Is Quick Service Dining Plan worth it?

[lauris87]

We plan to eat all of our meals at quick service places. Is it cheaper to go with the quick service dining plan? (It is roughly 40 dollars per day, per adult, for 2 quick service meals/desserts, and a snack).

Or, I'm thinking we should just pay out of pocket?? In looking at some of the menus, it doesn't look to me like 40 dollars a day for 2 quick service meals is saving any money?

 

[Jeanieblue114]

unless you really know the places to go and the choices to do to maximize it out, no, it no longer saves money.
If you are planning on burgers several times and may skip desserts here or there, it's very much not worth it.
it is a budgeting tool for people i guess.
but i no longer see it as a money saver unless, like i said, you really know how to max it out (like with going to wolfgang pucks and getting the 19 dollar chicken a few times).

 

[bigbabyblues]

We have used QSDP in the past and felt we saved money. This year, our oldest child is considered an adult, so the price would go up. We sat down with the menus and priced out what we probably would order--not exact, but after eight trips, we have a good idea of what we like. We found that the QSDP would end up costing us more this time around. It wasn't a lot more, but we are going OOP.

 

[sharonabe]

If you will order a soda/tea/coffee AND dessert at EVERY meal, then you might save a little money and you wouldn't really need to max out on every entree. Once you leave off any of the entitlements, you will start to lose money.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

We have done OOP and done the QSDP and you can definitely save money by going OOP. Especially if you don't usually eat dessert with your meals it might actually COST YOU MORE money by buying the QSDP.

If you get a typical CS meal $9 and a drink $3 that is $12. Do that twice a day and it is $24. Add in your one snack you get on the QSDP $5 and you have only spent $29 for the day. Even if you added in 2 desserts (CS desserts $4) you are still under $40 a day.

If you prefer to have everything pre-paid before you get there then that is the only time I think QSDP is worth it.

Now like a PP said, if you want to seek out the expensive $15-$20 CS meals then you might get your money's worth or even save 3 or 4 dollars a day.

The only time I like the QSDP and the DDP is when I get it free. I wouldn't pay for it.

 

[disney314]

It doesn't sound worth it to me, but we haven't tried it. Sometimes my older kids will still order kids meals if they aren't very hungry. And we never want a dessert with a meal. We would like it later on, but then you can't get it later. And the snack is only one thing. Not a drink and a food item. Just one thing.

If they took away the snack and the dessert and gave us 3 quick service meals, I might do it (for the same price). Then if we want a dessert or snack we would just pay for it extra. But with the way it is set up now, it doesn't seem worth it.

 

[BeckWhy]

I personally feel that all the dining plans load you up with more food than most people can handle. And don't get me wrong, I'm NOT skinny either.

The only time I've ever done any of the dining plans was because of the Free DDP offer. I've done the quick service plan and the normal dining plan.

I like the dining plans because of the convenience (I don't have to carry extra cash or credit cards and it leaves the $500 credit limit on my Key to the World card free for alcoholic beverages and gifts). I also like the dining plans because for SOME reason I feel like I can order foods I would never order otherwise (I think that is because you get so much food and you aren't worried about what you are paying because you already prepaid).

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

The only time I like the QSDP and the DDP is when I get it free. I wouldn't pay for it.

I agree with this.

If I knew I was paying OOP for the QSDP anyway, I'd just go with OOP for my meals and probably buy less expensive entrees. But, getting QSDP for free with our value resort in the eat/stay/play deal thing that we got, we upgraded it to regular DDP and that was totally worth it for all the character meals, and we can decide to get what we want at QS places.

 

[lauris87]

Thanks for the responses everyone. After looking at QS menus and prices online, I'm pretty sure that it is NOT a savings to get the QSDP. We will definitly be paying OOP for our food.

 

[waughzoo]

Does the drink cup that is included the quick service plan alter anyone's view? If declining the quick service DDP and deciding to pay OOP, do you still purchase the drink cup for the resort drink stations?

 

[sharonabe]

Does the drink cup that is included the quick service plan alter anyone's view? If declining the quick service DDP and deciding to pay OOP, do you still purchase the drink cup for the resort drink stations?

The refillable mug comes with all dining plans now.

 

[waughzoo]

Correct. When deciding between paying OOP or the quick service counter DDP, how does the inclusion of the refillable mug impact the decision? Those that decline to purchase the quick service DDP, do they still buy the refillable mugs? Just curious the different approaches. Thanks!

 

[TDC Nala]

Remember that if you use a credit for breakfast, you lose the dessert entitlement entirely.

 

[patsal]

Correct. When deciding between paying OOP or the quick service counter DDP, how does the inclusion of the refillable mug impact the decision? Those that decline to purchase the quick service DDP, do they still buy the refillable mugs? Just curious the different approaches. Thanks!

I mainly drink water so the mug is of no use to me, but I get one for DD and DH. we typically stay for 14 nights so it really doesn't alter going OOP as a savings.

 

[tb1972]

I don't think the plan is worth it unless you eat most QS meals at WPE in DTD. They are the most expensive QS I think with some entrees (salmon, meatloaf, salads) in the $15-18 range. Dessert is an additional $5-6. WPE OOP can be close to $30 per adult.

For just the typical QS at the parks, I don't think the plan is worth it.

 

[rmsdsp]

I say DO IT! You will save a small mount of money if your family takes advantage of what you have pre-paid for. The convenience of just tapping your Key to the World card was well worth the meal plan. I will without a doubt purchase the dining plan on our next vacation.

 

[rmsdsp]

Does the drink cup that is included the quick service plan alter anyone's view? If declining the quick service DDP and deciding to pay OOP, do you still purchase the drink cup for the resort drink stations?

I believe he refillable drink mug is refillable at the resort only and not refillable in the parks.

 

[smiths02]

I say DO IT! You will save a small mount of money if your family takes advantage of what you have pre-paid for. The convenience of just tapping your Key to the World card was well worth the meal plan. I will without a doubt purchase the dining plan on our next vacation.

You can just tap your KTTW card and charge it to the room if you don't have DP-just as easy.

 

[MC0810]

for us, we like having the feeling of knowing EXACTLY how much the vacation will cost us before we even get there. DDP lets us do that. For us, we break out about even with the plan. We are a budgeting/couponing family. We budget and coupon and deal shop the WHOLE YEAR, so when we go to Disney we like that to be the one time of year we dont have to look at the prices of the food when we are checking out, and we dont want to to skimp on anything..we want to go all out.

we feel like we also get our moneys worth eating at our resort, because we have the mug to get our drinks, but your also entitled to a drink with your meal with the plan..so we grab juice, water or whatever out of the refrigerator and bring THAT drink with us for the park the next day.

BUT if the dinning plan price is raised again (which I am sure it will be) and the CS meal prices remain the same, we will most likely not be getting the QSDP anymore. when the price was less...it was A GOOD DEAL, with the price right now we BREAK EVEN, if its raised its NOT WORTH IT. atleast thats how we feel.

 

[waughzoo]

If purchasing OOP at a quick service restaurant, can you get free water to drink or do they make you purchase bottled water?