Just Reconsidered Dining Plan - Help

[1hero2princesses]

I have only made two reservations so far for my July trip but we like to do a table service most days. I had ruled out the dining plan as being two expensive. My kids are 12, 11, 9 so two are considered Disney adults...The must do for sure so far is Chef Mickey and I also have Garden Grill. I was thinking of adding the fantasmic package. It takes so much time to hunt this all down, but now I am wondering if I should consider the dining plan based on the cost of most sit down meals. it looks like Chef Mickey might be over $50 an "adult" and the dining plan is only $68 a day? Could this be correct? Help? Any recommendations. I just don't have time for all of this!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

it looks like Chef Mickey might be over $50 an "adult" and the dining plan is only $68 a day? Could this be correct?

Yes, this could be correct. If you are mostly doing buffets, packages and AYCTE meals where the kids will have to pay adult rates, the DDP may work out for you. If you are dining more at "menu" places, where your kids might order off the kid menus anyway, the DDP likely won't work financially, because a kid meal at Table Service will be under $20, and even an adult QS will only be $20 unless you go really crazy at Flame Tree.

 

[Yahweh]

Especially at the ages your children are I'd say no, but that's just a personal preference. I have to adjust what I eat and where I eat to make the Dining Plan worth it. But I usually do a budget based on where I am eating, what I would normally order, snacks, the cost of the Mug etc.. and see if it's worth it. I have always found that if I can make it work it's because I am ordering more food or different more expensive dishes than I'd normally order, and even then it a minimal savings.

 

[loves to dive]

Unfortunately, if you want a definitive answer you are going to have to take the time and hunt it all down. The only way you are going to know if it's worth it for you is to look at menus and write down prices, being honest as to what you would actually order and not just picking the most expensive thing on the menu and then add it all up and compare that to the price of the dining plan. Do not use the on line calculators, they estimate the cost based on an average and are in no way close to accurate. Remember to factor in whether you would order an appetizer, not included on the plan so don't add it to your costs and the tip is not included on the plan so you are going to have to pay that regardless. Do you always eat dessert or do you share meals sometimes? If not, don't pick one when you are doing your costs. Do you drink anything other than water? If so make sure you factor that in. Are there days you just want a few light meals so one of two of you might just order an appetizer and a salad? Some people feel it's worth it to them even if they don't save money just for the fact that it's prepaid and they don't have to think about money. You are the only one who can determine if it fits your particular needs, sorry.

 

[kittyab]

http://www.distripplanner.com

This may help you. We are TIW fans. We found we ate more on the dining plan (stuffing ourselves). TIW includes alcohol too

 

[heywagners]

Use the dining plan calculator that @kittyab posted. It helps us decide every time if a dining plan is worth it, and if so, which one.

 

[crabbygal902]

If you are doing lots of expensive character meals, the dining plan may very well work in your favor. Whenever we want to go to these places, we get the dining plan and do them all in one trip. I can make that DDP work! Mickey is glad to see us go at the end of a trip. Akershus dinner, Chef Mickey's dinner, Cape May dinner, Boma dinner, Crystal Palace dinner, GG dinner...all good ways to spend those DDP credits.

 

[Lisa F]

Yes, this could be correct. If you are mostly doing buffets, packages and AYCTE meals where the kids will have to pay adult rates, the DDP may work out for you. If you are dining more at "menu" places, where your kids might order off the kid menus anyway, the DDP likely won't work financially, because a kid meal at Table Service will be under $20, and even an adult QS will only be $20 unless you go really crazy at Flame Tree.

Exactly. The F! packages are good to amazing deals (especially at Hollywood & Vine) on the DDP and anywhere your kids will have to pay adult prices no matter what is a good deal. Anywhere people might be inclined to share or order off kids menu, not so much. I am doing the DxDDP oink oink, but it is a great deal with my 8 year old.

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

If you want a quick idea, the online calculators are a good starting point to decide if you are even going to be close to breaking even. I always go to the menu sites and put into a spreadsheet the meals we would likely order for both table and quick service. With your kids' ages, I'd say you are going to be close if you are are doing buffet, character meals, all you can eat places. Probably not worth doing the DDP if you go to more menu places. Look at the kids meal at QS places too and price them out.

 

[1hero2princesses]

At table service without the dining plan would the kids 12, 11 be able to order off the kids menu? Would they be asked to order off adult menu? Can anyone order off the kids menu?

 

[kittyab]

Use the dining plan calculator that @kittyab posted. It helps us decide every time if a dining plan is worth it, and if so, which one.

Don't laugh some of the meals/deserts were so big, me & dh shared.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I don't know that distripplanner helps in this case. If the two "adults" order kid meals, it will throw off that tool.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

At table service without the dining plan would the kids 12, 11 be able to order off the kids menu? Would they be asked to order off adult menu? Can anyone order off the kids menu?

Yes, they could order off the kids menu 99% of the time. Anyone can. Sometimes they will size up portions if asked and charge more.

They will be charged as adults at all buffets though.

 

[kevgraub]

http://www.distripplanner.com

This may help you. We are TIW fans. We found we ate more on the dining plan (stuffing ourselves). TIW includes alcohol too

That is a great tool, but one major thing to watch for - the Fantasmic Package at H&V was shown as costing $140.69 for my family's meal (3 adults, 2 children). The actual cost is about $250. Everything else I checked for our trip (Ohana, Tusker House, CRT, Biergarten, Crystal Palace) matched up pretty well.

If you are doing mostly buffets and family style/AYCTE meals, there is a sticky at the top of this forum with updated prices for each of those. Should only take a few minutes to add up your TS meals.

 

[kittyab]

children over 9 are charged as adults at buffets

 

[_auroraborealis_]

children over 9 are charged as adults at buffets

Right.

But the Trip Planner would account for that, but do a poor job accounting for menu places. This is an instance requiring probable manual spreadsheet action.

 

[wdwrule]

I have only made two reservations so far for my July trip but we like to do a table service most days. I had ruled out the dining plan as being two expensive. My kids are 12, 11, 9 so two are considered Disney adults...The must do for sure so far is Chef Mickey and I also have Garden Grill. I was thinking of adding the fantasmic package. It takes so much time to hunt this all down, but now I am wondering if I should consider the dining plan based on the cost of most sit down meals. it looks like Chef Mickey might be over $50 an "adult" and the dining plan is only $68 a day? Could this be correct? Help? Any recommendations. I just don't have time for all of this!

If you go with the dining plan I would up the 9 year old to adult which they will do for a minimal up charge. This gives the 9 year old a huge variety of choices including desserts (unless it's mostly buffets then wouldn't make a difference). Otherwise they're stuck eating burgers or chicken nuggets for the most part with a pre-packaged chocolate chip cookie. But then again many kids like that....We upped our kids to adults for several years. (They love their steak and choices!)

 

[kittyab]

If you go with the dining plan I would up the 9 year old to adult which they will do for a minimal up charge. This gives the 9 year old a huge variety of choices including desserts (unless it's mostly buffets then wouldn't make a difference). Otherwise they're stuck eating burgers or chicken nuggets for the most part with a pre-packaged chocolate chip cookie. But then again many kids like that....We upped our kids to adults for several years. (They love their steak and choices!)

My 10 yr old will not eat off the adult menu.