DL Dining Plans? - Help me understand

[poohj80]

Hi all!

We are finally organized to make our May reservations, but I had to ask you experts if I'm missing something.

I have priced out the Resort Magic Plan on the Disney web site to use as a pricing reference (coincidentally, the AAA agent who we met last night at AAA's Disney Night called me today with a quote of $300 more for a room and ticket only package that she said was 20% off rack rates...now I know why I don't book with AAA )and there is an option to add a Disney Dining Plan.

From my calculations, these plans don't seem like a very good deal. For instance:

Donald's 3 days of Dining Plan
$173.90 for 2 adults

8 Disney Dining choices per person.

Character Breakfast 1
Breakfast in the Park 1
$5 Voucher 3
$10 Voucher 2
$15 Voucher 1

The vouchers = $50 per person ($100 for 2)

I'm not sure where the "Breakfast in the Park" vouchers are good but would four breakfasts really be worth the extra $74?

I had thought these dining packages would be similar to WDW to include appetizer, entree, dessert, and drink and not just $$$ vouchers.

Thanks for any tips/hints!

PJ

 

[JC Butterfly]

I'm sorry you've had a bad experience with AAA and I know it's not the point of your post, but I would show that agent what you were able to come up with online and see if they will beat it, maybe they quoted you for something extra in the package that you don't want (or maybe you would). The only reason I would suggest giving them another chance is that if you are booking the package anyway, there are a few AAA perks like "unlimited fast pass" and early entry into the park, free parking etc . . . .but onto what you really wanted to know.

I think that the dining plans don't offer much for "savings" but instead offer you the convenience of having everything pre-paid and included in your package which since for me that means I'm paying it 60 days before I get there, less of a hit to the credit card when the shipping begins

If you would do a character breakfast anyway, then these range in value from like $21-$25 per adult. From what I have read on these boards, the "breakfast in the park" has suggested places to enjoy but it also has a "dollar value" which I believe is $12 which you could use to have breakfast in a variety of places. Some have even been successful using it at a snack stand or for lunch but hopefully you will get more responses than this. I also think that the dining plans increase in "value" as you add on more days.

But maybe I'm just already sucked into Disney's marketing strategies!!

 

[poohj80]

Thanks for the help! I'm leaning more toward using one of the Disney specialist travel agents who sponsor the boards I use to feed my Disney addiction. They seem more knowledgable and willing to help.