We only do the deluxe dining plan for our first night stay in a studio before we switch over to a one-bedroom. We get our money's worth doing it that way. Glad to see that you can get a soup or salad or fruit plate instead of a dessert. When we used to do the dining plan more, our fridge would be filled with styrofoam containers of desserts that we just could not eat.
Actually, we have been substituting a cheese platter for our desserts at some signature restaurants with no issue from the server.
They can't increase the price until Jan. 1. If it gets much higher, I don't think we will continue with the one night of deluxe.
How much is the price going up? We used it many years ago when
DVC could first get the plan. It included appetizer and tip and I think it was about $35 a day for adults. Ah, the good old days.
That was a great plan. It crashed and burned, though, because most people were not aware that there was a "cap" on the tip included. Many waitstaff got under tipped and from what I was told the union got involved. One of the reasons why tip is no longer included in the price. We discovered this by accident when examining one of our receipts one night after getting back to our room.
I guess as DVC members, most of us don't want or need a dining plan because of our accommodations. But for families on a tight budget, I guess it gives them an opportunity to have a nicer vacation.
Anyone remember the food and fun plan? For a certain price ($45/day?) you got $40 worth of food plus "fun" (I think water park, speed boat and some other stuff). I think they did away with that after a year. Oh, plus a "gift" too. We got t-shirts and a nice coffee table book about Disney.
Bill
Which means more mistakes and errors.
LOL 
