MYW package plus dining questions

[ImagineMeDisney]

DH and I have decided to go to WDW in September, and I was researching..I had no idea that the Magic Your Way package was so extensive, there are so many choices!! Has anyone done the dining package (or are you planning on doing the dining package) and is it worth the extra money, or should we just save up our disney dollars? Also, the park-hopping feature, is that worth the extra money? DH doesn't think so... I'm somewhat new to the boards, so if anyone has any tips or tricks, or other forums to check into i'd greatly appreciate it!!

 

[pezpam]

The problem is that those are such personal decisions, they can't be answered by anyone else.....

We do use the park hopper option and have found it useful. However, if you'll stay in one park or just find it annoying to transfer from one to another, then it isn't worth the money. If you don't have a hopper and get 'stuck' finishing a park in half a day, you can always head to Downtown Disney or one of the mini golf courses. We don't hop every day, even with the option.

On the dining package, that depends on what you're likely to spend without the plan. Check out the menus in the dining area of www.allearsnet.com to get an idea of prices for the places you want to eat - maybe add a few dollars if a particular menu hasn't been updated in a while. Make your best guess as to what you'll spend on 2 meals and a snack each day and then compare that to the cost of the plan. For people who enjoy counter service places only or who like to graze on snacks all day, it is likely to be worth skipping the plan. If you plan to eat higher-cost meals at the places that are included in the plan (not everywhere is) then it might well be worth it to get the plan.

Another site well worth checking out id www.mousesavers.com - a LOT of money-saving tips, plus you can download that list of participating restaurants.

Hope this helps a little.....

 

[princesslulu]

We're going in October and we added the dining for Me, DH, DD11, and DD3.
from what I'm reading it's going to be a real bargain. I can't wait to go and not worry about food costs.

 

[we6clarks]

We are using the dining plan on our trip at the end of the month. I did what was suggested in the earlier post and added up the price of the character meals my DS and DD wanted to do and compared that to the price of the dining option. My question is we are going to WDW with another family they are not on the dining plan. We have 3 PS with them. CM said this wouldn't be a problem when I made PS. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge about this? Thanks.
Michele

 

[estnh]

We just returned from 8 days at the world using the MYW plan. From a value point of view, it is well worth the money. Disney food prices are very high, and we figured we saved well over $400.00 using the plan for our family of four. However, there is a lot of food--you tend to eat more than you want, and also have to stick to a fairly regimented schedule to keep all your PS. It is a lot of fun, though, not to have to think about food costs--you order whatever you want!

As far as park hoppers go, we would never go without them. If you don't have a hopper, you are at the mercy of the crowds. With hoppers, you can take advantage of early morning hours and get out of that park by the time it overflows around noon. Most Disney regulars would agree that you can get more done in the first two hours of the day than the rest of the day combined.

 

[kycat]

Are the prices for the dining plan posted anywhere? Or do you have to call?Are their plans flexible…meaning can you just purchase evening meals?

Thanks

 

[luvmyfam444]

we too booked the MYW w/food. And are plaaning on trading in 1 meal for CInderella & then the 2 mels for the Hoopdo Revue. ANd then we'll just eat PB&J for those meals we gave up....the Hoop DE is $50 per ticket!!! And CIndy is $25...so I think trading them in is a steal....after the huge b'fast we won't want lunch anyway...so we won't even miss that meal we traded....

WE've used th hoppers before -but that was part of the special rate we had then - loved it but chose not to purchase it---it's kinda high & knowing my kids they won't want to go to another park -they'll want to stay in 1 park all day...it was convient for AK 'cause we were done rather quick & could get out $'s worth for the day by going back to MK....it really depends on the parks you choose & what you want to see...

 

[valandemmy]

Are the prices for the dining plan posted anywhere? Or do you have to call?Are their plans flexible?meaning can you just purchase evening meals?

Thanks

you have to purchase everything through disney. Hotel rooms and tickets in order to be able to get the dining option. the dining option is priced at 35.00/day for adults and 10.00/day for kids - I am not sure what age the child is considered an adult. you get 1 -snack, 1-counter service and 1-sit down meal per person, per day of your stay. you must get the plan for every day of your stay and for every person in your party.

HTH.

Charles, Val and Emily

 

[kjs1976]

New to the MYW dining option....do you have to book a package to book this? We have a room only ressie, but we are interested in the dining option if possible!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Here's the full skinny on the Magic Your Way with dining package.

In order to take advantage of the meals, you MUST book a vacation package through the Walt Disney company. This means you must book a room and ticket bundle. So if you already have tickets, and just make a room reservation - that won't count. You have to book BOTH of those items together.

Then - to add the dining costs $35.00 per night for adults, and $10.00 per night for children. That doesn't include taxes. The taxes that will be added are RESORT taxes (meaning 11-12% depending on which resort you stay in).

Here's the catch: when you purchase this package - everyone on the reservation has to have identical tickets, and everyone on the reservation has to have the dining for EVERY night of your stay.

What that $35 (or $10 for kids) includes is 1 sit down meal, 1 counter service meal, and 1 snack per person, per night. So if you have a 5 night vacation, each person has 5 sit down meals, 5 counter service meals, and 5 snacks for your entire stay. You may use those HOWEVER you'd like. Some restaurants are considered signature dining experiences and will use TWO of your sit down meals. But that's really the only caveat.

You can find a list of which restaurants will TAKE the meal plan as payment here: http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/packages/2005-packages-dining.htm

 

[kjs1976]

Thank you for that info! I was afraid that it had to be booked with a package.

 

[MomofKatie]

Then - to add the dining costs $35.00 per night for adults, and $10.00 per night for children. That doesn't include taxes. The taxes that will be added are RESORT taxes (meaning 11-12% depending on which resort you stay in).

I might be wrong, but I believe that the cost is a FLAT $35/$10- there is no tax added. I broke down all the costs of my package, and there is NO TAX added to the Dining portion of the plan for us. There is 11.5% (or 12%, depending on where you stay) added to our rooms, and 6.5% aded to the MYW tickets. But none added to the Dining plan.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I might be wrong, but I believe that the cost is a FLAT $35/$10- there is no tax added. I broke down all the costs of my package, and there is NO TAX added to the Dining portion of the plan for us. There is 11.5% (or 12%, depending on where you stay) added to our rooms, and 6.5% aded to the MYW tickets. But none added to the Dining plan.

You're absolutely right.

Sorry!

 

[dolphindan1]

Also keep in mind that all meals are basically put in a meal bank which anyone can use at anytime....Basically one adult could eat all the snacks for each person in the family...sometimes it is actually better to pay for a kids meal and bank the MYW meal to a character meal another night....I hope that makes sense

 

[DreamGirl's Mom]

So, does that mean if an adult and child (six years old) travel together for 4 nights we get 8 table-services, 8 counter-services and 8 snacks? AND that an adult could have all 8 table-service meals and just buy the child a meal separately?

 

[MomofKatie]

So, does that mean if an adult and child (six years old) travel together for 4 nights we get 8 table-services, 8 counter-services and 8 snacks? AND that an adult could have all 8 table-service meals and just buy the child a meal separately?

Yes. If that is what you want to do- I'd take a look at the menus on www.allearsnet.com and see how you want to use the TS meals. In most cases, it makes sense to pay out of pocket for a kids' meal, or share one meal with your child (there is a lot of food, with an appetizer, entree, and dessert at the TS restaurants). You can use the extra TS credits for Signature dining, or just schedule more TS meals.

 

[BelleChick]

We are thinking about doing this too...and I heard that there is a list of resturants you can choose from....does anyone have that list?

 

[rarrington]

It is correct that you must book a package in order to get the dining option, but I was able to book my package through AAA and get the AAA discount on the room portion of my package. Saved me several hundred dollars on the room as well as allowing me to save several hundred in food costs for the famly by using the dining plan.

Leaving in a few hours!!!!
CR May 3-10

 

[wright1baby]

We are thinking about doing this too...and I heard that there is a list of resturants you can choose from....does anyone have that list?

This is a PDF file and we are on dial up. Takes a little while to load.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/tickets/packageDetail?id=PackageDetailMYWDiningPkg05Page