Does the dining plan save money?

[cmoc]

I have been to Disney, but never used a dining plan. Do you think it really saves money?

 

[TDC Nala]

Depends on how you use it.

Eliminating the free dining promotion for the time being, the regular dining plan in general, under 2012 pricing, will save you money IF:

1) You indend to eat a TS dinner (not breakfast or lunch) each night of your trip.

2) Many of these will be character, family style, buffet or other fixed price meals, especially if you have children under age 10.

3) If you plan on a majority of a la carte restaurants, most of the adults in your party intend to order the more expensive items on the menu.

If you don't fit these criteria, you have to "do the math" to see whether or not it will really save you money - that means plan out where you want to eat, and what you will order, and check the pricing against the dining plan per night price - remember the dining plan allows for desserts for each diner at every meal (except breakfast) and a snack credit per person per night.

There's also some indication that you may save money on the deluxe dining plan if you eat a signature dinner every night and another TS during the day.

 

[Faldred]

It's a simple question with a wide variety of not-so-simple answers.

My general opinion of the dining plans is that they don't save money -- in almost any case, you can eat for less out-of-pocket, sharing meals, bringing in outside food, etc. So the question really isn't "how much do I save on the dining plan?" but rather "is the extra cost of the dining plan worth it for how it will affect my overall vacation?"

There is a big psychological difference between trying to economize by ordering "light" off the menus or passing on meals you might have otherwise wanted to do and having the comfort of knowing it's already been taken care of ahead of time and that you have the freedom of ordering off the higher end of the menu without breaking the budget.

Of course, a dining plan has its restrictions as well -- you're basically forced into eating in a certain fashion, and if that's not how you want to dine on vacation... well, then even if it were a net cost savings, would it really be worth it?

For any of the plans, it only makes sense if that's the way you want to eat (in terms of numbers and types of meals), you tend to order off the higher end of the menu, you want all of the entitlements (including dessert and, for DxDP, appetizers) at every meal (or most of them), and that you will use all of your credits.

Beyond that, I find the DxDP the most economical, because you can get your money's worth far more easily, without always having to order the top-end menu items. But that also presumes you're using the vast majority of your credits (3/4, at least) on table service. DDP and QSDP tend to be "break even" plans for the most part, unless you really know how to work the system, and with the current rates, it would be easy to pay more for the plan than you would OOP for the exact same items.

 

[sharonabe]

Depends on how you use it.

Eliminating the free dining promotion for the time being, the regular dining plan in general, under 2012 pricing, will save you money IF:

1) You indend to eat a TS dinner (not breakfast or lunch) each night of your trip.

2) Many of these will be character, family style, buffet or other fixed price meals, especially if you have children under age 10.

3) If you plan on a majority of a la carte restaurants, most of the adults in your party intend to order the more expensive items on the menu.

If you don't fit these criteria, you have to "do the math" to see whether or not it will really save you money - that means plan out where you want to eat, and what you will order, and check the pricing against the dining plan per night price - remember the dining plan allows for desserts for each diner at every meal (except breakfast) and a snack credit per person per night.

There's also some indication that you may save money on the deluxe dining plan if you eat a signature dinner every night and another TS during the day.

One other thing to figure in is that every member of your party needs to order a drink and dessert at EVERY meal or you begin to lose value.

 

[havoc315]

For adults -- it will save money, generally only of you want a character dinner and/or steak dinner virtually every night, and want CS lunch every day, and want an individual dessert with every meal. Break that mold, and savings diminish or even disappear.
For example -- snack credit for break fast item = $4.
CS lunch entree = 9 + beverage (3) + dessert (4) = 17, with tax.
Dinner - steak ($29) plus beverage (3) + dessert (7)= 42 with tax.
Total = $63 -- about $10 savings.
Now let's break the 'rules'
CS breakfast entree, about $7. Beverage $3= $11 with tax for the CS credit.
Late lunch, TS -- pasta dish at Tony's= $20. Beverage=$3. 2 adults share dessert, so $3.50 each. Total, $28 with tax.
End of the day, snack credit for $4.
Total for the day-- $43. $10 loss.

(and it can get more extreme on the loss side)

 

[rascooby]

We used the dining plan 2 years ago and it was a great value for us. Our 2 youngest were under 3, so they were both free at all the buffets, and they shared with us and their older sister for many other meals. This time I'm trying to come up with a list of what we actually would want to eat, and I think even with some character meals thrown in, it might not be that good of a deal for us. I'm glad I've seen threads lately where people have been talking about it, or I might have just done it without even thinking about it.

 

[tzolkin]

There was a long thread about the price increase in the dining plan and many posters showed their calculations of how it would or would not save their families money.

I recently booked our trip for this summer and just got an email from Disney where they want you to check out the Dining Plan and it now states that it could save "up to 15%". I'm pretty sure in the past they were always advertising it as saving "up to 30% or more"


We did the free dining last trip so we have some experience with it, but we're opting not to do it this trip even if free dining were offered during our dates. We simply do not eat like that. We always drink water, do not eat dessert with a meal, and we actually just prefer to share things and snack throughout the day rather than eat one or two large meals (especially when it's hot). We would definitely not be saving any money if we were paying for the dining plan (especially with kids who count as "adults"). And with other discounts we'd rather just pay OOP for what we're going to eat than feel like we're wasting food and/or dining credits.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Like everyone else is saying, it really depends on how you want to eat while on vacation. We just got from a 4 night trip. We didn't buy the dining plan but I did save all the receipts to see what we spent and how it would match up to the dining plan.

We had 4 TS lunches, 1 TS dinner and 2 QS dinners. This cost us $260 out of pocket including tax. It would have cost us $400 to buy the plan plus we were over on TS which would have been an additional OOP cost. We also spent another $200 on items excluded from the meal plan (appetizers & drinks). So we spent $460+tips OOP but would have spent over $600+tips if we used the regular dining plan.

 

[stylist]

My family loves the dining plan we have paid for it and gotten it free. Its main value is in the character meals and convience. Why eat without Mickey and the princesses when for the same money you can eat with them. I dont think you save money but you get more magic. It is so nice to go to a stand flash them a card and have 4 Double dipped chocolate Mickey bars instead of saying OMG $16.00 for icecream bars! Your going to spend the money anyway just make it easy on yourself.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

In the past, I think the dining plan was an ok value. Then two of my three daughters became Disney adults on the plan and that changed things. Normally we would do the DxDP. The cost difference between an adult and a child (ages 3-9) were significant...$62 more a day per child. Add that to the fact that my middle daughter (age 10) would prefer the kids menu anyway and it really makes no sense for us. I will also add that the DxDP was way too much food. Three sit down meals a day. By dinner, we weren't even that hungry but felt we had to eat in order to get the value for our money. And dessert? We usually skipped it because we were just too full. And the snacks? We were allotted two per day per person but again, we were so full from all the food already so we usually just got water. Now we'll just buy our own water and bring it into the parks with us.

This next trip, we are not doing any dining plan. We're going to eat late breakfasts and early dinners rather than three meals per day. Now we're not locked into dining credits, keeping track of them, how to spend them, etc. We're going to eat when we want and what we want...maybe an appetizer for dinner rather than a huge steak. I'm really looking forward to the flexibility of doing it this way for us.

 

[TDC Nala]

There was a long thread about the price increase in the dining plan and many posters showed their calculations of how it would or would not save their families money.

I recently booked our trip for this summer and just got an email from Disney where they want you to check out the Dining Plan and it now states that it could save "up to 15%". I'm pretty sure in the past they were always advertising it as saving "up to 30% or more"

When the dining plan was first introduced in 2005 they advertised it as saving "up to 40%" on food costs. Then it was up to 30%, more recently it was up to 20%. So now the advertisements are saying "up to 15%?"

The way the value has changed, it's become more difficult to realize savings. The 2005-2007 DDP was such a great value that it was worth getting even if you didn't eat the way it was set up for you to order.

 

[Alesia]

The dining plan doesn't work for us. We don't like to eat a table service meal every day and will usually share 2 CS meal between the 3 of us because the portions are so large. On our last trip we paid out of pocket and spent $500 less than we would have on the DDP over 9 days. That's a significant savings, and we had the freedom to eat what we wanted, when we wanted without worrying if we had enough credits for it.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It depends on the makeup of your family, how you eat, and how you use your credits. When I first used the dining plan in 2007, it definitely saved me money. But each year, the savings has gotten less as they have raised the price of the plan and decreased what's included in it. When we went in 2010, I barely broke even. I saved money on my DD's food, but ended up spending more on the plan than I would have spent OOP on my food.

When we go in May, I'm forgoing the DDP for the first time in 5 years, and I'm almost certain I'll save money by not using it. I'm going to put the amount that I would have spent on the DDP, plus some extra for what I would spend on tips, on a Disney gift card and use that to pay for our meals. I'm interested in seeing how much is left on the card at the end of our trip. Anything that's left will be used at DTD on our last day.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

I'll give you the perspective of someone for whom the dining plan does save money. We had not intended to get the DDP for our upcoming trip until I did the math and saw what it could do for us. We planned what restaurants we wanted to eat at without concern for the dining plan, then checked to see if the DDP would benefit us. My family is me, my wife, DD (8), DS (6), and DS(2).

We like to eat TS every night, with a number of character meals in there (Chef Mickey's, Akershus, Crystal Palace) and even some TS lunches. We actually intend to eat more TS meals than we will have credits for. We will also want to have a CS lunch meal for each of us every day we don't have a TS lunch.

I don't have the numbers with me right now, but I looked at what I expected the cost of each meal to be by estimating the average of the higher priced entrees at each restaurant we will go to. In the end, as long as we spend an average of about $20 per day total on CS and snacks (less than one CS meal for all of us on any day), we will save money with the DDP. And having to feed the 2 yo with food from other plates means we will need 4 meals at each CS.

What really drives the value for us are the kids at fixed-price restaurants. If a child costs $15/day on the DDP but a buffet dinner is $23, you pick up some serious value even before a CS meal or snack, which covers for the adult meal plan, where there is less value.

To be honest, I was surprised when I did the math and found that the DDP would help us. Also, I like the fact that I won't be at a restaurant having to debate whether I really want to pay more for steak or seafood instead of ordering a sandwich.

But, we are a family that wants to eat lots of TS meals, especially character buffets. I think if we changed where some of our TS meals are, that would have a big effect on the overall value. Sadly, you kind of need to do the math. My best recommendation is to plan where you want to eat without regard for the dining plan, then total up that cost.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

For us...yes we do save $ using the plan.

We are also a couple that very much enjoys the dining side of disney. We love visiting different resorts & having the fun of eating whatever we wish on the menu.

These last 2 years we used the deluxe plan & loved it. Getting an appetizer & deesert every meal & picking whatever entree we want is fun for us. Both of us love steak & fish & these are usually higher priced items.

We also love sitting down at a restaurant for an early lunch & late supper. We are not breakfast people & only do one or two during the whole trip.

Thus said...we Could eat way way cheaper if we wished. We could do counter service & leave dessert off. We could order the cheapest thing on the menu & go places to split meals.

However, at home we eat lots of Wendy's & Whataburgers. We have our restaurants we go to all the time & entrees there are about $8 to $9 a plate...even at Texas Roadhouse & Outback you can eat at under $15 a person. At home we rarely purchase dessert & even more rarely an appetizer.

But, Disney is my hubby & my lets have fun trip. Without the dining plan we would count the cost & order cheaper things...it is just our nature. We'd skip desserts.

I love the Dining plan as it is prepaid & we have the freedom to order whatever we wish. And the things we love are in the higher price range so we come out way ahead.

 

[havoc315]

My family loves the dining plan we have paid for it and gotten it free. Its main value is in the character meals and convience. Why eat without Mickey and the princesses when for the same money you can eat with them. I dont think you save money but you get more magic. It is so nice to go to a stand flash them a card and have 4 Double dipped chocolate Mickey bars instead of saying OMG $16.00 for icecream bars! Your going to spend the money anyway just make it easy on yourself.

But Princess/Mickey meals aren't the same price or quality of other meals.
You can eat truly bad food for dinner with Princesses for about $65, or (depending what you order) have a delicious signature meal for under $50.
Disgusting food with Mickey for $40, or a really good dinner entree for under $25.

Ddp makes it all the same price. Oop -- you can choose to pay less for better food.

 

[mrsbicewdw]

We have done the dining plan several times, and will do it again this October. Here is our reasons:

1) My husband and I actually go for the food. We love to try new places every trip, and visit our favorites again.

2) We want a TS everyday. That is just how we eat. We normally use our snack as part of our breakfast/brunch, our QS for lunch, and our TS for dinner. (And for the record, even eating like KINGS every trip, we always lose a pound or two at the end of the vacation b/c of all the walking around)

3) We might not save money, but we do get to eat what we want without the hassle of trying to stay in a budget. I don't want to be worrying about staying on budget when we are on vacation. I like knowing that before we even leave, our food is paid for. Then our other money is for souvenirs (and of course set aside some for the tips at your TS meals). The times we have gone without the dining plan, I stress the whole trip about counting pennies and making sure we are on track. With kids and a picky husband, no amount of planning will ensure that they actual order what I had planned out.

*I will also add that I have NEVER had a bad meal at WDW, ever. I love all the food (and I am a foodie). I think the character meals are great, and the added magic is great for kids (or adults!). With the new 2012 plan *most* of the character dining is now only one credit, meaning you get more bang (or magic) for your buck. We plan to do lots of character meals with our toddler this time.

 

[disneychic2]

This is such a personal choice. Does the dining plan save money? For DH and I it does. But it is because of the way we eat. We split two counter service meals each day because the portions are so large. Then we each enjoy one TS meal a day. We tend to order Salmon or steak or other higher end meals, so the value is there for us. But as others have said, it is so convenient for us to just have it paid ahead and one less thing to think about. We have been using it since its inception and even with all the changes, we still think it is a value for the two of us. If you have a deep discount on a resort, however, it is best to keep that and pay for the dining plan or eat oop. We usually end up with about 7 or 8 snack credits each trip that we spend on the last day for goodies to take home. We usually have enough CS credits left to get a sandwich at Earl of Sandwich to eat on the flight home. Totally works for us! If we were on a tight budget and needed to save money at the park, we would probably skip the dining plan, so it's all a matter of how your family eats and what kind of budget you're working with. Good luck!

 

[TDC Nala]

With the new 2012 plan *most* of the character dining is now only one credit, meaning you get more bang (or magic) for your buck.

The only 2 credit character meal is CRT (and Mickey's Backyard BBQ, which is considered a dinner show). It's always been that way, nothing new for 2012.

 

[dilligaf212]

I am not to sure if the dining plan saves my family money. I have never figured it out. It is nice knowing that when I go my meals are paid for and there is one less thing i need to worry about.