Dining Plan Cancels Out Magical Express?

[Brygida]

After reading so, so, so many Dining Plan reviews, it seems like the general consensus for those who would *not* choose the dining plan is that getting to the restaurants took so much time... they would rather ride. Consensus was that if they had a rental car they might choose the dining plan again?

Thinking of what the Disney corporation is trying to do.... If they offered Magical Express to keep people at WDW.... and they offered the Dining Plan to keep people at WDW... aren't those two programs at odds with each other? That is, if you choose the Dining Plan you really should rent a car.

Poor thinking by the Disney folk?

Because eating at a table service restaurant *IS* my vacation, we always choose to have the rental car... to maximize the remaining time for attractions. So we would choose the Dining Plan over Magical Express if we had to do it again.

 

[Jamesbyr]

Think about taxis, and do a cost comparison with rental car. The car is only absolutely necessary if you have to go off property.

 

[Brygida]

Think about taxis, and do a cost comparison with rental car. The car is only absolutely necessary if you have to go off property.

I've heard the average one-way taxi cost is about $7 on WDW property. Is that what you've found? That would mean about $14 per day to get to the TS restaurant, which is just what we spent on the rental car per day. So I guess taxis would be good for shorter stays and rental car for longer stays.

Except if you have a child in a carseat (as we do)... in which case you would want the rental car.

 

[princesstommi]

I think it's more of a ticket/park promotion vs. the dining plan with is more geared as a resort promotion. I think Magical Express is to get people to stay on Disney property the whole time during their stay, and not spend $$ on tickets and merchandise and food at other area attractsions. I think the Dining Plan is getting people to pay rack rate for hotel rooms, and get away from offering deeply discounted rooms on a regular basis. JMHO, YMMV.

 

[goodeats]

We eat at least one Table Service Restraunt a day, but don't find I need a rental car.

For instance in December we are staying at WL:

Day 1 California Grill - no car necessary, just take a boat
Day 2 Crystal Palace for Breakfast and Chefs De France for Dinner - no car necessary, planning on MK in AM and Epcot in PM
Day 3 Dinner at DTD - combining it with our PI and shopping evening
Day 4 Kona Cafe dinner before MVMCP - don't see how driving would be beneficial
etc, etc.

I guess it helps we like to Park Hop with a rest in between and that we stay at a hotel with lots of other hotels nearby. If we were at Pop Century it would certainly be more difficult.

There will always be the people who hate driving at WDW, and the people who hate waiting for the bus. I myself prefer to let somebody else drive. I just make sure I leave lots of buffer time.

 

[TDC Nala]

The car thing never works for me, I like to have adult beverages with dinner.

 

[Fire14]

I guess i'm in miniority. I do at least 1 ts place per day and have only once ever driven myself there and in that case i could have saved a lot of headaches by riding bus.

 

[OntFamily]

Thinking of what the Disney corporation is trying to do.... If they offered Magical Express to keep people at WDW.... and they offered the Dining Plan to keep people at WDW... aren't those two programs at odds with each other? That is, if you choose the Dining Plan you really should rent a car.

Poor thinking by the Disney folk?

Because eating at a table service restaurant *IS* my vacation, we always choose to have the rental car... to maximize the remaining time for attractions. So we would choose the Dining Plan over Magical Express if we had to do it again.

You can do both -- rent a car for a few days, when you believe it is necessary (cheaper to rent @ Disney than at MCO as you don't have to pay the airport concession fee, also you only need to rent for the days you need - not your entire vacation).

I rented a car last week for our trip, but only to help entice our three year old to take a nap. The only out-of-park restaurant that was hard to get on a bus was Boma. All of the other restuarants (that were out of park) are close to a park, so we took the bus to the park, and walked to the restaurant (ie Boardwalk is a short walk/boat ride from MGM).