Am I the only one not on the Dining Plan?

[nluvwithmickey]

since the arrival of DDP in 2005 we have:

Paid for it twice:

once when youngest DD was still under 9 and we could eat at CRT for 1 TS credit...now THAT was worthwhile!

once on an adult only trip with DH.

Got it for free twice (2006 and 2007):

When the DDP is free, we don't really mind not eating EVERYTHING on the plan. It is free after all! And with youngest DD now 11, it really doesn't matter if she doesn't eat all the food offered on the adult menu. She's a really picky eater and finds herself not ordering out of the adult menu most of the times. Who cares? It's free!

Went without it once in March 2007:

This was a mother daughter vacation and thank goodness we didn't purchase it...DD got the stomach flu 3 out of the 5 days we were there.


Now with the changes coming in 2008, I really don't see myself using the plan any more(unles it is offered for free again, which I highly doubt). We will make a few TS Adrs and wing it on CS the rest of the trip.

 

[SwhJess]

We also do not use the DDP - ran the numbers and it was not even close to being economical for us (DH and I), for multiple reasons:

1) We never drink pop at meals - water with lemon, please!
2) We always split 1 dessert, if we have it at all
3) We like to go during the F&WF - we love to try snacks here and treats there - no point trying to snack around the world when you're full from all of your 3 course meals
4) We're going to try the DDE this year, with the AP (first-timers!!), because the alcohol is included, and is generally just more flexible.

I'm sure the DDP works for some, but as with most things Disney, you can find exactly the ride/show/food/drink/package-deal that fits your taste. One of the reasons we love being at WDW!

 

[ocalla]

I thought we were the only ones who Didn't Do the Plan!!! With the 4 of us, one of which is DD 10, it just doesn't pay. We can't eat that much food, the youngest usually shares with me or her older sister. We usually do CS instead or just grab snacks throughout the day while we walk around.

This will be our first Thanksgiving Trip, and with what I am reading about crowds (which we are not used to), I worry that we would spend to much time sitting in restaurants, trying to make ADR's on time, and will miss out on too much of the park.

My kids just want to be more flexible than that. The only thing they requested was one Character Meal, which I booked at CP.

Maybe when we are "empty nesters", we will give it a try.

 

[honeybee30]

We've gone with the DDP 3 times - once for free dining & twice we paid for it as part of a package. I don't think we'll ever use it again, though. We like signature dining way too much and rather detest counter service (with a few exceptions), so a DDE card works out better for us in the long run. Hello! Discounts on cocktails! LOL! Besides, the 2008 changes to the DDP make it a lot less desirable to me! No appetizer or tip!?!

 

[DISNEYGIRL0811]

Glad to see I am not the only one not to do FREE DINING! With all the FREE DINING TALK I felt left out!

Maybe FREE DINING in the future, but otherwise we'll stick to paying OOP.

 

[idreamdisney]

We are doing DDP for the first time in late September (but will miss free dining). Comes out as a good deal for us. DH2 will be able to eat off our plates, but we won't have to pay anything for him. My DH is a huge eater and I'm not, so I'll just split my food w/ my son. We already had ADRs for 1 TS per day, so it works out to be a really GREAT deal for us, and my husband won't go hungry (something he's always concerned about!!)

I guess it all totally depends on your individual situation and dining preferences. We're traveling w/ my parents who insist on 1 TS a day. If we were going on our own, we'd probably just do CS and snacks all day and be fine. Since we have to do the TS each day, the DDP is saving us money and hopefully worries, too, as we won't be forced to choose the cheapest thing on the menu!

Have fun on your trip!

 

[kimysbug]

too much like work for me

 

[Booknut]

DDP is fine if its free but for us, we wouldn't use it again (especially now that it doesn't include gratuities or an appetizer at dinner). You just feel like you're living by a food schedule and the amount of food is kinda crazy too!

We will definitely pay OOP next time we go.

 

[tiggersmyguy]

We did not do DDP on our visit this past June. We did use DDE and then I kept track of our food spending (even snacks and drinks) for our trip. DDP would have cost our family almost $160 per day (myself DH,DD17 and DD13). We ate at Le Cellier, Rose and Crown, and Crystal Palace among others ts and cs. It only cost us approx. $110.00 per day, and we didn't gain 5lbs

 

[Mickiethepooh]

We always do table service at least once a day but we never did use the Dining plan till this upcoming trip in Nov. it should save us quite a bit really. Of course now they have changed it so not sure about savings on future trips.

 

[DisneySweetie]

I don't think DF (soon-to-be-DH) and I will ever do it. Then again, maybe if it's free. But with the 2008 changes, maybe not.

We are too picky when it comes to everything food related. Plus, we really do tend to like the same things. We do a lot of sharing at restaurants. And, well, we're not at WDW to eat, we're there to PLAY!

We like to go with the flow and not plan our lives around ADRs. We only have 3 ADRs for our upcoming 10-day Disneymoon in December (including CP package). We only did 2 the last time we were there and that was bliss. We like the idea of going to whatever park our heart desires. Shocking, I know.

Really, some of the CS places have some good choices. And, when all else fails, we eat ice cream or maybe split a funnel cake (and perhaps now that I am better informed - we will seek out that famous Dole Whip). After all, that's what vacation is all about.

 

[wdwboundn2008]

DD16 and I won't be using the DDP either for our trip in February. She LOVES the Rainforest Cafe and it isn't included on the plan. I don't mind paying OOP for our meals when we can go wherever we want and order whatever we want.

 

[baileybelle]

We don't do DDP either. Last year I saved all my receipts and we would have spent more and eaten way too much using DDP. We still do at least 4-5 TS during our 7 day stay, but we do lunch (cheaper and a nice break during the middle of the day) and no buffets.

 

[bjgrazi]

We're not doing it either. it doesn't pay for us. They charge you by how many nights you stay and for us, we're getting in late and leaving early.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I'm not on the dining plan. Was thinking about it for this year but my friend who's going didn't think he'd eat enough to cover the per day cost... (him, the reputable bottomless pit eater who's NOT 16! )

Maybe, after we see what we spend this year, may try for it next time, depending on when our trip will be; it'll be based on some other friends who are gonna celebrate their wedding anniversary...

 

[Cool-Beans]

Did it once, when they first started it - HATED IT. Not doing it again.

 

[idreamdisney]

What did you hate about it?

 

[scrump]

Not for us, we don't really do CS and don't always need three courses and a drink with every meal. We are also very happy with the DDE.

 

[lgncd]

I am not on the dinning plan. I booked 'Ohana for dinner, Plaza for MK lunch and Chef Mickey's for character breakfast. This is the 1st time in all my trips I have ever had ts meals.

 

[pooch]

we've gotten it free every year, but I LOVE the DDP.

No, we don't spend all our time obssessing about ADR's. I plan them around my loose (just which park on which day) touring plan.

No, we don't get WAYYY too much food. We order what we want not everything we can get. When its free, its all gravy.

No, its no trouble. Most of us on these boards are uberplanners anyway. Looking at menus and planning our meals is part of the fun, actually in DH's opinion, the ONLY fun!!

And we aren't eligible for DDE so that isn't an option.