Help..should I do the dining plan?

[mlbretscher]

Hi All,
It has been several years since I went to Disneywold and so much has changed that I am a little confused about what to do with regards to dining. It will just be myself and my 9 yo daughter for a trip the beginning of May. We are staying 5 days on property and are trying to cut corners when and where possible. She wants to do the castle for breakfast (if we can get a reservation) and I certainly want to try and get the Princess Story Book breakfast at Epcot, but the only other sit down meals I really want to try and book are maybe dinner at 50's Prime Time and ???. I kind of think we will be sitting down for 1 meal (breakfast usually) and then grabbing just snacks or maybe a counter service here and there. Would you do a dining plan? Is it a waste if you are going to mainly sit down at breakfast? Any thoughts, tips and suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Also, any restaurants we really should not miss? It is her b-day trip
Thanks!

 

[Chelley00]

DD8 and I went in Nov for her birthday, and we did the dining plan. It was nice to have it all taken care of and paid when we went in, and we did tons of character meals. It gave us time to sit down and just enjoy each other's company. We did some dinners and some breakfasts. Plus, since it was all paid, I didn't have to worry about going over budget on counter service meals or snacks. I didn't add it up to see if it did save us money, but I'm sure it did.

 

[kdfogliano]

oops

 

[kdfogliano]

i think you need to do the math, figure $10 for u at counter services and 5-7 for your daughter
I have never used the QS dining plan (dont know the cost), but maybe that would be a better option for you and you can just pay OOP for the breakfasts?

We have always used the dining plan since it came out b.c we like to have sit down meals for dinner, and more recently the deluxe dining plan since we like signature restaurants.
It has always been a bargain for us

 

[staceycrouton]

Since you are staying on Disney property you should be getting the free dining plan, unless you are going during a blackout period or if you are using a different discount offer instead. I believe if you are staying at a value resort, you will get free quick service dining and if you are staying at a moderate you would get the regular dining plan free. As a mom of DD8 and DD10, I think that it's great that your planning a couple of princess meals. We've done the breakfasts at both the Castle and Akershus and enjoyed them both. Since you like breakfasts, my DD10 wanted me to recommend to you Donald's Safari Breakfast at the Tusker House at Animal Kingdom. We're doing it for the 3rd time when we go back to the World next month. Whatever you choose, I'm sure that you and your DD9 will have a great time!

 

[rachel09985]

If you're planning on only doing breakfasts for your sit down meals, I wouldn't do it. Breakfasts are the least expensive meal of the day and I think you would be wasting your money to do the dining plan, especially now that they raised the price a little bit. And you mentioned 50's prime time for dinner?? Their food is not that expensive and I don't like their desserts and with the dining plan you get dessert so that personally would be a waste for me.

I love the dining plan but with what you mentioned I am not sure you should add it.

 

[Figment2]

We did the dining plan for the first time this past February. Both my friends & I are DVC members so we go a lot and I discovered that I eat more appetizers & salads rather than entrees. (If you had asked me before that trip, I wouldn't have had an answer.) So, my suggestion is to look at the menus and what you would order. The only place the plan worked for me was at buffets.

It is a lot of food. We ended up with 5 CS meals left so bought a family lunch at Earl of Sandwich.

Good luck with your decision!

Cyn

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

I would, only because your DD is 9. The plan (basic dining plan 1 quick service, 1 table service, and 1 snack) for her is 12.99 and 45.99 for you, so $58 per day for food. Do you think you would spend more than that? Akershus for breakfast is $28.99 for adults and $17.99 for children, so $47 that day, and you still have at least 1 more meal. Now if you would really only do 2 table service restaurants, maybe not, but I think it would be worth it, especially since for your DD is 12.99. If she was 10 I would prob not do the plan.

 

[mlbretscher]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sorry for all the questions...I feel like I know nothing...and I am trying to figure it all out to be the least expensive. We are going the first week in May of '11, does anyone know if that during a free dining plan time? I booked the room at the AAA rate to avoid paying rack rate, but now I am wondering if free dining is an option, should I switch to full fare on the room if dining is free? I think I am paying about $112 per night at Pop at the AAA rate for 1 adult and 1 child.

Thanks again!

 

[B-Ride]

If you stay at Pop you would only get the Free Quick Service plan.

112$ a night is about a 23$ savings from what I can see. The QS plan is 31.99 for adults and and 9.99 for children so getting it free would be a 42$ saving and you can then upgrade to the basic plan if you want for an extra 16$ a day (14 for the adult and 2 for the kids).

The beginning of May is not during a blackout period.

 

[rachel09985]

2011: 1/1-1/5, 1/9-1/13, 1/21-2/3, 2/11-2/17, 2/25-3/3, 5/27-6/2 and 8/19-9/29.

The beginning of May is a blackout date. This was from the Disney website. These are the only arrival dates for free dining for 2011.

 

[septbaby]

If you stay at Pop you would only get the Free Quick Service plan.

112$ a night is about a 23$ savings from what I can see. The QS plan is 31.99 for adults and and 9.99 for children so getting it free would be a 42$ saving and you can then upgrade to the basic plan if you want for an extra 16$ a day (14 for the adult and 2 for the kids).

The beginning of May is not during a blackout period.

There a few updates this information for 2011:

QS Plan: $34.99 Adult and $11.99 Child
Plus Plan: $45.99 Adult and $11.99 Child
If you had Free Dining and were staying at Pop for $11 per night extra this family could upgrade to the Plus Dining Plan. Do the math or with a bit more info I'd be happy to help you out with that part.

I don't know how many nights you'll be staying, but on the Dining Plan you'd each need 4 Table Service credits for those meals, so you'll need to stay at least 4 nights or pay for one of the meal out of pocket if you'll stay fewer nights.

I intend to make a similar trip with my 9yo nephew in 2011 and moved our date to fall w/in the Free dining period. We'll stay at Pop and upgrade to the Plus Dining. Our room rate, rack rate will be under $100 per night. If you can move the trip into Value Season you'll save even more money on the room, even paying rack rate. We have gone twice with Free Dining and it was a great way to have that part of the trip paid for so we could pretty much eat whatever, esp. snacks while we were at the park. I took a solo trip w/o DP and found myself skimping due to prices in ways I didn't need to on DP, so for me at Disney DP make for a more relaxing vacation, but not everyone agrees.

In order to qualify for Free Dining the following is required:
1. Your trip has to fall within the specified date range
2. There has to be availability at the resort you choose (if not choose a different place or adjust dates)
3. You must pay full rack rate for the room (Value Season has the lowest rack rates)
4. Everyone in the group must buy at least a one day park ticket as part of packagge

 

[mlbretscher]

Septbaby.

Here's the info I hope you need to compute the value of opting or not opting for the dinning plan:

Check in on Thur 5/5/10 (or maybe Fri 5/6/10 depending on the airfare)
Check out on Wed 5/11/10 (so 5 day hopper or maybe just 4 if we fly out Fri)
1 Adult, 1 Child
I am planning 1 sit meal a day, my daughter really, wants to do CRT, and I want to do PSB, will probably do Chef Mickey (breakfast) and would love to do 50's Prime Time too. The rest of the meals will probably be snacks or quick counter service, unless there is really something else we should not miss. I just remember that I was not overly impressed with the food 5 years ago, but some things you just can't miss due to the atmosphere or characters.

Can you think of any other info I need to calculate this??

Thanks SOOOO much!!