Found This Rant on the Dining Plan

[strat68]

From Josh at easywdw. He almost endorsed getting it after tearing is apart.

Considering how much some entrees went up in price, these increases could be a lot worse. I’ve long campaigned against the Dining Plan because over the past five years or so it’s been difficult to come out ahead. People will tell you it’s convenient but it’s really not – pin numbers, MagicBand scanning, keeping track of credits, making sure Disney charges you the correct number of credits, ordering exactly what’s allowed with your meal, etc. You know what is convenient? Ordering whatever you want and swiping your credit card. And I’m too pragmatic to get behind the “but we like everything pre-paid and don’t care if we’re overspending.” You’re paying the bill or declaring bankruptcy no matter what. I fail to grasp how seeing the charge on one month’s bill is any easier to swallow than any other month. Just close your eyes and sign. But with cash prices increasing faster than Dining Plan prices and some more flexibility in how you can use your credits, there is potentially some value here. You would think that the Flame Tree Sampler, two cheese fries, and four cups of water would be enough to feed at least two people if not three.

 

[bbak30]

I find the DDP frustruating as well, even thought I've been a fan in the past. We had "free" dining last October and I wondered if the quality was going downhill due to the DDP. I've never had a problem with service, but the quality is going down. We will pay OOP for our next trip and I'm anxious to see how it we do.

 

[rwdavis2]

Pete Werner (owner of this site) has maintained for some time that dining quality and selection has dropped due to free dining. We had a very heavily discounted DDP in 2013 and it just confirmed I would never pay for it.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's a great deal if you are making definite plans to split Flame Tree Samplers every day for your entire stay. Disney knows most guests won't use it like that.

 

[sharonabe]

It's a great deal if you are making definite plans to split Flame Tree Samplers every day for your entire stay. Disney knows most guests won't use it like that.

Exactly! And even if you do use it to split meals, what do you do with all the extra meals? If you use them for breakfast, you've just lost any "value" you got from splitting. If you use them for 3 snacks, you do the same.

 

[rwdavis2]

Exactly! And even if you do use it to split meals, what do you do with all the extra meals? If you use them for breakfast, you've just lost any "value" you got from splitting. If you use them for 3 snacks, you do the same.

I tend to agree with Josh's general assessment. The regular plan was too much food for us. I've never understood "the convenience" factor either. Josh nailed that one too.

 

[jrmasm]

I find the DDP frustruating as well, even thought I've been a fan in the past. We had "free" dining last October and I wondered if the quality was going downhill due to the DDP. I've never had a problem with service, but the quality is going down. We will pay OOP for our next trip and I'm anxious to see how it we do.

It has. No question about it.

 

[dachsie]

When I went in 2006 the DDP was 1 TS for a appetizer, entrée, dessert and drink, 1 QS for entrée, dessert and drink and 1 snack. You were easily coming out ahead with it. Even with the most expensive items on the menus now, you can barely meet or be just under the cost of it. Not worth it anymore. I can eat just an appetizer for my entree at a TS and be fine with it and its better on the budget.

 

[Callie]

We just do the DDP for our first night of a stay. It gets us the mugs that last the rest of the stay, so right there is 17ish bucks off the QSP. Makes it a lot easier to break even.

 

[Mandi Bartz]

We just do the DDP for our first night of a stay. It gets us the mugs that last the rest of the stay, so right there is 17ish bucks off the QSP. Makes it a lot easier to break even.

How are you able to just get the DDP for the first night? Do you do a split stay?

 

[Paddy Pat]

We just do the DDP for our first night of a stay. It gets us the mugs that last the rest of the stay, so right there is 17ish bucks off the QSP. Makes it a lot easier to break even.

I had no idea you could only purchase just any amount of nights on the DDP. I thought It had to match the amount of nights of your stay at Disney. Thanks for the tib bit, going to look into that.

 

[bumbershoot]

We just do the DDP for our first night of a stay. It gets us the mugs that last the rest of the stay, so right there is 17ish bucks off the QSP. Makes it a lot easier to break even.

That requires a separate reservation, though, with the possibility of having to switch rooms. Not everyone wants that.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I had no idea you could only purchase just any amount of nights on the DDP. I thought It had to match the amount of nights of your stay at Disney. Thanks for the tib bit, going to look into that.

You can only do it on a split stay.

 

[Micca]

I'll agree with the comment that ordering what you want and paying oop is most convenient.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yep, gotta be a split stay. You can't pick and choose which days you get DDP on a single reservation.

I did it once that way with a DVC reservation. At different resorts though. Just to get the mug.

 

[GillianP1301]

I suppose if I considered scanning my magic band and keeping track of some credits to be overly labour intensive as the rant suggests, I wouldn't like the dining plan either. Personally, I find it all pretty simple, so not an issue for me.

I really don't understand the whole dining plan debate and why people always feel the need to justify having it or not. To me, those who don't like it always sound like they are trying to defend not spending money like that makes any difference at all to a person who just wants the dining plan because they do.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I tend to agree with everything Josh wrote. I have only used the QS plan once because it was included in the package we got going with a high school ball team. But I was not impressed and would never purchase it, or the regular DDP. We just don't eat like that.

I never understood the convenience argument either. It would be nice to prepay for things but not if I'm spending more than I have to.

Years ago we were at WDW and DH was approached to be part of a focus group for a dining plan. There were several different options of plans but he selected what became the original DDP. We still didn't buy it when they actually began the plan but I kind of wish we had now. BTW we got $100 for his time.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I priced out both ways and the DDP made absolutely no sense. I added up a typical meal at a TS restaurant: appetizer, entree, dessert, coffee, milk/soda for DS, even a couple of beers/wine for me and DH, plus tax and tip, added in a QS lunch plus tax and 2 snacks. Then multiplied it by 7 days and it came out to much much less than the DDP before adding in the alcoholic beverages, and tips. Also the fact that DS is 10, we wouldn't be able to get the child's plan and he just doesn't eat enough to make the adult plan cost effective for him. Pay as we go and he can order off the children's menu where the bowl of spaghetti is $8 and child sized as opposed to the $18 adult portioned pasta dish.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I always challenge those who swear by it to do the math...HONESTLY...and not playing the "this is what the plan provide" game. After they realize they are not getting the most bang for their buck b/c they're ordering chicken vs. the pricey steak, using credits on breakfast vs dinner, failing to use all TS credits on TS and burning them on lesser things, and getting snacks and desserts they normally wouldn't eat with the same regularity...they still come back and argue --> But the convenience!!! Then others argue that they probably wouldn't feel comfortable eating at these TS spots if they were actually forking over the $ for the bill at that time vs. paying a set amount in advance. I don't get it. We always come out ahead paying OOP.

 

[Shanti]

I can eat just an appetizer for my entree at a TS and be fine with it and its better on the budget.

And the waistline.