No diningplan - crazy?

[cnids00]

We're going back Dec 1 - 8 2006 , staying at CSR and we have not added the diningplan, now let me know if that is totally insane or not. We usually eat breakfast in our room (if not going for a character breakfast), we usually hold out for lunch pretty good this way, but still, is this just crazy or what? They hadn't started the diningplan when we were there in -04 and now I am so totally confused, we are me, DH and DD 11, and if adding it now it would be around 900 dollars? Also 1 day we're going to Seaworld and eating dinner with Shamu, so that day we would not be eating at DW. I'm trying to figure out what to do.

Also this will be our first trip in the holiday season, I think the dates we've chosen are "in between big crowds" so to speak according to Disney but then again..you never know

Anyone?

Thanks!!!!!

 

[wishinonastar2goback]

Whether or not to use the dp sort of depends on what type of places you like to eat in. You can save a LOT of money on it. Even if you're going to Sea World on one day, because on another day you could eat at a Signature Place - California Grill, or Dinner Show, etc. - and use 2 of your credits. Remember, it doesn't matter which day you use the meal credits on. You get them in bulk attached to your ticket, and you use them as you wish, i.e. 3 on one day, none on another, etc. So if you like the nicer sit-down meals there, you'll still save a lot of $.
But if you're a 'hamburger joint' type of eater, you'll maybe be better off without it.

 

[cnids00]

We like to eat character meals and sit down meals, don't think we ever did the hamburger meal and have also never tried Hoop Dee Doo, I'm playing with idea of trying that this year. Maybe if I could tally our last stays dining it would make sense, hmm still have to figure out what to do but looks like every post on the board is positive about this dining plan

Thanks for replying so quickly, I have to do this in my early mornings as my DD has no clue about this trip yet, I'm trying to keep it a secret as 9 months of her talking about it might be something I'd have to pay for

Decisions, decisions

I take it I could still have it added to the ressie, booked online..phonecall should be in order

Thanks again!!

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

The restaurant prices have jumped in the last year, so your old slips might not be the place to start. Jump over to www.allearsnet.com and look at the menus in the dining section. You can see from that if the dining plan is a good deal for they way your family eats.
For my family it is a good deal. For my parents it would be a terrible deal.
No matter what you decide on the plan, call ahead for your restaurant reservations, that has become the big dining plan issue, too many people eating in disney and not enough tables for all of them.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I am doing it for 15 days when I go to Pop Century in September, I am planning on going to Busch Gardens, and Sea World for a day each and a shopping trip for another 1 day. So will use counter service for a late supper and the 3 ts credits will be used to go to 3 signature resteraunts.

 

[Vijoge]

We used the DP for our stay and just about broke even (would have been a little less for us without the plan) and that included Hoop-De-Do and a CRT lunch. Our granddaughters are just too picky to make it worthwhile.

 

[welovedis]

I agree with the previous poster who mentioned checking out the menus on AllEarsNet. It really helped us decide to change our reservations to a DVC resort so we could add the dining on for our June trip (we have APs). We plan on going out for 2 nights out while our DS is at the Neverland Club (or the like) so we know we will be getting out money's worth.

It really depends on where you like, or would like to be eating on that trip. Depending on how well it goes, we may add it on to our December trip.

GL with your decision!

 

[MOMOFMNM]

we really banked with the dining plan last year, esp since our girls are under 10...we got to eat for 100 a day and had a sitdown every day of the week!!! I would say do it if you plan to eat at TS places and character meals...I know our sit downs were all OVER 100 A DAY and that did not include snacks or CS places!!! Just depends on your eating style and your dd's eating habits...but it is AWESOME...you get a lot of food and it is hassle free, imo. We loved it so much that I am nervous about going without because for now we will be at the Dolphin...

look into the menus and I bet you will see it is worth it to get the plan
even with your Sea World visit, you can just use those days credits for breakfasts on other days!!!

have fun

 

[Drewandwendi]

We are trying out the plan when we go in April. I know that we could eat for less, but this way, we will eat "better". I really don't want DD to eat ckn nuggets and fries or burgers everyday. She is a big fruit and veggie eater, so although we could eat more cheaply, we feel the quality will be better with the plan. It will definitely be cheaper to do TS with the plan than without.

Wendi

 

[MOMOFMNM]

We are trying out the plan when we go in April. I know that we could eat for less, but this way, we will eat "better". I really don't want DD to eat ckn nuggets and fries or burgers everyday. She is a big fruit and veggie eater, so although we could eat more cheaply, we feel the quality will be better with the plan. It will definitely be cheaper to do TS with the plan than without.

Wendi

is your dd under 10? if so she will have to order off the kids menu which is usually like you stated, burgers, chicken, fries, mac n cheese...

you probably know that seeing as though you have been before!

 

[SandraVB79]

If I ever make it to WDW (i.e. if I stop going to DLP and DL, and take the plane direction Florida, lol!), I will most certainly add the Dining Plan. Why? Well, without it, I would not eat at the fancy restaurants, and certainly not order appetizers or dessert, and with the DP, I will eat so much more nice food!

Weird logics, I know, but hey, that's me!

 

[Hopefully]

As others have mentioned, I researched the restaurants and menus on allearsnet.com before making a decision. We were myself, DH, and D Adult Son.
I printed menus of restaruants I thought they might be interested in, and we decided on which restaurants we would like to try.
Then I looked at what we would most likely order, not necessarily the most expensive item to "get the most out of the plan", but what we like. I added up the costs and decided that with just TS dinners alone we would save money on the plan. I kept my receipts and we saved $450 on the plan.
The other thing to consider is what is your style. Do you enjoy a TS meal each day? This really is where you "use" the plan to its greatest value. We enjoy a nice dinner at home and we do also on vacation. A TS meal will take time from your park touring each day, if that is important to you.
Whatever you decide, make sure that you make ADR's for restaurants you want to eat at. The popularity of the Dining Plan has lots more folks eating at the TS restaurants than ever before. Folks without ADR's are getting turned away. So even if you decide you will pay OOP, you will need to make ADR's.

 

[HiddenMickey3018]

I am taking my 3 kids to WDW for a week in December. We are going to be at POR and I did get the dining package. Traveling alone with 3 kids, I would have not had it any other way. The last thing I want is to worry about being on a budget at WDW with 3 kids and have to spend money 3 times a day to feed them. It's worth it, I went on allearsnet.com and pulled up the menu's and looked at the prices, for each table meal, we would have spent at least over a hundred dollars on one meal. The last time we went was back in 2003. We had a birthday lunch for out baby at the Crystal Palace it was about $95.00. We had dinner our last night at Coral Reef, the price was $120.00 out of pocket. This time, I am planning it differently. The price before adding the dining package was about a $400 difference, we are going to be there for a week. It really does pay for itself. I plan on making it work, I have been doing my research, we are going to dine at places that we really would not be able to afford paying out of pocket. I do believe that it is worth it, like I said, I would not have it any other way. The list of dining places on the package is very long, we will have alot of choices. Plus, I know it is going to be wonderful knowing that all the money I need to take will be spending money, I don't have to worry about purchasing breakfast lunch and dinner for a family of four.

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

We loved the DP. Since you prefer Table Service meals and character meals, you will find the DP very convenient. Even the tipping is included, unless you want to add extra for great service. I know with your DD's age, it really is hard to think about the cost upfront because she is an adult on the DP, but when you add up what you'd normally spend in these places, as long as she normally eats adult meals, you will find a savings

 

[estnh]

We used the dining plan on our last trip, and will again use it on our upcoming April trip.

Yes, it is certainly more food than you need and probably more than you can even comfortably eat. It also requires an inordinate amount of planning and scheduling--more than one likes to do when on vacation.

However, it adds a dimension to the trip that wasn't there before--in our family, everyone gets to make their own picks for restaurants, and the others must go along--it makes for some interesting conversations and arguments, and everyone tries foods they might not otherwise have tried.

Also, it is really nice to tell your kids for a change to go ahead and have that $7.00 dessert--cost absolutely does not matter.

On our previous 7 day trip, our expenditures under the plan (two adults and two teens) almost doubled the cost. So, despite the drawbacks of too much food and too much planning, we would never even consider not using it--its a no brainer for us.

 

[grimley1968]

It's certainly not crazy to opt not to use the DP. We did it last October, but then we got the free dining plan, and it would definitely have been crazy for us not to save around $700 on food!

But if you have different dining patterns than what the DP requires to avoid extra food spending, or if you are going to eat offsite or in non-participating restaurants, the DP may well not be for you.

 

[HayGan]

We used the dining plan on our last trip, and will again use it on our upcoming April trip.

Yes, it is certainly more food than you need and probably more than you can even comfortably eat. It also requires an inordinate amount of planning and scheduling--more than one likes to do when on vacation.

However, it adds a dimension to the trip that wasn't there before--in our family, everyone gets to make their own picks for restaurants, and the others must go along--it makes for some interesting conversations and arguments, and everyone tries foods they might not otherwise have tried.

Also, it is really nice to tell your kids for a change to go ahead and have that $7.00 dessert--cost absolutely does not matter.

On our previous 7 day trip, our expenditures under the plan (two adults and two teens) almost doubled the cost. So, despite the drawbacks of too much food and too much planning, we would never even consider not using it--its a no brainer for us.

I totally agree! We had the plan in December and loved it! We saved over $400 using the plan (what we ate vs. what we paid.) However, if we hadn't had the plan we probably would have spent less. Without the plan we wouldn't have eaten at many of the places that we did and enjoyed such fabulous meals. I love having it all pre-paid and not worrying about what everything costs. DH is VERY frugal when it comes to food but he also LOVES to eat. He loved the plan because for once in his life he could go to a restaurant and not even look at the prices. he could just order whatever he wanted! I think he enjoyed this part of the vacation more than anything else!!!

We are going again in December. We also decided to stay at a DVC resort so we could get the plan again (we have tix leftover from last year!) We are really looking forward to a week of wonderful dining experiences. I can understand why others wouldn't want to go the dining plan route but for us it is the only way!!!