Dining Plan or OOP? That is the ???

[Gibbygirl]

Looking for any & all advice...planning trip #3 for summer 2012. We've gone with free dining on previous trips. Wondering, in case it isn't offered, do we want to pay for DDP. After looking at menus and knowing our habits, I'm not sure we would save that much, if any, by not getting the DDP. I've compared prices of what we could order, etc. If we go OOP we would still probably do 1-2 table service (probably Epcot) and I know lunch would be the better option price-wise. We could save a little by doing the QS and that would be ok + do our 1-2 OOP. If we go totally OOP is it frowned upon to split meals? (we wouldn't do that at a table service, just QS.) I know this is a BIG area of discussion. It's right up there with the refillable mug debates! So...bring it on. What do you think?

 

[sharonabe]

Paying for QSDP and 1-2 TS will probably cost you more than just paying OOP.

You can split meals when paying OOP at TS or CS.

If you're not going to eat a dessert at every meal or drink soda/tea/bottled water at every meal, then paying OOP would probably be cheaper.

 

[rcraw45425]

Also, if you are staying deluxe it's often better to take a room only discount, then pay for dining plan. I calculated each of our existing adrs and approximate cost. Factored in the fact that there may be holiday up charge and we have one over$40 per person buffet, and decided to pay for DDP. We have two teenaged girls that will eat things other than chicken fingers (think filet). This time I think we'll come out even or so, factoring in snack credits that we can use at the candy shops for treats to bring home for their friends. We have split meals with no problem at ts restaurants, the server often will pre plate it for you. I have found that they can be more receptive to it than my local Outback!

 

[Mrsjvb]

we decided a long time ago that any form of the DP was so totally NOT worth it for us.

it is just DH and I.

we do NOT do character meals or buffets( which is where most people see the biggest savings)

we tend to split a CS meal and add on a snack if necessary afterward

we always split the appetizer or dessert at TS.

so we crunched numbers.. buying an AP and getting TiW is a very nice cost saving measure for us. TiW pays for itself at V&A, which is where we make room for every trip. since we normally stay 7-10 days anyway, the AP pays for itself in one trip and we get the hopper included( something that we would never pay for but does make it easier to expand our TS ADR choices)

toss in the occasional AP room only discount and i cannot see paying rack rate for free dining under any circumstances. and like I said the normal plans are useless to us as we always have stuff left over. and you can only buy so many caramel apples to use up the snack option

 

[pooh2001]

My 2 cents...

If you order the most expensive item on a 1 TS and 1 CS meal - then yes DDP is worth it.
Such as:
Arrosto D'Agnello Al Rosmarino - Roasted Rack & Leg of Lamb, Potatoes, Rosemary, Wine Sauce $34 at Tutto Italia, Italy
or
NY Strip Steak - Port Wine Sauce, Baked Romano Cheese Potatoes and Broccolini $28.99 at Tony's, MK
or
Oak-fired Filet of Beef - Mascarpone Potatoes, Blue Lake Beans, Arugula Oil, and Teriyaki Barbecue $47 at California Grill, Contemporary Resort
or
New York Strip - with Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes, Haricot Verts and Red Wine Sauce $28.99 at Grand Floridian Cafe,Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
or
Char-grilled Buffalo Striploin Steak - with marble potatoes, garden vegetables, and Shiraz Gastrique $43.00 at Artist Point, Wilderness Lodge

We do OOP - our reasons:
1) we eat breakfast in our room (cereal, granola bars, fruit)

2) If we do an early AM EMH - we get an ADR for a breakfast buffet.
CP (serves untill 10:30 am) & 1900 Park Fare (serves until 11:30 am) is less expensive at breakfast and will count as our lunch.
With us getting up early for an AM EMH - we go back to the resort to relax in the afternoon. We eat dinner at our resort CS (or in a Park) and then go to a Park in the late afternoon.

3) if we have done a late night EMH at a Park (MK can be open till 2 am in the summer) - we sleep in, no room service (we just get clean towels) - eat breakfast in our resort around 11 am, go to a Park and have an early dinner ADR around 4 pm, then a snack in the evening.
So only 1 TS and a snack.

4) We do not order alot of steaks. We are mostly a chicken, burger, pizza and pasta family. We skip appetizers and desserts.
With that said - it is never the most expensive items on the menu.
Our kids drink milk, DW drinks nonsweetened iced tea, and DH drinks coffee.

Examples:
In Via Napoli, Italy, EPCOT, we can get a Large pizza for $28 and and drinks for $12 - dinner costs us $40 before tax

In LLT, MK - lunch we can get burgers for $13, and pasta with chicken for $17,
drinks for $10, cost = $80 total

In 50PT, DHS - dinner we can get fried chicken and ceasar salad with chicken, with drinks, for our family of 4, cost = $80 total

In RFC, DTD or AK - dinner or lunch we can get burgers for $14, chicken sandwich for $15, DD does kids size pasta for $8 (even though she is a teen, not a big eater), again drinks would be $12., cost = $75

 

[DianeW]

Well, yes, you will get every opinion under the sun. LOL But I think that's because it's such an individual choice. We always choose the DP over OOP, simply because we like the convenience.

I prefer just ordering my meals and never even looking at the prices. Denial? Yes, but I embrace it on my vacation. I'll face the piper when I get home. With the DP, we get to choose amazing restaurants, eat like there's no tomorrow, and not have to scrutinize the menu and say things like, "Wouldn't you rather have the pasta than the filet?"

Do I save money? Probably not, because I wouldn't make the same food choices if I was paying OOP. We'd choose less TS and split more meals. Not really a vacay to me that way. The DP is part of the fun. And, if I'm spilling it all....so is making ADRs. Figuring it all out, planning, strategizing...I love it. And I know...that's not normal. And you will get others who don't see it that way.

When it all comes down to it....it depends on what you want from your vacation. And that's what's best for your family. Good luck!

 

[DisneySarah80]

I think it depends on if you have kids, and what their ages and eating habits are. We did the dining plan this time, and for next time, I don't think we will do it. The kids offerings are just horrible and pathetic, and I'd rather buy one adult meal for my girls to share, then get two childrens meals. Just my two cents.

 

[krb2g]

Definitely crunch the numbers. We don't use the DP for two reasons. First, we don't eat in a way that matches DP options--most of the time we don't want dessert (or will need 2 desserts total for 6 people), and sometimes, a salad + an app will fill some of us up at TS restaurants. We like to eat some TS meals but not everyday. Second, we stay CL, and are paying for breakfast + snacks throughout the day with the cost of our room. Everyday we eat breakfast in the lounge, and most days we eat either apps or desserts there too. For us, it's actually less stressful to just eat what we want instead of worrying about how we are holding up in terms of credits on the DP. Of course, everyone's experiences are different here!

 

[vacation_junkie]

Looking for any & all advice...planning trip #3 for summer 2012. We've gone with free dining on previous trips. Wondering, in case it isn't offered, do we want to pay for DDP. After looking at menus and knowing our habits, I'm not sure we would save that much, if any, by not getting the DDP. I've compared prices of what we could order, etc. If we go OOP we would still probably do 1-2 table service (probably Epcot) and I know lunch would be the better option price-wise. We could save a little by doing the QS and that would be ok + do our 1-2 OOP. If we go totally OOP is it frowned upon to split meals? (we wouldn't do that at a table service, just QS.) I know this is a BIG area of discussion. It's right up there with the refillable mug debates! So...bring it on. What do you think?

For us its not worth it anymore unless its free dining.. DH, myself and out DS who is now 11 so we have to pay adult rate for the dining plan. He eats like a bird and would never get his monies worth.

If you have a car there are soooooo many cheap places to eat around Orlando..

 

[Gibbygirl]

Well, yes, you will get every opinion under the sun. LOL But I think that's because it's such an individual choice. We always choose the DP over OOP, simply because we like the convenience.

I prefer just ordering my meals and never even looking at the prices. Denial? Yes, but I embrace it on my vacation. I'll face the piper when I get home. With the DP, we get to choose amazing restaurants, eat like there's no tomorrow, and not have to scrutinize the menu and say things like, "Wouldn't you rather have the pasta than the filet?"

Do I save money? Probably not, because I wouldn't make the same food choices if I was paying OOP. We'd choose less TS and split more meals. Not really a vacay to me that way. The DP is part of the fun. And, if I'm spilling it all....so is making ADRs. Figuring it all out, planning, strategizing...I love it. And I know...that's not normal. And you will get others who don't see it that way.

When it all comes down to it....it depends on what you want from your vacation. And that's what's best for your family. Good luck!

That sooo sounds like us! We like not having to look for the cheapest item on the menu & getting to eat at places we wouldn't normally go to. I love the 180 day count down! Putting the puzzle together of ADR's is part of the fun!!! I love it!!!

 

[Gibbygirl]

Lots of good feedback--Thanks everyone! Still haven't decided...on one hand I like the idea of sticking with the DDP either way b/c we know what we're doing with it and it's one less thing to "worry" about. On the other hand, we do always comment about how it's too much food & how much is wasted (have to save room for dessert!) Paying OOP could be a new part of the adventure. I know there would be several times we could split a meal. That poses a new question though: Can you still make ADR's without being on a DP?

 

[summermac]

We are not getting it this time, well unless free. I've crunched numbers, often picking the most expensive thing on the menus and I'm still coming up about $300 less than what DDP would cost our family. Plus I know my kids & most of the time they will share a meal. And sometimes hubby and I might do the same, getting an appetizer instead. The new price for 2012 is rather outrageous if you ask me. I realize you get a refillable mug now but honestly I don't care about that - how often will you use it?

After my calculations, I am coming up with us having about $47/day left for snacks & CS meals during our trip as compared to the DDP price that is.

 

[sharonabe]

Lots of good feedback--Thanks everyone! Still haven't decided...on one hand I like the idea of sticking with the DDP either way b/c we know what we're doing with it and it's one less thing to "worry" about. On the other hand, we do always comment about how it's too much food & how much is wasted (have to save room for dessert!) Paying OOP could be a new part of the adventure. I know there would be several times we could split a meal. That poses a new question though: Can you still make ADR's without being on a DP?

Yes, anyone can make ADRs, even people not staying onsite. So plan away with a new adventure. If you don't like paying OOP, you can always go back to the DDP the next time.

 

[havoc315]

Can you still make ADR's without being on a DP?

Yes, you can.

You definitely get 2 mirror mentalities about the dining plan --
If you're on the dining plan, you can order without worrying about the more expensive entrees.
But the mirror side -- if you're on the dining plan, you may find yourself constantly looking at the prices, in order to try to make sure you're saving money. If I was paying for the regular DDP, it would be very difficult for me to say, "I'll have the $12 sandwich instead of the $28 steak" --- even if I actually wanted the sandwich!
For people who mostly want the $28 steak.... The DDP can be worth it.
For people who would split the $28 steak between 2 people, or who would actually prefer the $12 sandwich or the $18 pasta--- The DDP is a bad idea.

 

[dvcHammer]

We don't use any form of the DDP it's just not for us.

HOWEVER: Some of our friends love it for the reason that everything is paid for ahead of time. It's not really a money saving issue for them.

 

[3pletprincesses]

We have done both and we've also done redular DDP and deluxe. We don't go without the at least the regular plan. We plan our days well and have little left over snack or meals. We usually do a character meal a day and a CS. we plan them well apart nad use our snacks to up us up to dinner. Often the girls will get fruits to go as their desserts and they eat them during the day or late in the evening before bed if they are hungry after a quick swim.

 

[Cin]

For me it is better to pay OOP than the plan. I looked at menus and calculated prices and unless you and everyone in your party is ordering the most expensive item offered and getting dessert, you are better off to pay on your own. The portions we received at all restaurants were large and in most cases my husband and I could have shared a plate. We did share several meals btw. The easiest way to figure this out for your personal preferences is to check out the menus and chose items that you know people in your party like and then price the whole meal out not including tip. Then after you get all your meals for the week (or however long you are staying) then compare the estimated cost OOP to what the plan charges and see if that can help you decide. I personally would not pay for the plan though as it priced out better for me to pay OOP. There is a wonderful thread here about dining at Disney for $40 a day per adult person and it is very helpful too!

 

[NLD]

The only thing I really liked about the DDP was the pre-paid aspect. And even with that... you still had to fork over some money for the tip (and any apps or alcoholic drinks).

So last year I just got us Disney gift cards and we used those to pay for our food.

It was freeing. No more trying to maximize a plan, no more ordering unwanted desserts and passing on wanted appetizers, no more asking if something qualified for a snack credit. We did fewer TS which gave us more park time, and we felt less tied to a schedule.

 

[MomToPirate&Princess]

We have done DDP, QSDP, and OOP

On our most recent trip, we tried DDP for the 1st time. For our family, with DDP, we felt like we wasted a lot of food. Because it was part of the plan, we ordered a meal/drink/dessert for everybody for every meal and it was just too much. The plus of DDP, was that at some meals, we did order more expensive items that we probably would have steered clear of if paying OOP, and we took DD to eat in the castle, which we never would have paid OOP for.

QSDP worked really well for our family and touring style (not tied to TS ADRs), but DH got tired of CS at every meal. We didn't add in any OOP TS meals that trip. We also ended up with extra snacks at the end, but I believe snacks have been cut from 2 to 1 so that would not longer be a problem for us.

We did OOP a few years ago when staying off site. The kids were smaller, so it is harder to compare it to our more recent QSDP and DDP trips. Also, since we were off site, we ate out of the park for several meals.

Next trip, DS will be 10 so we are definitely going OOP. While he usually doesn't mind eating a full Kids meal, he sometimes wants adult meals. We can't justify the DDP or QSDP cost for him. Also, DD and I can often share an adult size meal, which is ok with OOP.