Does the Dining Plan save you money in the long run?

[Courtney Harlow]

We are going to WDW in November and I am wondering if we should be considering the dining plan. I hadn't at first, but now I'm thinking it might be a good idea. Thoughts?

 

[supersnoop]

We are going to WDW in November and I am wondering if we should be considering the dining plan. I hadn't at first, but now I'm thinking it might be a good idea. Thoughts?

www.distripplanner.com

Generally speaking the dining plan only saves you money if you have children ages 3 to 9.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I think it's more of a convenience than anything. It used to be a better value, now not so much.

 

[spartankid34]

Definitely more of a convenience than value.

It really depends if you are willing to eat the "more expensive" meals just because you want to get your "money's worth"

If you are using it in that sense, then yes, you could possibly come away with spending less than you would have if you paid out of pocket, BUT if you paid out of pocket, would you have ordered those same expensive meals?...probably not.

 

[canadiandisneynut]

I agree with @supersnoop
It costs approximately 19 dollars a day for a child 3-9 on the standard dining plan. Our DD is an eater and I couldn't feed her for that! LOL We also adore character dining, it is a huge part of the magic on our trip. Our dinner bill, depending on where we are, is often around $100. We see the value now. I imagine when our daughter is older and we are running more, we may drop to the QS Dining plan or eliminate the plan all together.
We stayed at a DVC resort last year and had a kitchen and this year will have one as well. We grabbed a few breakfasts in the room and even still found value in the dining plan.

 

[msb578]

If you love character meals, and do all of them for all your table service meals, you stand a good chance of saving a little money (if you plan out your other entitlements too).

But again, that's only if you would have chosen those meals regardless of the DDP.

 

[hsmamato2]

it all depends... if you have kids 9 and younger,and want to eat a character meal once a day,then probably yes. If your kids are adult prices,not so sure- if you REALLY like a character buffet once a day, plus a quick service meal at lunch with a BIG soda,and a dessert (that you probably won't eat) plus that afternoon snack,and your family can use all of this food without throwing it away(mine can't) then you can probably break even with buying DDP. Notice I said break even. IF you want every single item that comes with the ddp,and you don't end up spending extra for other foods not included.Otherwise, most of us do better paying as we go along. Now if it's a 'free' deal being offered, that changes things,money wise.(we tried it twice for 'free' for 4 'adults'- boy did we work that plan- but wow the food we ended up just wasting over the week)

 

[Courtney Harlow]

Ok. Thank you! My girls will be 2 and 4 when we go, but neither of them eat a whole lot. I'm having a hard time justifying it, but I'm also afraid of getting there and regretting not having it. Decisions, decisions ...

 

[BDL]

Depends on how you use it and which category you opt in for. My fiance' and I use the deluxe dining. Like a PP said, using the the dining plan is very convenient. And the reason we go with the DxDP is that we like to try different restaurants. We're not foodies by any stretch of the imagination, but we do enjoy the sit down meals. Another reason we choose the DxDP is because we usually take part in things take 2 dining credits, like Hoop Dee Doo or things that have a dining combo like Candlelight Processional or Fantasmic!. And a side perk of the DxDP is that we never go through all our snack credits, so on our last day, we just burn through them by getting Goofy Candy Co packages for gifts, for people back home.

Now for the logistical perspective; when I start planning I do a hypothetical wish list of what we would like to do for out ADR's. Look at the menus and costs then it's simple math.

 

[Courtney Harlow]

it all depends... if you have kids 9 and younger,and want to eat a character meal once a day,then probably yes. If your kids are adult prices,not so sure- if you REALLY like a character buffet once a day, plus a quick service meal at lunch with a BIG soda,and a dessert (that you probably won't eat) plus that afternoon snack,and your family can use all of this food without throwing it away(mine can't) then you can probably break even with buying DDP. Notice I said break even. IF you want every single item that comes with the ddp,and you don't end up spending extra for other foods not included.Otherwise, most of us do better paying as we go along. Now if it's a 'free' deal being offered, that changes things,money wise.(we tried it twice for 'free' for 4 'adults'- boy did we work that plan- but wow the food we ended up just wasting over the week)

That's what I was afraid of too! We are doing character meals, but not everyday.

 

[jcarwash]

But again, that's only if you would have chosen those meals regardless of the DDP.

This is a key point for me. Having a dining plan results in a completely different eating/ordering plan than paying out of pocket. When I have a dining plan, maximizing the credits is the goal. When I don't have a dining plan, I avoid or limit special meals or table service, we share meals, adults may order a kids meal, we eat off site, we visit Publix for additional food, etc.

As such, paying full price for a dining plan isn't something I've done -- it's only been a free or discounted dining plan whenever I've had it, and then maximize it from there.

 

[Courtney Harlow]

Is there a way to track what all you've already used like on an app or something, or do you just have to remember? Not sure if that makes sense, but it sounds tedious having to keep up with how many credits each of my family members have.

 

[jcarwash]

Is there a way to track what all you've already used like on an app or something, or do you just have to remember? Not sure if that makes sense, but it sounds tedious having to keep up with how many credits each of my family members have.

Each dining receipt will list how many dining credits you have remaining. Credits are shared across the reservation, so you don't really need to track per person -- you just need to know the total amount per type (quick service, table service, snacks).

 

[loves to dive]

We used to do it all the time, we've been through all the changes, bought it when it was never free but it was like what the deluxe plan is now, breakfast, lunch and dinner all at TS, App/Entre/Dessert and drink. If I recall there was also one or two snacks thrown in. At the time it wasn't all that expensive and DS was young/pre-teen so ate everything not tied down. Then we would get it when it was "free dining" but still 2 TS App/Entre/Dessert/Drinks and snacks. Then we did the "free dining" when they changed to what it has been the past few years before this year's change. About 2 years ago, after DS got married and it was up to him and DIL to decide and pay for how they wanted to do it, I decided to experiment on a trip and not get it and see just how much money I actually spent on food. Still ate TS when they did, QS when they did, etc. That trip I probably broke even. Next trip, a solo trip I decided to experiment again and eat how I actually wanted to eat. I'm not a big person and don't normally eat large meals, so my days would look like - breakfast child's meal at the resort, lunch child's QS meal in whatever park I was in. Dinner sometimes would be a child's meal QS, sometimes a TS but more often than not I'd get an app, soup or salad and a dessert. I rarely snack while at Disney, there is just too much food between the 3 meals and I do drink much more liquids, some alcoholic some just water so I just don't want a snack. I'm not saying I don't every once in a while get an ice cream cone in France (o.k. every trip) or a pretzel but for the most part I've even been known to take the dessert from my supper back to my room for later on because I'm just too full. I don't count alcohol when I run my numbers, since it's not included in the meal plan any way and you bet I save money on both food and getting the AP room discount. I think it might be worth it for you to look at some menus and guess what you think the family might eat and compare the numbers. Some people like it for the convenience factor, food is paid for so you just don't think about it. Personally, I don't like the thought that I have to eat a TS every day, some days we just snack around the world in Epcot and don't want a big meal. But then, we aren't planners, we don't make ADRs until the day of, we enjoy going to guest services and talking to the cast members and having them find us something interesting that night but we are all adults and late night dinners aren't difficult for us. We don't usually make FP until the night before and even then, tend to blow off or cancel at least one during the day.

 

[Courtney Harlow]

Each dining receipt will list how many dining credits you have remaining.

Oh that's great! Thank you!

 

[canadiandisneynut]

Ok. Thank you! My girls will be 2 and 4 when we go, but neither of them eat a whole lot. I'm having a hard time justifying it, but I'm also afraid of getting there and regretting not having it. Decisions, decisions ...

The meal plan may be a benefit for you for a couple of reasons. Take the kids to amazing Princess Character meals like Cinderellas Royal Table, Akershus and 1900 Park Fare. Then use their QS credits at restaurants but have them share a meal and then share another later in the day. If your girls are like mine, they likely eat small portions many times a day. Grabbing a QS breakfast for them to share and then a QS lunch for them to share will make things super easy for you. In my opinion, with kids that young, they are basically eating free with the prices of the dining plan for them and you will have the added entertainment of meeting princesses in a cool place without lines

 

[Courtney Harlow]

The meal plan may be a benefit for you for a couple of reasons. Take the kids to amazing Princess Character meals like Cinderellas Royal Table, Akershus and 1900 Park Fare. Then use their QS credits at restaurants but have them share a meal and then share another later in the day. If your girls are like mine, they likely eat small portions many times a day. Grabbing a QS breakfast for them to share and then a QS lunch for them to share will make things super easy for you. In my opinion, with kids that young, they are basically eating free with the prices of the dining plan for them and you will have the added entertainment of meeting princesses in a cool place without lines

Great idea! When we were debating the Dining Plan before, we had heard how big portions are and knowing that my girls don't eat much, kind of just dismissed it as a waste. This is a great tip that I hadn't considered. I really appreciate it. Planning this first trip for them can be so overwhelming! I appreciate all the suggestions and advice!

 

[3Gsandme]

For my family, unless we get it free or at a discount, no. I don't believe there is enough savings (if any at all) to justify the restrictions to how we want to eat. Yes, it is very convenient to have the majority of your meals paid for before you arrive, but any savings we'd earn are offset by the inconvenience of it.

 

[willowsnn3]

These threads always bring out the pro people & the con people.
If we go for just 2 or 3 days, we don't get the dining plan. When we go for 7-8 days (usually with 3 kids) then we do get the dining plan because we do a lot of character dining and usually try to do a new (to us) restaurant each trip.
At a non buffet we don't try to 'maximize' our credits, we order what we want. I don't think we have ever wasted food, a lot of times we take dessert back to our room for later or for breakfast next morning. If we have leftover snack credits we use them on our last day for things to take home with us.
You want need to purchase the plan for your 2 year old so she will basically be eating 'free' anyway unless you order a meal for her.
I love the dining plan. Works for us.

 

[Mad4Dizne]

The Dining Plan can work for many people, many like the convenience or "pre-paying", regardless of cost. I always thought when our kids were younger the DDP was a better value. If you look at the menus, price out what you would get,snacks you would get and compare to the DDP cost, you can see if it would work for you. We haven't done a DDP since 2006, just doesn't work for us and we are less and less impressed with the TS offerings, though we still have a few favorites.