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what dining plan is for you?

jcldtrek

jcldtrek

Active Member
Original Poster
I see they have different dining plans, I have always used the regular one with one table ,one counter , one snack. There's also the other ones that offer less and another that offers eating anywhere sit down or counter. Was wondering which plan do you prefer using the most and what one you think is more affordable.
 
D

DisneyDebNJ

Well-Known Member
For us, the Dining Plan with one TS, one CS and a snack credit per day works the best. Even with that we wind up with extra snack credits at the end of our stay. We did the DDP several years ago (when you could get an appetizer, entree and dessert and gratuity was included) but this proved to be wayyyyy too much food, and in our case, a waste of money.
 
Monty

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
TiW ;)

I don't find any of the plans "affordable". Some may consider them convenient and others my convince themselves that they're dining "free" because it's prepaid or they've got a "free" dining plan included in their full-rate resort room. If you're paying for the plans, you have to work at it to get any significant saving overall IMO.

In fairness, if you have enough people in your party, the "free" dining package can save you money. I travel solo or with my son and get much more value from room-only discounts and the Tables in Wonderland card.
 
Sweet Melissa

Sweet Melissa

Well-Known Member
We've done the math a couple times and it just doesn't work out for us. We don't usually dine the way the plans work. We prefer sitting down at a lounge or a signature restaurant and ordering drinks and a few appetizers to share to ordering an entrée and dessert each. And some of our favorite restaurants (like those at the Swan and Dolphin) don't even accept the dining plans. It's just simultaneously too much and not enough for us.
 
real mad hatter

real mad hatter

Well-Known Member
Well for us it's the Q/S for 3 reasons. First of all were on a 14 night vacation,therefore if we had 14 ADRS we would feel like the food comes first and being tied down to where you should be each night.Secondly Altho we have 3 ADRS this year, on our last trip one tip alone was $35.00 for our party of three for our meal at Jikos[ worth every dime ] but 14 nights of tips,hey!Iam a Scotsman. And third,this year our Q/S is freeeeee.:)
 
Computer Magic

Computer Magic

Well-Known Member
Remember TiW is for eligible Florida Residents, Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders that cost at least $75.00 on top of your Annual pass. It's a great deal if you are going to Disney more than once. Unless someone on the boards will lend you theirs..lol

So like everything in Disney, it depends on your vacation habbits. As for your eating habbits, where do you want to eat? You get three TS a day under the DDP. I think three meals a day is a lot of food. However, if you want to do a Signature meal a day, then three TS may be okay. Our next trip, we are adding the DDP so to have a Signature meal a day. We love Fulton's so that alone will save us. You have to work the system to get the best value.

I always use the dining plan as it's proven to save us money. The savings has decreased over the years as the dining plan has raised in price more than the cost of our food.

There is never a need to waste snack credits. The last day of your trip go and stock up on some snacks that you can take home. I always go to Earl Sandwich and stock up on cookies. It great when you get home and have the post Disney blues to pull out a Disney snack.

It the end, Disney makes enough discounts that you need to do a little homework to see what works best for you.
 
sgtmgd

sgtmgd

Well-Known Member
Computer Magic said:
Remember TiW is for eligible Florida Residents, Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders that cost at least $75.00 on top of your Annual pass. It's a great deal if you are going to Disney more than once. Unless someone on the boards will lend you theirs..lol

So like everything in Disney, it depends on your vacation habbits. As for your eating habbits, where do you want to eat? You get three TS a day under the DDP. I think three meals a day is a lot of food. However, if you want to do a Signature meal a day, then three TS may be okay. Our next trip, we are adding the DDP so to have a Signature meal a day. We love Fulton's so that alone will save us. You have to work the system to get the best value.

I always use the dining plan as it's proven to save us money. The savings has decreased over the years as the dining plan has raised in price more than the cost of our food.

There is never a need to waste snack credits. The last day of your trip go and stock up on some snacks that you can take home. I always go to Earl Sandwich and stock up on cookies. It great when you get home and have the post Disney blues to pull out a Disney snack.

It the end, Disney makes enough discounts that you need to do a little homework to see what works best for you.
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For our week long stays we get the Deluxe for the above mentioned reason..you can combine 2 meals for one signature meal..and we will do that 2-3 times depending on what we want to do...the Yachtsman is always a must...DTD has many great options..so we enjoy the latitiude of that plan..we certainly dont sit down 3 meals a day..
 
Computer Magic

Computer Magic

Well-Known Member
sgtmgd said:
For our week long stays we get the Deluxe for the above mentioned reason..you can combine 2 meals for one signature meal..and we will do that 2-3 times depending on what we want to do...the Yachtsman is always a must...DTD has many great options..so we enjoy the latitiude of that plan..we certainly dont sit down 3 meals a day..
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We always go to Yactsman. With the regular DP In the past, we ended up doing 2 CS for a day to cover the extra credit use. This only works if you arrive late or leave early on vacation. Otherwise we end up paying the cheapest meal out of pocket, yep that would be Earl Sandwich.
 
Pooh Lover

Pooh Lover

Well-Known Member
We always do the regular dining plan (1 TB, 1 QS, 1 snack) and still feel like the vacation revolves a little too much around dining. But as long as we are going while there is Free Dining, there isn't anything you can do because reservations are a MUST. I agree that the Free Dining may not be a good deal depending on your resort and number of people since room only discounts in Deluxe resorts can be higher than the price of your meals.
 
jcldtrek

jcldtrek

Active Member
Original Poster
The free dining is a come on anymore cause you do get the dining free but your paying full price for the resort room. So your really still paying for the dining , cause your making it up in the full price of the resort room. Like they say, nothing is ever free LOL
 
Computer Magic

Computer Magic

Well-Known Member
jcldtrek said:
The free dining is a come on anymore cause you do get the dining free but your paying full price for the resort room. So your really still paying for the dining , cause your making it up in the full price of the resort room. Like they say, nothing is ever free LOL
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True in some cases. However, if you have a party of 4 or more the free dining may be better than 30% off room resort. Everyone must do their own math or better yet book their trip through KK. They will get you the best discount.
 
Tomi-Rocket

Tomi-Rocket

Well-Known Member
As much as we swore the last two times it was too much food the Deluxe Dining Plan is our favorite because it allows us the most freedom for choosing whatever restaurants we want to eat in, including signature. :)
 
Tinkerbella16

Tinkerbella16

Well-Known Member
Tomi-Rocket said:
As much as we swore the last two times it was too much food the Deluxe Dining Plan is our favorite because it allows us the most freedom for choosing whatever restaurants we want to eat in, including signature. :)
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This is probably the only reason I'd ever choose the deluxe dining plan in the future- for the extra dining credits to use at some signature restaurants. Other than that, the deluxe just sounds like way too much food, but some do not realize that you can use the credits any way you choose.

We have only ever done the regular dining plan so that is the one that I'd have to say works for us. Its really only affordable if its free.. if we don't get Free Dining, we will usually skip on it altogether. I'd like to try the Quick Service Plan sometime in the future, that may be more relaxing and less hectic than having to get to an ADR everyday.
 
LuLaSue

LuLaSue

Well-Known Member
We chose the regular plan (1 TS, 1 QS and 1 Snack). Typically we travel all adults and book club level. Booking Club level allows us to free ups some Dining credits and put them toward at least to signature dining experiences durning our weeks stay.

This August we travel with my brother and his wife and 3 beautiful girls. We chose the regular plan with club level on the same premise. Works out really well and we don't go into our pocket for any of the character dining experiences and get all the great perks of club level.
 
real mad hatter

real mad hatter

Well-Known Member
lulabell1972 said:
We chose the regular plan (1 TS, 1 QS and 1 Snack). Typically we travel all adults and book club level. Booking Club level allows us to free ups some Dining credits and put them toward at least to signature dining experiences durning our weeks stay.

This August we travel with my brother and his wife and 3 beautiful girls. We chose the regular plan with club level on the same premise. Works out really well and we don't go into our pocket for any of the character dining experiences and get all the great perks of club level.
Click to expand...
The good thing about the plans are,there's one to suit everyone.It's the cupcake plan Iam worried about:D
 

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