Disney Dining Plan calculator - Amazing Tool!!!

[SPHB ILU]

I know its safe to say for my family the dining plan always saves us the headache of budgeting for food AND when we go on vacation we tend to eat more than when we are home and choose more expensive items.

We used to be the same way! This time we are putting the amount the DDP would cost onto a gift card. Then whatever we saved, we are going to use on souvenirs! We even said we would order as if we had DDP.

 

[eliza61]

Both of these are why I've done the DP in one way or another on all of our trips. It's just easier. It neither saves or costs us money. But the ease of dining is worth a lot to me (and DH) so it is the safe choice for us. We never share meals and I love not having to look at the cost of a menu item. This trip we even got GC to cover tips. If we wanted to we could go and never spend a single cent OOP (though I know we'll hit up a shop or two)

this is so weird for me because when I did hte DDP eating was a million times more stressful.. It literally took all the enjoyment out of eating because I was spending more time mentally calculating what to order to maximize the plan instead of just ordering what I wanted.

I remember my husband looking at me like I was crazy one night because all Ireally wanted was a salad for dinner but instead got a steak because god forbid I didn't maximize the credits. I remember forcing myself to eat dessert even though I was full to bursting because "couldn't waste those credits".

Then I always laugh at people on their last day, running around the resort store trying to buy up junk after junk because they don't want to leave the 99 snack credits on the table.

DDP doesn't save us money and definitley doesn't make dining easier or more relaxing.

thanks for the tool OP

 

[Braden's Momma]

I'm wondering if some of you have browser settings that are preventing the sign in box from opening. I have had it work fine with Chrome on both a MAC and a PC. I have all default settings on Chrome on both systems. So if you are having issues with your browser letting you even download it, try Chrome. It works for me.

How do you get google chrome?

 

[AngiTN]

How do you get google chrome?

Google "Google Chrome"
click first link to come up
download

 

[AngiTN]

this is so weird for me because when I did hte DDP eating was a million times more stressful.. It literally took all the enjoyment out of eating because I was spending more time mentally calculating what to order to maximize the plan instead of just ordering what I wanted.

I remember my husband looking at me like I was crazy one night because all Ireally wanted was a salad for dinner but instead got a steak because god forbid I didn't maximize the credits. I remember forcing myself to eat dessert even though I was full to bursting because "couldn't waste those credits".

Then I always laugh at people on their last day, running around the resort store trying to buy up junk after junk because they don't want to leave the 99 snack credits on the table.

DDP doesn't save us money and definitley doesn't make dining easier or more relaxing.

thanks for the tool OP

Shows a good example of how different touring styles work for different people. If it wasn't paid in advance my DH would worry daily that something would go wrong and we'd have zero money and need to eat. It's how his mind works. Doomsday I call it. Him knowing it's all paid before we walk through gates is worth lots.

Even selecting Low on the calculator showed we are breaking even with the dining plan vs. OOP. Avg was just slightly different. High was more in the favor of dining plan. Other factors are we will order a beverage 100% of the time. We'd order an app (to share) about 50% of the time. Desert less, more like 25%. Still didn't work against us money wise to use the DP.

 

[stitch1094]

Does anyone know if this takes into account purchasing the refillable mug? Our savings OOP would be $150 Vs getting the dining plan. BUT if you add in having to purchase the cups at $16 a piece x5 that would bring our savings down to $70. We use our Refillable Mug a lot so I know we would be purchasing them.

Just use the mugs from a prior trip!

 

[tlkgt76]

Hey everyone! I found a great tool online for calculating the best Disney Dining Plan for me (and you)! These people I subscribe to on YouTube just uploaded a video explaining this CRAZY spreadsheet they have! You put in where you are going to eat and some other things like adults and kids and how much you tip and stuff and it shows you how much you should budget for meals if paying cash and shows how much you save or lose with each Disney Dining Plan. It's AMAZING!!!!!!!!! (oh and for you lucky people who can get Tables in Wonderland it does that too!)

The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMDgzoJLI8&list=UUkY9dkUEV93HxeRkD456VJg&index=1

The website with the file is here: http:/www.seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon

Of course it is free! I just had to share this because I found out that by not getting a Dining Plan I am going to spend $150 less on food!!! More money for souvenirs!

Greatest tool EVER!!

AWESOME!! Thanks for posting!

 

[Abharmagic]

This is truly FANTASTIC!!! I have been playing with it for days since I downloaded it. Thanks!!!!!

 

[princessap]

I can't get the link to work

 

[princessap]

I couldn't get drop box to drop down. Am using a Mac is that the problem?

 

[AngiTN]

I couldn't get drop box to drop down. Am using a Mac is that the problem?

It works on a MAC. Sort of. I use open office and could get it all to work but the dinner column. For some odd reason. Excel should work right

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

also there is a flaw I believe. Maybe this was touched on in the video more but it doesn't account for snacks properly. it ask for a typical number there no way you can "Typical" your snak intact. Plus some times you can use a snack credit as a meal. That's a VERY large sum if you look at a typical 5 night trip. SO yeah while its cool to see the suggestion on the best way to use your credits, I don't know how accurate the math is.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Hey everyone! I found a great tool online for calculating the best Disney Dining Plan for me (and you)! These people I subscribe to on YouTube just uploaded a video explaining this CRAZY spreadsheet they have! You put in where you are going to eat and some other things like adults and kids and how much you tip and stuff and it shows you how much you should budget for meals if paying cash and shows how much you save or lose with each Disney Dining Plan. It's AMAZING!!!!!!!!! (oh and for you lucky people who can get Tables in Wonderland it does that too!)

The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMDgzoJLI8&list=UUkY9dkUEV93HxeRkD456VJg&index=1

The website with the file is here: http:/www.seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon

Of course it is free! I just had to share this because I found out that by not getting a Dining Plan I am going to spend $150 less on food!!! More money for souvenirs!

Greatest tool EVER!!

What about your snacks?

 

[AngiTN]

also there is a flaw I believe. Maybe this was touched on in the video more but it doesn't account for snacks properly. it ask for a typical number there no way you can "Typical" your snak intact. Plus some times you can use a snack credit as a meal. That's a VERY large sum if you look at a typical 5 night trip. SO yeah while its cool to see the suggestion on the best way to use your credits, I don't know how accurate the math is.

I am not understanding the problem. I know how many snacks we usually have on a given day. Is it exact? No. But I know we usually get a couple of snacks each. And never used one as a meal.

 

[Aatif911]

I'm am really impressed with this spreadsheet. I worked in all our dinning reservations for our upcoming trip in May, and I turned out that I would have pay almost $900 more out of my pocket if we didn't have the dinning plan.

 

[loveswdw]

Thanks for posting this! I downloaded it this morning and punched in a "typical" vacation dining scenario for us. We have a 5 and 9 year old. I figured the dining plan was a no brainer for us. And of course, it is. We'd save around $100 with the DDP vs OOP. I've been figuring that next year when DS9 turns 10 that we'd probably be better doing OOP. But just changing that same vacation scenario from 2A, 2C to 3A, 1C the difference is minimal. We'd save $5 paying OOP. I'm going to punch in some different scenarios and see how it changes.

Thanks again!

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

It works on a MAC. Sort of. I use open office and could get it all to work but the dinner column. For some odd reason. Excel should work right

Works great on my mac with open office. This is an AWESOME spreadsheet! Pinned to pinterest - thanks OP!

 

[karice2]

I can't get in to download it or sign up for it. UUUUGGGGHHH.

 

[nkereina]

I can't get in to download it or sign up for it. UUUUGGGGHHH.

Have you tried another browser? Works fine for me on chrome (not Mac).

 

[SPHB ILU]

What about your snacks?

I would use common sense. Don't put the meals that you would use snack credits in the spreadsheet. If you are using a snack credit for lunch at Starring Rolls, put None in lunch and add 1 snack extra. Or dont add an extra snack and just add $5 per person in your head at the end for each time you do that. It is simple. If you want something more complicated than this, you would probably have to pay a lot of money for it!!!