Disney Dining Plan

[Wandering Oaken]

I don't even want to know how much the dining plan is going to cost when it returns.

It might cost pretty close to what it did before. Maybe increased $5.

 

[Aprilshack]

Can someone remind me how alcoholic drinks work on DDP? DH & I don't drink but the people we are traveling with this time do.

Also, we technically have two reservations because we have two rooms. Would we be able to do one room on the DDP and the other not?

You get an alcoholic drink with a meal if you want, you don't have to have booze if you don't want. Assuming they will give you booze with DDP when it comes back.

 

[shawthorne44]

When we went as a family of five staying in a moderate resort, free dining always saved us more money!

I suspect the 5 people was the key. Two people staying in one room would get the same room discount, but only two dining plans.

 

[shawthorne44]

Can someone remind me how alcoholic drinks work on DDP? DH & I don't drink but the people we are traveling with this time do.

Also, we technically have two reservations because we have two rooms. Would we be able to do one room on the DDP and the other not?

Yes! Then you can share the meals. Might be worthwhile getting the Deluxe plan in that situation. That is 3 TS meals and 2 snacks per day for $120 (pre-lockdown). So, split in half, 1.5 TS meals a day and a snack for $60. I'd be all over that plan.

 

[leahgoogle]

I suspect the 5 people was the key. Two people staying in one room would get the same room discount, but only two dining plans.

Definitely true. You have to crunch the numbers.

 

[Jrb1979]

It might cost pretty close to what it did before. Maybe increased $5.

Doubtful. With the way things are going expect a high increase in price

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Doubtful. With the way things are going expect a high increase in price

I was basing that off of past increases. Of course it could go up significantly. It could go up an extra $100 each but I doubt it. Btw, I am glad my original comment could give you a chuckle.

 

[bsmcneil]

You buy alcoholic beverages at WDW. You buy alcohol at a premium cost. This is the way. Save for a Resort CL (as I understand it because I've never stayed at CL) or at a ticketed Dessert Party where it is open bar (which I have done before and selections are limited).

Not with the most recent DDP that existed.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

I was basing that off of past increases. Of course it could go up significantly. It could go up an extra $100 each but I doubt it. Btw, I am glad my original comment could give you a chuckle.

This is one of the few things where prices can only go up so much. We haven't done DDP in a long time, once we realized that we didn't love being pigeon-holed into the structure (example, we'd usually rather have an appetizer than a dessert at a table service meal) - and that we weren't really saving any money anyway. But unless they are going to drastically increase food prices all over WDW, inflating DDP to a point where its MORE expensive than paying oop just wouldn't work. I'd expect prices to stay at least somewhat in line what what is was before, unless of course we see an food price increase across the board.

 

[JasonH]

I did see a blurb in my Google News "For You" feed about the DDP recently, but didn't click the links. A quick Google News search shows quite a few sites talking about this coming back.

Google News - Search

That said, I took my 8 year old for her 8th birthday in April to DW, and to be honest, it was sort of nice to not worry about spending all of the extra $$ on snacks and junk. We went to dinner when we wanted (using reservations of course) and got snacks when we wanted.

Overall, I think I prefer to not use the DDP if/when it comes back. I'd rather put my $$ instead onto a pre-paid Visa card or something to cover food instead, and set my budget that way. But for larger groups, I can still see the appeal. In 2017 there was a group of 5 of us, and ugh... the DDP just took one more worry out of my bucket of worries and helped me have more fun. Smaller groups, especially adult-only groups? Meh.

But everyone is different.

 

[_19disnA]

You buy alcoholic beverages at WDW. You buy alcohol at a premium cost. This is the way.

Not how dining plans worked in 2019.

Not with the most recent DDP that existed.

I agree. The dining plan we used in 2019 included alcoholic beverages for the adults. At each restaurant a few of the most expensive items were not included, but the staff told us which ones those were when ordering. Virtually all of the items on the beverage menu were included. There used to be 2 version of the dining plans......'regular' and 'deluxe' (don't recall their exact names). The 'regular' plan worked out great for us and if you do a few of the character meals along with having alcohol, made sense for us. There are many older threads about dining plans. I have no idea if/when Disney will offer them again.

As I recall, there was also a different version of the dining plan they started to offer before covid put an end to that.

 

[JasonH]

As I recall, there was also a different version of the dining plan they started to offer before covid put an end to that.

Yes, the Disney Dining Plan Plus - where you had the option of swapping out one of your table service meals per day to a quick service meal. For an extra cost. It never made sense to me. You would think it would cost a bit cheaper, or at least be a "pay in full now, we'll refund you the difference if you swap to quick service after your trip" thing.

Disney still has it listed on their site:
Disney Dining Plans | Walt Disney World Resort (go.com)

 

[DisLiss]

If you know how to use the system well, it can save you money.

It's not always about using the system well, though. It also has to do with how you eat, what you eat, and where you like to eat as well.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Also, we technically have two reservations because we have two rooms. Would we be able to do one room on the DDP and the other not?

Yes! Then you can share the meals. Might be worthwhile getting the Deluxe plan in that situation. That is 3 TS meals and 2 snacks per day for $120 (pre-lockdown). So, split in half, 1.5 TS meals a day and a snack for $60. I'd be all over that plan.

As long as they are separate reservations then yes. If the 2 rooms are on the same reservation then no. Everyone on the reservation has to have the DP if you get it.

 

[Clockwork]

You buy alcoholic beverages at WDW. You buy alcohol at a premium cost. This is the way. Save for a Resort CL (as I understand it because I've never stayed at CL) or at a ticketed Dessert Party where it is open bar (which I have done before and selections are limited).

1 drink is covered under the Dining plan per meal.

 

[storey13]

Yes, the Disney Dining Plan Plus - where you had the option of swapping out one of your table service meals per day to a quick service meal. For an extra cost. It never made sense to me. You would think it would cost a bit cheaper, or at least be a "pay in full now, we'll refund you the difference if you swap to quick service after your trip" thing.

Disney still has it listed on their site:
Disney Dining Plans | Walt Disney World Resort (go.com)

The DDP+ makes a lot of sense to me. It was priced between the regular DDP and the deluxe plan. It gave you two table service credits per day, or you could use it for quick service if you want. I liked it because we wanted to do a couple of signature dining’s, but didn’t want or need 3 table credits per day with the deluxe. For my family it was a happy medium.

 

[JasonH]

The DDP+ makes a lot of sense to me. It was priced between the regular DDP and the deluxe plan. It gave you two table service credits per day, or you could use it for quick service if you want. I liked it because we wanted to do a couple of signature dining’s, but didn’t want or need 3 table credits per day with the deluxe. For my family it was a happy medium.

Ahh that's right. I couldn't remember the exact details. Yea, using it for signatures was the only value I ever saw in it. Great point!

 

[Tiberella626]

I just noticed that some of the food and wine booths have DDP credit logos next to them. I would think Disney would not have put that on if they did not expect to have the dining plan back before food and wine is over. And yes, I also realize food and wine goes forever this year so that is not saying much. Snack credit time y'all!

 

[Aprilshack]

I just noticed that some of the food and wine booths have DDP credit logos next to them. I would think Disney would not have put that on if they did not expect to have the dining plan back before food and wine is over. And yes, I also realize food and wine goes forever this year so that is not saying much. Snack credit time y'all!

The DDP logos never went away.

 

[shawthorne44]

Well, presumably these are new signs since they are for the festival. (I assume)