Dreams Unlimited Travel Podcast | Walt Disney World Vacation Package Questions & Answers Part 1

[JJZMgailey]

If you've been wanting to book a Walt Disney World vacation package but still have questions, this is the episode for you. Enjoy!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I thought this was a really useful episode and addressed a lot of common questions - that are connected to packages but that people have outside of packages as well

Also wanted to echo the thoughts John and Tracey shared about the dining plan. To me it is more about how you dine on vacation than saving money

Where are you going to dine? A lot of character meals / pay one price places?

How do you dine? Is it similar to how it is laid out / what is included?

For us, we don't get the dining plan because we often will just gets appetizers, or share an entree. Also, we don't drink soft drinks (either get wine/beer or free water) so that benefit doesn't help us. Personally I also found the one time we did it I felt I *had* to order the most expensive thing on the menu to maximize the savings vs what was most appetizing to me

But I know for others they love not having to question the price and ordering what they want, and they do eat how it is laid out, etc.

So don't go into it just asking the question about $ - but rather what dining is for you on vacation and does this fit to that

 

[KingLlama]

Hi @WebmasterJackie

 

[jeffbear]

I love a good FAQ episode. The format is much more open to complete answers than some impersonal FAQ page on a web site.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I thought Tracey's comment about gratuity is a way overlooked consideration, especially on the two upgraded dining packages where you have lots of sit down meals and are ordering desserts and apps and expensive entrees all over town. I would love to hear a breakdown of people's experiences because I could see a family spending several hundred on tips in a week easily....
Like say Chef Mickey's would a family leave what.. $40?

 

[Lesverts]

I thought Tracey's comment about gratuity is a way overlooked consideration, especially on the two upgraded dining packages where you have lots of sit down meals and are ordering desserts and apps and expensive entrees all over town. I would love to hear a breakdown of people's experiences because I could see a family spending several hundred on tips in a week easily....
Like say Chef Mickey's would a family leave what.. $40?

I know it is a lot of planning and research. I made a spreadsheet of all my ADRs and the price of each item I would order on the DP. Calculated the 18% and it came up to $144 and change for one person. I had budgeted $200.00 plus, so it was a nice experience.

 

[JJZMgailey]

Hi @WebmasterJackie

 

[JJZMgailey]

I love a good FAQ episode. The format is much more open to complete answers than some impersonal FAQ page on a web site.

I feel the same way! Glad you enjoyed the show!

 

[jeffbear]

I thought Tracey's comment about gratuity is a way overlooked consideration, especially on the two upgraded dining packages where you have lots of sit down meals and are ordering desserts and apps and expensive entrees all over town. I would love to hear a breakdown of people's experiences because I could see a family spending several hundred on tips in a week easily....
Like say Chef Mickey's would a family leave what.. $40?

Yeah. That's something I've never really thought about personally so it was nice to get reminder that it matters to other people. A lot of us who either currently or formerly worked in restaurants just tip as a matter of course and don't often think about budgeting for that expense. I just kind of mentally chuck that cost in the misc category and move on down the road. But if you're on a tight budget, it can really add up ... especially if a dining plan ends up moving you into a different class of restaurant than what you're used to at home.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I thought Tracey's comment about gratuity is a way overlooked consideration, especially on the two upgraded dining packages where you have lots of sit down meals and are ordering desserts and apps and expensive entrees all over town. I would love to hear a breakdown of people's experiences because I could see a family spending several hundred on tips in a week easily....
Like say Chef Mickey's would a family leave what.. $40?

It's also confusing for people that remember when they first introduced the dining plan and gratuity was included. We did the plan back then and it truly was show up, order what you want, and leave without having to pay anything (plus it included appetizers, etc. - overall was just a much better value .... which is probably why Disney changed it)

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Totally agree with all you said, @TheMaxRebo. And that was the last time I did the dining plan, so it's been awhile. But I loved it!