I Am Considering The Dining Plan...And An Apology

[shondad]

Those deserts at each restraunt I mentioned did look ohhhhhhhhh so wonderful! LOL. If its chocolate, I'll eat it in a heart beat lol. The yummy smores, OMG, I need to stop, LOL!

I am sooo glad you've found something to pique your interest. If you end up like me (and many others I'm sure) you will so enjoy considering all of the endless eating possibilities, esp with that great site, allearsnet.com. I just love looking, and looking, and looking at those menus and deciding where to eat this time and possibly the next, and looking at the food thread. I do have a life, but that is so much fun, that and the disboards.

Anyway, have fun with your planning, I hope everything works out.

 

[magsmom]

OP asked what the 2007 rate was for the dining plan. If you go on the package, is it still $37.99 per adult?

Reason I am asking is I called last week to reserve SSR on DVC points and could not yet add the dining - was told DVC did not yet know the price.

OP, I'm glad you have calmed down.

 

[magsmom]

sorry-double post

 

[Cindy B]

OK now I'm stuck I did a comparsion. Being that we are bringing down $300 extra for like breakfast and for extra water and stuff I'm coming up with $1020 for the dining plan. Now if we just ordered everything normally at the same restraunts as I just listed without the dining plan but not get deserts and appitizers it will only be $1000. So for $20 more we get way more food but is it worth the extra $20 when we hardly ever buy appitizers and deserts?

Those prices for $1000 doesn't include tips, right? So you would be adding tax and tip. That would be way more than $20 so you are coming out ahead.

 

[antkim]

Can you tell I am SO happy to hear you are considering the meal plan!!!

Please take a look here as well:
http://www.mousesavers.com/diningplantips2006.html

Gives you TONS of tips on maximizing the plan! Please let me know if you have any questions....

Kim

 

[Nancyg56]

You will love the DDP! There is plenty of food, and the $20 more may not even be realized when you figure that some CS maels can easily be split. There is more that enough food included if you choose Cosmic Rays, or Flame tree (along with many more choices) to split one meal and use the credit for a CS breakfast. Just a thought. It is nice to have the flexibility to enjoy an appetizer or dessert if you want.

I did follow the previous thread, but chose not to post. I would like to thank both you and your DH for service to our country.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

i have to second the Excel Spreadsheet! it helps keep everything organized and if you have to erase you use the delete key!!! have fun!!

 

[jsmla]

DH and I prefer sit-down dining as well and I'm not a big eater so we're planning on just using 1TS credit at a few meals (ordering an extra entree) and spreading our credits to cover more meals. We'll also be paying for our breakfast out at Boma OOP since it looks like a poor use of a TS credit to me. For us a combination of DDP and paying OOP for a few things seems to make the most sense $$$ wise. For example, we'll be having lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern one day. DH will use one credit to order a full meal while I'm planning on getting a salad and paying OOP for it. I don't like a heavy lunch and this way we have an extra credit to use later in the trip. We're doing this a couple of times. That way we can have a CS breakfast, sit-down lunch and a sit-down dinner and still save quite a bit over paying OOP for everything.

Happy Planning!

 

[Disney8704]

Actually yes I threw in the tax and tips because at first it was a little over $800 and then I threw in tax which was $90 all together and then the rest was gonna go towards tips and extra water.

Those prices for $1000 doesn't include tips, right? So you would be adding tax and tip. That would be way more than $20 so you are coming out ahead.

 

[Disney8704]

I just might go ahead and just do the dining plan just so I dont have to worry about carrying around $1000 or have to worry about having it in my checking account because knowing me, I will see something I want really bad and well there goes a whole days worth of food, lol. I will be to tempted to spend it either before my trip or during my trip.

 

[Disney8704]

OK quick question. I am gonna have 2 TS left over if I dont use TS for cindys. I will have 0 TS left over if I use TS for Cindys. Now heres my question. Would I be more beneficial to use the credits at cindys or paying OOP for Cindys and using both TS for breakfasts? breakfasts at the either AKL, GF, Poly or Contemporary (plan on eating breakfast at all 4 - AKL Boma, GF Cafe, Poly 'Ohanas and Contemporay Chef Mickeys). If I should use them for breakfasts out of the restraunts listed above which 2 should I use them at?

 

[Disney8704]

Actually never mind I think I pretty answered my own question. Being the GF cafe isnt much we could just pay OOP. As for cindys it will be $80. For Boma since we will eat there twice it will only be $67.96 for 2 meals for the both of us, Ohanas and Chef Mickeys will be $37.98 for the both of us for each meal. So it will be much cheaper to use the credits for cindys then at the hotels.

 

[dixiedizfan]

It's good to see you're getting the hang of how to use the dining plan to your best benefit. The best thing about it, I think, is not having to choose menu items based on what your budget allows, as you can order whatever you want.

 

[NancyIL]

You won't be able to make your dining reservations until February (6 months out), so you have lots and lots of time to read dining reviews, as well as figure out what you want to see in the parks each day. The theme park calendar for August 2007 also won't be available until February, and it helps to know where you'll be when to coordinate the dining part.

One thing appears to be fairly clear: at the least you will break even with what you would've spent for meals if you were paying cash, and you might come out way ahead! With the dining plan you don't have to pinch pennies to stay within your budget ...you can really splurge if you want to. And as you said, you won't have a large amount of cash to be tempted to spend, because the package will be prepaid.

Have you talked to AAA yet?

 

[mom2alix]

OP - How many nights are you staying? I thought you were only staying 9 days/8 nights if you did AKL. Do you have 8 days worth of meals planned or 9? DP is based on nights of stay.

You probably have this all figured out and I'm just confused, but I've seen a lot of people confused about the nights/days counting issue so I thought I'd ask.

Also, if you drop the CRT meal, you might consider a different Signature dining experience. Since it is an anniversary trip, I'd recommend Citricos (DH and I ate here on our wedding night and for our 10th anniversay this year and it is a really nice experience plus the GF is such a romantic resort.) Artist Point at WL is also lovely and a lot of folks here would recommend Narcoosee's or California Grill (I've never been to either but would love to try them sometime.)

Enjoy this process - I swear the planning is at least HALF the fun of the trip!

 

[Disney8704]

We are going for 9 nights/10 days. I planned it all out to where all of our credits will get used. For starters on day 1 (the day we get there), we will only use each 1 snack for lunch and 1 TS for dinner. We just need something small for lunch since we will be going to Bomas for dinner and since its a buffet, I'm sure we will get stuffed just from that plus from the light snack. And being that we are paying for breakfasts OOP we wont be using any of the credits. I figured it might be more benefical to save them for lunch and dinners since most of the breakfasts are TS. We will only be doing 3 CS for breakfast. We might use the CS for breakfast if our lunch will cost less then then the breakfast that day. So say we eat at AKL for CS for breakfast and say it comes to $20. And say the place we wanna go to lunch will cost like $15. We would just use the CS credit that day for breakfast and pay OOP for lunch since we will save money. It may be only $5 we are saving, but $5 is $5. $5 could buy 2 bottles of water. I hate the planning sometimes. Like trying to figure out how much everything is goona cost, where to stay, where to eat, where to do each day for the parks, etc. Its fun but I hate it at the same time lol. My hubby really really hates it. He leaves all the planning to me. He just forks out the dough, lol. He wrote me an email the other day and he was like I hate the planning process. But I love the going process. And I was like you hate the planning? You arent doing anything! LOL. I'm the one on these boards, doing fiances, saving, calling AAA seems like every other week to make changes to my trip lol. I swear the girl at AAA who Im dealing with is probably getting sick of me, LOL. Next time I talk to her though Im gonna tell her this is the final change! LOL. I swear, I promise! LOL. I have told her that like 3 times now that I was making 1 final change. First it was the hotel, then the dates, then the hotel again along with the dates. Now I have to change the dates, hotel and added on dining, lol. But being I'm upgrading my hotel, staying the same number nights and days but adding on dining, I think she wont mind putting those changes in. More money for her since she gets a % of my trip lol.

OP - How many nights are you staying? I thought you were only staying 9 days/8 nights if you did AKL. Do you have 8 days worth of meals planned or 9? DP is based on nights of stay.

You probably have this all figured out and I'm just confused, but I've seen a lot of people confused about the nights/days counting issue so I thought I'd ask.

Also, if you drop the CRT meal, you might consider a different Signature dining experience. Since it is an anniversary trip, I'd recommend Citricos (DH and I ate here on our wedding night and for our 10th anniversay this year and it is a really nice experience plus the GF is such a romantic resort.) Artist Point at WL is also lovely and a lot of folks here would recommend Narcoosee's or California Grill (I've never been to either but would love to try them sometime.)

Enjoy this process - I swear the planning is at least HALF the fun of the trip!

 

[Shagley]

OK now I'm stuck I did a comparsion. Being that we are bringing down $300 extra for like breakfast and for extra water and stuff I'm coming up with $1020 for the dining plan. Now if we just ordered everything normally at the same restraunts as I just listed without the dining plan but not get deserts and appitizers it will only be $1000. So for $20 more we get way more food but is it worth the extra $20 when we hardly ever buy appitizers and deserts?

Another way to save TS credits is to only use one credit at some TS meals where you aren't as hungry. One of you can eat the appetizer as your meal while the other eats the entree - or you can both split one appetizer and one entree and dessert - just order an extra drink and pay OOP for that. I believe you can share your meals at all but buffet restaurants. That would help you save a couple of TS credits so you can use them for CRT.

Edited to add: Obviously I didn't read the ENTIRE thread before I posted this, because this is really no longer applicable anyway

 

[Disney8704]

We could probably get away with one of us eating the appitizer and the other the entre, but sharing defiantly wont happen. My hubby hates sharing food unless its like fries or appitizers and not only that but we can usually eat the whole entrees. Its very rare we will actually leave food on the plates. We eat a lot at home and out on vacation, lol. For 2 thin ppl I'm surprised we can eat so much lol. Just wondering but when it comes to TS how does the whole sharing thing work? Do they just like split the food onto 2 plates or do they bring out 1 plate and a empty plate and we split it ourselves?

Another way to save TS credits is to only use one credit at some TS meals where you aren't as hungry. One of you can eat the appetizer as your meal while the other eats the entree - or you can both split one appetizer and one entree and dessert - just order an extra drink and pay OOP for that. I believe you can share your meals at all but buffet restaurants. That would help you save a couple of TS credits so you can use them for CRT.

Edited to add: Obviously I didn't read the ENTIRE thread before I posted this, because this is really no longer applicable anyway

 

[english rose 47]

Thanks for the info on the ice in the parks.I'm going with DDP it will be so nice to have meals paid ahead and be able to pick whatever you want. The twins are 11 and are so excited about being able to pick from the adult menu, they love steak! DGS is Mac & cheese all the way! Can anybody tell me what menu items are an extra cost at Planet Hollywood? Has anybody been to H & V for the character lunch I'd love some feedback.

 

[rigs32]

A few suggestions to save more cash:
1) If you plan to buy several bottles of water a day, have a few cases delivered to your hotel room by a grocery delivery service. It will save money in the long run.
2) Your DH is military, have him buy a camel-back from the BX and take that with you into the parks. The newer desert camo ones are quite small and light. If you don't want to fill it with tap water, fill it with the bottled water you had delivered - you can order those gallon jugs in addition to bottles. We fill ours with ice and top it off with water so that there is ice cold water throughout the day. It also keep the wearer nice and cool.
3) If you're going to have a fridge, why not order appetizers that you can take to the room and eat for breakfast. This only works if you'll eat leftovers and non-traditional breakfast food for breakfast.
4) Alternatively, have breakfast food delivered with your water to save snacks credits for mid-afternoon snacking.