Dining Prices (w/o Dining Plan)

[Frequent Flyer]

Our family of 4, including two very light eaters - a 15 y/o DD and DD who will turn 3 while in Disney - will be staying in our RV at Fort Wilderness. So I am thinking we won't need a dining plan, as we can make some breakfasts, and take some lunches. I do want to do some restaurants (and Character Dining!!) though. So, if we don't do the dining plan, how do we know how much the meals will be? I've read that you have to pre-pay when you make your dining reservations and I've seen price ranges, but if there is a range, what do they base your payment on?

 

[goodeats]

You only prepay at Cinderellas Royal Table I believe. Otherwise you put down a credit card and if you don't cancel before the day of and do not show you are charged a fee of $10 per guest.

Prices are high (higher than before the dining plan was implemented). There are menus on line that show prices, and many prices are eye watering!

I've been trying to hoard Disney gift cards so it feels free. DH has told me multiple times it's not really free though!

 

[Pumbaa_]

There is a sticky thread on this board for actual prices for all meals that have a range

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

If your DD is 2 at checkin she will be free for the whole trip, including eating free at character buffets!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Very little prepay. CRT, dinner shows and events. Mostly, you pay after you eat exactly like almost every other table service restaurant anywhere. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm for non-buffet, non-prepay meals.

 

[Frequent Flyer]

If your DD is 2 at checkin she will be free for the whole trip, including eating free at character buffets!

I realized seconds after I booked that she'd still be two when we get there so I canceled that first reservation and re-booked and boy was my husband happy!!!! LOL
Since that means she also doesn't have to be on the meal plan, we might re-think it, or at least do some calculations, because it sure seems a lot simpler to just do the plan.

 

[Frequent Flyer]

You only prepay at Cinderellas Royal Table I believe. Otherwise you put down a credit card and if you don't cancel before the day of and do not show you are charged a fee of $10 per guest.

Prices are high (higher than before the dining plan was implemented). There are menus on line that show prices, and many prices are eye watering!

I've been trying to hoard Disney gift cards so it feels free. DH has told me multiple times it's not really free though!

Very little prepay. CRT, dinner shows and events. Mostly, you pay after you eat exactly like almost every other table service restaurant anywhere. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm for non-buffet, non-prepay meals.

Two out of the three I looked at were pre-pay. In addition to Cinderella's Royal Table, Mickey's Backyard BBQ was as well, I guess because it's a buffet. Good to know the majority aren't.

I'll go look at the threads with the menus so I can see if the Dining Plan would be the way to go or not.

 

[BMAEC]

Two out of the three I looked at were pre-pay. In addition to Cinderella's Royal Table, Mickey's Backyard BBQ was as well, I guess because it's a buffet. Good to know the majority aren't.

I'll go look at the threads with the menus so I can see if the Dining Plan would be the way to go or not.

I think calculating it would be really helpful. If you do some character meals, especially dinners, the dining plan may be worth it!

 

[SJSloan]

Go to distripplanner.com and enter the places you plan on eating and fill in the other info. It will compare the prices of the dining plan vs paying out of pocket. I usually get a gift card for a $100 0r so more than the OOP total and use any remaining on souvenirs

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Your youngest does have to be on every ADR.

 

[EsseG]

During my trip last March, at least half of the counter service lines I stood in were delayed because someone was trying to get the maximum from their Dining Plan credits and asking the cashier to change various meal and snack items until the balance due was zero. Sometimes a manager had to be called to enter an override and/or explain the Plan to the guest.

For those of you who use the DDP's, is this typical? Is it a hassle to make sure you get the full value every day?

 

[NYCgrrl]

During my trip last March, at least half of the counter service lines I stood in were delayed because someone was trying to get the maximum from their Dining Plan credits and asking the cashier to change various meal and snack items until the balance due was zero. Sometimes a manager had to be called to enter an override and/or explain the Plan to the guest.

For those of you who use the DDP's, is this typical? Is it a hassle to make sure you get the full value every day?

We just order what we want but I'm sure somewhere out there some one is doing just what you described and I'm happy that to date I haven't run into them.

 

[Tksolomom]

To reall maximize the plan you need to orde the most expensive things on the menu, and for TS always want dessert and not appetizers. Character meals are always worth it. You also need to use all your snack credits. I am not sure what the person in line was doing, but normally it is pretty simple. If you are doing MBYB or HDDR, it may not be worth using the dining plan as you can’t use it for category 1 seating.

 

[NYCgrrl]

To reall maximize the plan you need to orde the most expensive things on the menu, and for TS always want dessert and not appetizers. Character meals are always worth it. You also need to use all your snack credits. I am not sure what the person in line was doing, but normally it is pretty simple. If you are doing MBYB or HDDR, it may not be worth using the dining plan as you can’t use it for category 1 seating.

This assumes you want to be in category 1.
I'll be paying oop for our next HDDR visit but since we don't want to be part of the show category 2 or 3 will be fine.

 

[Figmentmommy]

This assumes you want to be in category 1.
I'll be paying oop for our next HDDR visit but since we don't want to be part of the show category 2 or 3 will be fine.

This - although we wouldn’t want to be invited to join the show that wasn’t our intention when booking. We had great seats both times in Category 2. Never felt like we were missing out on something. Plus you can use the dining plan to book category 1 at the late show if desired.

 

[Frequent Flyer]

Go to distripplanner.com and enter the places you plan on eating and fill in the other info. It will compare the prices of the dining plan vs paying out of pocket. I usually get a gift card for a $100 0r so more than the OOP total and use any remaining on souvenirs

This is wonderful!! Last night, I started running numbers on a spreadsheet. This is way easier. Thank you!!

 

[nasmith]

Personally, I never get the dining plan as I simply can't eat that much every day - plus I start ordering based on price, instead of what I really want. I'm not alone in this regard - every trip ( 2-3 times per year) I hear people on the bus complaining about not having used all of their credits and I see people in Mara buying 27 snacks to take home because otherwise, the credits will go to waste. Mickey rice-krispy treats are okay on vacation - but who wants or needs a pile of them when they get home? Just my opinion as a park visitor.

Now, as Disney stockholder - PLEASE buy the dining plan....

 

[Frequent Flyer]

Your youngest does have to be on every ADR.

Does that mean listed on ADR, or paid for? I'm hoping to get a reservation for MBYB during the first part of the trip. So since that is pre-pay, do you mean we'll have to pay for her even though she'll still be 2, or just that we'll list 4 people total on our reservation, but pre-pay for 3?

 

[NYCgrrl]

Does that mean listed on ADR, or paid for? I'm hoping to get a reservation for MBYB during the first part of the trip. So since that is pre-pay, do you mean we'll have to pay for her even though she'll still be 2, or just that we'll list 4 people total on our reservation, but pre-pay for 3?

This.

 

[BMAEC]

Does that mean listed on ADR, or paid for? I'm hoping to get a reservation for MBYB during the first part of the trip. So since that is pre-pay, do you mean we'll have to pay for her even though she'll still be 2, or just that we'll list 4 people total on our reservation, but pre-pay for 3?

When I made ADRs for my 2 y/o she is listed as an infant, so the reservation is for 5 people (2 adults, 2 kids, 1 infant) but I would only be charged for 2 adults and 2 kids for the prepay meals.