Just curious.. How many people get the dinning plan when they camp?

[tinksgilrs251520]

Hey all I am planning our big vacation for 2012 and we are contemplating a camping trip (tent) to Disney World and My husband loves the dinning plan and was wondering if anybody get the dinning plan while they're camping .. By the way we returned the 12th of this month and we had a great time look for my trip report soon........

 

[luckycharm19335]

Never.
Just us two adults, I don't think that there is really any advantage.
Also, I don't want a dining plan to rule my trip.

 

[bama_ed]

You're going to get a mixed response to you question.

People staying at the FW Cabins qualify for free dining when it's offered. Some folks (cabin or campers) have the "I'm on vacation" approach and get the DP therefore. If you like the DP then don't worry about us and do what you want.

I think the biggest thing about the DP for campers is to have to buy it for every day of your stay. Most of us have campers or RVs with kitchens and fridges in them and it's tempting to eat in. Campers may want to use the DP "some times" or "lots of the time" but not necessarily "all the time".

But if DH and you are for it then enjoy it.

Bama ED

PS-for the record, we never do DP

 

[dblr]

We got the DDP for our last trip over the 4th of July, it was the 1st time we did it. We did like having the plan it was a lot of food, and yes the trip was planned around the meals most of the time. Not sure if I would do it again, it was really nice eating @ all the places we picked. I agree with the one post that you will get mixed reviews.

 

[Bourquefam]

We got the quick service dining plan for our last trip and I really, really liked the ease of not worrying about adding up how much food was costing us the whole time. Anytime the kids wanted an ice cream or treat, we let them have one w/o thinking about $$$$. We don't eat at any table service restaurants, because we don't want to use up that much of our Disney time waiting to be seated, eating, etc. so quick dining was perfect for us.

Or so I thought! My hubby and I usually split meals---and it's so dang hot that we never have really big appetites at the parks. We had breakfast at the camper each morning, except for one day (went to Contemporary and then fretted because we lost so much time).

In the end, we didn't use 1/2 of our meal credits and a ton of snack credits. We went to the sweet shop on Main Street and had a field day choosing 2 bags of stuff to eat on our ride home and bring back to our friends. Because of this, we won't do the dining plan again. We would have saved money paying out of pocket!

So----if you like to eat at table service restaurants or are big eaters, I say GO FOR THE DINING PLAN. You'll get your $$$$ worth for sure!

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

Haven't gotten the dining plan yet, but I would absolutely to!!

WE trying different restaurants every trip. It makes every trip different for us - and when people say "aren't you SICK of going to Disney yet?" we can honestly give a resounding "NO!!!!!!!!!"

I would have bought the DP by now, but we usually have annual passes and I'm not sure if you can buy the DP without park tickets?

 

[BradyBz12]

We used to - until they changed the dining plan (eliminating appetizer and tip) and then it just wasn't worth it for the way we like to dine on vacation. Back then we got all our money's worth and more out of it - and ate at lots of places we never would have paying OOP.

The last time we did it (2007?) we started to feel like we were planning our days around dining, which started to not be fun. Plus it was WAY more food than we could eat (and we're good eaters) and we ended up with a fridge full of desserts in the camper.

When we started making ADRs and dining plans this year, we looked at it again to see if it would actually save us some money. I whipped up a spreadsheet and went through the menus online and actually compared apples-to-apples.

Gotta say I was surprised when I added things up and found that for 3 weeks (incl. more than a few signature dining locales) we would save more than $300 by NOT getting the DDP.

And we don't need to plan our days around dining.

I'd encourage people to actually crunch the numbers based on how you eat and like to tour and see if it's worth it for you.

 

[Bourquefam]

We used to - until they changed the dining plan (eliminating appetizer and tip) and then it just wasn't worth it for the way we like to dine on vacation. Back then we got all our money's worth and more out of it - and ate at lots of places we never would have paying OOP.

The last time we did it (2007?) we started to feel like we were planning our days around dining, which started to not be fun. Plus it was WAY more food than we could eat (and we're good eaters) and we ended up with a fridge full of desserts in the camper.

When we started making ADRs and dining plans this year, we looked at it again to see if it would actually save us some money. I whipped up a spreadsheet and went through the menus online and actually compared apples-to-apples.

Gotta say I was surprised when I added things up and found that for 3 weeks (incl. more than a few signature dining locales) we would save more than $300 by NOT getting the DDP.

And we don't need to plan our days around dining.

I'd encourage people to actually crunch the numbers based on how you eat and like to tour and see if it's worth it for you.

Well said!!!!!

 

[freshlybarked]

Never.
Just us two adults, I don't think that there is really any advantage.
Also, I don't want a dining plan to rule my trip.

Same way with us. I like the freedom to cook when I want and splurge a couple times, but dollar for dollar it's just not worth it for 2.

 

[NMK62303]

We didn't do it in April, just used our TIW card when we did do sit-down meals. This October we are planning on getting the DP. We have 3 seven year olds and with the TS meals we have planned, we come out ahead to do the DP with them, even compared to using TIW. Not by much but it is less expensive and will be worth it for the convenience. However once they are above 9 and are same price as the adult it probably won't be worth it for us either.
When we do the DP we enjoy going over to the Wilderness Lodge to use CS credit at Roaring Forks, and are planning to try the CS at Contemporary and Poly this time, as well as at the Meadow Swimming Pool!

 

[BradyBz12]

for the TiW card here too. We get 2 trips out of one and it saves us a bundle.

 

[Judy in Texas]

I don't want a dining plan to rule my trip.

I, too, don't like to pre-plan too much at Disney. I hate the idea of having to start calling 6 months out to get dining reservations. I much prefer to eat my way around Epcot or stop in the MK Main Street bakery for something yummy without worrying about it spoiling my appetite.

 

[kazlac4]

I, too, don't like to pre-plan too much at Disney. I hate the idea of having to start calling 6 months out to get dining reservations. I much prefer to eat my way around Epcot or stop in the MK Main Street bakery for something yummy without worrying about it spoiling my appetite.

Ditto..

 

[retired and happy]

Ditto the anti-preplanning. If we're on vacation we don't want to be tied to a schedule for eating. When we get hungry, wherever we are, we find something to tide us over and cook most evening meals at "home".

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

I'd encourage people to actually crunch the numbers based on how you eat and like to tour and see if it's worth it for you.

We don't use the plan, because it doesn't "add up" for us. Plus, the majority of the time, it's me and two kids and one kiddo's a vege-free-range-arian, and the other is a picky-arian. To tip things in the "no plan" favor, I love camp cooking.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

What's a "dinning" plan? Oh.....DINING plan. Nope, never use it.

 

[2goofycampers]

We get it when the F&W Festival is at Epcot.

 

[MadFF]

We used the dining plan last time we went (2008??!! That long ago already?!), and are planning on using it again next year (2011). We have two hungry teenagers...

We had the plan that was one Counter Service meal, one Table Service meal, and one Snack per day -- this was all per person. We would have our own breakfast at the camper, and then not worry about food for the rest of the day and night. We got Advance Dining Reservations for only two meals -- Hoop De Do Review and Cinderella's Castle. We got one last minute reservation at the Sci Fi Diner, which worked out great (food wasn't great, but it is a fun restaurant). Otherwise meals weren't a problem... We did go in mid-October, which to my understanding is a "slow" time for Disney World. We paid for one big meal, at Rainforest Cafe, and we all thought that was worth it.

I didn't "crunch the numbers", but for us on that trip it worked out great. We didn't have to worry about food. A simple breakfast at the camper and we were off. My wife did not want to spend vacation at Disney World worrying about bringing/buying food, and cooking food, in our camper.

As I said, we are planning on using it again next year. It is possible that if we are able to go more often, we will stop using it.

What bugged me the most about the DP was Crockett's Tavern. It is considered a "table service" meal -- but it is a buffet! and the waitstaff just stand there clearing your plate, getting drinks, and reminding you (a bit forwardly, I thought) that the tip is not included -- the waitstaff at Crockett's has to have the easiest job at Disney World. We greatly enjoyed Crockett's - I thought the food was good (if limited) for a buffet, and it was very convenient. I just think it is more of a fancy "counter service" meal.

By the way, what is "TiW" that everyone seems to be talking about?

 

[christinou]

We always eat breakfast in the camper, and generally one more meal a day. We also like to go off property for occasional meals.
I have to add that we generally stay 13 nights, so that would be a long time on the dining plan. I also have a DH who does not like desert, and I often order 2 appetizer as my meal.

So for us it does not work.

 

[Judy in Texas]

I can understand the quick dining plan. We are using it for the November trip because we are staying at Pop Century for 4 nights so it's free. I don't understand the regular dining plan. I couldn't eat that much food every meal, every day if I tried.