Dining Plan or No Dining Plan?

[carolcoral]

Hello everyone!!

I'm planning a winter break trip with four adults for January 5-11. We are all college students and and trying to decide what option is best for us when it comes to the dining plan. We are staying either at POP or CS and without the DP the price of the trip is obviously a lot easier to deal with for college kids It's something like $572 or $436 per person without it as opposed to $645 and up. We do eat a lot, I guess, but I'm trying to decide if the extra $$$ is worth it. I figured some experienced DISers could give some advice

 

[Sandisw]

Which dining plan are you considering? If it is the regular one, remember that you have to pay tips on top of the cost so that adds to it.

How much do you want to do sit down dinners? Those are the ones that will cost the most.

However, the QSDP offers 2 CS meals, 2 snacks, and a refillable mug. I think that it offers a lot of food and is worth it for those that eat a lot.

If you are looking for something that will help you know costs but not be overwhelming, I think the QSDP is a way to go.

 

[2Tiggies]

I agree with the PP. When I was in college I don't know that I would want to be tied down to a reservation every day and as it was pointed out in the post above, you have to factor in tips on top of the DDP cost.

I think for those who eat quite a lot, enjoy their snacks and will make use of the resort mug, while not having their movements restricted by ADRs, the QSDP is a good bet. If you do indeed eat a lot, it will possibly save you some money too. The question is, would you eat as much as it provides? It is a deceptively large quantity of food. You need to have a look at the menus on allears.net and get an idea of what you would be likely to order including snacks during the day and add it all up. Then work out if you come out over or under the QSDP cost and take it from there. The only way to know for sure is to do the math because one person's idea of a lot of food can be very different from the next persons thoughts on the same thing.

Of course if you want a mix of TS, CS and want to keep costs down, paying OOP would then be better for you.