Dinning plan Input

[katyringo]

So I found out today we can add the dinning plan to our "room only" reservation. We get our tickets through shades of green. They just convert it to a ticketless package..

We would be able to get the kids eat free..

I think generally folks say it's not worth it. My math is saying it does save us a tiny bit.

We do generally eat at a sit down everyday and enjoy character meals.

Does anyone find it worth it and helpful?

 

[CaroM8]

It's worth it if you use your credits at those heavy ticket restaurants like character meals and buffets. Here are my favs to use the DDP:

Topolino's breakfast
Ohana breakfast (characters) or dinner (no characters)
Crystal Palace
Akershus breakfast
Tusker House

Have fun

 

[Genie+]

The math might work for people who would like to do several character buffets and likely buy some alcohol/specialty drinks with some meals regardless.

Plus you’ll get the kids 3-9yo free which helps (under 3 does not get credits; over 9 considered adult).

How long is your trip?

We tried it a bunch of times but not since 2019 when DDP was easier to make worthwhile. It was alot of fun trying to maximize it and we got to experience more places and items than we would’ve otherwise. The tradeoff was having to plan around that.

The nice thing about character buffets is efficiency. I think the value is in being able to start eating immediately, having a wide array so everyone is getting fueled up, some easy character interactions, all in a short time. But they’re expensive lol.

Take Tusker House for instance. It’s $64 adult ($42 3-9yo). On DDP the adult would also be entitled to say a $17.50 Cold Brew Martini. After tax you’re talking over $85*. DDP is $98.59 with tax. $14 difference and you’ll still have a QS credit that also includes alcohol or specialty drink and a snack credit (plus ongoing resort refill mug). Satuli is mostly $14-$19 entrees and can choose a $5-$17 drink, after tax between $20-$40 (so I’ll estimate as $30/adult, $10/kid). And snack credit has plenty of choices $5-$10.

*Keep in mind this table service at 18% pre-tax tip is $15 just for that one adult.

I’m not sure the ages/# in your family, but if we order like that for 2 adults and match 2 3-9yo kids eating off same menus:

$275 Tusker, $80 Satuli, $30 snacks = $385
Paid $197 DDP + $43 TS tip = $240

BUT - do you want to eat like that?

AND - this is one of the best case scenario days.

 

[katyringo]

The math might work for people who would like to do several character buffets and likely buy some alcohol/specialty drinks with some meals regardless.

Plus you’ll get the kids 3-9yo free which helps (under 3 does not get credits; over 9 considered adult).

How long is your trip?

We tried it a bunch of times but not since 2019 when DDP was easier to make worthwhile. It was alot of fun trying to maximize it and we got to experience more places and items than we would’ve otherwise. The tradeoff was having to plan around that.

The nice thing about character buffets is efficiency. I think the value is in being able to start eating immediately, having a wide array so everyone is getting fueled up, some easy character interactions, all in a short time. But they’re expensive lol.

Take Tusker House for instance. It’s $64 adult ($42 3-9yo). On DDP the adult would also be entitled to say a $17.50 Cold Brew Martini. After tax you’re talking over $85*. DDP is $98.59 with tax. $14 difference and you’ll still have a QS credit that also includes alcohol or specialty drink and a snack credit (plus ongoing resort refill mug). Satuli is mostly $14-$19 entrees and can choose a $5-$17 drink, after tax between $20-$40 (so I’ll estimate as $30/adult, $10/kid). And snack credit has plenty of choices $5-$10.

*Keep in mind this table service at 18% pre-tax tip is $15 just for that one adult.

I’m not sure the ages/# in your family, but if we order like that for 2 adults and match 2 3-9yo kids eating off same menus:

$275 Tusker, $80 Satuli, $30 snacks = $385
Paid $197 DDP + $43 TS tip = $240

BUT - do you want to eat like that?

AND - this is one of the best case scenario days.

We have 6 nights- 5 full park days. Arrival and departures day.

Still deff debating- but we could easily do a character meal or higher cost sit down every day. I think we are just trying to decide if that's the kind of trip we want. Really I think it's coming down to that. Also our trip is in 3 weeks and right now now there is tons of availability for all the places usually booked out.. that I'm thinking we might be able to decide more on the fly if we want to try and eat somewhere instead of making reservations and feeling like we have have to because of the dinning plan. I'm very conflicted lol!

 

[Darklord77]

Breaking even or coming out a a little ahead requires some planning and picking the right dining locations. I've looked at it for the last few trips and it is not worth the hassle to get the dining plan. For some, it might make sense. In my view it's just pre-paying for your food. I found it easier to load a Disney gift card and use that. I think most people end up giving Mickey a little bit more $$$ when they purchase the plan.

 

[Earningmywings]

WDW prep school has a dining plan calculator that may help you decide if the plan saves you money.

Personally we always did the dining plan when we could get free dining for our family of 4. To me it makes the trip less stressful to have the liberty to order whatever you want from the menu or go to (almost) any table service regardless of price. We would usually go to 3 character meals, plus Ohana and pick the other dinners based on higher prices. Never use the dining plan for 2 table credit restaurants as it is not worth it. It was a better deal also when you got 2 snacks per person.

However, this year we opted for a nicer resort and no dining plan now that we have 2 Disney adult kids (14,11). We will keep 1 character dining and bought discounted gift cards. I feel like we will still come out ahead, but will be keeping a running total to confirm at the end.

 

[NicoleLarson]

If it makes sense, I say do it. I never thought we would do the DDP again since we have disney adult kids but in doing the math, I realized, we would come out ahead. My DD was performing at the CP so we wanted the dining package. That meal alone was going to be $90 and we were only there for 2 nights. So adding it on for another night made sense. It was fun to order anything and not worry about the cost. Polite pig was a fantastic use of a CS credit and their alcoholic drinks were very good. You do need to be mindful though of where you are eating.