Are we the only family who does NOT do the Dining Plan?

[nascarcheshirecat]

we are going to do the ddp this year, we are paying for it because we are staying at a moderate. I am one of those who likes to relax by a pool in the pm and then head to dinner, but for this we had to make ressies and we have to be at wherever at a certain time....I kinda hate the thought of being on a clock......but if we were renting a car
I would not do the plan.....I like the idea of hopping in and going to find dinner.....but we will try this.
also, my idea of breakfast is a cup of coffee and dont talk to me until i am halfway thru......(need my coffee)
so
us having a CS around 1130 might work....with the ts at 7.
we shall see....I may hate it......I may over eat....
probably will...usually do.... cetainly look like i do.....
but WE WILL BE HAVING FUN!

 

[Esmerelda]

We also do not do the dining plan for the following reasons:

more than we eat in a full day..
too much thought put into every meal...
too much checking credits before and after meals...
too much concern over what you can or cannot order...
just plain ole too much hassle to me...

bottom line as others have said...its not free. If you get a good rate on a room (not an AP rate)...and buy your own tickets...etc. its not as great as everyone seems to state. I just don't get it.

Anyhow...its definitely not for us. If it makes other families happy...then I'm happy for them. Afterall...its Disney...there is magic everywhere!

Esmerelda

 

[Laura]

Okay, this makes sense if you are in a DVC unit with a kitchen and have a DDE 20% discount (whatever that is), but I don't think this is feasible if you stay in a regular resort room with no dining discount.

Also, it seems like it would take a ton of planning to eat cheaply compared to being on the DP. Packing picnic lunches and cooking meals takes a bit of effort when you are on vacation. Even sharing desserts would be a hassle for my family, lol. Making an ADR seems pretty easy compared to that.

Did you not see my post? We saved money by getting a AAA room discount instead of doing the dining plan. We weren't trying to save money in eating a particular way, but we still did. We did nothing like you mentioned, except we did share dessert once. DH and I usually do. He's a type 1 diabetic, and eating all of his dessert every time is not the best idea. We brought snack bars and cookies mostly in case DH's sugar got too low.

To reiterate:
1. We ate where we wanted when we wanted to.
2. I only made one ADR before we left.
3. We would have used 14 TS credits and 19 CS credits, which would have been 5 CS credits too many.
4. Taking out what would have been paid for out-of-pocket, our spending came out to a little less than the DDP's cost.
5. Since we got a discount on the room and didn't have to pay rack rate, we saved money overall.

Just to add: paying for the DDP isn't for everyone. It could easily save some families some money (especially those with teenage boys with voracious appetites!) but it doesn't work that way for every family who visits WDW.

 

[La2kw]

Okay, this makes sense if you are in a DVC unit with a kitchen and have a DDE 20% discount (whatever that is), but I don't think this is feasible if you stay in a regular resort room with no dining discount.

I'm not sure why you are picking apart my post, when I was just answering your question regarding how people can eat cheaply at Disney. But since you are, let me give you some more detail.

It is very feasible to stay in a regular resort room and save money on food. Before becoming DVC members, we spent many nights in regular hotel rooms following the same dining patterns. We had cereal in paper bowls and toast or bagels, etc. Since all the resorts except values have a fridge now, it would be even easier to keep food in your room- milk, cheese, cold cuts, etc. We didn't cook a meal or two in our room back then, but we might have a cold picnic once or twice. We would have to change our eating habits to take advantage of the DP, which makes no sense for us. We eat very well and we are health conscious. Dining out all the time is not healthy, since portions at Disney are very large and higher in sodium, fat, and sugar than what I normally eat at home. Now being at Disney, we definitely indulge when we are there. However, for a 14 night stay, we need to break up those indulgences with some healthier eating.

Also, it seems like it would take a ton of planning to eat cheaply compared to being on the DP. Packing picnic lunches and cooking meals takes a bit of effort when you are on vacation. Even sharing desserts would be a hassle for my family, lol. Making an ADR seems pretty easy compared to that.

It does not take a ton of planning to eat cheaply. We have about 25 years of experience vacationing at Disney, and even more than that vacationing at Disneyland. The only planning that is inconvenient is having to make so many ADR's now because of the impact the DP has had on Disney. Packing a lunch three days out of 14 days is no problem, and my picnic lunch is much tastier and healthier than the junk they serve at the water parks. We always have food on hand anyway because my teens are constantly snacking. The cooking we do is minimal, and frankly is part of the fun of vacation because we can take a break from eating out.

I also noticed that a lot of the people who criticize "all of the food" on the DP, mention how they would rather snack throughout the parks. I would rather eat two well-balanced meals a day then eat dole whips and funnel cakes all day. If you like to snack on a lot of junk food in the parks, then yes you will probably not be hungry for an appetizer or dessert on the DP and the DP is probably not for you.

Of course we snack, but we aren't gluttons and we don't eat junk food all day. We are very health conscious, and I would compare my balanced meals to yours any day. BTW, even table service meals aren't always the healthiest when you consider the sodium, fat content, and portion size of some of the meals they serve. Not to mention all the sugar in all those desserts you eat on the DP- especially since sharing is a hassle for your family. There are plenty of healthier choices at the CS restaurants, including salads, wraps, grilled fish, etc. One pastry in France one day, a Dole Whip the next day, etc. We also share snacks. We have our favorite snacks, and we never miss them. However, we don't spend the day gorging on junk food or stuffing ourselves on an appetizer, entree, and dessert at every meal either.

As I stated before, the dining plan makes no sense for us. We would have to alter our established eating patterns and spend more money than we normally do. If it works for you, then go for it and enjoy every minute of it! I know I'll be enjoying my choices at Disney as well.

 

[mking624]

What I don't understand is why *some* people on the DP have to make a big deal about those who know the DP isn't for them. I'm ON the dp and I can respect those who aren't on it without picking the details apart. Why? Because their vacation is not my vacation...that's why!! If people can find a way to make whatever they choose work, then let them.

 

[MomofTMK]

We used the Dining Plan last August with our family of 5. It started out fine and we felt we were definitely getting our money's worth. Unfortunately, during our vacation we all picked up a virus of some sort and were totally out of comission for a couple of days. The last thing we wanted to see was food, so at the end of our stay we had not used all of our food credits. This is something you obviously do not plan on happening and is probably a rare occurance, but we would think twice about purchasing the plan again. Even when we were all in good health, I think we were eating extra things just because they were included on the plan. Everyone's individual situation should probably determine whether or not it is worth it for them.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I guess because I am just tired of people saying that we are all over eating, rigid, gluttenous, wasteful people who get the dining plan.

 

[MartDM]

We don't get it for two reasons:

-we don't need to eat anywhere near that much in a given day
-we tend to prefer dinner at the higher calibur restaurants (it's vacation - we splurge!), which would cost 2 TS to eat at every day.
-there are many spectacular places to eat in Orlando & we don't like being limited to only WDW property.

 

[mking624]

I guess because I am just tired of people saying that we are all over eating, rigid, gluttenous, wasteful people who get the dining plan.

Please quote exactly where it said that all people on the dining plan are overating, rigid, gluttonous, and wasteful. Because so far all I've read is that THEY don't want to be that way...not that others are being that way.

 

[blueroses]

I guess because I am just tired of people saying that we are all over eating, rigid, gluttenous, wasteful people who get the dining plan.

I'm sorry you feel like that's what people are saying. I think most people on this thread have been clear that the plan is not for them for various reasons without saying anything about the families who do use it and do well with it.

My wish is that people stop telling me that I'm not using the DP because I don't understand it or because I like to waste my money. This board is full of planners and over-analysers. Anyone who says it doesn't work for them, I believe. I broke it down many times, and there is no way for me to use the DDP without compromising my eating habits, which I'm unwilling to do.

 

[Syrreal]

We never use the plan. It just doesn't make sense for us since we usually only eat TS. In fact, the only time we don't do TS is if we are actually spending a whole day in AK, but that's rare.

 

[iHEARTflorida]

we have never use the DDP, we hire a car so we go offsite for meals

 

[YorkieMom]

The food at Disney is not that good. But I guess that's because I'm from New Orleans and am used to really good food.

Besides, I do not go to WDW for the food, it's just a step above fast food.

 

[Laura]

I'm sorry you feel like that's what people are saying. I think most people on this thread have been clear that the plan is not for them for various reasons without saying anything about the families who do use it and do well with it.

My wish is that people stop telling me that I'm not using the DP because I don't understand it or because I like to waste my money. This board is full of planners and over-analysers. Anyone who says it doesn't work for them, I believe. I broke it down many times, and there is no way for me to use the DDP without compromising my eating habits, which I'm unwilling to do.

Yeah, the plan is simply not one-size-fits-all. Some people are commandos and consider TS meals a waste of park time, some people like to eat every meal at a TS restaurant, some people really just want to do the signature TS restaurants, some people get discounts other ways, some don't want to worry about not making ADRs, etc. etc. etc.

For others, the dining plan is sent from heaven and just perfect for how they tour the parks and how they like to eat meals on vacation.

 

[NMW]

No, its not keeping track of the credits-- that's easy 6 nights/6 table service (unless your doing a signature). And, I am on a budget (because this is our 5th trip in 2 years, and we're taking 2 more trips in 2007), and we are staying at a value. Believe me, I'm taking the free dining (and I am happy about eating for free). I just wish that I could walk up to a restaurant without an ADR (and this will be especially hard during free dining periods). I'm not talking about 'Ohana (our must do) or Chef Mickey-- I always make 2 or 3 special ADRs for a special Character meal or 'Ohana. But, to have to have them for every single day. And, now one afternoon we can't be in Magic Kingdom, and decide -- hey lets go to MGM (because I have an ADR for Tony's Town Square at 5:45). It just takes all spontenaity (sp?) out of the trip. I don't like having to absolutely decide exactly where I have to be each and every day of my trip. I know those of you that Love the dining plan, can't understand why some don't, but you must at least be understand that not everyone likes being set to a schedule?? We're all defensive of the things we love (don't anyone talk bad about Wilderness Lodge now hehehe!! ) I enjoy some counter service places (LOVE Pecos Bill's, Casey's, all of the counter service in World Showcase, Flame Tree). And now, if we decide to hit another park, cancel the ADR-- if I use a counter service credit-- I may not have enough for the entire trip, and I may end up with Table Service that I don't use. That's all I'm saying. If you could fairly easily walk up to table service (again I'm not expecting to walk up to 'Ohana or Whispering Canyon or LeCellier) and get in, I would LOVE the Dining Plan. But, I don't need a table service every night (especially with a 3yo who doesn't like to sit for long periods).

I don't understand. Are you saying that you don't need to make ADR's if you are not on the DDP? We were there in Dec (not on the DDP) and we made all of our dinner ADR's before we left home. We saw lots, and lots of people being turned away at restaurants that didn't have ADR's. This was not during free dining either.

 

[jwfla422]

I think the poster might be saying that there probably won't be any availability for "walk-ups" during the free dining plan time frame. That's what I'm getting from their post...which is too bad since they are offerring the free dining during the normal slow time of the year..hmmm, how interesting???

I just make ADR's for every trip now, if we keep them, great, if not we just cancel them. It seems the Dis restaurants are becoming more reliant on the the ADR's to staff their restaurants now. When we were there in early May we went to Spoodles for breakfast, it really wasn't busy, but if you were a walk-up it was a 45 min. wait (we had ADR's ), but what we kinda found out is that they staff the restaurant "mostly" depending on how busy their ADRs are looking.

We don't do any of the newer disney dining plans because we are DDE card holders. We find this to be a better value for us ESPECIALLY since we stay at the Swan most of our trips. Although the S/D do not take the DDE card (or is not allowed to participate in the dining plans) we are within walking distance of several of the Disney restaurants that do when we stay there (and of course the restaurants at the park take it as well). However, we do enjoy the restaurants at the S/D as well.

 

[FlyingBelle]

Don't know if it's been mentioned... but I'm so disappointed with how hard it is to get into a sit-down now - DDP or not. We're so used to being able to just walk in, now it's impossible to get a table! (We usually go durring the slow times)

We were told by a waitress at Prime Time Cafe last time it's because the average turn time of a table has increased from 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours. That's because people are ordering apps and desserts - which they didn't normally do before. That reduces the amount of available tables by 50%.

We did the dining plan last year - sure, you get a TON of food, and we ate at places we didn't normally, but I'd rather use my Disney Visa Rewards for dining and eat where-ever and whenever I want!

 

[zurgswife]

We are doing FREE dining but otherwise I won't pay for the dining package my 4 kids are really picky eaters. I wouldn't get my $39 out of the package each day.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Don't know if it's been mentioned... but I'm so disappointed with how hard it is to get into a sit-down now - DDP or not. We're so used to being able to just walk in, now it's impossible to get a table! (We usually go durring the slow times)

I totally see what you are saying. But think about it this way.

I would love to be able to just "show up" at WDW and not have to plan what park to be in, on what day, for how long, what time of year???, etc. etc..

Let's face it, almost anything to do with Disney takes some planning. I surely don't do this when we go to Hershey park or Busch Gardens Williamsburg!!

Disney Dining is just an extension of your Disney vacation. Unfortunately, even that takes some planning sometimes.

 

[Syrreal]

Just a side note, a lot of times, you can call disney dining a little before you want to eat and be able to get an ADR when you wouldn't be able to just walk in. They save a certain amt of tables for ADRs and won't give them to walk-ups. I've done this several times at a few restaurants and manage to get tables even during peak times. This works especially well for lunch.