Helpppp

[Cinderella<3]

I have been to the worl 18 times now, but this coming August my boyfriend and I will be making our first trip to DL! I have started looking at all the different things DL has to offer. We will be staying at an off site resort. The part I'm confused about is their meal plans? What meals are included? What can we pick from? Help me out please!

 

[Girimama33]

The DL dining plan is different than the WDW dining plan.
We are going next week and purchased the 3 day dining plan to try, so I will explain what I know using this example.
For the Adult 3 day dining, you receive vouchers for 3 Character meals that include tax and tip. These vouchers also have a face value of $33 that could be used for non character dining like at Blue Bayou, Napa Rose, etc.
You will also receive 3 vouchers with a $15 face value that are intended to be used for CS meals. You also receive 3 $5 snack vouchers. The vouchers may be used at any dining location in DL, DCA and the 3 DL hotels. The vouchers are not accepted at DTD at this time.

You can click on the dining section of this site in order to review menus and prices to see if it is worth it to you.

We wanted to do some character meals/table service this time around, so that is why we opted for the dining plan. We are also going to be spending all of our times in the parks, and did not think we would be eating outside the park area.
HTH~

 

[DLR29]

Unlike WDW, DLR's dining plan is not worth it because:
a) It doesn't save you any money; the best you can do is break even.

b) You do not get a set amount of meals, you get a set amount of $5 ("snack") and $15 vouchers and when you use those vouchers you don't get change. So for example if you want to pay for something that costs $4.95 with a $5 voucher, you will lose 5 cents. That's not a big deal, but if you have run out of $5 vouchers, you need to either pay in cash (which defeats the purpose of a dining plan) or pay with a $15 voucher and lose $10.05 (which can add up significantly). Disney also prices the dining plan so that you pay exactly for the amount of voucher $ that you get. So by buying that thing for $4.95, you are already losing money. You would have to buy things that cost exactly $5 or exactly $15 in order to stay even. Or you can buy things that cost more and you can break even, but you would have to be paying out of pocket.

c) You can't use the vouchers at Downtown Disney restaurants, which is where a large variety of the DLR restaurants are.

Instead, if you still want to prepay for meals, the recommendation is to put money on Disney gift cards. That way, you know you won't be losing money. You can use them at certain places at DTD and snack carts too, so you'll have a wider variety to choose from also.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Unlike WDW, DLR's dining plan is not worth it because:
a) It doesn't save you any money; the best you can do is break even.

b) You do not get a set amount of meals, you get a set amount of $5 ("snack") and $15 vouchers and when you use those vouchers you don't get change. So for example if you want to pay for something that costs $4.95 with a $5 voucher, you will lose 5 cents. That's not a big deal, but if you have run out of $5 vouchers, you need to either pay in cash (which defeats the purpose of a dining plan) or pay with a $15 voucher and lose $10.05 (which can add up significantly). Disney also prices the dining plan so that you pay exactly for the amount of voucher $ that you get. So by buying that thing for $4.95, you are already losing money. You would have to buy things that cost exactly $5 or exactly $15 in order to stay even. Or you can buy things that cost more and you can break even, but you would have to be paying out of pocket.

c) You can't use the vouchers at Downtown Disney restaurants, which is where a large variety of the DLR restaurants are.

Instead, if you still want to prepay for meals, the recommendation is to put money on Disney gift cards. That way, you know you won't be losing money. You can use them at certain places at DTD and snack carts too, so you'll have a wider variety to choose from also.

Yep! I'm a Disney Gift Card fan, I prefer to have 1 GC and add $$ to it, monthly/every 2 weeks - I add $$ to my Disney Gift Cards by calling DelivEARS ~877-560-6477 *you give the CM your credit/debit card info and they mail you the receipt. Last time I did this *a couple months ago* the $$ was on the GC the next day.

Plus they don't expire so if you don't use all the $ you can save it for your next visit, use it @ WDW, the Disney Store or www.disneystore.com

 

[Huff]

Is it even possible to purchase the DLR dining plan when staying offsite? Thought it was for guests of one of the three Disney resorts only?

 

[skiingfast]

Is it even possible to purchase the DLR dining plan when staying offsite? Thought it was for guests of one of the three Disney resorts only?

They are sold by WDTC so through third parties that resell thier packages you can get them. It doens't matter where you stay as long as the booking comes through WDTC in some way.

 

[Huff]

They are sold by WDTC so through third parties that resell thier packages you can get them. It doens't matter where you stay as long as the booking comes through WDTC in some way.

Just checked on Disney's website and you are correct. Seems to me that a few years ago the option was not available when choosing a good neighbor hotel. I wish Disneyland had a dining plan similar to WDW's....sigh!

 

[GrandBob]

I wish Disneyland had a dining plan similar to WDW's....sigh!

You're certainly more than welcome to your own wishes and dreams. But count me as one DISser who is very glad they don't! Why? Because I believe that WDW's dining plan, plus their free dining offers, have led to the mess that is known as WDW planning. Think about it. At WDW, the majority get the dining plan or free dining. That makes all the dining venues back up way in advance. Before you know it, everyone has to make ADRs 6 months in advance just to be able to eat somewhere. That means they have to know what they're doing and where they're doing it, every day, 6 months in advance. No thanks! I'll take DLR's laid-back style any day! Where you can frequently call the day before for reservations and get something close to what you want. I'm willing to pay for my dining at the point of sale, as long as I'm not forced to crazy, OCD-style planning!

YMMV, of course.
Bob

 

[subtchr]

You're certainly more than welcome to your own wishes and dreams. But count me as one DISser who is very glad they don't! Why? Because I believe that WDW's dining plan, plus their free dining offers, have led to the mess that is known as WDW planning. Think about it. At WDW, the majority get the dining plan or free dining. That makes all the dining venues back up way in advance. Before you know it, everyone has to make ADRs 6 months in advance just to be able to eat somewhere. That means they have to know what they're doing and where they're doing it, every day, 6 months in advance. No thanks! I'll take DLR's laid-back style any day! Where you can frequently call the day before for reservations and get something close to what you want. I'm willing to pay for my dining at the point of sale, as long as I'm not forced to crazy, OCD-style planning!

YMMV, of course.
Bob

THIS

 

[Argento]

I'm willing to pay for my dining at the point of sale, as long as I'm not forced to crazy, OCD-style planning!

This entire post can not be understated. More to the point, the requirement for OCD-style planning extends beyond just dining at WDW because you have to figure which parks you want to do on any given day, unless you want to waste huge parts of the day getting to and from.

All of that said, WDW is like a dream come true for the OCD planners because that's just how that place works.

For us go-with-the-flow types, DLR is far better because you can act on your every whim with almost no repercussions. Now that's what I call a vacation.

 

[Mackysmycat]

Think about it. At WDW, the majority get the dining plan or free dining. That makes all the dining venues back up way in advance. Before you know it, everyone has to make ADRs 6 months in advance just to be able to eat somewhere. That means they have to know what they're doing and where they're doing it, every day, 6 months in advance. No thanks! I'll take DLR's laid-back style any day!

Never thought of it that way. Good point.

 

[SGMCO]

I for one love WDW dining Plan and have done it 4 different times without any problems, it has been great and easy to use.
If only DL would have better sit down restaurants with great food like WDW.

 

[Huff]

You're certainly more than welcome to your own wishes and dreams. But count me as one DISser who is very glad they don't!
Bob

Theres numerous debates on these forums on this topic. It really depends on ones needs. When we first started using WDW's DDP it saved us considerably and allowed us to go out for a nice dinner every night. Something we can't afford otherwise at WDW and never can at DLR. More recently savings are far less but the DDP still saves us enough to make it worthwhile. Free dining makes a VERY affordable trip, often less for us to fly to WDW than drive to DLR.

As for having to plan ADR's 6 months in advance it really hasn't been an issue for us. I plan dinners around what shows we want to see allowing us several opportunities to see each throughout our week stay. With all the best planning, we ALWAYS have changed at the last minute during our stay. We have not once had a problem changing an ADR 1 day in advance or same day and gotten what we wanted. However, we've never gone peak season during summer or Christmas.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Yep, just go eat wherever...and enjoy! I love that about the DLR too

 

[GrandBob]

Theres numerous debates on these forums on this topic. It really depends on ones needs.

Of course. That's where the YMMV comes in, as well as the "you're more than welcome to your own wishes and dreams."

I appreciate the vacation savings of the dining plan. But I recall taking our DGD to WDW a few years ago, and getting up at 5 AM! 6 months in advance, just to get us into Cinderella's Royal Table.

I'm actually glad that the dining options exist at WDW. Just like I'm glad that they, and the corresponding craziness in planning, don't exist at DLR. I say, viva la difference!

-Bob