meal plans

[justsew]

is there anyone besides me who is upset at the fact that my family is spending 4 days at disney world but am required to purchase a 5 day meal plan. it is costing our family an extra $330.00 for a day that we will not be able to use. also we were told that they can exchange a table meal for 3 snacks... REALLY....

 

[Gracie09]

Meal plan is optional. You don't want it, don't buy it. You pay per night not day so if you are arriving late and departing early it may not be worth it for you.

 

[porschegrl]

Unless there's some special offer with terms and conditions that I'm not aware of, nobody is "required" to purchase a dining plan. If the plans don't work for your family, don't use them. I don't.

 

[sharonabe]

is there anyone besides me who is upset at the fact that my family is spending 4 days at disney world but am required to purchase a 5 day meal plan. it is costing our family an extra $330.00 for a day that we will not be able to use. also we were told that they can exchange a table meal for 3 snacks... REALLY....

You can use more than one TS or QS per day. Do a character breakfast and a TS dinner one day. Use another TS for a breakfast and then a QS for lunch and dinner. Or splurge and do a signature meal one night.

If that doesn't work, then do as others have said and drop the dining plan and pay OOP.

 

[Figmentmommy]

is there anyone besides me who is upset at the fact that my family is spending 4 days at disney world but am required to purchase a 5 day meal plan. it is costing our family an extra $330.00 for a day that we will not be able to use. also we were told that they can exchange a table meal for 3 snacks... REALLY....

You can have a table service meal for 2 meals on one of your days in order to use all your credits. Or have a 2 credit meal. You don't need to use your credits on a per day basis - you can use them any which way you want from check in until midnight if your check out day. If that doesn't appeal to you then it sounds like the Dining Plan is not a good fit for your family.

 

[justsew]

THATS what we are hoping to do, change a table for 2 quick but we were told we could only trade for 3 snacks, which is crazy $15. for $45. hoping to figure something out.. it is just easier to have meal package but having to get 5 days when you are only there for 4 doesn't quite seem right... You should be able to purchase for number of days at the park....

 

[Chippy4]

If you really want the meal plan but don't want to buy it for the last night of lodging (I'm guessing you're leaving early in the morning?), change your package reservation to be four nights with meal plan and make a room-only reservation for the fifth night.

 

[2manypets]

Nope, I'm not upset in the least that your family is required to buy an extra night of the dining plan. The dining plan is a choice, not a requirement.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Do a 2-credit meal? 2 TS meals in one day? Dining plans aren't designed to fit every trip, every family's way of eating, or to save any money. They are sold by number of nights because they are tied to the resort stay. If it doesn't work, you don't have to get it.

 

[justsew]

we tried that, however we are staying at Disney Vacation Club and they do not have any other nights. If we release our last night we will not be able to get another... it will all work, just annoying the way they do things... you should be able to get what days you need.... we have 7 in our party so moving after spend 4 hard days at the parks will be crazy, on top of that my children will still be on the jet lagging side ( they are coming from thailand 6 days before our trip....

 

[justsew]

wasn't posting to get flack on plans, we love the meal plan. They have just changed since the last time we bought on and not having the option of only getting what days you needed. just wondering if anyone else encountered the situation and were able to only get what they needed not what they didn't....

 

[justsew]

If you really want the meal plan but don't want to buy it for the last night of lodging (I'm guessing you're leaving early in the morning?), change your package reservation to be four nights with meal plan and make a room-only reservation for the fifth night.

we are leaving very early on friday... it will all work out, we will just eat more on other days....

 

[Karau614]

This is a confusing thread. I don't understand your issue. I say just cancel the dining plan and pay for your own meals. Seems simple really

 

[my2lovedisney]

I would use the credits for the days you arrive and depart for either snacks or 2 TS meals. For example, Hoop Dee Doo is a 2 TS credit meal. So, use a TS from arrival day and then another day to cover that meal Or Cinderella's Royal Table..or The California Grill..etc.

 

[justsew]

I would use the credits for the days you arrive and depart for either snacks or 2 TS meals. For example, Hoop Dee Doo is a 2 TS credit meal. So, use a TS from arrival day and then another day to cover that meal Or Cinderella's Royal Table..or The California Grill..etc.

thanks.. we have reservations at all the character dining... it will all work out... my concern was they wanted to give us 3 snacks for a ts which it crazy...

 

[Hopefully]

THATS what we are hoping to do, change a table for 2 quick but we were told we could only trade for 3 snacks, which is crazy $15. for $45. hoping to figure something out.. it is just easier to have meal package but having to get 5 days when you are only there for 4 doesn't quite seem right... You should be able to purchase for number of days at the park....

All I can say is don't purchase it then.
It is quite right.
Many here have given you suggestions to maximize your plan
Good Luck

 

[DisneyWishes14]

The dining plan is calculated by the number of nights you are staying, not the number of days spent in the parks. It has been like this for years. If it doesn't work for you, consider not purchasing it. It's not cost effective unless you use it as designed.

 

[sharonabe]

wasn't posting to get flack on plans, we love the meal plan. They have just changed since the last time we bought on and not having the option of only getting what days you needed. just wondering if anyone else encountered the situation and were able to only get what they needed not what they didn't....

The dining plans have ALWAYS been tied to the NIGHTS you stay. They have to pick one or the other and since it requires a resort stay in order to even get the plan, nights works best. Otherwise, people could do a one night stay, but buy the plan for a whole week and Disney loses money.

As to using your TS credits for QS, you were told partially wrong information. You CAN use your TS credits for ONE QS meal. It is a one-for-one exchange. They won't give you 2 QS meals for 1 TS credit. So if you want to get a QS meal instead, you can. All your other QS credits will need to be used before this can happen, though.

 

[brittanidp]

OP, just because you're staying DVC doesn't mean you have to get the dinning plan, just pay out of pocket

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I agree with others and just don't purchase the meal plan - you don't have to and it would be cheaper most of the time.