Help me feel better about not doing DP

[dairyqueenmom]

I think after running the numbers I think our family of six will save a considerable amount of money if we don't do the dining plan. Here is my reasoning for not doing it:
1. Our two oldest are considered adults now and they defiantly do not eat like adults, they will most likely most meals eat off the kids menu.

2. We would not order desserts at every sit down meal.

3. We would get the TIW card for the 20% discount, and be able to use it when my DH and I go in Oct.

4. We will eat more counter service, thus reducing time spent in sit down restaurants.

Here is why I need encouragement:

1. It is so darn easy.

2. I never look at the prices, just order what ever I want.

3. It feels like vacation.

We need to do this because we are expecting a 10% paycut at my DH's job, and need to be frugal this trip. We are already planning on eating breakfast in our room and most likely since we are not going to do the dining plan, a couple of lunches.

Thanks in advance for any encouragement.

 

[iluveeyore]

The whole reason we bought DVC was to use the kitchen. With a family of five, even with the dining plan, we were spending waaaay too much money on eating out. And the dining plan seriously hinders our park days as our days revolve around which ADR we have that day. So for every family vacation, even with friends along, we rent a car and make a run to the Walmart Supercenter when we arrive and get our thirteen days worth of groceries. We keep it simple, but get everything we need - water, pop, juice, breakfast items, snacks for parks and evenings, beer, wine, sandwich and sub fixins for lunches, and easy meals for dinners (pasta, hamburgs, chicken, tacos, etc.). We find we only spend around $200 for everything, and that would be gone in a day and a half on the dining plan. Plus we really enjoy afternoons at the resort - we come back for lunch, spend the afternoon in the pool or at community hall (we stay at OKW usually) or out on the huge deck reading or playing games. I make dinner around 4:30, we eat, clean up and head out to whatever park has EMH for evening.
So enjoy your extra spending money, and your leisure time at your resort. It really doesn't ruin my 'vacation' feeling to spend time cooking or relaxing in the Villas of DVC - it's a treat to use their beautiful rooms as our 'home away from home'.
Have a wonderful trip!

 

[searlproudbottom]

Dear DQ mom

Our Family well be going to the World in October after a two year hiatus. For the same reason as you “ The Economy “ we have decided to cut back on areas that we usually splurge on namely , the dining plan.

After all a Vacation at Walt Disney World is not about the delicious food, it’s about family, and building memories.

When I am standing in line at a counter service restaurant or eating from a brown bag I will be laughing at all of those who are gorging themselves at all of those wonderful restaurants and Character buffets scarfing down all those pastries at the desert table .

At the end of our stay I will not be putting on the extra 5 pounds that I used to and doubling up days at the gym when I get home.

I have to keep reminding myself of all of the time I have wasted agonizing over which restaurant to make our reservation or which day I should omit the table service just so we can see a Dinner Show like The Hoop De Due Revue. Speaking of the Hoop De Due Revue, why would anyone enjoy their Chicken, Ribs and Beer anyway.

And I am still not over the fact that Disney’s management has taken away the Appetizers and excluded the gratuity from the dining plan that made it a bargain.

Not Purchising That Stupid Disney Dining Plan is not going to ruin my Disney Vacation, Not Me, Not old Searl Proudbottom.




Hope you feel better
Searl

 

[Deb & Bill]

We did the DP once and thought we spent way too much time scheduling our time around our meals. We normally only do three or four TS restaurants for a nine night trip, so the DP really doesn't work for us either.

Stock up the refrigerator, use counter service when you really want to and maybe schedule one or two TS for those places you really want to eat at.

 

[mdurette]

We find ourselves in the world 2-3 weeks a year. We started taking the dining plan and although it seems cheaper something always haunted me that it really wasn't for us. So, I did an experiment a couple of trips ago.

We DID not do the plan - we ate what we wanted and went to all the places we wanted (CRT was on the list and so were about 3 other charachter dinners). I charged all my food to the room and added it up when we got home. I was correct. We DID end up spending less money than if we were on the plan. It wasn't much - about $50 less.

Why I am happy I made the switch to a non dining planner:

* Cost less
* If I wanted an appetizer I ordered one and didn't worry that it wasn't on the plan.
* I didn't stuff myself with a desert just because I felt it was paid for all ready so what the heck.
* I didn't worry about eating at favorites that were not on the plan like Fultons.
* I wasn't scambling around the last day to try use up those last counter service and snack credits.

Honestly - although most might not agree. I felt a bit more free to do what I wanted when I was off the plan and KNOWING that it wasn't costing me more - well that was just great.

 

[disneynutz]

Have you considered the Quick Service Dining Plan? You may want to do the numbers and see if it works for you.

 

[Quilter007]

We splurged on our second trip to WDW in Jan '08 & did the premium DP. Now, apparently the whole system changed on Jan 1 when they got there. None of the CM's knew what was going on, the computer system didn't work and it was a disaster for us. We got to the point that when we walked into a restaurant, we asked for the manager right away so that they could start figuring out how to process us immediatly so that we didn't have to wait 45 minutes for them to check us out! (Twice a day, EVERY day!!!) The Neverland babysitting @ Poly couldn't figure it out either -- they had to write volumes about why they weren't charging us!! Oh -- and DSes loved Neverland, so they wanted to go back every day! The boat people were supposed to give us a discount, but they couldn't figure it out & finally gave us the boats for free. The boat thing was the only positive from the whole thing. And it was WAY too much food!!! 5 pounds!!! I gained 10 pounds in 9 days! Anyway, no one on site seemed to give a darn, so I wrote a detailed letter when I got back & they gave us 4-day park hoppers that don't expire until 2035. Hopefully we'll get stuff figured out to use those this summer. Anyway -- no dining plan for us!!! Never again!! I'm not even doing the counter service DP thing!

Katrina

 

[DMKEDM]

Our experience: the dining plan isn't worth the restrictions on each day's decisions about what to do and where to go when it's only 2-3 of us. However, w/a bigger group (we had a party of 6 last month), the "little bit" of savings on the DP really added up!

Second: our last trip was 5 college students and me, "the mom"...the DP let the kids "go forth and play" w/out any stress over whether they could afford this snack or that lunch when I wasn't around--and meant I didn't have to stress over whether to give them charging privileges on my credit card...it really gave all of us freedom of movement, altho we didn't use it very often...

On the other hand, it IS nice not to be "tied" to the meal plan allocations...altho getting in at favorite TS restaurants w/out advance planning is an issue whether or not you're on the dining plan...

Recognize and sympathize w/that "scramble the last day or two" to use up unused credits...and twice now have decided to pay OOP for a TS lunch on the theory that I would "save" the DP credits for dinner (where it's a better value) and wound up w/extra TS credits towards the end of the trip...

So, the DP has its good points, but doing Disney w/out it has a lot to be said for it, too...especially if you're up for fixing meals in your villa...I'm actually kind of looking forward to our next DDP-less trip (T-giving)...it's "free-ing!"--altho it may wind up costing me a bit more money (then again, it may not...there's only two of us going on the T-giving trip and we do like our appetizers...DS often prefers a meal of 2-3 appetizers...so I may actually wind up saving money...we'll see!)

 

[minster22]

I have spent some time really comparing the DP and OOP for our upcoming trip in October. We have decided against doing the DP for several reasons....we are not really saving any cash,we almost always have some kind of appetizer at TS meals and combine that with the cash tip and if we paid OOP with the TIW card we will spend less AND get what we want, and eat where we really want to....we love HOB!!By printing a few of the menus and going over them with DH and DS, pretending to order our dinners( I know sick but it was kinda fun since we have so long between trips this time!!), I compared each method and the OOP was alot less for us.
Another point is the amount of time spend having a TS every night....it really takes up alot of time. In fact when we have done the DP we always to a Signature dinner for 2 TS so we have some free nights.Being there for 7 nights we do not want to spend 6 or 7 in a restaurant.
Another negative for us on the DP....who eats dessert every single lunch and dinner??!! Just way too much sweet stuff!! That is why we always wind up buying some kind of appetizer (salad).
Breakfast in the room saves time and money....
Our home resort is the Boardwalk and the CS options there are limited if you want to stay around the pool for the day...we many times walk over to the Dolphin and get sandwiches or salads... lot more choices.
Disney has done a very good job of making the DP seem easier and as you said, more like vacation...but when you really look at it and the way you would really use it, OOP is just as easy and many times less money.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

I've heard of children being defiant before, but I've never heard it used this way!!

I think after running the numbers I think our family of six will save a considerable amount of money if we don't do the dining plan. Here is my reasoning for not doing it:
1. Our two oldest are considered adults now and they defiantly do not eat like adults, they will most likely most meals eat off the kids menu.

 

[anna08]

We are also not using the DDP this year after several trips with it in the past. We have agreed that to make it worthwhile, you have to eat TS meals, which in turn means you should make ADR's in advance to get a reasonable time and food that appeals to your kids. And means that if you are reliant on Disney transportation,you have to get ready and leave 90 minutes ahead of time to get there!! And if we are already in a park, it usually becomes an issue where we have to leave a line for a ride, or sit and wait for our ADR. We felt pressure to eat when we weren't even hungry. We have decided the stress of the DDP, the fact that no one needs dessert with every meal, and the fact we actually have a kitchen adds up to no DDP this next trip. I'll post and let everyone know how it was. Just as an aside, I do feel the quality of the food and the service significantly slipped after the DDP started (and it wasn't 3 star to begin with...)

 

[jennypenny]

We normally prefer the DDE and to eat where we want. We do eat out, but two of our favorite restaurants are Tusker House and Germany and I don't think they are great values on the plan. And my boys (10 and 6) like adult food so usually split an adult meal instead of getting those awful kids meals.

The only exception is when we travel with other people. Next February we are going down with my in laws and my sil and her family. It is so much easier to just get the dining plan and deduct meals from each room card than to try and split the bill every time. And I still hate the dessert instead of appetizer change--I much prefer getting dessert later on in the evening as a treat watching fireworks.

 

[dcfromva]

Here is why I need encouragement:

1. It is so darn easy.

2. I never look at the prices, just order what ever I want.

3. It feels like vacation.

I'm not so sure the DP is easy anymore--esp since there is no appetizer included and you have a separate charge for the tip, too. At the end of the meal, we receive several copies of bills when we order something off the DP which is confusing. At some places, if I want to order bottled water to drink, it is not included--e'tc.

We also have the TIW card. The pre-discounted tip is figured right into the bill. We order what we want to eat and don't worry about whether it meets the requirements of the DP.

I have done the math and the way we use the plan, it is a wash cost wise between TIW and DP. It is less hassle to use TIW (just charge it to the room!) and there is less paperwork.

 

[quentina]

I think after running the numbers I think our family of six will save a considerable amount of money if we don't do the dining plan. Here is my reasoning for not doing it:
1. Our two oldest are considered adults now and they defiantly do not eat like adults, they will most likely most meals eat off the kids menu.

2. We would not order desserts at every sit down meal.

3. We would get the TIW card for the 20% discount, and be able to use it when my DH and I go in Oct.

4. We will eat more counter service, thus reducing time spent in sit down restaurants.

Here is why I need encouragement:

1. It is so darn easy.

2. I never look at the prices, just order what ever I want.

3. It feels like vacation.

We need to do this because we are expecting a 10% paycut at my DH's job, and need to be frugal this trip. We are already planning on eating breakfast in our room and most likely since we are not going to do the dining plan, a couple of lunches.

Thanks in advance for any encouragement.

It is too much money for too much food....we will never do it again. My hubby would add up as we went and he said that we ordered things we really did not want (due to price), ate places we normally would not eat (best bang for the buck theory) and were miserable because we felt we were always worried about missing our ADR's.

Kim

 

[redrosesix]

I agonized over this decision for our last trip, mainly because DD is now 9 and will be needing adult credits next year (but since she has yet to finish a kids' meal, it would be such a waste to do DDP until she's a lot older)

We looked at both DDP and QSDP, and decided neither was for us -- we didn't want 11 TS meals and could only get a couple of ADR's that we really wanted, and we didn't want to do all CS.

Like the OP, we rarely eat desserts and if we do it is usually something much better than at the CS restaurants (cheesecake, chocolate cake or a cookie, the only options at most, it seems) although DH and I have both been known to eat dessert for lunch. And since every CS credit includes a drink, it pretty much negates the value of the refillable mugs. And none of us drinks pop, although a beer with a meal is a nice treat and that is not in the DDP.

That trip we stayed at ASMusic, and we couldn't make DDP work for us -- it definitely wouldn't work for us doing DVC since I'd rather have a steak on the BBQ.

 

[DVC Mike]

We never do the DDP. We prefer using the TIW/DDE card.

 

[Dean]

I think after running the numbers I think our family of six will save a considerable amount of money if we don't do the dining plan. Here is my reasoning for not doing it:
1. Our two oldest are considered adults now and they defiantly do not eat like adults, they will most likely most meals eat off the kids menu.

2. We would not order desserts at every sit down meal.

3. We would get the TIW card for the 20% discount, and be able to use it when my DH and I go in Oct.

4. We will eat more counter service, thus reducing time spent in sit down restaurants.

Here is why I need encouragement:

1. It is so darn easy.

2. I never look at the prices, just order what ever I want.

3. It feels like vacation.

We need to do this because we are expecting a 10% paycut at my DH's job, and need to be frugal this trip. We are already planning on eating breakfast in our room and most likely since we are not going to do the dining plan, a couple of lunches.

Thanks in advance for any encouragement.

The DDP is a specialty option. Too much food and too much money for many situations. It works best for heavy eaters, families with kids 3-9, shorter trips and those that plan for the most expensive single credits TS locations. One option is you could get two separate units (1 BR + studio or two studios) and get the DDP for one but not the other. TIW won't help you as much as it might some others since you're looking more at the CS options where there are little to no discounts.

A third option to any of the DDP programs or TIW is to go OOP using the various discount programs available. If you have an AP, you can get discounts with that. DVC offers some member discounts for certain options. RFC safari club offers a 10% discount or free appy at most of their locations which include T Rex and Yak & Yeti's. There is a kids eat free card you can buy if you will eat off property as well as other programs for off property (restaurant.com, Entertainment book, etc).

 

[mjlass11]

We've only done the DDP when it was part of a package. Otherwise, we use TIW and come out far ahead. To me, the DDP is very pricey because we never would use everything included, whereas TIW you get a discount on everything you order.

 

[christa112]

What are those? We have always had the DDP because we have always traveled during Free Dining and really love the DPP, but I am curious what other option are out there for DVC members.

We never do the DDP. We prefer using the TIW/DDE card.

 

[CdnKayDee]

We find when on the dining plan that you do look at the prices. Who wants to order the 13 dollar entree when there is a 27 dollar entree on the menu. So in fact the DP can be limiting for some(me for sure). We love WDW restraunts and would rather not do DP, I'm not saying it is a better deal dollar but it is better for us not to do dining plan and have the vacation we want.