How is the dining plan ever a good deal?

[marlynnp]

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).


Thoughts?

You're wrong or you're remembering costs on a trip ten years ago.

 

[leahjade]

You should look at the costs of sit-down dinner menus at WDW on allears.net. It doesn't sound like you've been to Disney in a few years, and you would be shocked to see how high the prices are.
For us, the plan means I won't have to tell my teens that they have to order the cheaper entrees on the menu. Now I can urge them to get the lobster tail, steak or salmon and they can even have dessert. Plus we love being able to sit and relax in an air conditioned restaurant when the parks get too tiring and hot.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

We used it in 2006 and are using it in 2008 as well. For me it is purely convenience. I like knowing that almost all our food is prepaid. I don't want to be limited when I am there by the dollars in my pocket. What I mean is by prepaying I know I can order filet each night if I want (and I might!) and not need to switch to a burger by day 4 because my cash is running low. KWIM? I just like having it all prepaid and be able to order the entree I want without any regard to the cost.

This is exactly how we feel. Especially next year going with just DS. I want to know that the bulk of the expenses are paid for and that we can eat where we want to. DS11 has never really been a fan of the children's menu and would much rather have a filet. It is nice to not have to look at the prices and decide if there will be enough cash left for the end of the trip. Even if we only break even or save a few bucks a day, it is worth it for us.

 

[budbeerlady]

We loved the plan the last couple of years, I didnt look at the prices and ordered what I wanted. So even at breaking even now (I still think we would come out $100ish ahead, vs the $300+ 2 years ago) its vacation and I would probley do it again this year.

 

[Atchley]

We too love the idea that all of our meals are paid for in advance. All we have to do is show up. Even with no appetizer, (I've gained enough weight from the last trip alone--and still haven't lost it a year and a half later) the DDP is the best choice for us. For a family of four you will be hard pressed to get by on a CS meal for less than $40.00. Disney Restaurants are not the local McDs. They are a little more costly. We do save money with the DDP and are eating better and heathier. Eating burgers, fries and pizza for a week can be brutal!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I always do a cost analysis of the DDP (we have had it for our past 3 trips and will be using in again in 2008). We always save well over $100 (closer to $200 on this past trip as it was a longer trip) using the DDP. As many previous posters mentioned the kids price is $11 and that it the typical costs of a child's meal at a CS restaurant. I anticipate we will save less this year due to the tips being taken out (although we already added extra to the tip that was included anyway). However, for the shear convenience (and okay, this year I'm getting it free due to the bounceback offer!) I would definately still use it. One less thing I have to worry about when I'm down there.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We loved the plan the last couple of years, I didnt look at the prices and ordered what I wanted. So even at breaking even now (I still think we would come out $100ish ahead, vs the $300+ 2 years ago) its vacation and I would probley do it again this year.

You are correct. It is still a money saver. If your family plans on at least one TS meal per day, you ARE go to save money on the Dining Plan and come out ahead. Simple math.

 

[cdrn1]

You are correct. It is still a money saver. If your family plans on at least one TS meal per day, you ARE go to save money on the Dining Plan and come out ahead. Simple math.

Unless you lose out on a good room discount that you would have gotten without the DDP.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Unless you lose out on a good room discount that you would have gotten without the DDP.

Who said you can't have both?

You can't use a discount with free dining. You can’t book the dining plan with an AP rate. However, you can pay for the dining plan with most other discounted room rates..

For example

Say CRO releases a 40% room only discount. There will be a matching discount that allows you to add on the dining plan.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

It might be a good deal for some who eat only on WDW property. But for us, the quality of food has slipped at some of the WDW restaurants that we used to frequent. We don't have any problem having a few meals offsite or at CS. After about the 6 or 7 day mark we just want a plain meal, not a big TS. It just isn't a good deal for us. We save more money getting a discount on the room and then eating the way we want.

 

[kaytieeldr]

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.

While Disney has never said so publicly, several of us feel that part of the reason for the change is to turn over the tables faster - and thus enable more Guests to dine in on-site restaurants. Giving diners the choice suggested here would likely mean that some diners in a given party will order appetizers and share them with the entire table, while other members of the same party would order desserts and share those. Thus, the table(s) wouldn't turn over any faster.

 

[missesdisney]

There are so many variables to whether this is 'worth it' or not I just don't think there is an answer. I've had a lot of friends ask me about it and I play 20 questions with them to get them to think of all angles.

We used it in April for 3 nights and it was great for that trip - we had another night in another room so we had our meals all set and not too disruptive. Numbers-wise for the 07 plan, if you eat at the buffets for your TS then you make out - our buffet 'bills' were $80 including tip and we paid $89 for the three of us for the night's plan. So for $9 more a day we got 3 more CS and 3 snacks. For the short trip we used it all up easily.

We also used it again for 4 nights of our recent 10 night trip (we changed hotels) over Thanksgiving. Glad we did it, definitely saved us money against doing the same meals if we'd paid for it, but the thing is, we would never have done so many sit downs or paid for what we had. We did Coral Reef candelight processional package - it came to $190 for 3 adults and 1 child for the 'bill' and we'd paid about 125 for the plan so we really made out that day. Or did we? We never would have booked that for that price so in my eyes, we got something extra from it so we did make out. We also all gained weight because the accountant in me makes sure we are getting our money's worth and at least eating some of the dessert!

The other thing that doesn't work so well for us is we don't like to be tied down to a reservation every day. It was fine for the few days but I could never have done that for 10 nights. Not our touring style. For some people, it's just right but just not us.

All said, we made out well on the two times we've done the plan but with the changes, we won't be doing it again - the tip alone is a big thing for me and I much prefer an appetizer to a dessert so it just makes less sense for us. Many will disagree and I'm sure Disney will do tons of polling to find out who thinks what and why!

Happy New Year!

 

[ilovecountry]

My friends & I wanted the DDP but since we booked through a discount site, we couldn't get it. However deciding if it's a good ideal, I guess it depends where you eat & what time. Everyday I averaged about 35.00. We bought our own water/drinks, but we ate the lunch buffets everyday in each park which were all about 20.00. Then later on we grabbed a burger or something else around there, then a snack later on. When my dad called, he kept asking if I was sure I was full based on what I told him what I spent & it was like omg of course! The portions (in my opinion) were awesome for the price. However if you want to go to the dinner buffets or the more expensive sit down resteraunts it seems worth it since the dinner buffets are so much more money & as are the prices for the nice sitdowns. So it really all depends on what time & what food you want to eat. Everything I had was so yummy at every location so I don't think the DDP is needed next time either. Although we won't be able to get it since we're booking through another discount site. I think the best bet is to look at the menus & sort of average the prices of the food you wanna eat.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

It might be a good deal for some who eat only on WDW property. But for us, the quality of food has slipped at some of the WDW restaurants that we used to frequent. We don't have any problem having a few meals offsite or at CS. After about the 6 or 7 day mark we just want a plain meal, not a big TS. It just isn't a good deal for us. We save more money getting a discount on the room and then eating the way we want.

You can still get your room discount and get the dining plan. The only time you can't combine an offer with the DDP is during Free Dining - it then you're still saving a bundle because of Free Dining.

The only view I would have to agree with on this subject (as far as those opposed to the DDP) would be the folks that do not like the dining plan due to the fact that you DO have to plan (plan! plan! plan) ahead and have an itenerary for your trip. I don't mind this part though, I like having everything planned out ahead of time. It makes our trip MORE enjoyable.

I know, I know, I can hear some of you "fly by the seat of your pants" touring people now . . . "Is she crazy?" lol But it's true we like to plan and we love, love, love the dining plan!

 

[Bete]

My friends & I wanted the DDP but since we booked through a discount site, we couldn't get it.

Would you share your discount site, please? You are making me very curious, here. It sounds like you are getting this incredible deal; so, please share. Are you booking a Disney resort or are you staying off-site? It sounds like you are staying off-site and then I would understand why you can't get the DP.

Also, I truly believe you can always upgrade to the DP when you arrive at a Disney resort, regardless of how you booked the trip originally. It's like an add-on.

 

[kimis]

My dh and myself love the DDP. We get it every year. This year we will be DDDP. It allows us to eat at places we normally don't get to. I think we have almost all the signature resturants booked. No we don't go to disney just to eat but we do go in the value season it allows us plenty of time to enjoy our meals.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

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?

I totally agree. At first we were against the new plan until we "crunched the numbers". Now we are able to eat at all the places we want (Le Cellier, Ohana, Boma, CP, etc). and don't have to worry about cost!

 

[Fantasmic303]

I just finished a huge spreadsheet to try to figure out if it would be worth it for us, as we've though about it on every trip we've taken, always saying "next time...". It always seemed to us that, even without the appetizer and tip, it made sense to do it, even if we only broke even or got the snack for free.

However, after planning out our menu choices, it actually DIDN'T make sense for us to do the DDP. We're AP holders and usually purchase the DDE card as well, so that factored into it, but basically I found this: It COULD BE an excellent deal if we had steak at a TS dinner every night and enjoyed the dessert. The reality? We prefer many of the lunch menus instead, and my sister is a very picky eater who typically ends up choosing a chicken, salad, or burger option off the menu, which would be about half the price of a steak. That alone messed with the DDP value. Adding in dessert (which we typically don't get in the restaurant...we'd rather get ice cream or popcorn a little later) meant we were paying to either stuff ourselves to the point of discomfort or leave dessert behind.

So for us? Not a good deal. For a family (ESPECIALLY with a kid or two) who likes steak and dessert for dinner at the nicer places? Definitely a good deal.

 

[kakiegirl]

We used the dining plan for the first time last year and thought it was a great deal. Usually the one table service a day runs about the cost of the dining plan per day. Also, counter service is not cheap it often costs us aroung $30.00 for the three of us to eat a counter service. We like the convenience of having our meals paid for before the trip so we don't have to plan for that in our spending money. Also, we just would not spend the money for TS meals if not for the dining plan, before it we usually only did one maybe two TS at the most during our 10 day vacation. So it has opened up alot of new experiences for us. For example we tried Ohana's for the first time last year and loved it but we would have never spent the money out of pocket to go there if not on the dining plan.

 

[caroline1851]

When i've figured it out for our family for our upcoming trip...it'll save a tiny bit of money-not too much thought. But..........I tend to be cheap about eating and overly concerened with cost, etc. Using this plan, will take stress away for me when we're ordering-i won't be obsessing over the cost of the meal, etc. since it will already be paid for.