To Purchase the Dining Plan or Not to Purchase the Dining Plan-that is the question?

[teacup317]

My DH and I are traveling to WDW in April. What are everyone's thoughts on the dining plan? At first we thought.. no we don't need it, we only eat breakfast and a lite lunch and then dinner so it seems like alot of food. However, we do have ADR's for several nice restaurants and probably could save some money with the dining plan......I'm just not sure what to do!

Any thoughts.......

Thanks.:sohappy:

 

[Monty]

IMO it's not a value except when it's free.

You have to diligently work at maximizing the prices of what you eat at virtually every meal and ensure you use all your credits to make it worth it from a money standpoint. There are those who like the convenience of pre-paying their food and not having to budget their meals, but now there is a budgeting of tips to factor in...

If you plan on eating Filet at every opportunity and avoiding buffets [they work out to about a break-even], it might save you substantially...

 

[VT GAL]

Our last trip we used the DDP for the first time and loved it!

We decided to do it, because we had a lot of dinner ADRs where the plan more than paid for itself (like at Tutto Italiana and Le Cellier). Plus, we liked that we only had to budget our "trip" money for tips and anything else that we wanted to order.

You will definitely get a lot of varied answers, but our DDP paid for itself without much thought or effort due to where we had made ADRs.

Whatever you decide, I hope that you have a great trip! :wave:

 

[wdwmomof3]

We used it in Oct 06 before the change and we loved it. Now that our kids are older and I will be paying 170.00 plus tax and no tip per day, I am not so sure. If it were just me & DH going, I would do it for sure.

 

[MichWolv]

If you plan on eating a table-service meal every day, particularly for dinner, you'll save money with the DDP. Typical table service dinner, including dessert, should run around $30. That means that as long as you spend $10 on a counter-service meal and a snack, you save money.

 

[mickey&me]

If you will eat counter service and table service every day, along with a snack, go for it. We bought the dining plan in December, but have decided not to buy it again. We will accept it if it is offered free, but we will not pay for it again.

Now that the tip is no longer included and the appetizer has been dropped, it's not as good of a deal as it was before.

 

[Master Yoda]

The only way to know for sure is to run the numbers. If you already have some or all of your ADR's done then look at the menus of those places and add up what you would typically order (not what the plan will give you). Once you have that number add $14 for your average CS meal and daily snack. If you come up with a number greater than what you will pay for the dinning plan then you will save money. If not skip the DDP.

 

[tomm4004]

Which "nice" restaurants are you planning on eating at? If it includes places like Jiko, Citricos, Artists Point, California Grill, Brown Derby, etc. it will take you two TS credits each. And don't forget that it doesn't include appetizers and tip.

 

[k.hunter30]

If you will eat counter service and table service every day, along with a snack, go for it. We bought the dining plan in December, but have decided not to buy it again. We will accept it if it is offered free, but we will not pay for it again.

Now that the tip is no longer included and the appetizer has been dropped, it's not as good of a deal as it was before.

My feelings exactly. It was well worth the price on our trip last May. I'd buy it again in a heart beat if the package was the same. But we're much more of a skip the dessert, double up on the appetizers kind of people. And without the tip, it's just not worth it I don't think.

Though I have to say, when we do go back and do not use the DDP, we will probably not eat at as many TS restaurants as we did when we had the DDP good package, just to save that money.

 

[WickedQueen22]

The only way to know for sure is to run the numbers. If you already have some or all of your ADR's done then look at the menus of those places and add up what you would typically order (not what the plan will give you). Once you have that number add $14 for your average CS meal and daily snack. If you come up with a number greater than what you will pay for the dinning plan then you will save money. If not skip the DDP.

you stole my answer... :ROFLOL:

 

[GoofyforWDW]

My DH and I are traveling to WDW in April. What are everyone's thoughts on the dining plan? At first we thought.. no we don't need it, we only eat breakfast and a lite lunch and then dinner so it seems like alot of food. However, we do have ADR's for several nice restaurants and probably could save some money with the dining plan......I'm just not sure what to do!

Any thoughts.......

Thanks.:sohappy:

Only you can make this decision and it really does depend on where you are eating and wwat you would pick off the menu.

I would say take a look at the menus for the places you have booked and pick what you would for dinner and dessert. Take a couple of dollars into account for a drink and if that is at least an average of $30 each then you will benifit from the DDP.

A counter service meal varies however you could say average of $10, plus $4 snack you would be looking at $44 a day where as the DDP will only cost you $38.

If you normally pick steak then you will easily make the $30 average for dinner but if you or your family go for cheaper pasta or similar dishes then it wont probably work out as much of good deal.

You mention you have a breakfast, lite lunch and dinner, this means you could use your CS for breakfast, snack for lunch and TS for dinner. The only thing is breakfast with CS credits don't work out as much value as they are normally cheaper than lunch!

I think its worth trying it once to see what you think, at worst you will break even.

As I said everyone has different opinions of the DDP and I think you need to try it once to see if its right for you!

Have fun deciding!

 

[bfbulldog]

I used it for the first time in September and found it to be very convenient.

We also booked several meals we wouldn't normally pay for all in one trip. We did Cinderella's Royal Table, Chef Mickey's, Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Ohana at the Polynesian and Liberty Inn in Magic Kingdom through the plan. For me, the convenience of the plan is well worth the cost, and at worst you'll break even.

 

[amccrazgrl]

What are ADR's??
(Sorry new to this forum)

Can you eat everywhere with the Dinning Plans? Are the meal choices just narrowed down?

Which meal plan would be good for 2 20-something girls?

Are you even allowed to bring food into Disney?

Thanks!!!

 

[The Raven]

Although the 2007 package is better than the 2008 package, I still love it! It alows you to eat at places you couldn't normally afford to. Every day that you ues it, it pays for itself at your table service. It's like getting the counter service and snack for free! And although no one likes paying tips, the service is much, much better becasue waiters actually have to work for their tips.

Can you eat everywhere with the Dinning Plans? Are the meal choices just narrowed down? Which meal plan would be good for 2 20-something girls? Are you even allowed to bring food into Disney?

Get the basic plan with 1 table service, 1 counter service, and 1 snack. As a hungry teenage boy this was more than enough food. You can eat at almost every resturaunt at WDW except for Victoria and Alberts and a couple others. The menu is the exact same for all guests, whether on the plan or not; therefore, the meal choices are not narrowed down. You can bring food if you like but the meal plan is plenty of food.

 

[Master Yoda]

What are ADR's??
(Sorry new to this forum)

Can you eat everywhere with the Dinning Plans? Are the meal choices just narrowed down?

Which meal plan would be good for 2 20-something girls?

Are you even allowed to bring food into Disney?

Thanks!!!

1. advanced dinning reservations
2. Pretty much. I think there are still a select few resturants that do not accept it. Here is a link with a restaurant list. http://allearsnet.com/pl/packages08a.htm
3. The standard Disney Dinning plan will suit most.
4. Yes. You can bring food into Disney.

 

[amccrazgrl]

Thanks for all the help.
I guess I'll go for the basic.

Would you consider using 1 Quick, 1 Snack, 1 Table all in the park throughout the day?...What about breakfast before going?