Dining Plan Debate

[ML_LovesDisney]

Hi all Last trip we did the basic dining plan and ended up spending an additional $400 on food so this time we decided to do deluxe dining this time. The thing is, last time I ordered a lot of food I wouldn't normally get if not on the dining plan, like filet etc. I'm more of a salad soup eater most of the time. To those of you that are like me, and have done both, which one was cheaper, pay OOP or get DXDDP? TIa

 

[laceemouse]

We have only done the basic dining plan, once on free food. We have never spent extra money on food and never heard of anyone else doing that. We found that even the basic plan was more than we could eat, we used snack credits for breakfast. It worked fine for us. How did you spend $400 extra?

 

[Melanie B]

For us good food is part of the experience so we went with the deluxe plan.

 

[Pirate4Ever]

I just can't imagine the amount of food that you can get on the DXDDP... we've always done the standard and have enjoyed it plenty.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

If you really would just order soup and salads, I think it would be cheaper to just pay OOP. And every time I'm on the basic plan, I spend additional money as well.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

We did a lot of signature dining, and a couple out to breakfast meals that we weren't going to waste table credits on since we would only each eat about $10 worth of food. Also this time we will do the other signature dining we didn't get to last time, just to go to them all. A couple of the TS and Signature restaurants we went to last time we would not go back to, my DH hated Crystal Palace (for lunch anyway) and wasn't too crazy about Chef Mickey's (although I will go back for characters) and California Grill wasn't that impressive for two credits. So, we are on a learning curve right now, probably NEXT trip I won't get the dining plan and pay OOP. Thanks for sharing experiences.

 

[lyv4him]

Just wondering when you had the plan if you 'planned' out what you would eat? When we went last year we had 2 adult plans and it fed us and an almost 3 yr old. We even did a dinner show and signature restaurants. $400 seems like a lot to me. Maybe the dining plan wouldn't work then.

 

[2Tiggies]

How many nights are you staying, ML_LovesDisney? Perhaps you want to list the restaurants you would like to try and get some input from a few people on here. It can be helpful to get a fresh point of view when you have been staring at things for a long time, trying to figure them out.

It certainly doesn't sound like the dining plan would suit your needs, but it is impossible to tell with the information you have given. As another poster mentioned, it isn't just a case of whether the Dining Plan suits you. It could be perfect for you, but it may not work out that way if you don't utilize your credits in such a way that you come out ahead. I don't know how long you stayed, but I too thing that $400 OOP on the DDP is a LOT of extra money. I also think (personal opinion) if you do more than one or two signatures, you are better off with DxDDP or possibly noe at all. The regular plan isn't tailored to accommodate multiple signatures. Every day you do a 2 credit meal on the regular plan, that leaves you short of a meal for another day.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Here are the DIS Menus

What most folkls do is to plan out what they want in a spreadsheet, figure out the costs, compare to both dining plan options and figure out what works best.

Do you like a lot of CS? Maybe QS works. Do you plan on doing a lot of signatures, maybe the DXDP IS hte best choice for yu

Only way to know for sure is to do the math!

Good luck

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Agree with Pumbaa. Been four times - three times paid oop and last time had free QSDP which we upgraded to DDP for about $100 in total for four of us.

This trip we are doing DXDP because we have worked out before booking our 'must-do' meals. Worked out what we would definitely eat based on buffets and entrees only. Came out to $1540 for the four of us based on the fact that we want to do HDDR, SOA and CRT plus le Cellier, Boma and a few other family favourites.

Didn't count lunches/snacks/appetizers or desserts as we may or may not want these. We paid the equivalent in sterling to $1450 which clearly means that for a saving of $90 we can add or upgrade five meals each in the week and two snacks per day plus order any appetizers or desserts we might decide we want.

This trip that made sense for us to do dxdp.

Next year we have booked AKL and estimating what we want to do next trip and not intending to do the shows two years in a row we will do better by taking the free ddp already being offered in the UK and paying oop for a couple of ts meals.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

How many nights are you staying, ML_LovesDisney? Perhaps you want to list the restaurants you would like to try and get some input from a few people on here. It can be helpful to get a fresh point of view when you have been staring at things for a long time, trying to figure them out.

It certainly doesn't sound like the dining plan would suit your needs, but it is impossible to tell with the information you have given. As another poster mentioned, it isn't just a case of whether the Dining Plan suits you. It could be perfect for you, but it may not work out that way if you don't utilize your credits in such a way that you come out ahead. I don't know how long you stayed, but I too thing that $400 OOP on the DDP is a LOT of extra money. I also think (personal opinion) if you do more than one or two signatures, you are better off with DxDDP or possibly noe at all. The regular plan isn't tailored to accommodate multiple signatures. Every day you do a 2 credit meal on the regular plan, that leaves you short of a meal for another day.

To the post that asked if I planned out my meals YES I did for sure, at exactly 6 mths out, I'm obsessive

2Tiggies: I will eat lobster if I'm on the dining plan though lol

OK the first two days I am on basic plan then I am switching resorts and going on DxDDP, here's my ressies:

Aug 25-Kouzzina
Aug 26- Ohana
DxDDP days
Aug 27-B-Ohana Lilo & Stitch Best Friend Breakfast
Dinner-Captain’s Grille
Aug 28-Cape May Cafe breakfast
Boma dinner
Aug 29-Narcoosee's (signature)
Aug 30-Chef Mickey's breakfast
Yachtsman Steakhouse-dinner (signature)