Anybody Else Pay OOP to avoid the hassle?

[Must C Mickey]

We pay OOP and do 1 TS a day but have found that if you do your TS for lunch, prices are a lot lower. Then we usually just do a quick CS for dinner. DH nor I are big breakfast eaters so the big lunch works perfect for us. Since we do TS lunch and CS dinner we don't spend enough on food to make the Dining Plan worth our while.

 

[pooh2001]

I have priced our meals with DDP and without and it came out the same price.

We are not big on getting snacks - so no snack credit needed for us.

Also - some days we do two TS as in Easter Sunday - we do a late breakfast at 1900 Park Fair after the Mass at CR and then off to EPCOT for the day and dinner at the Garden Grill.

We do breakfast in our resort room or a quick early snack in our room, if we have a late AM character breakfast after an early entry moring in the Parks.

We do a food store stop on on way to the resort by using a town car service and buy a case of water, some cereal, fruit, snacks, plastic utensils, paper plates, napkins, plastic bowls and kitchen garbage bags (to be polite with our trash in the resort room).


Also by getting an AAA discount on the room is better than paying full price for the room and getting DDP (unless it's free ).

 

[sandym718]

Also by getting an AAA discount on the room is better than paying full price for the room and getting DDP (unless it's free ).

Just to clarify- you can still get an AAA discount on a room and then add the package with DDP. We did it in 2007 and then again for earlier this year, but ended up cancelling that one and booking the 4/3 deal.

 

[eliza61]

DW and I(& fam) are veteran WDW tourists. A couple of years ago we tried some dining plan that was just more hassle than it was worth. I see all the questions and confusion on these boards and think it sounds like a big headache. We just pay OOP for our meals and snacks. No limitations, no math, no strategies, we just pay as we go. At the end of the day, I think we come out about even.

We tried the dining plan the first year it came out. We only saved about 50 bucks and that was not enough for me to be locked into ADR's, count points and at we didn't like the fact that you had to do it for the entire trip.. We are usually at the world for 10 days. We used our TIW card and pay oop.

 

[cobia214]

we prefer to dine OOP to avoid the attitude, hassle,math, and general stress we are on vacation and want to eat what we want where and as much or little as we like.

 

[MerryFlora]

At the risk of getting flamed by its fans, I think the DDP can be a negative thing in some ways.

I have read that others think the food quality, options and prices tiers have changed for the worse, possibly due to DDP

So much wasted food is bad for the environment. One bite out of the CS dessert that you didn't want and the plastic container ends up in the landfill. Think of the millions of pounds of wasted food and resources over time and so many guests.

So, what about Disney's health kick? They take away white hamburger buns but encourage 2 desserts plus snacks everyday. Conflicting.

Also, how people assume this is a good deal when they are actually spending more than they would have otherwise. Disney advertises 30% savings, I think its misleading. Like buying something on clearance because of the price, not because you need it

Just my 2 cents. not judging anyone....if it works for your family - great and I can see its good points. I believe it can add enjoyment to your vacation where you might buy and eat things you would not normally. Believe me, I certainly dont worry about waste and the ozone or my diet on vacation. So, sorry if I offended.

I am surprised to see so many do not use it beause the boards make it appear very popular.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney advertises UP TO 30% savings - meaning they're saying that's about what you could save if you subscribed to Dining Planus Maximus (always using all the credits you buy and ordering the most expensive items possible). And of course that means savings over purchasing the same items you are entitled to on the dining plan, including desserts. They don't state that everyone can save 30% using the dining plan. It all depends on the way each individual party chooses to use the plan.

The dining plans are very popular because they're convenient and they CAN save money, but they do not work for every guest or every party.

 

[sandym718]

I will say that IF you are a planner/money figure-er, etc. and you enjoy this kind of thing - do the math. Look at the menus on All-Ears and guess what you might want. will it always be the same, no. If you're debating between 2 items, go with the lower cost one or split the difference. See if there's a cost savings for your family. If there is, and you're a planner by nature, I doubt you'd find the DDP a hassle. If you want 1 TS per day, you generally need the ADR's anyways. AFTER our trip this past May, running the numbers - the DDP paid for our TS meals and our snacks and then $17 toward CS meals - for 7 nights. Basically, our CS meals (lunch almost every day) were free. I can 99.9% guarantee that we'd eat our TS meals the same way. DH and both love a good steak. We did 2 buffets, 1 family style (Ohana), 1 signature (CRT) for just 2 of us, and then 3 regular sit-downs. And we all love our sweets, so desserts no problem. Now would we order dessert with a CS meal for lunch- probably not, we'd probably buy a snack later for a treat. but since the CS's were really all "bonuses" for us after the cost of the DDP, well, why the heck not, LOL. Again, this is how it works for US - saved us almost $300. But, we have 2 children and those character meals can really add up. And we like desserts... so for us, it's perfect!

 

[acourtwdw]

Here is how I like to look at the DP:
The cost of the DP is $42
Dinner at Ohana is $39
So now we get a snack and CS meal for $3. Not too shabby

 

[angelmav]

Here is how I like to look at the DP:
The cost of the DP is $42
Dinner at Ohana is $39
So now we get a snack and CS meal for $3. Not too shabby

Ummm, where are you getting that $39 figure for? Dinner at Ohana is $30.99, so its $11 leftover for CS and snack. While that MIGHT eqaute to a savings, chances are your much more likely to break even than to come out ahead.

 

[sandym718]

Don't forget tax, which brings Ohana to about $33 even. $9 leftover for snack and CS. Pretty much works out to a CS sandwich/side and maybe a drink. Making the CS dessert and snack "free". Not trying to argue, just pointing out that the tax needs to be figured in. Of course, Ohana isn't all restaurants, so you definitely wouldn't have this at all places. Again - depends on how/where/when/who with you eat!!

The savings for kids, though, is great - $14.99 for Ohana dinner- only $12 (regular season pricing) for the DDP! I think that's where our savings have really come from -the kids; plans. Ohana, Chef Mickey's, Hollywood and Vine, Crystal Palace, Garden Grill - all those dinners cost more (even before tax) than the kid's daily amount. If places like this are on your itinerary, the kids get lunch (or breakfast) and a snack for free, plus a discounted dinner.

 

[Lu Ann]

I have a different take completely on it being a hassle. Ok, that's too strong a word - let's say minor annoyance. We don't use the dining plan, but when we are at counter service places, I think every person in front of us in line does. By the time they all ask what counts for a snack, meal, dessert, and what do they have left for today, etc., it has taken every family twice as long to get through the line as it used to take pre-DDP. The CM's spend so much time explaining, and the poor guests still seem to look so confused. I don't begrudge anyone saving money on dining, if you are indeed saving money, so we just wait patiently in the lines, but we have certainly noticed a big difference since the DDP came out. I haven't noticed any difference at TS; maybe it's just obvious at CS.

 

[anthonut]

I have never done the DDP, mainly because we like to eat 2 TS a day, usually lunch and dinner, but don't always get appetizers or dessert. The 2 TS a day sort of rules out the regular DP, but because we don't always eat an app and dessert, the Deluxe DP may be too much food if we want it to actually save some money, especially since we wouldn't schedule a signature restaurant each day. This year I have enough time scheduled at Disney that I will probably try the TIW card.

As most have said before, whether the dining plan works for you and other members of your party really does depend on how you eat and how much planning you want to do.

 

[jamstew]

Disney advertises UP TO 30% savings - meaning they're saying that's about what you could save if you subscribed to Dining Planus Maximus (always using all the credits you buy and ordering the most expensive items possible).

BINGO!

The dining plans are very popular because they're convenient and they CAN save money, but they do not work for every guest or every party.

And you have to figure that if Disney wasn't making money on them, they wouldn't be offered

 

[TDC Nala]

Had to delete a tipping question from this thread - please note that per Restaurant Board policy all discussion about tipping should be referred to the Tipping Information Thread at

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2300858

Please read the first post and note that discussion of personal tipping habits or preferences isn't permitted on the Restaurant boards - the first post will let you know why.

 

[TinkGirl]

Our family tried the dining plan last trip and loved it. Even the kids wanted to make sure we were doing it again. I guess it was the little things, like the freedom to get their own drink/snack in the afternoon. (We usually would buy a few drinks and share if not on dp--who wants to pay $15 for water/soda?) As far as a hassle, we found it to be less of a hassle to not have to pay cash for every meal. I love the planning and don't mind it--the kids are teens now and can eat!

 

[Esmerelda]

Interesting post. My hubby and I have about 14 trips under our belts over the last 8 years or so. We did the dining plan in 2007 (it was just us two) and we noticed that the servers seemed to talk down to us once we said we were on a plan? This happened repeatedly. We are very outgoing friendly people and we both noticed this right away. I would say out of 8 sit down restaurants, we caught this at at least 4-5 of them.

The last time we went, of course the first question your server asks basically is if you are on any dining plan. When we replied that we weren't, we felt the servers to be way more friendly? I'm not sure what we missed on this whole dining plan but it was way to much food for us anyhow. We would rather pay out of pocket, order only what we will eat and have warmer servers.

If no one experienced this, then good for you. It was very disheartening to both of us as I stated we are very friendly people.

 

[TDC Nala]

They don't ask if you are on a dining plan so that they can be rude to you - they ask because dining plan checks have to be run up differently than regular checks, so for anyone who is reading the above post it's probably not a good idea to say "no" because you have the perception that servers will be friendlier toward you if you say you are not on a dining plan. If you then spring it on them at the end of the meal and they have to ring up the check again, that likely won't make them any friendlier.

If you ARE on a dining plan they may also be under instructions to explain to you what's covered under the plan. We can't get into tip discussions on this board, but in 2007 tips were automatically included if you were on a dining plan, and some said they found that to be problematic because servers knew they would get a tip no matter what.

 

[nurtz]

I think a lot of people like the dining plan because it is paid for before the trip and they don't have to use cash. While I understand that point, we don't use the dining plan and never carry cash. We use our debit card for meals...the money is in there so it is paid for already. The fact that I can cancel a meal and not have to worry about making up for that credit or losing it to me is more important than the "prepaid" aspect of the dining plan. I have family members who love the dining plan...it just doesn't work for us. It is nice that we all can vacation the way that makes us comfortable and happy!

 

[mrodgers]

I don't want to spend the week eating desserts I don't want, planning to make sure I use all of those credits, etc.

I just made a list of the TS restaurants I reserved (5 including one that takes 2 credits) and looked at the menus. For 4 of the restaurants, I chose what I thought we would order with the entree only and totaled it up. With only those 4 entrees (2 adults and 2 kids) the cost exceeded the dining plan cost by $100 and that was still having 1 TS, the 6 CS and 6 snacks unaccounted for along with the desserts at the TS.

With savings like that, who cares if you eat all the desserts or make sure you use up all the credits. I'd still have a couple hundred dollars to go with adding up the rest, well over what the dining program cost.