Poll: Do you use the DIning Plan when staying DVC?

[PolyRob]

The other element (that probably doesn’t apply to DISboards regulars but would apply to many guests) is that not only do you need to be gaming it for value but you need to know to book 60+ x days in advance to even get in to many of the restaurants that maximize value.

I think this is an important point, even for planners. Some days just do not go as expected, and you have to adjust on the fly. If you are visiting multiple times a year, canceling something is not a big deal because you know you will be back.

I have canceled in park dining due to bad weather, including Fantasmic! packages, and just eaten back at my resort instead. That kind of change can really throw off the math of a DDP, especially when most Fantasmic! packages outside of HBD are only one credit. For me, it is too much risk for not enough reward.

 

[juliebee]

I'm not saying that Ear Scouts video changed my mind on the DDP But it did give me pause to think that maybe it could be worth it for a split stay where I was firmly a NO before. They were dining in a way that more resembled what we would order since we don't drink. Other content creators order alcohol for every meal to pad the "value" in favor of DDP. I have a stay next month and am not adding DDP. It's certainly not for everyone. I'm charging all my meals to the Disney Inspire this year and using all the DVC/AP/Visa discounts I qualify for. That is the best plan for my eating style.

 

[Cfabar1]

I'll tell you the dining plan I want...

let me eat anywhere that is available
when I would like to eat
include tips and tax in the price you are charging me
let me eat anything on the menu anywhere - if I want the Crab Legs at Cape May, let me eat them... many pounds of them if I'd wish...
Maybe exclude Victoria & Alberts, Monsieur Paul, etc. if necessary....

come up with a number for it
and give me my DVC Discount, and maybe give me Kids Eat Free too... Disney comes up with the number, so they can figure out that most people get some kind of "deal" with it...

alcohol could be excluded, or I could have vouchers for a certain number of drinks, or it could be an all-inclusive drinks add on as well

I would gladly pay for that kind of dining plan... and probably not think too hard about the math...

And I don't think I would eat any differently than I would anyways...
and I would likely be paying more for it...

Would create a truly magical vacation feel, very "inclusive"...

 

[crazycatlady]

I wish that each meal would include entree and two of the following: app, dessert, alcoholic drink.
That would make it more worth it for non-drinkers, allow for a salad instead of a dessert for the healthy types, and also tailor it to how people like to eat. People would be able to share an app and dessert instead of having everyone order a dessert and not finishing them. I like to have an alcoholic drink at some meals, but not all, so that is a big reason we only get the plan for a day or two at a time.

 

[Sandisw]

I could see them doing something kind of like Virgin Voyages does with their pre-sail Bar Tab. You can pre-pay a bar tab, and the larger tab you pick, the larger discount you get. But, if you don't spend it all, you don't get anything back. That's a way of effectively upselling (which is what the Dining Plan is meant to do, IMO) without having it fit into a specific number of each kind of meal.

The way to take advantage of this is if traveling with others is to put it on one cabin, and then share.

You just go to sailor services before the cruise ends and have the drinks moved to the cabin with the bar tab! Lol

 

[PolyRob]

The way to take advantage of this is if traveling with others is to put it on one cabin, and then share.

You just go to sailor services before the cruise ends and have the drinks moved to the cabin with the bar tab! Lol

TA pro tip!