DDP, it is just not the WAY we eat

[chipirrina2]

We've done the dining plan twice: first time we paid for it and the second one we got it free.

First time we enjoyed all the different restaurants a lot but this second time I think it gave us more tiredness than joy.

Since it is imposible to get a last minute table at a TS restaurant all our meals were reserved months in advance, so our whole plans had to take those dinner arrangements into consideration and I found out that ended up not being so good.

The meals were great but they ment we had to get the tickets with the hopper option (we would not have hopped otherwise), we had to take the car every day, drive to epcot or to wherever we had our reservations, take the tram in the parking lot, walk to the restaurant and wait (sometimes very long time) for our table to be ready... Our kids were tired, we were tired.. Once we had a reservation at Coral Reef around 8 pm and when we got there they told us that we had to wait one hour!!! We just forgot about it and had a slice of pizza, but by that time we were so tired... I just dreamed about taking our car, drive to the door of Olive Garden or whatever and have a bite without having to wait or to walk.

If there was the posibility of making last minute arrangements (restaurants, times...) that would have made things easier, but with everything preplanned... I don't know.

This year I'd rather have a room discount (even if it is not that much savings) than the free dinning and have more freedom to make our plans.

Last year there were no room discounts while free dining, so if we get it this year we will take it but I am determined to make reservations out of the parks, wherever we can take our car very close to the restaurant. Food was wonderful but it did not make up for the tiredness we were feeling.

If you add the changes in the dining plan, I rather have a room discount.

 

[kldmom2000]

We've done it twice-once free and paid for it the 2nd time. We will not be doing it again. I for one, NEVER eat dessert, so the elimination of the appetizer confirmed my not using it again I like to start my dinner w/ a garden salad (my appetizer) but I don't want to pay OOP for it when I'm paying for the DDP....

I also hate planning my whole vacation around eating We ended up canceling numerous dinner ADR's because we were just not hungry (mainly due to the August heat) and the fact that my girls just didn't want to get out of the pool

Next time we'll do more CS restaurants (honestly-some of them are better than TS w/ the roasted 1/2 chicken & veggies for example!).

Now the Deluxe Dining Plan.... oh my... I could never do that.... waaaay too much time in restaurants when I prefer to be out having fun in the parks!

 

[Disneychix]

We've only gone for free dining and I'd have to say I'd only ever do the DDP if it is free.
We did all our adrs in advance and didn't find it unbareable in the TS restaurants. It just took planning but the food was oh so good!
Having the free dining worked out for us b/c DH likes his wine and drinks with dinner. So we still paid about what we'd pay for cs meal ($25) but instead got dinner AND drinks.
I'd really have to look at the menus and number crunch to decide if I'd ever pay for DDP. Thanks to all those who posted the DIS math for me!

 

[PortieOwner]

It was never the way we ate either until we did it (free dining in Sept.). For whatever reason I decided to not be the typical vacation pig and try to eat the whole buffet on those stays with the free dining plan. I was happy I took it easy, didn't over eat, and had plenty of fresh fruit and healthy food. My stomach never had any problems on those trips.

Under the current incarnation of the dining plan I doubt I'd buy it.

 

[Markstudy]

We go to a lot of 2 credit signature restaurants, ..so on the old DDP if we stayed for 6 nights we only got 3 dinners covered.

Now 6 nights on the deluxe DDP (skipping lunch most every day to save the credits) means we can eat at 4 of the 2 credit signature restaurants and add a few character breakfast meals and not run out of credits after 3 days.

 

[Elmo888]

I would start here, even before you crunch the numbers...once I read this, it simplified things...

If you won't enjoy 1 TS meal a day, the DDP isn't worth it. If you don't like to sit and slow down, then you probably won't enjoy sitting down to a TS meal per day. If you would do a TS per day without the dining plan, then it could be worth it. If you feel forced to do a TS meal per day and your family doesn't enjoy sitting down to a nice meal and prefers the quickness and convenience of CS meals, then the DDP might not be worth it for your family.

You know your family best.

If you decide that you would like 1 TS restaurant per day, make a list of the TS restaurants that you would like to try, and then crunch the numbers. (Four out of our 6 picks are buffets, but I didn't plan this. DH and I just discussed where we wanted to eat, and our choices happened to be mostly buffets.)

Have a great trip!