Frommer's says not to get the Disney Dining Plan

I never get the Disney Dining Plan. I used to, but it has changed to the point where I will not get it again. It is not a good value for me and I do not think it is convenient. I don't like package reservations either but then I do not have much occasion, if any, to book a package reservation. Therefore the points he hits are mostly those that I would personally agree with.

One size doesn't fit all here, and what works for me may not work for others. Not everybody does Disney the way the blog writer seems to think that everybody does Disney, either. He assumes everyone wants three meals a day and wouldn't use snacks for a meal. He also assumes that the guest wants to spend as much time in the parks as possible, so relatively little time in the restaurants. Not everyone does that.

I do agree with him that guests who want to do as many rides and attractions in the parks as possible should not get the dining plan. However, guests who want to do as many character meals as possible probably should.

He also has a problem apparently with going to Orlando and just doing Disney. He says you should get out and see other attractions in Orlando. Which is just what Disney doesn't want you to do, therefore a prepaid dining plan that keeps guests eating at Disney. Of course if your full intent is to spend all your time at WDW, no real harm done. But he also thinks it's just great if you get free dining, which has the same effect.

The biggest flaw in his blog entry is this:

Also, many menu items and food locations are excluded. Only those marked with the DDP logo count.
The only things marked with a DDP logo are snacks. Nothing else is marked and there are no major exclusions of menu items and food locations. This makes me think that possibly he did not actually try using the plan. What also makes me think he didn't use the plan is this:

Because it begins on the day you arrive, you’re bound to leave with some unused credits, resulting in a loss.

Of course if you are not eating out on the day you arrive, you can always save those credits and use them another day. He doesn't seem to realize that.
 
I would NEVER pay for the dining plan. I do enjoy it when I get it for free though (I did the math, and free dining is a good deal for me). I think the only way the dining plan might be a good deal for you is if you have a few kids under 10 who don't mind the limited choices of the counter service kids meals, and you do a lot of character meals.
 


I don't think the plan is a great value anymore; however, he overstates his case (to the point of misrepresentation).
For instance, he writes that many places and items aren't included? Simply not true.
Also, he states in one place that you won't have enough meals and then goes on to state that you will have unused credits... which is it?
 
I agree with everything in the article.

It has been said many times on here - the dining plan can still work, but only for certain situations.
 
I have to say I agree with it point by point. We did the plan once to try it, hated it will never do it again.
 


Put me down for one of those people that will never pay for any DP. We only get if it is "free".
 
I can't think of a scenario where we would ever pay for the Dining Plan.

Free Dining? We took advantage of that once, a very long time ago, when it was a much better deal. If I recall correctly, TS included an appetizer, entree, dessert and tip. Now that it's changed it's just not a good deal for us. Not even close.

I know this because prior to our last trip I spent some time looking over the menus, factored in how we eat, that we would lose our AAA room discount, added in tips ... we would have lost money by getting Free Dining. No thanks.

I think it really is something that each family has to look at and do the math for their own family.
 
I won't even get the plan for free. To get it free I have to buy a rack rate package at a Disney resort with at least 2 night tickets. I have DVC and an annual pass. Not worth it.
 
I will never get the DDP again because for us, it isn't how we like to eat (don't always get an app and and entree and a dessert, for example), also, mentally, I felt like I had to order the most expensive item on the menu.

I don't necessarily agree with everything he said or think he had everything correct. In one section about it being impactical he says:

Few of us want daily table service at a theme park.

ok, fine - but there are tons of TS restaurants in the resorts that you can use the DDP on without being in a theme park
 
I don't believe he is thinking of WDW as a "full service" resort in the way a lot of us frequent visitors think of it. He's thinking like a first-and-only-time visitor, who usually wants to see as much as possible, and why would you sit around the hotel or a restaurant when you could be in the park?
 
Yes, I think he's writing for the Frommers audience who would buy a guidebook which I guess is most people who go to WDW for the first few times. Regular visitors won't need a guidebook.
 
I completely agree that buying the dining plan is no longer a good value at all....however, some of the points he makes are misleading. TDCNala touched on that.
 
DDP still works for us, Free is even better. Couldn't disagree with Frommer more. But that is us. We don't leave WDW, we don't go back to the room to rest (What is better rest than sitting in a beautiful air conditioned restaurant!?!) We eat whatever we want and I don't have to give my DH cpr from sticker shock!:lmao:
 
I wrote a response to his article on the page. I like the DDP. I won't do DxDDP anymore, because that went up in price BIG time.

However, I want a sit down meal EVERY day. every single one. And I like doing some Signatures too. The DDP doesn't save me alot, but it saves a few bucks on an average trip.

For example, I am taking my bf on his 1st Disney trip in November. We will be staying at my DVC home of AKV. I am booking the DDP as a DVC member. This man can EAT and we will get our full value of the DDP for sure.
 
I wrote a response to his article on the page. I like the DDP. I won't do DxDDP anymore, because that went up in price BIG time.

However, I want a sit down meal EVERY day. every single one. And I like doing some Signatures too. The DDP doesn't save me alot, but it saves a few bucks on an average trip.

For example, I am taking my bf on his 1st Disney trip in November. We will be staying at my DVC home of AKV. I am booking the DDP as a DVC member. This man can EAT and we will get our full value of the DDP for sure.

We like a sit down meal each day and I would say we have big appetites, too...but every time I do the math for what we eat without the DDP it comes out less than the cost of the DDP. I just can't get it to come out as a savings at all :( Maybe we aren't buying expensive enough entrees! We are new DVC members and plan on getting the TIW card.
 
We like a sit down meal each day and I would say we have big appetites, too...but every time I do the math for what we eat without the DDP it comes out less than the cost of the DDP. I just can't get it to come out as a savings at all :( Maybe we aren't buying expensive enough entrees! We are new DVC members and plan on getting the TIW card.

I've done TIW in the past, and essentially used it as a booze coupon. (So I could get alcohol at all those meals for 20% off.) Back when I had TIW, you had to have an AP to buy it. I don't currently have an AP, so I hadn't even thought of TIW again. Can you now get it without an AP?

I do tend to order expensive. My bf is a big steak eater - he'll be ordering steak on whichever menu of whichever restaurant we happen to be at. So it works out well. I also tend to save my snack credits for the priciest snacks you can get and still be included.
 
I've done TIW in the past, and essentially used it as a booze coupon. (So I could get alcohol at all those meals for 20% off.) Back when I had TIW, you had to have an AP to buy it. I don't currently have an AP, so I hadn't even thought of TIW again. Can you now get it without an AP?

I do tend to order expensive. My bf is a big steak eater - he'll be ordering steak on whichever menu of whichever restaurant we happen to be at. So it works out well. I also tend to save my snack credits for the priciest snacks you can get and still be included.

Haha, booze coupon...I like it. You can get TIW if you are a DVC member, too. We tend to do the same restaurants over and over and they are some of the less expensive ones...but I am totally with you on maxing out the expensive snacks :)
 

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