Ok, so I did the math...

[millerjmls]

I was curious to see if the dining plan would be cost effective for our family of 4 also. Being the pack rat that I am, I actually have the receipts for 6 of our table service meals from 2004!! They total nearly $500. That doesn't include the tip, any counter service meals, etc. for those days. So, if you factor in that the meals are definitely more expensive and add in the lunches and snacks, it will be quite a savings for us. Looking at the current menus and the places we are planning on eating, I am sure we will be well over the price we are paying for the dining plan.

Incidently, we never found that planning the meal in advance was a problem. We just made the reservation in the place we are going to be that day. It saved a lot of hassle on "where does everyone want to eat?" and no one being able to decide. We take a quick look at the menus at home, then choose which one suits our family best. We don't have to carry extra cash and with the ADR, we don't have long to wait. (which you normally do if you want a decent meal without a reservation). It might not work for everyone, each family has to decide what is best for them, but for us...it works great !!

 

[teachallday]

I have found these discussions over the value of the Dining Plan versus Out of Pocket, to be quite entertaining. Those against any Disney Dining Plan are so oppinionated that they usually are not open to any other view. Those for the plan, usually are at least open to saying that the plan works for some and not for others.

One point that is usually used to support the arguement that the plan is not worth it, is that it will not save you a LOT of money. This is silly. If the plan saves you one dollar, then it saved you money and was worth it.

I am currently planning my first trip to WDW in 27 years. This will be my first trip as an adult. I debated over and over if the Dining Plan is something I wanted to do or not, but that is not my current battle. Now the issue is if the regular Dining Plan or the Deluxe Dining Plan is best for the 2 adults and 1 (7yr old) child that are going. Without the plan I would only do one Character meal, but with the plan I may end up doing one a day (priceless experiences and maybe a necessity to meet the characters considering her disability). But even if we only did one, at least one of the plans I think would be a must for us. Like I said, if I save one dollar with a plan, then it is worth it. I have not yet crunched the numbers for meals or decided were we are going to eat (I usually don't plan that much for a trip - although for Disney, especially character meals, I know I must). We are not going till August, so planning meals is not high on my list yet, especially with the 90 day rule now in effect.

The comments that you have to do 3 TS meals with the Deluxe Plan is also funny. If my basic understanding of prices at Disney are correct (I will look into that later), it would not take a lot to make the Deluxe Plan worth the money. Even if you never do 3 TS meals in a day. Many people feel 3 meals a day are too much for them, but I know my little 7 year old, and she needs to eat 3 main meals each day and a few snacks. She could not handle 3 table service meals, but she definately needs to eat 3 meals a day.

I also remind myself that I am going on a VACATION, so whatever I do has to be relaxing and as stress free as possible. I am not going commando on this trip. I accepted 5 years ago when I first started thinking about taking my little princess to Disney World, that we would not be able to see everything or do everything. My two trips as a child were back in the golden days when there was only Magic Kingdom. Back then we could spend a week at Disney without doing everything there was to offer. Now with 4 parks, there isn't a chance of seeing everything in a week. Add a little one to the mix and forget it. This trip is for her not me or her mom. That means early meals and in bed for her by 8pm. The deluxe plan would add some flexibility to some of this and allow for us to do accommodations for her disability easier. I haven't decided which plan to go with yet, but at this point I definatley do so the value in going with one of the plans. Disney Magic

 

[septbaby]

PP - nice to have you in the discussion!

If getting 3 meals per day is a priority for just DD7, you can do that with the Basic DP, you don't have to get the Deluxe to reach that goal. Here is how I see you doing this:

1. Basically you and DH share your CS meals or one of you could have a snack while she has her meal and pay for an extra child CS meal. Child CS meals cost about $4, not the extra $10 per night it would cost for her to be on the Deluxe plan. Some will say it'll be too hot in August to "eat all that food" on the Deluxe plan. Others will say it will be too hot to eat so much CS, give me the AC of TS 2-3 times a day. We are a diverse bunch here on DIS as you've already noticed.

The resort CS places have a "big breakfast platter" that is immense and easily sharable. Adult CS breakfasts also come with two beverages. We chose juice or milk and also got a bottle of water that we took to the park. There are also some generous portion CS meals in the parks.

Also not all "fun" TS meals have to be character meals. We found Coral Reef to be really entertaining (aquarium), wonderful food and just a nice break in the park. Boma was another good meal and a culinary adventure. There are some unique (and familiar) items on the buffet. If you are not already planning to stay at AKL planning a meal there is a great way to be sure to expose DD to the animals and culture at the Lodge.

Looking forward to seeing more of your posts as you plan the perfect princess visit to the World!

 

[aceys_h0ney]

I crunched the numbers for our family and we will save big time using the plan. We have three kids, one under 3. We picked mostly buffet or family style meals (for the TS meals) so get more bang for our buck with the little one. I know people warn against too many character meals but in our last trip we barely got to see any because of the long lines so I would rather have a nice sit down meal in the AC and meet the characters then stand in a long hot line.

I think it is worth crunching the numbers for those that don't mind planning things out. I also agree with the poster that says it eliminates the "Where do we eat discussion" I love that part! Anyway just chiming in as another DDP fan who did the math and knows that we wont feel restrained and this is what works for our family. I can also see how this would not work out for people who do not eat big meals and are there to ride as much as they can. To me the dining is part of the vacation and an experience in its own.

 

[Melora]

We have debated every time we go about whether or not to do the plan. And when we do it we end up wishing we hadn't done it.

The reasons are as follows: We find ourselves ordering the most expensive stuff on the menu just to make the best use of the plan (therefore spending more money on tips in the long run). We end up eating desserts every time including counter service meals which we would NEVER do because we don't need THAT much food at each meal. (Again.. higher tips at table service meals because the bill is higher).

Last time we had 10 snack credits left at the end of the trip because the kids would split them or we were just too full from our table service meals to eat them.We found ourselves just getting snacks because we could, not because we wanted them.

It WILL save money if we had purchased the exact food we end up eating on the plan but not if you factor on the actual food we would eat if we were paying out of pocket as we go. If we ate what we wanted at each restaurant, choosing what sounded good instead of the "I paid for this I better buy the most expensive meal on the menu" and split desserts once in awhile, we save more money NOT using the dining plan..

Does that make sense??

 

[charissemp]

Thanks, that really does make sense.

 

[tamclan]

We have debated every time we go about whether or not to do the plan. And when we do it we end up wishing we hadn't done it.

The reasons are as follows: We find ourselves ordering the most expensive stuff on the menu just to make the best use of the plan (therefore spending more money on tips in the long run). We end up eating desserts every time including counter service meals which we would NEVER do because we don't need THAT much food at each meal. (Again.. higher tips at table service meals because the bill is higher).

Last time we had 10 snack credits left at the end of the trip because the kids would split them or we we were just too full from out table service meals to eat them.We found ourselves just getting snacks because we could, not because we wanted them.

It will save money if we had purchased the exact food we end up eating on the plan but not if you factor on the actual food we would eat if we were paying out of pocket as we go. If we ate what we wanted at each restaurant, choosing what sounded good instead of the "I paid for this I better buy the most expensive meal on the menu" and split desserts once in awhile, we save more money NOT using the dining plan..

Does that make sense??

Very well said. Dining Plan will certainly save you money if you order everything your entitled. The key is if this is the way you would have wanted to eat.

For my part I have found in the past I was ordering too much Steak (because it was most expensive) and desserts because it was included. If that is your regular diet then the Dining Plan will provide lots of value. If your forcing yourself to eat this way to get bang for the buck, well that isn't as rewarding.

 

[sandym718]

We have debated every time we go about whether or not to do the plan. And when we do it we end up wishing we hadn't done it.

The reasons are as follows: We find ourselves ordering the most expensive stuff on the menu just to make the best use of the plan (therefore spending more money on tips in the long run). We end up eating desserts every time including counter service meals which we would NEVER do because we don't need THAT much food at each meal. (Again.. higher tips at table service meals because the bill is higher).

Last time we had 10 snack credits left at the end of the trip because the kids would split them or we we were just too full from out table service meals to eat them.We found ourselves just getting snacks because we could, not because we wanted them.

It will save money if we had purchased the exact food we end up eating on the plan but not if you factor on the actual food we would eat if we were paying out of pocket as we go. If we ate what we wanted at each restaurant, choosing what sounded good instead of the "I paid for this I better buy the most expensive meal on the menu" and split desserts once in awhile, we save more money NOT using the dining plan..

Does that make sense??

Makes perfect sense!!!! And I totally agree that for those who will eat differently NOT on the plan, then I doubt the DDP makes sense for them. For us, we would eat the same way - or WANT to at least. I am a steak Lover!! And a sweets lover! So having steak when I want and desserts twice a day, plus snacks = HEAVEN! Do I eat that way at home? NO! But this is vacation, and I want to splurge -DDP or not! So if the plan saves me money on what I WANT TO DO ANYWAY, then its' good for me!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I am a super planner-calling to get the right ADR's exactly when it's possible. I have a 5 year old so eating at Le Cellier and other expensive restaurants is not top priority but we do love our character meals. We have been 5 times in the past 2 years and currently have 2 future trips booked. For every trip I crunch the numbers meticulously (which is a lot easier when you are dealing with more price fixe or buffets). The DP value IS FALLING and very soon will be upside down unless some changes are made:

Sept 07 Free Dining Of course it's worth it!

Jan 08 4 nts Paid $200 for Dining Plan-receipts totalled $314.62 when we got home-a savings of $114.62 SAVINGS=36%

May 08 5 nts Paid $500 for Dining Plan-receipts totalled $739.32 SAVINGS=32%

Sept 08 Free Dining

Dec 08 We opted against DDP and our receipts totalled $444.53 for 4 nts which was 2 adults and one child so the DDP would have been $360 so we would have saved $84 or SAVINGS=19%

March 09 We have the KIDS EAT FREE so of course we are going with the dining plan. I estimate that our food value will be around $600 for 5 nts. If we weren't getting the kids free the face value of the plan would be $510 so at face value we would save $90 or SAVINGS=15%

It is quite clear the value of the plan is diminishing and each trip it becomes more and more important to crunch the numbers of where YOUR family wants to dine to see if the savings is worth it. I always run 2 spreadsheets: One with Dining Plan with the favorites such as Tutto, Biergarten, Akershus, etc. used to the full extent of the credits and one Spreadsheet with our necessities that we must do to make the vacation special and look at the cost each way. I totally agree the dining plan is too much food and I often feel wasteful but then again it is a wonderful savings tool sometimes that allows budget minded families the ability to eat at more expensive establishments.

One thing is for certain, the value of the dining plan is waning.

 

[summermac]

We opted for the dining plan for this reason, pretty much:
"But that doesn't sound like a fun way to vacation to me - getting the cheapest entree, not what I really want."

B/c that describes me to a T. So we went with it. And yes, I get that the more expensive meal I pick, the higher the tip but since everything else is paid before going, it won't be that much of a shock upon coming home and seeing the CC bill.

 

[3boymthr]

We're doing it because:
The kids want 3 character meals,
We like to sit down every day and I'm NOT cooking anything but coffee in my room!
It's not healthy to eat/we don't want to eat hamburgers or pizza or the cheapest item on the menu every time we eat.
I like knowing it's prepaid and I'm not going to blow my budget.
I don't have to tell my foodie 13 yo (who eats more than me) that the shrimp fra diavolo (or whatever) is too expensive please stick to items less than $x at every meal.
We never get dessert because it's too expensive but now when the kid's want dessert they can have it (hey it's vacation ).

We're also doing it because after adding up the projected cost of meals, even factoring in expected OOP costs we're STILL going to save $300

ETA - I also look at it this way after adding in "extra" tips of around $35 or $40 because I've bought more expensive items than I would have bought if pay OOP, I'm still ahead by $260!

 

[CruisingCamper]

Just researching the dining plans!

 

[Alice28]

I did the math too, considering 3 sitdown meals, 10 counter service, and 3 in room dinners (groceries, etc- we're staying in VWL). Then I kicked in money for about 20 snacks for me and my 3 kids over the 8 days. Yeah, DDP was STILL $175 CHEAPER, and that was for getting to add more sitdown meals, more snacks, desserts, etc. So we're doing the DDP for November. Plus, I think they inflate the price at a lot of the sitdowns during holiday periods, so we would save even more doing the DDP.

 

[Alice28]

I also want to add, after reading more of this thread- I don't care if I simply break EVEN on the DDP. The thing of it is, for me, I worry about $$ on vacation. When I am pulling my wallet out, 3-4 times a day for meals/snacks, I get anxious/grumpy. However, if I prepay for it all, and just whip out my room key, I am happy as a clam. That makes the DDP worth it. I have never lost money on it. And I make SURE we get our snacks- we often go to the candy shoppe day of departure and gets chocolates/suckers/fudge all wrapped up to take home as souvenirs for neighbors or to eat and savor slowly.

And yes, I do have 3 kids- the DDP totally is worth it when you A. have kids and B. are doing lots of buffets/all you care to eat places. I don't find myself fretting about ordering the most expensive thing, and I still pay OOP for an appetizer if there is one we all really love (like crab cakes at Narcoossee's!).

Best of all- I usually earn at least HALF of my DDP money for free doing www.sunshinerewards.com. Last summer I plunked down $600 in Disney gift cards upon check in at BWV to put towards our dining plan tab. It was awesome.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We use the DDP as well and are so happy for it. I am always so cheap and it is nice to go there and not have to be. I have only had a fillet 3 times in my life, all 3 were on the DDP. It is not something I would normally do, so it's fun to get it. Once we got it, we won't go without it. We save some and get to say yes to desserts we normally wouldn't and stuff like that.

One memory that sticks out to me. On our first trip with the plan, our first night we were waiting for the fireworks in MK. I went and got everyone Mickey ice cream bars, 7 of them. My DD7 (she was 4 at the time) went crazy, she was so excited that we all got out own. In the past we'd get one or 2 to share, she was so excited and I new that night it was going to be worth it for nothing else but to relax about the money. We used it again since and even though we wish we could pay more and have the tips included again, it was a great savings and really enhanced our vacation.

I say do what works for you, for us, we will always use the DDP.

 

[buffi]

momofthree, I totally agree with you. We have 4 kids and I am fortunate enough to be a sahm, but not without sacrifices. So when planning a vacation, I am all for eating good and having dessert. I save and save all year long (I say it's my job). When we are on vacation if someone wants steak, they should have steak! And desserts, bring me 2!!!

 

[sandym718]

:

ETA - I also look at it this way after adding in "extra" tips of around $35 or $40 because I've bought more expensive items than I would have bought if pay OOP, I'm still ahead by $260!

Good point!!! With my projections (not that we'll definitely order those exact things), we stand to save $300.64. Our tip TOTAL is about $115, so even if that's higher than it might be because we're all getting dessert or whatever, our savings is still HUGE!

I did the math too, considering 3 sitdown meals, 10 counter service, and 3 in room dinners (groceries, etc- we're staying in VWL). Then I kicked in money for about 20 snacks for me and my 3 kids over the 8 days. Yeah, DDP was STILL $175 CHEAPER, and that was for getting to add more sitdown meals, more snacks, desserts, etc. So we're doing the DDP for November. Plus, I think they inflate the price at a lot of the sitdowns during holiday periods, so we would save even more doing the DDP.

That's awesome!! With only 3 sit-down meals! And yes, those holiday prices go high!!! And meal prices can go up at anytime, too - a lot of them have gone up recently. Since the DDP price stays the same (for the year) we'll save even more than I was calculating when I first ran numbers in later 2008.

One memory that sticks out to me. On our first trip with the plan, our first night we were waiting for the fireworks in MK. I went and got everyone Mickey ice cream bars, 7 of them. My DD7 (she was 4 at the time) went crazy, she was so excited that we all got out own. In the past we'd get one or 2 to share, she was so excited and I new that night it was going to be worth it for nothing else but to relax about the money. We used it again since and even though we wish we could pay more and have the tips included again, it was a great savings and really enhanced our vacation.

Our kids are the same way! They're like, Really, we can buy a snack, again?? When we go to the zoo, or amusement parks around here, we usually pack lunch or snacks, maybe buy 1 thing. But in Disney - it's so fun to splurge!!! And the comfort of knowing it's already paid for - as the commericals say - priceless, LOL.

And I agree, I'd love for the tips to be included again, even at a higher price, just for the convenience factor.

 

[CruisingCamper]

You all have inspired me to find out how much the DDP will save me...or not, I guess. This will be our first time on the plan in March. We have been to Disney 4 times during the last two years, so this will be a change for us. I love the pre-paid idea! And we are steak and dessert eaters at home. DH is also an appetizer eater, but we will be on the Basic plan, so no appetizer there! I would love to go with the Deluxe, but we are trying to go a little less expensive this time, since we'll be back in May.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I plan on using the DDP when we go in May and have used it on our trips in the past. I hesitated when they removed tips but we had always tipped a little extra anyway so we decided to keep with it.

The best feature of the DDP in my opinion is the prepay feature. I love not having to worry about $$$ while I am there. I love being able to let dd order what she wants without the worry of our next meal. To me that is what vacation is for!

This trip we are trying the deleux ddp. My dd and I are bringing our 12 year old cousin with us. He eats and eats at home. So his mom really encouraged the deleux option. So much so that she is covering his entire cost along with the price differene between the regular plan and deleux for dd and I. We are having fun planning the meals we want to try.

Is the ddp plan for everyone? No but it works great for my family and thats why we use it.

 

[eagillinois]

We buy it and DONT think about the price when ordering, we just order what sounds good and yes its OK if it is the most expensive item but it certainly doesnt have to be. I dont always get dessert. Its OK to say no!
For me, the convenience of having it pre-paid and not worrying about what someone wants to order make it well worth it. I never have to say no, you can't order something or no you cant have dessert.
I am going in March and using the 200 GC for tips and any extras. I shouldnt need very much if any extra money and there wont be a big bill when I check out to pay for meals.