DVC with Dining Plan, Worth it?

[ncyorks]

I understand that the dining plan (DDP) is available with room-tix packages, and that it is also available to DVC members without a package. For 2009, DDP is $40 per adult, per night. Who thinks this is worth it?

 

[Chuck S]

It depends entirely upon your individual dining habits and preferences. We usually have a Table Service lunch, rarely order dessert. We could never make the numbers work for us even when the DDP included appetizer and gratuity.

For others, it works for them.

Take the time to go over the menus, where and what you think you'll probably dine. Add it all up, and see if the DDP is worth it for you.

 

[Muushka]

If we stay in a studio (which is rare) we get it. If we are in a 1 BR, no way.

And when we stay in a studio, it is only for 2 or so days, so it is like a treat.
We would never do it for more than that.

 

[ncyorks]

Thanks for the replies. These evaluations are consistent with how we have looked at the DDP in the past. We've never used it and doubt we will, unless staying in a studio.

David

 

[dec5girl]

For our family: not worth it! We bring boxes of snacks from Costco in the suitcases and make our breakfast in the room everyday. Sometimes DD11 and I order one meal and an extra plate. The portions are so big we can easily share. We save by not getting DDP!

 

[craiggers]

If we go for a short trip, we get the Deluxe plan. If we go for a long trip we do the regular plan. We have been to Disney quite often and eating at good restaurants is now a BIG part of the trip because we don't have to do the "sun up to sun down" in the parks routine. We like to go and just enjoy the resort.

We love the dining plan. We like knowing having our food is paid for in advance. We don't have to worry about a big eye popping room charge at the end of the vacation....

 

[nunzia]

A little OT but how does the new plan with Counter Service work? I'm sure it's here somewhere, but I don't know where.

 

[Muushka]

For our family: not worth it! We bring boxes of snacks from Costco in the suitcases and make our breakfast in the room everyday. Sometimes DD11 and I order one meal and an extra plate. The portions are so big we can easily share. We save by not getting DDP!

I agree with you. That is why we only get it for 2 days or less because we can stretch out the DDP for 3 days that way. Plus we do it at the beginning of the trip, so that after 3 days we have eaten pretty much everywhere we love. It gets the desire to eat out, out of our system. My neighbor is addicted (so is my husband come to think of it) to the mint chocolate smoothies that count as a snack and we always bring them home. I can't imagine paying $4 for them.

 

[dec5girl]

Where do you get the mint chocolate smoothie?

 

[Yen Sid]

that is the best way to do it, see what meals you are going to eat, check the menus for the prices and then crunch the numbers. We do this every single trip and when the numbers don't work for us we don't get the DDp.

 

[ead79]

The DDP doesn't really work for us. We enjoy a relaxing table service meal when we're at WDW twice a day, so we'd need the deluxe dining plan. It's just outrageously expensive, so we definitely don't do that plan.

The thing we've found that works best for us is to use the Tables in Wonderland card (used to be the Disney Dining Experience card). It costs money initially ($60 for annual passholders), and you must be either an AP holder or FL resident to buy one, but you then get 20% off food and drinks at nearly all of the table service restaurants at WDW. They automatically include an 18% tip on your bill when you use the card, but that's what we tipped already anyway. We more than make our money back with this discount card, so that's what we stick with.

 

[Coach81]

My wife pulled the credit card statement out, and she crunched the numbers, we would have either spent the same amount or actually saved money with the ddp. In February, we will be on the ddp.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Muushka]

Where do you get the mint chocolate smoothie?

They can be gotten at Goofy's Candy Company in Downtown Disney and at the candy store on Main Street at MK.

There are not enough O's in smooooth to describe these fudgie delights.

PS and they store and travel very well too. We got them on our last trip there and 8 of the fudgie delights went on the cruise with us for a week and then rode in the back seat home to NC. They didn't complain one bit and were still delicious.

 

[braydensmom]

We just got back from doing the Deluxe Dining Plan, and I will never do a DDP again. On two seperate days our DDP was not working on our cards, no idea why, an explanation was never given to us, but I had to pay OOP for the meals (which were more than i could ever eat) and then spend an hour both days standing at the front desk of SSR trying to get it sorted out. I asked my waiters/waitress and they said the cards malfunction quite frequently.
I personally think its a pretty big waste of money after doing it.

 

[Mtnman44]

I've thought a lot about this lately. We are going to try it for the first time next month. We normally budget about $100 for food and misc in the parks per day, not including "special" dinners or events. we are two adults and two kids under $10 so for us the dining plan gets us under that amount more or less but with a Table Service dinner every night, something we never did before. It also is A LOT of food. A full lunch with dessert and a full dinner with dessert for every person is definately more than we would get normally so you should consider how much you realy need. The DDP definately favors people that can use that much food.

When my kid turns 10, it goes from $8.95 on this trip to about $40 since he'll be an "adult". LOL, I hope they change this stupid adult age. It may work for theme park rides, but not for food. Anyway, my kids eat very little still so we will NOT be doing the DDP once I have a 10 year old in the mix. This child's price is where most of the financial benefit for us is coming from.

Note: I really don't think the DDP saves that much money now, unless you are big dessert eaters. Previously, it included an appetizer and dessert at dinner AND included Tip. Although I think it is way too much food, that certainly was a better financial "value" but it is easy to see why that was unsustainable. I wish they had dropped the price a little more after taking away those features..oh well.

 

[wulfekamp]

We have tried it both oop and DDP. I like DDp because when I pay OOP I go cheap. I really can't help myself. On DDP I'm a little more adventurest with what I eat. I'm skinny as a stick you would never guess how much I love to eat. But if I go OOP I would be eating the cheapest thing on the menu every time. I love eating high end. I have dreams at night about cape may, Le cella.
Oh god I think I'm addicted. Is there a forum on here for people addicted to Disney food. Go DDP