Dining plan

[disneygal2007]

Hey everyone. I was just wondering about the DL dining plan. Do you guys do it? Or is it cheaper to eat outside the parks. I myself don't eat much but my 3 men do. I can be happy with half a sandwich. But DS 10 can eat his way through life and my hubby is a big steak eater and DS 6 is kinda picky. So what do you suggest.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's possible the dining plan will change.

But as far as I know, it is still just a voucher system, and most of the vouchers aren't "one meal", but x dollars. So you get a certain number of $10 vouchers, $5 vouchers, etc etc, one "breakfast in the park" voucher which is actually just another dollar amount voucher, and a certain number of character meal vouchers depending on how long your plan is for, and THOSE are nice b/c they include tax and tip.

You don't get change if you buy under the cost of that dollar amount voucher, and if you buy over, you pay cash out of pocket.

Most people here don't get it. Those who do get it do not get it for the value, but for the pre-payment ease.

I personally set money aside for food and buy giftcards at the beginning of a stay, so my stuff is "pre-paid".

 

[imp&pixie]

What she said ^^^^^

When we went last September we bought a dining package because it was something that would help the organization that we were traveling with. There was no advantage to having the vouchers, except that the money was already allocated to food. We were always sure to spend over the amount of the voucher so that we didn't lose money. We were able to use the vouchers everwhere we tried, including the churro cart in town square, Goofy's Kitchen, and the Blue Bayou. The vouchers were in $5, $10, and $20 denominations.

 

[jacky b]

I looked online last night and it looks like the dining plan is changing. It is not all vouchers for $ amounts and a character meal. It looks like it is changing to a mix of vouchers of $ amounts, a character meal and various complete meals for table service restaurants.

 

[bumbershoot]

Aha, yes, it's changing. A bit.


Disney's special dining plans make it easy for you to sample a bit of everything while using vouchers instead of cash. Dine in the Magic includes two (2) meals and one (1) snack per number of days selected, including dining with your favorite Disney Characters. The snack and meal vouchers are redeemable at cafes, snack spots and restaurants throughout the Disneyland® Resort. Simply choose the dining plan that works best with your vacation and add it to your package.

Resort Dining**
one meal per person.
Adult/Junior
$31.00
Child
$16.00

Premium Character Dining***
one lunch per person.
Adult/Junior
$38.00
Child
$20.00

Donald's Disney Dining Plan
6 Disney Dining choices per person.
Adult/Junior
$102.00
Child
$62.00

Goofy's Disney Dining Plan
9 Disney Dining choices per person
Adult/Junior
$153.00
Child
$93.00

Minnie's Disney Dining Plan
12 Disney Dining choices per person
Adult/Junior
$211.00
Child
$128.00

Mickey's Disney Dining Plan
15 Disney Dining choices per person
Adult/Junior
$262.00
Child
$159.00

**Daily operating hours may vary. Applicable Resort Dining locations include select Character Dining or Table Service Restaurants at the Disneyland® Resort. Character Dining locations include: Plaza inn on Main Street, USA - Disneyland® Park; Celebration Roundup and Barbeque at Big Thunder Ranch - Disneyland® Park; Disney's PCH Grill - Disney's Paradise Pier® Hotel; Storyteller's Cafe - Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa. Table Service Restaurants include: Cafe Orleans - Disneyland® Park; Carnation Cafe - Disneyland® Park; Wine Country Trattoria - Disney's California Adventure® Park; Steakhouse 55 - Disneyland® Hotel.


******
And then as an example:


Donald's Disney Dining Plan
Disney's special dining plans make it easy for you to sample a bit of everything while using vouchers instead of cash. For an extra touch of magic, don't miss our Disney Character Dining experiences, available at these locations (priority seating required*) :

*
Surf's Up! Breakfast with Mickey & Friends
*
Chip 'n Dale Critter Breakfast
*
Minnie and Friends Breakfast


Donald's Disney Dining Plan

6 Disney Dining choices per person.

Adult/Junior Meal Plans include
Resort Dining*
2
$15 Dining Certificate
2
Snack Voucher
2

Child Meal Plans include

Resort Dining **
2
$10 Dining Certificate
2
Snack Voucher
2

* Priority Seating is required for all table service restaurants in Disneyland® Park, Disney's California Adventure® and the Resort Hotels. Please call Disney Dining up to 60 days in advance to arrange Priority Seating (714) 781 - DINE

Resort Dining offers Breakfast Lunch or Dinner at select locations.

Some restaurant locations may charge a nominal fee for guests 2 years and under.

** Daily operating hours may vary. Applicable Resort Dining locations include select Character Dining or Table Service Restaurants at the Disneyland® Resort. Character Dining locations include: Plaza inn on Main Street, USA - Disneyland® Park; Celebration Roundup and Barbeque at Big Thunder Ranch - Disneyland® Park; Disney's PCH Grill - Disney's Paradise Pier® Hotel; Storyteller's Cafe - Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa. Table Service Restaurants include: Cafe Orleans - Disneyland® Park; Carnation Cafe - Disneyland® Park; Wine Country Trattoria - Disney's California Adventure® Park; Steakhouse 55 - Disneyland® Hotel.





It still really sounds like the dining vouchers are for a certain amount. If one dining voucher is $31 for an adult...I can't spend that amount on a meal! We don't get sodas, we often share, and we've had an AP discount...

Then again, the WDW dining plan barely works for us as a money-saving device, b/c it is way more food than we can imagine eating (and with our personalities, if we're offered it, we try to take it; we are not the type of people to just NOT order dessert if it's included).

 

[disneygal2007]

We won't get the plan. I wonder why DL and DW are so different.

 

[jacky b]

There are not as many options for dining as WDW.

 

[disneygal2007]

Nope. I wish there was. It was nice to just make the reservations and go.

 

[Disney Fool]

WDW has over 100 restaurants to choose from! All at varying prices.

 

[Disney Fool]

also, with a place roughly the size of Manhattan, it's not easy leaving the property just to go have lunch at Subway. So, the dining plan takes on a greater significance for families trying to feed their kids, especially when WDW offers "free dining" in August/September; or the dining plan is a set price no matter what the meal costs. Some just use it for the convenience of paying ahead of time, but others use it for cost-effectiveness.

 

[JosieGirl71]

If you were wanting to do the Dining Plan to pay for food in advance, you can always buy gift cards on Disney's website and/or Disney dollars at the Disney stores. That's one of the things we do to save for our trips.

 

[Ivette1980]

wow this is alot of information. Is it worth a dining plan? What's the difference between them ... what would work for a family of 8. My youngest two are or will be 5 and 6 by the time we go to DL, they can go through a kids meal or share certain meals. the otehrs will have their own including myself and DH.

I've read on gift cards only. Not sure if this works for us, but is it realistic to spend almost $100 per day on food for a family of 8?

 

[Ivette1980]

when you say 6, 9, or 12 dining choices ... what does this mean?

 

[sonnyjane]

wow this is alot of information. Is it worth a dining plan? What's the difference between them ... what would work for a family of 8. My youngest two are or will be 5 and 6 by the time we go to DL, they can go through a kids meal or share certain meals. the otehrs will have their own including myself and DH.

I've read on gift cards only. Not sure if this works for us, but is it realistic to spend almost $100 per day on food for a family of 8?

I think, realistically, you'd be spending a lot more. Counter service with a beverage can be about $10.00 per person, per meal. If you go to a sit-down place, it could be much more. If you'll be eating lunch and dinner in the park, for 8 people, I think you'll need more than $100 per day. If you're only eating one meal in the park though, and considering you said two of the kids might be able to share, $100 for the 8 of you is doable for one meal.

 

[sasywtch]

I've been going to DL for 30 years almost yearly and things have changed over the years. We use to stay at the motel in the parking lot (CA Adventure now) and I think the IHOP was next door at the time (now across the street). We would all take turns in the shower, stand in line at the IHOP and may make it to the front gates 2 hours later. Walked by a window at the motel one day and saw cereal boxes and thought...wow, what a good idea! Haven't eaten breakfast out again in the last 20 years. It's so nice that the kids were eating while others took showers and no standing in line for a table.

Now we usually get a room across the street and take cereal, milk (at WDW we had the towncar stop at a store where we bought a styrofoam chest as there were no refrigerators), muffins I made and we stop and get microwave sausage/bacon, sandwich stuff for the teeny freezer section. We eat breakfast in the room cause our main priority is getting in the turnstile, at lunch time most days we go back to the room for a rest/swim/nap and make sandwiches or get McD's or a pizza and then head back over and get counter service for dinner(we aren't really into the sit down dining). Our big problem is the "goodies" and coffee. That's where we elect for our money to go. (just found out by reading on here that I should save my cup/receipt. I'm always getting coffee in the evening at that store on the east side of main street.)

My friend who took a large family did this and put some snacks in her bag to supplement the sharing of plates for dinner. We are planning a trip for next Christmas and planning $11 per person per meal (mostly 1 but somedays 2) ($8 plus $3 drink) and $10-15 for snacks a day. Ok, we have a problem passing up the dole whips, chocolate bananas, muffins, etc. I am going to be buying Disney Dollars monthly so I don't cringe if I want that chocolate/whatever thing I see. For us, the dining plan would not work just much easier buying and saving the Disney Dollars. This will be my first ever trip where all my kids are graduated, working and I only have to pay for myself. This will be so new to me!

 

[bumbershoot]

wow this is alot of information. Is it worth a dining plan? What's the difference between them ... what would work for a family of 8. My youngest two are or will be 5 and 6 by the time we go to DL, they can go through a kids meal or share certain meals. the otehrs will have their own including myself and DH.

I've read on gift cards only. Not sure if this works for us, but is it realistic to spend almost $100 per day on food for a family of 8?

My family of 3 budgets 100/day for food AND souvenirs. We bring our own snacks, we're vegetarian, usually share meals (the adults), and quite a lot of the food isn't possible for us b/c of a specific sensitivity.

I think 8 for 100/day is lowballing it.

Check out allears.net, find the DLR section, and get to the menus. Very very helpful. Remember though that the menus are updated by humans when they can, so the prices can AND DO change. There's also a menu section here at the dis, wdwinfo.com, but it's not as thorough or accurate.

when you say 6, 9, or 12 dining choices ... what does this mean?

I was quoting directly from the dining plan info. I'm not totally sure I totally understand it.

But I believe it means if you choose the 6 dining choice plan, you get 6 meals during your stay. And so on.

It's explained really really poorly, IMO, but I can't see that much difference between it now and when it was ALL vouchers. I'm just not seeing the savings.

I am going to be buying Disney Dollars monthly so I don't cringe if I want that chocolate/whatever thing I see. For us, the dining plan would not work just much easier buying and saving the Disney Dollars. This will be my first ever trip where all my kids are graduated, working and I only have to pay for myself. This will be so new to me!

Unless you live near the parks, you can't buy Disney Dollars now. NOt available anymore at Disney Stores, and not available online. Gotta buy 'em in the parks.

Disney Gift Cards, however, are available in various places...disneyland.com, disneyshopping.com, Disney Stores, and so on.

 

[Brady's Mom]

We take a family of 5 (sometimes 6) to DLR and plan on spending about $60 a day for food. BUT, we only eat one regular meal at the parks. That is an average of $15 an entree for each adult including our 13 yr old and 2 kid's size meals. DH and I often share an entree and add an extra salad and that works for us. This is the amount we budgeted for our trip last Nov. and we came home with money - so it worked for us. I tried to overbudget so I wasn't freaking out about money.

We find that all of the fried food and sometimes poor dietary choices really affect our systems. We choose to eat one counter service meal a day (table service doesn't work with some of our picky eaters) and we bring in sandwiches for lunch with chips and carrots and celery sticks, some cut up apples or oranges (apples aren't as messy) and water bottles that we refill at First Aid or Baby Station or the CS places that have a water thingy.

We also bring in some small snacks - beef jerky, nuts and sometimes some granola bars. We figure we can always get more food if we are hungry, but HATE wasting half of a $12-15 meal that we can't finish - which is why DH and I share a LOT of food.

There are CS places that have a better choice of food than burgers and fries. We like Plaza Inn (they have real plates, glasses and silverware - not disposable) and Cafe Orleans (they are TS) and Rancho Del Zocalo. We also like Taste Pilot's in DCA - DH and DS 13 really like their ribs and I get their loaded fries and they have stuff our littles will eat.