I'm scared to pay OOP instead of having the dining plan

[patsal]

You will be fine, buy gift cards for the amount the DDP would have cost you and you will have a debit system and not have to worry about going over that amount. It is difficult to break even on the DDP, so I doubt you will go over budget and you can save the leftover money on your card for the next vacation or souvenirs. I order 2 $1000 gift cards and always have money left over with a 14 day stay and three adults. What you want when and how you want it is a very freeing thing!

 

[honeybunches]

We ended up getting the dining plan. DH felt more comfortable with it, and I did, too.

Scared, really? so you have gotten sort of dependent on the plan to the point where the idea of going without it scares you, even though it sounds like you are getting such a substantial discount on your room it will more than offset the dining costs.

Nice post, hoping I'm just reading sarcasm that isn't there. But actually, yeah. I have been dependent on the dining plan, and was anxious about the thought of messing around with gift cards and all instead of just flashing my magic band. It wasn't so much the savings/money part -- for us, it's the freedom of having to even think about it.

 

[happymommy]

I don't see how the dining plan is easier than just paying. Either way, you just scan your magic band to pay. That's what we do.
Only way I have done the plan it was free - and I'm doing the QS dining plan free next month. I wouldn't ever pay for it. There's no way it would be worth it to me; I rarely drink soft drinks, and beer isn't included! I'd have maybe one dessert the whole week. Meals are mostly too big; DD and I share half the time.

 

[Pinkos]

We did dining plan last time and won't do it this time. We knew when we did it that it was more about convenience and less stress of having to think, etc. but as pp said, I realized there isn't much difference when it come to convenience bc u have to swipe magic band anyways. I'm in Canada so I can't access these Disney gift cards ( or at least not that I know of) so I just plan to put the estimated $$ on my visa before going. So I can still feel free to get what I want. . We really didn't eat all the food it provides and were scrambling to use up a lot of credits last time. The $$ savings allows me to try some new things that the Disney plan wouldn't cover. I'm excited to try it this way. Good luck to u as well!

 

[Pinkos]

OP is going through a TA and cannot add the DDP through them. If It is the TA that I think it is, they are getting an awesome deal on the room rate.

would love a PM re the TA. I'm currently looking for a deal

 

[MakiraMarlena]

sounds to me like the OP liked the dining plan more than the possibility of getting the hefty room discount. To each their own.

it's not any harder to just pay for meals by scanning the band, but some folks prefer getting the bill ahead of time instead of getting it during or after the trip. Disney knows this.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Usually we stay at a mod with free dining (or the old buy 4/get 3 nights free).

This year we have an awesome discount through a TA. We are staying at the Poly and Beach Club with no DDP.

We are paying OOP. I have 2 $1000 giftcards. I will charge to the room and pay down the room every other day or so with the gift cards.

www.distripplanner.com is a great site to give you an estimate on how much it'll be OOP vs DDP.

We are also bringing some cash for other things.

 

[honeybunches]

I don't see how the dining plan is easier than just paying. Either way, you just scan your magic band to pay. That's what we do.
Only way I have done the plan it was free - and I'm doing the QS dining plan free next month. I wouldn't ever pay for it. There's no way it would be worth it to me; I rarely drink soft drinks, and beer isn't included! I'd have maybe one dessert the whole week. Meals are mostly too big; DD and I share half the time.

I love that everyone can choose the way that works best for them. It sounds like going OOP is the right thing for you. We don't share meals, and we love getting to order dessert.....so the dining plan is good for us. Also, it's usually substantially more than the RO discount for our family.

Usually we stay at a mod with free dining (or the old buy 4/get 3 nights free).

This year we have an awesome discount through a TA. We are staying at the Poly and Beach Club with no DDP.

We are paying OOP. I have 2 $1000 giftcards. I will charge to the room and pay down the room every other day or so with the gift cards.

www.distripplanner.com is a great site to give you an estimate on how much it'll be OOP vs DDP.

We are also bringing some cash for other things.

We did free dining 2 years ago and it really was a huge savings for us. This time, I planned out our meals on a spreadsheet (your link is helpful, I"ll save for it next time.) We actually came out far ahead with the dining plan, since we don't have the TIW card or any other major discount. It's great that you got such a good discount; I hope you have a great trip!!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I love that everyone can choose the way that works best for them. It sounds like going OOP is the right thing for you. We don't share meals, and we love getting to order dessert.....so the dining plan is good for us. Also, it's usually substantially more than the RO discount for our family.



We did free dining 2 years ago and it really was a huge savings for us. This time, I planned out our meals on a spreadsheet (your link is helpful, I"ll save for it next time.) We actually came out far ahead with the dining plan, since we don't have the TIW card or any other major discount. It's great that you got such a good discount; I hope you have a great trip!!

I actually debated switching to free dining at a mod but I couldn't give up the deal we received. I don't know when that would ever be possible again so we went with it.

 

[kaybird]

One factor that keeps coming up is the desserts. Don't forget that the part of the dining plan has now changed that you are able to get a salad or a side instead of a dessert now. Like the OP, we have gone both ways, and while we can sometimes eat cheaper OOP, we never eat better!

 

[honeybunches]

One factor that keeps coming up is the desserts. Don't forget that the part of the dining plan has now changed that you are able to get a salad or a side instead of a dessert now. Like the OP, we have gone both ways, and while we can sometimes eat cheaper OOP, we never eat better!

Such a good point! My DH loves salad and would get this instead of dessert most meals. I don't mind sharing my dessert with him. Thanks for the reminder!
Totally agree with the bolded part. We enjoy eating out at home, but usually stick with a relative budget in mind. When we're on the dining plan, it's a free for all!

 

[goofy friend]

Our last stay was 7 nights in May and we did OOP, I figured close to a $200 savings, the biggest part of savings are a result of not eating as many deserts. We had no deserts at lunch and deserts only part of the time at dinner. I am seriously considering going back to the dining plan for my next visit since recent changes allow some substitutions in place of deserts.

 

[MrInfinity]

Update 7/15---- We added a day to our stay which wasn't available at CSR. We ended up booking CBR so we wouldn't have to do a split stay, and added the dining plan. Bonus -- it ended up being $1100 less even with the extra day! Thanks for all of the advice. Someday I"ll try OOP but probably when DH isn't traveling with me.

On our first 2 trips, we had the Deluxe plan. It was way too much food for us. We used the DDP for every trip after that, and it is perfect for us. I've always appreciated the DDP for the psychological freedom it gives us, and the fact that everything is paid for before we make the trip. A travel agent offered us a comparable room package (for CSR) that is about $2500 cheaper than the Disney package, but does not include the dining plan. Therefore, we'd have to pay for meals OOP. We do have another option that includes a dining plan, but it is at a different resort (CBR---have never stayed here before). The savings with the first plan would likely pay for our meals, but the truth is -- I'm scared to pay OOP and not rely on the DDP. Here are my main reasons:

• We like having TS for dinner each evening.
• We don't bring food with us to the parks or the hotel, so we usually eat QS or CS at the hotel.
• This year my DD is considered an adult (11 y.o.) and she will likely choose adult meals. With the DDP she gets adult credits.
• We don't usually share meals. We're all good eaters!
• The only possible discount we have is the Disney VISA. We're not AP or TIW card holders. Also not FL residents or DVC.
• My husband relaxes so much when he knows it's all paid in advance. If he knows we're paying OOP, I'm worried that he'll order a cheaper meal than he wants just because that's the way he is.

I used All Ears to figure up an estimate for our likely meal plan, which is rather difficult since some of the prices vary (specifically, buffet meals.) I went with the higher prices just to be safe, and it was about $2100 for our 10 day stay. Maybe I overestimated?

Am I crazy for considering annual passes instead of our 10 day park hoppers? It would be about $1000 more this year, but then tickets would be paid for another trip next year. Also could get TIW. Decisions!!!!

Knowing all of this --- I'd like advice about whether we should give OOP a try, or stick with our comfort zone. I'd also like to know if you have a similar experience and how it turned out for you. Thanks for any help or moral support you can offer!

If your DD now turning 11 is your only child, then the DDP is most likely not going to be a money saver for you. It is best for...
* families with more kids under 9. Ideally over half of your party should be in this bucket. (2 adults, 3 kids would be optimal for a family of 5)
* families that want more character and other entertainment fixed-price meals. Ideally over half should be these.
You are really in neither optimal set. I am almost sure you will be better off paying OOP. It comes down to your savings on the hotel.
For peace of mind remember the DDP runs over $60 per adult per day. So unless you could imagine spending over $180/day on food, it's just not likely to be a savings. What will you spend? A dinner plate might run $25. So $95 on dinner. Lunch at QS maybe $45? That's only $140. You are still $40 shy of saving money, PER DAY.

If you do happen to have more entertainment TS meals, do the math. Biergarten might run you $38/person, which is $114. Would you then spend $70 more throughout the day in which you have a buffet?

DDP is a savings when you have younger kids cuz they get to be on the plan for around $20 per day, and a single character meal would cost more than that. So with more kids, it's good. Your party, you'll be better off OOP. Enjoy! To make it easier to bear the day-to-day worry of spending so much on food, just tally up what you spend in a day. If you are under $180, you are ahead of the game. You will most likely come out ahead every day.

 

[mercydisney]

I have 2 teenage girls so the DP is great for me. We are an hr from Disney and go often so when we do our daily trips we eat light. when we do our yearly Mother and Daughter's trip they no it is a vacation and they can have the meals we do not eat when we are not on vacation.
The DP gives them the choice to choose with a limit what they will eat, and saves me money because they know not to go over their allowed snacks, meals,and etc.

 

[itutorfortravel]

I'm wondering how long your vacation will be because if there's any way you guys can buy the TIW card, depending on the length of your stay, you'll make up the cost of membership with the 20% you save on both food and beverage. It's really the best and we find that it's an even better value than using the DDP. We just bought our new one a few hours ago at Magic Kingdom and they're good for 13 months; so it would be especially fabulous if you could squeeze in a second trip using it!

Can you tell me where you got your TiW card? I have only gotten it at DTD before. Also, do you have to have DVC and AP's or just be DVC members? We were both when we last bought the card, but I would like to renew it next week but I'm not sure we will renew our AP's. Thanks!

 

[supersnoop]

Can you tell me where you got your TiW card? I have only gotten it at DTD before. Also, do you have to have DVC and AP's or just be DVC members? We were both when we last bought the card, but I would like to renew it next week but I'm not sure we will renew our AP's. Thanks!

Every Guest Relations booth can sell you the TiW card and activate your AP's. I purchased mine at the International Gateway.

 

[itutorfortravel]

Thanks supersnoop!

 

[IndyRnRfan]

Our last stay was 7 nights in May and we did OOP, I figured close to a $200 savings, the biggest part of savings are a result of not eating as many deserts. We had no deserts at lunch and deserts only part of the time at dinner. I am seriously considering going back to the dining plan for my next visit since recent changes allow some substitutions in place of deserts.

I just ran the numbers from our 12 day stay and had we used the ddp we would have spent $400 more on our trip. Now we didn't eat the exact same way as we would have on the ddp but we definitely were not hungry or skimped on any meals. We aren't big dessert people but we made up for those with coke slushed and dole whips.

 

[myrheille]

I'm a big proponent of NOT getting the DDP. We've always put the credit card on our Magic Band and paying has been very easy (I don't think it's necessary to mess around with gift cards, but to each their own). We never get soft drinks (we like water) and although I LOVE dessert, the Quick Service desserts are often disgusting, particularly when compared to the awesome things the confectionary sells next door.

I do like the DDP for a first trip, as it might be better on the nerves, but otherwise I wouldn't hesitate.