Dining Plan Calculator

[KateMW]

Am I crazy or was there some sort of "calculator" on a website somewhere that let you put in where you had ADRs and it would tell you if the dining plan was worth it and maybe what meals to pay OOP for?

 

[LisaDKG]

Was it this one?:
https://www.distripplanner.com

 

[KateMW]

Thanks!

 

[Pumbaa_]

I don’t believe any of the calculators are current. They were not updated w the huge hike last October nor the option of alcohol

The best way is to do your own. It’s a pretty easy spreadsheet or even pen and paper. Plus you would have a very good accurate food budget

 

[nikkita]

TouringPlans has one, which is based on their menu database which is updated fairly regularly.

 

[Christine]

I didn't find any of the calculators to work very well for me and doing various ones showed huge swings in results. I found an actual spreadsheet her on the DIS last year and, once I pretty much had my ADRs set, I sat down and entered what I was most likely going to be eating that day. It takes a bit longer to do (maybe 30 minutes because you have to look at menus) but it has very good accuracy.

 

[Pumbaa_]

That’s the way to do it Christine. There are too many variables these days w the dining plans. I have not seen any calculators up to date w the current dining plans

Making your own spreadsheet is more work but it’s accurate. Vs a calculator that was not updated w the huge price increases last October nor alcohol option. W 2 adults the difference per meal can be $30 or 40 or more

Too important a decision to use a faulty ‘tool’ to make the decision

 

[Nancyg56]

I never use a prepared calculator. I make mu own sheet based on my family preferences. I am more accurate than any generic calculator, updated or not.

 

[KateMW]

I'm really mostly interested in figuring out the best meals to pay out of pocket for my current plans. I know I'm over my credits. And I know we're doing the regular dining plan for sure.

 

[KateMW]

Ok I looked at the current Cali Grill menu, played around with how we normally eat {share a couple of appetizers and a dessert probably} and minus alcohol for my husband and I came up with $227 for the meal...good use of two credits per person? This is too hard. LOL

 

[Pumbaa_]

You can’t order apps w regular ddp unless paying out of pocket. Can’t really compare to using credits since it’s not an apples to apples comparison.

 

[_19disnA]

If you know you will purchase the regular dining plan, then a spreadsheet is going to just be a lot more work for what you probably already know. Dining plans are best used for the most expensive meals and/or character meals. Alcohol is also now included for the adults in your party. Even if we make advance reservations for various restaurants, we generally have no idea which entre we might want to pick that far in advance, so there is probably a limit to how much planning is practical.

 

[Christine]

Ok I looked at the current Cali Grill menu, played around with how we normally eat {share a couple of appetizers and a dessert probably} and minus alcohol for my husband and I came up with $227 for the meal...good use of two credits per person? This is too hard. LOL

I would not use standard dining plan credits at California Grill unless you were going to get the most expensive dish on the menu and the most expensive dessert and the most expensive wine. If you don't do that, you won't get your 2 credits worth of money.

You also can't choose apps on the standard plan.

If you have the deluxe plan, it's good.

 

[sharonabe]

Ok I looked at the current Cali Grill menu, played around with how we normally eat {share a couple of appetizers and a dessert probably} and minus alcohol for my husband and I came up with $227 for the meal...good use of two credits per person? This is too hard. LOL

Let's do it this way: in order to break even on the regular DDP, you need to "spend" about $44 for each TS credit. But as Pumbaa said, you don't get apps with the DDP, so you need to go back and look at the entrees, desserts, and drinks to see if you'll spend that amount.

 

[Nancyg56]

What restaurants have you chosen? We are always over on our credits, so I look at the menus and plan to pay OOP for the least expensive options. I also tend to pay OOP for the meals towards the end of the trip if I have any restaurants that are less money because by then a few of us want to split meals. For instance, this trip I have two 13 YO girls with me and one will only nibble her meals. I plan to pay OOP for her if she is not going to eat an entree but only wants a salad or soup with a little protein.

Buffets tend to be the better values for credits, so I woudl plan to use the credits there if you have any chosen.

 

[Sara_H]

I never use a prepared calculator. I make mu own sheet based on my family preferences. I am more accurate than any generic calculator, updated or not.

I do this as well. Make my own spreadsheet of what food my family would realistically eat, throw in some snacks and drinks each day and then add it up. For us, it comes out cheaper to pay OOP. However, I'm sure it comes out that way because we don't want to do a TS every day because we'd rather be riding rides.