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Paying for the dining plan?
- Thread starter SAMANTHA
- Start date
Rob562
Well-Known Member
Depends on how you're booking it. If it's part of an overall vacation package of room, tickets and dining plan, you'll pay a deposit when booking the package. You then have to pay off the balance by a certain number of days before checkin. (And I'm blanking on that number, I think it changed from it's previous 45-day deadline)
Between booking and the final payment deadline you can pay as little or as much as you'd like toward the balance.
If you're a DVC owner or are renting DVC points, you typically have to pay all at one time.
-Rob
Club Cooloholic
Well-Known Member
Agreed. Also, if I am correct you don't have to add it till around 2 days before you arrive (maybe that's a DVC thing only). If that's the case start saving now and see if you have it covered by the time it arrives.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but for our family of 4, we ALWAYS get a better value from it.
We are a family of 4 also. Always did dining plan. Last year, saved every receipt. Ate what we wanted instead of feeling like we had to to get our money's worth. Also cut back on table services because there were only certain ones we wanted to eat at anyway. Saved on tip money also. Also saved on a lot of time having to sit in a restaurant for at least 2 hours. Saved us $1000 dollars not including all the tip money we would have had to spend. And we are a family that likes to eat.
DisneyGigi
Well-Known Member
You can add it at any time, even when you check in at your resort as long as you do not do online check in.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
Depending on the ages of your kids, I could see why it may not work for you. We have 2 DD's, both adults, and we all eat WELL. The points we get with our Chase Disney Visa gets turned into a gift card and that pays for our tips. There are plenty of families that the DDP won't work for, but for us it works WELL. We don't lose money, and we get to try many different foods and snacks. If it doesn't work for you, it's totally understandable.
Queen of the WDW Scene
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
The dining plans are generally part of a package.
You have to pay a $200 deposit and then pay off the remainder by by 30 days prior.
You can make multiple payments if you'd like to spread it out say over a several month period prior to your trip.
I believe if you are DVC you'd have to pay in full at the time of booking but not sure as I have never done DVC.
You have to pay a $200 deposit and then pay off the remainder by by 30 days prior.
You can make multiple payments if you'd like to spread it out say over a several month period prior to your trip.
I believe if you are DVC you'd have to pay in full at the time of booking but not sure as I have never done DVC.
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
Yes, DVC requires payment in full. You also have to add it 2 day before or further out.
Honestly you seem very defensive in your posts here. You have to eat a lot of food to make the Dining Plan work. You also have to be willing to drink a lot of high-calorie drinks by any children who are not able to have alcohol to make it work well now. Yes, some can make it work. I just think the comments above saying two double check on math are are far more helpful. You saying you eat well, it really means you are just eating a lot of food or buying the most expensive thing. You also are having to get specialty drinks every single meal that you use it for. For most people, I think that doesn't work. We all should do what works for us, but no need to be defensive.
[/QUOTE]Honestly you seem very defensive in your posts here. You have to eat a lot of food to make the Dining Plan work. You also have to be willing to drink a lot of high-calorie drinks by any children who are not able to have alcohol to make it work well now. Yes, some can make it work. I just think the comments above saying two double check on math are are far more helpful. You saying you eat well, it really means you are just eating a lot of food or buying the most expensive thing. You also are having to get specialty drinks every single meal that you use it for. For most people, I think that doesn't work. We all should do what works for us, but no need to be defensive.
[/QUOTE]
NO question.... Also, if Disney didn't make a ton of money on the DDP, they would not offer it. It is a huge money maker all while making the quality of food worse...
[/QUOTE]
NO question.... Also, if Disney didn't make a ton of money on the DDP, they would not offer it. It is a huge money maker all while making the quality of food worse...
He doesn't seem defensive at all, not sure where you are picking that up from
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
That is very true! There are some who actually can make it work, but I'd say it's few and far between. It is a massive moneymaker for them as a whole.
From the posts I read. We might be reading it differently since it's text and such. I could be wrong though
Hcalvert
Well-Known Member
The DDP works for those who go to character dining as those meals are outrageously priced. My brother made out using the standard dining plan as he had 2 adults and 4 kids, which was a total of about $260/day. A dinner at Story Book Dining would have cost him $240, but he had alcoholic and specialty drinks, which made the bill $290 before tax. He used all the snacks with that many kids who continually wanted drinks or other food. Also, he grouped the lunches as sometimes the kids shared and was able to use the extra credits for breakfast on the last day or during the week he was there. To me, kids are a great value on the DDP--adults not so much.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
Don't forget that alcohol (and the price of alcohol) is included now. It's almost impossible for a family with "Disney adults" aged 10 to 20 to get their money's worth since that change.
Hcalvert
Well-Known Member
When my son turns 10 after this year, we will not be going to character dining or getting the DDP for that reason.
You can still order the alcoholic drinks under the "minor per say", The bill is only looking at the dining credits and the plan, not the ACTUAL ages of the kids, one advantage to the 10-20 year olds being considered Disney adults
nickys
Premium Member
Character dining though can make it work. And with kids who are “Disney adults”, the real adults can order the adult beverages.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
OK, since you brought this up, I will respond...the majority of posts on the whole website paints the DDP as a bad value and it is single- handedly responsible for the "down turn" of the food at WDW. That's what I'm defending...maybe it doesn't work for everyone, but it works for US. We don't drink alcohol, and yes, we do tend to order the steaks, etc., the higher priced items on the menu. As far as beverages goes, yeah, we'll have a lemonade at our meals. If I'm coming across as defensive, I guess I am, because, the DDP gets trashed on here for everything...and oh, just so you know, lest you think that we all take 2 spots each on the bus, I'm 6'3", 165 lbs. and my DD's are both tall and athletic. It's my opinion, just like yours that I'm defensive. No one is wrong, no one is right...it's just our opinion.