F&W and DDP

[blkhwks55]

I was wondering if the DDP was worth if we plan to do the F&W booths. We will be there 6 days but will be doing the MNSSHP and plan to be at F&W at least 3-4 days/nights. If we are snacking from the booths throughout the whole day is it even worth going to restaurants? Thinking of doing 1-2 breakfast and counter service. We are DVC so we do get discounts at restaurants if we want to use it.

Thanks,

Tony

 

[JerseyJanice]

The DDP snacks are good for almost all food items from the kiosks. You can really make out if you use them on the more expensive things.

I suggest you consider the quick service plan. If you are staying 5 nights and there are 2 people in your party, that's 10 items at the kiosks you can buy.

 

[rwdavis2]

No. It is not worth it. IMHO the DDP is rarely with the money unless you are careful how you use it.

 

[Linleedo]

I was wondering if the DDP was worth if we plan to do the F&W booths. We will be there 6 days but will be doing the MNSSHP and plan to be at F&W at least 3-4 days/nights. If we are snacking from the booths throughout the whole day is it even worth going to restaurants? Thinking of doing 1-2 breakfast and counter service. We are DVC so we do get discounts at restaurants if we want to use it.

Thanks,

Tony

You'd need to look at the prices of the F&W samples that you'd like to try and determine if it's worth the money to purchase the dining plan. Here's a link with prices for the F& W. http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2016-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-booths-menus-and-food-photos/. Here's a link to the restaurants too. http://allears.net/dining/menu

 

[ArmyVet80]

We always do the DlxDP on our trips and almost always go during the food & wine festival. We us our DDP for signature dinners/lunches (Cali Grill, Yachtsman, The Boathouse, etc...) but we also sprinkle in some other lunches/dinners (Sanaa, CRT, etc..) We end up at Epcot on most of our days to try out what the booths/kiosks have to offer.

We use snack points on the more expensive items from the booths/kiosks.

We have used the dining calculator to see if it is worth it to use the DlxDP but have come to the conclusion that we would not order and appetizer, entree and dessert per person per meal if we weren't on the dining plan. We are foodies so to us it is worth it. I cannot speak for how you would want to use it.

 

[AngiTN]

The DDP snacks are good for almost all food items from the kiosks. You can really make out if you use them on the more expensive things.

I suggest you consider the quick service plan. If you are staying 5 nights and there are 2 people in your party, that's 10 items at the kiosks you can buy.

True but most of the items at the F&W booths cost less than the dollar value of a snack credit. You have to be really sure you want that many of the more expensive items or you loose money.
And unless something has changed from last year it is an even worse value to trade your QS credits in on snacks at the F&W booths.
One thing you can be sure of, The Mouse isn't loosing money on the dining plan so one doesn't have to study too hard to figure out what the least expensive option is

 

[TheRustyScupper]

No. It is not worth it. IMHO the DDP is rarely with the money unless you are careful how you use it.

Too True !

 

[crabbygal902]

We've done that before but had to scale way back on the F&W booths so that we could eat our planned TS meals. If you want to get the full F&W experience, I'd pay OOP, have lots of small meals through the day and use your DVC discount for a couple special TS meals on non F&W days.

 

[Hikergirl]

I struggled with that decision before we got here. I decided not to get the DDP and it was the right decision. We cancelled 2 out of 4 of our TS dinners because we just weren't hungry enough for dinner. I even made them late (after 8). Also, my plan was to use the CS credits for 3 items but having to use them at the same booth wouldn't have worked out for dh and me. We ended up just getting the sampler vouchers and using them for higher priced food items and our cocktails and just paying cash for everything else.

 

[Alice777]

We had QS DP in April during Flower and Garden this past April and we end up with alot of left over meals and snacks.
What I didn't like being on DP is in order to make to make it worth it, you have to eat most "expensive" items on the menu. That's what we did and after our trip, we felt we didn't get to eat "what we wanted to eat" because we were concentrating on too much on "getting our money's worth".
We are going back in November during F&W and will not be on dining plan. We want to eat what we want to eat no matter if it's cheaper or expensive and that includes all the TS.

 

[AngiTN]

We had QS DP in April during Flower and Garden this past April and we end up with alot of left over meals and snacks.
What I didn't like being on DP is in order to make to make it worth it, you have to eat most "expensive" items on the menu. That's what we did and after our trip, we felt we didn't get to eat "what we wanted to eat" because we were concentrating on too much on "getting our money's worth".
We are going back in November during F&W and will not be on dining plan. We want to eat what we want to eat no matter if it's cheaper or expensive and that includes all the TS.

And this is exactly why it's very rare for the dining plan to be a cost savings for anyone. Sure, it's possible to make it work. But if you have to eat in ways you don't want, is that really worth it? I always tell people the key to determining if it's worth it for you is to plan what you'd order, period. What you like, not what fits the plan. Then see how it works out. Since few people eat as much as what is included in the plan it often works out to be cheaper to pay OOP. And if you use the argument that you want it paid for in advance that is also easily solved, buy Disney gift cards before your trip in the amount of what you expect to spend on dining. All paid for.

And another item that comes in to play when you order the more expensive things just because they are the more expensive, you are inflating your tip costs. For 1 meal that's not a lot but meal after meal, you can really spend a lot on tips. Especially if you'd like a $10 burger but order a $40 steak because it's the better value for your credit.

 

[loves to dive]

I just got back from 6 nights, 4 of which were F&W days and all my meals came from booths except breakfast with the exception of one F&W meal pairing and the little food demos at the Festival Center. Even doing that some days I was so full I was uncomfortable.