Dining Plan????

[Haley R]

We are staying at a family suite with a kitchenette, so though not included, plan to order some groceries and have continental breakfast in our room most days. We elected the regular dining plan for this trip solely because our kids are 3 & 6 and we plan to hit up lots of character meals. I probably wouldn't pay for those out of pocket based on the food reviews for most, but due to their ages I am really looking forward to meeting lots of characters this way vs. waiting in line in the parks.

And honestly, even if we come out about even, I really like the fact that it is already paid for when we go on our vacation. It makes it feel a little "all inclusive" to me. That said this is our first experience with it, so hard telling if it will turn out to be a good value for us or not. I envision us spending snack credits on a daily treat like a Micky Bar or Pretzel, and Starbucks for us tired parents.

DH and I just went by ourselves two years in a row and loved using the DP for character dining and buffets. We also, like you, loved not having to worry about what we were choosing on the menu. DH is a big eater so it's nice that he can choose anything he wants and at buffets can get his money's worth. If we were paying out of pocket, I would never get dessert and I would probably never get anything to drink besides water. That's just how my mind is when I have to pay out of pocket. We used a calculator this time just to see if we really were saving money and we came out way ahead because we are doing 3 or 4 character meals, one being the castle. We also really like getting snacks throughout the day.

 

[senadler]

If you are planning for club level, I would not do the dining plan. I actually would not recommend the dining plan for anyone on a first visit. You have plenty of other planning to do for your visit, I wouldn't spend too much effort on dining. That said, you should definitely plan some ADRs, you will not get into most restaurants without them. Your kids will love doing a couple of character meals, and you will definitely need reservations. Planning one TS a day is probably a good plan.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Choose either Club Level or the Disney Dining Plan. Doing both on the same trip is overkill. It’s more food than you can possibly eat to get your money’s worth.