Dining Plan in September

[Pemba78]

We declined the free dining plan in September... I partly regret it, but partly it's due to my son being a highly restricted eater and I felt we would eat in our room most often; we now have 3 dining reservations for our 5 day trip and I know we will eat out probably more- even if it's quick bites... Is it too late to get free dining? Or do you recommend paying for Dining Plan? Or pay for meals OOP?

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

We declined the free dining plan in September... I partly regret it, but partly it's due to my son being a highly restricted eater and I felt we would eat in our room most often; we now have 3 dining reservations for our 5 day trip and I know we will eat out probably more- even if it's quick bites... Is it too late to get free dining? Or do you recommend paying for Dining Plan? Or pay for meals OOP?

I recommend to pay OOP even if you eat every meal out. If you are eating at signature restaurants then maybe the DDP. The cost for the plan is a little over $60 per adult per day without tip - which ends up to be about $68 per adult per day (for 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack (not even breakfast). Now sure the age of your son but you can easily spend under that per day. We have a TS everyday and will do better paying OOP.

Now if you didn't take the free DDP but got a good room discount - then you are better off - but if you didn't get a good discount then it might not pay off.

I hope that helps.

 

[Southern Bell]

I would call and ask Disney my options, if I could still add the free dining plan with no extra charges to my reservation. You can order food at your resort and take back to the room. I have found when doing the math, free dining is a plus but for our family rather than a room discount in the fall, but....paying out of pocket for food is cheaper than buying the disney dining plan. It may depend on where you are staying if a room discount is cheaper. Just do the math.

 

[purple figment]

1. Is it too late to get free dining?

2. Or do you recommend paying for Dining Plan? Or pay for meals OOP?

1. Call and see if FD is still available for your resort and dates. There are only a limited number of rooms available for the FD promotion so you might have to change room category or resort if you want FD.

If you have a package booked (room + tickets) you can add dining to the package. If you only have a room booked, you will have to book a package pay a new deposit of $200, have the room only canceled and any monies paid towards the room only will be refunded. Room only and packages are booked by separate offices so money paid to one cannot be transferred to the other. Also, final payment deadline, cancellation and change policies differ between the 2 types of reservations.

2. Whether a paid or free dining plan or OOP is better depends on the individual family. For some a free dining plan may be better (e.g. staying at a value resort) while for others paying OOP for meals is a better savings (e.g. small family at a deluxe with a room discount). Some like the convenience of having their meals prepaid with a dining plan regardless of whether it saves money or not. Others like OOP because they can choose what they want and not be limited by the rules of the dining plan.

Here are sites with menus to calculate how much meals would cost OOP:
http://allears.net/dining/
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningmain.cfm

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You've got to remember that the dining plans are not compatible with a preference for grabbing "quick bites" and work best for parties that prefer full meals, including desserts.