Now that I found the correct forum here's my question
We are a family of 4 me DH DS (3) and DD 18 months
Arriving by car fri late afternoon - sun ( pre cruise)
Is the dining plan worth it ? I looked over the prices and it hard to tell.. Considering the quick service option but we do eat 3 meals a day
Not big on desserts or fountain beverages
But since this is before the cruise I like the idea of most of our meal expenses will already be paid for up front with meal plan .... Are the food prices really that expensive to consider the meal plan?
Unfortunately, there's no easy answer to your question without you running the numbers. However, there are some things you will want to keep in mind as you make your decision.
1) Think about the way you eat at home and determine whether there is a dining plan that fits that. Do you eat 2 QS meals(QS plan), one QS and one TS(regular dining plan), or 3 TS meals daily(deluxe dining plan)?
2) If you get the dining plan, your 3 year old will have to get a plan and will order off the child's menu. The 18 month old doesn't count. Do you want to pay for a meal plan for your 3 year old based on how they eat?
3) The dining plan is per night of your stay so you will have the plan for two nights. Any left over meals can be used on Sunday before your cruise.
4) I don't know what the prices are now, but here's an approximate breakdown of the regular dining plan if it were to cost $55. Your TS($35), QS($15), snack($4), and I usually don't budget for the beverage cup because I don't use it. Keep in mind the cost for using the cup is minimal. You will need to check the menu prices on Allears.net to see if your meals would equal that or more. If what you would order equals that, you break even. If it's more, you would save money. Because you don't get an appetizer with the regular dining plan, it is harder to realize savings. I always get the deluxe dining plan and save money by eating at character buffets and signature restaurants. You are allowed to substitute things for the dessert, but you will need to ask at each place what your options are. Anytime I don't want a real appetizer, I get a salad as my appetizer so that I have something green.
5) If you choose the regular or deluxe dining plan you will need to make your table service restaurant reservations in advance to be guaranteed being able to eat where you want when you want. You can book them 180 days in advance by using the WDW website or by calling 407-WDW-DINE. If you're not in to that level of pre-planning, those two plans may not be for you.
I always get the dining plan when I go to WDW because I like the fact that things are already paid for, I eat better, and I can try things that I normally wouldn't try at home. I started out with the regular dining plan, but found I liked the deluxe plan better. I have also gone for long weekends and not gotten the plan, but I find that I wind up hungry the entire time because I'm being too cheap to eat what I want.
I hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.
