2018 Disney Dining Plan Prices & General Discussion

[denise5374]

No. At a signature, you still get a single beverage entitlement, which you may use for one specialty beverage.

That was my gut feeling, just wanted to clarify.

 

[hodad]

If I am understanding this correctly, on the DxDP, if you eat at a signature restaurant you can get 2 alcoholic/specialty beverages?

For ex, a glass of wine and a specialty coffee with dessert.

Beverages tend to be twice as expensive at signature restaurants, if I recall correctly.

 

[sharonabe]

Does anyone know if the prices are different for DVC members? I could be wrong but I think that right now (2017) the dining plan is a few dollars cheaper when booked to a DVC reservation.

If I remember correctly, DVC prices are set for the year, so whatever the price is on Jan 1, 2018, will be the price for the entire year even if there is an increase sometime during 2018.

 

[pkrieger2287]

Alright - Fat kid question...

My wife and I have the Deluxe Dining Plan and are going to eat at Flying Fish. In order to try even more amazing food on the menu can we utilize 3 credits (essentially 6 credits total) and purchase another drink, app, entree, and desert?

OM NOM NOM!

 

[Phatscott25]

I've never tried this but I don't see why they wouldn't allow it if you're willing to use the credits. By comparison, I'm sure they'd allow you to buy a 3rd meal if you were paying OOP so I doubt this would be different.

 

[bit413]

I was just reading the new literature from Disney about the 2018 DXDP. One of the draws for the dining plan is to book character buffets. Reading the literature, it seemed questionable if the adult beverage would be included at buffets. Has anyone else noticed this?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/disney-deluxe-dining-plan/

 

[Faldred]

I was just reading the new literature from Disney about the 2018 DXDP. One of the draws for the dining plan is to book character buffets. Reading the literature, it seemed questionable if the adult beverage would be included at buffets. Has anyone else noticed this?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/disney-deluxe-dining-plan/

The relevant exclusion is this:

**If available; buffet excludes specialty beverages that are sold separately (2017 plan only).​

It refers to 2017 only; for 2018, I assume it would allow for a single specialty beverage if it is to be consistent with other dining.

 

[808momof4]

Drinks must be ordered with each meal, correct? So we drink with breakfast or forfeit that drink.

 

[sharonabe]

Drinks must be ordered with each meal, correct? So we drink with breakfast or forfeit that drink.

Correct.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Drinks must be ordered with each meal, correct? So we drink with breakfast or forfeit that drink.

I hadn't thought of breakfasts, as we never do them. I wonder if this will negatively impact breakfast attendance and make lunch and dinners harder to get?

 

[ras1121]

I'm curious to see if the liter beer at the beirgarden will be included or even the beer flight, it's a great value added if that's the case.

 

[LindyN]

Drinks must be ordered with each meal, correct? So we drink with breakfast or forfeit that drink.

For breakfast drinks, have a Mimosa or a Bloody Mary. Its five o'clock somewhere.

 

[Mel*Pie]

So, I am constantly reading on these forums and blogs that signature restaurants are a terrible use of two dining credits. I can see how ordering a plain chicken or veggie dish at one of these restaurants can make that true. But I'm not understanding why this is always the case. Especially at places like Yachtsman where the entree alone is easily $50-$70+++ or even the brunch at California Grill, which looks amazing and includes lobster benedict and bottomless mimosas, doesn't that make them a value at two credits? What am I missing? I haven't been since 2013 so I don't remember how it worked then, but I am currently planning our honeymoon for Feb/Mar 2018 and am debating whether we are going to add the dining plan, or even the deluxe. Help! lol

 

[earfulofmagic]

So, I am constantly reading on these forums and blogs that signature restaurants are a terrible use of two dining credits. I can see how ordering a plain chicken or veggie dish at one of these restaurants can make that true. But I'm not understanding why this is always the case. Especially at places like Yachtsman where the entree alone is easily $50-$70+++ or even the brunch at California Grill, which looks amazing and includes lobster benedict and bottomless mimosas, doesn't that make them a value at two credits? What am I missing? I haven't been since 2013 so I don't remember how it worked then, but I am currently planning our honeymoon for Feb/Mar 2018 and am debating whether we are going to add the dining plan, or even the deluxe. Help! lol

I think it just depends on eating style, price of entrees (as you've said), and what you'd pay otherwise... I would just look at some signature menus of restaurants you like and make your own determination. The hard and fast "bad vs good" use of table credits varies a lot between dining plans, anyway.

It's my future plan to buy the deluxe dining plan, and do one TS breakfast (or lunch), use our snack credits as a light meal/snack for morning or afternoon, and then do a signature every night. Already looked at menus, and based on where we would eat and what we'd like to order, we come out ahead and "maximize value" on the deluxe plan.

Now, whether that is cheaper than just using Tables in Wonderland... still calculating

 

[Mel*Pie]

I think it just depends on eating style, price of entrees (as you've said), and what you'd pay otherwise... I would just look at some signature menus of restaurants you like and make your own determination. The hard and fast "bad vs good" use of table credits varies a lot between dining plans, anyway.

It's my future plan to buy the deluxe dining plan, and do one TS breakfast (or lunch), use our snack credits as a light meal/snack for morning or afternoon, and then do a signature every night. Already looked at menus, and based on where we would eat and what we'd like to order, we come out ahead and "maximize value" on the deluxe plan.

Now, whether that is cheaper than just using Tables in Wonderland... still calculating

Yeah, that sounds like what we would do too. Especially on our honeymoon, which I imagine will be slower paced and less commando "go go go!" touring lol.

If I had an AP, I'd do TIW in a second. But for just one trip in the foreseeable future, I don't think it makes sense this time.

Thanks for your perspective, it's reaffirming!

 

[sharonabe]

So, I am constantly reading on these forums and blogs that signature restaurants are a terrible use of two dining credits. I can see how ordering a plain chicken or veggie dish at one of these restaurants can make that true. But I'm not understanding why this is always the case. Especially at places like Yachtsman where the entree alone is easily $50-$70+++ or even the brunch at California Grill, which looks amazing and includes lobster benedict and bottomless mimosas, doesn't that make them a value at two credits? What am I missing? I haven't been since 2013 so I don't remember how it worked then, but I am currently planning our honeymoon for Feb/Mar 2018 and am debating whether we are going to add the dining plan, or even the deluxe. Help! lol

When you're on the Deluxe plan, they can and usually are a good value. When on the regular plan, it's not that simple. Remember, on the regular plan, you only get entrée, dessert, and drink. Each TS credit in 2018 will be worth about $44, so spending $88 with just those 3 components is more difficult. It can be done, but you need to do your homework.

 

[AllThingsMickey4]

So, I am constantly reading on these forums and blogs that signature restaurants are a terrible use of two dining credits. I can see how ordering a plain chicken or veggie dish at one of these restaurants can make that true. But I'm not understanding why this is always the case. Especially at places like Yachtsman where the entree alone is easily $50-$70+++ or even the brunch at California Grill, which looks amazing and includes lobster benedict and bottomless mimosas, doesn't that make them a value at two credits? What am I missing? I haven't been since 2013 so I don't remember how it worked then, but I am currently planning our honeymoon for Feb/Mar 2018 and am debating whether we are going to add the dining plan, or even the deluxe. Help! lol

My fiancé and I just did the Deluxe dining plan in May and came out $200 ahead. We would do a 1 credit TS breakfast or lunch and then a 2 credit signature dinner. We did California Grill dinner, Spice Road Table lunch, Tiffins dinner, BOG breakfast, CRT lunch, Sci Fi Dinner, Cape May breakfast, Ohana dinner, the Boathouse lunch, and Yachtsman Steakhouse dinner. I don't eat any kind of beef, so I was mostly a chicken or pasta eater, but my fiancé would order expensive steak entrees so I think that helped make up for the value on my end. We also used more than half of our snacks on $5-$6 drinks at Starbucks.

IMO, I'm not sure if the $200 is worth having to analyze the price of every meal and snack we order. Plus we don't usually eat dessert at every meal, so we probably could come out the same by skipping the DP and not ordering dessert or appetizers. We still haven't decided if we are going to do the DP again for Disney Wedding/Honeymoon in April. With the addition of alcoholic drinks I guess I'll have to redo the math

 

[cristen72]

Is there anywhere that has a comprehensive list of alcoholic beverages offered at QS and TS locations? The menus I've look at of various buffets don't always list drink selections. For instance, last year my friend ordered a Bloody Mary at Tusker House with lunch. But on the Tusker House menus I've found, no alcohol is mentioned as being available. In that same vein, do buffets generally offer things like artisan milkshakes for the kids? Because if not, how would these new updates help anyone eating at a character buffet?

Also, I've seen beer at QS at the resorts, but do they offer any type of wine cooler or pre packaged wine? Not everyone likes beer, and obviously you cannot get mixed drinks at QS.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

They is only one in park QS with milkshakes I found, Min and Bills at HS. There are several others QS I saw just browsing at HS and AK that have a few choices for alcohol other than beer. I am not sure they will add things just to give more to dining plan people?

 

[sharonabe]

In that same vein, do buffets generally offer things like artisan milkshakes for the kids? Because if not, how would these new updates help anyone eating at a character buffet?

They don't, and as many of us have said, most places that DO have milk shakes and smoothies have already been giving them to DDP users, so that inclusion is really no benefit at all. The only new benefit is the alcohol. So anyone aged 10-20 is basically paying more to get the same they've always had, thereby subsidizing for those 21 and over who will now get alcohol.