Need help calculating our costs

[monica9]

This is my favorite princess meal.



This is how I would plan:
Add up the cost of the meals you are planning. Be sure to add the tax. Be honest about the beverages. If you woudl like an alcoholic beverage add about 10 per meal. If you normally would not order one, but take it becuase it is "free" do not add them in. Stick with what you would order, either soft of water.

In your case I would not add in snacks per day because you have not mentioned them. If you normally buy a few, add in $5 per each you think you would buy. Add tax. Some are more money, others less, but I find $5 a good estimate.

What counter service meals are you thinking of with your TS choices? Look at the menus and estimate what your family willlikely order. Use the same beverage plan as above, and add that cost if it pertains.

This gives you a pretty decent estimate of the OOP cost.

Now add the cost of the dining plan for you family. Tax is already paid with the cost of the plan, so you have an apples to apples comparison.

I never add in tip because I tip on my TS meals, DDP or not, and I order what i want, DDP or not so for me it is a wash.

Do NOT work backwards and plan meals to match the plan you are looking at, and whatever you do, be honest with yourself in terms of how you will want to dine. My DH will tell me to plan "on the cheap" he does not need a Taj Mahal" and is "happy with a burger." This is the same man who called the Beach Club a "dump" and arranged a mutiny because I was "starving Him" after I had booked club level and thought we would have our breakfast in the lounge, and who insisted I find us a TS dinner for every evening I had planned CS. He made us move from POR to the Grand one year, and on our last stay at OKW 2 bedroom villa he asked me why we had not stayed in Disney. (Even after forcing hom to watch youtube videos of villas that woudl accomodate our crew and that were thought to be included on the FD offer) My daughter and DSIL now refer to Pa as Princess when we plan our WDW trips.

For us, I now just plan what meals he will be happy with and ignore the shock when we make the total cost of meals we are enjoying on FD.

Haha your husband sounds funny and similar to mine with the resort choices. You should book him BBB lol.
Actually, what you are saying is exactly what I was going to do today at work. Calculate everything. I’m going to be on allears menus all day.
I feel like if I knew the space restaurant at Epcot was going to be open when we go then it will help make our decision as it will be another TS we would want to reserve

 

[Nancyg56]

Haha your husband sounds funny and similar to mine with the resort choices. You should book him BBB lol.
Actually, what you are saying is exactly what I was going to do today at work. Calculate everything. I’m going to be on allears menus all day.
I feel like if I knew the space restaurant at Epcot was going to be open when we go then it will help make our decision as it will be another TS we would want to reserve

If that one is on your radar, book the plan. You can cancel later on if you find it will not pay for itself. Your price is locked in just in case the plan price increases.

 

[monica9]

I just calculated
Looks like our sit downs would cost (dinner and tax/ no tip:
Artist point storybook dinner $165
Ohana dinner $145
Chef Mickey B-fast $ 125
2 quick services/day averaging $10/meal w/drink= $80/day
1 snack per day for 4 of us (toddler included in snacks)= $20
12 quick services
3 table services
6 snacks
around $1115 not including if we got an alcoholic drink but I don't think we'd get it with our meals we would probably get one randomly at Epcot or Poly
so what do you think??
Sorry to be a pain!

 

[Nancyg56]

I just calculated
Looks like our sit downs would cost (dinner and tax/ no tip:
Artist point storybook dinner $165
Ohana dinner $145
Chef Mickey B-fast $ 125
2 quick services/day averaging $10/meal w/drink= $80/day
1 snack per day for 4 of us (toddler included in snacks)= $20
12 quick services
3 table services
6 snacks
around $1115 not including if we got an alcoholic drink but I don't think we'd get it with our meals we would probably get one randomly at Epcot or Poly
so what do you think??
Sorry to be a pain!

You are under the cost of the plan, so unless your qs calculations are under you will be better off without it.

I still would add it and if dining costs increase you are good. If not cancel it.

 

[monica9]

You are under the cost of the plan, so unless your qs calculations are under you will be better off without it.

I still would add it and if dining costs increase you are good. If not cancel it.

Yea, forgot to add our little one to some of the quick services and snacks.
Unfortunatly we purchased dvc points from a rental company so I think I'm locked in if we decide to go the dining plan route.

 

[KMarston]

If you google Disney dining plan calculator you'll find a simple tool to give you a good estimate!

 

[Nancyg56]

If you google Disney dining plan calculator you'll find a simple tool to give you a good estimate!

I have read that it has not been updated in quite some time so it does not calculate based on teh price increases that have taken place this past year.

 

[Nancyg56]

Yea, forgot to add our little one to some of the quick services and snacks.
Unfortunatly we purchased dvc points from a rental company so I think I'm locked in if we decide to go the dining plan route.

You are locked in I believe.

I am not great at the math for other people. I know that my family orders the burgers, ribs, etc on the QS menus. We order the alcohol or the fancy pants beverages. Starbucks is one of our snack credits in every park, and so our use there is around 7 or 8 per beverage with the extra shots. For us, if is it close we book teh plan and even though we have on occasion had a few snacks left or a CS left, I use them to get those little tins of mints that are about $5 each and give them to the kids as part of their souvenier.

I wish I was more help, but I know that there are people here who do very well at calculating. WHen I am in doubt I ask my DD to look at our sheet.