good deal or not ?

[maof3js]

Lots of conflicting info on the dining plan - is it worth it ?

 

[Iheartdis]

I am going in April and have purchased QS plan. I have never done the dining plan before but it seems like a good deal to me simply because of the convenience. Its already paid for so you dont have to worry that you are overspending. Also on the QS plan its only about 35-40 dollars a day per person for 2 QS meals and 2 snacks. If you were paying oop it seems like you would be spending alot more than that per day.

 

[momto2inKC]

For our family, it's a convenience. And when we go during free dining, it's an even better deal. Yes, we are paying rack rate for a room (a whopping $100 at a value resort ), but we are saving almost $200 a night. And wether we paid or got it free, we always end up coming out ahead in the end.
You really have to take the time to sit down, figure up where you want to eat and what you might spend. It could be a deal or not. Each families situation is different.

 

[maof3js]

I have heard complaints about the complications of using the dining plan - anyone have trouble ?

 

[momto2inKC]

I have heard complaints about the complications of using the dining plan - anyone have trouble ?

We've used it 5 times and have never had complications .

 

[blessedby3]

I would say to look at the menus on www.allears.net and see what you would order and then add it up to see if it is a good value for you. For us, we tend to split meals and not get desserts--so we actually come out cheaper to pay oop. We decided to pay for the ddp a couple of years back (QSDP) and it was nice not to have to stand there and figure out who was splitting what and such. I enjoyed the convienence of having the food prepaid and letting the kids get desserts and drinks at each meal...a treat for us! We are going in May and have free dining...and it will be nice once again to be able to let them get what they want, and get snacks during the day (we usually bring our own into the park). On our trip this past May, we didnt do the dining plan, but put our dining money on a Disney Gift Card. Still nice to have it "prepaid", but I found myself stressing out again on who can get what.
I am excited about everyone ordering what we want again!

 

[SnipsNSnails]

There are lots of different ways to decide what a "good deal" is for you. One would be calculating based on your family's eating habits whether buying the plan will actually save you money as opposed to if you paid for eveything OOP. Depending on how your family does things, it's very possible that it can save you money. For us, I know the DDP does cost us more than if we paid for everything OOP. Why? Because we're cheap! So if we pay for everything OOP, we're only going to eat at CS with 1 maybe 2 TS, split a lot of meals, and order the cheapest things om the menu, not order soft drinks or dessert ever. It would definately cost us less. However, what we would do is not what I'd like to do, I just can't get away from how I was raised. For some reason it's much easier to part with the money up front than at the point of purchase. So it makes our vacation much more enjoyable and that to me makes it the best deal ever. Now, if I compare how I'd like to eat vs. the plan then, yeah, it might save us some money and at very least it's a wash.

 

[ajcolorado]

Children ages 3 -9 almost always come out way ahead with a dining plan. It's not as clear cut with adults. If you always order water (no coffee, tea, sodas, etc) and never order dessert, the dining plan may not be a good deal. If you do enjoy a beverage and desserts with your meal, it can be a good deal but not if you use a lot of your dining credits for character breakfasts - lunches & dinners are another story.

Having your dining all paid off before you go will help you feel like you're not just pulling out your credit card all the time - so it may have some value from a budgeting standpoint.

Here's a good article that looks at the value of 3 days on the dining plan, using actual menu items and prices: http://www.squidoo.com/Walt-Disney-World-Plus-Dining

 

[juliebean]

We wanted to do Cinderella's Table, Asherkus and Boma (two little girls), plus we had an awful time doing mostly counterservice the last time we went in April. So, we did the deluxe. I think it depends on how you eat normally, my husband likes appetizers and I plan to share with my 8 year old that is starting to outgrow kids meals. Also, whether you are arriving/departing early and need more credits for those meals. Really, I think it's best to do at least a rough estimate of what you'd buy. Also factor in the tips as additional cost, the snacks & refillable cups (if you'd use them) and see if it might save you money. Also, our daughters are little and don't want to ride a lot of the "big" rides and we are not attacking the parks with a to do list - I think you have to consider how often you want to sit down to eat with all three plans. However, if you are going at a busy (or hot) time of year, I also do not think counterservice should necessarily be considered faster (or do you need a break from the heat?) than table service...

If we came back in a few years and had teens wanting to ride rides all day, I would probably do either the QSplan or at most, the regular - but not the deluxe. So many things to consider! I keep going back and forth myself!

 

[Famvaca]

great deal

 

[photobob]

It can be an excellent deal. We have never used it, but have considered it. If you look at what you get versus paying out of pocket it is a good deal. When I compared to how we general order it wasn't. For us it would be a good deal if we wanted to splurge, eat more expensive items at more expensive restaurants, have dessert every meal, but those aren't our normal dining habits.

 

[mommy-3]

We did QS for the first time last June. I researched on here and checked out all ears, and seemed pretty comfortable with it. We personally loved it and we are doing QS again when we go back this June. The goods are you eat whatever you want, no matter the cost; everyone can get their own meal and not feel guilty; it's already paid for; free resort mug; lots of food; yeah for snacks; it's simple.

The bads - kid's desserts are pretty yucky, we shared the adult ones! It may not be the best deal, but it's soooo much easier!!

One BIG hint, when you order ask for a LARGE drink!! They will give you a medium unless you say "and Large Coke please!!"

 

[HDJA]

I believe the DDP is an excellent deal! We have used it twice and love it! I am a budgeting fanatic and love to save money where I can. This year's trip was not exactly planned, so I am having to think out of the box and try and save anywhere I can. That's why I'm crunching the numbers to see if the DDP is the best deal for us. Hopefully, my madness will help you out, too!

Okay, here it goes. Stick with me while I work this out. I sure hope I'm doing this right!

Our trip is in June for 5 nights and I have priced out two MYW packages: one with the regular DDP and one without. The difference is $784. My family of 4 (myself, my DH, my daughter who is 12, so she counts as an adult, and my son, 9) would have to eat at the world for lunch, dinner, and snacks for 5 days for nearly $800! We would have to average about $20 per meal per day for us to come under $800. I may be frugal, but not THAT frugal!

The best way to figure if you would save money or not, as someone else already mentioned in this thread, is to visit allears.net and take a look at the menus. Most of the Quick Service meals for adults average $10 (that's a sandwich and a drink) and the kids meals are $5 (with sides and drink included). So far, that's already $35 for my family~over $15 than what I needed to spend OOP. It's $15 SAVED if I'm on the DDP (AND, I could've gotten a dessert!).

So, if I choose to forgo the DDP, I'm gonna be frugal and eat quick service meals for all of our lunches and dinners with no apps or desserts. Averaging
$35 a meal for my family, for 40 meals for our stay, I'm spending $1400. In order to compare apples to apples, say I choose the Quick Service Dining Plan. I'd pay $580 for that. So, I'd save a whopping $820 by choosing the QS DDP!! If I chose the regular DDP, I'd still save $784 AND we can have nice table service meals WITH dessert!

YES, for my family, and maybe yours too, the DDP is a GREAT deal!

(phew! I'm glad I've gotten that all worked out. thanks for bearing with me...my brain hurts!)

 

[KungFoomF]

I would say to look at the menus on www.allears.net and see what you would order and then add it up to see if it is a good value for you.

Literally, do this.

Whether it is worth it or not is entirely based on financial considerations. If your family likes good restaurants, desserts, and will spend a lot out of pocket, it probably makes sense.

 

[sissy_ib]

It depends on how you eat. The first time I went to WDW I took my aunt and her two kids. I got us the QSDP and it was a great value for us. When I went with my DF I knew it would not work for us because we would not be happy eating nothing but QS meals and the DP would not work because we like apps rather than desserts. Plus we went during F&W. I know you can use your snack credits there but we would have run out of the first day! We were eating at F&W instead of eating meals for 2 1/2 days. So if you normally eat the way the DP is set up it is a good value for you.

 

[goofy2008]

Used one year and tips were included and then the next year they were not..
so the thrid stay we paid cash..
It is a lot of food if you are not big eaters..
We found ourselves eating just to use the meals up..

 

[3pletprincesses]

great deal for us... I think it's a good deal for anyone who has 2 or more kids under 9 yo and want to do caracter meals. caracter meals are expensive when you pay OOP

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Lots of conflicting info on the dining plan - is it worth it ?

I'm going to answer this on the assumption that you are referring to the regular dining plan.
This is one of those never-ending questions on the DIS. You really have to do the numbers to find out if it is worth it for you. If you have lots of kids under 10, and/or like to eat at character meals or pricey one credit table service restaurants, and prefer to get the expensive steak on the menu, then it ends up being worth it.

But if you don't want to sit down every day for a meal or you usually eat a side salad and cup of water at dinner, than you'd probably be paying more for the dining plan than you would out of pocket.

I have heard complaints about the complications of using the dining plan - anyone have trouble ?

What have you heard? I'm sure those folks have had issues - everyone can have a problem with anything that Disney offers. I personally have experienced them taking too many dining credits so we have to talk to someone to get them 'back'. It's a bit of a pain to have to do it, but it ended up being 'righted'. Other than that one occasion, I have personally not had any 'issues' with it.

 

[nkereina]

Many people will say it's not a good deal for their family and for some it's probably not. For me, we would be much more thrifty if we had to pay OOP while there. With the DDP, everything is paid for ahead of time so there's no worry. For example, on the DDP I might get surf and turf and if I had to pay OOP, I might get a cheeseburger. Also, I wouldn't typically order an appetizer or dessert but on the dining plan it's included which is an added bonus (app only comes with DX)

 

[ppoe65]

We have used DDP many times (6+). We like not having to worry about pricing and OOP. We were there in December for 8 nights, 5 disney adults and 2 children. We broke even just with the TS meals. For us it works. escecially if you have children ages 3-9. You can not feed your child two meals plus a snack for $12. perhaps when all my children are disney adults, we may rethink DDP, but as I said it works for us.