Dining Plan First Timers

Hi guys

We're from the UK and visiting WDW for the first time for our honeymoon in August. We've been to DL Paris enough times but WDW is taking a LOT more planning! Anyhow, having done my research online, and spoken to friends who have visited, I've come up with a loose itinerary of table-service restaurants, and where and when we'd like to eat.

We're planning on doing just one park each day (or two if doing the water parks in the day and eating in MK that evening), just the two of us (adults, early 30s).

We've got the standard dining plan but I was hoping you guys could have a look over our plans and advise where best to spend our credits and where to pay cash. We're visiting 10 nights from August 25th, so our 180 day is next Saturday.

THURS 25th AUG
Arrive Orlando International 6.30pm
Dinner in Disney Springs, maybe T-Rex. Or just get a pizza delivered if we're too tired to venture out.

FRI 26th AUG - MAGIC KINGDOM
Breakfast - Cafe Mickey buffet
Dinner - Liberty Tree Tavern

SAT 27th - EPCOT
Breakfast - Akershus buffet
Dinner - Garden Grill

Sun 28th - ANIMAL KINGDOM
Breakfast - Tusker house buffet
Dinner - No plans

Monday 29th - BLIZZARD BEACH
Breakfast in room
Dinner - Disney Springs

Tuesday 30th - STUDIOS
Breakfast in room
Dinner - Hollywod & Vine Fantasmic package

Wednesday 31st - MAGIC KINGDOM
Breakfast - Crystal palace
Dinner - MK - CRT (2 credits?)

Thursday 1st - EPCOT
Breakfast in room
Drink around the World pub crawl (!)
Dinner - Rose & Crown (believe we can't use credits for this one?)

Friday 2nd - TYPHOON LAGOON
Breakfast in room
Dinner - MK - California Grill (2 credits)

Saturday 3rd - MAGIC KINGDOM
Breakfast - 1900 Park Fare buffet
Dinner - ?

Sunday 4th
Breakfast in Springs before departure around 1pm.

Any thoughts guys?

Additionally-

We're at the Caribbean Beach resort, is there a grocery store on-site? And does it sell reasonable healthy stuff? We're big into fruits, yoghurt and porridge (oats) for breakfast...?

and

I believe we can pay for meals on our magic bands (charge them to our room), can we also pay gratuities on it too, for when we're using Dining Plan credits but don't have cash?

many thanks!

First to answer your questions:

Rose & Crown dining room IS on the DDP. I believe there is a bar area that may or may not be.
No grocery store as such at CBR, but they do have fruits and yogurt. You can also get already made oatmeal at the QS place there for breakfast or they may have some of the instant oats you just add hot water to.
Yes, you can use your MBs for any and all charges to your room.

As to which to pay OOP, Cali Grill, Rose & Crown and TRex are your only a la carte places at the moment. I suggest one person using the DDP credit and one paying OOP at each of these. Use the credit for the expensive entree, of course. Then you still have a dessert to share. That stretches your credits somewhat. After that, the lease expensive will be your breakfast buffets, except for Chef Mickey. Speaking of buffets, I think I'd move those first two days around just a little. Eating two buffet meals in the same day is A LOT of food. Switch the Chef Mickey with one of your eat in the room breakfast days. Then switch Rose & Crown with Garden Grill.

Just looking at your choices, it doesn't look like you are coming out ahead by getting the dining plan (at $60 a day, your choices are, on average, about $25 per day short) especially if you are having meals in your room and buying groceries. Is the dining plan included with your package at no extra charge or are you paying extra for it? If you are paying- I might suggest considering paying out of pocket for your meals as I think you would save a lot of money.

Yorkieal said:

We're at the Caribbean Beach resort, is there a grocery store on-site?

Click to expand...

If you're after significant groceries, versus a half-gallon of milk, you're better off using a grocery delivery service.

Thanks guys. Obviously we'd be having the quick-service meals and snacks each day too in addition to what I've listed above. Would that make it worthwhile with the DDP? We purchased it separately (wasn't included)?

If we were to eat QS breakfast at the resort, I assume it would be better to pay out of pocket rather than use a credit? How big are the portions?

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Also, am I correct in thinking that I can book 180 days +10 ONLINE? Or do I have to call to take advantage of the +10?

You can do the +10 online. I think that you may well find that 2 TS meals a day is more than you want to eat. In general, breakfast is going to be less expensive (and therefore not as much of a "value" on DDP; akershus is an exception because its breakfast costs as much as many dinners). You may also find that sharing works with QS meals especially if you sub a side for the drink and/or dessert.

Use this tool to see if the dining plan works for you.... good stuff
http://www.distripplanner.com/