Is the Dining Plan Really Worth It?

[fayt19]

My family's going to Disney in May. And I thought we should definitely get the Dining Plan; no question. So we booked it with our hotel reservation. We check in on May 10, and check out May 17. Now that I have to make ADR's tomorrow, I'm having second thoughts. I started adding up prices of places we would probably eat on different days, and it usually ends up being less than the 126 dollars we'd pay a day for the three of us.

I know dessert is included with the Dining Plan, but I still don't know that I'm convinced. Is there anyone else who doesn't use the Dining Plan? It seems like most everyone does. I'm wondering if I'm crazy.

Here's the plan for where we're eating:

Tuesday
Crystal Palace breakfast (table service)
Quick service lunch
Quick service Casey's for dinner while reserving Spectro spot (guess we'd pay OOP for this)

Wednesday
Biergarten lunch (table service)
quick service dinner

Thursday
quick service lunch
quick service dinner

Friday
Sci Fi Dine-In Theatre lunch (table service)
quick service dinner

Saturday
Kona Cafe breakfast (table service)
Raglan Road dinner (table service)

Sunday
quick service lunch
quick service dinner

Monday
quick service lunch
CRT dinner (2 credits table service)

For example, Tuesday. Magic Kingdom day. Not including lunch, it would cost us roughly $80.64 for breakfast at Crystal Palace and dinner at Casey's Corner. The dining plan for the three of us that day would cost $126.

So, am I crazy? Am I calculating wrong? Should we not get the Dining Plan? Please share your opinions.

 

[princessmom29]

You need to run totals for the entire trip to make a comparision b/c I can look at your list and tell you are going to go over on some days. CRT alone was over $125 for 3 of us, and your 2 TS das will almost surely go over. Do totals for the whole trip and look at the numbers.

 

[MissionMouse]

Dined TS well over a decade and never used a dining plan. Just by being on a dining plan does not equal savings. If you want to attempt to obtain the promoted savings you need to use very meal ticket, use every TS at dinner, order the most expensive meals, etc... Otherwise it pays to examine your expect food related expenses...

 

[everythingisplastic]

I have found that the DDP is no longer worth it for me. When it still included the tip, I do think think it saved us a bit of money, but we didn't get it on our last trip and didn't regret it one bit. I honestly don't think there's much room for savings anymore with the regular DDP. The only reason I might see to book it would be to prepay for all of your meals ahead of time.

 

[cbg1027]

Like a PP said, you really need to run totals for the entire trip to determine whether or not the DP is a good deal for you.

I've never used it because it doesn't usually fit in my with eating habits. I almost never get a dessert at a QS and I don't really like the limitations it puts on what you can choose. I also don't get a snack everyday.

I'm considering getting the QS DP for a trip I might take in March, but I have to sit down and run all the numbers to see if it would be worth it for me.

 

[OC_stacylace]

I think it's more about providing a plan that allows you to pay for food in advance and as you wish. It's especially useful for our family, as we are taking my mother-in-law and husband's grandma in January, and they are on a tight budget. Having us all on the dining plan enables my husband and I to pay for all of their meals and not have to worry about them wondering if they can afford it, and just to enjoy their time on vacation. As DVC members we pay for the dining plan as we check in. This doesn't really allow me to pay in advance, but it does allow me to pay it all in one chunck and be done with it.

One thing you may want to remember is to include the snacks and drinks you get with your meals, as included with the disney dining plan.

I don't think it is much of a savings, but more of a convienence.

 

[DisCopper]

I find that the dining plan is worth it for me... but I love to have an enjoyable sit down dinner. It's not just the food, it's the experience for the evening. I'm also (fortunately) able to eat pretty much what I want, so I don't have to worry about how many desserts I'm putting away for the week.

On our last trip, however, we had a friend with us. She was also on the dining plan, and it really didn't seem worth it for her. She watches what she eats, and also doesn't eat big portions at once. She seldom eats dessert, and doesn't drink (we'd added the wine option). She never finished a meal, and said that she would have been satisfied with just ordering an appetizer. She sort of felt that she'd spent the extra money for nothing.

It just depends on what you think is worth it.

 

[SnowWitch]

Last Dec in protest of them removing the included tip from the DDP I decided we would go only a pay as we go plan. We did not eat at a TS everyday, we did not get appetizers or desserts with every meal we just ordered what we felt like. I totaled up our reciepts when we returned home and found we spent about $75 more than we would have on the dining plan and had 2 less TS's meals.

When adding up a rough estimate of what it would cost out of pocket don't forget to add your beverages and your snack each day.

I have found at many of the CS you cannot spend less than $10 per person with food and drink.