Anybody Else Pay OOP to avoid the hassle?

[sharadoc]

I considered it for our past two trips and both times decided against it. Especially free dining - we took the room discount instead and saved over $100 per night on a FW cabin vs. free dining.

We never get dessert at a meal and DH and I rarely drink anything but water with our meals. We have compared our OOP costs vs. the Dining Plan and have always come out ahead with OOP. We eat what we want and don't force ourselves to eat stuff just because it came with the meal. Plus we don't like to eat out at every meal, so we always get a room that has some sort of cooking capability so we can eat some meals in our room.

For our next trip, I'm probably going to upgrade to an AP and get a TIW card. Because that also covered alcoholic drinks, we think we'll save a significant amount on our TS meals and before-dinner drinks.

I think the dining plan is all about convenience and I have some friends who absolutely love it. It's really all personal style.

 

[LowesChevy]

I do not see it as a hassle, but it just doesn't fit our dining preferences. We generally eat two table service meals a day-breakfast and dinner, which is usually at a signature restaurant. We do not snack in between meals unless we are at Epcot for the F&W festival. We also like to have appetizers before dinner and tend to skip dessert.

 

[Toad]

We go OOP although the debate crops up before every trip. My sister and I are both "weight" watchers and we find we have more control and make better choices when we just pick what we want and know will sustain us. Appetizers and desserts just don't fit in right now. In fact, a small side with a salad is all we pretty much need for lunch or dinner. Breakfast is fruit with cereal or yogurt. Snacks are also fruits, nuts, seeds. If they have a real cheapo plan that would fit this kind of fare, we might consider it. But even if they offered the regular or deluxe for free (which happens) we would probably decline to eliminate the temptations.....

 

[emmabemmainc]

What is the hassle? You make ressies, you show up, you eat and then you hand the waiter/waitress your card. Am I missing something?

If you don't want to eat at any TS places anyways, then you wouldn't be getting the dining plan regardless (unless you did the QS one)---so what does it being a "hassle" have to do with anything?

I am always so confused at these threads---it's either good for you and your family or it's not. People make it so personal. No offense, but it's so silly to me!

 

[TDC Nala]

There were a couple of posts from those who did not understand why anyone would NOT use the dining plan if they planned to eat at TS restaurants - that question's quite well answered by this thread.

You likely didn't just make reservations, show up and eat. You likely planned those reservations months ahead of time. When you get there, suppose you decide you don't want to eat at all those restaurants after all? Or you'd really like an appetizer instead of a dessert? Or you're having too good a time going on rides and prefer not to break for the lunch you booked, but you have to go anyway to make sure you use that credit?

 

[Disneyfan18951]

As a solo traveller, I normally don't do many TS maybe 2 or 3 in a 5-6 night trip so I never really considered doing a dining plan

On my last trip in Sept I decided to try the QS plan. I thought what the hay, I wanted a refillable mug and it was only for 3 nights.

First off, I was in a room SO SO SO far away from the food court (at CSR) I think only the rooms down the hall from me could have been further so didn't really ever use the mug.

Second, the desserts that came with CS meals were just prepackaged cakes and I would not have got them if it wasn't included. I threw most of them out

Third I didn't book any TS becasue I has CS meals to eat and I found I missed having atleast one sit down.

So the 2 things that made the plan a "bargain", desserts and refillable mug were useless to me and I think I ended up spending more money on the plan then if I had just eaten as normal

**** As a side note, If I went went with my sister I would book Deluxe DP as we really love eating out and I think it would be a money saver then

 

[Dziactor]

I dont mind planning our meals, scheduling everything. Last two trips we did the DDXP and loved it. Next trip were going with family and not doing any plan, but paying OOP and using TIW. I think we will end up saving more as a lot of times I wouldnt want any appetizer or dessert.

 

[nurtz]

We have never used the dining plan and don't ever plan to unless it is free and the room discount is not as good of a deal. We went a month ago, stayed at POR with military 40% discount and got the military tickets...to us that was a much better deal than the free dining and definitely better than paying for the dining plan. We just don't eat that much...never get a dessert after a CS meal. Rarely get one with a TS. My husband and I often split an appetizer and an entree. I rarely eat a whole entree myself and I certainly don't want to throw half a plate of food out. I don't doubt that people save money if they say they do. I just don't see it saving us a thing. Maybe if our kids were smaller and we did more character meals it would. As it is, our kids would rather eat "on the fly" and not be tied down to an ADR. I have an AP now and plan to use the TIW card. This is a much better savings for us. We do make ADR's but have been known to call Disney Dining and cancel because we are busy doing something else or just don't feel like a big meal at that time. If I had already paid for the dining plan, I would feel obligated to go ahead and eat that meal. To me, that is a hassle. I just like the freedom OOP gives me. I am glad there are people who get a savings from the dining plan. I wonder though, if they are just eating more than they would have to get their money's worth. I know I would if I had the plan.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

We love the dinning plan and wouldn't do ti any other way. No hassles for us and it definately worth it in my opinion. I spend less on the Dp.That is 1 cs & 1 tbs.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

We pay out of pocket and use the TIW card. We're FL residents, AP holders, have an offsite timeshare, like to stay at Universal sometimes, sometimes like to stay onsite at Disney, and having to stay onsite with a "package" at rack rates and park tickets just doesn't work for us most times. We're also a family of adults only, who prefer TS mostly with wine/cocktails with meals, and our meals can often consist of sharing multiple appetizers between three or four adults with a bottle or two of wine.

But I fully understand how DDP works wonderfully for other families. I'm glad there are options for everyone.

 

[Magic2000]

I was always unsure about the dining plan, so we hadn't tried it. Also, my DD is considered an "adult", even though she always orders off the child's menu. Sometimes she gets on a chicken nugget kick and that's all she eats every day!!

This past summer, we decided to try the deluxe plan for the first week, and the regular plan for the second week. Just to see if we liked the "prepaid" concept. And DD has been getting a little more adventurous with her meals.

Although I did like trying the dining plan, and it was not a hassle to us at all - I think we'll just keep paying OOP. We've always ordered whatever we wanted - and do order appetizers/desserts, especially at the nicer restaurants. But, my DD prefers to order off the kids menu. (at the Yachtsman, she ordered the child's steak, but the creme brulee for dessert)

DH said if he has to get out money for any adult drinks and the tip, he'd just as soon pay for the meal and tip.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

We have done both OOP and DDP. When we compared, we came out about even so we now prefer OOP. N

Now that we are DVC, we also order groceries and eat all of our breakfasts in the room as well as have food for late night dinners and other snacks (as the kids always seem to be hungry when we return from the parks even if we ate earlier in the evening). This has allowed us to come out ahead which has given us the opportunity to book character meals and other dining experiences while still coming out even.

 

[MerryFlora]

DDP is not for us for several reasons.

We spend less w/o it. Even if "free" dining were a choice, I would get a better discount on room only. Even with several TS, chacacter buffets etc. We still dont spend that much. I even went to the trouble a couple times to price sample meals thru Allears, it just didn't add up. By several hundred dollars!

We like to split entrees and get apps or extra salads. Hate when TS meals dont have salads included! Also, the CS desserts are not worth it. We prefer treats from the bakery after our meal has settled, esp at lunch. And to say the extra desserts/drinks are "free" is just not true! You have already paid for them.

I am an uber planner and dont mind all the ADRs. But still like the flexibility to just be able to skip big meals when we dont have the time, or just live on treats one evening. Or heaven forbid someone gets sick and we spend less park time than planned. Its more fun for us to not have to feel like we are getting our money back out.

 

[PurpleTurtle]

DDP does currently work for us b/c we have so many young children. Last trip we had four 9 and under ;-). We don't usually eat that many desserts, either, BUT we were able to get fruit (like a big bowl of grapes) for our desserts at several of the CS restaurants/food courts. We're big into the character meals and buffets, too, b/c they are fun and easy with the kids. If it was just DH and me we'd absolutely pay OOP.

 

[christinec68]

I don't think the dining plan is a hassle but it does not suit us. The one or two times we had the plan I felt obsessed with food & dining and making sure we got the full value of the plan. We would never get desserts with a CS meal. We don't always want dessert after dinner or one of us would prefer an appetizer.

It's much better for us to pay OOP. I still make ADRs but by paying OOP we have the flexibilty to cancel them if we change our minds and we're not compelled to use the TS credits for dinner since that's the better value. Plus, there are a couple of restaurants that we love that do not accept the plan. We would probably pass on them if we felt locked into the ddp.

 

[pixarmom]

I don't think the dining plan is a hassle but it does not suit us. The one or two times we had the plan I felt obsessed with food & dining and making sure we got the full value of the plan. We would never get desserts with a CS meal. We don't always want dessert after dinner or one of us would prefer an appetizer.

Our thoughts exactly! I love planning, and still make ADRs, but two of our three boys are crossing over to Disney adulthood for DP and tickets, so the plan is no longer worth it for us. When they are older, and actually eat more like adults, we may go back to the plan. When they were all younger, it was a great deal!

 

[PrincessShea]

I think it really depends on how much you eat and what you usually eat at meals. For us, the DDP is a waste because I consider it to be an astronomical amount of food you have to eat. I scheduled a TS meal every night for our recent trip and we ended up canceling half because we were still full from the night before, or the quick snack that day, etc.

In addition, the only time we ever had dessert was 'Ohana. I also only have water or liquor to drink with my meals. So the dining plan forces us to get stuff we would never get anyway. At CS places we usually just got one thing (like nachos) and split it. I could never in a million years eat everything you have to eat to get the full value of the plan, and that's why I would never pay for it.

 

[kathleendsm]

I'm hoping it will work for our family. We're doing quite a few character meals and buffets (in fact, I think we only have two TS meals during our 8 days that aren't buffets), and certainly for the kids, the price works out favorably that way. We're paying for CRT out of pocket because I don't think it's worth 2 credits though.

I generally prefer appetizers to desserts, so I'm not as happy that I'm mandated a dessert, but am hoping all the walking will make up for it.

 

[MusiqChic99]

We went during Free Dining this year. Although we enjoyed having it, we felt it was a hassle too. We would do it again during Free Dining in a heartbeat but to tag on the plan and paying for it....not so sure. We hated having to plan around meals. And we are dessert people so that wasn't really something we cared much about anyway. Half the time we just got the dessert because it was part of the plan and had one bite just to try it.

We did enjoy the fact that we didn't have to carry a lot of money into the parks. That was really nice.

Most likely next time we will be paying out of pocket. We don't usually eat that many TS meals anyway. We pick a few we really like.

 

[MusiqChic99]

We have never used the dining plan and don't ever plan to unless it is free and the room discount is not as good of a deal. We went a month ago, stayed at POR with military 40% discount and got the military tickets...to us that was a much better deal than the free dining and definitely better than paying for the dining plan. We just don't eat that much...never get a dessert after a CS meal. Rarely get one with a TS. My husband and I often split an appetizer and an entree. I rarely eat a whole entree myself and I certainly don't want to throw half a plate of food out. I don't doubt that people save money if they say they do. I just don't see it saving us a thing. Maybe if our kids were smaller and we did more character meals it would. As it is, our kids would rather eat "on the fly" and not be tied down to an ADR. I have an AP now and plan to use the TIW card. This is a much better savings for us. We do make ADR's but have been known to call Disney Dining and cancel because we are busy doing something else or just don't feel like a big meal at that time. If I had already paid for the dining plan, I would feel obligated to go ahead and eat that meal. To me, that is a hassle. I just like the freedom OOP gives me. I am glad there are people who get a savings from the dining plan. I wonder though, if they are just eating more than they would have to get their money's worth. I know I would if I had the plan.

That's how I feel. I think you save money if you planned on having 1 CS and 1 TS a day and have desserts and have the snack. We just dont do that. Some days we might just snack our way through the day, others we have 2 CS. Or 1 TS and an snack. No way would we ever eat 1CS, 1TS with desserts at both and get a snack(unless you count water but we paid out of pocket when we did the dining plan for our drinks anyway!)