My first trip in years without DDP

[pinnocchiosdad]

My DW and I returned home this weekend from 5 nights at VGF. It was the first time in many years that we were not on the dining plan. We loved it. Breakfast was in our room every morning. I will not count this cost because we never used the DP on breakfast meals. We stopped at Publix before we checked in and had cereal, bacon and eggs, juice, fresh fruit and pancakes each day. 5 mornings of this cost maybe $50. We lived not being on a schedule. We ate what we wanted where we wanted when we wanted. We did not have to be in a particular park on any particular day because of ADR's. The total food cost for our trip was $315. We mostly are CS. Many meals at our resorts Gaspsrillas grill and many inside the parks. Our table service meals were the Pizza restaurant in Italy, Raglan Road (we ordered at the bar), and The House of Blues. We did use our DVC discount whenever we could. I estimate we saved almost $300. Yes the DDP would have had us eating steak every night, but we thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I would not hesitate to pass in the DDP again in future trips.

 

[jekjones1558]

ITA with your remarks. I am not interested at all in having dining dictate my vacation schedule. I am also one of those pathetic people who would order more food than I should be eating if I were paying for it on a dining plan. It sounds like your vacation was much more spontaneous without the dining plan and isn't that a very good thing!

 

[Leveretttltl]

I am arriving at Disney World next Thursday. I decided to skip the dining plan on this trip because my daughter will be competing in a cheer competition and our schedule is uncertain. This will be the first trip in years that we do not have the dining plan. I'm kind of excited though. I think it will be liberating not to have to "conform" to the plan. With that being said, I do have a couple of table reservations (Ohana and Be Our Guest). Unlike you I couldnt be completely spontaneous!

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

We did the same thing last year -- no dining plan after using it since it first came out.

We still ate at table service restaurants most nights but not every night. It was so very liberating not to worry about not using all our credits, etc.

But the best part is we saved over a $1000 on our 9 night stay. We are a family of five (3 teens) so all adults on the dining plan. I purposely did not dictate when/what everyone could eat b/c I wanted to see if we indeed would save money 'eating as we wished.' My teen boys love ordering burgers at all hours of the day and so they did. Still we saved a bundle. I doubt I'll ever purchase the dining plan again.