dining plan?

[scanmom]

Is the disney dining plan still available? I haven't heard much about it lately. Do you have to be on a pkg. to get it? What is the cost for the 3 day plan? TIA!!!

 

[scanmom]

I would love this info!

 

[dcfromva]

scanmom,
I was looking at the 6 day pkg thru AAA at $195.00 I believe (I can go take a peek and see what it prices out for a 3 day pkg).

I am trying to figure if it would be worthwhile or not. Have you ever used the meal plan before?

 

[scanmom]

no, we have never used any kind of prepaid plan for dining. I was thinking that since I am trying to afford to take 3 x-tra people ( I have 6 in my OWN family), it may help to have SOME of the food paid for ahead of the trip. If I can swing it, I want to bring along my bro-in-law and his 2 teenage kids. They never get to go anywhere. The just cannot afford it, their mom decided she likes drugs more than her family, and they have had a rough year and a half. I was thinking of trying to go in October, but I just found out that the castle will be covered completely until Nov. 25th! I cannot take them to DL if the castle is covered, so I will have to think of another week to go!

 

[dcfromva]

It looks like a 3-day through AAA is $81.00. (I have seen it listed for $93.00 elsewhere, so I assume AAA gives a discount.)
I belive the 3 day gives you
1 character breakfast.
1-Breakfast in the park.
3-5.00 coupons for snacks
2-10.00 coupons for meals
1-15.00 coupon for a meal
(I'm just looking at the adult pricing.)


I have been told you have to have a pkg in order to get the dining plan.

I'm trying to value out the character breakfast/breakfast in the park (I think character breakfast starting at 24.25 --are tips/tax included? and Breakfast in the park at $8.75?)
If the above assumptions are correct, it would be $50.00 worth of coupons + 24.25 + 8.75 that totals 83.00..if tax/tips are incl on the charcter breakfast, then it would be a little more savings...)

-DC

 

[dcfromva]

scanmom,

I am thinking of treating my Mom to a trip to DL. I wanted to take her to the Halloween Party they have on Sept 30th, but I don't think I will be able to get the time off from work.
When I was talking to Mom, she said her favorite time to go is when they have It's a Small World decorated for Christmas, so now I am looking at a later date, too.
Since I am treating Mom, I would like to get the meals pre-paid, too. But, if it is just Mom and Me, we probably won't go to a character breakfast... (We like to order a la carte at Story Tellers--instead of a buffet), so I am beginning to think the meal plan may not be the way to go for us...

-DC

 

[scanmom]

this plan doesn't sound like such a great deal. I do not have AAA, so it looks like it would be cheaper for me to just pay as I go. I am not sure if I will take the kids to a character b-fast. They range in age from my 20 y/o DS to my 10 (nearly 11 by then) y/o DS. They will not be as interested in the characters as a younger child would be. Plus, my family have AP's, so I definatly wouldn't want a pkg. Thanks for all the info...you have been a tremendous help to me.
Do you have any ideas on the crowd levels and/or the rehabs for Jan. 4-7th? That is when I am thinking of changing my dates to, and am looking for info on that time frame. TIA!!

 

[Blackunicorn]

The meal plan at DL is only available if you purchase a package including a stay at a resort hotel or a good neighbor hotel.

There are many differing opinions on the meal plans, but it all boils down to: if you're not very careful, you can end up losing money because you don't spend them all. If you are willing to do a little extra work to keep track, they can be a somewhat good deal. The larger the meal package you buy, the larger your savings; the smaller the meal package, the smaller the savings. I personally don't think that they are a huge enough bargain to worry about; my husband loves them. Of course, he's not the one carefully counting them out to make sure they all get spent. If you don't do a character meal, you'll lose money because you can't get a meal package without a character meal. From personal experience, if you go at a time when the park has shorter hours, you may lose money on some of the breakfast coupons which are only good at the park, and the snack coupons will be hard to use if all of the snack stands are closed.

An AP should get you some discounts on dining. If you're worried about saving up for meals, you could purchase Disney Dollars instead, which can also be used for purchases if you don't use them all on meals. Or you could eat off-site, which is slightly less expensive, and I believe has more variety. (Take this with a grain of salt--I don't eat off-site when I'm there.)

 

[zipDdoodah]

We used them last year and loved them. It allowed us to eat at some of the nicer restaurants. I agree, you have to pre-plan where you will eat, but we had no problem spending them all. We have purchased them again for an upcoming trip. It's nice to have the food paid for before you go. I think we ended up saving with them. I would definitely recommend it.