Dining plan or oop with a 10 year old???

[disneybliss2]

We're fans of the dining plan (convenience, we've been money ahead with the restaurants we go to, don't have to worry/stress about $ and what I'm ordering while ordering). My DD will be 11 on our next trip so we'll be charged an adult fee for her for the first time. Ouch!

With such a price difference, do many of you still do the dining plan once your children turn 10, or do you find you're money ahead to pay oop because your child won't get the full value of the adult fee and would pay oop cheaper? Just curious if that one child fee bumping to adult fee makes the dining plan price increase not such a great deal for the family. I can't avoid the increased price of tickets, but I can order differently (from children's menu) which might make our dining cheaper if we pay oop.

I'm assuming the increased price of the dining plan may be similar to the tickets. You'll feel the sting but will go on.

Just curious if any of you used to use the dining plan but stopped when your child turned 10? (or at least stopped for a trip during that age range until your child was a teen and got the value of adult meal price)

[sharonabe]

Originally Posted by disneybliss2

We're fans of the dining plan (convenience, we've been money ahead with the restaurants we go to, don't have to worry/stress about $ and what I'm ordering while ordering). My DD will be 11 on our next trip so we'll be charged an adult fee for her for the first time. Ouch!

With such a price difference, do many of you still do the dining plan once your children turn 10, or do you find you're money ahead to pay oop because your child won't get the full value of the adult fee and would pay oop cheaper? Just curious if that one child fee bumping to adult fee makes the dining plan price increase not such a great deal for the family. I can't avoid the increased price of tickets, but I can order differently (from children's menu) which might make our dining cheaper if we pay oop.

I'm assuming the increased price of the dining plan may be similar to the tickets. You'll feel the sting but will go on.

Just curious if any of you used to use the dining plan but stopped when your child turned 10? (or at least stopped for a trip during that age range until your child was a teen and got the value of adult meal price)

We actually stopped before because my 8 and 9 yr old "kids" didn't want to eat the kid menu anymore...it wasn't enough food for my boys.

However, there is one way you might can still make it work. Since she is an adult, you can pay OOP for kids' meals where she wants them and bank her adult credits for all of you to eat another TS/QS or do a signature.

[disneybliss2]

Originally Posted by sharonabe

We actually stopped before because my 8 and 9 yr old "kids" didn't want to eat the kid menu anymore...it wasn't enough food for my boys.

However, there is one way you might can still make it work. Since she is an adult, you can pay OOP for kids' meals where she wants them and bank her adult credits for all of you to eat another TS/QS or do a signature.

Funny that you said the flip of my reason for not using the dining plan.

Can you pay OOP for some members of your party (my oldest DD) and use dining credits for others? I assumed if you used the dining plan, you would have to use the dining credits for everyone for that ticket. Hmm...something to think about.

[sharonabe]

Originally Posted by disneybliss2

Funny that you said the flip of my reason for not using the dining plan.

Can you pay OOP for some members of your party (my oldest DD) and use dining credits for others? I assumed if you used the dining plan, you would have to use the dining credits for everyone for that ticket. Hmm...something to think about.

Everyone at the TABLE does not have to use the dining plan. You can pay OOP for your daughter and use her credits later for you.

Everyone on your reservation DOES have to get the same package, so you all have to have the dining plan, but you can use it how you want.

[disneybliss2]

Originally Posted by sharonabe

Everyone at the TABLE does not have to use the dining plan. You can pay OOP for your daughter and use her credits later for you.

Everyone on your reservation DOES have to get the same package, so you all have to have the dining plan, but you can use it how you want.

Wow, great information to know! Thanks to both posters for this information.

[shoney]

We only used DS10's credits at Ohana (where he ate 3 chicken wings!) and Mama Melrose F! pkg, otherwise we paid OOP for a kids meal. You just tell the server at the end of the meal what you want applied to the DDP and what you want to pay OOP for.