Looking at menus and having sticker shock!

[Vijoge]

We're taking four granddaughters (17, 11, 8, and 6) to WDW in January and, being the compulsive over-planner that I am, I've started looking at menus trying to find places where all the girls will be able to choose something they like. So anyway, it's been five years since our last trip and I can't believe how expensive some of the meals have gotten, even counter service meals. $14 for a freaking bowl of corn flakes at Be Our Guest for breakfast, and $24 for an open face ham and egg sandwich. And this is a COUNTER SERVICE BREAKFAST! Yikes! I'm looking at $130 just for breakfast lol. I guess I'd better re-think my decision to skip the DDP.

In addition, I know none of the girls are ever going to actually finish a meal, and one meal at WDW can easily feed at least two of them, but will they ever be able to agree on what to order? Or should I just pay up, even though it may cost more, and avoid the whole argument? Traveling with four is going to be a whole lot harder than when I took one at a time. I'm rambling. . .

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

The dining plan eased that pain for us, we prepaid and never worried a moment about the cost of a meal while there.

 

[wilkeliza]

Be Our Guest isn't the best place to look at prices. The CS options for breakfast at BOG are overpriced because people aren't actually getting reservations there to eat breakfast. Many reservations are being filled by people getting just coffee or just a cupcake and then mad dashing to Anna and Elsa or Seven Dwarfs or just wanting to eat breakfast to see the castle.

 

[nco91590]

Agreed. We budget the DDP into our overall savings leading up to our trip. I like having it pre-paid so all I have to worry about is like, tips, drinks and spending $$. Makes it a lot easier once you're down there.

That being said, i'm sure if you were willing to put in the time before and while you're there to figure out where to go, how much to spend, etc you could do it cheaper. But we save up for sometimes 2 years just to avoid that headache lol.

 

[joannamet]

We avoid table service because the prices are so crazy. DDP probably won't save you any money but it will ease the sting by being paid up front. The way to save money OOP is to order appetizers, soups, salads or sides instead of full meals since the kids don't eat much. For the 6 of you check the menus again and think about 2 or 3 entrees instead of 6 plus 2 or 3 extra sides or apps.

 

[Harambe]

^^You have more options when you pay OOP as far as the amount of food you need to order. Meaning, you can order just the app and maybe a dessert, rather than each person ordering all that food (that you think they may not eat anyway) with the DDP. It is sticker-shock, but I'm glad you are seeing it now, instead of when you get there in January. Oh, and you are a good grand-mum!!!

 

[sunshinemelody]

Yeah, I've got sticker shock still and we're going in September. I was looking over our reservations today and I'm not even surprised that we still ended up choosing so many TS, like, absolutely none of our reservations are QS. We left lunch open most days and we have no reservations for Universal, but still! I can't imagine how much everything will cost, but we're foodies and while money was an issue, we also figured ... hey, this is a vacation! LET'S LIVE AND EAT.

 

[pa. dad]

I really don't think prepaying changes the AMOUNT you pay. It only means you're paying them early for meals that you'll probably eat.
As we are not huge breakfast eaters, we'll get some cereal and bread and fruit and eat breakfast in the room before we go. We will eat lunch in the parks but we'll take a few snacks and drinks too. And then we are about half and half on eating dinner in the parks. If It's epcot, we have dinner there. Otherwise, depends if we can get a reservation for something we want to do or not and how late the park is open until.
the cost of the meals can add a great deal to your overall costs and most people can't afford to be eating like the king and queen of england with their princes and princesses at every meal.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Be Our Guest isn't the best place to look at prices. They CS options for breakfast at BOG are overpriced because people aren't actually getting reservations there to eat breakfast. Many reservations are being filled by people getting just coffee or just a cupcake and then mad dashing to Anna and Elsa or Seven Dwarfs or just wanting to eat breakfast to see the castle.

Definitely, if you are trying to save money, don't go to BOG for breakfast.

For the OP, keep in mind, you can also pack a lunch, like sandwiches. Especially if you have a bunch of picky eaters. Just use a soft sided cooler and take them with you. Everyone can eat what they want, when they want.

 

[WIcruizer]

It depends if cost or convenience is more important to you. DDP won't save any money, but it is convenient and basically "forces" you to enjoy TS once a day. If you want to save money, don't use DDP. Eat more counter service meals, maybe no table service. If you have a car, go offsite sometimes. Or, have Garden Grocer or someone deliver food for breakfast, snacks, etc. You could even carry lunch in (sandwiches, snacks, etc.) If cost is the issue, lots of ways to keep costs down. Lots of people do any and all of these things, just depends how far you want to take it,

 

[DISNEY1975]

We always get the Dining Plan. Its prepaid and we don't worry about anything we get there. Something else to keep in mind is the portions at Disney are enormous. We cant eat more than 2 meals per day (and a snack). That is with 2 boys, now in college, and hubby who can all eat a horse each day! I would plan breakfast and dinner. Wing it for lunch, if anyone is really hungry enough to have it.

I would definitely get the DP, seeing that 2 of the children are under 10 and it would cost very little for them. Probably less than to buy their meals out of pocket.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I'd check all the menus you may be interested in. I think you'll find BOG is an anomaly & your decision to purchase DDP or not shouldn't be based on that one restaurant. If you plan to go to a lot of buffets or family style meals, it may be a good choice. If not, you probably won't be better off with DDP.

Regardless, to have a great trip with your grands, I'd plan to allow them to all order their own meal & let them order what they want. You don't want to plan an expensive trip & have it ruined by making them share &/or order things they don't want. All they'll remember is going to restaurants & eating (fill in the blank) that they didn't want, but grandma/grandpa made them order it to save money. You want them to remember all the amazing things that will happen on the trip. If purchasing DDP is the only way to assure they can order what they want at all the restaurants you choose, by all means purchase the DDP. Alternatively, choose restaurants where all of them can order individual meals of their choosing & stay in your price range.

 

[Hopefully]

I really don't think prepaying changes the AMOUNT you pay. It only means you're paying them early for meals that you'll probably eat.
As we are not huge breakfast eaters, we'll get some cereal and bread and fruit and eat breakfast in the room before we go. We will eat lunch in the parks but we'll take a few snacks and drinks too. And then we are about half and half on eating dinner in the parks. If It's epcot, we have dinner there. Otherwise, depends if we can get a reservation for something we want to do or not and how late the park is open until.
the cost of the meals can add a great deal to your overall costs and most people can't afford to be eating like the king and queen of england with their princes and princesses at every meal.

We do the DDP because I like having it prepaid. We eat breakfast in the room on food delivered by Garden Grocer. We eat a CS lunch in the park & a TS sit down in a park or resort each evening. Yes DH & DS would eat dessert at each meal. The DDP works for how we eat at home. We may not "save" much, if anything, but we do not overpay, based on my calculations of our meals, either. We choose what we like without consideration of either cost or "maximizing the plan". We save & budget for our vacation & the DDP works for our family. I do not feel that I eat like the king or queen of England. What works for you is different than what works for my family.

 

[WIcruizer]

You don't want to plan an expensive trip & have it ruined by making them share &/or order things they don't want. All they'll remember is going to restaurants & eating (fill in the blank) that they didn't want, but grandma/grandpa made them order it to save money.

Oh, they'll live. Sorry, but that just sounds like quite a guilt trip to put on people who may not be able to afford it, or just don't want to spend that much money on meals. I really don't think all they'll remember from a trip to WDW is having to share a meal.

 

[Sydney2977]

We've done ddp in the past many times but this trip decided to just pay oop. We saved a lot of money, everyone was able to order what they wanted, we still did buffets and ts, and even a character meal, but sometimes got apps. as meals and sometimes shared things. It just made for a little less planning because we didn't have to worry about who was sharing and how many credits we had left. How I took care of pre-paying was to purchase Disney gift cards ahead of time. I bought what would have been 2/3 of what we'd pay for the ddp and saved the rest in the bank, thinking we'd put anything more on our Visa rewards card and pay it off when we got back. We only ended up putting like $8 on the card the last day, and some of the gift cards we used on souvenirs too. With 6 people, and not being sure how much each will eat it may be better to plan for more but not waste money on the ddp.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Oh, they'll live. Sorry, but that just sounds like quite a guilt trip to put on people who may not be able to afford it, or just don't want to spend that much money on meals. I really don't think all they'll remember from a trip to WDW is having to share a meal.

Do you have or have you had teenagers? If you have & you set those limits on them, they noticed. I'm speaking from experience. DS's friends & GF's who have parents who set price limits on what they can order are always excited to order what they want rather than what they have to order based on their parents restrictions. It's surprising what can make their trip.

My post wasn't meant to be a guilt trip in the least. I suggested they allow them to order what they want OOP, purchase the DDP to not worry about price or choose cheaper restaurants. How could you have interrupted that as a guilt trip? It was merely a suggestion based on experience. The kids are very blessed that grandma/grandpa are taking them on the trip. I just know how a lot of older kids think, because they feel free to tell me. IME, it would be better to choose CS or cheaper TS that fit the budget than to choose more expensive meals & make them share or order the cheaper things on the menu. Most of them aren't there just to eat, but they do prefer to eat what they want.

 

[WIcruizer]

Of course they prefer to eat what they want, and not have to share for that matter. I'm sure they would each like their own rooms even more, especially the 17 yr old right? And the young ones would love a souvenir from every shop they walk through. Bad memories if Grandpa says no?

I'm sorry, but you said "All they'll remember is going to restaurants & eating (fill in the blank) that they didn't want, but grandma/grandpa made them order it to save money," and yes, that does sound like a guilt trip. I'm sure you didn't mean for it to sound that way, that's just how I read it.

 

[Vijoge]

Money isn't so much the issue as is the waste. I hate to pay for food and see it thrown out because they didn't eat it. I'd feel the same even if the DDP was free. But I took the advice of the poster above and checked out the menu at Art of Animation, which is where we will be staying. The food prices are much more reasonable there. So I guess I will look around more and then decide. Of course, I have to try to find as many places that have broccoli as possible or I will need to bring broccoli with me, as that's the only vegetable the 6 year old will eat, and she eats a lot of it. We've just never traveled with more than two at a time before and I want this trip to be as stress-free as possible. The last thing I want to do is be fighting over dinner. Maybe I will just decide and then tell them "OK, this is where we're eating today."

 

[Misha72683]

We're doing DDP again our next trip because my mother would get crazy sticker shock and have a hard time ordering anything. If she pays ahead of time, she'll find it easier to deal with. She agrees that this is best. She'll have a lot easier time ordering an $18 burger if it's already paid for.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Of course they prefer to eat what they want, and not have to share for that matter. I'm sure they would each like their own rooms even more, especially the 17 yr old right? And the young ones would love a souvenir from every shop they walk through. Bad memories if Grandpa says no?

I'm sorry, but you said "All they'll remember is going to restaurants & eating (fill in the blank) that they didn't want, but grandma/grandpa made them order it to save money," and yes, that does sound like a guilt trip. I'm sure you didn't mean for it to sound that way, that's just how I read it.

I think you read it incorrectly, but I'm talking from experience. For example, DS's current girlfriend has traveled to many countries. We went to a wedding at Swan this weekend & she was awed by the hotel. We were talking about the places we'd stayed at WDW & UO & she said, "I would love to stay at places like that." Defending her parents, I said, "yeah, but we didn't go to Spain last year & China the year before." Her response was that they always stay in a cheap hotel, in a bad area & she & her brother would rather vacation close to home & stay somewhere nicer that they weren't afraid to walk around in.

When we went to Raglan Road yesterday, she was having a hard time choosing what she wanted to order. I told her to order what she wanted & ignore the price. She said, "but I don't know how to order that way." I said, "just pick something & order it." Incidentally, she ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, because that was what she really wanted. You wouldn't believe how excited this 22 year old college graduate was to order that meal. Whether people want to believe it or not, kids of all ages do want to have a choice.

We decided long ago to vacation less to allow our DS to get what he wants within reason rather than vacation more & constantly tell him no. As they get older, they remember the nos a lot more than they remember the yes'.

FWIW, DS's GF is definitely not a spoiled, ungrateful brat. Believe me, she's the total opposite of spoiled. That's why she was so excited to vacation her way for the first time. She's definitely not the only one. A previous GF of DS's ordered filets at every restaurant, when we took her, just because she could. It's not that we have an unlimited amount of money to spend on vacation. We definitely don't. We just choose to vacation less often, so we can let the kids enjoy the trip to the fullest.

I realize everyone doesn't have the same vacation philosophy we do. That's great. I just think it would be better to purchase DDP (which we don't do) or eat at cheaper restaurants (which there's nothing wrong with) than to force kids to share or order something they don't want.