DVC Dining Plan

[3kidz4dis]

I was curious if anyone did the math on if it is worth it to join the dining plan since it is new for members. We plan to eat breakfast in our room maybe 3 out of 7 days, lunch may 2 of of 7 days and dinner never. We have character meals scheduled for most dinners but 3 we are on our own at BWV or Downtown Disney. I am just not sure if it is worth is still because we technically pay for the meals we don't use if we eat in our room. Could anyone offer insight on whether or not the math works in my favor? What are you all doing since it is new plus we do have the ability to eat in our room which is the purpose after all of having a kitchen.

 

[bicker]

I did the math, even though I won't be eligible for the plan yet. (Our trip is in a couple of weeks, and the plan won't be available to DVC members until April.)

We will eat breakfast in the villa every day. Our TS meals look like this:

Saturday dinner - Whispering Canyon Café
Sunday dinner - Garden Grill (character meal)
Monday lunch - Brown Derby
Tuesday dinner - Artist Point
Wednesday lunch - Chefs de France
Thursday dinner - Liberty Tree Tavern (character meal)

I took a guess about what everyone would order (off the menus on Deb Wills' website), adding in selections for a specific CS meal each day, also adding on tax and tip, as applicable, and determined that we would have saved about $300 with the plan.

 

[CarolMN]

I did the math, even though I won't be eligible for the plan yet. (Our trip is in a couple of weeks, and the plan won't be available to DVC members until April.)

We will eat breakfast in the villa every day. Our TS meals look like this:

Saturday dinner - Whispering Canyon Café
Sunday dinner - Garden Grill (character meal)
Monday lunch - Brown Derby
Tuesday dinner - Artist Point
Wednesday lunch - Chefs de France
Thursday dinner - Liberty Tree Tavern (character meal)

I took a guess about what everyone would order (off the menus on Deb Wills' website), adding in selections for a specific CS meal each day, also adding on tax and tip, as applicable, and determined that we would have saved about $300 with the plan.

How long is your stay? Wondering if your analysis included Brown Derby and Artist Point at 2 TS credits each?

Best wishes -

 

[goofy4tink]

I sat and tried to run the numbers yesterday. For my dd, 12, and I for our Oct trip...
breakfast would be eaten in our room each day. Then a counter lunch that would run about $15 each day. Then a TS meal each night. The final cost came to....with the DDP-$380 for 5 nights.
If I used the DDE card it came to $407. Then I would have to add in the $60 to renew the card for that trip..so $467 total.
Since we are traveling with another mom and her dd, I'm not sure which way we're going yet. The moms do like to enjoy their wine when we get together and that wine isn't covered under the dining plan, but will get the 20% discount with the DDE plan. So, I'm on the fence. Have to have this discussion with the other mom and see what she thinks. My big issue is that my dd isn't a big eater. She is more likely to order from the kids menu and get chicken tenders or a cheeseburger rather than the adult stuff. So, at the non-buffet meals it would make more sense to have the DDE plan rather than the DDP.

 

[bsusanmb]

I have used the DDP for two of our trips. We saved over $700 for the two of us, DH and I. However, there is no way I would have eaten that much food. By the end of the trip we didn't want to see another desert or filet mignon.
We felt like we had to make the most of the plan and so we would always get every bit we were entitled to. The other downside for us has been that we have now eaten in every restraurant we only dreamed about - so there isn't much to look forward to, of course that is probably just me.
I think that if we eat the way we normally do - only when we are hungry, that the DDE with the 20% off is a much better way for us.

 

[bicker]

How long is your stay? Wondering if your analysis included Brown Derby and Artist Point at 2 TS credits each?

Hmmm... it was a six night stay. I didn't count Brown Derby and Artist Point at 2 TS each, so that means I'll have to pay OOP for my two least expensive TS meals, right?

That reduces my projected savings from the Dining Plan to $15. Gosh, I feel a bit better.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I have used the DDP for two of our trips. We saved over $700 for the two of us, DH and I. However, there is no way I would have eaten that much food. By the end of the trip we didn't want to see another desert or filet mignon.
We felt like we had to make the most of the plan and so we would always get every bit we were entitled to. The other downside for us has been that we have now eaten in every restraurant we only dreamed about - so there isn't much to look forward to, of course that is probably just me.
I think that if we eat the way we normally do - only when we are hungry, that the DDE with the 20% off is a much better way for us.

That's not good. Overeating to save money or to feel like its a great deal.

We went with the DDE (we like the flexibility).

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm trying to decide what's best for our family for our end of October trip. We bought the DDE card last year and I used it on our Nov/Dec trip and was going to use it for this October trip too before it expires.

We eat at a lot of sit down meals; usually one, sometimes two a day.

We are staying at the BWV one-bedroom so will probably have some breakfasts there.

Should I just use the DDE card again or buy the dining plan?? I have time to think about it.

We are a family of 4 with two DDs ages 10 and 7. So 3 adults and 1 child and we're staying a Thurs thru Sun (leaving for home Sunday). That's only 3 nights. So our DDP total would be $374.88 I think. We'd probably eat 4 sit downs total and a counter each day (about 4).

Oh decisions, decisions!!

 

[bicker]

Hmmm... it was a six night stay. I didn't count Brown Derby and Artist Point at 2 TS each, so that means I'll have to pay OOP for my two least expensive TS meals, right?

That reduces my projected savings from the Dining Plan to $15. Gosh, I feel a bit better.

Uh... $15 plus the cost of one snack each day, which is included in the Dining Plan, but not included in my computations (at all).

Now, if we were eating dinner at Brown Derby and Chefs de France instead of lunch, and if we were eating at California Grill instead of Liberty Tree Tavern and eating at Flying Fish instead of Garden Grill (as might have been the case if we weren't visiting with children) the numbers would have worked out much better with the Dining Plan.

 

[Tiger926]

My banker hubby just did these numbers yesterday and for myself, him and our DD (who will be 3), the Dining Plan is better than using our DDE last year. We don't drink, so getting alcoholic discounts isn't an option, and we don't eat counter service, so we ate very well on our 2 trips last year using DDE.

This is what we did:

1) Added up all our receipts (all table service except 2 counter service on day of check in and check out) using DDE for July (exact same dates as last year, so equal comparison for this year)

2) My DD ate free at all buffets as she was only 2, but we had to purchase for her at other restaurants - we then added in 3 additional dinners that she was asleep for in which we would have purchased her a meal

3) Estimated for snacks - the biggest thing for us is water as our DD has dehydration issues. We aren't big snack eaters so not too big of an expense for ice cream, etc.

4) We aren't big breakfast eaters at all - a bit of toast, milk, juice or fruit, so we pick up a few groceries and eat in our villa

5) Also added in DDE expense - we did very well on both trips and more than paid for our DDE card

6) We then got our grand total and divided it to make a per day/per person total (don't have that in front of me right now)

7) Grand total for 11 nights using Dining Plan: (2 adults, one child) $956.00

Basically we came out over $200.00 cheaper by using Dining Plan for this year - now the food isn't exactly equal as we ate at more table service restaurants last year as we eat table service for lunch and dinner and hardly any counter service, but when you add in appetizers, dessert and drinks (normally just drink water), it may even itself out. This year of course, we will be eating at more counter service restaurants and getting more snacks per day, so for us with a just turned 3 year old in July and 2 adults, the Dining Plan is looking like a better option not just financially, but ease of use, not having to renew DDE, tax & tip included. We are a bit worried about counter service as we have allergies and health issues, but we've eaten at so many places that we pretty much know which ones have the healthiest options for us (we don't eat hamburgers/fries hardly at all - so we like deli sandwiches, soup, etc.) We are very excited to give the Plan a try this year!

Good luck to all who are contemplating this decision. You really have to do the numbers for your family - I see lots of posts trying to convince people one way or the other, but the only way to make a proper comparison is to do your own numbers (using old receipts is the best way!)

Best of luck, Tiger

 

[Poohgirl]

I am heading to Beach Club in April and was considering the new DVC dining plan. I used it last year before I bought DVC and thought it was great. Does anyone know if you can use both the dining plan and DDE card for the same meal. Example: If you order drinks with your meal that is covered on the dining plan, can you still get the discount for the drinks from the DDE card? Anyone done this? TIA

 

[Tiger926]

FYI - Just something I'm noticing with the "does it include tax question?" Many people are asking if it includes tax for the actual plan purchase of credits and not the meals itself as was posted above. The credits themselves do include tax and gratuity, but in terms of tax calculated on $37.99, there isn't any as I just booked myself and the total is $37.99 and $10.99 as posted, no additional fees or taxes I was told at check-in.

Tiger

 

[CarolMN]

Several posters have reported here that they have used both at the same meal. At least one said they used the DDE to pay for their alcoholic beverages, which are not included in the DP.

Best wishes -

 

[NMW]

We were at Disney in early Dec for 9 days with the DDE card. I was trying to figure out what would be best for us since I knew the dining plan was coming for DVC. For our family of 5 the DP would have blown the DDE card away. Our dinners were all 1 credit this trip except Brown Derby. They were Kona Cafe, Cape May Cafe, Ohana, Wolfgang Puck, San Angel Inn, Rose and Crown, and House of Blues (which we would have certainly changed to something in the dining plan) These meals all averaged $120-$160 AFTER the 20% discount.

We ate counter service lunch every day because the kids were always hungry, I think it's all the walking. These meals averaged $45.

We also bought sodas and waters every afternoon-only about $15 but does add up.

The dining plan would have cost our family apox $109 a day. We spent aprox $200 a day for things that would have been covered by the dining plan.

We might still get the DDE card to use if we get drinks and for character breakfasts. However, we might not always get AP's. We did this time because we planned two trips 10 months apart. One thing is certain, we will be buying the dining plan for our next trip.

 

[NMW]

According to numerous posts on the restaurant board, you can use both. Many posters report using the DDE card to pay for alcohol and/or kids meals.

 

[CarolMN]

Uh... $15 plus the cost of one snack each day, which is included in the Dining Plan, but not included in my computations (at all).

Now, if we were eating dinner at Brown Derby and Chefs de France instead of lunch, and if we were eating at California Grill instead of Liberty Tree Tavern and eating at Flying Fish instead of Garden Grill (as might have been the case if we weren't visiting with children) the numbers would have worked out much better with the Dining Plan.

LOL, Brian - are you sure? California Grill and the Flying Fish are both 2 TS credit locations.

Best wishes -

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I have already posted in several different threads that I don't think the dining plan would work for our family as we would have to pay adult prices for both our kids and they still eat off the kid's menu when possible. Plus we have never really enjoyed waiting at sit-down restaurants during our visits. Now if it was just DH and me going to WDW for a few days...I'd jump all over the dining plan!

BTW, we did purchase the DDE card during our visit in October and plan to use it again in April...so that helps cut down on expenses quite a bit.

 

[La2kw]

You have to look at your own dining habits to decide. With four of us, the dining plan would cost us about $152/ day. We never eat that much food in a day since we do breakfast in the room and an occasional dinner as well. We spend a lot of time at the water parks and always take a picnic lunch there. We'll stick with the DDE since we can what we want. I have never ordered an appetizer an entree and a dessert in one meal, for each of us! It's not a deal if it forces you to eat more than what you normally would.

 

[skoi]

We're going for a short stay before our Magic cruise this fall. We looked over menus, did all the math, etc. for the family (me, dh, dd 12, ds 8, dd 2) and while we would save money with the dining plan, we probably won't get it. The reason, honestly, is because we never eat that much! We'd pay for 3 adults, and while dd would gladly eat filet mignon at every meal and ds would love to try exotic appetizers, we'd never be able to eat 4 appetizers, 4 entrees, and 4 desserts at our ts meal every day. And if we did eat that much, then ate all that on our cruise, we'd come back 20 pounds heavier.

Of course, greed might get the better of me and we might buy it closer to time. I really want to eat at Le Cellier- because everyone just raves about it.

 

[Tiger926]

People make a good point about having to eat more food than normal, but from what I see at Disney, people seem to snack all day long, plus eat big breakfasts and so if you adjust to eating smaller breakfasts and not so many snacks, that would take care of the appetizers and dessert. For us, we eat very small breakfasts in our villa, moderate lunch (usually table service, but now with plan, we'll be eating counter service - healthy options only as we don't really eat burgers/fries) and a good supper. We have a small snack throughout the day and one before bed, but we do drink lots of water in the July heat.

It is important to use your own dining habits, but we see so many people spending a ton of money on snacks, which includes pop (park goers seem to love to drink pop, something we never do) - because they eat counter service fast food which doesn't seem to fill people up as well as eating more healthy options. I guess I'm wondering if some people spent less on their snack budgets, they could then apply this to table service options and there then wouldn't be such a difference in using DDE as opposed to DDP. For us, DDP saves money as eating one table service meal alone could easily take care of most of the daily credit and we don't even eat that much food, but the prices are high and that's what makes the DDP a good deal for us.

Just a thought, Tiger