Opted out of Disney Dining... Will we regret it?

[wdwlover88]

We will be in WDW August 12-18th, staying in OKW Villas and decided not to try the Disney Dining. We've never bought into it before but do plan on oredering groceries online to be delivered to our room. Go ahead and break my heart..... we should have done it right??

 

[wickywinn]

We always get it but mainy because I hate getting there and having to come up with a bunch of out-of-pocket expenses. I like having everything humanly possible paid for before we go. That said, we crunched the numbers and we did save quite a bit on the dining plan. Table service alone, each night, for me, my hubby and 6 yo was $87, at least, without tip. Considering the dining plan was around $38 per adult we got our money's worth with the one table service each night alone. It was also nice to just order whatever combo we wanted at lunch without adding it up in our heads. Our solution for two meals a day was to eat cereal with milk in the room while getting ready each morning. We also bought two refillable mugs and filled them up every morning on the way to the bus and, in the evening, on the way back to the room. I got really good at making a tasty ice coffee in a rush to the bus. Not quite up to par with Starbucks but good enough for me!

I'm debating the new quick service plan for our next trip but, pricewise, it really isn't much less than the table-service/quick service combo. I wish they'd give an option to add a couple of table service to that plan or allow you to customize somehow.

 

[BusyMom2Three]

I calculated it, and the DDP doesn't save us a large sum of money (of course, we are vegetarian and don't eat the expensive meat dishes). I mostly appreciate having it paid for before we go. Last year, I tried to save money with a fridge, ordering groceries from gardengrocer to be delivered, and eating those for breakfast and dinner, then having on TS for lunch. I think it was about the same as the DDP and a little more work. But it was nice to have a fridge of food in the room! I think there are pros and cons to both sides.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I never found gardengrocer to be that great of deal, but the I never wanted to meet their minimum. I also though thre prices were steep!

Also, it sounds like MAYBE you weer at a value where you ahd to pay for your fridge - that also matters. Renting a WDW fridge is not a very good deal at $10 a day. It's almost cheaper to BUY one at Walmart if you'll have a car.

My sister is vegetarian, and I could see how you could certainly see how the meal plan might not be as good a deal if you are.

If you are going during a 'holiday' period, WDW tacks on a surcharge for a number of TS places.

There is also the new QS meal plan.

To REALLY look at it though, you've got to sit down and look at menus and figure out what you are llikely to order and what you'll pay. Menu prices can, and may well change...once you get your package, you are mostly locked into prices.

A few examples:
Epcot: QS Electric Umbrella - veggie wrap, drink, dessert: about $12, snack: $3.50,
Dinner at Coral Reef: tofu skewer, dessert, drink: $27 (+tip, not included)
So for that day, you'd be getting $42.50 for $38. that's a savings of $4.50 per day.

Dinner at LeCellier (same QS and snack) would get you the $19.99 mushroom ravioli, maybe an $8 dessert, and a drink: about $30 - so dining plan could save you more like $7.50 per day.

Doing the Qs meal as lunch at CSR's Pepper market would get you a $12 taco salad or $10 pasta or pizza, plus drink and dessert: up to $19 value.
Add LeCellier dinner, and $3.99 snack and you get a value of $53 for $38meal plan.


Conversely: if you do a TS breakfast buffet: $19 (+ tip)
pick a $1.59 drink as your snack
and have Tempo Grab and Go: veggie wrap $4.99 (also have a cheese pizza $7), cookie, milk: $8.17.
So you'd get under 29$ of food for $38 meal plan.

but then, doing a breakfast buffet on the meal plan is not a great maximizer for anybody on the meal plan. it's almost better to save those credits and pay oop if you want a breakfast buffet.