Disneyland Dining Program???

[bmorr1963]

Still new to all that is Disneyland given we are DVC members and go to WDW once or twice a year.

With five in our family (mom, dad, kids 4,6,8), we have had success on the deluxe dining plan in WDW. What type of program does DL offer and is it worth it (I know that's up to personal taste). If you have had experiences, good and bad, I want to hear it.

Thanks!

 

[sonnyjane]

This comes up quite frequently on these boards. If you ever want to do a search, you can search the forums for "Dining Plan" and you'll get mostly negative reviews. The dining plan at DL is NOT like that of WDW. At DL, you pay, dollar for dollar, for vouchers, so there is savings. For example (just a sample) you could get a voucher for a character meal ($36 or something), a voucher for a lunch ($15) and a voucher for a snack ($5) but you will pay the exact amount for them , in that case, $56. The big downside is you do not get change, so if you want to buy a $3.50 churro with your $5.00 snack voucher, you will not get your $1.50 back, so you can actually lose money. We typically suggest that if you want to pre-pay for your meals, just put funds onto a Disney gift card.

ETA: I wanted to add that a poster mentioned yesterday that a new Disneyland promotion is offering a free dining plan when you book a package paying the full rack rate. I don't know the details or date eligibility for the promotion, however. If it was given to me for free, of course I'd use it, but if I had to actually PAY for the dining plan, it is most certainly not a good use of money.

 

[TeddiBarra]

Scrap whatever familiarity you have with the WDW plan. There is technically a prepaid plan. It has zero built in savings. They give you, based on how many days of the plan you purchase, paper vouchers** for specific dollar amounts, that you use in lieu of cash to pay for your meals. You pay for how much the vouchers are valued at ***. It's not very popular. We used it once, the four 4 play I believe. I hated the paper vouchers. They also don't give you change back. Now, I never found a problem being able to "underspend" the vouchers and lose money, but it was painful to decide how many to bring, keep track how many were left, etc. Plus one of my DD's bottles spilled on them and I hated keeping track of them.

** - just heard today on a thread today that for the first time ever, Disney sent out a pin code for DL offering "free dining" when you stayed onsite for a max # of nights. First time ever. Also, according that Diser, her DH was told they would not have paper vouchers. About a year & a half ago, IIRC, DLR did test a "card" system, preloaded, similar but not identical to the KTTW concept.

*** ok, so technically because during "peak times" the pricing for character meals goes up slightly, you may save a few bucks on the vouchers that covers "premium character dining" (which is Goofy's or Ariel's breakfast/lunch ONLY not WOC dinner packages). But other than that- you don't save.

 

[TeddiBarra]

ETA: I wanted to add that a poster mentioned yesterday that a new Disneyland promotion is offering a free dining plan when you book a package. I don't know the details or date eligibility for the promotion, however.

It was a pin code offer, so not a public offer, but it sure doesn't hurt to call and ask or see if you have a pin code waiting by your name. If you do, or if you should hear it's public or available on request (i highly doubt it), please share back.

 

[sonnyjane]

ETA: I wanted to add that a poster mentioned yesterday that a new Disneyland promotion is offering a free dining plan when you book a package paying the full rack rate. I don't know the details or date eligibility for the promotion, however. If it was given to me for free, of course I'd use it, but if I had to actually PAY for the dining plan, it is most certainly not a good use of money.

It was a pin code offer, so not a public offer, but it sure doesn't hurt to call and ask or see if you have a pin code waiting by your name. If you do, or if you should hear it's public or available on request (i highly doubt it), please share back.

Oh, thanks for clarifying that. I was too lazy to go back and find the thread lol. OP, if it's just a PIN code offer and not even available for the general public, than I'd forget the words "Dining Plan" altogether - just me though

 

[skiingfast]

Oh, thanks for clarifying that. I was too lazy to go back and find the thread lol. OP, if it's just a PIN code offer and not even available for the general public, than I'd forget the words "Dining Plan" altogether - just me though

It may mean that a general offer is coming. We'll have to wait and see.



Also there is a stay 4 night 3 days, with a free character meal.