How is the dining plan ever a good deal?

[WDRabbit]

Can somebody explain to me how the Dining Plan can be a good deal? I can't seem to figure out why anyone would buy it.

Here's the way I understand it:
- You essentially get a meal, a drink, and a dessert for CS or TS, or a buffet.
- The Snack is worth about $4 at max.
- Tips are not included.

To me it just seems like before when you got an appetizer and the tip was included you barely came out ahead (barely as in it was still worth the "hassle" of using DDP). Now though, I can't figure out how you really even break even considering the cost of the plan.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't really remember going to any TS restaurants (that aren't considered "signature") where each person's meal, drink, and even dessert was more than about $25. Likewise, I don't remember ever spending more than $15/person for a meal, drink, and dessert at CS restaurants. So that's $40 plus the $4 snack. So $44/day assuming those prices (and most of the time I don't remember spending more than about $18 per person at TS and about $12/person at CS, so that would be only $34/person/day at that rate).

When you compare the prices against the price of the plan I just don't see why anybody gets DDP. It seems that at BEST you might save $4 or $5 a day if everybody in your party just happens to get the most expensive items on the menu, but more likely that you will either lose money or just break even. Seems like everybody would be better off just using real money so you have the flexibility to eat whatever you want, less or more, each day.

It seems like Disney totally raised the price this year. Removing the appetizer took away about $8/day, and removing the tip took away at least $8/day (assuming 20% tip). So even though they reduced the price by $1, the net effect is that they increased it by $15.

Thoughts?

 

[seashoreCM]

It isn't.

Unless it or something else in the package was free.

Regularly priced packages have tended to cost close to the a la carte prices of the most expensive choices made when choices (f.k.a. flexes or wishes) were offered.

And if you made the most expensive choices, you stood a great chance of putting on weight.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[ajleone]

I'm not sure when you were there last but your going to be hard pressed to get out of a place for $18.
As for it being a deal- I've been doing alot of calculations trying to determine if this is right for us. And I've found that it would appear that we will either break even or slightly make out with the DDP. So with either breaking even or being slightly ahead you then add the convenience of it, and to us it became a must do! And so you have a little background we do quite a few buffets and they tend to run $25-$30 per adult.
All that being said is it as good a deal as before- of course not! But I think it will still work for us.

 

[WDRabbit]

I was just at WDW last week. We were able to get out of most TS places for $35 (for 2 people). A few others would be about $50 for 2 (such as the buffets or the Garden Grill "family style" type places).

I still don't see how it's a good deal even if the TS meals are $30 each. At best you might get the snack for that day for free.

Also, I don't see how there is any convenience of use the DDP, either way they will swipe your card or your credit card. If anything it seems like the DDP will be more of a hassle because at the TS restaurants they not only will swipe your DDP card, but you will also have to leave a cash tip, put it on your other credit card, or bill it to your room.

It just seems like you have to be prepared to be very strict on your vacation to use DDP. If you decide to skip using one of the TS credits you have basically blown the whole budget.

 

[SereneOne]

I would like to know what TS you ate at, because I know many that go over the price point you mentioned. I know Coral Reef, which was excellent by the way, was over 250 for three adults and one child. We saved a few hundred plus,according to my calculations using the dining plan. Now this was before the no tip and no appie, but I still see according to calculations that we will save money. I have more issues with the five pounds I gained...lol.

 

[Rneighh]

We are doing the deluxe plan. We are having dinner at signature restraunts each night. We are also going to split some meals. Three meals for four people. We cannot possibly eat an app., entree, and dessert at each meal. Since the plan is paid for in advance, I won't even look at the prices, I will just order. If each meal was being paid for at the time, I know I would look at the price more. I have penciled it out and I would guess we will save 200-300 with the plan and eat like Princes and Princesses

Renee

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We have been on the dining plan 3 times. Twice we have paid for it and once we got Free Dining (receiving free dining on our September trip saved us almost $1000). We are a family of six and it has saved us money everytime we used it. Unless you are packing your own pb&js to bring into the parks or going back to your room for a "homemade" meal, I don't see how you can't be saving money. The value is especially good for the kids, there is no way we could feed them on $11.00 per day without the plan. We even used snack credits for breakfast items on our last trip. You could get a whole carton of Entimens donuts and a half gallon of milk for two snack credits. That was a quick breakfast for the kids before we left for the parks. We had a character meal everyday of our trip. I can't remember the price of every single item at every single meal (part of the beauty of the dining plan, not having to worry about prices), but I know the buffet at Crystal palace is about $28.00 per adult and $13.00 per child (the child's price on the plan for the entire day with cs meal, ts meal and snack was on $11.00!) so our bill was about $107.00 (before tip, which was included on our last trip), with tip about $127.00. The dining plan for our family for the whole day was only $120.00. We came out $7.00 ahead just on dinner, then you throw in lunch for the six of us that would have cost about $40.00 out of pocket and say $3.00 each per snack for each of us ($18 total), that has us saving about $65.00 per day.

I also can't quite understand everybody griping about too much food. If you don't want an appetizer and dessert, don't order both. And also, I lost 6 pounds during our September trip. How can you possibly gain that much weight with all of the walking. I wouldn't be surprised if we walked 15 miles per day! And what is with saying that the plan is hard to use? We have never had any trouble with it. You just hand them the card and they swipe it. No big deal. That's my husband's favorite part of it all, the ease of the plan and not worrying about the money.

Now, I must say I agree that people will not be saving as much money with the new 2008 plan because it does not include the tip. (I also don't think the revamped plan will last past 2008 either, just my opinion.) Even without the tip and the appetizer we would still come out ahead. So, as you can see we are "Fans of the Plan!"

 

[Allegro]

You know you're not going to finance your next Disney vacation on the hundreds you save by using the DDP. But if you take a family to a couple of Character meals and you eat at a few TS restaurants you're pretty much going to cover your investment. In the end you'll probably save under $100 but you are unlikely to lose money.

Another thing - no use crying over spilled milk. The 2008 DDP isn't the 2007 DDP but its not a bad deal for most people.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Can somebody explain to me how the Dining Plan can be a good deal? I can't seem to figure out why anyone would buy it.

Here's the way I understand it:
- You essentially get a meal, a drink, and a dessert for CS or TS, or a buffet.
- The Snack is worth about $4 at max.
- Tips are not included.

To me it just seems like before when you got an appetizer and the tip was included you barely came out ahead (barely as in it was still worth the "hassle" of using DDP). Now though, I can't figure out how you really even break even considering the cost of the plan.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't really remember going to any TS restaurants (that aren't considered "signature") where each person's meal, drink, and even dessert was more than about $25. Likewise, I don't remember ever spending more than $15/person for a meal, drink, and dessert at CS restaurants. So that's $40 plus the $4 snack. So $44/day assuming those prices (and most of the time I don't remember spending more than about $18 per person at TS and about $12/person at CS, so that would be only $34/person/day at that rate).

When you compare the prices against the price of the plan I just don't see why anybody gets DDP. It seems that at BEST you might save $4 or $5 a day if everybody in your party just happens to get the most expensive items on the menu, but more likely that you will either lose money or just break even. Seems like everybody would be better off just using real money so you have the flexibility to eat whatever you want, less or more, each day.

It seems like Disney totally raised the price this year. Removing the appetizer took away about $8/day, and removing the tip took away at least $8/day (assuming 20% tip). So even though they reduced the price by $1, the net effect is that they increased it by $15.

Thoughts?

A good deal means different things to different people.

We're using the deluxe plan for our next trip. Why?

I like having as much of the trip paid for in advance as possible.

The base plan covers most of our meals. The deluxe plan will cover all of them. (I'll just have to cover a few snacks)

The dining plan allows us to try places I'd skip if I had to pay out of pocket.

In my opinion the plan is a deal because it widens our dining selection.

 

[poohbear227]

We went back and forth whether to try the DDP and opted against it for our first trip back. We figured we'd pay attention to how much we spend on meals this time around and see if we want it for next time.

Seems to me that the 2007 plan did seem worth it, with the included tip, appetizer, and dessert for only a few dollars more than the 2008 plan. As for us, we NEVER order dessert anywhere we go and if we do splurge, we would typically split something. I would feel like I"m wasting $$ by not ordering a dessert and I dont want to overstuff myself for the sole sake of making sure I get my money's worth.

We are fans of appetizers and salads. I think the 2008 plan should give you a choice of appetizer OR dessert. I'm not sure why they dont allow that-looking at the menus, prices of appetizers/side salads seem pretty comparable to the prices of desserts anyways.

The only other thing I like about it is the budgeting factor-paying for meals beforehand so you don't have to be so money conscious when we get there.

Just my two cents...

 

[stepnut]

I wish there was a DDP option for people staying offsite. I may have a more open mind about it, since I don't think I'll ever stay onsite. And I confess, I'm a little like the OP...I don't get the deal, but that's probably because I've never had to consider the details of it, and on the surface, it looks like a TREMENDOUS amount of food. We are not food people, my kids eat like birds, me and my husband would do well on one meal a day with some snacks (and our Starbucks in the morning.)

Is there Starbucks anywhere on Disney property? That alone may be a deal killer for me!! LOL!!!!

 

[rcraw45425]

We are arriving on Tuesday, during "holiday pricing". Our meal at 'Ohana alone with the added $16 for holiday will run $32 per person, or $128. Therefore it's a no brainer for us, Pay $37.99 per day per person and basically half of our lunch is free.

 

[goodferry]

One day of dining for me last trip (returned a week ago) (I left the appetizer out since it won't be included next year)

Teppan Edo
Fillet Mignon, soft drink, chocolate ginger cake: $36.50 (not including tip)
Sunshine Seasons Grilled Salmon Platter, soft drink, ice cream $14.59

Try another day?
Le Cellier NY Stip, soft drink, Creme Brulee $37.99
Flame Tree Barbque Chicken Platter, soft drink, chocolate cake $14.00

From my point of view, that's coming out ahead WITHOUT figuring on a snack or tips or an appetizer. Not to mention the fact that for us, before the dining plan, DH didn't want to eat ever. There's something about having it paid for in advance that is easier to take then handing over the charge card and paying a $150 bill for dinner. While it was a better deal with the appetizer and tip included, you can still break even or come out ahead.
I agree, though, that dealing with the tip will be a pain with the new plan, but we will probably still do it.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Well I figure this - its 37.99/nt.

If I eat at a CS lunch it is going to be $10-$15 for drink/meal/dessert for one person.
Lets take a mid priced buffet dinner- 27.99
Snack - $4

That is $47 PLUS taxes - maybe $52/day

Last time I checked, $38 was a lot less than $52!

 

[ajleone]

I was just at WDW last week. We were able to get out of most TS places for $35 (for 2 people). A few others would be about $50 for 2 (such as the buffets or the Garden Grill "family style" type places).

I still don't see how it's a good deal even if the TS meals are $30 each. At best you might get the snack for that day for free.

Also, I don't see how there is any convenience of use the DDP, either way they will swipe your card or your credit card. If anything it seems like the DDP will be more of a hassle because at the TS restaurants they not only will swipe your DDP card, but you will also have to leave a cash tip, put it on your other credit card, or bill it to your room.

It just seems like you have to be prepared to be very strict on your vacation to use DDP. If you decide to skip using one of the TS credits you have basically blown the whole budget.

1. You have to be talking Garden Grill at lunch- because its 27.99 per adult(pre tax) at dinner. Which makes me wonder if most of your prices are based on lunch pricing.
2. If its only a snack for free- its still free!
3.Its only one card I need to carry and, with the exception of the tip, Its all already paid for.
4. As for being strict I couldn't disagree more! I don't see how eating a CS instead of a TS blows your whole budget.
In the end we'll do all the TS meals we love to eat at and also be able to do CRT which actually makes this an even better value.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Well I figure this - its 37.99/nt.

If I eat at a CS lunch it is going to be $10-$15 for drink/meal/dessert for one person.
Lets take a mid priced buffet dinner- 27.99
Snack - $4

That is $47 PLUS taxes - maybe $52/day

Last time I checked, $38 was a lot less than $52!

I totally agree. I seems you, me and a number of other people on here have crunched the numbers to show we are coming out ahead. Why are some saying they don't get it?

 

[Markstudy]

When you pre-pay for the trip....it so much fun to go into all the restaurants and not worry about price, what it cost, or what the bill will total at the end of the meal.

Maybe it was that $250 meal at Narcoossee's Grand Floridan (for just two adults) that made me happy I had the meal plan.

I just have more fun on my vacation all week long walking into restaurants knowing its all paid for and it doesn't matter what I order.

I'd buy the plan even if it only saved me $50

Its like the fun you get from going on a cruise ship when you don't have to
worry about money for a week

 

[disneyjunkie]

When you pre-pay for the trip....it so much fun to go into all the restaurants and not worry about price, what it cost, or what the bill will total at the end of the meal.

I just have more fun on my vacation all week long walking into restaurants knowing its all paid for and it doesn't matter what I order.

I'd buy the plan even if it only saved me $50

Its like the fun you get from going on a cruise ship when you don't have to
worry about money for a week

 

[WDRabbit]

Can somebody explain the other levels of the DDP? I have only seen the "basic" plan advertised. What is with the deluxe and platinum plans? We tend to mainly eat CS dinner in the parks and make most of our TS dinners at the "signature" restaurants (such as the Brown Derby or California Grill). Maybe one of the other plans would make more sense to me if I see the details and pricing.

 

[DerangedAboutDisney]

The value of DDP ranges from person to person. If you CAN eat all the food then it is an excellent value. But if you're going to eat only the entree on the TS and you won't eat half your lunch, then you may as well forgo the DDP and eat kids' meals or TS meals with only what you will eat. The fact that the tip is not included however seems a bit redundant though.