Going from Free Dinning to Paying for Meals

[kandb]

We have gotten free dining for the last 7 years or so. This year I had a bounceback at CBR with free dining which was a good deal for my family of 5 (2 adults, 2 Disney adults and 1 child) but I decided to go with a great room rate at the Beach Club and am now paying out of pocket for our meals. I am pretty thrifty, so know of some ways to keep the costs down but thought I would start a thread for any recommendations.

 

[sharonabe]

Study the menus. If you know what's available and the price, you will be a smarter consumer. You will also know who has the entrees that are shareable.

I'm sure you already know to get the free water. If you really want a drink, just get one large one and ask for cups and share.

 

[rwdavis2]

Skip alcohol. Share desserts.

 

[SGMCO]

I was wondering, did the room rate save you that much more than getting Free Dining?

 

[rwdavis2]

I was wondering, did the room rate save you that much more than getting Free Dining?

In general the discounted rates for deluxe resorts usually outweigh free dining.

 

[isaboo]

Skip alcohol. Share desserts.

We only get the dining plan if it's free. When we go during the summer, we have the room discount. We usually don't even get dessert with dinner...we wait until later and get something in the parks. I order from Garden Grocer and eat breakfast in the room.

Another thing I do is save up gift cards all year. If you shop at Target, they always have those deals where if you buy certain things you get a $5.00 Target gift card back. I look for those deals and save up those cards until I have $30-$40 worth, then put them towards a Disney gift card that can be used for meals. I also buy Disney gift cards at Kroger when they have double fuel points.

 

[Brittni__duh]

I'd recommend using gift cards if you can buy them in bulk somewhere. Sam's Club has a $500 gift card for around $470 (I think?). Also, any left over from meals can be spent on souvenirs!

 

[wilkeliza]

Simple rule for us is don't order food you know you won't eat. That is the biggest reason the dinning plan doesn't work for us. Even at a TS I may not want dessert at the end of dinner and may want to wait for a Mickey bar at fireworks time. So on the dinning plan I end up ordering a dessert I don't want and still buying the Mickey bar I actually wanted later thus not getting any savings. When paying out of pocket I'm under no obligation to order dessert with the meal so I don't and then just get what I wanted later.

Same goes for appetizers or entrees. When paying out of pocket I feel like I really can order what ever I want. Appetizers aren't apart of dinning plan so they are always extra that way so I don't often order them even if I wanted one. Then with entrees I may focus too much on making sure I break even or save on the dinning plan so I may order the steak even though I really wanted the chicken. When paying out of pocket I just order what I want with not much though on if I'm really getting a deal from Disney.

 

[kandb]

I was wondering, did the room rate save you that much more than getting Free Dining?

We are paying around $700 less for the Beach Club as opposed to Carribbean Beach, however now we have to pay for food for the 10 days. We loved Carribbean Beach but can't wait to try BC. IMO, you can't compare the two, one a deluxe and one a moderate. We have stayed at both deluxe and moderates and the deluxes are nicer and better locations. It just seems worth it to do it this time.

 

[rwdavis2]

We only get the dining plan if it's free. When we go during the summer, we have the room discount. We usually don't even get dessert with dinner...we wait until later and get something in the parks. I order from Garden Grocer and eat breakfast in the room.

Another thing I do is save up gift cards all year. If you shop at Target, they always have those deals where if you buy certain things you get a $5.00 Target gift card back. I look for those deals and save up those cards until I have $30-$40 worth, then put them towards a Disney gift card that can be used for meals. I also buy Disney gift cards at Kroger when they have double fuel points.

Yep. We never eat a "real" breakfast at WDW. Usually something quick in the room. I'd rather save the calories for something better.

 

[supersnoop]

In general the discounted rates for deluxe resorts usually outweigh free dining.

Not when you have four "adults" in your party. For a deluxe resort with two people, the discount will usually be a better deal than free dining, but when you add more people; no way.

We are paying around $700 less for the Beach Club as opposed to Carribbean Beach, however now we have to pay for food for the 10 days. We loved Carribbean Beach but can't wait to try BC. IMO, you can't compare the two, one a deluxe and one a moderate. We have stayed at both deluxe and moderates and the deluxes are nicer and better locations. It just seems worth it to do it this time.

Obviously it depends how you eat, but with five people for 10 days, I'd estimate $2,000 in dining costs. The dining plan would cost you $2,500.

Granted, the Beach Club is probably worth the extra money, but don't expect to feed everyone with the savings.

My advice is to simply order what you want. If you don't want dessert, don't order it. If you want only an appetizer, get just that. If you want to split a meal, feel free.

 

[kandb]

I am not a breakfast person either, rather save the calories for a good lunch or dinner. Will just grab a cereal bar that I am going to bring with us, however my 7 year old son is obsessed with Mickey waffles and wants them every day, so I will let him get a kids meal of them or get a large one, he can split with my daughter.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We have gotten free dining for the last 7 years or so. This year I had a bounceback at CBR with free dining which was a good deal for my family of 5 (2 adults, 2 Disney adults and 1 child) but I decided to go with a great room rate at the Beach Club and am now paying out of pocket for our meals. I am pretty thrifty, so know of some ways to keep the costs down but thought I would start a thread for any recommendations.

There are several ways to spend less money for meals when you stay in the Epcot resort area. We've split appetizers at ESPN Club or at Big River Brewery. We've had delicious Angus cheeseburgers at Crews Cup Lounge that were reasonably priced. We've gone to the French Bakery and Sunshine Seasons for meals. Just eating at less table service restaurants will help to save money.

I've also discovered that a kids meal breakfast is a good bargain.

 

[SGMCO]

I didn't think that the room discount would be better, because for just 3 adults at a Mod we are saving close to $1600 for an 8 night stay. I don't think we could eat for $28 pp per day, that's pushing it.

 

[kandb]

Obviously it depends how you eat, but with five people for 10 days, I'd estimate $2,000 in dining costs. The dining plan would cost you $2,500

Yes, I was figuring about $150/day, which I know is conservative, will probably be closer to $200 but I have 2-$100 landry gift cards I am going to use for Yak N Yedi and Rainforest Café for dinners. I also have $75 worth of Starbuck giftcards to get the kids frappaccinos or maybe a light lunch. We will not be buying sodas and my husband and I will have the free coffee in the room every morning. We don't order desserts or appetizers at dinner. We will have a sit down dinner every night. No character dinners. Also, my 13 year olds will probably order off the kids menu's and I might as well sometimes. I am figuring around $100 for the sit down dinner.

 

[kandb]

There are several ways to spend less money for meals when you stay in the Epcot resort area. We've split appetizers at ESPN Club or at Big River Brewery. We've had delicious Angus cheeseburgers at Crews Cup Lounge that were reasonably priced. We've gone to the French Bakery and Sunshine Seasons for meals. Just eating at less table service restaurants will help to save money.

I've also discovered that a kids meal breakfast is a good bargain.

Great, didn't even think about ESPN. Is that on the boardwalk? Where is Big River Brewery located? Thanks for the advice.

 

[Lisa F]

everything you have learned about how to maximize the dining plan, flip on it's ear. IMO the biggest savings will be in being able to order your disney adult aged kids the kid meals if they want them. when I used to travel with another adult we liked to split an app, main course and dessert (a bite or two of dessert is usually sufficient for me). Hit up all of the fun but poor value on DDP places you may have been avoiding on free dining.... liberty tree lunch and plaza and sci fi dine in and 50's prime time. Take the opportunity to check out some of the swolphin restaurants which are NOT on ddp.

 

[samsteele]

I keep a short list of fav OOP TS restaurants: Marrakesh (lunch), the Plaza, Trail's End (dinner buffet), Yak & Yeti , Sanaa (lunch) & Beaches and Cream. QS list: Earl of Sandwich, Tangierine Cafe (large entrees can be split) and FlameTree (large entrees can be split).

 

[Wood Nymph]

Great, didn't even think about ESPN. Is that on the boardwalk? Where is Big River Brewery located? Thanks for the advice.

Both of those restaurants are on the Boardwalk.

 

[kandb]

everything you have learned about how to maximize the dining plan, flip on it's ear. IMO the biggest savings will be in being able to order your disney adult aged kids the kid meals if they want them. when I used to travel with another adult we liked to split an app, main course and dessert (a bite or two of dessert is usually sufficient for me). Hit up all of the fun but poor value on DDP places you may have been avoiding on free dining.... liberty tree lunch and plaza and sci fi dine in and 50's prime time. Take the opportunity to check out some of the swolphin restaurants which are NOT on ddp.

Thanks for the advice. I would love to eat at the Plaza but it's booked for the 3 days we will be at MK, which is the end of August.