how many people get the dinning plan while camping

[skw251520]

Hello all,
Just wondering if anyone purchase the dinning plan while staying at the fort

Thanksnonce agian before

 

[Stratman50th]

Have never gotten the dining plan. Camping or our many years at the other resorts. Crunched the numbers and we would always lose money.

 

[Sjm9911]

I thought about it, but reality was i can make and bring my own food. With my daughters tree nut allergy and selective eating habots it was easier. We did do a few dinners and lunches out. But mostly ate our own stuff. And when camping, having a freezer and microwave made quick dinners at the camper easier. I premade food, like lasagna, etc and nuked it when i was to tired from the parks to cook. Later this year im planning on the insta pot on the slow cooker setting. We will see how it goes. Im thinking of setting it up under the screen room outside the camper on its own extention cord. Not leaving it the camper on.

 

[PaHunter]

Well first they are not offering dining plans currently. In 4 trips we did the DP once, but DW and I were going park commando, from rope drop until close. Most people can not keep up that kind of day in day out really long days. For that trip it was worth the cost, but other times we have not gotten the DP as we came back to campsite earlier or took midday break.
And if it is being offered all 10 people could be on the dining plan, but of course you are paying for each person.

 

[friendofeeyore]

I always did crock pot cooking. When we arrived back to the camper, our food was ready.

 

[Sjm9911]

Well first they are not offering dining plans currently. In 4 trips we did the DP once, but DW and I were going park commando, from rope drop until close. Most people can not keep up that kind of day in day out really long days. For that trip it was worth the cost, but other times we have not gotten the DP as we came back to campsite earlier or took midday break.
And if it is being offered all 10 people could be on the dining plan, but of course you are paying for each person.

We did park commando also, from rope drop to when i dropped. Thats where the microwave food came in!

 

[bama_ed]

Plus, the Fort doesn't have a Food Court that's easy to get to like the other resorts. You basically have only 3 choices at the Fort for a Dining Plan:

1. The Meadow Pool Snack Bar (microwave pizza, hot dogs, etc.)
2. The Fort Food Truck (location varies - near pool, near Trails End, near Campfire theater)
3. P&J's Southern Takeout (the to-go side of Trails End).

P&J's has upped the number of options/foods it offers in the last year or two.

The complaints made most often is about having to travel whenever you want a meal at the resort. Bus/walk/bike/golf cart to #1-3 above is not as convenient as at the hotels, admitedly. The choices are somewhat limited at the Fort. And another complaint when non-covid operations are running is that there is no place at the resort to get a late night bite. No room service, no single window/counter in a food court that is still offering SOMETHING at 11pm for example.

As campers and cabin guests, Fort Wilderness folks have/bring their kitchens with them or have them at the cabins. Plus people say, well, you can always go to Wilderness Lodge (on the bus) or Contemporary (on the small boat in non-covid times) but that's additional travel time each way.

All this to say not many Fort folks that I've heard of on this board do the Dining Plan (when it's available) but some have. Some say "I'm on vacation and not cooking". Some tent campers say it's not worth the hassle to keep ice in a cooler on cold things and bring the stove.

But the question is moot in the near term since the Dining Plan isn't being offered during the pandemic operations. Even when it was, though, you get all the moving parts above. Since you are REQUIRED to pay for EVERY DAY and EVERY PERSON in your party for the length of your reservation, it can get pricey. Free dining is NEVER offered on campsites either EVER. Cabins yes sometimes like the other resorts but not campsites. So to answer your question, YES you can BUY the Dining Plan as a Fort Wilderness guest when it is offered for everyone in your party. But relatively few Fort guests do this.

Bama Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

Absolutely not! The cost savings of not getting the dining plan is incredible over a week for 4 of us. Leaving that out is actually the single biggest savings overall. Instead of shopping for groceries and putting them in the house, we just put the normal amount of groceries in the camper. Basically we don't spend much more on food while staying at Disney than we would if we were at home. I grill, or crockpot meals or just eat sandwiches. We will usually do 2 table service meals per trip, but that's it and I use the Disney Visa for those so I catch the discount.

Now, also, and say what you will, but since the introduction of the dining plan the food quality of Disney has gone WAY down! It IS NOT as good as it was my first trip and I'm not dropping that ridiculous amount of money on food that isn't that good. Now, signature restaurants will thankfully have some better variety, no doubt, but my kids don't eat that kind of food on vacation.

They would prefer Zingers (you Northerners might have to look that one up) and grilled cheese over Brown Derby. Not me, but the kids...

 

[PaHunter]

oh zingers !!

 

[bama_ed]

oh zingers !!

...and grilled cheese. Two for me, please, tiggerdad!

Seriously, I don't even budget groceries on a camping trip since we would be eating groceries at home. The incremental costs I consider on vacation is the campsite, the gas to/from, dining OUT, and sightseeing/activity costs.

It's likely that I will do two table service/dining out meals on our vacation coming up (9 days) and cook in the rest. The money saved over dining out/Dining Plan goes to pay for MORE camping trips instead in other parts of our big beautiful country.

Bama Ed

 

[Sjm9911]

Absolutely not! The cost savings of not getting the dining plan is incredible over a week for 4 of us. Leaving that out is actually the single biggest savings overall. Instead of shopping for groceries and putting them in the house, we just put the normal amount of groceries in the camper. Basically we don't spend much more on food while staying at Disney than we would if we were at home. I grill, or crockpot meals or just eat sandwiches. We will usually do 2 table service meals per trip, but that's it and I use the Disney Visa for those so I catch the discount.

Now, also, and say what you will, but since the introduction of the dining plan the food quality of Disney has gone WAY down! It IS NOT as good as it was my first trip and I'm not dropping that ridiculous amount of money on food that isn't that good. Now, signature restaurants will thankfully have some better variety, no doubt, but my kids don't eat that kind of food on vacation.

They would prefer Zingers (you Northerners might have to look that one up) and grilled cheese over Brown Derby. Not me, but the kids...

I'm not falling for you southerners google jokes again, no way in hell im looking up zingers. I fell for that when looking for sporting goods in years past.

 

[Teamubr]

They would prefer Zingers (you Northerners might have to look that one up)

Maybe Southern Illinois is farther south than I think. I know of Zingers. They are Twinkie's odd southern cousin that come in some weird flavors. I'll take the vanilla ones, but raspberry and strawberry? Personally, I'd rather have a chocolate or banana Moon Pie.



j

 

[tiggerdad]

Maybe Southern Illinois is farther south than I think. I know of Zingers. They are Twinkies odd southern cousin that come in some weird flavors. I'll take the vanilla ones, but raspberry and strawberry? Personally, I'd rather have a chocolate or banana Moon Pie.

I agree with vanilla on the Zingers. I did a little more research, seems the Zingers migrated further north than I had first thought, so Google might not be needed. Sadly Jim, if you do Google it you'll find a lot of the raspberry got recalled in July due to mold.

Chocolate Moon Pie, but only if the RC cola is included.

Oh, and careful with that whole "southern cousin" thing. Some of my neighbors might get impression you're making fun of their wedding pics.

Getting back on topic, I will admit to sometimes getting quick service while in parks, but this is rare. Dining plan is just too much money and too much food.

 

[Sjm9911]

Maybe Southern Illinois is farther south than I think. I know of Zingers. They are Twinkies odd southern cousin that come in some weird flavors. I'll take the vanilla ones, but raspberry and strawberry? Personally, I'd rather have a chocolate or banana Moon Pie.

View attachment 561462

j

We had
https://freshchocodiles.com/Non of that fancy stuff up here.

 

[tiggerdad]

We had
https://freshchocodiles.com/Non of that fancy stuff up here.

 

[bama_ed]

We had
https://freshchocodiles.com/Non of that fancy stuff up here.

As long as you Yankees keep that ol nasty Scrapple stuff north of the Mason Dixon, we good.

Scrapple on one side of the line and Zingers on the other.

 

[Sjm9911]

As long as you Yankees keep that ol nasty Scrapple stuff north of the Mason Dixon, we good.

Scrapple on one side of the line and Zingers on the other.

I'll bring ya some taylor ham then. No problem! I personally like scrapple, but its more of a Philadelphia thing. Its not popular out of that area.

 

[garneska]

i had zingers growing up on the north side of chicago.

 

[FtW Mike]

For now I will concern myself with the OP's topic. When I stayed in a Cabin back in the 1980's and 90's and again in 2011 and 13 Yes I did meal plan. In the earlier stays I had access to the Magic Kingdom Club which offered a variety of options, Some of which included some recreational activities as well. Early on we did Dine and Play options that covered about half table service meals so many times we did half on plan half OOP. worked well when we did 5 day or 7 day stays. When we expanded to 10 day stays we up graded to GOLD KEY status. Gave us all meals and access to all recreation. We even got a Golf Cart included for our length of stay and I could go fishing for 4 hours a day.
In 2011 and 13 we did Platinum Plan as it included fishing daily. That made it worth it for us otherwise it was way too much food.
Once we started working with our Travel Agent she was quick to point out that FREE DINING is in fact NOT FREE. We are not big on snacking or most quick serve locations. My DW does the cooking around here all year long so when we vacation at Disney I believe she deserves a break too. We generally book at least 1 TS meal a day normally Dinner. Added bonus is I don't have the Savage Sisters there telling me that the food on my plate is very bad and they will take care of disposing it to save me from eating it

 

[FtW Mike]

As long as you Yankees keep that ol nasty Scrapple stuff north of the Mason Dixon, we good.

Scrapple on one side of thee line and Zingers on the other.

Look here Johnny Reb Scrapple is really good just because it doesn't go well with that nasty Okra You need to try it before you knock it. Yes it looks disgusting . It turned me off it as a kid based on the looks alone but once my Uncle John made me try I is was hooked.

I'll bring ya some taylor ham then. No problem! I personally like scrapple, but its more of a Philadelphia thing. Its not popular out of that area.

NO PORK ROLL or TAYLOR HAM.
SCRAPPLE it tends to be popular wherever there are Amish. Here in Delaware especially here in Lower Slower Scrapple is King