One thing that gets lost in all of these discussions

[Pedler]

.. is the real benefit of the dinning plan is that it provides an easy means for more people to enjoy the great restaurants at WDW. For us last year we had planned on staying off site at the Nick Hotel maybe going to Disney for 4-5 days. In the end we were at the Wilderness Lodge, on site the whole time for 7 nights and eating at lots of great restaurants. Our kids were able to eat with Pooh at CP, Dinner at the Castle, Boma and several others.

I am sure that we would have had a good time at WDW if we had stayed off site and eaten most of our meals off site but it wouldn't have compared to the experience we had being on site at Disney 24 x 7. The dinning plan, ME and new ticket pricing all played a part in that but without the dinning plan there is no way we would have done the number of sit down meals we did. I know that Disney's master plan is to get more money from the guests and they did in our case but I have no problem with that. It made for the best family vacation we have taken yet.

Sometimes the seasoned folk here spend so much time trying to maximize the savings on the plan and getting worked up if they can't that we tend to forget the great benefit the plan provides for most users by giving them a chance to stay on site and experience Disney 24x7 and the great sit down places that Disney has. Disney is truly unique in that its variety and quality of dinning places is really unlike almost any other theme park out there. I don't think anything can compare to that and the dinning plan makes that available to a lot more people. I know for our kids being able to walk down mainstreet before it opens to have breakfast with Pooh at the Crystal Palace is an experience they won't forget.

 

[JimMIA]

VERY well said!

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

ITA. We bought the DP in May and had all Adults who are big eaters, so none of the "maximizing" came into play for us.

We left thinking it was a great deal. So much so that DH and I are buying it for our first DVC trip in September.

I don't think we would have done as many TS's as we did without the DDP, and we needed one more so the CM at Dining recommended Raglan Road, since we stayed at SSR. This is our new favorite restaurant and we are eating there the day we arrive!!

It really does provide the opportunity to try more new things without constantly doing math in your head about your budget.

My mom, especially, relaxed and ordered what she wanted and enjoyed it more, I think, since it was already paid for and she didn't feel like she had to watch what she spent.

 

[Pedler]

It really does provide the opportunity to try more new things without constantly doing math in your head about your budget.

My mom, especially, relaxed and ordered what she wanted and enjoyed it more, I think, since it was already paid for and she didn't feel like she had to watch what she spent.

That was one of the big benefits / relaxing features for us. While we generally do establish a decent food budget for our trips we do take a look at the menu prices before going into a restuarant and do the math. We have found that if you don't watch it you can very easily rack up more way more food expenses than you planned on. With the dinning plan we didn't have any of those worries. We just ate where we wanted to eat and didn't worry about the cost at all. I think that alone helped make the trip more enjoyable.

 

[DonnaDuck]

Great Post Pedler...For my family, everything you said is so true!! We love being on site 24/7 and eating at lots of places that we normally wouldn't have got to try. I hope that the DDP stays around. We will be there again in less than 6 months and I am really hoping the plan will stay around for '07.

 

[beattyfamily]

IMHO, the DDP is great for families who LOVE to eat and have a nice sit down meal each day. If eating isn't a big part of your vacation, or you don't want to be tied to an ADR each day or you are a light, picky eater, then I think it might not be for you.

Same goes for some families whose child just turned 10. Might not be worth it if your 10 year old still wants to eat chicken nuggets. I'm in that category but we're still going to do it because she is a good eater and the plan still works out great for the rest of us regardless.

I've heard it so many times here on the boards that because of the plan, many can enjoy Disney restaurants that they couldn't afford before DDP. That's GREAT!

 

[sorul82?]

OP,

Thank you!!

 

[Anthony1971]

I never understood where you could not do well on this plan if you eat 2 meals a day!!!!!
even if you do not eat all your food or don't eat the most expensive places...
I know what I have spent in the past and for 2 people it is very easy to spend 100.00 - 120.00 in one day at the places listed on the plan even with a DVC discount....and that is ordering conservative for the menus...
Just enjoy it it is nice to wlak in and order what you want.

 

[MissD]

Pedler, EXCELLENT POST!

We are going to BWV on Sunday for 4 days and purchased the DDP. For us (well, me actually) it is a chance to enjoy restaurants I could never have convinced DH to try otherwise, especially with 2 'adult' kids who eat like linebackers!

The prepaid aspect and the number of options are just awesome. I won't feel the least bit guilty that that nice kitchen in 1 BR will get barely any use at all

 

[Cookie Princess]

We agree! Another great aspect of the plan is that you aren't opening your wallet at every meal. Everything is paid ahead of time and you don't need to worry about the price of what you are ordering. It is very convenient and fun.

Those working so hard to "maximize the plan" are giving themselves a bigger headache than it is worth. If you go where you like and order what you like, you will still save money.

 

[HaleyB]

What a wonderful post.

We love the DDP, it is so relaxing to not have to think about prices. We have so much fun ordering and letting our son (who is an adult on the plan) try things he has never had before. It is big fun. Big fun.

 

[bicker]

The Dining Plan is also a great equalizer. We're DVC members and often invite others to stay with us in our villa. Sometimes those folks are into fine dining like we are, but sometimes they want to be but are so worried about the cost that it dissuades them. (They're considerate enough to worry about my wife and I foregoing what we'd like in the interest of staying within their budget.) The Dining Plan short-circuits all those concerns. Here is a flat amount, that they knew (pretty-much) a year in advance, when we made the DVC reservations, and they can rest assured that their meals will be covered for that amount, no sweat.

 

[MissMichelle]

I agree Pedler..I love the DDP and am so glad they have it...I would have lived off of CS locations before this plan rolled around. Now the kids get to have 2-3 character meals, themed meals etc and I don't have to pull out cash or credit card to worry about later.

 

[musicmama]

On our first 2 trips to the World, American Express was still Disney's preferred card and I was able to "buy" Breakfast certificates using my Membership Reward points. With those we were able to afford to eat the Character Breakfasts that have become a highlight for us. Those were the only TS meals we could 'afford' and we shared CSs or ate off-site for the rest of our meals. Oh, and yes, I made PSs for those breakfasts even back then because the Birnbaum book pointed out the need to do that.

By the time our third trip arrived, the Dis-Amex relationship had been severed and we had gone to Disneyland on a great AAA package that had a wonderful dining plan. (Note: Disneyland allows local hotels to offer the dining plan - if the DTD hotels did that, we'd stay there instead of just outside DTD. But I digress...) We couldn't afford an on-site trip and so the only TS meals we ate were 3 breakfast buffets (Mickey, Pooh and Donald), 1 dinner buffet (Pooh), Fantasmic at H&V and the middle-tier Candlelight Processional at Rose & Crown (Mickey, Pooh, Donald / H&Vine-Fantasmic and Pooh). Otherwise, we shared CSs or ate off-site at McDonalds. And once again, I made PSs because the UOG and Birnbaum and previous experience dictated the need.

I state all this because last year we camped on-site over Christmas for 10 days just so I could purchase the DDP - I even gave up a free campsite at our membership campground just to do this. Best money I ever paid. I didn't have to worry about blowing the budget and we ate at all of the places I've only dreamed about. Yes, I made our ADRs in advance - we had a great time picking out where and even better - it was done 180 + 10 so we finally got to eat at CRT (for 1TS, so we ate there twice). Would it have been nice to change times - a little because by the time DH decided he wanted to sleep in, nothing was available for later (we were late for a couple of breakfasts). Yes, it was a lot of food and no, we didn't order EVERYTHING we could have. Yes, we packed up desserts for back at the camper and used up CS meals for breakfast treats and snacks for the trip back. It was just so wonderful (for me, especially) to order what I wanted and not have to order something that DD and I or DH and I could share to save $$. So what if I didn't get surf and turf at Le Cellier, I got the best filet mignon I've ever had instead. And even better, I got peace of mind!! (and that is priceless!)