Disney Dining Plan..yes or no...

[HsvTeacher]

We have been on the DDP for most of our trips. Last May, we did a split stay and only did the DDP for part of it. We realized that we liked not being on it, because we could try some restaurants off-property. We also liked the feeling of being free of ADRs, so we could be more flexible with our plans. We also normally wouldn't eat as much as we do when we're on the DDP. We still eat at some table service restaurants on property, but the majority of our meals are off-property.

 

[La2kw]

We love the deluxe dining plan. One time we tried cooking all meals in our villa and found out that we weren't saving money over what we would have spent on the dining plan.

I find that hard to believe. You couldn't buy groceries cheaper than 70 bucks per person per day? Where the heck did you shop?

 

[FroggieK]

We are going in July with 2 adults and 2 13 years olds. Do you have a preference btwn staying t POFQ or OKW? Any other thoughts?

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

We are using it this trip. Like someone else mentioned the seasonal pricing for the plan isn't charged to DVC members, but the rest. still charge it if paying OOP. When calculating DDP, we save money because our daughters are 8. The cost for them covers their dinner at a buffet. Their snacks and CS are free.

In the future, when we have more points and a bit more cash for airfare, we will travel twice a year. Add to that our daughters being charged adult prices and we will switch to TIW.

Have you checked out menus and added some meals for your family? I think it really depends on what you eat.

 

[pennst8r]

The DP works well for us.

The easiest way to figure it out for your family--figure out a day or two of dining plans. Go to allearsnet and look at the menus/prices. Add it up and see which way would work better for you.

 

[rhonimouse]

We have always used the dining plan. We used to go during "free dining" when staying on cash and really loved trying many different restaurant on Disney's dollar (even though we paid for the room...I know the arguement)...but even now with DVC we still find the value in the convenience of NOT cooking on vacation and trying different places that I would not normally pay cash for- poly luau, CRT.... We like being able to grab the snack or counter service on the run and then regroup and unwind with a nice table service meal- though we have flipped that and started off with a fun character breakfast at Chef Mickey's....

When it comes down to it, it is your vacation so do whatever feels right for you- there is no wrong answer!

Have fun planning

 

[WDWMom]

Never used DDP and never plan to. We do not eat out $42/day. We bought DVC with the intention of having a WDW vacation for as little $$$ as possible every year. We eat in our room usually twice a day. I don't mind cooking in the room. We eat easy stuff like spag. and frozen pizza. We eat out once a day, mostly for lunch.

Now, even before DVC we didn't eat TS every day. Maybe 2-3 in a week. Never wanted to spend that much time at a restaurant with 3 kids everyday. I also don't get all the time peole spend trying to get ADR's, but I guess since it is not our thing I don't really worry about it.

 

[Hopefully]

We have found that the DDP works for our adults only family. We enjoy a TS meal every day and we like the convenience of pre paying for it. I also believe we save (just a bit) money.

 

[sssteele]

My wife and I added the Quick Service plan for three days when we stayed at AKV for the first time. We came home with a lot of snacks - mostly candy (toffee bars, etc). We did the math and certainly saved money if, and its a BIG IF, we would have bought that much food if we weren't on the plan. Some of the sandwiches at the food court where Soarin' is were huge, and we normally would have split them. Nevertheless, we have a 5 day stay coming up in May at BLT and we're planning on adding Quick Service again. We ahve a split stay, so we'll do some TS meals during the AKV part of our visit.

 

[poohbear luvs grumpy]

I love the dining plan. My husband and I used it on our first trip to Disneyworld three years ago and plan on using it next time we are able to revisit. It was great for us and the kids to have a few character meals. It is much better to sit down and eat while waiting to see them than to stand in a line. I loved knowing where we were going to eat. We are super planners. Every time my husband and I would go to Disneyland and try to get something to eat my husband would spend an hour trying to find a place that he thought was not as expensive. I would be starving but the food still wasn't that good. On the dining plan every table service is basically the same price. It is nice to have my husband look at food instead of cost. Food always tastes better when you aren't feeling so guilty over the cost.

 

[sweetdana]

For us, the shorter the trip the more it is worth it..

IE if we go 4 nights. we will use 4 TS, actually we will do DDP, as 1 or 2 will be 2 TS credits like CRT and BBQ. ALSO I OVER USE the mugs!

If we go 12 nights, DDP is never worth it, and DP usually isn't. (We often split stay to use it for some of the trip.)

I LOVE DP and DDP because I would never go to the main street ice cream store and spend 15$ on ice cream on the DP it is already paid for. I LOVE ordering Crab legs at Capt Grill and Streak at Teppon Epo and not worrying about it.

Paying up front I KNOW I splurge more, but what is VK for.
If you plan, you can make it worth while, if you do not plan, I think TIW or nothing may be better.

 

[Nikisha421]

We are dining plan people. I like experience different restaurants on different trips...if we didn't have the dining plan we would most likely starve...

 

[speakupjc]

We found the ddp is cheaper for us than cooking in our villas. The price of the groceries was very expensive. We went to the grocery store that was closest to downtown Disney.

 

[Brian Noble]

I always end up spending less just eating what, where, and when I want than the dining plan to cover those meals would cost---even before the TIW discount. I don't always eat exactly one TS per day (sometimes more, usually less), I tend to order appetizers more often than dessert, and I have a mix of lighter/less expensive meals with a few more expensive ones.

 

[DiznyDi]

We use the TiW card. Suits us just fine!

For those considering the DDP, don't forget to account for the tip for your sit down meals in your calculations. Tip is not included in purchase price.

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

What is the Tiw card?

 

[dmoore22]

For DH and I, TIW makes more sense than the DDP. We split so much when we eat at restaurants that the DDP is really too much food. Also we love apps, but aren't huge dessert people. We also love adult beverages and the TIW gets us a discount on those. So it works best for us.

This echos our situation exactly. We make multiple trips each year so the TIW makes more sense for us. DDP becomes a ball and chain the keeps you in the parks.

 

[princessvacg]

I do half of our vacation with the DDP and the other half without. The first 4 nights we are at AKV Concierge and we do not get the dining pland and the last 5 are at BLT and we add it for that. All 9 nights would be way too much dining plan!! We eat at the more expensive restuarants on the DDP days. It works out great!! ALL this DDP talk is making me so hungry for Disney Food!!

 

[TLPL]

I'd say no to dining plan.

 

[Longhairbear]

The DDP is too expensive, both financially, and calorie wise for us. We love food, and love to cook. We also love to try the various Disney restaurants, but the DDP is just too much food. We have never spent as much for groceries, and a few times eating out as the DDP costs. For our way of dining, or just plain eating, the DDP is not for us.