Another dining plan question

[Grmnshplvr]

This is our first trip without the dining plan. With my pickiest eater being 13 and an "adult" I just can't justify it. Regular dining would have added $1000 to our trip. I am planning 1 TS a day and 1 QS a day, no mugs, probably 1 snack a day each (maybe less). Do you think $800 would be reasonable for 2 adults 2 kids? The 13 year old will be "adult" for 2 of our buffets but the rest of the time she will order from the kids menu. DH wants me to add the dining plan I am trying to show him we can save money without it and not even give much up. We didn't use the mugs last time anyways. Trip is for 5 days. My break down is below

We don't order appetizers or dessert anyways.

Day 1 - 2 Qs meals
DAy 2 - 1 QS and Tusker House
Day 3 - 1 QS and 1900 park fare
Day 4 - 1 QS and sci fi diner
Day 5 - 1 QS and Coral Reef.

 

[worm761]

This is our first trip without the dining plan. With my pickiest eater being 13 and an "adult" I just can't justify it. Regular dining would have added $1000 to our trip. I am planning 1 TS a day and 1 QS a day, no mugs, probably 1 snack a day each (maybe less). Do you think $800 would be reasonable for 2 adults 2 kids? The 13 year old will be "adult" for 2 of our buffets but the rest of the time she will order from the kids menu. DH wants me to add the dining plan I am trying to show him we can save money without it and not even give much up. We didn't use the mugs last time anyways. Trip is for 5 days. My break down is below

We don't order appetizers or dessert anyways.

Day 1 - 2 Qs meals
DAy 2 - 1 QS and Tusker House
Day 3 - 1 QS and 1900 park fare
Day 4 - 1 QS and sci fi diner
Day 5 - 1 QS and Coral Reef.

What I do is go here and look at menus. http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/menus/wdw/menus.shtml

I guess at the most expensive item each of us may order. I include apps and desserts where we would want them. Then I add up all the totals and see how it compares to the DDP.

Now, my DH is like yours. He wants the dining plan. But when I showed him that we are more likely to want an app than a dessert, he started seeing my way as better.

 

[Marionnette]

This is our first trip without the dining plan. With my pickiest eater being 13 and an "adult" I just can't justify it. Regular dining would have added $1000 to our trip. I am planning 1 TS a day and 1 QS a day, no mugs, probably 1 snack a day each (maybe less). Do you think $800 would be reasonable for 2 adults 2 kids? The 13 year old will be "adult" for 2 of our buffets but the rest of the time she will order from the kids menu. DH wants me to add the dining plan I am trying to show him we can save money without it and not even give much up. We didn't use the mugs last time anyways. Trip is for 5 days. My break down is below

We don't order appetizers or dessert anyways.

Day 1 - 2 Qs meals
DAy 2 - 1 QS and Tusker House
Day 3 - 1 QS and 1900 park fare
Day 4 - 1 QS and sci fi diner
Day 5 - 1 QS and Coral Reef.

Try the dining plan calculator on this website:
http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0

It should help you decide whether any of the dining plans is a good deal for you. It even takes any discounts that you might qualify for into account.

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

And another meal plan calculator:

http://www.distripplanner.com/

 

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, I'm assuming you are talking about getting the regular dining plan (1 TS, 1 CS, 1 snack, and 1 refill mug) for 5 nights at $1k. However, it really costs more than $1K b/c you have to pay the tips on all of your table service meals. So, you probably are talking of budgeting an extra 10-12% to the overall cost of the plan, or $1100-$1125 minimum if you get the plan.

If you are not getting the plan, I'd budget the original $1K (just so you have it), which is already a 10-12% savings, and then see how you do eating anything you want at all the places you have listed. I think you'll come in under, but this way, you won't worry.

And I wouldn't count on your oldest child being allowed a kid's meal at TS - if she is, then it's a bonus, but she is not close to 9, so that may be an issue for pricing (they may give her a kid type meal at an adult size and price). She may want to look at apps or sharing an app/shake and meal with a parent as an option (especially at Sci-Fi) too.

Oh, and you don't get any apps in the dining plans, so that would be an extra cost on top of the $1125 as well...

 

[disneypharm]

I just posted this in another thread, but here is what we did 2 months ago.

We had DDP 3 times (first one back in 2005 paid and then free dining twice) before paying OOP this last June for the first time.

In total, we spent $901.60 (about $50 not food for misc things) for 4 Disney adults (me, DH, DD16, and DD14) for 7 nights stay. If we bought the regular dining plan, it would have been over $1600. I bought $1000 worth of Disney GCs from Target over several months, so I actually paid $950 using my Red card.

We LOVED it. I was so worried that I would be nervous to spend money, but all we did was loading the GCs in our resort account and used our Magic bands to spend money.

We did 4 Table service restaurants; Raglan Rd, Chef De France, SciFi Cafe, and Via Napoli. DH and I shared some meals, but we substituted it with some appetizers (not allowed by DDP) and desserts. We also felt that we were eating around the World Show Case when we wanted smaller things. We all had desserts at Boulangerie Patisserie in France and Brats and Beer (only DH) in Germany. We loved the fried pickles at SciFi, had 3 course meals at Chef de France, and shared 2 different appetizers and 2 different desserts at Raglan Rd in addition to 4 dinners.
At Magic Kingdom, we had Be Our Guests lunch, as well as La Foue's and Pork Shank at Gaston's tavern.
With DDP, I was always wondered if this or that was allowed. I felt that 4 Table service restaurants were perfect for a 7 night trip.
Overall, we all loved doing it OOP.

 

[d3gauss]

What I do is go here and look at menus. http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/menus/wdw/menus.shtml

I guess at the most expensive item each of us may order. I include apps and desserts where we would want them. Then I add up all the totals and see how it compares to the DDP.

Now, my DH is like yours. He wants the dining plan. But when I showed him that we are more likely to want an app than a dessert, he started seeing my way as better.

You just blew my mind with the appetizer thing...I would love an appetizer way more than a dessert...well played