$900 worth of food in seven days???

[tiff211]

I keep figuring out this DP thing. It looks very good. But with the discounts thru AAA and my job, if I switch and get a package to get the meal plan it will be an additional $900. I already have 3 character meals booked that comes close to $300 but I just don't think we will spend another $600 in food to justify getting plan. Does anyone eat that much? I am sure if we go to all the great restaurants for table service it would work out. But imo that's too time consuming. I think as I type this I have talked myself out of it. Does the DP NOT work for anyone else? This time the board confused me because everyone is raving about it so!!!!!!

 

[**pixiedust**]

If you don't plan on doing table service meals then there is no way I would purchase the dining plan. Just pay as you go! Have a great time!

 

[2BOYMOM]

We have decided against the DP for our June trip. My boys both count as adults now and it would cost us over $1,000 for the dining plan and we never spend that much on food! We are planning 4 sit down meals and the rest counter service (plus a Rainforest Cafe meal but I have gift cards for that one). Table service takes up alot of time, and we just don't want to spend that much time eating everyday. We kept going back and forth on this, but I think we've made the correct decision for us.


Kim

 

[kjs1976]

I wouldn't do it. With kiddos, it is often easier to bring your own snacks, split meals, etc. then it is to sit down for three full meals a day. Plus I'm sure you don't want them eating ice cream or popcorn for each snack (which they probably wouldn't always eat ALL of it) and I'm sure they're not always excited to eat a piece of fruit either....most times I bet a hand full of cheerios or cheese-its does the trick!

 

[nbodyhome]

If you don't think you'll get enough benefit out of it, there is no reason to get it! For some, it's a good value. For others, it's just feels like a very large amount of food every day.

Denise

 

[aksunshine]

If you don't plan to eat TS meals, don't do it. We just got back from a mini- 3 day trip and saved $150 on our meals by using the plan for DH, DD3, and myself. It is a lot of food though!

 

[lsteadman]

I have taken several trips to Disney since I made the mistake of purchasing an AP. You get sucked into "making the most out those $800 AP passes!" I could have purchased another big screen with that money or something good like that.

In Jan 05, we did the Dining Plan. Myself and my DD9 at the time. Had a great time with lots of food. Saved a ton of money.

In May 05, purchased an AP and DDE card. We ate whatever we wanted but didn't save like we did with the Dining Plan. However, I did receive discount that justified the purchase of the card - even balance. When I came back in May wrote a review stating that if I ever went back to Disney I would do the plan. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't book a trip without the plan.

Dec 05, still have the AP card and DDE card. Used twice better saving - justified the DDE card.

Take a look at Deb's website and the menus on their. Look at all the restaurants and plan a typical day (if any) of where you think you will eat and which parks. I know that is hard but do it anyway -- give it your best guesstimate. If after research you find yourself spending more than the plan get the plan.

When my AP expires I will not renew. Just going to continue to book the dining. I will save me and my DD who is now 10 money. I plan to go again in April 05. So I will use the DDE discount again and the AP.

Have a great trip!

 

[Grumpy'n'Goofy]

You are not alone, I looked at getting the DP for our trip this July. For us it just doesn't make sense. I know my soon to be 2yo DS would have trouble sitting through a sit down meal every day.

The other thing I don't like about it is having to pre-schedule all those meals...to me it just seems like the dining schedule you set out would be dictating which park you went to and when you would have to be there, therefore not allowing much flexibility.

Just my $0.02

 

[JaneH]

meals within the parks ie counter service and snacks add up very fast! I used my ts meals for many buffets and/or character meals (I have very picky eaters).

It is really eye opening when you see that 3 counter service meals can be more than $50! We split many counter service lunches and used some for breakfast.

Yes it is expensive, but I also didn't want to get into any money pinching poor eating while at the park also. It was relaxing that is was pre-paid and all I had to do was hand over my card. I truly think we made better food choices. Ok - my ds12 & 9 did eat a lot of icecream and frozen fruit bars and popcorn and sodas and powerades as snacks, but we were on vacation and I never had to say NO based cost. (well cost at that moment)

 

[theycallmered]

The DDP is definetly something that works for some people/famlies and does not work for others. You just have to look at what you are willing to pay, what you are going to want to eat, where you are going to want to eat, and how much you are going to want to eat.

I did some quick math and for seven days at $900 total, on the DDP you would be paying about $130 per day. If you even think you might spend around $130 a day just go for it. Knowing that it is already paid for makes things so much easier. Then again, if you think that you are in no way going to spend $130 a day on food then definetly don't do the DDP.

Doing the DDP or not doing the plan will not ruin your vacation. So with whatever you do have a great vacation in WDW!!

 

[solgent]

We are not going to use the Dining Plan. The people who do use it do save, but that doesn't mean that it's right for everyone. You will see people say, I would spend (more than the cost of 1 day's DP) on (one meal that I have planned). It is true that ON THAT DAY the DP would be better. But can you or do you want to eat like that EVERY day? We do not. We are very light eaters.

 

[Dale-Not-Chip]

I wouldn't do it. With kiddos, it is often easier to bring your own snacks, split meals, etc. then it is to sit down for three full meals a day. Plus I'm sure you don't want them eating ice cream or popcorn for each snack (which they probably wouldn't always eat ALL of it) and I'm sure they're not always excited to eat a piece of fruit either....most times I bet a hand full of cheerios or cheese-its does the trick!

You only get 2 meals a day and Water can be your Snack. Bottled water at the park is $2.00 each. you get a dessert at your counter lunch and it can be one you take on the go. Rice Krispy treet comes to mind.

This plan is not for everyone.

I keep figuring out this DP thing. It looks very good. But with the discounts thru AAA and my job, if I switch and get a package to get the meal plan it will be an additional $900. I already have 3 character meals booked that comes close to $300 but I just don't think we will spend another $600 in food to justify getting plan. Does anyone eat that much? I am sure if we go to all the great restaurants for table service it would work out. But imo that's too time consuming. I think as I type this I have talked myself out of it. Does the DP NOT work for anyone else? This time the board confused me because everyone is raving about it so!!!!!!

You'll have to do the math yourself. And you didn't make it clear how long your going or how importent the characters are to your kids, but the most time consuming things at the parks are the characters. If you go to as many diffrent Character meals you can you will save time by not standing in line at the park.

Does anybody eat that much? How many meals a day do you eat now. Grantted they give you a little excess on the plates especially at dinner but your supposed to have 3 squares a day. They have taught that since Kindergarden.

There are many diffrent type of Park goers. from the find the meals at Disney as important to the ones that take in a backpacj\k full of stuff to not be hungry. You have to decide where lie. I myself will never go without the DP as long as there is a DP to be had.

 

[beth_cam]

You may not actually save money. It would probably be well less than those meals would cost, but if you wouldnt have paid it to eat there then it isnt a savings. We first said no way. Then we started looking at things for us we had 2 adults 2 kids 8 days = 800. And dont forget that this covers tax and a 15% tip at you sit downs so you need to use that if you compare. like the 3 character meals gonna run close to 300 (1900 park fare tax, tip all included for was something like 120 alone). Then you figure that eating counter service 2 meals a day for all remaining days is probably going to cost close to $30 per meal. Okay thats $60 a day. + the extra meal on the table service days +30 a day. So 300 + 300 (5X60) + 90 (3X30) = 690. So 110 less than the dining plan - however while the 30 a meal may be inflated there are probably times when it is low too. Not to mention that I havent included any snacks or a 3rd meal. Now I know the dining plan doesnt cover a third meal a day but with a sit down dinner each day you arent as likely to need it, and you have the snack credits to get a piece of fruit or something for breakfast. So While I didnt see it as a savings I figured for about the same maybe a bit more I didnt have to worry about it guarenteed this was all we would spend. We are definitely doing it again and once again I tried to consider the prices especially as I was planning meals and looking at menu prices...Once again we WILL not save money but I wont be having to watch menu prices. Dont forget as well that if you dont use all your credits due to sharing plates or whatever, you get covered from check in til midnight on checkout day. I know if we went without the dining plan everytime we went to eat I'd be how can we order for the cheapest this way, I know how much I've spent and dont have to worry about it.

One more thing, from reading your post I was wondering...do you think you lose your AAA discount if you get a package. You dont have to lose it but AAA packages have to be booked through AAA. the discount is still only on the room but allows you to add dining and tix.

I wanted to second what the previous poster said about meals and time consuming. We only stood in one line last year to meet a character - Snow White since she wasnt at any of the meals. We happened on a few others who weren't at meals when they had no lines/1 or 2 ahead of us so we stopped. But we saw so many characters and got so many autographs at meals my kids only asked to stop for Snow White/Dope and the Star Wars people. Most of the Star Wars People were way too long of a line and again they weren't even terribly dissappointed because we had seen so many characters. That was my plan When I booked the meals...I booked for maximum princess exposure lol. I planned meal times for before we started our day or at transition times. Rather than tell the kids it's time to leave the park I told them It's time to go have lunch with.....

 

[Anewman]

Dining plan is now $38 per person per day.
without the plan and eating just two CS meals and a snack we were looking at around $30 per person per day.

my kids ideal counter service meals
$8 burger
$2 Bottled water
$3 dessert
$13 total for a Counter service meal times two equals $26 add a snack and you are at 30 bucks. I could not imagine letting them eat 14 of these meals in a 7 day period, obviously I decided to pay the extra $5(last years price) and got the plan. But I did notice my daughter ordered burgers at 1 of our 7 sit down meals(SCI FI).

 

[tiff211]

You may not actually save money. It would probably be well less than those meals would cost, but if you wouldnt have paid it to eat there then it isnt a savings. We first said no way. Then we started looking at things for us we had 2 adults 2 kids 8 days = 800. And dont forget that this covers tax and a 15% tip at you sit downs so you need to use that if you compare. like the 3 character meals gonna run close to 300 (1900 park fare tax, tip all included for was something like 120 alone). Then you figure that eating counter service 2 meals a day for all remaining days is probably going to cost close to $30 per meal. Okay thats $60 a day. + the extra meal on the table service days +30 a day. So 300 + 300 (5X60) + 90 (3X30) = 690. So 110 less than the dining plan - however while the 30 a meal may be inflated there are probably times when it is low too. Not to mention that I havent included any snacks or a 3rd meal. Now I know the dining plan doesnt cover a third meal a day but with a sit down dinner each day you arent as likely to need it, and you have the snack credits to get a piece of fruit or something for breakfast. So While I didnt see it as a savings I figured for about the same maybe a bit more I didnt have to worry about it guarenteed this was all we would spend. We are definitely doing it again and once again I tried to consider the prices especially as I was planning meals and looking at menu prices...Once again we WILL not save money but I wont be having to watch menu prices. Dont forget as well that if you dont use all your credits due to sharing plates or whatever, you get covered from check in til midnight on checkout day. I know if we went without the dining plan everytime we went to eat I'd be how can we order for the cheapest this way, I know how much I've spent and dont have to worry about it.

One more thing, from reading your post I was wondering...do you think you lose your AAA discount if you get a package. You dont have to lose it but AAA packages have to be booked through AAA. the discount is still only on the room but allows you to add dining and tix.

I wanted to second what the previous poster said about meals and time consuming. We only stood in one line last year to meet a character - Snow White since she wasnt at any of the meals. We happened on a few others who weren't at meals when they had no lines/1 or 2 ahead of us so we stopped. But we saw so many characters and got so many autographs at meals my kids only asked to stop for Snow White/Dope and the Star Wars people. Most of the Star Wars People were way too long of a line and again they weren't even terribly dissappointed because we had seen so many characters. That was my plan When I booked the meals...I booked for maximum princess exposure lol. I planned meal times for before we started our day or at transition times. Rather than tell the kids it's time to leave the park I told them It's time to go have lunch with.....

Funny thing, AAA quoted me more for some reason than WDW. No idea why?

 

[Schachteles]

There are definitely pros and cons to both...but just like everyone else says, sit down and figure out how much you would be spending and how many days you will be there. We are spending 11 days in Orlando, but likely only 4 in WDW...so to pay that kind of money is CRAZY. Our family enjoys eating (and will pay good money for good food), but to justify that amount of money to me is just nuts.

 

[solgent]

How many meals a day do you eat now. Grantted they give you a little excess on the plates especially at dinner but your supposed to have 3 squares a day. They have taught that since Kindergarden.

We have tried to teach the kids to eat according to their appetites. Not what's on the plate, not what anyone says they are supposed to do.

So yes we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner-- the same number of meals-- but the amount of food consumed per person is quite a bit less than a typical restaurant portion. For example, if we go to McDonald's, the five of us will share 3 Value Meals. Or if we eat a restaurant lunch, nobody is hungry at dinnertime.

 

[Dale-Not-Chip]

But can you or do you want to eat like that EVERY day?

No. Just at Disney.

 

[minniedisney1]

We loved the dp. We spent $490 on it for 7 days. That is less than I normally would budget for food. We usually budget about $100 a day for food/snacks. 2 adults & one 2yr. old. We actually ended up with receipts for close to $750. So for us it saved money. We did a ts about every day for dinner. We go back to the room for nap time in the afternoons. I planned dinner for 6ish every night. That way we could rest/relax by the pool & not be rushed to get back to the parks. Wherever we ate dinner is the park we stayed at that night. It worked for us. We did 3 character meals, Biergarten, Le Cellier, Rose & Crown, & Teppanyaki. My DS ate fairly healthy at all of them. No nuggets & fries. A real dinner meat & veggies. So I guess it is whatever works for your family. We have it for our annual trip in dec. Good Luck with whatever you choose!!!

 

[2BOYMOM]

AAA quoted me more too. I asked for a quote on 3 different occasions and got the same price each time which was the same price Disney quoted me for a package (so no room discount). So I call Disney and get the AAA discount on the room only. I couldn't understand that...



Kim