Disney Dinning Plan or Not?

[natale1980]

I'm not sure if we should do the dinning plan or not. We don't mind not eating at Table Service everyday but it seems like whenever I add up the food expenses it seems like I am close to the dining plan cost but we would eat better if we paid for the dinning plan..

It's my DH, DS 4, DD 1 & me. So our (very hungry) DD would eat at buffets for free instead of us paying for her counter service at least twice a day... so in Disney terms that would be about $10-$13.

humm... what have you guys found?

-nat

 

[Darcy03231]

I done the DDP the last two trips and love it. I like having almost all of our food prepaid and I've found we tend to eat better, especially for dinner. I know if we didn't have the DDP we'd be eating CS for all of our meals. I also really like seeing the characters at our meals rather than standing in line at the parks.

 

[kkgordon02]

I'm going next week w/dh, ds(5), ds(2), and my mom and doing dp. I like having it paid for instead of seeing huge dining bills at ts everyday. The dp is a definite deal for kids!!

 

[VirataMama4]

We have gone back and forth for our upcoming trip and have decided to do the DDP. We also like having our meals "prepaid." Plus, you tend to get more food(mostly the added dessert) and for us what we'd pay OOP without desserts is about what we pay for the DDP.

 

[leslie826]

For us, I chose where we were going to eat and then ran the numbers both ways. The cost of one table service meal alone per day almost paid for the DDP itself. Example: one dinner at 1900 PF for 2 adults 1 child = $90 + tax. The DDP for 1 day = $91. Your cs and snack for the day would be free! Of course this will all depend on where you want to eat and which meal (b,l or d).

 

[fac]

except you want to do all the rides which I doubt as you have a 4 years old and a 1 year old. with the DP, I think it may be a good break for the kids and it is easier to take pictures.
I vote for DP

 

[Kae]

Have you thought about the QS dining plan?

Kae

 

[natale1980]

We are going for 4 nights then leaving for a 4 night cruise then back to the world for 3 nights.
I was thinking about doing the Basic Dining plan for the first half, and the QS for the second half. The only problem with the QS is it doesn't help with the baby - we still have to pay for her food.

Thanks for the help everyone! I was thinking DP is the way to go.
-nat

 

[WDWorBUST]

We have used the dining plan every year since the first that "free dining" was offered. We loved trying places that I wouldn't have paying OOP and we did really enjoy it. We HATED being tied down to ADR's though. So this year we are on free dining again...but we are staying value and did not upgrade from the counter service plan. I'm really excited to try it because I think it will be perfect. We are doing the Candlelight Processional dining package....but that may very well be our only table service this trip

 

[gabbyfamily]

We have used the dining plan every year since the first that "free dining" was offered. We loved trying places that I wouldn't have paying OOP and we did really enjoy it. We HATED being tied down to ADR's though. So this year we are on free dining again...but we are staying value and did not upgrade from the counter service plan. I'm really excited to try it because I think it will be perfect. We are doing the Candlelight Processional dining package....but that may very well be our only table service this trip

What is an ADR?? Excuse my ignorance!

 

[natale1980]

ADR - Advanced Dining Reservation

(i think) I know it's a dining reservation...

 

[OhMari]

I went last November and got the 40% off room code, then Free Dining came out. We stayed with the 40% off, because we would of lost out on $50. But the food is very expensive at WDW.

But, if I could keep the discount on the room and go with the Dining Plan, I would. We ate a lot of counter service and even that was expensive. Plus lots of people like having their trip paid off when they arrive. We were at WDW and I think we used $500 for food for 2 of us and our dd was there 2 day,s and our sons came the following weekend. Thank goodness for pizza.

 

[squirrel]

I think you would like the DDP. If you book a few TS character meals the children would get photos/autographs and save you from waiting in line to see them. It also allows your daughter to eat for free.

I think you will find that there are a few adult CS meals that are large enough to share with your daughter. At Cosmic Ray's you can get a 1/2 chicken meal with ribs, mashed potatoes and green beans. You also get a dessert and a drink with that on the DDP for one CS credit. Some places will allow you to get fruit instead of a dessert, which you could also share with your daughter. If your daugher needs a CS meal of her own they cost about $5.

 

[hipchickie]

We have done DDP the last few times we have gone, and we have enjoyed it. The first year was so fantastic, but I lost a lot of love for it once the tip was removed and had to be paid for OOP....it lost its main appeal for me, which was not to think about money!

We will be doing QS this time (which I have some qualms about, but hopefully it will go well) because of that - not only is sit down dining plan more, but you also have to factor in the additional you will be paying for tips. If you eat CS, the plan price is it, no need to budget additional money.

 

[natale1980]

I figure it will be about an extra $20 a day for tips.
We are staying DVC so we'll be eating breakfast in the room.... so that will save money.

I think my mind is made up... we'll be getting the DP! Hopefully I can come up with the money Since we don't have to pay for Skylar yet, it really is the best value for us.

Shamelessly adding a link to a video so you can see how cute Skylar is --->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIHImA49q2I

thanks again!

-nat

 

[WDWorBUST]

What a cutie! One thing you might think about that I didn't is whether your kids will eat at the meals. Our first trip when DD was 13 months and even the next ones at 23 months and 25 months (we got ap's so had to take advantage of them in that one year period) didn't really eat when we sat down for a meal....especially character dining. She was too busy watching everything around her. Then we ended up buying her food later. Now she didn't eat much so it wasn't a big expense....but just something to keep in mind. Of course your kiddos may be completely different.

 

[hipchickie]

I figure it will be about an extra $20 a day for tips.

for our trip that is $200 not breaking the bank, but not pocket change either

 

[natale1980]

What a cutie! One thing you might think about that I didn't is whether your kids will eat at the meals. Our first trip when DD was 13 months and even the next ones at 23 months and 25 months (we got ap's so had to take advantage of them in that one year period) didn't really eat when we sat down for a meal....especially character dining. She was too busy watching everything around her. Then we ended up buying her food later. Now she didn't eat much so it wasn't a big expense....but just something to keep in mind. Of course your kiddos may be completely different.

You would be surprised how much she can eat!! It's our son Dexter (almost 5) who's the problem.

for our trip that is $200 not breaking the bank, but not pocket change either

It really may be breaking the bank after you add up all the other Disney Extras. Some days it's less - but we normally tip 20% and our bill is always close to $100.

-nat

 

[RobinFabulous]

We are going for 4 nights then leaving for a 4 night cruise then back to the world for 3 nights.
I was thinking about doing the Basic Dining plan for the first half, and the QS for the second half. The only problem with the QS is it doesn't help with the baby - we still have to pay for her food.

Thanks for the help everyone! I was thinking DP is the way to go.
-nat

The CS is more than you think. I had a smallish 3 and a smallish 10 and they often shared an adult portion CS. My sister & I shared an adult portion CS. I do think you get more food for the value at the parks vs. the hotels, but that's jmho

 

[hipchickie]

ah, never mind
I thought you were saying that $20 a day wasn't a big deal.

Plus, we tend to go overboard when we have a sit down meal (apps, drinks, glo-cubes, etc) so CS is going to eliminate the temptations for us