Should I bother with the Disney Dining Plan?

[gspin2k1]

So my gf and I are going to Disney World for our first time for a short 4.5 day trip middle of this month. I've already made plenty of ADRs for each park we visit (just in case), but right now debating if we should get a Dining Plan or Not.

Our Options:

1) No Dining Plan - $550-850
Good - We could spend as little as $550 for the both of us, we will end up just eating what we want, when we want (rather than worry about trying to make the most out of our plan).
Bad - We could end up spending as much as $850, plus we will have to constantly thing about budget while there. Would have to buy groceries, eat breakfast in room, pack snacks, etc. to save money.

2) Plus Dining Plan: $630-800
Good - It's kind of the middle of the road option, still cheaper than deluxe plan. Also not as worried about making the most out of our plan. potentially saves some money.
Bad - Will have to eat more quick service than Deluxe plan, pack snacks, buy groceries for breakfast in room. Could end up costing us more than the deluxe plan if we choose to splurge. Still have to think about budget somewhat. Would have to pay for appetizers at table restaurants.

3) Deluxe Plan: $730
Good - No more budgeting to think about, no snacks to pack or breakfast in room. Most options for food, comes with appetizers (I like appetizers). Potentially cheaper than out of pocket.
Bad - most expensive up front, may end up wasting money for certain meals (we don't eat dessert with lunch), we'll feel compelled to spend more time eating at sit down restaurants and order 3 course meals to get the most out of our plan.

What would you choose?


~G

 

[WDWmazprty]

So my gf and I are going to Disney World for our first time for a short 4.5 day trip middle of this month. I've already made plenty of ADRs for each park we visit (just in case), but right now debating if we should get a Dining Plan or Not.

Our Options:

1) No Dining Plan - $550-850
Good - We could spend as little as $550 for the both of us, we will end up just eating what we want, when we want (rather than worry about trying to make the most out of our plan).
Bad - We could end up spending as much as $850, plus we will have to constantly thing about budget while there. Would have to buy groceries, eat breakfast in room, pack snacks, etc. to save money.

2) Plus Dining Plan: $630-800
Good - It's kind of the middle of the road option, still cheaper than deluxe plan. Also not as worried about making the most out of our plan. potentially saves some money.
Bad - Will have to eat more quick service than Deluxe plan, pack snacks, buy groceries for breakfast in room. Could end up costing us more than the deluxe plan if we choose to splurge. Still have to think about budget somewhat. Would have to pay for appetizers at table restaurants.

3) Deluxe Plan: $730
Good - No more budgeting to think about, no snacks to pack or breakfast in room. Most options for food, comes with appetizers (I like appetizers). Potentially cheaper than out of pocket.
Bad - most expensive up front, may end up wasting money for certain meals (we don't eat dessert with lunch), we'll feel compelled to spend more time eating at sit down restaurants and order 3 course meals to get the most out of our plan.

What would you choose?


~G

Well, if you're able to try to get the free dining offer.

 

[disneygirl1]

I would add on the dining plan... You get so much more food! I don't think I will ever go to disney again with our getting it. I like the fact that everything is paid for in advance and the only cash you need to worry about having is for souviners. Honestly, I think you will find that it will end up saving you money in the end. I know it worked out that way for us.

 

[gspin2k1]

Well, if you're able to try to get the free dining offer.

Free dining offer is only valid for I think summer and fall travel dates..and we're leaving middle of this month...otherwise I'd totally hop on it.

~G

 

[gspin2k1]

I would add on the dining plan... You get so much more food! I don't think I will ever go to disney again with our getting it. I like the fact that everything is paid for in advance and the only cash you need to worry about having is for souviners. Honestly, I think you will find that it will end up saving you money in the end. I know it worked out that way for us.

Good point. I was even thinking about that for our nice dinners on a Dining Plan we would basicallly force ourselves to drink non-alcoholic drinks, but if we were using cash we may be tempted to order wine and that's a quick $35-60 on your bill.

~G

 

[harryk]

Good point. I was even thinking about that for our nice dinners on a Dining Plan we would basicallly force ourselves to drink non-alcoholic drinks, but if we were using cash we may be tempted to order wine and that's a quick $35-60 on your bill.

~G

Have done the cash (always reading prices on the menu) and have tended to settle on something - not what really wanted.

Have done basic dining plan -- very unsatisfactory - have to watch table service, snacks and counter service when planning out meals.

Have done delux plan -- most satisfactory and have come out ahead when all figured out. Very relaxing and if want wine - order it and pay the cash. But you never have to worry about the bill.

But remember: Tips are not included in the dining plans......

 

[daverube]

I think it depends on how MUCH you want to eat. Personally, I like the dining plan (at least the OLD dining plan) because you don't have to worry about anything other than getting to your ADRs on time.

My wife (who is a fitness junkie and is REALLY in shape) thinks that the dining plan causes one to eat more than they should. That's not a big deal for me on vacation. However, reading what the deluxe dining plan offers even makes me raise an eyebrow. I just don't think that you can have an enjoyable day at the parks after eating multiple sit-down dinners every day.

Although you still now have to pay tip and don't get an appetizer, I'd probably opt to go with the regular dining plan option and budget for a couple of bottles of wine.

As an aside, did you consider going to High Tea at the GF??? My wife and I did it on our last trip (last fall) and found it to be FANTASTIC. We now plan to schedule it for every visit.

my 2 cents...

dave

 

[gspin2k1]

I would add on the dining plan... You get so much more food! I don't think I will ever go to disney again with our getting it. I like the fact that everything is paid for in advance and the only cash you need to worry about having is for souviners. Honestly, I think you will find that it will end up saving you money in the end. I know it worked out that way for us.

I think it depends on how MUCH you want to eat. Personally, I like the dining plan (at least the OLD dining plan) because you don't have to worry about anything other than getting to your ADRs on time.

My wife (who is a fitness junkie and is REALLY in shape) thinks that the dining plan causes one to eat more than they should. That's not a big deal for me on vacation. However, reading what the deluxe dining plan offers even makes me raise an eyebrow. I just don't think that you can have an enjoyable day at the parks after eating multiple sit-down dinners every day.

Although you still now have to pay tip and don't get an appetizer, I'd probably opt to go with the regular dining plan option and budget for a couple of bottles of wine.

As an aside, did you consider going to High Tea at the GF??? My wife and I did it on our last trip (last fall) and found it to be FANTASTIC. We now plan to schedule it for every visit.

my 2 cents...

dave

I am the fitness nut in my household...but at the same time when I'm on vacation..i'm the guy who eats a 48 ounce steak with appetizers, dessert, wine, etc and feels no guilt (okay a lot of guilt, but it's vacation right?) my girlfriend is a smaller eater though..but she definitely would enjoy the desserts more than me. I'm an entree appetizer person. Actually the Deluxe plan comes with appetizers but the PLUS doesn't. I do agree with your wife though that the dining plan does kind of force us to order stuff we normally wouldn't (i.e. gf and I normally share appetizers and desserts not one each).


As for the high tea thing..what is that? I want to make this a very fun & romantic trip for my girlfriend and all ideas greatly appreciated. I'll definitely look into that.

~G

 

[Tommye1078]

Hey Gspin

I sent a message to you profile explaining my opion

 

[gspin2k1]

Hey Gspin

I sent a message to you profile explaining my opion

any chance you can re-send it cus i'm not seeing anything. Thanks.

~G

 

[Tommye1078]

just click on your name next to your post

 

[popsicletrees]

I really enjoy the Dining Plan. We haven't gone a trip without it since it was first offered. Table service meals do take a lot of time out of your day. You can generally expected to spend an hour and a half to two hours at meals. That being said, my family has tried a lot of restaurants that otherwise would have by-passed due to budget. Even once the appetizers were taken out of the basic dining plan, we still had plenty of food. I wouldn't say I am a fitness nut, but I do enjoy working out. With all the walking I do at Disney World, the scale has remained the same post trip as it did pre-trip, even with all of the food from the dining plan, which is absolutely fine with me.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I never do the dining plan, and this is how I figured out that it wasn't worth it for me. We planned out every place we wanted to eat, including snacks, quick service, etc. Then we looked up the menu's & prices of things. We actually tried to figure out what we'd typically order at each place, to get a round about number.

When we totaled everything, it was cheaper for us to just pay with cash or credit rather than pay for the dining plan. We are not big eaters, and that's probably why this was the outcome for us. We rarely snack during the day, and we typically don't grocery shop on vacation. We usually make 3-5 ADR's per trip and do Quick Service for the rest. So for us, the dining plan didn't make any sense.

I can see how for many people it would be a very good idea. So just look at how much you think you're going to eat and come to some kind of ballpark total. Compare it to the numbers you already have, and you'll be able to pin down your best option.

 

[10East75South]

Re:

We've always done the dining plan, though what it is now is not what is was. If it were just the spouse and I, we could skip meals, choose to eat light here so that we can splurge there, but w/3 kiddos -- we include the character buffets DUE TO being on the dining plan. Normally, we would not spend that kind of dough out of pocket for a buffet - but if its part of a plan, SURE!

For the current trip - we've planned out as much -- since we are driving, we are taking the toaster, pop tarts in the room for breakfast. Early lunches to beat the rush (11-11:30a) as counter service credits, and early dinners set up to avoid waits/wasted time hanging around for ADR times to arrive (4:45p-5:55p).

We haven't tried scheduling the dinners this early, but usually with ADR's at 6pm or after we find that about 5pm we start to think "well, we can't go over there, to that side of the park, since we have that ADR in an hour", and then we get there for the 6pm time frame only to wait about 20-30 minutes before being seated.

There is never the fear about not enough food - and with our family if we were not on the basic plan, we would spend more money and not get what we want. That's just our family. Everyone has to take into consideration on the own situation.

 

[gspin2k1]

You've left out some details...

First, is either one of you a Florida Resident? If so, you can buy Tables in Wonderland for $75, and get a straight 20% off ALL food & drink.

Second - what kind of eating habits? Really GOOD restaurants, or basic GrabABurger places? The later is is exactly what the DDP is optimized for.

You mentioned 4.5 days... lacking more data, I would suggest cash. I don't think you can recover the cost of the DDP in that short a period - unless you are eating three meals a day.

1) Sadly nope.

2) Me...big eater...full breakfast, burgers, fries, soda for lunch, dinner...easily put down 3 course meal...late night munchies hits.
gf - "normal" eater, cereal/continental breakfast, Light lunch, just an entree for dinner, but always has room for dessert...late night munchies not so much...unless of course it's ice cream lol.

~G

 

[toystorymaniacs]

1) Sadly nope.

2) Me...big eater...full breakfast, burgers, fries, soda for lunch, dinner...easily put down 3 course meal...late night munchies hits.
gf - "normal" eater, cereal/continental breakfast, Light lunch, just an entree for dessert, but always has room for dessert...late night munchies not so much...unless of course it's ice cream lol.

~G

IN that case I say do the dining plan, you won't be hungry! It really does take a lot of the stress out of things.

 

[blackthidot]

I couldnt see myself going, and knowingly planning sit down meals and not getting it.

 

[lilclerk]

I started to sort of "boycott" the DDP after they took away the appetizer and tip. I find I save money and eat less crap if I don't get it anyway. I don't worry about prices or anything, we just order what we want and it works out for us. Plus, we're more appetizer people than dessert people.

That being said, I am getting it later this year as it is free (unless a better deal comes out)

 

[gspin2k1]

If anyone actually has seen the amount of spreadsheet calculations I've made they'd probably throw up. (and think i'm psycho). Like I literally researched what we'd order for every place we'd eat each day and totalled it all up if we used cash or a dining plan for comparisons. There is no way to beat the mouse lol

Basically the best way I can sum it up is it's like buying delivery pizza for two people. You can pay $15 for a small for what you really wanted and needed (if we were to go cash only), $17 for a medium (dining plus 1 tb 1 qs 1 snack), or $18 for the large (Dining deluxe 3 meals qs or table 2 snacks AND appetizers w/dessert). You can save some money with the small and get what you really wanted, but you're getting shafted in regards to overall value. You could go middle of the road but then again with the small price difference you might as well upgrade to large. And with the large you get the most value, but in reality did you really need that much food for only two people.

Given all the stress I've already put myself through over this...part of me thinks I should just give in for the more expensive deluxe dining plan..at least then I wont have to think about it anymore.

~G

 

[lilclerk]

Given all the stress I've already put myself through over this...part of me thinks I should just give in for the more expensive deluxe dining plan..at least then I wont have to think about it anymore.

The major plus side to the deluxe plan that I can see is you can do more signature dining/dinner shows with your credits. Because there is no way that I am ever going to eat 3 giant meals a day :lol:
But you're right, it does take away the stress of what to get.