DVC and the Dining Plan

[jandbnash]

We are taking our first trip as DVC members this November. During that time Disney has a free dining option going on. Is there any way to get a discounted rate for the dining plan, or would be better to not use DVC points and just get the discount? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

Jennifer

 

[poohj80]

DVC members staying on points are not elgible for the dining plan. We used it for the first time last week and will probably never use it again. We'll stick with Tables in Wonderland instead.

 

[jandbnash]

What is Tables in Wonderland? I've been to Disney several times, but that is new to me!

 

[poohj80]

What is Tables in Wonderland? I've been to Disney several times, but that is new to me!

Tables in Wonderland (formerly the Disney Dining Experience) is only open to FL residents and AP holders. The cost is $100 ($75 for AP I believe) and you get a blanket 20% off most table service meals including alcoholic drinks.

 

[Tara]

We are taking our first trip as DVC members this November. During that time Disney has a free dining option going on. Is there any way to get a discounted rate for the dining plan, or would be better to not use DVC points and just get the discount? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

Jennifer

You have to pay rack rate on a room to get the dining plan at no additional cost. If you need to save/bank points for some reason but still want to take a WDW trip, it can be a decent alternative. But IMO, if you pay rack rate for a DVC room just for the free dining, that's crazy talk. And if you pay rack rate for a deluxe just for free dining, it is a very bad deal. If you pay rack rate for a moderate for free dining, then okay, maybe that's a good deal, but that's also a big sacrifice IMO just for free dining. At $170/nt for a room in November at a moderate you could buy the DP for 4 adults and use your points to stay in bigger, nicer accommodations.

 

[jandbnash]

Thanks for talking some sense into me!

 

[DebbieB]

DVC members staying on points are not elgible for the dining plan. We used it for the first time last week and will probably never use it again. We'll stick with Tables in Wonderland instead.

DVC members staying on points are not eligible for the FREE dining plan. Members on points stays can still purchase it for regular price. You can also get a DVC room for cash at rack rate (and a ticket purchase) and get the dining plan free. Studios start around $300 per night.

 

[rsinj]

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[Tara]

We paid rack rate of $82 per night at All Stars and received $120 worth of daily dining for our family. Not worth it to use DVC points for that trip in my mind.

Look at it however you like.

Just to clarify, did you have the QSDP or the standard DP?

 

[rsinj]

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[rsinj]

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[Kdisney]

I think the dining plan is totally worth it - to purchase while staying on points. The standard plan is about $39 per day per person. Once you've bought a couple of sodas, a sandwich and dinner somewhere, you have certainly spent $39 or more per day.

 

[disneynutz]

So, you have to spend between $375 and $500 on food before you break even for the cost of it and actually get any payback with your 20% discount. On top of that it is an annual cost.

No thank you.

TIW makes more sense for a family that visits at least a couple of times per year. They would also benefit from a AP and since the AP is required to buy the TIW card, it's apparent that Disney is marketing to Guests that visit often.

 

[jakenjess]

So, you have to spend between $375 and $500 on food before you break even for the cost of it and actually get any payback with your 20% discount. On top of that it is an annual cost.

No thank you.

For our family of four it doesn't take long to break even on the $75. We have annual passes anyway; we don't purchase them just for the TiW card. It works out to be a much better deal for us than the DDP, but everyone needs to assess their own situation. It wouldn't be worth it to me to stay at a value just for the "free" dining. I LOVE my 1 BR!

 

[rsinj]

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[bevis]

We received one table service a day, plus one counter service a day, plus a snack a day. For our table service we ate at Ohana, Coral Reef, The Wave, Les Chefs, 1900 Park Fare, Cape May, and Sci Fi.

I think the dining plan is totally worth it - to purchase while staying on points. The standard plan is about $39 per day per person. Once you've bought a couple of sodas, a sandwich and dinner somewhere, you have certainly spent $39 or more per day.

Don't mean to be a "know it all" but tou need to understand the DDP is based upon number of NIGHTS, not days of your stay. This can make a HUGE difference in your total food cost if you arrive on your first day in time to use a table service credit.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think the dining plan is totally worth it - to purchase while staying on points. The standard plan is about $39 per day per person. Once you've bought a couple of sodas, a sandwich and dinner somewhere, you have certainly spent $39 or more per day.

You might "think" that, but after 3 trips doing exhaustive "research", we have proved that is not the case for us. We kept recipts and tracked costs for 3 trips....two with DDP and one just OOP and TIW. We spent $200 less for virtually the same meals doing OOP and TIW over the DDP. PLUS, we got to order what WE wanted....appetizer instead of dessert etc, and the discount vitually covered the tip and gratuity that was missing in the DDP cost. Those tips were actually the "tipping" point for the costs too. Think about it...you spend $39 per day per person, but you pay the tip on top of that. That comes to 18% additional cost. The tip is figured on the retail cost too.

 

[rsinj]

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[Tara]

Incorrect.

You will generally arrive on your first day in time to use your table service/dinner - as official check-in is 4PM.

If you think about it, it does make sense...check in time is 4PM and check out time is 11 AM - so the number of dinners/table service is going to be the number of nights you stay.

It is based on the number of 24 hour periods you are there. On your last day, though you checkout at 11AM, you still have your counter service and snack available.

The previous poster is actually correct. The COST is based on the number of NIGHTS of your hotel booking. Each person in the party has one set of credits for every night of the hotel booking, not every actual "day" of your vacation as most people count check-out day as a "day" but they do not have their hotel room booked that night.

The use of credits, however, is allowed through midnight of your check-out day, just as the old "Length of Stay" admission passes were.

 

[rsinj]

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