DVC'ers and Meal Plan

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

How many of you DVC'ers have used the meal plan? And, if you have, what are your thoughts?

We are up in the air. Our issue is that we have a kitchen in the room we are getting. While some people don't like to cook on vacation. That was one of our considerations when buying points. We figured we can same some money by cooking sometimes in the room. Now with the meal plan, we will be spending more.

Thoughts....

We used it in December 06, and man, it was too much food. It was like our entire vacation was centered around planning all the meals. If you like that, that's cool, but we felt a lot of stress over HAVING to eat.

Normally, we'd get two fish/chicken baskets at Columbia Harbor house and that will feed all four of us and then some, so we were having a hard time eating all those meals. And that was in a studio with no kitchen.

We decided that while it was sort of entertaining in a demented sort of way to see how much we could eat in one day, having to throw half of NY strip steak away at Spoodles just made me feel like an Ugly American, being so wasteful!

Plus apparently when one gorges oneself the need to nap becomes overwhelming and we lost valuable hours in the park snoring our lunches away

 

[Bella2000]

We used it last May during a work convention and it worked out well. We went down a few days ahead and it was great not to have bills. The only problem we found was no more spontaneous PS. All of my favorites were impossible to book that way. The whole week Le Cellier was booked.

I also have DDE card and that was fantastic when 12 of us went to dinner.

 

[AEN]

I appreciate all your comments.

I understand the too much food issue. That is one of my concerns. I hate wasting food. While we don't have to order it if we know we are not going to eat it; I don't want to have to pay for food for a 12 and 10 year old, I know they won't eat it.

I wish they had a different price range for those between 9 and 14. Because, they don't eat the same as adults, so why price them the same?

Unfortunately, we have not kept our receipts. We are taking a 10 day trip. With 5 people in the family, it will cost us $2,000 for the meal plan. I don't think we have spent $2,000 on food, excluding alchohol and other things not covered under the plan.

 

[starbox]

Honestly, I am on the fence about DDP. I have been a HUGE DDP fan/proponent . We've used it since it started being offered and it was one of the reasons we did not buy DVC a few years ago when we toured.

BUT - DS turned 10 and in January we took our first trip with him on the adult plan. DS can easily eat an adult entree, but not an apppetizer as well and he is one of those strange people that don't like sweets or desserts (I have no idea how I gave birth to him and managed to misplace his sweet tooth!).

In the end, I don't think DDP saved us any money over what we would have ordered had we not been on the plan. (One appetizer/dessert to split for DH and I plus adult entrees for DH, DS and myself plus kid meals for DD8). I am not sure I could have eaten for a whole lot less - but it was not a realistic savings. (Not the way it was when both kids were under 10)

I am still on the fence about whether or not to get the DDP again. I probably will - but I've had to readjust the way I look at it. It used to be a savings, now it will simply be a convenient way to pre-pay meals. On this last trip I got a little stressed by the fact that we did not order all the components of the meal (skipping some appetizers and desserts because they'd have been wasted). The plan was almost $400 for 3 days and we still bought bagels/coffee for breakfast. It seemed like alot of money for food, and with DS as an adult, I felt less confident that I got what I paid for.

 

[MinnesotaChill]

Next January, we will be three family units in one GV. We plan to get DDP while in the villa. My dh and I own dvc. The other two families do not. After the GV, one of those families will go home, the other two will go their separate ways, but stay at Disney.

How do we book the ddp? When I book the GV? If my cousin and her family want to continue DDP after the GV, do they book that with their tickets or with their room? Can they carry over credits?

We will switch to DDE after the GV, not sure if the plan is tied to tix or ressies? Sounds like it can be either?

 

[boudreaux0]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is DDE?

 

[halld6479]

ok for family gathering 95% of us are doing dinning plan but DD has two kids that won't set long enough to eat but they are in her room for reservations, my question is can she go with with the rest the family of us on the plan and order something small to eat and maybe help the rest of us eat what is left over from us?

 

[starbox]

ok for family gathering 95% of us are doing dinning plan but DD has two kids that won't set long enough to eat but they are in her room for reservations, my question is can she go with with the rest the family of us on the plan and order something small to eat and maybe help the rest of us eat what is left over from us?

Depends on where you eat - not at a buffet or family-style restaurant.

 

[byoung]

It's great, but this Oct I'm not getting it. Was too full to go to the F&W booths.

 

[Chuck S]

Next January, we will be three family units in one GV. We plan to get DDP while in the villa. My dh and I own dvc. The other two families do not. After the GV, one of those families will go home, the other two will go their separate ways, but stay at Disney.

How do we book the ddp? When I book the GV? If my cousin and her family want to continue DDP after the GV, do they book that with their tickets or with their room? Can they carry over credits?

We will switch to DDE after the GV, not sure if the plan is tied to tix or ressies? Sounds like it can be either?

DDP is tied to you resservation, all people in the GV must have the DDP for the length of the GV ressie. You book the DDP with the GV ressie, an pay for it at check-in.

For those family remaining at Disney...the GV meal plan will expire at midnight on the night you check-out of the GV. You can not "extend" the use of those credits even if staying on Disney property.

If you book the remainder of your stay using DVC Points at a DVC resort, you can also get the DDP for that reservation. If you are not staying at a DVC resort, then you must get a package through Disnet Travel (CRO), including room and a park ticket, to add the plan to that portion of your stay, as Disney Travel controls the plan at non-DVC resorts.

 

[AEN]

My wife found a site (I don't think I am allowed to give sites here) that has the all the eateries with a condensed menu and prices.

Even if the site is a little off and if she under estimated our OOP charges, we will not be saving money going with the plan. In fact it will cost us a couple hundred more to do the plan. This is based our eating habits.

Again, I appreciate everybody's comments. However, based on the lack of cost savings, I don't think the plan is for us.

I can also appreciate a lot of of comments people have made about the convenience of not having to pay or focus on cost of meals (kind of sounds like a cruise). However, being an accountant, I know I will be preoccupied with the concept most effective use the correct meal type (i.e. CS, TS) and "..am I getting the best bang for the buck..?". That is not vacation for me. That is work.

Further, I mentioned earlier, that is why we purchased DVC. To be able to eat in the room a couple times to save some money. Otherwise, why get a room with a kitchen?

Thanks for all your thoughts.

Here's a thought. I wonder why they don't scale the costs down based on your lenght of stay? Kind of like the way they do the ticket prices for length of stay. Just a thought.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

ok for family gathering 95% of us are doing dinning plan but DD has two kids that won't set long enough to eat but they are in her room for reservations, my question is can she go with with the rest the family of us on the plan and order something small to eat and maybe help the rest of us eat what is left over from us?

Yeah, I tried that at Coral Reef for my eats like a bird 6 year old.

They were NOT happy with me and basically said that I couldn't do it.

I was basically shamed into buying her a big lunch, another reason we won't do DDP again.

Add that to my list of seven (well, four and counting) deadly sins of DDP

 

[Topo Bella]

We used the DDP in November and were thrilled with it. Last time we went to Disney World in 2004, we didn't get the meal plan and found it painful every time we had to pay for lunch or dinner in the park (especially with small children who may or may not eat that $7 hamburger). Although I'm not sure that the dining plan is cost effective, I am sure that saving for the dining plan in advance and not having to worry about the cost of meals made my vacation that much more enjoyable.

We are going back this November and would not even think about not getting the meal plan.

 

[slk537]

We used it for part of our stay last May (it was a split stay so we couldn't do the DDP when we used points at the Poly) and we loved it. We plan to do it again in May. For us, it was just fun. We were able to pay everything ahead of time and then just sit back and order whatever we wanted to eat. It was nice for snacks to walk past a cart and grab something in the moment without thinking about charging it or finding cash. We also loved being able to use those snack credits to get a box of doughnuts or ice cream for the room at the Marketplace. And I know we tried a lot more foods at the restaurants than we normally would.

But the best? Dropping DS off at the Sandcastle Club and going to Yachtsman or Le Cellier, having an excellent steak dinner and then being able to walk around World Showcase or the Boardwalk together alone before picking DS up - and the whole night only costing OOP the hours DS was the the Kid's Club (minus the DVC 10% ): less than $30!! THAT made the DDP just perfect for us!

 

[sppunk]

Someone on here posted a spreadsheet where you could enter your dining information and it calculated costs, compared to the DDP.

If anyone has that link still, it'd be very helpful to the OP. It was a tremendously valuable tool in making this decision.

My wife and I, when looking at this, discovered that even if we purchased muffins in the morning, our normal lunch and dinner we'd spend a great deal less than the DDP. It, to us, is only a good deal if you get appetizers and desserts at dinner. We do not, so it's not that great of a deal.

We also don't think we "pay" for meals at the time since they are all charged back to the room - you're paying for them at the end of your ressie one way or the other.

 

[AEN]

A few people have told me that they get a box of donuts for breakfast using their snack credit. I can't imagine you get a good size box of donuts with a snack credit of $4. I hope I am wrong. I just know what a box of assorted donuts cost in store. With Disney's mark up I wouldn't think it is under $4.

I would love that spreadsheet too.

And I too agree that you can have the same process with just charging to your room. Although you won't look at prices so much if you are on DDP. But you will have to consider what meal credits you have left over. So it is six of one and a half a dozen of another. Either you look at the cost of the meal or the meal credits.

Ulimately it seems it comes down to the concept of saving money on the plan or not.

Keep in mind, if you are on the plan, you will still have OOP if you order liquor. I like to have some wine with dinner. So I am still paying something either OOP or with my room charge.

 

[Starr W.]

I think it's a box of donut holes or the small snack size donuts. I have a list on the other computer of things you can get for a snack credit at AP/SSR.

I think I pulled it off the DDP thread.

 

[AEN]

I think it's a box of donut holes or the small snack size donuts. I have a list on the other computer of things you can get for a snack credit at AP/SSR.

I think I pulled it off the DDP thread.

Can you post the thread or send over the list?

Thanks

 

[dumbo71]

My wife found a site (I don't think I am allowed to give sites here) that has the all the eateries with a condensed menu and prices.

Even if the site is a little off and if she under estimated our OOP charges, we will not be saving money going with the plan. In fact it will cost us a couple hundred more to do the plan. This is based our eating habits.

Again, I appreciate everybody's comments. However, based on the lack of cost savings, I don't think the plan is for us.

I can also appreciate a lot of of comments people have made about the convenience of not having to pay or focus on cost of meals (kind of sounds like a cruise). However, being an accountant, I know I will be preoccupied with the concept most effective use the correct meal type (i.e. CS, TS) and "..am I getting the best bang for the buck..?". That is not vacation for me. That is work.

Further, I mentioned earlier, that is why we purchased DVC. To be able to eat in the room a couple times to save some money. Otherwise, why get a room with a kitchen?

Thanks for all your thoughts.

Here's a thought. I wonder why they don't scale the costs down based on your lenght of stay? Kind of like the way they do the ticket prices for length of stay. Just a thought.

Sounds like you have made a wise decision. I've been a huge critic of DDP so I won't do that here again. PM if anyone wants my take on this program.

Without DDP you will also be able to dine off site if you so choose or order To Go food of site from places like Giordanos, etc.

Have a great , relaxing trip.

 

[Starr W.]

Can you post the thread or send over the list?

Thanks

Sent you a pm with the list.