How four DVC members ate for less than the cost of a dining plan (with pics).

[TIGGERmetoo]

Thanks for your report and all the pictures. On our last 3 trips we used the Dining Plan but this year we're not. We're going to take advantage of the TIW card and snack alot at Food and Wine.

 

[IWantMickey]

Thanks for the food porn! I just about when I saw the dessert pictures. We haven't been to Chefs de France but I may have to convince my DH to try it. The food looks yummy! We also don't do the DDP. We get APs and a TIW card. It suits our needs much better. And it doesn't hurt that it includes the discount on alcoholic beverages too !

 

[thesupersmartguy]

My favorite meals there are the Onion Soup at Chefs De' France, and the Grilled Pork Tenderloin at California Grill. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Sandy321]

Great Tips - wonderful pictures!! The food looks awesome -

it seems like you visited quite a few resorts to eat - did you have your own car? I had never heard of the Contempo Cafe and googled it to find it was part of Coronado Springs... things I wouldnt think of!

 

[kikiq]

Great report and loved the pictures. I've always thought the DDP was way too much food for us to eat especially during the summer.

 

[jakenjess]

Thanks so much for the report! We are having this very discussion at the moment, as we're taking a trip with family members who want the DDP, but I just can't see it being cost-effective for our family of four. This is very helpful!

 

[jakenjess]

We ate at Wolfgang Puck Express twice using $100 worth of gift cards I purchased for $79.99 (20% discount) online at Costco.com, plus a 10% DVC discount at the restaurant.

Do you know if there was any expiration date on the gift cards? That's a great deal, but I'm not sure how often we'll get to DDT this next trip.

 

[jekjones1558]

Great Tips - wonderful pictures!! The food looks awesome -

it seems like you visited quite a few resorts to eat - did you have your own car? I had never heard of the Contempo Cafe and googled it to find it was part of Coronado Springs... things I wouldnt think of!

Actually the Contempo is a relatively new restaurant on the 4th floor of the Contemporary Hotel. After seeing the photos in this thread, I think I'll have to visit the Contempo on our next trip.

 

[srp1103]

Where did you get the make your own fruit and yogurt parfait? They make an excellent breakfast.

Thanks!

 

[clutter]

I did the math for our next trip in August. I compared the DDP to the TIW card discount on what we would actually order (i.e. I didn't include appetizers since they are extra on DDP, but I also only included the few desserts we'd actually order if we weren't on DDP.) We actually saved quite a bit on DDP, so it's worth it for us. However, we're a 2 person family, we drink mostly water, we do eat a CS and a TS each day. We don't usually have snacks and end up leaving for home with lots left on our cards. In spite of all that, we came out ahead on DDP. And it's easier to use.

 

[wildernessDad]

I've had both and prefer the ones at Rose & Crown.

Really???? Wow!

 

[KirstenB]

Thanks for the intel! I can't see us ever doing the DDP. We're an "eat and run" kind of family at WDW. We generally do CS for lunch, then go out for dinner somewhere off-property. I love that you guys tried so many different places. The food looked really good, and we'll have to try out some of your recommendations.

 

[DenLo]

I did the math for our next trip in August. I compared the DDP to the TIW card discount on what we would actually order (i.e. I didn't include appetizers since they are extra on DDP, but I also only included the few desserts we'd actually order if we weren't on DDP.) We actually saved quite a bit on DDP, so it's worth it for us. However, we're a 2 person family, we drink mostly water, we do eat a CS and a TS each day. We don't usually have snacks and end up leaving for home with lots left on our cards. In spite of all that, we came out ahead on DDP. And it's easier to use.

We had just totaled the price of our table service meals in June 2009 and found without all of the counter service lunches (we only had some of those receipts), we saved money with DDP. We do we also at some of the signature restaurants while on the DDP. Not sure I'd do that if I was paying cash. My DH did a comparison spreadsheet (which he did not save) between the meals we ate on DDP and using TIW. We even gave the TIW credit for the occasional glass of wine we'd have for dinner. We did better using the DDP and that's not counting all of the snacks and most of CS meals we had. BTW, I often substitute a side salad for my fries on the CS meal and skip the desert. Some are nasty and some are good. Since we were there in June, I drank bottle water as my snack sometimes (even though I always started the day with a bottle of water I brought into the park). This time we had hardly any snacks leftover, but still we brought a few snacks back as gifts. It made a nice extra to the little gift we already bought our nieces and nephew.

I think the convenience of DDP is great as well as knowing how much I'm spending in advance for all our food.

 

[La2kw]

We had just totaled the price of our table service meals in June 2009 and found without all of the counter service lunches (we only had some of those receipts), we saved money with DDP. We do we also at some of the signature restaurants while on the DDP. Not sure I'd do that if I was paying cash. My DH did a comparison spreadsheet (which he did not save) between the meals we ate on DDP and using TIW. We even gave the TIW credit for the occasional glass of wine we'd have for dinner. We did better using the DDP and that's not counting all of the snacks and most of CS meals we had. BTW, I often substitute a side salad for my fries on the CS meal and skip the desert. Some are nasty and some are good. Since we were there in June, I drank bottle water as my snack sometimes (even though I always started the day with a bottle of water I brought into the park). This time we had hardly any snacks leftover, but still we brought a few snacks back as gifts. It made a nice extra to the little gift we already bought our nieces and nephew.

I think the convenience of DDP is great as well as knowing how much I'm spending in advance for all our food.

I did the math for our next trip in August. I compared the DDP to the TIW card discount on what we would actually order (i.e. I didn't include appetizers since they are extra on DDP, but I also only included the few desserts we'd actually order if we weren't on DDP.) We actually saved quite a bit on DDP, so it's worth it for us. However, we're a 2 person family, we drink mostly water, we do eat a CS and a TS each day. We don't usually have snacks and end up leaving for home with lots left on our cards. In spite of all that, we came out ahead on DDP. And it's easier to use.

It's not my intention to have a debate over the dining plan on this thread. Rather, my intention is to show that you can definitely eat decently without a dining plan as well as possibly even cheaper. I'm not interested in convincing anyone what they should do in regards to DDP or not DDP.

 

[La2kw]

Really???? Wow!

Yes really.

 

[La2kw]

Thanks for the tip regarding Wolfgang Puck gift cards. I just ordered them from Costco.
We also like to go to Bahama Breeze because we don't have that chain at home. And we use gift cards from the other chains while at WDW. I really dislike having to schedule my vacation around ADRs at WDW. We find it much more relaxing to eat when it suits our schedule and we have always been able to get into restaurants just off property with little or no wait. We frequently eat a late lunch or early dinner, then do an evening WDW activity. There is a great variety of restaurant choices within a mile either way of Crossroads Center.

Glad the Wolfgang Puck gift cards will work for you. We love it there, and have used the gift cards here in L.A. and in San Francisco too. They are good for any Wolfgang Puck restaurant, not just the Express.

We also enjoy Bahama Breeze, but the closest one to us is 4 hours away in Las Vegas. We do try to make a trip to Bahama Breeze each time we are at WDW. There are many very good places to eat near WDW that offer far better service and food and prices than WDW. Since we go for two weeks or longer, we really enjoy the break from Disney.

 

[La2kw]

Great Tips - wonderful pictures!! The food looks awesome -

it seems like you visited quite a few resorts to eat - did you have your own car? I had never heard of the Contempo Cafe and googled it to find it was part of Coronado Springs... things I wouldnt think of!

Yes, we had a rental car. We stayed in three resorts over our stay (plus Royal Pacific at Universal, and Loewes Miami Beach resort). We stayed at SSR, OKW, and WLV, and ate at both SSR and WLV. We ate at Contempo Cafe which is at the Contemporary, not Coronado. We often resort hop for a meal.

 

[La2kw]

Thanks for the food porn! I just about when I saw the dessert pictures. We haven't been to Chefs de France but I may have to convince my DH to try it. The food looks yummy! We also don't do the DDP. We get APs and a TIW card. It suits our needs much better. And it doesn't hurt that it includes the discount on alcoholic beverages too !

You must give it a try! Chefs de France is one of our favorites. It doesn't seem to have suffered from some of the cutbacks and menu standardizations that the DDP has brought to so many of the WDW restaurants. That may be due to the three french chefs who oversee it, I don't know.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We pretty much proved your theory last couple of trips too. We spent a LOT more on the DDP than we did out of pocket with the TIW card. Glad it wasn't just me!

 

[La2kw]

Where did you get the make your own fruit and yogurt parfait? They make an excellent breakfast.

Thanks!

Roaring Fork. They also have make your own cereal, where you can add any toppings, including berries, to your cereal or oatmeal.