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

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Don't ever feel bad about not being a big vacation planner. This will be mine & my husband's 6th trip as a couple...but our first that we've ever really planned. Honestly, I love the "going with the flow" much better. The only reason why we're doing it this way this time around is because our food is free. But we LOVE not being locked into a plan. It has nothing to do with being a "newbie"...it has everything to do with your vacationing style.

Well, my point waaaaassss...........being on these boards for a LONG time, it just kind of gets into your blood........the planning part, that is. Just look at some of the posts on the Theme parks board, restaurant board, etc.......a lot of questions about when to do this, what park what day, do we do EMH?? all kinds of "planning" questions. WDW is the ONLY vacation that I DO plan for because it's unlike any other place. I certainly don't do this for my beach vacation.

But feel bad about NOT planning?? NO way. In fact, I'm hoping most people that come to WDW when I'm there are the same way.......no plan. Tour guide Mike and I are "planning" on it. Just kidding.........I'm sure you will have an awesome vacation and here's some pixie dust and good wishes for your trip! Isn't it great!! We're going to Disney World!!

 

[pkp]

We are big eaters and drinkers at Disney and don't consider the plan. Too much to think about and much of our puchases would not be included. I keep seeing posts saying the dining is free. Can someone please explain???

 

[pkp]

Does everyone make reservations before leaving home? We usually just stop by the resturant during the day to make a reservation or call from the room - at the most the day before. We may have to eat a little later than we like sometimes, but we've never been turned down for a table (just for two) - even in June or July. I see folks making reservation months before they go - is it really necessary? It seems to squash some of the fun spontatanity can bring to a vacation.

 

[erikthewise]

Does everyone make reservations before leaving home? We usually just stop by the resturant during the day to make a reservation or call from the room - at the most the day before. We may have to eat a little later than we like sometimes, but we've never been turned down for a table (just for two) - even in June or July. I see folks making reservation months before they go - is it really necessary? It seems to squash some of the fun spontatanity can bring to a vacation.

I've been told (by a dining reservation CM) that a table for two is the easiest to get. So if you're just two, and you don't have your heart set on a particular character meal or very popular restaurant, you can probably get by without a reservation. But for parties larger than four, or for character meals or very popular restaurants, ADR's are often a must and even months ahead of time may not be available. For me it's not a big deal to make ADR's, and I find that regardless we get seated faster with an ADR than people who don't have one.

The dining package is only "free" for people purchasing a specific combined room-ticket-dining package, which is only offered for certain dates in Aug-Sept. This package involves paying rack rates for the room but apparently is nevertheless still a good deal for many people. Otherwise you get to pay for the dining plan, $38 per adult and $12(?) per child per day.

 

[pkp]

I've been told (by a dining reservation CM) that a table for two is the easiest to get. So if you're just two, and you don't have your heart set on a particular character meal or very popular restaurant, you can probably get by without a reservation. But for parties larger than four, or for character meals or very popular restaurants, ADR's are often a must and even months ahead of time may not be available. For me it's not a big deal to make ADR's, and I find that regardless we get seated faster with an ADR than people who don't have one.

The dining package is only "free" for people purchasing a specific combined room-ticket-dining package, which is only offered for certain dates in Aug-Sept. This package involves paying rack rates for the room but apparently is nevertheless still a good deal for many people.

Wow! That is a good deal. Too bad my wife is a teacher - very limited on when you can go on vacation - unfortunatley these are among the busiest and most expensive times at WDW for obvious reasons.

 

[cinjoe22]

We are DVC members and tried the DDP for the first time in April. We will use it everytime we go now. We usually budget $175 a day for food and with DDP we only spent $100 and received way more food. Everyday I ressied a sit down dinner and then we had an early lunch somewhere around 11am. I packed granola bars for in the room to hold the kids over and it worked great. We figured we save close to $750 for our 10 day trip. We were able to eat what we wanted when we wanted and had more food than you would ever need but had choices. As far as keeping track it's not hard and the kids did not have to order off the kids menu except at sit down places so they could have a cesaer salad or whatever else for lunch just like the adults. We loved it and got more than our moneys worth

 

[CMKN]

This trip will be our first experience with DDP and I am going to save receipts to see which way would have worked best for us if we had to pay OOP for the DDP.

Although we did pay rack rates on two rooms, I think we are still coming out WAY ahead of the game ????? With four growing and very hungry teens/pre teens I figured we would have spent approx $300 per day factoring in buffets for breakfast/dinner and a TS meal for dinner/breakfast, with snacks in between.

We paid a total of $2400 for six nights at the All Stars with tickets (water parks no hoppers as we wont hop) for two rooms for six "adults" of course including the dining plan during regular season. I think we did fairly well as we factored food alone to $1,800 for the trip before we got this deal.

I would like to see people put comparisions up when they get back from using the DDP and see how/if it worked for their families.

 

[mking624]

We are big eaters and drinkers at Disney and don't consider the plan. Too much to think about and much of our puchases would not be included. I keep seeing posts saying the dining is free. Can someone please explain???

WDW had a promotion that if you booked a package where the first day of your arrival was anywhere between August 20 and September 30, you could get the dining plan for free. You had to book by June 25th.

Does everyone make reservations before leaving home? We usually just stop by the resturant during the day to make a reservation or call from the room - at the most the day before. We may have to eat a little later than we like sometimes, but we've never been turned down for a table (just for two) - even in June or July. I see folks making reservation months before they go - is it really necessary? It seems to squash some of the fun spontatanity can bring to a vacation.

It is a lot easier to be able to get last minute ADRs when there's only two of you, however depending on the restaurant, well-in-advanced ADRs are beneficial. For example, people keep reporting that Le Cellier is booked through the beginning of October. I understand about spontenaity...my husband like to do last minute ADRs as well just like you've done. This is really the first time we're planning this far in advance. But because of the free dining, a lot of people are making ADRs so we wanted to make sure we ha da spot at places we wanted to eat.

 

[pkp]

Ah - so I guess this "free dinining" promotion is packing out the TS places more than usual at that time of year.

 

[taximomfor4]

Wow! That is a good deal. Too bad my wife is a teacher - very limited on when you can go on vacation - unfortunatley these are among the busiest and most expensive times at WDW for obvious reasons.

That is exactly why we end up going in summer too! DH is a teacher, and I am a nursing school student. Last year, the free dining started a bit later (end of August) so we missed it...we left WDW to come back home just a couple of days before Free Dining started.

This year, Free Dining began 8/13. DH's school goes back on 8/20 (way earlier than most of the schools around here, for some reason!) So we get the free dining for our week!! Actually, its the only reason we are squeezing in a trip this year!