Disney Dining Plan Price Increases

merbobear

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Prices have increased for all dining plans!
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You lose money by getting the Disney dining plan. It's very hard to make it work where you come out ahead. Wonder if all the restaurants had a increase in prices

I think increases in the menu prices have become a near "weekly" thing...that's what it feels like.

$58 steak in Canada? Lol...outback should really charge more...after all it's the same cuts.
 
You lose money by getting the Disney dining plan. It's very hard to make it work where you come out ahead. Wonder if all the restaurants had a increase in prices

Of course they did. They raise the restaurant prices to justify increases in the dining plan, which in turn justifies additional increases in restaurant prices.
 


We've tried it both ways and in times past have come out slightly ahead with the DDP, but we like to eat big and not cheap. I'm 5'7" and 160 soaking wet, but I can pack it away like I have a hollow leg.
 
In 2007 on our honeymoon we had the dining plan and it was fantastic! It included an 18% gratuity on every meal, and each meal came with its own drink, appetizer, entree and dessert! We were so stuffed after every meal. When we went to the sci fi drive in after eating all of that they brought us out a special honeymoon sundae for free with a card. We could hardly move but ate as much as we could to be polite, we had both just finished our own desserts!
We next went in 2009 and almost every year since and the dining plan has never made financial sense.
 
What i find stunning is the amount of people who get the DDP and are clueless how to use. We checked in to POR on 12/27, yes Christmas week. The family ahead of use had the dining plan, made NO reservations and had not a clue how to use. I broke out in a cold sweat just listenig to the conversation with the CM. 3x's that week I ended up giving a"crash" course in the DDP to guests who were sitting next to us at the pool who would usually start the conversation " Are you using the dining plan???"
 


What i find stunning is the amount of people who get the DDP and are clueless how to use. We checked in to POR on 12/27, yes Christmas week. The family ahead of use had the dining plan, made NO reservations and had not a clue how to use. I broke out in a cold sweat just listenig to the conversation with the CM. 3x's that week I ended up giving a"crash" course in the DDP to guests who were sitting next to us at the pool who would usually start the conversation " Are you using the dining plan???"
People buy it for the convenience.
 
We have never lost money on ddp, in fact my family always saves a decent amount ($200+ every trip). I haven't seen an increase yet, but I'm watching the AYCTE thread, I'm sure there will be an increase across the board before we know it.

You lose money by getting the Disney dining plan. It's very hard to make it work where you come out ahead. Wonder if all the restaurants had a increase in prices
 
We have never lost money on ddp, in fact my family always saves a decent amount ($200+ every trip). I haven't seen an increase yet, but I'm watching the AYCTE thread, I'm sure there will be an increase across the board before we know it.

I should of had if it's all adults it's hard to save money on the ddp. I'm guessing you have kids. If you have kids yes you can save money on ddp. If not you can still save money but it's really hard. Eating at Norway every night you will save money on ddp. I'm also talking about the middle dining plan. My mistake I should of been more clear plus I'm a annual pass holder and dvc member with them discounts it's real hard to save money on the ddp with just adults
 
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What i find stunning is the amount of people who get the DDP and are clueless how to use. We checked in to POR on 12/27, yes Christmas week. The family ahead of use had the dining plan, made NO reservations and had not a clue how to use. I broke out in a cold sweat just listenig to the conversation with the CM. 3x's that week I ended up giving a"crash" course in the DDP to guests who were sitting next to us at the pool who would usually start the conversation " Are you using the dining plan???"

I've had that happen too and it drives me insane...

That's crappy travel agents to blame...or friends who casually mention it at the Winn Dixie back home without bothering to do follow up research
 
We have never lost money on ddp, in fact my family always saves a decent amount ($200+ every trip). I haven't seen an increase yet, but I'm watching the AYCTE thread, I'm sure there will be an increase across the board before we know it.

In order to "make out" on the dining plan...you basically have to book/order right to left and assume that the menu prices are in any way indicative of "value"...which it's not even close. And swallow a lot of character buffets that are pretty mediocre.

All the decent restaurants are 2 points...where you actually lose.
 
People buy it for the convenience.

People justify a lot of things that way...

It's like if I'm walking on the street in manhatttan, and I tell a pick pocket "here...take my wallet...it's a little bit heavy and I don't want to have to carry it/be thinking about it anymore. W,M,D,W!!!"

Never shut your brain down...and since they don't include tips you can't do it anyway. A $30 tip at crystal palace doesn't exaclty leave a big smile on my face. Tables in wonderland is actually more convenient in that regard.
 
In order to "make out" on the dining plan...you basically have to book/order right to left and assume that the menu prices are in any way indicative of "value"...which it's not even close. And swallow a lot of character buffets that are pretty mediocre.

All the decent restaurants are 2 points...where you actually lose.

That's not really true, you and I agree on a lot of things here, but the DDP we don't. I run the numbers 6 ways from sunday every single time we go on a trip, not one time would we have spent more money on the DDP than what we would have without getting it.

Even with 2 little ones it still makes sense to us. I've gone as far as planning out meals 6 months in advance to see how much we'll spend on dining, and every single time I compare it to the DDP, we come out ahead with the DDP.

The one caveat to that is the Quick Service, I've found you're basically breaking even and just paying in advance with it.
 
I have not done the ddp in over 12 years, however a group trip coming up, we are doing it.

I have crunched the numbers and with the increase in TW, the fact my guests (who have not been too WDW in a very long time) would like to do alot of character, theme park restaurants (which many are bordering on the 2 credit amount), I only was saving a little under $1,000 for 7 people. Not really including the snacks in the parks.

So....convenience wins. I have 4 boys between 17 and 24, who all eat (buffets yeah!) coming on this trip. Plus my son and I are the only DVC people- We can't split meal costs at the table with our other group....most servers wont allow that, and I don't feel like nickle and diming every meal cost with my sister.

So...for this trip the dining plan makes perfect sense. magic band, magic band, tap, tap......:rainbow:
 
That's not really true, you and I agree on a lot of things here, but the DDP we don't. I run the numbers 6 ways from sunday every single time we go on a trip, not one time would we have spent more money on the DDP than what we would have without getting it.

Even with 2 little ones it still makes sense to us. I've gone as far as planning out meals 6 months in advance to see how much we'll spend on dining, and every single time I compare it to the DDP, we come out ahead with the DDP.

The one caveat to that is the Quick Service, I've found you're basically breaking even and just paying in advance with it.

I think were it alsways comes out a loser when I crunch it is that it involves a minimum high level of commitment to consuming large amounts of salts and sugars and also time eat your way to the "value".

I have tried to figure out if i want to get it about 15 times over the last 8 years...it has NEVER worked out as more than break even.

Now if it had the apps, and only 1 points per place? Of course...as with the grat. But when they increased the price and reduced the benefits, it became a scheme.

It's very "motorized cart friendly"
 
We had the dining plan on our trip (got it at a discount). The only way we came out ahead was because we did 3 character meals.

Turns out my kids didn't even like the character meals.

The only way I'd do the dining plan again is if it were free or deeply discounted. I'd never pay full price for it.
 
I think were it alsways comes out a loser when I crunch it is that it involves a minimum high level of commitment to consuming large amounts of salts and sugars and also time eat your way to the "value".

I have tried to figure out if i want to get it about 15 times over the last 8 years...it has NEVER worked out as more than break even.

Now if it had the apps, and only 1 points per place? Of course...as with the grat. But when they increased the price and reduced the benefits, it became a scheme.

It's very "motorized cart friendly"

I get what you're saying, but it comes down to how people do vacations honestly.

For us, we don't eat out much while we're not on vacation, we'll grab lunch out on the weekends, or maybe a kids night every now and then during the week. So when we're on vacation, Disney or not, dining is high on our list, its part of the vacation. We enjoy sitting down as a family and eating a nice meal together.
 
We had the dining plan on our trip (got it at a discount). The only way we came out ahead was because we did 3 character meals.

Turns out my kids didn't even like the character meals.

The only way I'd do the dining plan again is if it were free or deeply discounted. I'd never pay full price for it.

This is what I have found as well...if you want to grab a pound and a half of bacon for $40 a person while a 5' Sophomore from Appalachian State dances around in a chip costume...you can "save" money..

But the price includes a high ripoff tax already - so what are you saving?

And don't get me wrong - I love me a good breakfast buffet..but don't you think there's a reason they don't exist without character prices anymore?

The minute they start having a hard time getting people to pay at Boma...rafiki and timon start walking around there too.
 

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