Dining Plan.... worth it for our 1st DVC stay?

[Docmom]

There are some nice spreadsheets out there where you can compare OOP with Disney DP and TIW. Plug in your restaurants, meals you would order, tip you would leave and then the results page adds it all up. For our next trip (12 nights in Dec) TIW would only save us $38 compared to $150 or so with DP vs OOP. The biggest strike against TIW was that a large number of the restaurants we selected do not participate in the TIW program, along with the fact that we're not big drinkers (OK, we'll be having some beers at Biergarten).

Can you point out the link for the spreadsheet please? I try to do that by hand but a spreadsheet would save a ton of time! Thanks!

 

[Minniesgal]

I think the DDP is an even worse deal for DVC members than for other guests. With a full kitchen it is so much easier to have drinks and snacks in the villa and breakfast in is also easy and saves a lot of time. We find at the most the only meal we have out is a TS for dinner and maybe a few snacks during the day. I would recommend buying the TIW instead.

 

[Dean]

I think the DDP is an even worse deal for DVC members than for other guests. With a full kitchen it is so much easier to have drinks and snacks in the villa and breakfast in is also easy and saves a lot of time. We find at the most the only meal we have out is a TS for dinner and maybe a few snacks during the day. I would recommend buying the TIW instead.

While I think it depends on specifics, the group and other variables. I'll point out that two things that makes it even worse for DVC members is that all have to be on the plan even for the larger villas and the LOS requirement. The latter simply because I believe DVC members are more likely to have guests come and go than other visitors are.

 

[Minniesgal]

While I think it depends on specifics, the group and other variables. I'll point out that two things that makes it even worse for DVC members is that all have to be on the plan even for the larger villas and the LOS requirement. The latter simply because I believe DVC members are more likely to have guests come and go than other visitors are.

What I meant was it seems a bit counter-intuitive to pay what we pay DVC for 1 and 2 bedroom Villas with full kitchens and then buy a meal plan with refillable mugs and all meals included when it is much cheaper and easier to fill the fridge with snacks and drinks. Seems pointless have a full kitchen and eating every single meal out. And no we don't cook in our kitchen but breakfast and light meals are perfectly doable at no hassle.

 

[tb1972]

It depends on your habits I think. Do you eat dessert each meal, do you go to a lot of character meals, do you cook in the villa.

For us, we do not cook on vacation. If it is just DH and I, we will do the dining plan for convenience and I think we get our money's worth. If we take our kids, DD11 is considered a Disney adult and does not eat enough to justify the dining plan. She is most content eating a kid's grilled cheese which is about a $6.00 QS meal! No way will I buy the dining plan when she's with us again...she will not eat $55.00 per day in food (I think that's the current dining plan rate).

 

[ToddyLu]

We love the TIW card for flexibility. I think we saved about $100 using it the first go round. It wasn't so much about saving the $100 as it was getting what we wanted when we wanted it. We go to Disney to eat. There are very few places around here. We are going to pay an $18 gratuity most meals anyway....so no biggie there either.

My parents usually do the DDP so we do not have to listen to my 76 year old father complain about the pricing. They are excited about having more flexibility with the TIW card. It means I am spending more time with them at breakfast (since I have the card) then when they did DDP and did, say the CS on their own. But that is OK with me, I enjoy their company. My father also likes an occasional drink and I am excited about trying something at a lounge or two with him and saving a bit.

 

[Dean]

What I meant was it seems a bit counter-intuitive to pay what we pay DVC for 1 and 2 bedroom Villas with full kitchens and then buy a meal plan with refillable mugs and all meals included when it is much cheaper and easier to fill the fridge with snacks and drinks. Seems pointless have a full kitchen and eating every single meal out. And no we don't cook in our kitchen but breakfast and light meals are perfectly doable at no hassle.

The potential is there for savings related to the kitchen but in reality, most people don't take advantage of those potential savings most of the time. However, I wasn't disagreeing with you, only adding to your thoughts.

 

[wdwdano@yahoo.com]

I would say go for it! Even if you break even you have the convenience of not worrying. I love the DDP but at the same time we don't get it every vacation.

 

[deploylinux]

There are really only 3 approaches that I think make sense for WDW via DVC:

a) For a normal family, if you have a car or local, buying groceries and supplementing with the cheap cafe's at some of the resorts is certainly doable and much cheaper than most of the dining plans. Beware though that if you try to eat at one of the major table service restaurants at a park...the prices will be scary.

b) For a first time visit, the regular dining plan is likely fine. You can become familiar with WDW w/o worrying too much about food. Remember, you need to make dining reservations far in advance to take the best advantage of the plan.

c) If you have a dozen hungry 18 year old guys, the deluxe dining plan may be your ticket...and you'll be broke and 20lbs heavier when you get back home. You'll also be paying out a ton for tips, since tips aren't included in the dining plan and the dining bills are so high that even 15-20% is not small.

 

[CarolMN]

I'm toying with getting the DxDP for our first two nights. (We'll be at BLT and then moving to the BWV for the last 5 nights). I already have ADRs for CG, BOG & MP. CG & MP are 2 credits and we'll do MP on check out night after we check into BWV. We'll do a breakfast either the second morning or on check out day to use up the 6 TS credits. My math says we'll "save" money over paying OOP with TiW, due to the very high prices at the new CG & MP.

I know our situation doesn't help the OP - just wanted to say that for a few situations a DP can be a good value. If I didn't hate to move so much, I would have changed rooms for our last night so that I could get the DxDP and use it for the Candlelight Processional. That gives you a 1 TS meal for practically free and doesn't even count the 2 snacks or souvenir mug. CP prices have gotten outrageous, but it's still a "must-do" for us and always the highlight of my DH's trip.

 

[Judique]

How old are your kids?

Personally, I would not waste prime touring time eating breakfast at a bunch of character meals. I you moved some of those breakfasts to lunch or dinner how much do they cost? Pricing can be found here on the DIS.

I think it is probably close to a wash, but it depends on your whole eating plan and the ages of your kids.

Your four breakfasts would run about $400 plus tip.

You would get 6 sit downs and 6 counter service meals. Plus your mugs and your snacks.

For me the mug value is as a souvenir. I never drink soda and I don't drink Disney coffee.

Six snacks would cost about $20.

So now you have to eat an additional $450 worth of food to break even. 2 additional sit down dinners can easily run $125 to $150 each. so $250 to $300.

And, you have 6 counter service meals - lets say $15 per adult = $180 and 6 per child at $6 each - 12X6 = $72.

So,
$400 plus $20 plus $250 plus $180 plus $72 plus $10 value for the mug as a souvenir = $962 and you still have to pay the tip at the sit down place.

So for you it might work depending on whether you get so stuffed after the 3rd day you don't want to see a Disney menu again! (Which is what happens to me>>)


Tell us where else you have made a sit down reservation and it will be easier to get closer to the true total.

Now all this said.....I will only do a dining plan if I have a separate one night add on reservation (sometimes I book a night and have to move to another room)....then I'll grab dining plan and do a sit down somewhere.

 

[doctornick]

How old are your kids?

Personally, I would not waste prime touring time eating breakfast at a bunch of character meals. I you moved some of those breakfasts to lunch or dinner how much do they cost? Pricing can be found here on the DIS.

Or you can do breakfast before the parks open, since they start taking reservations an hour before opening. If you take an 8am reservation when the park opens at 9am, you can already be in the park once the attractions open. Great time to get photos when the park is empty as well.

 

[ibela]

I love the DDP and always get it but have 2 kids under 9. I book a character meal for almost every day, usually dinner because their appetities are hit or miss in the mornings. The price for a kids character meal dinner is the cost of the dining plan for them for the day and you still have the QS, snack, and mug. For me, the DDP is about the same as OOP but I get the savings for them. I always stay with my DVC but mostly in studios and don't like to cook on vacation because it's my vacation too! Also, for us it's easier to just eat at the park then go back to the hotel to eat and then go back to the park. For QS we typically share 2 meals, sometimes we use it for breakfast (on a non-park day we like to enjoy a nice, hot breakfast) and sometimes we use it for lunch (eating cereal in the room before heading out to the parks). We use our remaining snack credits for packaged snacks to enjoy on the plane and at home.

 

[GBPackers]

I have reservations at The Plaza 2 times for dinner, and The Fantasmic Italian place for dinner.

Kids are 9,6, and 2.

Personally, I'm trying to lose weight, and think it will be too much food. I am looking to get groceries delivered to AK resort and will be a little more cautious this trip.

 

[BrerNashville]

If you are like 99.4% of the Packers fans I know, I assume you will have a beer or three during the day. The TiW card will save you 20% on alcohol purchased at the table service restaurants. They also work in most resort lounges as well.

 

[FreeTime]

I would not. In the past, we have enjoyed the QSDP and have always broken even. We came out ahead when our kids were Disney kids and we did the regular plan. However, last time around, FIL wanted to get the regular plan. I refused and bought $1500 in goft cards instead for the 5 of us. We ate what we wanted when we wanted. If the kids wanted desserts, they could get them. Salads with dinner, we got them. Bottles of water or soda, used the gift card. Multiple orders of mini donuts from Typhoon Lagoon to take back to grandpa, ice cream breaks, etc. We ate at character breakfasts, Sci-Fi, T-Rex, and CS, for examples (it has been awhile and I can't remember the others). We had money left on the gift cards the last day for souvies and then I used the remaining money when we want to DL this summer (and I ekpt reminding grandpa that we were still spending our meal money from LAST years trip ).

I also agree with Dean, I doubt that most people cook in their villa. We have cereal, sandwiches and the occasional frozen pizza for when gramps is too tired to go out. But usually he has me run down to ESPN for wings. When we bought DVC we told ourselves that the kitchen would be used if we have a year when we are not able to vacation and we would drive down, use the pool and just spend our usual grocery money. We have been fortunate enough not to have to use it.