Dining Plans are Back!

[kanerf]

Best use of the DDP is during Food & Wine since the snack credits can be used for F&W kiosks. Also, the most recent DDP allowed an alcoholic beverage for both lunch and dinner which really increases the value when you look at $18 cocktails on WDW menus.

 

[mamamia2005]

Maybe - just maybe, a pie in the sky idea.
Due to the current staffing issues, they will bring the DDP just a trial initially for DVC members?
Wouldn't that be great!

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Maybe - just maybe, a pie in the sky idea.
Due to the current staffing issues, they will bring the DDP just a trial initially for DVC members?
Wouldn't that be great!

You already getting evening extra magic hours. Maybe we shouldn't set up Disney World as an elitist vacation spot. Even just initially. Just a thought.

 

[mamamia2005]

I know, I know and I am grateful to be getting EMH. But a girl can dream!

 

[CarolMN]

Recently announced UK packages for 2022 are offering a "dining credit" instead of the historical dining plans.

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021...-and-ticket-offer-announced-for-uk-residents/
Perhaps this is the direction the dining plans will go when they return. I confess, that is more attractive to us than the previous versions.

 

[TCRAIG]

Maybe - just maybe, a pie in the sky idea.
Due to the current staffing issues, they will bring the DDP just a trial initially for DVC members?
Wouldn't that be great!

Only if it were for ‘real’ Blue Card owners and didn’t include RRR (Riff-Raff Resale) White Card owners as well…

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Recently announced UK packages for 2022 are offering a "dining credit" instead of the historical dining plans.

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021...-and-ticket-offer-announced-for-uk-residents/
Perhaps this is the direction the dining plans will go when they return. I confess, that is more attractive to us than the previous versions.

I hope not. That is nothing like the DDP. It is a credit for $950 (for a two week stay). That would barely cover any food for a family of 4 for 4 days, let alone 14 days

 

[Brob2132]

I’m with others saying the DDP just isn’t for us because it didn’t ROI out. I would recommend looking at what you would actually buy, not what you could get with the plan. This is a much more accurate representation of a value analysis.

For my wife and I, even allocating $150 bucks per dinner wasn’t enough to tip the scales.

 

[Sandisw]

Best use of the DDP is during Food & Wine since the snack credits can be used for F&W kiosks. Also, the most recent DDP allowed an alcoholic beverage for both lunch and dinner which really increases the value when you look at $18 cocktails on WDW menus.

To add, they also have allowed those QS meals to be converted to 3 snacks so for us, it worked out because then we only needed to buy drinks!

 

[gharter]

And I'm also hoping for the return of TiW. We always got our money's worth from it.

Absolutely. We missed it on our last trip.
We only used DDP once when it was "free". It was too much food for how we eat. If we had to pay for it, I'm sure we'd lose money. I understand people like it as they pre-pay their meals and don't need to worry about it after that.
Will be interesting to see what the cost for the DDP will be when it does come back.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

WDW historically has had difficulty filling up the deluxes compared to value and moderate, so not surprised about the deluxe specific benefits direction.

DP was awesome when it was included free while paying moderate resort prices (and staying at POR, the moderate with a deluxe feel), but lately have been making full use of the in room fridge and plug in cooler for breakie and lunches, and targetting dinner and show packages ie. Candlelight Processional reserved seating. Maximizing the buck!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Recently announced UK packages for 2022 are offering a "dining credit" instead of the historical dining plans.

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021...-and-ticket-offer-announced-for-uk-residents/
Perhaps this is the direction the dining plans will go when they return. I confess, that is more attractive to us than the previous versions.

What exactly is a dining credit?

 

[CarolMN]

I only know what is in the link. It sounds like a gift card for meals. Devil will be in the details. I only know that the historical plans included too much food for us.

 

[mamamia2005]

The dining credit is offered to UK guests dependant upon what your resort you stay at and the dates of your stay. The dining credit is per room, not per person. It is presumed that it will be able to be used for any food or drink. Some folks on a UK forum who have booked the dining credit package are talking about buying the QSDP if that comes back, and using the dining credits for TS meals and tips.

 

[sssteele]

I LOVE the idea of the dining plan just order what you want it already paid for! In 2007 we.apent a week at AKL for our honeymoon with the "Platinum Dining Plan" that no longer exists but it was pure magic. That is where my love of DDP comes from.

A thing or two has changed in the last decade and we now have 2 kids. We too do not drink regularly. I did a full analysis in 2020 for our trip ended up being a victim of Covid. I looked at every single meal and the menus to determine what we would likely order (spreadsheets were involved). Here is what I found:
The dining plan would save us money over paying cash for everything we received in the dining plan. Now this assumes we would use all snack credits and no one would share or skip any meals. If we paid cash for what we got on the dining plan it would have been $2718. The dining plan would cost us $2330.

However if we ate what we wanted not what we should to maximize the plan we would spend about $2000.

After alot of stress I ended up cancelling our Dining plan. I love the convenience and idea behind it but the kids make it not worth it for us. They would be happy with uncrusables and hot dogs most of the time. I don't need to pay on property prices for that.

"Already paid for" can easily be achieved by purchasing Disney gift cards before your trip. Calculate how much a dining plan would cost you and purchase an equivalent $ amount in gift cards. You'll have cards ($$$$$) left at the end of the trip.

 

[Tiberella626]

"Already paid for" can easily be achieved by purchasing Disney gift cards before your trip. Calculate how much a dining plan would cost you and purchase an equivalent $ amount in gift cards. You'll have cards ($$$$$) left at the end of the trip.

After canceling our dining plan for our April 2020 trip that was exactly my plan. However, this year, not knowing what would be back in Disney we opted to go to an all inclusive resort instead. After seeing my kids complain and not eat at a nice (not the best but ok) buffet I decided I would be less mad cooking on vacation than paying Disney prices for hot dogs and Mac. So we are now in the process of buying our first DVC contract. The kitchen is going to be so valuable for our family.

 

[rocketriter]

We tried the dining plan years ago, when it was pretty generous. We spent an awful lot of time at sit-down meals with our then-young children, and when we came home we discovered that we had accidentally taught them to love (and repeatedly ask for) prime rib, lobster, and crab. Never did it again.

 

[n2mm]

Just used my TiW card for the last trip. I definitely didn’t get the value out of it. I bought it the end of January 2020. Didn’t use it for the first year of purchase (13 months). Only got to use it during the 4 month extension that was added on. Used it March, April-May and June trips. Officially expired June 30, 2021. I may have broke even during June trip since we were a party of 8 (But other 2 trips were party of 2). TiW has always been a new purchase (no renewals). Hoping it comes back when APs come back. Not a fan of ddp. But I sometimes buy for a 1 night stay mostly to get the mugs to use for an extended stay.

 

[keishashadow]

Here now

I don’t see us paying for DDP in the future. Wouldn’t recommend it to any of my friends & family as things sit now

sadly, the sub-par food quality & very limited offerings seems to have dipped even more since our April/May trip. IMO continuing to blame sub-par food on pandemic supply chain issues is wearing thin

will say roaringforks is excellent as usual!

@ garden grill yesterday, which always had delivered an enjoyable, solid meal was meh. When the salad is the table favorite, well...

buns were stale, server said all were. Every ‘rib’ full of gristle, meat rubbery & the strawberry shortcake was sliced pound cake with cool whip & a compote of few berries in sauce for $185 for 3 ppl btw there. Did have a lively server & nice to see the characters

Plazas new menu was promising, didn’t deliver. GD said burger was decent. The roast beef dip was not

Hoping for a good meal at the boathouse tonight

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Here now

I don’t see us paying for DDP in the future. Wouldn’t recommend it to any of my friends & family as things sit now

sadly, the sub-par food quality & very limited offerings seems to have dipped even more since our April/May trip. IMO continuing to blame sub-par food on pandemic supply chain issues is wearing thin

will say roaringforks is excellent as usual!

@ garden grill yesterday, which always had delivered an enjoyable, solid meal was meh. When the salad is the table favorite, well...

buns were stale, server said all were. Every ‘rib’ full of gristle, meat rubbery & the strawberry shortcake was sliced pound cake with cool whip & a compote of few berries in sauce for $185 for 3 ppl btw there. Did have a lively server & nice to see the characters

Plazas new menu was promising, didn’t deliver. GD said burger was decent. The roast beef dip was not

Hoping for a good meal at the boathouse tonight

Thanks for your report. We found the same food quality as you. As for the Boathouse, yes!! It was excellent in April anyway.