Is the dining plan worth the money?

[tinkerszs]

I looked at resort packages with and without the dining plan. The 2 quick meals and 2 snacks adds almost $1000 to my package. (2 adults, 2 children, July 4th). Does this seem about right? Is the dining plan really the way to go? Will we really spend about that much on food? Is the 1 sit down meal a better plan? I'm really trying to cut costs a little, but I'd hate to nickel and dime myself the whole trip because one entree may be a few dollars more. (free dining plan? is this a special not around in the summer?)

 

[JFiorianti]

I'm also curious if it is worth it. I've heard yes from a few people I work with but would like some input here from people who really know. Thanks in advance.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

It really depends on how you eat. Look at the menus here on the Dis and on Allears.net to see if it works for you.

 

[Nadjalu]

To be honest if you are eating onsite, whether parks and or resorts it IS expensive, period, whether you are paying for a dining plan or OOP.

The only way to know what is right for your family is to pick out the places you will eat at for every meal (don't have to set it in stone but this will give you an idea of the money you will spend).

Then you pick a entree, drink...etc that everyone would eat for every meal for every restaurant for every day, add that up and see the total.
Be warned it will scare you.

Then you see what is cheaper, OOP or which dining plan best fits your needs.
Sorry it is the only realy way to know if it is right for you.

Many people save money paying OOP, some like my family benefit from the DDP (we save an average of $100-120 per day for the 2 of us). Some do better with the deluxe or CS plan.
Only you will be able to do your math for your family.

Good luck, have fun and enjoy your trip!


M

 

[havoc315]

Many people save money paying OOP, some like my family benefit from the DDP (we save an average of $100-120 per day for the 2 of us). Some do better with the deluxe or CS plan.

M

I am just really curious how you save $50-60 per person, per day, on the ddp? I am blown away by that number, as it amounts to about 60% savings.

 

[lblume91]

I can't justify the cost of the QS plan but we love the regular DDP. To me, you would never come out ahead or even break even with the price of the quick service plan vs paying OOP for all CS meals. It's only $10/adult to upgrade to the regular plan . With the regular (1 CS, 1TS & 1 snack) plan, we come out ahead on money. Granted, we wouldn't order dessert at every meal, etc. Once we deducted those, we broke even. For me, it's about the convenience of pre-paying for all your meals. I like not having to worry about that. It used to be a better value when tips & appetizers were included but, as long as I'm not losing money on it, we'll continue to use the DDP.

 

[Nadjalu]

I am just really curious how you save $50-60 per person, per day, on the ddp? I am blown away by that number, as it amounts to about 60% savings.

9 times out of 10 we both order the most expensive thing on the menu. Not to get the savings, but usually what we like is more expensive.
We also work the system as to little things here or there like getting a bottle of water for later and then getting a cup of water free. That elimates the extras for staying hydrated in the florida sun.
Oh and the mugs help us. DH usually uses that mug 10x in a day. Yes he drinks a ton and it is usually soda. On the first trip we learned how much we spent on his drinks alone. Every $3 soda or water adds up. So on that first trip he spent upwards of $20per day on that.

Another way is often we split a lunch or breakfast, which means we have extra credits to spend on meals....it stretches the dollar if you can do that.

DH keeps the receipts each trip and loves to do our "daily savings total" at the end of everyday while I pass out asleep in the room.
Sorry I can't break it down in numbers to you, as that is DH's job. I am not the math person, I get lost in math.
It isn't everyday that much is saved but in a 7day trip once it is averaged that is where we fall.

That is why I say the plans aren't for everyone. Our savings come from eating the most expensive things (not everyone likes steak constantly) and very FEW people drink as much as we do. But the plan benefits us.
The way you eat, what you eat and drink and the amounts all play into the configuration of the plans. Most people don't get that.

 

[lamb616]

we're also 2 adults and 2 children and this is what I figured out the other day. We got Free QS Dining and upgraded to the regular DDP for like $160. I was curious about the numbers even though we got Free dining and this is what I came up with:

Price for regular DDP for 7 nts: $812

Without DDP we would pay:
7 TS credits (6 meals - CRT is 2 credits): $600
7 QS meals (est. $40-$50 per meal): 315
28 Snacks: (est. $3/snack): 84

Total Spent: $999
Amount saved: $187

So not a HUUUGE savings, but good enough. Even if we just broke even it would still be worth it to me to get the DDP so I don't have to worry about how much we're spending at each meal, if we're going over budget, if I want steak but would rather pay for chicken, etc. etc.

 

[ccgirl]

we're also 2 adults and 2 children and this is what I figured out the other day. We got Free QS Dining and upgraded to the regular DDP for like $160. I was curious about the numbers even though we got Free dining and this is what I came up with:

Price for regular DDP for 7 nts: $812

Without DDP we would pay:
7 TS credits (6 meals - CRT is 2 credits): $600
7 QS meals (est. $40-$50 per meal): 315
28 Snacks: (est. $3/snack): 84

Total Spent: $999
Amount saved: $187

So not a HUUUGE savings, but good enough. Even if we just broke even it would still be worth it to me to get the DDP so I don't have to worry about how much we're spending at each meal, if we're going over budget, if I want steak but would rather pay for chicken, etc. etc.

And this is the way to do it. Figure out how much you would spend on meals (allears.net is great) and go from there. My family tends to do the character buffets so there is plenty to eat for everyone and we can get their autographs without waiting in line. The counter service meal the OP questioned also has a refillable mug per person. That is $13 alone. You would be surprised what a snack consists of. Most of our snacks were meals. The cinnamon bun and pastries at the Main Street Bakery are enormous!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Faldred]

Yes. No. Maybe.

Truth is, it really depends a lot on each individual party. If any of the dining plans match the way you would have chosen to dine anyway, then the odds are that the dining plan will save you money.

I think in most cases, people could spend a lot less than any of the dining plans cost, but that comes with another cost -- the need to focus on economizing during a vacation. It may very well be worth paying more money to have a less cumbersome experience, allowing the members of your party to order more and more varied choices than they would have if they were paying out-of-pocket.

Or not. You may feel constrained by having so much of your vacation pre-planned, and worry about getting enough value and making sure you use all of the credits.

So, in the end, there are two components to consider: 1) the objective cost, both compared to a) what would I have spent for the same thing OOP and b) what would I have spent if I ordered as if I were paying OOP; and 2) the subjective impact having a dining plan would have on your vacation.

 

[havoc315]

9 times out of 10 we both order the most expensive thing on the menu. Not to get the savings, but usually what we like is more expensive.
We also work the system as to little things here or there like getting a bottle of water for later and then getting a cup of water free. That elimates the extras for staying hydrated in the florida sun.
Oh and the mugs help us. DH usually uses that mug 10x in a day. Yes he drinks a ton and it is usually soda. On the first trip we learned how much we spent on his drinks alone. Every $3 soda or water adds up. So on that first trip he spent upwards of $20per day on that.

I'm confused? The mugs aren't included in the DDP?

The DDP costs about $46 per day. You're saying that your OOP costs would run closer to $100 per day, without the plan inclusions. Even assuming the absolute most expensive snack (about $5), the most expensive CS meal (in 2010 prices, the absolute most expensive possible CS was $26), and the absolute most expensive TS meal available (again, for TS in 2010, the most expensive was $56 at Tutto Italia, which blew away the other restaurants in terms of cost. )

Doesn't come close.

 

[Sienna]

So, in the end, there are two components to consider: 1) the objective cost, both compared to a) what would I have spent for the same thing OOP and b) what would I have spent if I ordered as if I were paying OOP; and 2) the subjective impact having a dining plan would have on your vacation.

This is pretty much what it boiled down to for us. We were flying in from out of state, staying in a hotel room (as opposed to a condo), so our meals were going to come from Disney. We did the QSDP, and it provided us with peace of mind and a lot of 'extras'. I did the math, and if we had paid for everything out of pocket, we saved money by being on the plan. However, if we were paying out of pocket for everything, there are a lot of things we probably wouldn't have gotten all the time, like desserts, and a lot of drinks, etc. So we might have saved money. But it would have been a conscious decision to NOT order this because of the money. Or to not get snacks because of the money. So it was nice to be on the plan and not have to worry about it. We felt like we splurged a little bit, and that was priceless.

 

[lamb616]

The mugs are included in the QSDP and the DXDP, not the regular DDP

 

[havoc315]

The mugs are included in the QSDP and the DXDP, not the regular DDP

Correct. Ahh, maybe the poster was saying they save 50$ per person on the DxDP, which is feasible. I don't think such savings are mathematically possible on the DDP or QSDP.

 

[robinsegg]

Maybe this will help. We were 2 adults, a 10yo (adult on the plan), 8yo (child on plan) 1yo (not on the plan). Our costs would have been:
CS about $40-45 each meal.
TS breakfast about $60-$80.
TS lunch about $70-$100.
TS dinner about $120-$150 with our most expensive (Tutto Italia) $190.
The refillable mugs would have been $13 per mug.

We eat 3 meals and 3 snacks at home (we've been trained to the diabetic diet I followed when gestational diabetic) and never had to pay for food on the DxDP. We figured we had saved an average of over $50 per day while there, not counting the drinks we didn't have to buy because of the mugs and counting only about half the snacks we got.

 

[havoc315]

I think in most cases, people could spend a lot less than any of the dining plans cost, but that comes with another cost -- the need to focus on economizing during a vacation. It may very well be worth paying more money to have a less cumbersome experience, allowing the members of your party to order more and more varied choices than they would have if they were paying out-of-pocket.

Very good points. Of course, for many people, they may eat less expensively, even without economizing. For example, the average prices TS meal at Plaza Restaurant, including dessert and soda, is only $20. So if that's the type of meal someone wants, they aren't going to get any value on the DDP.

Or, let's say I am someone who wants TS for every meal, but I normally skip desserts and soda. So if I simply want 3 medium-priced entrees...
I could get:
Breakfast at the Wave: Spinach, Tomato, and Onion Omelet - served with breakfast potatoes and a biscuit $9.49
Lunch at the Plaza: Tuna Salad Sandwich - tuna salad with lettuce and tomato on freshly baked croissant $10.49
Dinner... let's go to Tony's -- Grilled Pork Tenderloinn - With a Caper Pomodoro sauce and Creamy Parmesan Polenta $19.99

So while the DDP costs about $46.....
I just got the 3 TS meals that I wanted, for only $40!
I didn't economize, simply picked what I wanted. In fact, I picked 3 TS meals instead of only 1 TS meal, and it still comes out $6 cheaper than using the DDP.

If I really wanted to be bold.... I could go to California Grill for dinner... and order..
House-made Potato and Cheese Ravioli - with Florida Corn Puree, Summer Squash, Vidalias, and Black Truffle* $28

So while the DDP would have included just 1 TS credit --- For about the exact same price of the DDP, I just used 4 TS allotments. It's true, I passed on snacks, sodas and desserts. But I would hardly say that I "economized." I simply got what I really wanted to get.

Now, if you really *want* all those desserts, and you really *want* the more expensive entrees, then the DDP will certainly save you money.

 

[ccgirl]

Very good points. Of course, for many people, they may eat less expensively, even without economizing. For example, the average prices TS meal at Plaza Restaurant, including dessert and soda, is only $20. So if that's the type of meal someone wants, they aren't going to get any value on the DDP.

Or, let's say I am someone who wants TS for every meal, but I normally skip desserts and soda. So if I simply want 3 medium-priced entrees...
I could get:
Breakfast at the Wave: Spinach, Tomato, and Onion Omelet - served with breakfast potatoes and a biscuit $9.49
Lunch at the Plaza: Tuna Salad Sandwich - tuna salad with lettuce and tomato on freshly baked croissant $10.49
Dinner... let's go to Tony's -- Grilled Pork Tenderloinn - With a Caper Pomodoro sauce and Creamy Parmesan Polenta $19.99

So while the DDP costs about $46.....
I just got the 3 TS meals that I wanted, for only $40!
I didn't economize, simply picked what I wanted. In fact, I picked 3 TS meals instead of only 1 TS meal, and it still comes out $6 cheaper than using the DDP.

If I really wanted to be bold.... I could go to California Grill for dinner... and order..
House-made Potato and Cheese Ravioli - with Florida Corn Puree, Summer Squash, Vidalias, and Black Truffle* $28

So while the DDP would have included just 1 TS credit --- For about the exact same price of the DDP, I just used 4 TS allotments. It's true, I passed on snacks, sodas and desserts. But I would hardly say that I "economized." I simply got what I really wanted to get.

Now, if you really *want* all those desserts, and you really *want* the more expensive entrees, then the DDP will certainly save you money.

Don't forget about the beverages. You get a non alcoholic beverage on the DDP. You also did not account for snacks (if your family would normally eat them).

 

[havoc315]

Don't forget about the beverages. You get a non alcoholic beverage on the DDP. You also did not account for snacks (if your family would normally eat them).

I didn't forget. I said I don't normally have any desire for a beverage (other than water) or dessert. And with 3 table-service entrees per day, I have more than enough food without a snack.

That's the supposed "value" of the DDP --- They try to fill you up with soda, snacks and desserts! But instead of getting the "filler" -- for the same price, I could get extra entrees! I could eat Signature entrees every night, real breakfasts and lunches, all for less than the DDP.

 

[ccgirl]

I didn't forget. I said I don't normally have any desire for a beverage (other than water) or dessert. And with 3 table-service entrees per day, I have more than enough food without a snack.

That's the supposed "value" of the DDP --- They try to fill you up with soda, snacks and desserts! But instead of getting the "filler" -- for the same price, I could get extra entrees! I could eat Signature entrees every night, real breakfasts and lunches, all for less than the DDP.

Sorry...missed that.

I guess I have expensive taste! I tend to eat at the buffets (almost $40 per person) or choose the most expensive meal on the menu - not purposely...they just seem to appeal more to me. So, for some famlies (not all) the DDP can be a great savings. All depends on the eating practices of your family.

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

It does help us because we usually do a "character themed" sit down daily and it is just nice not having to dish out say $75 for the O'Hana breakfast with the characters...so we are ahead because we still have a CS and snacks for the day..and not having to worry about carrying the money.