Anyone NOT do the Dining Plan?

[Kycha]

We had the dining plan last year when they offered it free. It was definitely more food than my DH and I could eat and we are normal eaters. We ended up with 7 leftover cs meals. The biggest problem we encountered was the time that is wasted during the table service meals. Last year we had ADR's for Le Cellier and it took over 2 hours from start to finish. We waited about an hour just to be seated, then it took over an hour to eat. We not only had a slow server, but with all those courses, they eat up a lot of your time. We would have much rather spent that time in the parks. Just wanted to give you something else to consider.

 

[LAWalz23]

The dining plan isn't for everyone as you have to consider the way you eat while at WDW to find out if it makes sense. I for one am looking forward to trying it for a trip in Dec and then deciding whether or not it makes sense. I am looking forward to being able to order an appetizer and dessert each night as I rarely do this even though we do eat a TS at least 1x per day.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

I don't do the dining plan plan not because it's way too much food. We eat at too many of the signature restaurants and the plan would be too much of a hassle to figure that out. We would use up a lot credits and have to pay out of pocket anyway. Also we eat 3 meals a day and the meal plan only gives you two meals. Again we would be paying out of pocket. We also don't want to be told that this or that isn't covered. To me, a vacation is not having to worry about where or what you eat or if you are getting the most bang for your buck. I much rather know that I can order what I want and just pay it. I do think it is terrific for those that need to budget their money. Edited to add that we have APs so the DDE card saves us $$$$ each trip. We saved over $300 on each trip so far. With 3 trips using the DDE we should be saving over $1000!

I have always thought of the DP as more of a hassle too. I'm like you. I really don't want to be told what I can and cannot have and worrying if I have enough credits for this or that.

 

[jworthy]

we just got back yesterday and we loved the dp....our bill would have been $938.22 but only costed us 608.

 

[bntlyclg89]

We are *not* doing the dining plan this time. We did it last October and I have to agree with many of the posters here that there is way too much food. To have lunch for example, at Sci-Fi (TS) you get an appetizer (each!!!), drink, entree and dessert. Way, way too much food.

I also agree that the "commando" attitude it engenders is also a pain. We went to Le Cellier where they were telling people that it would be mid-week before they could accomodate them. Ridiculous. Since we're not doing it, I am hoping that we will be able to call in the AM for ADR's we want that day.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a great time!

 

[DiszyDean]

I agree with those who chose not to do the dining plan and those that do...I am wishy-washy like that..

It was obviously not designed for people who eat very lightly or mainly eat CS for breakfast, lunch and dinner....I really do not understand the "commando" reasoning for not doing it...Maybe I am misunderstanding what is meant by that but anyone, regardless if they are on the dining plan or not, typically has to make ADRs for the most popular resteraunts. Which means you have to follow some sort of schedule within your own party. You cannot expect to "walk-in" or call the same day and get an ADR. I also have never seen it as a "must" to buy the most expensive item on the menu each time to get the most bang for your buck. I have a family of 4 and we ordered what we wanted to eat, whether it was the most expensive item or not and saved somewhere around $500 on our last trip using the DDP.

I see it as more of a convienence factor.....There are a lot of resteraunts to choose from and I can have basically anything I want in those resteraunts to eat....I am not doing the addition in my head as each one of my family members is ordering because it is already paid for...

As we typically make payments on our vacation over the course of the year, it is also a nice way to save money for the trip that we would have to allocate anyway....It beats putting everything on the credit cards during our visit and then having to pay interest on $1500 worth of food we have already eaten for the next six months.

As I said though, there are very good reasons people would not want to do the plan, based upon their individual group or person. If you can pretty accurately predict how much money you will spend on food and it is less than the DDP and you are not limiting your choices so much that you will feel short-changed at the end of your vacation, by all means, you should not do it...

 

[twojo21]

we dont. we would like the dining plan but have an annual pass so were ineligable to get the dp.

 

[Cinders Mum]

As a TA I am not allowed to use DDP, the negatives of this programme for us is that now we have to really plan all our TS meals for the whole 3 weeks we are staying in Disney otherwise I have a cat in hell's chance of getting in ...... some are fine we know what we are doing, but other days we like to "go as we please" or if we have a great experience then we may wish to revisit, however with more and more people using DDP it does appear their dining habits are changing which fair play to them, I do not begrudge them this, so no flaming please .....it does however make it more restricting for us.

JMO

Val
xx

 

[Esmerelda]

We did the DDE on our last trip and it worked out great. I myself am very petite and could never eat all the items you are supposed to get with every meal...I would look like a dead possum on the side of the road (all bloated...ya get my drift). I'm only 5'1 and about 115 and a runner. My oldest son...he can pack away the food and so can my husband. My 10 yr old would never eat all of the food on the plan either. It would be a waste of money for us...as we rarely can ever hold dessert (we occasionallly split something..but even that's rare)

With DDE we had more freedom to eat whereever..and whenever...and we saved tons of money last year on our 6 day trip. I cannot justify having to order something just because its on my 'plan'....that would be ridiculous.

Something to think about: Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese.

(can you tell I work in medicine)
Esmerelda

 

[snowbunny]

I really do not understand the "commando" reasoning for not doing it...Maybe I am misunderstanding what is meant by that but anyone, regardless if they are on the dining plan or not, typically has to make ADRs for the most popular resteraunts.

Since I made the comment, I'll say...commando eating is a totally different thing in my mind from planning in advance. I too enjoy the minutiae of planning ADRs at various restaurants that we enjoy.

I was talking about the feeling (not by everyone, I'm not saying the plan is inherently "bad") that the diner must seek out the most expensive meals available in the greatest portions possible. (There have been plenty of such posts here on the Dis.) Squeezing the dining plan until it screams is not an enjoyable vacation, to me.

And as pointed out by a previous poster, we Americans have a Supersize Me attitude that accounts for our status as the fattest people in the world. I really don't like stuffing myself because I paid for it.

 

[Noleball]

I am a newbie here and have thouroughly enjoyed and appreciated the help given on this site while planning our trip in late February.

My family is using DDP and I am actually looking forward to it. I tend to eat a lot of steak and seafood on vacation. The DW likes seafood immensely and DD5 likes didferent things from day to day. That said, we have the ability to enjoy some of the finer restaurants in DW that we would not normally visit like Le Celleir and Coral Reef.

One of the other reason we are using the plan is so we can attend three of the character B-fasts and lunches for DD5 and DD1. Ordinarily, we would likely only attend one.

The other negative is that it seems to be a lot of food by many's opinion. As I mentioned, DD5 is picky. Shge may not be hungry at dinner but want a snack a little later. Therfore, a go-box is a good thing in most instances.

We also like to try different things. I may not otherwise order an $8 appetizer but would be willing to try it now. Also, we rarely get desserts but am looking forward to trying it now.

Finally, I have thouroughly enjoyed planning the meals for the trip. I read the food picture thread on this site and have made many decisions based on some of those pictures. I do not see it as "commando" by trying to eat the most expensive but rather having the freedom to eat what I want. In our case, Dw's favorite is Filet Mignon and my favorite is prime rib. That is what makes the plan work for us.

 

[YorkieMom]

5. Too much planning, this is your vacation !!!

4. Too much food, would you normally eat that much ?????

3. "Getting the most bang for your buck" is TACKY

2. I don't go to Disney World to eat.

and .................

1. I'm from New Orleans - Disney food just doesn't compare !!!!!!!!!!

 

[lillygator]

we don't do the dingin plan because we have the DDE and we are AP holder's so I wouldn't want to pay rack rate for a room.

 

[beansmom]

i have to disagree with the YorkieMom:

3. "Getting the most bang for your buck" is TACKY

so...you like ask to pay MORE and get less?? You pay deluxe prices to stay at a value resort?

I don't know about anyone else, but I work for my $$ and want to spend them wisely. Vacation to me is a time to splurge and explore new things and not worry about pennies.

And for some of us...planning is half the fun and keeps the excitement alive until time to leave. And while I don't go to Disneyworld to eat only, I do eat at DW and want to enjoy it.

Isn't that what's great about America? We can all do what we want!

 

[YorkieMom]

#3 - i am referring to getting the most expensive thing on the menu - just because you can. Would you get all that food if you had to pay for it ??? What a waste.

 

[ptrbryant]

I noticed a lot of people mention that it's too much food, etc. We haven't done the DP yet (planning to for our next trip), but I'm sure they don't force feed you! Yes, you are allowed to get an appetizer, entree and dessert with each TS meal, but you don't have to. I'm sure DH and I will both probably pass on the appetizers and may split an occasional dessert. But, if you're going to some of the more expensive TS meals or character meals, it will still cost less than OOP.


Karla B.

 

[skiwee1]

i have to disagree with the YorkieMom:

3. "Getting the most bang for your buck" is TACKY

so...you like ask to pay MORE and get less?? You pay deluxe prices to stay at a value resort?

I don't know about anyone else, but I work for my $$ and want to spend them wisely. Vacation to me is a time to splurge and explore new things and not worry about pennies.

And for some of us...planning is half the fun and keeps the excitement alive until time to leave. And while I don't go to Disneyworld to eat only, I do eat at DW and want to enjoy it.

Isn't that what's great about America? We can all do what we want!

I think the poster is referring to those that are only looking for places that cost the most whether they actually like the food or not. I was amazed when the DP was offered for free and the posters that came on here looking for the most bang for their buck when in fact they got it for FREE. Some posters come across as gluttons, looking to fill their stomachs with the most expensive dish they can find instead of going to restaurants where they actually like the food. Yes, that is tacky.

 

[skiwee1]

I noticed a lot of people mention that it's too much food, etc. We haven't done the DP yet (planning to for our next trip), but I'm sure they don't force feed you! Yes, you are allowed to get an appetizer, entree and dessert with each TS meal, but you don't have to. I'm sure DH and I will both probably pass on the appetizers and may split an occasional dessert. But, if you're going to some of the more expensive TS meals or character meals, it will still cost less than OOP.


Karla B.

No you aren't force fed but once again that glutton mentality comes in and you see folks ordering everything and just taking one bite. I spoke to a CM at Kona's who commented on the way the DP folks order everything single thing just because they can and then not eating it. I saw it myself at Kona's. We were sitting in a booth with a very loud family. The witch of a mother demanded that her 2 kids each get the giant ice cream cone because they were entitled to it even though they said they only wanted a little. This mother then asked the CM what dessert had whipped cream. She ordered that one. When desserts came the kids didn't touch their cones and the mother did nothing but eat the whipped cream off the brulee! I saw so much waste that trip from the same mentality of people.

 

[heidiboo]

My family isn't. We are getting a room discount of about $45 dollars per night. We would loose that savings if we went with the dining plan for 4 adults - one of whom is only 12 years old and eats very little. We also plan to do a day at Universal and Sea World where we would be eating for those days. So for us the dollars just don't work.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I noticed a lot of people mention that it's too much food, etc. We haven't done the DP yet (planning to for our next trip), but I'm sure they don't force feed you! Yes, you are allowed to get an appetizer, entree and dessert with each TS meal, but you don't have to. I'm sure DH and I will both probably pass on the appetizers and may split an occasional dessert. But, if you're going to some of the more expensive TS meals or character meals, it will still cost less than OOP.


Karla B.

ITA

No one says you HAVE to order everything that's included in the plan.

My son and I used the plan last April and pretty much ordered what we knew we would eat. Many times we only ordered an entree and drinks.

Our waitress at Sci-Fi got upset because we were to full for dessert. My son gave in and ordered the cheesecake. I took one bite, he ate two, and then we left it. What a waste.

Even without maxing out the plan, I came out ahead.

We're looking forward to using the dining plan again in April.