Meal Plan not worth it anymore.

[nooneshome]

It is only worth it if it is "free". It is just too much food and you end of planning for your meals instead of the attractions.

 

[hotcarib]

while I too miss the appetizer and gratuity (esp. the gratuity!) we still buy the DDP.
The reason(s)?
I am so darned cheap that if we don't have DDP I go hungry ` seriously!
I can't help myself, when we pay OOP I run a constant tally in my head that makes dining less than enjoyable. Makes it hard for DH because he's in the position of constantly exhorting me to eat.
DDP lets me eat without worrying about money.
Yes, I know it's a psych, but for us it works.

 

[Heidijs]

We just got back, we had the regular plan with the TS meal...I liked it because I didn't have to worry about a budget on food...just spending money...we could order whatever we wanted and I didn't have to say, order something cheaper! It totally took the stress of a budget away with the dining plan...now granted...my DD4 hardly ate ANYTHING...so a lot of her meals went to waste...she could have easily aten off my plate at QS meals and we both would have been stuffed...

And why don't kids get a dessert? Only the adults did??? Not like we ate them, we were too full...so she got ours...or they went to the room with us...

I remember someone saying you had to pay tax...we never did...one thing that I didn't like was QS meals you never got a copy of the reciept showing what you paid...just all zeros...and sometimes our TS meals just required a signature...no total...so I never got to keep tabs on what we actually spent on our dining plan...I would have liked to have known but the few I did figure up, I know it paid for itself...

I didn't care for the desserts at the QS meals...blech! Like containers of lard...we usually took a couple bites and tossed them...

 

[rosiep]

Just back from a trip using the DDxP for the first time. I spent more on the dining plan than I would have OOP but I honsetly loved not looking at prices and utilizing room service several times. We never worried about getting the most for our dollar; it was more about the ease and convienience.
My daughter (23) and I enjoyed trying signature restaurants and character meals as well as eating breakfast in our room and several late night meals. We used every last credit before leaving.

 

[Cinderella3]

Thanks for the information aussietravellers

 

[seadd67]

we are going for 10 days and we signed on for the DxDP for the frist time. This will be the frist time we have done the Dinning plan and In fact we are doing the DxDP. Now in years past It was strictly OOP and what we usually do Is eat two TS a day,and thats what Ideally of course I wich Disney offered.
Cost wise I think we will save a little(compare to are normal OOP expense) if not break even. We normaly do not eat two meals a day,although we will on this trip(so eating the three meals and two snacks we will save a ton!!).We love the sit down and take your time and eat meals, and even for three meals a day Its time well spent together(me and my 16yo DS). The Dinning plan gives us the freedom to look at a menue and eat what we want compare at looking at a price frist. To try the desserts that normaly we would never be able to afford.To try places we would normaly just pass by knowing(like hoop de doo) we could not afford It. Yes we could nickel and dime It(and have done before) and save money but at Disney and for us! Its something that we feel Is worth It to us.
I have read alot of post really for It and reall against It, and (IMOP) It really depends on you and your Familys wants and needs and what you can afford. Its not weather you like It or not,weather Its that Disney feel,or you feel forced by someone elses posts here.Your not going to go wrong regardless the food at disney Is so wonderfull regard less of TS or QS!. Have fun planing

 

[Brer Shay]

For us it seems that if you have kids under 10, it's a decent deal, otherwise, not so much. That goes for the DDP and the QSDP. Definitely not what it once was though without the appy and tip. I do like that it makes budgeting super easy though.

 

[jenseib]

We just got back, we had the regular plan with the TS meal...I liked it because I didn't have to worry about a budget on food...just spending money...we could order whatever we wanted and I didn't have to say, order something cheaper! It totally took the stress of a budget away with the dining plan...now granted...my DD4 hardly ate ANYTHING...so a lot of her meals went to waste...she could have easily aten off my plate at QS meals and we both would have been stuffed...

And why don't kids get a dessert? Only the adults did??? Not like we ate them, we were too full...so she got ours...or they went to the room with us...

I remember someone saying you had to pay tax...we never did...one thing that I didn't like was QS meals you never got a copy of the reciept showing what you paid...just all zeros...and sometimes our TS meals just required a signature...no total...so I never got to keep tabs on what we actually spent on our dining plan...I would have liked to have known but the few I did figure up, I know it paid for itself...

I didn't care for the desserts at the QS meals...blech! Like containers of lard...we usually took a couple bites and tossed them...

Deserts are included wit hthe kids as well. The yhave to order off the kids menu though. Some just come with a standaerd dessert like a cookie or something though.

And tax is included with the plan, just not tips.

 

[persimmondeb]

No question, it's not as good a deal as it was in '07, but it's still a pretty darn good deal for us. We don't mind being tied to ressies (and like the structure they give to the vacation) and definitely LOVE being able to get whatever we want, whenever we want it, without worrying about what it costs. Of course we wouldn't get all that if we actually had to pay for it OOP, but that doesn't mean that we don't want it, and wouldn't cheerfully eat it. And we LOVE Disney food! Last trip we stayed off-property and didn't have the plan and it was painful to have to stick to a budget and not just go "Ooh, I want one of those!"

Now, we're big eaters who enjoy spending time in restaurants, and we're feeding a teenage boy/human garbage disposal, so it probably works better for us than it does for many people.

 

[catne]

Deserts are included wit hthe kids as well. The yhave to order off the kids menu though. Some just come with a standaerd dessert like a cookie or something though.

And tax is included with the plan, just not tips.

seems like most reviews I've read, at the TS restaurants kids' dessert is usually the ice cream with the sprinkles. Maybe the poster was talking about the kids meals at CS that have fruit as the dessert (you have to ask for the cookie instead is what I've read.)

 

[DCDisney]

I think the DDP is still a pretty good value if you have a few kid aged kids but once our kids got to be 10 and up it really wasn't a good value unless you maiximize your TS meal each day and eat at places like Coral Reef and Le Cellier for dinner. We have found that we like doing a mixture of TS B,L, and D and my tween kids love some of the cheaper places like 50"s Prime Time, Whispering Canyon, Beaches and Cream, and Sci Fi. No way to even come close to making your DDP money back at those places or character breaskfasts. We had it free last year from a pin in late fall and basically broke even on the price it would have cost but got lots of stuff we didn't want and need. This year I'm saving so much more with a large room discount, GAD ticket discount saving $80 per person basically, and feeling free to eat our TS meal whenever and wherever The only thing my kids missed was the idea of the snack credits so I'm buying each kid one of those wrist gift cards from the Food and Wine Fest and they can get anything they want for snacks even the make your own stuff at Goofy's....

 

[humboldthny]

I was wavering this trip...When we first started using the DDP apps and tip were still included and it was a fantastic deal. Like another pp, I added up what I thought we might eat and we came out a little bit ahead only because we have so many character meals/buffets booked for our dd (6). If it hadn't been for those I think I would drop it.

I do wish they would let you choose between having an app or having dessert at TS...I'm not a huge sweets person and almost always I would much rather have the option of an appetizer of that of dessert...

My guess is that once dd grows out of the character meals we'll be done with the DDP.

 

[angelmav]

In a similar situation, really on the fence about the DDP. Totaled everything up based on what we would get based on where we have booked and the plan for 7 saves about 200 bucks, but we could shift a couple of meals around and save about 800 bucks over the plan cost while still having a daily TS. Tough call, especially with all the kids over 10yrs. Most of that savings over 8 days is the CS desserts, which we dont always want. Used to be a no brainer, now I know I will regret whatever decision we make! Frustrating!

 

[dd50]

In a similar situation, really on the fence about the DDP. Totaled everything up based on what we would get based on where we have booked and the plan for 7 saves about 200 bucks, but we could shift a couple of meals around and save about 800 bucks over the plan cost while still having a daily TS. Tough call, especially with all the kids over 10yrs. Most of that savings over 8 days is the CS desserts, which we dont always want. Used to be a no brainer, now I know I will regret whatever decision we make! Frustrating!

If you can save $800 with out the plan then that should be your answer, no?

 

[angelmav]

If you can save $800 with out the plan then that should be your answer, no?

Yes and no. Its not apples v apples as we would drop a couple of expensive dinners in favor of bfast/lunch on a couple of days. Plus losing the convenience factor as well as reintroducing the price argument at meals.

In order to get savings with the plan we booked the places that give the most bang for the buck (and that we would cringe at paying oop), potentially we could do better with the plan on THOSE places, buuuut, we could eat TS and have as many meals for less. Way less. Could still save some money by sticking to the original plan though. Just gives me a headache!

Probably wouldnt even be hedging had they not nickel and dimed the seasonal upcharge on the plan (and buffets) the day our trip starts. Made me rethink everything top down.

 

[dawnmommy]

We are preparing for our first trip, and for our family the DDP isn't worth it. I can see that it might be for lots of families, but it doesn't fit with the way we eat.

We aren't big dessert people, and we do really enjoy appetizers. We also split a fair amount of meals, as we just don't eat giant portions. (my kids do better eating a number of smaller meals per day).

We are doing 1-2 character meals, but I can see that if you are doing a lot of them, it would be worth it.

If we could chose between dessert or an appetizer it might be worth it for us, otherwise it isn't

DH wanted it because it sounded "convenient", but once he learned you can charge all meals to your room key anyway (all purchases, really), then he was cool with it.

We don't feel the need to pay in advance for any particular "budgeting" reason. We'll have the money whenever we go, all the same to me, so we'll just pay at check out (or more frequently if we hit some Disney-limit? if there is such a thing?)

 

[Minnie0621]

I am having some of the same issues...I have ds 11, ds 8 & dd 5(turning 6 while we are there)....not sure if I should get ddp or not...this is what we have on our schedule so far

Sat -April 3...DTD - not sure where to eat..I've seen lists of rest. that participate but still not sure -ANY SUGGESTIONS
Sun- adr at Akershus
Mon- adr at Tusker House
Tue - we will be off-site (so will have to make up these)
Wed - adr at CRT (2 credits)
Thur - water park.....no adr...and can't get any for the places we want to go (Chef Mickey's) -ANY SUGGESTIONS
Fri - Primetime 50's..

So....bottome line, I have to be choosy on where I book because ds 11 needs to be able to order SOMETHING off the adult menu...not always easy-and..are the places we already have booked worth the amount of money for ddp???? really struggling. DH up for either way..

What does everyone think?

 

[disneymeces]

I agree with dawnedwards, it is worth it for us, family of 6! Even though we have 2 kids 3yrs and under, sometimes we can split a meal, and use the extra meal for breakfast, so it really works for us! But most of the time we get the free DDP!

 

[kazmomma]

I have never done the dining plan but am all signed up for it for March. I'm starting to rethink it a little over the last few days, because of reading threads like this. Both of my kids are under ten though... I'm hoping that makes it worth it. If I paid out of pocket, I'm not sure I'd spend 46.99 every day per adult, but I'm pretty sure I'd spend more than 12.99 per day per child. Maybe I should do the math more carefully and really price out what I think we'd spend if not on the plan.

I'm right there with you... It will be DH, myself and 3 kids (all 6 and under)... I can't decide if it is worth it or not. The kids, it seems to be but for DH and I just don't know. We are going in 8 days and need to make a decision!!!

 

[kazmomma]

wow I did not know prices changed for seasons!

Price is still $41.99 for adult, $11.99 (under 9) for DDP if you are a Vacation Club Member. So season does not matter for us in that respect. I wish we could participate in the TIW program instead but we are not annual pass members.