2018 QSDP - Not Doin' It

[Stacy's a freak]

So we're booked for a late February 2018 value 7 night trip and I originally added the dining plan. I have only done the regular dining plan (1 TS, 1 QS) once in the past and I found it to be stressful for me ... and it was just me - no one else to worry about. I wanted more flexibility and found that I didn't need that much food. Now that there are 4 of us on this trip (all over 10 years old), the QSDP is quite the hefty charge. I calculated our probable spending on an online calculator and I think we would spend much more on the plan than just paying out of pocket. So I have asked my TA to remove it which she has already done.

I wonder if people truly think the QS dining plan is a savings? We would definitely get the refillable mugs and may each use 2 snack credits per day for drinks or snacks but I really think the per day/per person fee is too much. Did that increase a lot from 2017 to 2018 to account for the possible alcohol cost? For us, I can't see me and DH each having more than one alcoholic drink per day and even that is a stretch for us.

For those who have used the QSDP in the past, will you continue to do so in 2018 with this new setup? Do you think it will be a savings for you?

 

[christianweecare]

DH & I are planning a May 2018 trip with our DGD's (ages 14 & 10). We thought about doing the quick or basic service plan for the trip but after putting a calculator to it decided that OOP will be a much better option for us. We are DVC and have AP's so we can apply discounts at some restaurants.

 

[Pennstate6411]

I do not think any dining plan is designed to really save you money. You are being charged as if you will chose the most expensive item possible every time. This adds up! We toyed with doing the QSDP this November and then just add on a few TS meals OOP. When all said an done it was going to be about even or cheaper just do OOP. I think the only way a dining plan is worth it is if its your "free" discount and you have a family of 4 or more staying. Otherwise OOP is cheaper overall. There's a reason so many people are taking home dozens of mickey mouse rice crispy treats at the end of their trip- they didn't spend all their meals and or snacks on the plan. All that being said- I think whether you do it or not there is maybe on avg a break even point and $100 give or take from that point. I think many chose the DDPs simply to make it easier then have to worry about what they are charging to the room or how much money they are spending at each meal and snack.

We chose OOP this trip - trip prior we had free dining and had about 3 QS meals left with each person- Snack credits and TS usually filled us up for the day. Also the last time we had the DDP you got desert with both QS and TS so many times desert would use as a breakfast or lunch the next day or your snack was good enough.

I think they are making it less enticing for people to use the dining plan

At some point I would think Disney is going to just do away with the dining plan and make it if you stay on property you are required to do an all inclusive package meaning you will have to do the DDP.

 

[Faldred]

General rule of thumb - QSDP and basic DDP are bad values if paying for it yourself (as opposed to it being included in a promotion such as free dining), unless you have at least as many kids (3-9) as adults (10+) on the reservation.

Deluxe DDP is actually a decent value, kids or adults, if that's the way you actually want to eat.

 

[disney144]

We're considering adding the QSDP to our package in January if a stay play and dine deal comes out. We are two adults staying at pop. We would likely eat 2 quick service meals per day, with DH usually ordering one of the more expensive items. I'm not totally sure about the snacks, but we would love to eat around the world during the festival of the arts. We tried it once at DL food and wine and left very hungry. The sticker shock was too much for us. We'd likely each have at least one beer per day. We're thinking that if it is discounted, we might just break even.

 

[sharonabe]

We're considering adding the QSDP to our package in January if a stay play and dine deal comes out. We are two adults staying at pop. We would likely eat 2 quick service meals per day, with DH usually ordering one of the more expensive items. I'm not totally sure about the snacks, but we would love to eat around the world during the festival of the arts. We tried it once at DL food and wine and left very hungry. The sticker shock was too much for us. We'd likely each have at least one beer per day. We're thinking that if it is discounted, we might just break even.

The problem with the SPD discount is no one really knows what that discount is. In order for you to make an informed decision, I would price out a package right now for the dates you want and where you want to stay. Do it with and without the QSDP and save those numbers. When the discounts come out, you'll have a better idea of what you're saving or if a room discount is a better deal.

 

[GillianP1301]

QSDP is the hardest to get value out of it, followed by the DDP and with DxDP being the easiest to get value out of. Dining plan isn't really meant to be a way to save a ton of money, there are far more ways to eat with lower costs, if that is what you are looking to do (i.e. buying food for your room, sharing meals, not doing any character meals, etc... ).

 

[sharonabe]

I was curious how this might play out with the alcoholic drinks thrown in and I'm surprised. Most QS beer, wine, specialty drinks are in the $7-10 range. So let's do an $8.50 average. Two of those is $17. $5 per snack is $10. Add those together and subtract from the $52.50 price per night and your entrees still need to be $12.75 each just to break even. Throw in one or two Disney adult kids who are under 21 and can only get non-alcoholic drinks and you're in trouble. I couldn't find one over $6 and most are around $5.

So anyone who doesn't drink alcohol or doesn't want two drinks a day is going to have a VERY difficult time making the QSDP work financially. Disney is VERY smart!!

 

[Pennstate6411]

I think Free Dining is OVER after 2017 at this point. Adding alcoholic beverages was genius for Disney.

1. Disney charges such a premium for alcohol - Lets say a case of beer wholesale is $20 dollars. They sell for $8.00 a beer that's $192 for that case of beer- that's $172 profit - adding a free alcoholic beverage and increasing prices by 4 dollars a day keeps them even or more likely ahead as many wont drink and no one wants to drink a specialty drink or milk shake at every meal- you will get sick if you drink 2 milkshakes a day plus all the other food and snacks- its offered in the package but it will be VERY under utilized and make a bigger profit margin for them.

2. I am not sure about Florida laws but I am pretty sure in Pennsylvania you can not give away free alcohol, its a dangerous thing to do too, so unless Disney finds a loophole in FL law that allows them to offer the dining package with an alcoholic drink for a promotion, I don't think they will legally be allowed to offer this promotion. So unless they change the plan when they normally offer free dining ( such as alcohol is not included in the free dining packages) I don't think Free Dining will be back next year.

 

[loves to dive]

I think for most it's a comfort thing. On either dining plan they feel like it's already paid for and they don't have to worry, they can order the most expensive thing on the menu and not feel guilty. We don't use and haven't in years, the last time we used it it was similar to the deluxe plan now, you got 3 TS meals a day which included appy and dessert. We just don't eat that way any more and have found that if you just order what you want and not look at prices, you still can feel comfortable and most likely come out better.

 

[Faldred]

2. I am not sure about Florida laws but I am pretty sure in Pennsylvania you can not give away free alcohol, its a dangerous thing to do too, so unless Disney finds a loophole in FL law that allows them to offer the dining package with an alcoholic drink for a promotion, I don't think they will legally be allowed to offer this promotion. So unless they change the plan when they normally offer free dining ( such as alcohol is not included in the free dining packages) I don't think Free Dining will be back next year.

Eh, even if there were such a law, "free dining" is just marketing speak - it's a room/tickets/dining plan package with a discount equal to the cost of the dining plan component. They're not giving it away for free, it's a discount applied if you get a specific room and minimum ticket package (and forgo any other potential discounts which might otherwise apply).

 

[jsmla]

SeaWorld gave away beer last year during their Brew and BBQ thing, have the laws changed?

I've had the QSDP almost every time I've stayed onsite solo. I like the prepaid aspect because, without it, I tend to order the cheapest thing on the menu-usually a kid's meal. I know that I probably don't come out ahead financially with the plan but I do tend to eat much healthier and enjoy it more. It's a mind game thing with me. For some reason it's psychologically easier to book the QSDP, even knowing it's probably not the best option money wise, than it is to order that $13 salad once I'm there.

 

[Pennstate6411]

I guess they could word it where they don't call it free dining and get away with it?

Was there a cover or ticket purchase required for the Sea World event?

 

[jsmla]

I guess they could word it where they don't call it free dining and get away with it?

Was there a cover or ticket purchase required for the Sea World event?

Nope, park tickets were actually discounted:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...ticket-discount-free-beer-20160226-story.html

Now this was a looooong time ago but I had a college roommate from Pennsylvania and she was amazed at how much looser the liquor laws were here in Louisiana when compared to her home state. We can buy the hard stuff in the grocery store not only in specially licensed shops. Then, again, we also have drive-thru daiquiri places.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Yeah.... Dining Plans are NOT meant as a money-saver. I don't know how people somehow ever got that idea in their heads....

My family likes to use it because yes, we like to order the most expensive items and everyone shares a little bit of something. I don't like thinking about prices. I also don't like running around the Park in a serious HANGRY snit, getting more and more frustrated that there's no place to sit down and eat. And how fun is it to scan your MB to pay?

Dining Plan forces you to sit down and plan some ADR's which give some kind of "support" to the day - now you know what side of the Park you're heading to, and when, you know what's over there, you can create some kind of plan. No Dining Plan? No plan to actually eat during the day - which causes serious trouble when your blood sugar is crashing!!!

But if you're crunching numbers for your trip budget, I would say, allocate your food fund to a Disney GC or something. Don't use the Dining Plan to save money, because it's not designed to save you money.

 

[Pennstate6411]

Nope, park tickets were actually discounted:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...ticket-discount-free-beer-20160226-story.html

Now this was a looooong time ago but I had a college roommate from Pennsylvania and she was amazed at how much looser the liquor laws were here in Louisiana when compared to her home state. We can buy the hard stuff in the grocery store not only in specially licensed shops. Then, again, we also have drive-thru daiquiri places.

It sounds like they too used this as marketing so maybe disney could do the same thing "is part of the cost of ticket/package". Sea world used the words free beer but it was probably in their paperwork/accounting etc that it was really included in their ticket price

 

[sharonabe]

And how fun is it to scan your MB to pay?

Dining Plan forces you to sit down and plan some ADR's which give some kind of "support" to the day - now you know what side of the Park you're heading to, and when, you know what's over there, you can create some kind of plan. No Dining Plan? No plan to actually eat during the day - which causes serious trouble when your blood sugar is crashing!!!

We do ALL of that without a dining plan and save money too. But Disney LOVES people who just like the "already paid" feel to their vacation.

 

[Pennstate6411]

http://brewerslaw.com/florida-tasting-rules/

Looks like 3.5 oz

 

[Shanti]

So we're booked for a late February 2018 value 7 night trip and I originally added the dining plan. I have only done the regular dining plan (1 TS, 1 QS) once in the past and I found it to be stressful for me ... and it was just me - no one else to worry about. I wanted more flexibility and found that I didn't need that much food. Now that there are 4 of us on this trip (all over 10 years old), the QSDP is quite the hefty charge. I calculated our probable spending on an online calculator and I think we would spend much more on the plan than just paying out of pocket. So I have asked my TA to remove it which she has already done.

I wonder if people truly think the QS dining plan is a savings? We would definitely get the refillable mugs and may each use 2 snack credits per day for drinks or snacks but I really think the per day/per person fee is too much. Did that increase a lot from 2017 to 2018 to account for the possible alcohol cost? For us, I can't see me and DH each having more than one alcoholic drink per day and even that is a stretch for us.

For those who have used the QSDP in the past, will you continue to do so in 2018 with this new setup? Do you think it will be a savings for you?

You calculated correctly. Most people who buy these plans don't bother to calculate, so they don't realize that they're more expensive than paying out of pocket. Some people know the plans are more expensive, but don't care, as long as their food is pre-paid.

In terms of saving money, you made the right choice.

 

[Shanti]

Yeah.... Dining Plans are NOT meant as a money-saver. I don't know how people somehow ever got that idea in their heads....

I don't like thinking about prices. I also don't like running around the Park in a serious HANGRY snit, getting more and more frustrated that there's no place to sit down and eat. And how fun is it to scan your MB to pay?

No Dining Plan? No plan to actually eat during the day.

I understand the part about not wanting to think about prices. A lot of people like to prepay for food so that the trip feels more like a cruise, with everything pre-paid. There is value in that if that's your preference.

But you definitely don't need a dining plan to reserve table service meals or to pay via Magic Band. We don't use the dining plan, & I always tap my Magic Band to pay- it is charged to my account at the resort. That's the way Magic Bands work for everyone who stays onsite. No need for a dining plan for that. And anyone can make an ADR. We book 1 or 2 table service meals per day, with no dining plan.