Deluxe Disney Dining Plan OR Out of Pocket?

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Our trip is *this* close. We arrive on January 5th for 5 nights. And I am trying to decide if it's a better choice to just go with the dining plan (at $1162.50 for 2 Adults) or PAY out of pocket.

At this moment, we have dining reservations at:

• Narcoossee's Dinner
• Tony's Town Square Restaurant Lunch
• Citricos Dinner
• Tiffins Restaurant Lunch (May cancel this and just go to Nomad Lounge)
• Gasperilla's Island Grille for Dinner
  
• The Hollywood Brown Derby Lunch (May cancel this for the lounge)
• Teppan Edo Dinner
• Liberty Tree Tavern Lunch
• California Grill Dinner
• Grand Floridian Cafe Breakfast (last morning before we hit the road)

Now...we ARE staying Club Level at the Grand Floridian. And plan to breakfast there most days. I'm not sure about dinner in the lounge (will it be enough food to satisfy us at dinner time?).

We typically have a glass of wine with dinner. And to be honest, we aren't big time snackers, so we'd probably have a snack a day if we didn't have lunch or breakfast wasn't filling.

Oh. And we don't drink soda. We're pretty much a coffee in the morning, water all day, and wine or milk with dinner family.

I did a quick run of the numbers and it looks like it's about a break-even (though adding that tip in wasn't counted for). But once we get there, we may end up deciding we don't want to eat that much - or that the lounge is just enough.

Budget isn't an issue as we tend to eat what we want. But yet, of course it's an issue to ensure we don't waste money....

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[starry_solo]

Since you're staying club level, I would pay out of pocket. You might find that you don't actually want to eat at all the places you have reservations for.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

My thought is that is waaaaay too many TS's for a 5 day trip especially staying CL which gets you a full breakfast and from the research I've done (staying CL for the first time next trip) you can easily piece together a dinner with the offerings.
I just think of the amount of time spent at TS meals on your trip and I would go nuts lol.
I'd say drop some ADR's and the DxDP and either get the DDP if you want some QS or pay OOP.

 

[senadler]

If the plan has you breaking even, but you may want to trade out two of the 2TS meals for the lounge, I think you should go with OOP. I think using two 2TS meals for lunch, when you probably won't want apps, entree, and dessert is not a great plan.

Personally, I do not go with the dining plan unless I think we will save around 150+, at that point we will at least break even even if we change a few meals. If your initial plans only have you break even, I think OOP is your best bet.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Since you're staying club level, I would pay out of pocket. You might find that you don't actually want to eat at all the places you have reservations for.

When I originally made all the dining reservations, we weren't staying Club Level ;-)

My thought is that is waaaaay too many TS's for a 5 day trip especially staying CL which gets you a full breakfast and from the research I've done (staying CL for the first time next trip) you can easily piece together a dinner with the offerings.
I just think of the amount of time spent at TS meals on your trip and I would go nuts lol.
I'd say drop some ADR's and the DxDP and either get the DDP if you want some QS or pay OOP.

Well, we DO enjoy a nice, relaxing dinner. And at home, we never go out - I cook pretty much 7 days a week. So, vacation is a chance to eat out and someone else do the work ;-) And 3 of the reservations are set to tie in with other events - Tony's with the Parade. Narcoosees & California Grill at fireworks time....

That said...I planned all the dining ages ago - and then when the Military Discounts for 2019 rooms came out, we could stay at CL for a reasonable price. I also know that once we get back to the resort, it's unlikely DH will want to go back out into the parks...

And HOORAY for you to be staying Club Level on your next trip! I think it's going to be a lovely adventure!

If the plan has you breaking even, but you may want to trade out two of the 2TS meals for the lounge, I think you should go with OOP. I think using two 2TS meals for lunch, when you probably won't want apps, entree, and dessert is not a great plan.

Personally, I do not go with the dining plan unless I think we will save around 150+, at that point we will at least break even even if we change a few meals. If your initial plans only have you break even, I think OOP is your best bet.

And your point is well taken. A lot of times when we travel and go out, we split an appetizer - or sometimes even split an entree and get a couple of appetizers.....

THANKS everyone!!!

 

[loves to dive]

Since you've run the numbers it really ends up being subjective. We used to get the dining plan years ago when my son was young and would eat anything and everything that wasn't tied down. As he grew older and our eating style changed, we liked the freedom of just going with the flow so the dining plan doesn't make sense for us. We don't make ADRs until day of because we just don't know when or it we want a full sit down meal that day. I don't eat large meals so even when we do TS I tend to eat a salad and an appetizer and we might share a dessert. There are days we just eat a lounges all day because we just don't want big meals. If we eat QS, normally I'll get a kid's meal because the adult meals are just too much food for me. We rarely snack between meals unless snacks are our meals, we don't drink soft drinks, I tend to drink water if I'm not drinking coffee or a refreshing adult beverage and my son is the same way. He isn't a breakfast eater and I just have to have something so we have been known to split a QS breakfast and both walk away satisfied. Money isn't an issue for us but we have run the numbers every once in a while and come out better out of pocket and love not being tied down to ADRs and feeling like we have to use all the credits. Since we are two adults, time doesn't matter to us so it's easy enough to always find somewhere day of even if it's late at night. The added benefit to that is we rarely eat anywhere twice, and since we have gone to WDW over 40 times in the past 30 or so years, that's saying a lot.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Since you've run the numbers it really ends up being subjective. We used to get the dining plan years ago when my son was young and would eat anything and everything that wasn't tied down. As he grew older and our eating style changed, we liked the freedom of just going with the flow so the dining plan doesn't make sense for us. We don't make ADRs until day of because we just don't know when or it we want a full sit down meal that day. I don't eat large meals so even when we do TS I tend to eat a salad and an appetizer and we might share a dessert. There are days we just eat a lounges all day because we just don't want big meals. If we eat QS, normally I'll get a kid's meal because the adult meals are just too much food for me. We rarely snack between meals unless snacks are our meals, we don't drink soft drinks, I tend to drink water if I'm not drinking coffee or a refreshing adult beverage and my son is the same way. He isn't a breakfast eater and I just have to have something so we have been known to split a QS breakfast and both walk away satisfied. Money isn't an issue for us but we have run the numbers every once in a while and come out better out of pocket and love not being tied down to ADRs and feeling like we have to use all the credits. Since we are two adults, time doesn't matter to us so it's easy enough to always find somewhere day of even if it's late at night. The added benefit to that is we rarely eat anywhere twice, and since we have gone to WDW over 40 times in the past 30 or so years, that's saying a lot.

Like you, our appetites vary from day to day - and after the first night in the lounge I may just cancel most of the ADRs except the experiences we want. The thing that causes me to hesitate just yet is DH doesn't like fast food and I'm not sure if many of the Quick Service will work as an option... (He doesn't really even like fast-casual spots like Chipolote) As for me, I need protein or I get cranky (and too much gluten just makes my arthritis worse).

I would love to be a little less planned to be honest, but it seems like Disney demands lots of planning....

 

[JAMIESMITH]

You can make some reservations the same day. We love The Grand Floridian Cafe and have never had trouble getting a reservation there even on the same day.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

You can make some reservations the same day. We love The Grand Floridian Cafe and have never had trouble getting a reservation there even on the same day.

That was our favorite breakfast last year! And since we're staying in the main building at the GF, it makes it pretty easy ;-)

 

[loves to dive]

Like you, our appetites vary from day to day - and after the first night in the lounge I may just cancel most of the ADRs except the experiences we want. The thing that causes me to hesitate just yet is DH doesn't like fast food and I'm not sure if many of the Quick Service will work as an option... (He doesn't really even like fast-casual spots like Chipolote) As for me, I need protein or I get cranky (and too much gluten just makes my arthritis worse).

I would love to be a little less planned to be honest, but it seems like Disney demands lots of planning....

I'm betting in a week trip we only eat QS for anything other than breakfast once, otherwise it's lounges or TS. We have no problems finding a TS day of, but like I said we are two adults and don't mind trying new places and don't mind eating later in the evening. I have to have a little protein for breakfast so a kid's meal, a breakfast sandwich or even sharing an adult meal works for us. You might be surprised how good the QS meals have gotten, especially in WS at Epcot. I think in the past 15 or 20 years we have never had a hamburger or pizza or chicken nuggets at DW. We do eat sandwiches but some of the QS locations have actual meals. Easy places to get something without an ADR are: Spice Road Tables - you can walk up and get seated outside just about any time of the day, HBD lounge at HS - it's first come first serve outside seating and while the menu isn't the full one that is inside it has plenty on it to satisfy (I love the Cobb Salad), Nomad Lounge at AK - we love the small plates there and some people have said they can get the menu from Tiffins there but we have never tried, Skipper's Canteen at MK - the menu is a little different then most places but we have been able to walk up and get our name on a list and only wait for 1/2 hour at the longest. We have made same day ADRs at places like California Grill for FWs time, Chef Paul's for FWs time, Tiffins, Flying Fish and just about every place in WS at Epcot. We even got V&A's the day before. It helps that I have an AP and my son always has park hoppers so we aren't tied down to one park a day.

 

[Jetta8300]

With what you are saying I feel like you would be paying WAY more for the dining plan that you would out of pocket. Like hundreds more. Especially if you decide to cancel some of the reservations. You have to look at the menus online and do the math, look at what you may order off each menu and add it up.

 

[AEA1127]

We stayed CL at WL recently and I would say that it may vary on whether or not it is enough food for you for dinner. Breakfast and lunch stayed pretty consistent in the offerings, but dinner had a different "menu" each night. You may not care for the nights offering enough to make it a dinner. Also, there were nights where some things were not replenished once they ran out.

I would suggest keeping your reservations but not committing to the dining plan. Once you have a night or two in the lounge you could definitely see if you would need/want to keep the dinners or if you would be happy to do the lounge a few nights dependent on menu, amount of offerings, etc.

CL is so amazing though, you will forever be spoiled!

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Just a moment to touch back on this (we are here, now).

I am SO glad I skipped the Dining Plan. Of all the ADRs I made, I have cancelled all but 3 of them - the first night because it was simply too late, Tony's because we wanted to watch the parade from the patio, and Teppan Edo. We have one more full day and tonight I cancelled the balance of what we had....

The CL at the GF has been more than enough food for us with little supplements of snacks here and there while in the parks.