OKW in June - Trying Dining Plan

[Ksp]

Hi, everybody! We're heading home first week in June and will be at OKW in a 1 bedroom.

I'm signed up for the Quick Service Dining Plan (1 counter service, 2 snacks per day and a refillable mug included).

Anyone used this recently? I'm still debating whether it could possibly be worth 29.99 per day...

Any thoughts?

 

[bookwormde]

We are trying into for 2 days in June, for kids it is a great deal, for adults it is ok, check out some of the threads on the dining plan sub-board under restaurants and this is some good info in maximizing the value.

Earl of sandwich and WGP takeout in DTD come highly recommended. Also if you can get to CSR the pepper market has some really good food and values.

QS is 2 CS and 2 snacks per day so that helps.

bookwormde

 

[Crystal_27]

Well, we typically do the regular DDP at $37/adult and we do see a little bit of savings with the plan, but only about $100-200 for a 7 night trip. Still, we like having our meals "pre-paid" and we *love* having the option to have a dessert with every meal.

However, in response to your inquiry, we've found that our CS meals tend to be approximately $35 for the three of us (DD is 5). If you really want to do some "real-time" comparisons, go to the Allears site and browse the CS menu section and find out what you would likely want to eat at various CS restaurants, add another $3.00/snack, and $12 for your refillable mug.

Again, there used to be quite a savings with the dining plans, but I think that they've morphed into just pre-paid plans versus plans with much cost savings attached to them.

And I'll also comment that many of the CS restuarants offer the same type of food, so it would probably be wise for you to find some non-traditional CS offerings so you don't end up eating the same types of meals every day.

Either way, enjoy your June vacation!!

 

[photobob]

Well, we typically do the regular DDP at $37/adult and we do see a little bit of savings with the plan, but only about $100-200 for a 7 night trip. Still, we like having our meals "pre-paid" and we *love* having the option to have a dessert with every meal.

However, in response to your inquiry, we've found that our CS meals tend to be approximately $35 for the three of us (DD is 5). If you really want to do some "real-time" comparisons, go to the Allears site and browse the CS menu section and find out what you would likely want to eat at various CS restaurants, add another $3.00/snack, and $12 for your refillable mug.

Again, there used to be quite a savings with the dining plans, but I think that they've morphed into just pre-paid plans versus plans with much cost savings attached to them.

And I'll also comment that many of the CS restuarants offer the same type of food, so it would probably be wise for you to find some non-traditional CS offerings so you don't end up eating the same types of meals every day.

Either way, enjoy your June vacation!!

I haven't done the dining plan before but if I did it probably wouldn't be the CS version. It doesn't seem to me that it really saves much$$. The regular one with one TS, one CS and a snack per day would yield better savings I'd think.

 

[PurpleTurtle]

I'm signed up for the Quick Service Dining Plan (1 counter service, 2 snacks per day and a refillable mug included).

Hi Ksp - Just thought I'd mention that the QSDP includes 2 QS meals a day, 2 snacks per day, and one refillable mug, all per person. Looks like bookwormde mentioned this too, but I thought I'd reiterate.

 

[Ksp]

Thanks to all of you for the advice - and for letting me know the plan has 2 CS included; the CM that I made our reservations with told me that it was only one CS, so that already makes it a better deal than I originally thought.

 

[jco_direwolf]

Len Testa over at All Ears put all the Dining Plan options into a Excel and let it solve for the value of each part of the plans.

http://allears.net/ae/issue467.htm

$25.44 - The value of a table service meal under any plan
$10.08 - The value of a quick service meal under any plan
$ 4.48 - A refillable mug
$ 2.98 - Appetizers
$ 2.53 - The value of a snack
$ 0.30 - 30 minutes of arcade time​

So to break even you have to spend an average of those numbers across the whole trip. So if you don't spend 10.08 on one CS, but say $9 then you then have to spend at least $11.16 on another meal to make it up.

And this is why we have NEVER used the Dining plan. We spend a bit less than the plan would cost us per day on what the plan would cover. And we don't spend in line with the DDP food pigeon holes. Like sometimes we'll get multiple side orders and no entrees (or split a single entree with multiple starters ie, soup, and salad for each of us and split a chicken sandwich.)

johno

 

[Ksp]

Thanks for the link, jco_direwolf. After looking over the dining plan more last night and now looking at Allears' breakdown, we probably won't do the Dining Plan.
I also looked back at what we've spent on food (I'm a nut about tracking our spending so we can figure out where to cut down, use $$ as best we can) in our past visits, and unless we are really out celebrating a lot, the DP doesn't break even.( We also have the TW card, so we already get discounts on most table services. )
But I'm glad that we looked at it again; we haven't used it since the first year it came into use down at WDW, and since this trip is only DH and myself I thought it might be worth a try.