Cost per adult per day for dining

[Mickiethepooh]

Are there Really people who spend less than $40 per day per person, adult anyway, at Disney?
One sit down dinner usually costs my hasband and myself nearly $100 inc. tip and tax and that is without alcohol, we do not drink.

and that $40 per person is not just dinner it is the counter meal and the snack as well.

Why would you NOT do a dining plan?

 

[amytheobald]

That was what made up our mind, we have three kids six and under and knew that we could in NO way feed our family for less than $100 a day. Now I guess when the kids get older and we have to pay for them as adults maybe it won't be so cut and dry...but even then at the current prices I think the ddp is a good deal!!

 

[pezpam]

On our first trip, DD(then 5) and I together ate for less than $40 a day doing all CS and we still do on CS-only trips. Now that we've been a few times and feel so much less pressure to do as much as possible ride-wise, we like to take time out for TS meals and so far the math has always worked in favor of the DDP on trips longer than 3 days. (Shorter trips, we just don't take the time out for TS meals.)

That said, if the savings you get with the DDP are less than an increase in room price (if you could get a discounted room vs a rack-rate room as part of the package), that could sway it in the other direction.........

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

For us, it’s just sooooo much food. We just returned from a full week. We charged all meals to our room to track our expenses to see if it would be a good idea to get the DDP next time. We spent slightly less than $500 for 7 nights with 2 adults and 2 young kids and we didn’t make an effort to save money. We did Chef Mickey’s, LTT, Coral Reef, Sci-Fi, etc.

For us it is several reasons why not to.
1) We would spend more money on the DDP, although not that much.
2) It’s soooo much food. Even if it was a good deal it would be a waste of food. Even most counter service meals are heavy meals. And then in the same day to have an appetizer, entrée and desert….I couldn’t fit that much in day after day. And then add a snack on top of it. I applaud and envy those that can do it.
3) There are a few restaurants that we really like that are not on the DDP (or weren’t the last time we checked); Rainforest Café at AK & Portobello Yacht Club at DTD.

We are thinking of doing it when we travel with my parents in Dec 2007 just so we don’t have to worry about who pays for what while we are there.

 

[WDWBetsy]

That said, if the savings you get with the DDP are less than an increase in room price (if you could get a discounted room vs a rack-rate room as part of the package), that could sway it in the other direction.........

If you're a AAA member, you can get a AAA discount off the room portion of a package + the dining plan. Of course, this is subject to availability for each resort and room type. You just have to book through a AAA travel agency.

 

[Mr. Pig]

I would estimate that the two of us would average about $55 total per day if not on DP. Mostly CS and maybe one or two TS for the trip. The DP gave us better meals and as everyone says - lots of food. We took all our desserts to go. We did a split stay at two resorts and did DP only on the first part. That way we had half of our vacation filling up and then another half to back off a little. I would do it again next time.

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

The good thing I can see is that it eliminates the arguement over who is going to pay when traveling with a group. My parents feel like they have to pay because they are the parents. I agreed with that logic when I was in my teens and, sadly, later than that. But now, since both my husband and I work full-time and my parents are retired, we feel like we should pay. AT least some or most of the time. Anyway, I think the DDP would elminate any discussion over who pays the bill. No discussion necessary.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

For the Reese family it is all about the food. DH really gorges on vay-cay and this is just up his alley.

 

[wdwluver]

This next trip will be our 4th time going to disney using the dining plan. Quite frankly, I don't care if it saves me money, so long as I at least break even. I like the idea of having things prepaid. When I check out, the balance is zero. I guess I'm an all inclusive kind of gal

 

[kgkmom]

I've been going back and forth on this question for our upcoming January trip . The last time we went (in Aug.) DD and I ended up with CS credits left over, because we took 'home' so many doggie bags, and ate them for lunch or breakfast. It is indeed a lot of food.

The great thing about the DDP is that we've been able to try lots of different TS experiences without worrying about the meal breaking the bank. But honestly, DD would be just as happy if we ate all CS meals, with maybe one or two special TS meals.

Because we took so much food back to our room in doggie bags, we had several desserts for breakfast. This kind of only works though if you have a fridge in the room. We were able to eat a few appetizers as late-night snacks and a lunch or two.

This time around, I think we're going to eat OOP, and compare to our previous DDP experiences. I didn't think far enough ahead to buy the Disney Dining Experience card, but I can still get some annual pass and DVC member meal discounts. So, I'll add up our costs, and post when we get back.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

This next trip will be our 4th time going to disney using the dining plan. Quite frankly, I don't care if it saves me money, so long as I at least break even. I like the idea of having things prepaid. When I check out, the balance is zero. I guess I'm an all inclusive kind of gal

I agree. DH and I loved that we never had to even consider price; it was great to order anything and not worry.

 

[jodifla]

I'm morally opposed to the DDP, because it is ruining the WDW dining experience. They are making up the money by slashing portion sizes, dumbing down the menus, packing the restaurants, and killing the good service. All the $$$$ you save is draining the magic out of WDW.

But even with that, I wouldn't get it. I don't spend nearly that much on food when we go for a week. We have the DVC, so we spend a couple hundred on groceries, and maybe $350 going out to eat.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I'm morally opposed to the DDP, because it is ruining the WDW dining experience. They are making up the money by slashing portion sizes, dumbing down the menus, packing the restaurants, and killing the good service. All the $$$$ you save is draining the magic out of WDW.

But even with that, I wouldn't get it. I don't spend nearly that much on food when we go for a week. We have the DVC, so we spend a couple hundred on groceries, and maybe $350 going out to eat.

This is just getting ridiculous, now. MORALLY OPPOSED???

This isn't a matter of life or death, you know...or do you???

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

One of the main reasons we don't do the dining plan is that we rarely eat CS meals. There is also way too much food at dinner. Who needs 2 appitizers and 2 desserts? One more factor is that we usually eat at 2 or 3 signature places and that would use up our credits too quickly.

We have a DDE card and get 20% off our TS meals and that works well for us.

 

[honeymo78]

Wow my family must be a punch of piggies. When we are at home we eat 3 meals a day so of course we do on vacation - actually we like to eat even more food since we're running all over. I just don't see how 1CS and 1TS is too much food - and when on DDP we pay OOP for a few character breakfasts to get charged for the day. A muffin or donut isn't going to keep me fueled for a morning full of walking around the world. I may not lick my plate clean at every meal but salad and an entree for dinner is pretty much what I eat at home for dinner just not always with dessert. As for the lunch CS I usually get a sandwich of some sort - again just like what I'd eat at home, and that cookie, cake or brownie that comes with it often gets saved for a snack later on.

I agree with the OP that one nice dinner per day easily covers the cost of the DDP. The rest is just gravy.

 

[jeanie]

When I started planning this trip I did not book the DDP as part of our package. During our 7 night trip I figured we would eat CS for lunch and a few dinners. I had also made 4 TS ADRs.

Yesterday was the last night to use the ZCL code for this trip so I figured I would compare and see how it worked out. I was really surprised to compare the 14 meals (10 CS and 4 TS) and 7 snacks without DDP cost about the same as the DDP meals; 14 ( 7 CS and 7 TS) and 7 snacks ... So I added the DDP and upgraded my dinners to include 7 TS restaurants and was able to get all the ADR's needed.

So even though this is not how we would usually eat (because we can't afford it!) it didn't make sense not to try it!


BTW: I used 12.00 for cost of a CS meal and 25.00 (includes tax and tip)for a TS (without alcohol) and 4.00 for snack. This would be for 4 adults (kids are 15 and 13)

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

Wow my family must be a punch of piggies. When we are at home we eat 3 meals a day so of course we do on vacation - actually we like to eat even more food since we're running all over. I just don't see how 1CS and 1TS is too much food - and when on DDP we pay OOP for a few character breakfasts to get charged for the day. A muffin or donut isn't going to keep me fueled for a morning full of walking around the world. I may not lick my plate clean at every meal but salad and an entree for dinner is pretty much what I eat at home for dinner just not always with dessert. As for the lunch CS I usually get a sandwich of some sort - again just like what I'd eat at home, and that cookie, cake or brownie that comes with it often gets saved for a snack later on.

I agree with the OP that one nice dinner per day easily covers the cost of the DDP. The rest is just gravy.

No, I don’t think you are piggies. The food is so wonderful at DW, I wish we could be eating all of the time. =)
Everyone has a different schedule. Generally, our kids have cereal, toast or yogurt and some fresh fruit in the room before we leave and my husband and I have a granola bar and an apple or some raisins on the way to the parks. I send a box with some things from home in advance of the trip and then have grocery delivery for some fresh fruit, milk, soda, etc. My kids are young (2&4), so for CS lunch the girls and I split a pizza or chicken fingers and fries. I mooch from my husbands fries or side item if I am really hungry. I am sure when the get older that will change. We generally eat an early lunch to avoid the crowds. We have a mid day snack back at the room around nap time…apple, raisins, crackers, chips, etc and then either a similar CS dinner if we are on the go or a nice TS dinner. If we do TS we all order our own meal but share a desert and generally don’t order an appetizer.
I think we are going to do this on our trip with my parents in Dec 2007 just to avoid the discussion over who pays the check or splitting the bill, etc. I am looking forward to it.