under are free to eat from their parents' plates at any restaurant. (This means that unless you really want to order him a separate meal, and particularly when you are at a buffet or all-you-care-to-enjoy meal, you won't need to buy any additional food for him unless you choose to -- he can eat "off of your plate" or those of others in your party, although he doesn't need to do so literally. CMs will be happy to bring additional dishes and utensils for him.)

Thank you, this answered the question that I just added to my previous post.

Can a child order an adult entree? And can it then be shared with a 2y.o.? If so, that could increase the value greatly by reducing the OOP costs for the younger child.

You'll have to excuse me. I am a corporate attorney who works mostly in equity finance. I do a lot of equity buy-in and stock warrants for oil companies, so I tend to look at math a little differently than your average human.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Thank you, this answered the question that I just added to my previous post.

Can a child order an adult entree? And can it then be shared with a 2y.o.? If so, that could increase the value greatly by reducing the OOP costs for the younger child.

You'll have to excuse me. I am a corporate attorney who works mostly in equity finance. I do a lot of equity buy-in and stock warrants for oil companies, so I tend to look at math a little differently than your average human.

At CS places, if paying OOP, you can order from whatever menu you want, regardless of the ages of your party members, and split it up any way you like. (There are whole articles online devoted to the topic of what CS meals are the best OOP values, and which can easily be shared by two people.) Even on the dining plan, CS credits are still not tracked as child/adult, so technically, at CS restaurants even on the dining plan you could order 3 adult entrees (1 for you, 1 for your spouse and 1 for the kids to split) and Disney would be none the wiser, although it is a violation of the dining plan terms, which require children to order from the children's menu wherever one is offered.

I believe that TS credits, however, are a bit more strict if you are on the DDP. In that case, children must order from the children's menu where there is one. Again, if paying OOP, you can order whatever you want for whomever you want if it's an a la carte-type place. At buffets and other fixed-price, all-you-care-to-enjoy venues, you'll be charged the adult price for adults and the child price for children age 3-9.

Don't apologize for thinking differently. I'm also an attorney (formerly a Biglaw litigator, now happily ensconced in the federal courts) and although I have no particular skill with math, my thought processes have become rather, er, Vulcanesque (with apologies for resorting to a Star Trek reference) over time.

 

[Weather_Lady]

If trying to feed a toddler with your DDP entitlements, you'll also want to be familiar with the new range of possible substitutions, some of which might make it easier to feed 4 people with 3 entitlements anywhere you go:

http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/05/29/changes-coming-to-the-disney-dining-plan-beginning-may-31/

 

[KordovaJD]

Don't apologize for thinking differently. I'm also an attorney (formerly a Biglaw litigator, now happily ensconced in the federal courts) and although I have no particular skill with math, my thought processes have become rather, er, Vulcanesque (with apologies for resorting to a Star Trek reference) over time.

I left big law three years ago for boutique and it was the best decision I've ever made.

And never, never, apologize for a Star Trek reference.

 

[21stamps]

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.

Until the night before check out when that pesky piece of paper gets slid under the door...

Good thing about Disney as opposed to Atlantis.. Your bill probably doesn't have 10-15 drinks that you bought for strangers on it...

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Until the night before check out when that pesky piece of paper gets slid under the door...

Good thing about Disney as opposed to Atlantis.. Your bill probably doesn't have 10-15 drinks that you bought for strangers on it...

Spread the magic! Haha

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

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.

That's a neat idea, I think there's more hassle and risk of losing an envelope than some gift cards that you slip into your wallet and keep on you at all times, lol

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

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

Actually, that brings up an interesting question. If a person were to book a year or more in advance, would the price of the then years old DDP be lower than the current price of food when they went?

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.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Actually, that brings up an interesting question. If a person were to book a year or more in advance, would the price of the then years old DDP be lower than the current price of food when they went?

I believe so -- just like if you buy park tickets (or a package with park tickets) just before a price increase. Even if the increase goes into effect before your visit, Disney can't raise the price of the tickets/package you already bought (or put down a deposit to buy).

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

I believe so -- just like if you buy park tickets (or a package with park tickets) just before a price increase. Even if the increase goes into effect before your visit, Disney can't raise the price of the tickets/package you already bought (or put down a deposit to buy).

I think I worded my question wrong because yeah obviously they can't raise prices if you bought something cheaper a year before and it's still valid. What I meant was if you bought a DDP a year before, could you be paying less money than if you payed OOP for increased prices for the current year.

 

[Courtney6682]

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.

We do too...BUT we only use it if we see that we will be ''coming out ahead''..some trips it makes sense, and others it doesn't. All depends on where we want to eat

 

[Courtney6682]

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.

I just wanted to be a creep and say that we will be there at the same time

 

[KordovaJD]

I just wanted to be a creep and say that we will be there at the same time

Hey, I'm a professional creeper myself.

Theoretically it looks like we could have been there at the same time on at least nine other occasions, namely being '87, '95, '97, '98, '99, '02, '03, '05, '15.

I am gonna say that there's a good chance honestly.

Also, we're within about 2 weeks of the same age.

Wow, it's like we're the same person...

 

[Courtney6682]

Hey, I'm a professional creeper myself.

Theoretically it looks like we could have been there at the same time on at least nine other occasions, namely being '87, '95, '97, '98, '99, '02, '03, '05, '15.

I am gonna say that there's a good chance honestly.

Also, we're within about 2 weeks of the same age.

Wow, it's like we're the same person...

This made me LOL...Hi new friend! Where are u all staying this Winter?

 

[KordovaJD]

This made me LOL...Hi new friend! Where are u all staying this Winter?

We'll be at the Polynesian. Do you prefer French Quarter to Riverside?

We're looking forward to the weather. It's 104 in Texas today, and that week in February will probably be 34.

Weather outlook in Orlando for the trip is 65-80 degrees every day.

We did January trips 1999-2003 for the PGA new products show and the weather was always amazing.

 

[Courtney6682]

We'll be at the Polynesian, you?

We're looking forward to the weather. It's 104 in Texas today, and that week in February will probably be 34.

Weather outlook for the trip is 65-80 degrees every day.

POFQ...Feb 1-8th...probably the 9th tho...I'm sure it will be that cold or colder here in Philly. We have family in Paris TX and friends in Tyler...

 

[KordovaJD]

POFQ...Feb 1-8th...probably the 9th tho...I'm sure it will be that cold or colder here in Philly. We have family in Paris TX and friends in Tyler...

My sister went to UPenn. I love Philly.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I think I worded my question wrong because yeah obviously they can't raise prices if you bought something cheaper a year before and it's still valid. What I meant was if you bought a DDP a year before, could you be paying less money than if you payed OOP for increased prices for the current year.

Yes, but only if the DDP's offerings are so in synch with what you'd have bought OOP anyway that you end up breaking even or saving money. (In the case of my family, we save a good 15% off of the DDP cost if we pay OOP, because our dining preferences diverge from the DDP and much of the food it offers is wasted on us -- so unless OOP food prices were to increase more than 15% (while the DDP stayed the same or could be booked before a rate hike), we wouldn't save by purchasing the DDP. YMMV.)