Newbie - I don't think I need the Dining Plan... am I correct?

[MsGlassSlipper]

Hi all,

Going this fall for 8 nights cool1 with DBF! Super excited as I haven't been to WDW since I was a kid, and only for a couple days at that time.

We don't think we need DP, but I thought I'd ask the experts! We want to hit Yachtsman Steakhouse, Hoop Dee Doo, Via Napoli and one of the AKL restaurants (suggestions of your favorites welcome!). We generally aren't dessert eaters... occasionally we'll share an appetizer. We are big meat eaters, so that could make our dinners a little pricier. (I also think Ohana looks awesome, but it's not currently on our list, but we have a few days before we have to make ADRs.)

My inclination is that if we want to pre-pay, buying Disney Gift Cards is probably the way to go for us.

I so welcome any/all of your input!

Thanks!

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

I think your best bet would be too look at allears website and price out what you think you would order and then compare it against the cost to add the plan. This should give you a good idea of what the best option for you would be.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Exactly. There are several sites that have menus posted--even Disney's. Look at the prices for the restaurants you're thinking of. Think about what you'd do for the other meals of the day and then add up a couple typical days. Adult cost for dining is about $55 per day. Will you spend more or less than that out of pocket?

One big thing to keep in mind---some of the signature restaurants require two credits for dinner. I'm pretty sure Hoop Dee Doo is one of them. So you're basically using two of your dinners for that one night. Just something to keep in mind when you're figuring cost.

 

[TheDisney411]

Hi all,

Going this fall for 8 nights cool1 with DBF! Super excited as I haven't been to WDW since I was a kid, and only for a couple days at that time.

We don't think we need DP, but I thought I'd ask the experts! We want to hit Yachtsman Steakhouse, Hoop Dee Doo, Via Napoli and one of the AKL restaurants (suggestions of your favorites welcome!). We generally aren't dessert eaters... occasionally we'll share an appetizer. We are big meat eaters, so that could make our dinners a little pricier. (I also think Ohana looks awesome, but it's not currently on our list, but we have a few days before we have to make ADRs.)

My inclination is that if we want to pre-pay, buying Disney Gift Cards is probably the way to go for us.

I so welcome any/all of your input!

Thanks!

What dates are you going? Disney has had Free Dining promos during select fall dates for the last several years.

 

[melifeld]

My inclination is that if we want to pre-pay, buying Disney Gift Cards is probably the way to go for us.

Don't forget to get those Disney Gift Cards from Target using your Target Red Card. You will save 5%.

 

[MsGlassSlipper]

Thanks all for the replies so far.

@melifeld - is the Target Red card a store credit card? I was thinking of using ebates, which has a 3% cash back on Disney Store... actually, I'm kinda waiting and hoping that the Disney Store has a double cash back 1-day special some time in the next few months.

@TheDisney411 - We're going the second week of November. So far, I haven't seen any free dining posted for that time period. Do you think it could still happen?

 

[TheDisney411]

Thanks all for the replies so far.

@melifeld - is the Target Red card a store credit card? I was thinking of using ebates, which has a 3% cash back on Disney Store... actually, I'm kinda waiting and hoping that the Disney Store has a double cash back 1-day special some time in the next few months.

@TheDisney411 - We're going the second week of November. So far, I haven't seen any free dining posted for that time period. Do you think it could still happen?

The October - December free dining dates are not released annually until July, sometimes August. The second week of November has been included on free dining promos for that time frame the last several years.

 

[melifeld]

Hi. There are two types of Target Red Cards. One is a credit card, which you apply for. The other is a Debit Card that is attached to your bank debit card. I have the debit card.

To get either, you stop by the customer service desk at Target and tell them which card you are interested in. If you want the debit card, just be sure you have your bank debit card with you. When you do a transaction with the Target Red Card Debit, it just charges it to your bank debit card (takes a day or two), so it is just like using your regular debit card - no bill to pay at the end of the month, just need to have the money in your bank account. AND you get 5% off your purchases at the register when you slide your Red Card. Only a few things are excluded from the 5% discount, but Disney gift cards are INCLUDED.

 

[Cobern]

Hi. There are two types of Target Red Cards. One is a credit card, which you apply for. The other is a Debit Card that is attached to your bank debit card. I have the debit card.

To get either, you stop by the customer service desk at Target and tell them which card you are interested in. If you want the debit card, just be sure you have your bank debit card with you. When you do a transaction with the Target Red Card Debit, it just charges it to your bank debit card (takes a day or two), so it is just like using your regular debit card - no bill to pay at the end of the month, just need to have the money in your bank account. AND you get 5% off your purchases at the register when you slide your Red Card. Only a few things are excluded from the 5% discount, but Disney gift cards are INCLUDED.

You need a check not your debit card to poly for the target debit card

 

[bdklein]

We don't think we need DP, but I thought I'd ask the experts! We want to hit Yachtsman Steakhouse, Hoop Dee Doo, Via Napoli and one of the AKL restaurants (suggestions of your favorites welcome!). We generally aren't dessert eaters... occasionally we'll share an appetizer. We are big meat eaters, so that could make our dinners a little pricier.

No need for Dining Plan based on your eating habits.

 

[smiths02]

Hi all,

Going this fall for 8 nights cool1 with DBF! Super excited as I haven't been to WDW since I was a kid, and only for a couple days at that time.

We don't think we need DP, but I thought I'd ask the experts! We want to hit Yachtsman Steakhouse, Hoop Dee Doo, Via Napoli and one of the AKL restaurants (suggestions of your favorites welcome!). We generally aren't dessert eaters... occasionally we'll share an appetizer. We are big meat eaters, so that could make our dinners a little pricier. (I also think Ohana looks awesome, but it's not currently on our list, but we have a few days before we have to make ADRs.)

My inclination is that if we want to pre-pay, buying Disney Gift Cards is probably the way to go for us.

I so welcome any/all of your input!

Thanks!

Unless you do get free dining, it doesn't sound like the DDP will work for you. Obviously, QSDP won't work since you want several table service. DxDP won't work because you are only talking about 6-8 TS credits over 8 nights.

Reasons why DDP probably won't save you money:
2 adults--the kids plans save money, the adult plans don't save that much even when you use your entitlements in the most expensive way
Signatures/shows-you have at least two meals that will require 2 credits...2 credit meals are generally not a financially good use of regular DDP credits
Desserts-you don't eat desserts, part of the saving from the DDP is dessert at every TS and CS meal

 

[Lorelei528]

Are you planning on eating any other meals at all? Though you only have 6-8 credits listed here, if you are planning on eating any TS or CS for breakfast or lunch, I would get the Deluxe Dining Plan.

DH and I always get it because we eat in a lot of signature or 2 point restaurants for dinner (such as the ones you have listed) and then we'll have a sit down breakfast. Some days we skip lunch. When we get the Deluxe Plan, we are never short of points and never have to pay OOP for anything. If we got the regular dining, we would not be able to eat at the siggie restaurants or we would but be spending oop more...

If free dining is released for your dates, the Deluxe dining rate would be adjusted down. This happened to us last trip which was nice.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Hi. There are two types of Target Red Cards. One is a credit card, which you apply for. The other is a Debit Card that is attached to your bank debit card. I have the debit card.

To get either, you stop by the customer service desk at Target and tell them which card you are interested in. If you want the debit card, just be sure you have your bank debit card with you. When you do a transaction with the Target Red Card Debit, it just charges it to your bank debit card (takes a day or two), so it is just like using your regular debit card - no bill to pay at the end of the month, just need to have the money in your bank account. AND you get 5% off your purchases at the register when you slide your Red Card. Only a few things are excluded from the 5% discount, but Disney gift cards are INCLUDED.

Thank you so much for posting this!!!!

 

[MsGlassSlipper]

Thanks everyone! I didn't check this thread all day when I was at work and just came home to all these friendly and helpful replies!

Lorelai528 - yes, we will eat other meals, though probably mostly counter service or snacks aside from what I've listed here.

I actually found the sticky post on the Disney Dining Plan Calculator and downloaded that spreadsheet, which I found SO helpful! I plugged in a few different scenarios, including a couple of additional table service restaurants for breakfast, and at my high and low end predictions of where we'll eat, Out of Pocket wins for us every time.

smiths02 - I think everything you said was dead-on. So I'll keep my eyes peeled for free dining - because that does sound awesome and in the meantime, I won't worry about it.

Thanks again!

 

[TheDisney411]

Thanks all for the replies so far.

@melifeld - is the Target Red card a store credit card? I was thinking of using ebates, which has a 3% cash back on Disney Store... actually, I'm kinda waiting and hoping that the Disney Store has a double cash back 1-day special some time in the next few months.

@TheDisney411 - We're going the second week of November. So far, I haven't seen any free dining posted for that time period. Do you think it could still happen?

The email pin codes came out today for the October - December timeframe and your dates are included, so pretty god chance they will be included for the GP FD offer this summer

 

[MsGlassSlipper]

We'll be staying on dvc points for most of our stay... does that mean we can't do free dining?

Thanks all

 

[Lorelei528]

If you are staying on DVC points, you cannot get free dining....free dining is for cash ressies only...

 

[MsGlassSlipper]

Ah well, as I'd suspected. Then it's confirmed: no dining plan for us.

On to ADRs on Monday!

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks again for your responses.