If you are trying to decide on the Dining Plan...

[byoung]

The DP is for us now that the DVC has it.

 

[lynninpa]

Our choice to go for the dining plan was simple...
For our group of 9 people, the dining plan will cost $249.92 per day.
DAY 1: Dinner Teppanyaki = $449.47.
We save $200 on dinner alone PLUS have a CS and snack for everyone. And that is just Day 1!

 

[bethbuchall]

I can't decide on the dining plan, because of the room discount issue. As I understand it, you must pay rack rate for the room. If I can get a 15% AAA discount on the room or even better another code for even more off, it may not be worth it to get the dining plan for our family. We never order appetizers or desserts with meals and often drink water. We don't normally eat table service every day.

On the other hand, the reason that I would like the plan is that I wouldn't have to think about how much we are spending. I could book as many character meals/buffets as we want without thinking about it.

I guess I'll just have to crunch the numbers as we get closer and decide.

Beth

 

[pawsitivemom]

Being vacation I just don't want to eat pb&j for lunch or be stressed about not ordering what I want b/c of cost. Does that make sense? We are on a very tight budget at home, so we never get app or dessert, or even soft drinks, so to have that option for basically the same price as oop sound like fun. If we spend $30 for a meal for all four of us at home, that's a lot as our monthly dining out budget is $100! So I am looking foward to eating some places we normally would not try due to the cost, like O'hana, Le Cellier, and Chef Mickey's. I am happy as long as we break even. If we only spent $30 per person like another poster said, I just think for $80 more for the whole trip for the two of us, I *could* order whatever my heart desires and it is worth that $80 to not be thinking about $$ the whole time.

My sentiments EXACTLY! I will probably only go to Disney 2-3 times in my LIFE! (Been to DL once already!) and I just don't want to have to "worry" when I'm there...Heck, I've been trying to save for 2yrs (without sucess) and will be paying for another 2! Why not splurge. Fo somone who goes every year, that may not be the case but, for us the DDP is *definately* the best money we will spend.

 

[Goofyta]

What helped us make our decision to get the dining plan was, we spent $30 for one CS meal at Sea World last year. That almost pays for 1 adult to eat all day.

 

[nbodyhome]

We were there in Dec and I just want to add, having the dining plan, in regards to too much food that you don't have to eat it all...
So, there may be too much food.....it is better for my family to maybe have too much food than to pay less for counter or whatever (to save $$) and have not enough food.

Each person can choose what is right for them - just like tickets, etc. But if people are ordering and not getting all the items they are supposed to on the plan, they may not be getting enough value to buy the plan. And for me, the plan would have to be pretty special to get a package (since the cancellation/restrictions are so much heavier on a package). The only package I've ever done with Disney was the free dining. And I WOULD do it for free again.

If I can eat normally for about $12 a day, then $38 is a lot more to spend.

Denise

 

[DebIreland]

I can't decide on the dining plan, because of the room discount issue. As I understand it, you must pay rack rate for the room. If I can get a 15% AAA discount on the room or even better another code for even more off, it may not be worth it to get the dining plan for our family. We never order appetizers or desserts with meals and often drink water. We don't normally eat table service every day.

On the other hand, the reason that I would like the plan is that I wouldn't have to think about how much we are spending. I could book as many character meals/buffets as we want without thinking about it.

I guess I'll just have to crunch the numbers as we get closer and decide.

Beth

Beth, from what I've read about AAA discounts you can get an AAA MYW package so you get the Dining Plan and still avail of the 15% AAA discount on the room portion. Of course that means you must buy your theme park tickets too as part of the package. As far as I know, to book the AAA package you must contact an AAA office directly - you cannot book it through Disney CRO.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

I am not buying a package, but am staying on rented points in December. I can't wait to use the dining plan!!!!! Although we live our daily lives on a budget and cut coupons like MAD, we want to splurge while we are at WDW. And to us, $38 per person per day isn't bad...it's cheaper than one dinner at Le Cellier, and MANY other places for that matter!!! We LOVE to eat nice meals, and with the Dining Plan, we won't have to worry about out of pocket expenses at the table...including tax and tip!!!!!! (we usually leave 20% tip for good service, so this will save us $$!)

Everyone has to decide if it's the right deal for them. For my family of 4, it will be GREAT! (our little one will be 1 1/2 when we go in December, so she doesn't apply )

 

[Houston_Disney_Fan]

Cheaper or not, the dining plan is the only way we'll do Disney again. Keeps my husband from stressing out over meal prices when we're there. I'll be eternally grateful to the person/people who thought of this!

 

[mdp]

What is missing here is a third meal - breakfast! (The most important meal some might say). If you purchase this, are you basically on your own for breakfast?

 

[TooBoyz4us]

We've always purchased the dining plan. Although we haven't been since they redid the plan and made it as it is now. Before when we purchased it, it fell under the silver plan.

For us, the dining IS a huge part of Disney. There is no way we could afford to eat an appetizer,entree and dessert for all 4 of us at a TS meal, and order the bigger ticket items like we do when were on the plan.
But we book our Disney trips at least a year in advance, in order to pay them off by the time we go.

 

[beth_cam]

You can use your credits for any meal. You can use a TS credit for breakfast at say one of the great character buffets. Or a CS for breakfast at your Hotels Food court or any other CS location.

 

[aubeone]

I will be traveling with my wife and 10 year old daughter. I understand that we would need to pay for three adults. Is it possible for us to use 2 credits at a meal if my daughter wants to order chicken fingers, etc...? I could then save her credits and use them at a 2 credit meal at another place. Is this allowed? Is it considered "cheating" the system?

 

[DonnettaR]

I don't know if this has been addressed before, but I am unsure as to how the dining credits work with the dinner shows? Since you have to reserve them with a credit card, how do you use the dining credit for payment? Thanks

 

[sara74]

Geez! I guess DH and I are big eaters after reading all of your posts! We've never been to WDW so I don't really know, but are the CS meals that big that people can split them? I had thought that we were going to be paying OOP for a few meals since we have ADRs for CRT and CG which will use lots of credits, but now I am thinking that we'll be able to stretch our CS credits out a little more. Our kids are 4 and 21 months so they won't be eating all that much anyway. I'm so EXCITED!!!!!!! and hungry with all this food talk!

 

[Lookn4Mickey]

We had the dining plan for last nov/dec and it was well worth it for our family (me, dh, dd5, ds3). When we got home I added reciepts and had we paid oop it was $970 and we had paid $540 for the plan.

 

[ReneeA]

We went in August and had the free dining promotion. It was awesome. Usually we would have eaten mostly counter service and shared meals. Our receipts added up to $875 and we still had 2 ts credits a 5 snack credits left. We wouldn't normally take that much time for dining or eat the amount of food that we did, but it was so nice to spluge on vacation and relax for a couple hours a day in a restaurant.

We decided we will pay for the dining plan next time as well.

ReneeA

 

[disneyjunkie]

I don't know if this has been addressed before, but I am unsure as to how the dining credits work with the dinner shows? Since you have to reserve them with a credit card, how do you use the dining credit for payment? Thanks

When you book, you let them know that you're on the dining plan. They will take your credit card information, but not charge it. If you don't pick up your tickets, then they will charge your credit card.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

What is missing here is a third meal - breakfast! (The most important meal some might say). If you purchase this, are you basically on your own for breakfast?

You can use your Counter Service credits towards counter service breakfast, if you want. But it really isn't the best bang for your buck that way.

You can also use your Table Service credits towards a breakfast if you would like as well (Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, etc, etc). Although it would be a better value to use your TS credits for dinner.

 

[DonnettaR]

Thanks