Can't decide on dining plan??

[kkgordon02]

I've always used the dining plan since it's been avail. I think there is some savings (especially that first year), but it continues to be more expensive and offer less. Last year the amount of food for my family of four (2 adults and 2 kids) to feel like we were "getting our money's worth" was crazy. So I can't decide what to do for our next trip (in two weeks). I have reservations at the Wave, Teppan Edo, and Garden Grill. We are staying four nights. Does the dining plan make financial sense or should we pay oop and try to budget our food? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Honestly, the only real way to know is to run the numbers for the days you are there, based on the way your family eats. I know you only have 3 TS scheduled, but what about all the other meals for the other days? If you are light eaters and are ok with a bagel or pastry for breakfast, only eating those 3 TS places and eating at QS for all your other meals, it will probably save you money to skip the DP. If you have a family of big eaters (like I do) then the DP will probably make more sense.
The value of the Dining Plan really comes down to how you see your family eating on vacation.

 

[CoachZ]

If you have some idea of where your family will be dining, I would suggest looking at the menus here and at allears.net. Compare the cost of the meals your family will eat with the daily cost of the dining plan. See which one is more cost effective.

Hope this helps!

 

[sjs314]

I am one who has never used the DP we have always prefered to pay OOP budgeting so much per day, back when the DP first came out we were also a family of 4 and I use to budget $100 a day which worked well once or twice it cost us more for a TS meal but I know we did tend to look at the prices and skip having an appitizer or dessert etc.

On our next trip DH and I decided to go with the DxDP and be able to order what we want and try out all the places we never have in our many trips to Disney. Not sure how it will come out as the DxDP is costing us roughly about $1000 but I do know when going over where we wanted to eat and looking at the menus it would be easy for us to spend $250+ a day.

So for our 6 days about $1500. Allotting $300 for tips brings our savings down to about $200 for the trip I am guessing, but it will be nice now that our kids are grown and we are retired to order and not look at the prices.

 

[KENNYBOT]

I don't think quality of food is good since free dining promotions began. Any thoughts?

 

[KENNYBOT]

If you the family doesn't have big eaters, I would pass on the plan. Unless its free.