Disney Dining Plan question

[Julia Ann]

If I wanted to buy Disney Quick Service Plan - do I have to buy for the entire stay of trip or can you buy say 10 days worth? Considering staying on site but will be visiting Universal for a few days so wouldn't be using the plan on those days.

 

[2Tiggies]

You have to buy for the length of stay and for everyone on your reservation. Tickets do not need to be length of stay to get the DDP, but you do need to book tickets with your room to be able to add it, even if you are paying (i.e. not free dining)

HTH

 

[Elise79]

Lee is correct - DDP are for length of stay and need to purchased with tickets.

I would also add that paying for the dining plans is very rarely good value especially if you know you will be having days off site.

There are people who will pay for them and they say its 'convenience' or that they 'don't have to worry about the menu prices' however I have done the maths on it so many times and can not get it to add up. You have to eat every single credit and every single element of a meal to break even.

I don't always want dessert and we happily share drinks with CS and get cups of free iced water.

 

[Julia Ann]

Thanks both - just seen that Thomson are currently offering free QS Dining when you buy an ultimate park ticket - now that sounds tempting, hope they still have the offer for 2015

 

[flortlebap]

Thanks both - just seen that Thomson are currently offering free QS Dining when you buy an ultimate park ticket - now that sounds tempting, hope they still have the offer for 2015

It's been on for the last few years, so I'd be very surprised if it wasn't available.

Paying for DDP just isn't worth it - but OOP has also increased in price, to the point where we now feel it's only a financially viable trip with free dining!

 

[Julia Ann]

It's been on for the last few years, so I'd be very surprised if it wasn't available.

Paying for DDP just isn't worth it - but OOP has also increased in price, to the point where we now feel it's only a financially viable trip with free dining!

fingers crossed then..... btw what's OOP please?

 

[Clare D]

OoP means out of pocket i.e. You pay for something yourself

I agree with flortlebap. We've stayed onsite at Disney for the last 3 trips due to the free dining plan and tbh I don't think I would stay at Disney without it because it is getting so expensive, especially when you consider how much it costs to get there!

 

[flortlebap]

As above - out of pocket. Going to buy food with actual cash rather than free credits and paying $15 for a cheeseburger

Honestly, though, joking aside - I have noticed a pretty big price increase on the physical cost in dollars of meals. I felt in August as though the prices were artificially inflated to make those with free dining feel like they were getting more! Some of the prices were beyond crazy.

Get free dining if you can, then the money you do spend doesn't seem so bad in the grand scheme of things.

 

[crabbie1]

We did OOP the last time and worked better. Prefer a starter to a sweet and thats something that you cannot have on the DDP. Ou puddings wld go to waste. Wld prefer qsdp then pay OOP for the odd TS and use TIW to cover tip. If its free go for it but otherwise not worth it.

 

[Julia Ann]

Thanks all - Not just "Rip of Britain" then, it's just so expensive everywhere. Yes if the price is right I will go for on site with free DDP, shame you can't choose either starter or pudding.

 

[2Tiggies]

I felt in August as though the prices were artificially inflated to make those with free dining feel like they were getting more! Some of the prices were beyond crazy.

It could have been that you were there during a period where peak supplements applied (they do not apply to CS meals though). If you pay for the DDP and book on the US site, you will pay more for your regular DDP during these period.

Prices have certainly increased very noticeably in the last few years though; even the cost of a soda or a salad. I use salad costs as my barometer because we order so many of them lol

 

[Julia Ann]

Just noticed you don't get free ddp at budget hotel and can't afford a moderate hotel so that's that plan dashed feel a bit silly now for not reading the small print in the thomson brochure.

 

[BudgieMama]

Just noticed you don't get free ddp at budget hotel and can't afford a moderate hotel so that's that plan dashed feel a bit silly now for not reading the small print in the thomson brochure.

It's worth figuring out your daily food budget, then seeing if adding most of that to what you can afford for accommodation allows you to book a moderate with free DP. We would never have justified the money if we hadn't treated it as "well, that's room and most (of not all) of our food too"

Hope you manage to work it out

 

[Julia Ann]

It's worth figuring out your daily food budget, then seeing if adding most of that to what you can afford for accommodation allows you to book a moderate with free DP. We would never have justified the money if we hadn't treated it as "well, that's room and most (of not all) of our food too"

Hope you manage to work it out

Thanks for the tip - i will do some more calculations

 

[queendisney]

If you are considering buying the QSDP then you might as well go to a mod resort and get it from free (if its not offered at the moment, wait a bit and it will come back again next year). It works out pretty good. But I am with the others in that paying oop for food nearly always works cheaper, especially if you keep your eyes open for a room discount.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Will you be staying at Universal or going back and forth? I ask because if your not you can still use your DDP credits for a good breakfast, so you could get away with only buying a few snacks whilst at Universal and eat a meal when you get back to your resort!Thats what we've done in the past.

 

[Julia Ann]

Will you be staying at Universal or going back and forth? I ask because if your not you can still use your DDP credits for a good breakfast, so you could get away with only buying a few snacks whilst at Universal and eat a meal when you get back to your resort!Thats what we've done in the past.

No plans on staying an universal, thanks for the tip

 

[edinburghlass]

Have you tried pricing it up via Disney rather than Thomsons and seeing what the difference is?