We just returned last week from a week long trip and did the dining plan for the first time. We felt the plan provided too much food for our family. We found ourselves eating just to avoid losing credits. The last day of our trip we still had 6 counter service credits to use and we only had 1/2 day to use them. We ate a late breakfast and then gobbled down lunch. It was probably the wrong thing to do because I felt bloated on the plane trip home!
I think it just depends on your family. Can you eat that much each day? Are you the type of family who will be ok stopping to eat 2 or 3 times a day. We found out it was ok to start with, but towards the end of our trip it became inconvenient.
Here are some thoughts I put together about the dining plan during a live blog I was doing last week during our trip. Again, these are just comments based on our family's experience.
Dining
The Dining Plan
This was the first time we ever used the
Disney Dining Plan. My suspicians about the plan were right. It's simply too much food. We had a hard time using all of our credits. We found ourselves simply eating to avoid losing credits (force feeding ourselves). I know the plan is designed to save you money, and it did in theory; however, the plan forces you to eat when you wouldn't normally eat. For example, we ate 7 table service meals. On one of our normal trips we would probably only eat 4 table service meals. So, I'm basically paying for 3 more table service meals I wouldn't normally eat and pay for. So, in reality the plan costs me more money. In addition, since you now have to pay for the tip out of pocket the cost of the dining plan has increased. tipping for 7 table service meals in a week is not cheap; especially for a $100 bill. The plan isn't as convenient as you would think. Since you need to use credits you find yourself stopping to eat in order to try and pace yourself of food intake. "Hey! Has anyone seen my feed bag?"
I don't think we'll be doing the dining plan again. I wanted to try it to see what it was like. We'll be sticking with our Disney Dining Experience card in the future.
Table Service Dining
The dining plan did allow us to try some restaurants we would not have normally tried. Let me say I believe our table service dining experiences varied based on the chefs who cooked our food. I also believe to some extent certain restaurants get better quality food; which would enhance your dining experience at that restaurant. Here is how I rated our table service restaurant experiences with food and service.
1. Kona Cafe - Excellent food and dessert choices. We'll be going back soon!
2. Chef Mickeys - The prime rib was the best I've ever had.
3. Ohana - Great service. A great breakfast starting your day off right.
4. Olivia's - The food was good, but the service was even better.
5. Tusker House - Average service with slightly above average food.
6. Sci-Fi Dine In - A unique restaurant with average food and average service
7. Tutto Italia - Not a bad experience, but for the price it should be better. A good dining plan restaurant.
Counter Service
Let me say right off the bat the cost of dining at a counter service restaurant at Disney World has increased significantly. I can recall about 5 years ago the cost of the 3 of us dining at a counter service restaurant was a little over $20. Most of our meals this trip cost over $35
. For example, our bill was $36 at Restuaranasaurus yesterday for mostly McDonald's branded food. Again, the dining plan did save us money; however, I would have never had 7 counter service meals without the dining plan. So, in reality, it cost us more money. Look, I understand everything goes up in price, but at the rate Disney is raising their prices being able to afford a trip to Disney World will almost be impossible for the average family. Remember when going to a professional sporting event used to be somewhat affordable....Today? Forget about it! I'm seeing this same, alarming trend at Disney parks; ticket prices included! The counter service food is not bad, but nothing exceptional.
Here's how I rate our counter service meals.
1. Backlot Express - Quick line during ordering process and surprisingly good food. A nice place to eat.
2. Casey's Corner - Great location, Still good food despite the bun fiasco.
3. ABC Commisary - Nice choices, very large seating area above average food.
4. Tangerine Cafe - Very good choices and decent food. Service was a bit unorganized.
5. Good's to Go @ Old Key West - Limited seating, decent food, slow service.
6. Restaurantasaurus - Overpriced McDonalds food, but nice fixings bar.
7. Yak & Yeti Counter Service - Pretty disappointing, the seating area was terribly unorganized, the chinese boxed food was not very good. Pass this place up; especially in the summer months.
Jane
). However, you should still be OK. You can use a snack credit for pieces of fruit or individual pastries at your resort or use them at Starring Rolls in MGM for pastries, or at the Main Street Bakery for alot of items, or at the fruit market in AK, or Sunshine Seasons in Epcot. You could also pack some pop tarts or granola bars to grab in your room. You would then still have a CS for lunch and a TS for dinner. Servings at WDW are large, so you could easily share some meals, also. If you are still concerned, about having enough food, you could always upgrade to the DxDDP where you get three dining credits/day and two snacks/day.
