How to get the best of using Dining Plan on Signature dining?

[mickeytai]

We always ask this question to ourselves but never get a fully satisfied answer.

Do you save more money by using two table service for one signature meal or you pay the signature meal with your own money and then save the two table services for two other table service meal? For instance, does it worth to use 2 table services meal to dine at Cinderella Castle or better to pay from your own pocket and save the two credits to dine somewhere else like the Wave and Boma?

Any input?

 

[ibela]

Would you be eating at all 3 restaurants anyway? Take a look at menu prices and see which work out better for you costwise. Ex. 1 breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table costs less than 2 dinners at Crystal Palace so when we had that choice, we used 2 credits for 1 adult @ CRT and paid cash for the other, then used those 2 credits for dinner at CP. Boma is a fixed price but check the menu prices for what you'd get at the Wave, add it to Boma's price and compare the cost to the price of the meal you're interested in at CRT and decide that way.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

I agree. Look at the menus and estimate your costs that way and see where you'd get the best bang for your buck.

 

[disneynutz]

Don't forget to take a look at the Deluxe DDP. It works better for some families, especially if you only want the DDP for a few days.

Bill

 

[cdtommie]

I recommend doing the Deluxe plan for a couple of days and use it just for dinners a signature restaurants. We booked it for two days next week and are using the credits for Citricos, Jiko and Flying Fish. Since it is good until midnight of the third day you can stretch two days on the plan to three dinners. The dollars may work better (will work better at 1TS restaurants) but we prefer the signatures to pretty much any 1TS restaurant.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

For the first time we are getting the deluxe ddp on our 3 night trip this weekend we booked 1 2 credit dinner and 1 1 credit dinner this worked out best for our family of 4 adults

 

[mickeytai]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[TisBit]

I hate trying to work on the values for the dining plan. Whenever I do the math the dining plan just doesn't work out as a savings for us. I guess our eating style just doesn't meld with the plan that well....and we tried hard this time to justify it for a quick adults only weekend trip.

We never get dessert with a meal, so if we paid OOP we wouldn't incur that cost. I don't like buying the most expensive items in order to reach my break even costs....the DP just doesn't work if you get a sandwich or other mid/low priced items. The best that I come up with is about a break even for us and we would be eating to the plan instead of what we would normally eat.

We aren't light eaters, but often instead of CS, we would just grab a snack or something if we are going to eat a big meal that night. And when I factored in the signatures, it was really hard to justify the costs if we lost another TS.

 

[Dean]

We always ask this question to ourselves but never get a fully satisfied answer.

Do you save more money by using two table service for one signature meal or you pay the signature meal with your own money and then save the two table services for two other table service meal? For instance, does it worth to use 2 table services meal to dine at Cinderella Castle or better to pay from your own pocket and save the two credits to dine somewhere else like the Wave and Boma?

Any input?

From a comparison standpoint you'll essentially always save money on the 1 TS options over the 2 TS usage at the Signatures (with limited exceptions). It will vary a little based on the restaurant and the specific choices. Unless you're going to routinely order the more expensive items (at any restaurant), the DDP will rarely be a good choice. I don't see the regular DDP vs the Deluxe as being relevant to this exact portion of the decision making because it's still 2 credits either way.

I would agree that the DDPs all make more sense for specialty situations that include shorter stays (as noted above), groups with Kids 3-9 and those that plan (and use) for the more expensive entree's at the more expensive locations and the like. IMO, the 2 biggest areas of drain on the value of the DDP are the Signatures AND the QS choices but every decision adds to or takes away from the overall value. Everyone must then decide for themselves what is best for their situation. Looking at the restaurant choices and menus is a good way to judge the value.

I know many like the prepaid nature of the DDP but just remember there are other ways to prepay that are often cheaper and have a lot less risk. One single day where part of a group is not feeling well will break a DDP stay for many situations.