No dining plan, no discount card and not cooking-Does it work for you?

[edk35]

Friends of ours got the DDP one time and another factor is, you have to eat whether you're hungry or not.......if someone feels ill in the family you lose those credits and paid for nothing. This happened to friends of ours. Not to put down Le Cellier in Epcot, but they all ate there for dinner and all of them came down with some sort of food poisoning. They could barely eat anything for 24 hours and even on the second day they could only eat very light snack meals. So they essentially lost their money for 5 people for two full days. Just something to consider.

WOW that is something to think about. Those poor people. I would hate for that to happen to anyone while on vacation but to lose out on the money spent on DDP makes it even worse.

 

[Anal Annie]

What do you mean about the new ADR system only being able to make one reservastion at a time? Do you mean per day? I called awhile back, under the new system and was able to make ADR's for our 7 day trip all at one time.

You used to be able to make 2 reservations for the same day for dinner and now the system assigns hours for lunch and for dinner so you cannot make more than 1 reservation during a given time slot. Last summer for example, I made 2 dinner reservations on the same evening for just almost the same time. One at Boma (which I LOVE) and one at Jiko (which we had never tried & were curious about). I couldn't decide which one I wanted. We finally decided the day before to go ahead & try Jiko 'cuz we had a breakfast ressie for our last morning for Boma. So I called the dining number & cancelled the Boma ressie. Sometimes I would make ADR's for say a restaurant in Epcot on the same night that I had a ressie for a Fantasmic dinner pkg. in HS. You have to cancel the Fantasmic ressies 48 hours ahead so I would see what the weather forecast was & if I felt confident enough we would cancel the Epcot ressie & keep the Fantasmic one. If it was a 90% chance of rain then we'd be more likely to cancel the Fantasmic ressie and go to Epcot. It's double booking. No doubt about it. But I didn't do anything illegal and I ALWAYS called & released whatever we didn't want. NOW, dinner is say from 3-10:00 pm. So you cannot plan for a really late lunch somewhere and a really late dinner. I could see doing this maybe on our arrival day if we land say at Noon...I would plan for a late lunch maybe at 3:00 somewhere to allow plenty of time....then we might want a late dinner at say 8:30 or 9:00. Can't do that now 'cuz they take your reservation confirmation # when you book your ADR's and the system won't allow 2 reservations during the same time slot.

 

[patsal]

I have used the DDP.
I have used the TIW.
I have used only DVC/AP discounts
I ahve used nothing at all.
Depeneding upon what I am doing and who I am traveling with I do what works best.
Last year we learned no dining plan worked best for us, but last year we ate a TS lunch each day. We are not big on desserts but like appetizers.
We do not always eat a lot of snacks.
This year we have a cruise for after the DVC stay so we figured we don't want to do a bunch of TS before we get on a 7 night cruise. We talked and I don't mind cooking, but it is a vacation so cooking is limited to the famous toasted bagel or cold cereal--seems very popular around here! After a good amount of sdiscussion I learned that my kids (17 and 14 do not like to ask for snacks--they feel funny asking for anything more on vacation. That is how my kids are, they just like going places and don't like to ask fo rthings so they liked the snacks on the DDP becasue they didnt' have to ask. I like the snacks on the DDP becasue I don't have to do the mental math and cringe--sure you can have a slushie--oh crap $16 for flavored ice water! ( I'm thinking the kids think like I do so maybe that is why they don't like to ask?)
After that discussion I decided to go with the QSDP and 1 TS signature dinner and 1 TS lunch. Everyone gets what they want, we can grab breakfast in the park when we do share--often we do 3 CS rather than 4 and share so the extra will be perfect. We will have a cooler when we head to the port the day before the cruise so I can grab sandwiches if we have any left over QS credits for lunch and dinner that night. Once I get to breakeven I don't care if there are leftover credits that don't get used.

Bottom like I don't think there is any one hard and fast the DDP is good or the DDP is bad--it just is very relative to the makeup of your group and the touring style you'll be using.

 

[nickspace]

I ordered groceries through WEGOSHOP and it was great. We had them go to Costco and we got items that didn't need much preparation.

 

[starbox]

Good info.. I never considered using it for breakfast. Are the QS meals combined or would we need to order a kids breakfast? I have also considered the QS for the mugs...

1 other thing I am worried about is we are staying at Kidani and I am concerned about the QS options without having to take a bus to Mara everyday.. I hope they have some type of breakfast/lunch service like at Beach Club store and pool...

QS are not combined.

 

[MiaSRN62]

HayGan :You do not lose your credits. Your friends could have used their credits on another day of their trip. Yes, if you get sick on the last day then any you don't lose would be lost but if it is earlier in the trip you can ust have two TS meals in one day or eat at a signature restaurant. Credits are good for the entire trip and are not allocated to each day.

I know they were never able to catch up with all the credits in their remaining 2-3 days. They went home with many unused credits. I recall her being upset about it.

Also in Feb....she used DDP again (despite her bad luck the year before). Same thing happened. Her kids got sick and she was "sneaking" in us to use some of her credits. I know this is a big no-no but she insisted because she swore she wouldn't go home with lots of unused credits as she did the year before.


Maria

 

[starbox]

I know they were never able to catch up with all the credits in their remaining 2-3 days. They went home with many unused credits. I recall her being upset about it.

If this ever happens, try switching one of your planned TS to a signature dinner - the signature restaurants usually have lots more availability last minute.

 

[Golden Rose]

We've done no discounts, the (old style) DDP, the DxDDP, and the TiW. We love good appetizers, so we wouldn't ever pay for any plan that didn't include them. We much prefer them to desserts, and not including them on the DDP keeps us from buying it. And we're not getting any dining for free now that we are DVC members. So no more DDP for us, at least in its current form.

Traditionally we eat breakfast in the room all or most days, then do either a TS or QS lunch and a signature restaurant for dinner. In the old days, we generally paid for a few TS meals out of pocket, since we really prefer TS to QS most of the time. Then we'd get a bunch of food for the road at the last day to use up our snack credits and our remaining CS credits.

The DxDDP was actually great for our style of dining, and we may yet decide to use it again. However, we opted to get the TiW for the first time this year, and we have absolutely loved it. We know it has saved us money; it paid for itself with one meal at V & A's.

I don't know if we'll ever go back to no discounts. We enjoy many of the dining experiences at WDW, particularly those that really cannot be easily duplicated even in a large city with many dining choices. (Cali Grill watching fireworks, Jiko, V & A, Bistro de Paris, Coral Reef dining by the tank, Marrakesh, Cindy's Castle, even Sci Fi) No, the meals aren't always all about the food, but we found the experience of those meals worth our time and money. TiW seems to be the best fit for us, with the DxDDP a very, very close second.

As far as recent changes to booking dining go, I'm actually glad you can't have two ADRs for the time slot any more, but I'm very sorry you can't book at 180 days out any more.

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

everything form the old GOLD KEY to the all inclusive plans and found that it was just Waaaay to much food for us to eat. We felt like royalty with the food and servie we recieved but I gained ten pounds per trip. Since we became DVC owners we have loved the flexibility of having breakfast at our room and it can be as fancy as a full blown spread to pop tarts and chocolate milk and coffee. We usually only go for 3-4 nights each trip and book two TS meals at new places we haven't tried or the old favorites. We have explored the side winders or CS restaurants next to the biggies the past few trips and it is about half the price and you still get more than enough food to eat. We usually take a mid day break and go back to the resort and have a light snack (sandwich) and an adult beverage and enjoy some pool time before heading back to the parks.

The TIW card is nice for the discount but they are eliminating more places you can use it all the time.

 

[kam0202]

In the past we have always gotten the dining plan. We have experienced both the regular plan and deluxe... After using the deluxe last June we are seriously considering NO dining plan at all... We have ADR's everyday and the thought of sitting down everyday makes sick.. So we have decided to just do 3-4 dining reservation. We considered the Quick Service dining plan and just pay out of pocket for the 3-4 ADR's.. Although I am not sure that is a good fit for us since my DS's are picky eaters and can usually share a Quick Service meal...

Those of you that just wing it on your own without any type of plan or discount does it work out well for you? I am scared we may end up paying too much going out of pocket..

What are your suggestions?

We've never gotten the plan. We eat breakfast in the room with our kids (I love to cook) and some of the 7 days of our vacation, make sandwiches and snacks. DDP seems like way too much food for us; we are an active, healthy (and gym rats) family. Besides most of our favorite restaurants are not on the DDP - like Shula's steakhouse and the Fulton Crab House.

 

[2giddy4wdw]

My family is on the other end of the spectrum. DH and my thoughts are...we are on vacation and we don't want to cook. We eat breakfast in the room, but we don't return until the parks close. Using the DDP is wonderful for us. I just wish that you could choose between an appetizer OR dessert. Not all the time do we want dessert, but some of the appetizers are out of this world. And I would rather eat an appetizer then dessert. Yes we sort of plan our trip around dinner, but it works for us. We usually have lunch between 11 and 12, then have dinner reservations between 5 or 6. Gives us time to eat and still see the night time shows.

The DDP was definately a ton of food when you had both appetizer and dessert, I like it better now. I love trying different TS meals. And I hate looking at the prices of these meals. There are some of the TS places that have amazing appetizers and we will pay out of pocket for them.

We end up using the left over snack credits before we leave and bring home some "disney treats". DD loves getting the disney rice crispy treats in her lunch!!

The DDP works for our family...and may not work for others!! It's all about what works best for you!

 

[Luv2trav]

Just to let everyone know we are trying to decide between QS or nothing at all... We are not doing the dining plan. I am leaning towards nothing and DH wants some type of plan... We are waiting to see what is offered for Kidani Village first.

 

[buzz5985]

In the past I have not felt that the dining plan was worth it for our DS. He's a "Disney adult" now (turning 12 next month) and weighs all of 65 Lbs. :

Wow - I think your the first person I've "met" with a DS as thin as mine. LOL Mine turned 12 last November, and at his Dr's in March was 65 pounds and 57 inches tall. Painfully thin. Mine just recently started showing an interest in food. His favorite meal in Disney - Jiko - the filet mignon. So there is hope.

Now back to the subject - we have also done the DDP and the old DDE. We did the DDP for half a trip (split stay). DH and I enjoyed the plan, DS and DF 76 disliked spending so much time in restaurants. We enjoyed the DDE but we don't go as often now - so we don't have the annual pass. Our trips lately we will make a couple of ADR's, but the rest of the time we wing it.

I'd like to mention that I don't mind cooking on vacation. I work nights, so I am never home at dinner time. So it a treat to be in the kitchen, with everyone helping out, cooking, talking, relaxing.

 

[Disneymom2266]

In the past we have always gotten the dining plan. We have experienced both the regular plan and deluxe... After using the deluxe last June we are seriously considering NO dining plan at all... We have ADR's everyday and the thought of sitting down everyday makes sick.. So we have decided to just do 3-4 dining reservation. We considered the Quick Service dining plan and just pay out of pocket for the 3-4 ADR's.. Although I am not sure that is a good fit for us since my DS's are picky eaters and can usually share a Quick Service meal...

Those of you that just wing it on your own without any type of plan or discount does it work out well for you? I am scared we may end up paying too much going out of pocket..

What are your suggestions?

Will you have a car with you? We have always gone off site a few times for a meal, which can save some $$$ and give you a disney food break. We think $160 a day for four of us is way more than we would regularly spend and too much to eat. I say try winging it once, and see how it goes. I dont like being tied to sit down meals either. You can call dining from your room to find out of any last minute cancellations if you decide on a sit down last minute.