Honest Opinions needed on new dining rates

[wishiwereindisney]

I am very disappointed with the new dining plan options. It is just me and DH going in January and I am not sure the dining plan saves us or not - I would love opinions. We are thinking of doing the standard dining plan (though i will miss the appetizers!!). Without the dining plan we would probably pack breakfast, have counterservice lunch and one sit down meal a day at places like La Cellier, Ohana, Kona, etc. For all the DIS experts out there - is it cheaper for me to pay out of pocket or do the plan?

[G8r4evr]

Im trying to decide as well. We arent breakfast eaters, but we usually eat CS in the parks and then TS for dinner. If I read correctly, the DP is around $65 for adults? Well I know my CS + TS each day doesnt = more than $65. We rarely snack in the parks, but just for giggles, let say we did...the tips we will be paying for the meals now would cancel out any snack savings.

So unless Im missing something, the DP does not seem like a good deal for us at all. If tips were still included, it would be a more difficult decision though...

[schwaa]

The dining plan is $37.99 per adult per night. It's one counter service and one table service and one snack.

Scenario 1: If you order an entree for 24.99 and dessert for 5.99 and soda for $1.99. That adds up to $34.95 with tax. You need to leave a $6 tip. (maybe)

Scenario 2: If you order an entree for 14.99 and desser for 5.99 and soda for 1.99. That adds up to $24.34 with tax. You need to leave a $4 tip. (maybe)

So let's figure, in scenario 1 you get a CS worth $10, TS worth $35 and Snack worth $4. That adds up to $49. You paid $44 for that day (including the tip).

In scenario 2, you get a CS worth $10, TS worth $25 and Snack worth $4. That adds up to $39 and you paid $42 for that day (including tip).


I'd say it is definitely not as easy to say this new dining plan will be better than paying out of pocket without the appetizers. Especially if you aren't going to be eating somewhere where the meals will normally cost you more than $30.

The nights you eat at Le Cellier and Kona (as long as you order the most expensive things on the menu) will be a good deal. Ohana may be a wash. If you go to a plae like Rose and Crown, you may be paying more with the dining plan. You should really sit down and look at the menus for where you want to go, guess what you would order and add it all up for your vacation and see if you'd save money.

[leahjade]

Have the dining prices changed for 2008??

[bigmoonmullen]

Have the dining prices changed for 2008??

Yes.... see www.mousesavers.com for details.

http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html#2008

Mark

[G8r4evr]

Phew, okay $37.99 sounds much more reasonable. I still struggle because we arent snackers or dessert eaters. It looks like the only way the DP is a good deal is if you plan to eat at the fanciest of restaurants every night.


Just curious, if a restaurant is on the Plan, they arent any menu limitations, are there?

[FigmentKid]

At first I was excited about the Deluxe plan, it has everything taken care of (except tip) and there's a lot of flexibility about where you can eat. Then I did the math. If you eat at three TS a day and got full meals it would pay off but I know for a fact that I wouldn't do it. It's just me and DBF and we really like the quick bite for breakfast (muffin or pastry), counter service for lunch and then table service for dinner. With that set up the Deluxe plan would be more expensive than paying out of pocket.

For us the cheapest option is going with the regular dining plan and paying for those things not included (breakfast + appetizer) OOP. It's cheaper than paying everything OOP so I will go for it. I guess the snack a day would then just be a bonus.

Yes, this will still cost us more than the old dining plan (because of tip and buying appetizers if we want) but I'll still have the same convenience of the plan, and a little savings so it will be worth it.

[leahjade]

bummer, I would rather pay the extra $1 per day and have tips included like last year's plan!!

[cybrkitn]

Bigmoonmullen, thanks for the link!

For my family, no appetizer is fine. It was way too much food on the old DDP for us anyway. The tip however, we'll just have to work out and make sure to set aside the cash for.

[mickeysaver]

Personally, I don't see the value in the DDP in any of it's newly offered forms. We don't have kids. We don't generally eat a lot of snacks. We like CS more than TS and we are big on breakfast.

We only chose to do the DDP this time because I could justify all those snack credits because of the F&W Fest. With the loss of gratuity and appetizers, the basic DDP for 2008 is no bargain even with the $1 savings in base cost.

The Deluxe DDP for 2008 sounds like a better option, but the way that we tend to eat, it would cost us more money than just doing our usual thing.

I am one of those people that has NEVER looked at the DDP as a chance to get the best bang for my buck. I don't feel that we really will always want the most expensive appetizers, desserts, or entrees....I refuse to order more food than we need just because I can. I am actually using half of our TS credits for our upcoming trip for breakfast meals. I don't feel that it's a waste, but I know that many people would.

I got the DDP this time to help Gabby feel like the vacation was a little easier because this is her first time paying for one of our vacations all by herself. In the past it's been my money or our money, but this time, she is spoiling me. I am still planning all of it, but she gave me a budget and I am doing my best to make it seem as painless as possible.

Anyway, in the past, I have number crunched our "usual" dining style, including tax and tip vs. the DDP with additional tips and OOP meals. With the exception of this trip, I usually have come out with it being roughly the same amount of money. This time, with the proper utilization of the SC at the F&W Fest, we will be saving money using the DDP. If we were under the new system for 2008, we would do better to pay OOP. Maggie

[airjoe]

Get the most out of Deluxe dining!!

Breakfast: Use a snack for a bagel or muffin and your mug for coffee or another beverage.

Lunch: Table service with appetizer, entree, and dessert.

Dinner: Signature restaurant with appetizer, entree, and dessert.

You still have a snack left for a beverage or a Mickey ice cream bar.

All for $69.99, "that's what I'm talking about"'

[schwaa]

Get the most out of Deluxe dining!!

Breakfast: Use a snack for a bagel or muffin and your mug for coffee or another beverage.

Lunch: Table service with appetizer, entree, and dessert.

Dinner: Signature restaurant with appetizer, entree, and dessert.

You still have a snack left for a beverage or a Mickey ice cream bar.

All for $69.99, "that's what I'm talking about"'


But, can you really do this every day of your trip? Isn't that way too much food to eat everyday? I'm just asking. I love food. But I couldn't eat an appetizer and dessert at lunch and dinner.

[BabyFu18]

I've always wanted to try the DDP but really it's not a good deal for us. We don't eat much breakfast (just a quick bagel or pastry in the room which we bring with us or get at publix), we don't normally eat lunch, then we'll eat a TS in the evening but not appetizer. Even with our TS we all have an entree and if we want dessert we have that but most of the time it's one dessert that's shared or a small snack/dessert when leaving the park or something we can get at the bakery/candy shops.

So, even though I'd love to be able to eat 3 TS meals a day, if I did I'd never get out of bed and in the parks. I guess some families may get their use out of the DDP but I can't justify it for us right now.

[mommylicious]

If it were just my husband and I we would do the deluxe plan. DH loves to have a hot breakfast on vacation so I would plan to do breakfast and then a signature restaurant for dinner. We'd be fine with snack food in between. With 3 kids with us though that won't work. In the past when we've done signatures we put the kids in kids clubs but that wouldn't work on the plan AND now we have a little one that is too young for kids clubs. We brough him along to signatures on our last trip but he was 3 months old and a very easy going baby who slept through all of our meals (we would have taken him out if he was disruptive even if it meant not getting to eat together...if it became obvious his vacation personality was different from his home personality we'd have changed our dining plans). Now that he's older and mobile, he wants to participate in meals and that isn't what we had in mind for signature dining!

I haven't done an in-depth analysis of our OOP cost vs. dining plan cost for the regular dining plan yet but I'm guessing with the new changes it would be a wash.

[dclfun]

I'll no longer add the dining plan to our DVC reservations or book a package including the dining plan. Even the "free dining" promo will no longer be appealing vs. a different type discount. This all reminds me of the old CP packages which once included tax/tip/non alc beverage and now includes only the meal and tax. Once things are taken away it leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth ( pun intended) and also the convenience of just handing over my card and being done with it is lost, which is what I enjoyed the most on vacation. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted and for some people it may still be a really good deal. I didn't crunch numbers as I was never one to be thinking about eating at the most costly TS places or ordering the most costly items- it was all about convenience and having EVERYTHING prepaid. I'm also disappointed that for those adults who want the plan you can't choose an appetizer OR dessert. There are many who don't like sweets or it's a dietary restriction but who would like to have an appetizer. Perhaps they didn't want one person in the party ordering an appy and sharing, then the other person ordering a dessert and sharing, which would have been much nicer for most couples and families. Sigh....---Kathy

[bigmoonmullen]

Bigmoonmullen, thanks for the link!

For my family, no appetizer is fine. It was way too much food on the old DDP for us anyway. The tip however, we'll just have to work out and make sure to set aside the cash for.

Hi cybrkitn;

You're welcome... With the new dining plans you need to look at all the options to see if any makes sense for your family. I agrees regarding the appetizer, with our group of 9 does how many do you really need or want... yipes... but it sure would have been nice to have the tip still included. It appears the wine option might be good for a couple by themselves ($4.00 for a bottle of wine, if I read it correctly)... not bad.

Mark

[leahjade]

$69.99 sounds like a good deal unless you have a party of 5 or 6 like we do, then $420 a day for food sounds outrageous not to mention having to add tips onto that! That's more than we spend on our resort.

[twob4him]

I think the new plan is ok... I knew it wouldnt stay like it was forever...since it was a steal then. Our family likes the routine of CS lunch and TS dinner. We grab a quick breakfast usually...bars or poptarts. I guess the new plan doesn't include the tip but I have heard Dissers asking if they got poor service since the tip was already included so I guess this solves that dilemma. :confused3 As far as appetizers go...I would rather have dessert than an appetizer. It was way too much food before! So for my family I like the plan....:thumbsup2

[twob4him]

I thought the deluxe plan included tip?? I'll go check...

Hmmmmm it doesnt say its included so that would add another $14. Yikes...Deluxe: Too much food and too pricey for us!!!

[mickeystoontown]

I decided to purchase the dining plan again this year even though there were changes. I did a couple of things before I decided.

First, I went to www.allearsnet.com and checked out the menus. I, literally, wrote out a chart for each of the 9 days we will be in WDW. This was for scenario purposes only and wasn't anything written in stone.

In the chart, I wrote down:

1) Where we will be on that particular day;

2) Where we would eat our counter service lunch;

3) What we would order for our counter service lunch;

4) Where we would eat our table service dinner;

5) What we would order for our table service dinner.

Beside each item ordered, I wrote down an estimated cost. For instance, if a burger and fries cost $7.49, I wrote down $8.00. If a drink cost $2.09, I wrote down $2.30. This way, I was allowing for taxes. I knew that I was probably under estimating on taxes.

For my scenario, I did not include appetizers....just the entrees, drinks and desserts.

For my snacks, I estimated $10.00 per day on half of my days and $12.00 for the other half. At Disney, pretty much anything $4.00 and under is considered a snack. Many times, we saved our chocolate chip cookies or other small dessert (that won't ruin in the heat) we received with our counter service meals. Instead of purchasing a standard snack, we used our snack credits towards water, sodas, or other drink to eat with our saved cookies.

After completing my chart, I added everything up and, even with my probable under estimating of taxes and no tips included, we would still come out better purchasing the dining plan.

We were on the dining plan in June, 2006 and June, 2007 and we were always soooooo full at the end of the day. So, it really doesn't bother me that the appetizers were taken away from the plan.

Also, my son was 9 on our last trip and still considered a child on the dining plan. When we ate counter service meals, there were many times I paid out of pocket for his meal because he didn't like the child's menus. When we ate table service meals, he could pretty much find something he wanted on the menu. In my chart, I even included the fact that he would, in some instances, order off the child's menu at table service restaurants.

Relative to tipping, I tip according to the service I receive. During my 2008 trip, I will have the option on just how much I want to tip.

A lot of posters in other threads have complained about not receiving good service and felt that was because of the dining plan. The new dining plan should make them happy.

So, to make a long story short, I would recommend that you do as I did.....view the menus, make our your own chart and see if the new dining plan would work for you.

Lisa

[Quinn222]

But, can you really do this every day of your trip? Isn't that way too much food to eat everyday? I'm just asking. I love food. But I couldn't eat an appetizer and dessert at lunch and dinner.

Yes! That's exactly how we eat on our trips. I'd love to get this plan, it would really pay for us but we can't because we are Passholders.

[ToyStory]

I have been thinking about this. I think I would do the Deluxe but only for part of my trip since I don't think I could take that pace of eating and be spending a lot of time sitting down in restaurants instead of touring the parks. I could eat at all the places I like for TS during my first half then the other half choose the restaurants I would eat OOP and CS.

By the time we ago again (4 to 5 years) things will most likely to change.

[kd2226]

I agree with other posters who have suggested having a look at the menus of the restaurants that interest you and adding up approxiamately what you would spend if paying out of pocket.
We did the dining plan in 2005 and, no doubt, it worked out to be great value for our family. The 2 "problems" we noticed at that time were: 1) It was too much food and we would end up over eating. 2) There were times when it was a bit restrictive and/or inconsistant. Example, I am a light breakfast eater and would usually just have a bagel from the food court. Sometimes the cashier would charge me a full counter service meal for just a bagel. Other times a different cashier would allow me to get 2 bagels for a counter service and 1 time I was only charged a snack credit.

We are going back in 2008 and will not be getting the dining reason for 2 reasons: 1) Now that you have to pay extra for the tip and the appetizer is not included it does not seem like that great of value. 2) Our oldest child recently turned 10 and, while the children's price seemed great value, the thought of paying $40 a day for her sounds crazy to me.

[rdsx28]

In my humble opinion I do not feel the dining plan is worth it with the changes. they have cut the price by $1.00 big deal! They are taking an appetizer away that are normally $6.00-$7.00 in price (I am being kind here) and now we also have to pay gratuity OOP. Honestly, it was alot of food and I can see them offering no appetizers but decrease the cost a bit more to make up for it. I do also agree that service at times reflected the dining plan. Servers knew they would get a tip so they really didn't care in most cases about the quality of their service. Restaurants outside of Disney are lower cost and I'm sure some coupons are offered through RESTAURANTS.Com for the area so it may be worth checking out all the options.We will be utilizing the dining plan in November but I would venture to say that it will be the last time we do it but then again maybe that's what Disney wants??? With all the changes in room rates as well DVC may be worth a second look in the big scheme of things. It's sad to me that many families may be priced out of Disney in the future if they continue to increase everything!:sad2: