Anyone NOT on the dining plan?

[MickeyNicki]

I seem to be the only one not on the plan....anyone else just wings it??

 

[MrToad]

We are not doing the DDP. We just don't want to have any restrictions on where we go to eat and to be worried about making sure we get our money's worth. I don't want to have to track all that stuff.

 

[Amyrlin]

We are having a split stay during free dining, the forst week at a vluae so taking the DDP made sense, but we have AP's and the DDE, so the second 5 days we will not be on the DDP but will use DDE iunstead and hope that an AP rate comes out.

 

[DaisyD]

We are not doing the DDP. We just don't want to have any restrictions on where we go to eat and to be worried about making sure we get our money's worth. I don't want to have to track all that stuff.

ITA. I don't mind spending for all the meals we will eat. It would be a royal pain wondering if this is covered or that. What snack we can have or not. Doesn't make for a vacation if you ask me! If I needed to be on a budget then the DDP would be an option. I am not on a budget so it isn't for me. Wanted to add that we have APs and have the DDE card which has saved us $100s over 3 trips so far.

 

[Brianne]

We're not doing DDP for the same reasons someone else mentioned. I go on vacation to blank out, not think--it'd stress me out too much trying to keep track of everyone's credits, especially since we're not a small family. I do think it's a great plan for people though---we're not big eaters so we'd end up with a lot of credits left over.

We do have a DDE card, which has come in handy for us plenty of times!

 

[sjw4870]

I don't do the DP either. I have an AP and the room discount I get seems to be a better value anyway.

 

[Kaycee]

We won't be on the dining plan. I will have an AP so I will probably get the DDE card, especially since I'm planning 3 WDW trips in less than a year.

One reason we decided not to get the dining plan is that it doesn't really suit the way we eat. We prefer frequent small meals and snacks to large meals. At WDW, we eat a mix of counter service meals, favorite snacks, and a few table service meals that we select more for fun (theming, characters) than for food. We eat lightly at the table service meals, never ordering appetizers or desserts and sometimes sharing meals.

Another reason we didn't get the dining plan is that we save more money by getting an AP and room discounts than we would by paying rack rate with the dining plan.

 

[cnids00]

On our original trip dated Dec 1 - 8 we did not have the DP but when the deal came out for Aug-Sept, dining plan included in stay, we DID change our trip date, I do think it will be a great deal and have already booked HDD and the Luau at Poly and lots of other meals, gives us a chance to try all the things we've thought were "too expensive" before. It's all about the points and how to use them, for us it will be a first as the DP didn't exist in 04 when we last visited WDW!

We're too excited!

 

[chobie]

No, we're Fla residents with season passes who go 4 or 5 times a year when we can good room rates, so no plan for us. But we do have a DDE card which gives us 20% the enitre bill, inlcuding alcoholic bevarages. Works for us. But I would do the dining plan if I was not a resident.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Glad to know I am not the only one. We live 3 hours away and have the AP passes too. We have small meals and snacks but we usually share everything.

 

[CheapMom]

I am on the dining plan for my next trip because of free dining- but probably won't do it again. If I have to pay for it in the future it will be 4 adults (me, dh, 10 and 11 year old) plus one child. It will be too pricey- but if they offer free dining again- then we may take them up on that in the future.

Although I am looking forward to trying some of the restaurants- it is more advanced planning than I normally care to do. I like my schedule to be more free-form.

 

[ZuZugal]

I would MUCH rather just get a good discount on accomodations and then wing the rest. I have a hard time sticking to any pre-arranged "plan", food or otherwise. I never know what my family will be in the mood for from day to day.

Now, give me an "ice cream dining plan" and we'll be in!!!

 

[richard_andmel]

We also have AP's and will be using DDE. Now I am just hoping there is a decent room discount on the resort I actually want to stay at.

 

[grinningghost]

We aren't. We have some ADR's, but I just like to wing most of it. I also don't have to keep track of how many snacks, how many meals, all that stuff. I like to quit thinking at WDW.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

We use our DDE - DDP is just not for us.

ITA with everyone who says that they can't be bothered with the details.

Also, my DS8 will sometimes eat from the adult menu. He's tiny but just try keeping shrimp away from him. He also loves soup of any kind so will also order soup & an adult appetizer. Combine that with the bread many places put our & that's his meal. DH & I have no problem letting him order what he wants as long as it is something we know he will eat.

You are on vacation. We think we should be able to get what we want when we want it (even if that means ice cream for dinner or cake for breakfast).

Maybe as they boys get older & start eating like animals... for now, we prefer using the DDE discount.

 

[Bay in TN]

We're not on the dining plan. We got a good deal on the resort, so we don't qualify for the DDP. I was having fits trying to make the DDP fit our style and tastes, anyway, so it was easy to let that one detail (OK, humongous mishmash of conflicting details) drop from our plans.

We don't really "wing it," though. I made my ADR's weeks ago, and it sounds as if one really must make ADR's now. That's sad. We used to be able to walk up to most TS restaurants at dinnertime and have a better than decent shot at getting a quick table. That was wonderful if the day had fallen apart for some unforeseen reason. Now I'm thinking I need back-up plans for my back-up ADR's.....

--Bay

 

[#1 Contemporary Fan]

My family & I are not on the dinning plan for several reasons. We don't like being put into a package deal, we already have park tickets with days still left on them & we also like to eat at restaurants outside Walt Disney World, where with the dinning plan we woud be forced to eat all our meals inside Walt Disney World.

 

[RangerPooh]

We usually avoid the dining plan as we have seen it as we'd be spending more on it than if we just pay our way. However, it seems like a great deal and as we have a group going it works the best for everyone. We do have a few meals planned that we have to pay for out of pocket but as we have APs and the DDE card it doesn't bother us.

We have actually started to think that it might be the way to go on future trips.

 

[Chuck S]

We aren't doing the dining plan (though we'd get it if it were free ). I added all our food purchases from our last trip, including CA grill and Candlelight Pkg at Chef's, and we still came out a little cheaper than the plan would have cost us. We do use the DDE card that is available to AP holders. With the DDE we would have come out a little cheaper on the plan, but not enough to encourage me to give up the flexibility.

 

[tkitty]

We are trying the dining plan this time. We have made ADRs at places we wouldn't think about otherwise, because of the cost. I look forward to not having to think about the cost of the meal, or even the tip. That sounds good to me. I changed our original dates to get the free dining, because it seemed to be a good deal.
There will be 3 men in our party, so I know they will get plenty to eat.