Husband wants dining plan, I'm not so sure

[smidgy]

My DH insists on DP too. He likes knowing everything's been paid upfront. Adds to his ability to relax. Fine. Calm husbands are worth a LOSS to me

sometimes the DDP is worth it sometimes not. a happy, relaxed husband is SO worth it!

Go for the room only discount, put a credit card on your KTTW card, tell your husband you got the dining plan. Every time you pay for the meal hand them your KTTW card just as you would for dining plan. Then if you decide to do more counter service meals you won't feel guilty that you aren't using what you have paid for.

I don't recommend lying to your hubby. truth will out eventually, and it will ruin any future trips.

 

[writersblock42]

I went back and forth on it a thousand times as well. Drove my dh batty. He also really liked the idea of the DDP not because we could really save money using it but he didn't want me pestering him about what he ordered and the fact that it is paid ahead of time is great. We also figured out that we could stretch 7 days into 8 days by sharing a couple of the meals. So in that way it saved a little money as well.

 

[nat8199]

I go back and forth as to whether or not the DxDP will save us money or not, but DH wants to do it so we are going to. We tend to order apps, steaks, and desserts anyways. We are also going to so a character breakfast every morning and a signature dinner.

 

[6disneykids]

I actually did the same thing when planning our last trip, My wonderful husband who is one of the most calm people I know, but will save a hard earned $, said get the DDP and be done with it, in an uncharacteristic snappy tone! It was his vacation too, and having the DDP, even if was a break even, meant more to him, than having to look at the cost of every meal.

We had a lovely vacation, everyone was able to order anything they wanted, whether it was the most or least expensive thing on the menu without any question as to how much it would cost.

If having the DDP means that much to your DH, let him have this one.

 

[worm761]

If you pay for the dining plan you will always be trying to get your moneys worth. Also I don't know about you but sometimes on vacation I find I just can't eat that much and if you have all ready paid for the food you will feel like you have to eat a big meal.

This may be true for you but not for everyone. I like having everything prepaid. I felt no need to always eat the most expensive dish. When I wanted chicken, I ordered the chicken. And with all the walking I find that I am hungrier on vacation than I am at home.

 

[Chuckers]

As a solo traveller, I have used the Dining plan on my last 3 trips. Platinum level twice and regular (1 qs/1ts) once. This time I am using the deluxe. Do I do it because it saves money? In the case of the Platinum, yes, it did save money, but with the regular and this time deluxe, I don't care if it saves me money or not.

With the Platinum, I was able to do things that I wouldn't have been able to do normally, because they were all paid for.. I swam with the dolphins, I did 4 backstage tours, and several signature dining/character meals. The dolphins and backstage tours are easily $150-$250 each.

The main thing with me and the dining plan is that I don't have to worry about paying for food or snacks. It's one MAJOR headache that's taken care of for me. I don't always eat the most expensive meal, but I figure that I would normally spend around $75-$100 (at Disney Prices) a day on food.. for me, that's about $600 less that I have to have the week of my trip.

I'll pre-pay for the convenience of not having to worry.

 

[dadofgoofy]

Go for the room only discount, put a credit card on your KTTW card, tell your husband you got the dining plan. Every time you pay for the meal hand them your KTTW card just as you would for dining plan. Then if you decide to do more counter service meals you won't feel guilty that you aren't using what you have paid for.

WOW! I could not believe this. I would never dream of doing this. Not only is it dishonest, but you've completely ignored what your husband wants. There are things that others in my family want in our vacation that I think are a bad idea, or money wasters, but I figure it is their vacation too, and everyone should get some of the things they want.

 

[minerva78]

Sorry - I've been away from the boards for a while and I didn't know so many people had posted since I was last up here!

I did decide that we'll go ahead and get the dining plan when we go. We're thinking of just doing a three night/two park day stay and taking a 4 day cruise afterwards, so considering I want to go to Chef Mickey, Akershus, and O'hana, I think we'll definitely get our money's worth on the dining plan. If it looks like it will be significantly cheaper to just do Disney, we may reconsider the cruise, but we'll still get the dining plan. There are so many expensive things I want to do (like the Fantasmic package, Boma, Crystal Palace, WPE) that I think we'll do good on the dining plan, and DH is really sold on the convenience of it. It will be more expensive to get tickets this way - unless we just get 2 day tickets which will be expensive anyway - but DH really wants it, and I want him to be happy since he really would rather just cruise. I wouldn't think of trying to deceive him - I don't believe in doing it and it would be too hard to keep up with, lol. Thanks for all of your input!

 

[Fivemuggles]

Honestly, as others have said, if he wants it get it. Happy hubs is the best choice. We have a 13 yr old son who I can guarantee will order steak or something huge at each meal, and I do NOT want to have to deal with the sticker shock every single day when we get the bill for our family of 5 haha. Worth it just to get DDP. (We are hoping to get free dining when we go, but I ran the numbers anyway and we would be ahead about 150 dollars if we got the DDP vs. paying OOP)

 

[HerRoyalHighness]

WOW! I could not believe this. I would never dream of doing this. Not only is it dishonest, but you've completely ignored what your husband wants. There are things that others in my family want in our vacation that I think are a bad idea, or money wasters, but I figure it is their vacation too, and everyone should get some of the things they want.

THIS. Why would I want to lie to my husband?

And even if it's exactly the same amount...or sheez, if it's $50 more in the end...let the man have his dining plan.

Simple request. Pick your battles.

 

[Patience]

sometimes the DDP is worth it sometimes not. a happy, relaxed husband is SO worth it!

I agree with this. I've never seen my frugal husband as relaxed as he was during our last Disney trip on the dining plan. My husband is a wonderful father but on vacation, he is the kind who is always ordering water and ordering the cheapest thing on the menu and stressing over the dinner bill. At Disney, the kids were able to get snacks whenever they wanted and everyone felt free to order what they wanted at meals with no thought to cost of the items which my husband found relaxing. We did a lot of character meals and it was great. We are getting DDP this time at DH's request, whether it's free or not, and doing Tusker House for lunch, Hollywood and Vine for breakfast, CRT for dinner and Ohanas for dinner. I don't know if we will come out ahead or not for two adults and one child but I do know that my husband will be way more relaxed at meal times than if we didn't have it and we get to eat at the places we really want.