We've never found the dining plan to be a good fit for our family. I just know that I can spend less paying OOP by spliting some meals (some places have large portions), eating breakfast at the resort, and bringing our own snacks. We had free QS dining in January and I have to say we loved the convenience of it but it was a lot of food...Way more than what we normally eat. Also, we tend to prefer to eat at the quick service locations versus the sit down restaurants.
I can definitely understand why people like the dining plan though. It does make it so much easier to have it prepaid and all you have to do is swipe your card.
I enjoyed the dining plan previously. Especially, those buffets like dinner at 1900 Park Fare. You're right that it doesn't seem to match those who eat counter vs. table.
I agree, the amount of food is ridiculous!
I don't think Disney ever expected the DDP to fit everyone. It stopped working for us probably around the time they got rid of tips and appertizers (since we love appertizers and rarely get dessert).
Even when we eat totally normal, we do not spend $204 bucks a day on food (2013 prices for 4 adults).
And it's funny because I am the opposite when I was on the ddp. I found that I stressed way more over what to eat. Primarily because I had to make sure I got the "value" of the plan. I found myself ordering the most expensive thing when all I really wanted was a chicken ceasar salad simply because I didn't want to "waste" the credits.
Last year with my dvc discount at places and the TIW card that also covers adult drinks we saved almost $400 bucks over the ddp.
Glad though that disney offers it as an alternative.
I think that the way the prices keep going up, the dining plan is profiting Disney nicely!
I stressed over the the dining plan when ordering too. Last December, when I knew it was our last dining plan hurrah with kid's pricing, I made sure to book the most expensive restaurants.
I'm glad to see your comparison. We have purchased the DDP on prior trips (and had '
free dining' on others) but we had 2 adults and 2 kids. Now that our oldest is 10 and a "Disney adult" I'm not sure that it will be cost-effective. When we plan our next trip, I'll have to crunch the numbers and see how many TS meals we plan to eat, where we plan to stay, etc. We are Florida residents, so we can get the TIW card if it works out to give us the best deal.
I think it is important to crunch the numbers. Each family is very different.
Hopefully, you can benefit from my dining log.
We have decided the only way the dinibg plan works for our family is if it is free. Purchasing the plan just ties up to much money in just good. We went sans DDP in march and we were happy to order what we want when we want.
Since we are staying mod on our next trip free dining would be a bigger savings than a room discount.
Anyways my point as we won't pay for the DDP OOP.
I'm glad you compared the room discount to the free dining savings. I think that it depends on the room discount to determine which is more cost effective. Unfortunately, many people hear FREE only.
Well your kids ordered off the kids menu aNd the dining plan would have given them an adult meal so that makes a big differance. Also since TIW is only for passholders you have to factor that in
Yes, you're right. I am not comparing apples to apples. I am only showing what dining costs my family. We wouldn't have eaten all of the food if we had each of those credits...or we would have had to pay oop for the app. Regardless of how we saved the money (ordering the same credits as the DDP or not) my family spent over $100 less on food than if we had been on the dining plan.
I know that the TIW isn't an option for all. I did include the total without that discount for anyone interested. (We still would have saved (by not spending) over $80 without it).
We haven't been back since Christmas of '04 . . . kids got to an age where it was impossible to take them out of school and go during slow times in Dec. and in band they had to stay home in October for fall break for the Fri. night football games mandatory on each end of the break week.
So long story . . . just took DD to college last week . . . I will really miss her and planning a week in Disney second week of December after her first semester away at college and planning on staying at Pop Century, she wanted All Star Movies but no free dining plan available.
I've never done the Dining plan . . . for free I guess it is better and pay regular room rate vs. waiting for a discount? We don't eat a lot, just me & her as DS will still be in high school and won't be coming and DH will be staying home to take him to school. So a girls only trip. Maybe catch a cab one day and go to the Premiere Outlets.
We've always done AP's and AP discounts and no dining plans. This is all new. Hopefully it being FREE we'll find something healthy to eat with counter service at the resort and in the parks.
It doesn't sound like any DDP is a good fit for you as you don't eat much. I think it's important for everyone to crunch the numbers.
Have a great girls trip!!
The DDP doesn't work for us either. We like our appetizers, 5 desserts per TS is ridiculous for us, and we rarely drink soda. We are getting the TiW card this trip and I'm sure it will be a much better fit.
I had to calculate if the TIW card would work for us. I think with the AP it was $75. (If I used the DVC membership, it was $100.) I'll jump ahead; by the end of the trip the TIW only saved us a couple of dollars - just past the break even point. However, we will use it again in the winter and possibly another summer trip- realizing all of the 20% savings.
Just wanted to say to OP that this was a great post. You made a comparison that worked for you, but acknowledged that it wasn't apples to apples, necessarily. But, still, you made a good decision that worked the way you needed it to... awesome!
Thanks!
Me too! I get so caught up in making sure that we're getting a good deal that it's not pleasant. DH LOVES the dining plan though, and since he pretty much always orders the most expensive thing on the menu it works....for him. As of now, it's hard for us because we're two adults and one child under 3.
Right now, I'm hoping we get to do a trip in December or January and Free Dining is actually tempting me. The catch is that they seem to be in the process of extending the military room discount. This makes our decision between moderate and deluxe more difficult, because Free Dining saves us around $400 over a room discount at a Moderate resort, whereas a room discount is better at a Deluxe resort. The Deluxe resort is obviously more expensive overall, so we really have to consider our budget carefully before making a decision.
I would book the dining first. If you aren't booking buffets, you might find that the room/ military discount is the better option.
Overall, I think if you don't eat the desserts that come with everything and you don't eat at buffets, the dining plan will always lose.
Let me know how the numbers work for you. I'm curious.
