Disneyland Dining Confusion

[Sbparri]

We are planning our first DL & Southern California trip in September after 20+ visits to WDW. We are so used to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan at WDW so we are trying to become educated about the Dining Plan option at DL. While the general information says that 2 meals plus 1 snack are available per day, the specific information on the DL website indicates that is it only a $15 per meal voucher. Another place it indicates that everything (tickets, dining, purchases, etc.) is on your room key card as in WDW, then it again mentions "vouchers". We have learned how to squeeze all the value out of the DDP at WDW so we are trying to figure this one out in order to do that same thing.
Assistance and suggestions from DL veterans would be very helpful.

Thanks!!

 

[coaches24]

Don't buy the dining plan. No benefit at all and it could actually cost you extra money as you can't get change on the vouchers so you either have to figure out how to spend the exact amount of each voucher or you just lose whatever amount you don't spend each meal.

I just save up in my bank account and then use a rewards credit card to pay for most food (or cash for small snacks) and then pay off the credit card with the money I saved.

I've never been to WDW but this question gets asked a lot here so I know the WDW dining plan is much different to DL. DL has zero benefits in its plan.

 

[CamoMama]

I've used both the WDW dining plan and the Disneyland vouchers, they're absolutely nothing alike. The vouchers do not discount your meal like the DDP does, and as the PP said, you don't get change. I would put the money on a gift card and use that for meals and cash for snacks at the stands that don't take the gift card.

 

[Huff]

As said, Disneylands dining is nothing like WDW's. Its all cash vouchers redeamable at face value same as paying OOP. The only exception is for the character buffets. You can get a voucher good for one of the buffets. Even that won't save you much if at all.

I don't know if Costco still has their deal but last year if you booked a package on Costco it came to the same price as directly through Disney. But you got a character buffet voucher for everyone in your party thrown in.

Disneyland has some great pluses over WDW, such as everything right there in walking distance, both parks, downtown Disney and 3 resorts. No need for lengthy park hopping delays etc. What it lacks is the number of restaurants found inside and outside the parks like at WDW. But there are plenty of great restaurants to be found. You can also take a short few minute ride on ART buses to GardenWalk for more restaurants and shops.

 

[dnsmills]

I'm in the exact same boat and had the exact same questions as you a few days ago. Might want to check my thread as members gave some excellent answers and advice regarding the DLR dining plan.

 

[bumbershoot]

Another place it indicates that everything (tickets, dining, purchases, etc.) is on your room key card as in WDW...

What resource is this?

At DLR you have a "key to the magic" vs the "key to the world". This indicates that it's not quite so full of features as at WDW. While you can charge back to your room, DLR keycards do NOT have your tickets on them. And while you can pay for most dining with them if you've set up charging, the dining plan entitlements aren't on the keycard.