dining plan JUST to have it already paid for?

[Brian Noble]

Do you think it's worth it just to have it paid for?

No. The Dining Plan is not as flexible as just paying cash. If I am going to give up that flexibility, I need to save real money. For example, I will often rather start with a salad but will skip the dessert. Likewise, I sometimes make a meal out of a couple of appetizers. I also often don't quite eat the "right" number of sit-down vs. CS meals. Finally, it seems like I can never stick to a plan at WDW. Something always changes---weather forces me to change parks at the last minute, the family decides it wants to change things up, whatever.

If you want the benefit of having things pre-paid: take the cost of the DDP, and just put it on a gift card. Use that to eat what, when, and where you want. I bet you'll have money left on it at the end of your trip.

While the folks out here on the dis might say "oh but I'll just buy gift cards at a discount and use those to pay for meals", the rest of the world does not think like that. I don't know anyone outside this group that actually does that.

Truth be told, I don't buy gift cards when I go either. I know about what it is going to cost at the end of the trip---about the cost of DDP, and probably a little bit less. I just eat what I want, when I want, and don't worry about the prices. I settle the room charge up at the end of the stay, and that's that. Though, now that the kids are starting to eat me out of house and home, I often hit the room charge limit before the end of the week, so I settle up about 2/3ds of the way to get back to zero...

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

If you want the benefit of having things pre-paid: take the cost of the DDP, and just put it on a gift card. Use that to eat what, when, and where you want. I bet you'll have money left on it at the end of your trip.

You would lose that bet. I would end up $25 to $45 short.

Sorry, but I don't try to make a meal out of appetizers. And my family likes dessert. We also eat 3 meals a day. So even if the weather is bad, we still have lunch and dinner.

This trip, we are using the quick service plan. To calculate the cost, I printed out menus. We added up what we would spend. And we ended up saving money. And on top of that, we get the refillable mugs.

 

[smidgy]

I have to agree with brian noble.. whle I actually love the dining plan, (esp the "free" dining) because I am a server and I love to have nice sit down meals and be served myself. (and order whatever I want, no matter the cost)

in actuality we are better off financially paying out of pocket. (but then I get the stink eye from hubby if I order the steak,e tc)

but I would never have been able to get the whole lobster at narcosses without it.. or the porterhouse steak at Yachtsman's steak house.

but now that the rack rates for the rooms at the moderate resorts have risen so much, "free" dining isn't so free.

and we, too, like to get appetizers sometimes, or prefer them over desserts.

the main thing I dislike about the DDP is I feel like such a fool, that last day at the food court or gift shop, "buying " a bunch of junk I don't want or need to use up all the unused snack credits.

we just don't eat 2 full meals a day, esp with desserts, let alone a snack credit too.

we tried the counter service plan once. we stayed at Coronado (best use of CS credits.; even tho you never know from one month to the next how they are working it at pepper market) anyhow, disney kicked our butts on that one! we left about 3 CS credits unused.
and don't forget the dining plan doesn't include tips, not for a long time now.

so my expensive steak isn't so "free" when I add in the 20% tip (to me, that's what you tip for good service)

you really have to do the "disney" math. and see what works out best for you. but there is something to be said for knowing it's paid already and now you can just order whatever you want!!! my husband does nt like all the reservations, though...

 

[cluvsdisney]

You would lose that bet. I would end up $25 to $45 short.

Sorry, but I don't try to make a meal out of appetizers. And my family likes dessert. We also eat 3 meals a day. So even if the weather is bad, we still have lunch and dinner.

This trip, we are using the quick service plan. To calculate the cost, I printed out menus. We added up what we would spend. And we ended up saving money. And on top of that, we get the refillable mugs.

The question in the OP is do you still buy the plan even though it costs more than paying out of pocket? That is clearly not the case for you so it makes sense to buy the plan. Which is fantastic because it is nice to have one more thing paid in advance.

Every trip, I track our food costs so I can compare it to the DP costs to see if there would have been a savings and it's not even close to breaking even, never mind saving anything. We still order what we want to order. We have more TS then would be permitted with the regular DP. And it still costs less than the price of DP.

For me, it would be more stressful to pay for something in advance and make sure we get a good value (not even save money) and it would bother me to not at least break even. Where as it seems, other people stress about the prices while there and don't mind not getting the full value of the plan.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Our last trip was the first time we had ever had the dining plan. I would definitely get it again just to have it already paid for. We had the QSP and everyone was happy with every meal we had and everyone could have dessert and a drink and a cream cheese pretzel in the afternoon. It was 100% worth it just to have it paid for in advance even though I had to buy 2 boxes of Nutter Butters to use up the last of our snack credits at 11:55 pm the day before we left.

 

[angierae]

Our last trip was the first time we had ever had the dining plan. I would definitely get it again just to have it already paid for. We had the QSP and everyone was happy with every meal we had and everyone could have dessert and a drink and a cream cheese pretzel in the afternoon. It was 100% worth it just to have it paid for in advance even though I had to buy 2 boxes of Nutter Butters to use up the last of our snack credits at 11:55 pm the day before we left.

I always use up snack credits at Goofy's in DTD so I have treats to bring home and hoard and eat slowly to "relive" my vacation.

 

[nkereina]

Hi! We've done the dining plan once and I calculated (much to the annoyance of my family) that we actually paid $100 more for the DP than if we paid OOP.

That being said, we are going for a week in January and considering getting the DP again. I did some calculations and it looks like we are just about breaking even, but it could go either way.

I'm thinking of getting it for no other reason than knowing it's already paid for (I'd use my checking card).

Plus, even though it comes with a dessert, we usually opt for fruit and actually eat better than we do without the DP, because then we order apps, meals and sometimes dessert for the kids (and DH) and fruit for me.

If we have left over snack credits (like we did last time) we will just buy some treats to take home.

Do you think it's worth it just to have it paid for?

Isn't that the essence of the dining plan? Prepaid convenience for that all-inclusive type feeling (thus keeping you on Disney property). I don't think it's explicitly meant to be a full on savings - advertisements say it CAN save you up to 10% or so, which is true IF you are ordering the most expensive entrees (and you'd be ordering soft drinks and dessert anyway).

When purchasing the dining plan, you are paying for a non-alcholic beverage AND dessert with every meal. If you don't normally eat/drink like that and/or you are skipping these things, then you are definitely paying more on the dining plan than you would out of pocket. If you'd order a soda and a dessert anyway even if paying out of pocket, then you don't have much to lose on the plan.

We come out about even on the plan, perhaps losing a few bucks, but I'm not pinching pennies over it. I'm perfectly content paying a few bucks more for the convenience and budgeting purposes of it all. It's no different than those who stay at a monorail resort - the amenities of them add up to a little, but the convience of them are the real reason many people pay the premium.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

Yep this is not a trivial deal.

While the folks out here on the dis might say "oh but I'll just buy gift cards at a discount and use those to pay for meals", the rest of the world does not think like that. I don't know anyone outside this group that actually does that. For most, it is the typical "We're going to Disney World, buy hotel, buy tickets, go!". Then you get there and it's sticker shock left and right.

Every single meal runs you $20-$40 per person. The inclination is to get a little tighter, and not get that soda, not get that dessert, when you're ON VACATION precisely the time you should be enjoying these things.

The meal plan is a genius way in which Disney can sell overpriced food in a way that disconnects ppl from the fact that they're spending so much on the food. By selling it as a feature that once you own, you must spend or lose (hello DVC), people have no problem at all getting whatever they want on the menu. Soda included? Yeah! Soda's all around!

It is peace of mind, and it gets wrapped up in your pre-purchase price, again disconnecting it from what it really is, and then requiring you to pay for it in advance.

Ask people to set aside money for food? They won't do it. But require them to prepay for their package, now they'll pay their bill. Then they show up and their food is paid for. Even tho they can see things are expensive, it just makes the whole experience more pleasant to think you're simply paying with points that you already own. $40 steak? Nu-uh! 1 point. Bam. I'll take it. And bring me the soda and dessert too. People love it. It's easy, it's fun, it's vacationing without having to consider every little cost along the way.

Is it the most efficient spend? No of course not it's designed to get you to spend a little more than you would otherwise. But it sells because it is really popular for the non-monetary reasons.

X 2
This is us exactly! We usually get the 'free dining' (I know, it's not really free). If we didn't have the plan we would be pinching pennies all trip (not a fun vacation).

 

[ilovebassets]

Yep this is not a trivial deal.

While the folks out here on the dis might say "oh but I'll just buy gift cards at a discount and use those to pay for meals", the rest of the world does not think like that. I don't know anyone outside this group that actually does that. For most, it is the typical "We're going to Disney World, buy hotel, buy tickets, go!". Then you get there and it's sticker shock left and right.

Every single meal runs you $20-$40 per person. The inclination is to get a little tighter, and not get that soda, not get that dessert, when you're ON VACATION precisely the time you should be enjoying these things.

The meal plan is a genius way in which Disney can sell overpriced food in a way that disconnects ppl from the fact that they're spending so much on the food. By selling it as a feature that once you own, you must spend or lose (hello DVC), people have no problem at all getting whatever they want on the menu. Soda included? Yeah! Soda's all around!

It is peace of mind, and it gets wrapped up in your pre-purchase price, again disconnecting it from what it really is, and then requiring you to pay for it in advance.

Ask people to set aside money for food? They won't do it. But require them to prepay for their package, now they'll pay their bill. Then they show up and their food is paid for. Even tho they can see things are expensive, it just makes the whole experience more pleasant to think you're simply paying with points that you already own. $40 steak? Nu-uh! 1 point. Bam. I'll take it. And bring me the soda and dessert too. People love it. It's easy, it's fun, it's vacationing without having to consider every little cost along the way.

Is it the most efficient spend? No of course not it's designed to get you to spend a little more than you would otherwise. But it sells because it is really popular for the non-monetary reasons.

Great summary of why people go for it. After much debate, we chose the play, stay, and dine deal over room only discount for our February trip. The overall cost of the room only discount with tickets and a full price dining plan was essentially the same as the play, stay, and dine deal, so effectively one could say that we are paying out of pocket full price for the dining plan. We certainly COULD have saved a little bit of money with the room only discount and then paying out of pocket for our food because we definitely wouldn't spend as much on food as the dining plan costs. But only because I couldn't bring myself to pay for character meals and buffets out of pocket or to pay for desserts all the time. We would just skip it otherwise. So for sake of an extra $100-150 or so over the course of the vacation, my family gets to eat what we want and go to restaurants we just wouldn't go to otherwise. And I know it's all prepaid and just don't have to worry about it. That's worth it to me.

(Now DVC is a whole different story. That amount of extra cost adds up to WAY more than $100-$150 and locks me into something for decades. I can lock myself into disney dining for a week knowing I'm probably losing out a few bucks. But I will not lock myself into Disney lodging for decades and risk losing out on thousands. Even though it could probably be to our advantage to buy in for the next 3-5 years given how often we have gone lately. But I don't expect that to continue.)

 

[earsaddict]

I like the silly psychological advantage of having the DDP. AND knowing that I may not try a restaurant because I had to pay OOP. It's a game. I fall for it. I'm OK with it this way. I would rather shell out the extra money for the extras.

 

[lifesgr8]

For us it was totally worth it even though it was more $$ than buying. The kids could go order on their own. I did not have to be with them or with my dh. they knew what was allotted to them and I did not have to be the food miser all week long in the park. It is so nice that they know exactly how many snacks and meals they get ...then they get to be in charge of spending the credits.

 

[sukhakuli]

I pay more for all kinds of things just because it is more convenient. If I need to grab a gallon of milk, I'll go to the grocery store down the block instead of the cheaper place several miles away where I do my grocery trips. I'll pay more for gas if the station is easier to get in and out of. I order a lot of stuff online and pay more so I don't have to take 4 kids shopping. And so on.

We had free dining for the second half of our last trip, and we're sold on the plan. We loved it. I didn't think we would, but it made the trip. We're hoping for free dining again, but even if we don't get it, I'm going to buy the meal plan. Sometimes convenience is worth paying for.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hi! We've done the dining plan once and I calculated (much to the annoyance of my family) that we actually paid $100 more for the DP than if we paid OOP.

That being said, we are going for a week in January and considering getting the DP again. I did some calculations and it looks like we are just about breaking even, but it could go either way.

I'm thinking of getting it for no other reason than knowing it's already paid for (I'd use my checking card).

Plus, even though it comes with a dessert, we usually opt for fruit and actually eat better than we do without the DP, because then we order apps, meals and sometimes dessert for the kids (and DH) and fruit for me.

If we have left over snack credits (like we did last time) we will just buy some treats to take home.

Do you think it's worth it just to have it paid for?

We do not always get it. But when we do, peace of mind for my husband knowing it is paid for is typically the ONLY reason. I don't bother calculating to see how we did.

 

[kniquy]

We will be going next week. We have the dining plan and for 2 adults and 2 kids it comes out to cost $958.44 for our 6 days. I just quickly ran through and looked at all the restaurants we have reservations at and priced out an average meal (some are buffets so that is easy to figure out). I figured the QS meals with a drink range between $12-15 -- we will take advantage of getting adult meals for the boys when we can. One QS restaurant where you get a great use of the QS credit is at BOG Lunch-- it would cost us $80 for that one lunch. I figure snacks run about $4 -- so when i calculated it out we were ahead by only $20 or so.

Not a huge savings, but i don't think that is what disney has intended with the dining plan -- i view it more of a convenience to not have to scrutinize the menu to find the cheapest meal -- which is what i would do if i didn't have a dining plan. I look at it as a way to better enjoy my experience not having to worry about sticking to a daily budget for meals.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

We've done the dining plan on all of our past trips (it's either been free or discounted like stay/play/dine), and when we do the math with our receipts, we come out ahead.

Our next trip we got a great deal but it doesn't include the plan - so it will be our first non-dining-plan trip. I've been looking at the numbers, and even doing some buffets and a couple of character meals we still save quite a bit. Our picky daughter is an adult on the plan, so $60 a day (which makes for some very expensive mac and cheese), but paying OOP she can order the kids meals she likes and pay less.

It worried me a bit because paying cash at the time makes it feel like we're spending more, but as long as I remind myself how much the dining plan costs, I'm good.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I don't normally do the dining plan - it just doesn't work the way I eat most times. That being said I do calculate it out for QSDP and the last 2 times I would have broken even on it.

And my next 2015 trip(5 nights total), I'm considering getting the regular dining plan because I've got CRT booked and thinking about California Grill so if I do that along with the other 2 TS I've got booked already, I might come out ahead on the plan.
I just need to run the numbers - is the cost out yet on the 2015 dining plans?

 

[ibela]

I'm a fan of the Dining Plan because I have 2 under 9 and we like to do a lot of character/fixed price meals. That said, I don't think I'd get it if we were breaking even, what if you end up cancelling a meal or sharing a few QS? I'd consider either not getting the plan and getting some prepaid cards instead (any leftover - bonus! and you're not obligated to "use up" snack credits OR I'd look into booking a few different meals that are more of a bang for your buck.

 

[Iowajes]

I would look at the $100 two ways.

First: "I spent an extra $100 to have the dining plan. Was the convience of having it paid for ahead of time, and being able to order whatever I wanted off the menu worth $100?" Some people would say yes.

My second thought is:
"Wow. I spent an extra $100 to use the dining plan. And that's taking into account all the desserts and drinks I probably wouldn't have bought if it weren't for the dining plan. We could go a lot cheaper out of pocket."

The second one is me. I do not order drinks with my meals, and almost never dessert. And I might prefer an appetizer to an entree every once in a while. For me- doing the dining plan doesn't make sense, especially if it doesn't even save me money. If you don't order drinks and desserts with your meals next time, you'd save MORE than the $100. Also, quite a few calories, if that's your thing.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

We get the deluxe plan when we go every December. We Always come out several $100 ahead by getting the plan. We enjoy the one time a year just eating whatever you want & I love getting a dessert with the meal.

Of course, if we paid OOP we would spend less ... Only because we are the type that would order the cheaper things on the menu & rarely order dessert. Most likely, I'd drink water too.

Like this last trip we had used up our snack credits on snacks to take home to the Grandkiddos. On the last day we thought a cupcake sounded good. We however, were too tight to buy 2 cupcakes at that lovely Disney price so we split one. With the prepaid plan we have the fun of not price watching for a week.

With the dining plan prepaid we have fun ordering whatever we are in the mood for. I keep the receipts every trip & total it up. Every year we come out ahead & the dining plan is a great value for us.

 

[LoverDisney]

Planning a Disney trip is stressful enough for me (scheduling Fastpasses and ADRs) so I don't want to worry about how much I am spending for food. We went this past July and would have only saved $50 if I paid OOP so we got the dining plan. Therefore for our next trip in 2016 I will more than likely get the dining plan again. I like the idea of of the kids and I ordering whatever we want without looking at the prices. Plus we are planning a few character dining experiences which can get expensive paying OOP!