QS plan = horrible

[havoc315]

Obviously, nobody HAS to buy the dining plan. Disney isn't forcing it on anybody.
That said, there is nothing wrong with ranting on a message board about how you think a product may be a rip off. Or simply discussing its value, or lack thereof.

Certainly, it is *possible* to save money on the QSDP. So for some people, it will make sense.

But with price increases over the years, it makes sense for less and less people.
The overwhelming majority of entrees remain under $10. (Actually, about 95% remain under $10.50).
Breakfasts don't include a dessert or "extra beverage" any longer.
While there are covered snacks that are almost $5, many other snacks are really just $2-$3.
Some people love the refillable mug, others find the mug useless.
Lots of people like to get a dessert with every CS meal, other people see all those desserts as pointless.

Putting this all together:
If you always get a $10+ entree, if you always want a dessert with your CS meal (meaning never ever doing CS breakfast), if you always want your own beverage -- Then you will probably save $2-$3 per day, AND get a mug. So a tiny savings, plus a mug. For some people, this would be a good deal. For others, the savings wouldn't be enough to warrant the plan.

If you regularly go to the EXTREME... And eat several meals at WPE, if you hunt down the handful of very expensive CS entrees (the chicken/rib combos), then you could spend over $20 at several CS meals. At this extreme, you could still save $5-10 in a day.

If you have a modicum of moderation -- Of 2 CS meals, one of them is a $8 meal with no dessert (so either having breakfast, or skipping dessert), and then a $9 entree for your second CS credit, with a $3 dessert, and beverages at each meal. Plus a mid priced snack. Then you will lose $5 on the plan every day.

 

[TwoAtDisney]

I'm always taken aback by those who like the dining plans for "convenience" & "pre-paying" the costs. A pre-paid Disney gift card, or cards if one prefers, does the same thing. And the gift cards never expire - so no loss of money via dining plan unused credits.

Just doesn't make sense to me when some use the dining plans only for one or both of those 2 reasons - totally illogical. And if the dining plan is more costly than what the family eats, then it is also totally finanaically unsound.

For free dining, get a Disney visa. Disney visa does not charge fees. We use our Disney visa $ rewards for food/tips at WDW. Add these $s to a pre-paid gift card & there's the convenience & savings!

 

[Colleen27]

I'm always taken aback by those who like the dining plans for "convenience" & "pre-paying" the costs. A pre-paid Disney gift card, or cards if one prefers, does the same thing. And the gift cards never expire - so no loss of money via dining plan unused credits.

Just doesn't make sense to me when some use the dining plans only for one or both of those 2 reasons - totally illogical. And if the dining plan is more costly than what the family eats, then it is also totally finanaically unsound.

For free dining, get a Disney visa. Disney visa does not charge fees. We use our Disney visa $ rewards for food/tips at WDW. Add these $s to a pre-paid gift card & there's the convenience & savings!

There's a psychological difference between cash, whether on a credit card, debit card, or gift card, and dining plan credits. With any cash-like payment method there's always that little voice pointing out that it could be spent elsewhere, that $40 is ridiculous for a steak that would cost $20 at home, that the kids really don't each need their own $4 slushie that is no different from the $1 ones they get from the neighborhood gas station, etc. The dining plan eliminates that tourist sticker shock, and for those of us coming from low-cost hometowns and/or very frugal day-to-day habits there is a value to that perceived freedom.

I've reached my personal tipping point with the plans, but it hasn't been on cost so much as on the new ADR policy and the fact that I don't want to be tied to enough cancellation-penalty reservations to make the plan that works best for us (DxDDP) worthwhile. We're going to try the gift card method next time but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little apprehensive because I know myself well enough to know I'll be thinking about the other things we could buy (or more likely the bounceback we could book) if we come in under budget on the dining. Only the fact that my girls both aged up a level has me thinking this will work, because we'll be saving at most restaurants by letting them share an adult meal instead of getting an adult meal the 10yo won't finish and a kids' meal the 3yo will ignore in favor of eating from our plates.

 

[sjs314]

I'm always taken aback by those who like the dining plans for "convenience" & "pre-paying" the costs. A pre-paid Disney gift card, or cards if one prefers, does the same thing. And the gift cards never expire - so no loss of money via dining plan unused credits.

Just doesn't make sense to me when some use the dining plans only for one or both of those 2 reasons - totally illogical. And if the dining plan is more costly than what the family eats, then it is also totally finanaically unsound.

For free dining, get a Disney visa. Disney visa does not charge fees. We use our Disney visa $ rewards for food/tips at WDW. Add these $s to a pre-paid gift card & there's the convenience & savings!

We are doing the DP for the first time ever, we have always paid OOP and I am one of those looking forward to having my meals and snacks prepaid.
If I were to buy and use gift cards as you suggest I would still have to look at the prices on the menu at each and every meal and decide if I wanted to spend the $ on an app, entree and dessset and keep track of my GC balance so I did not run out of $ before it was time to go home just the same way as if I was paying OOP.
I am looking forward to a very much less stressful meal times during my trip.
For me it is not about saving money, it is the convience of knowing I do not have to worry about what each bite I put into my mouth is costing me at that moment.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

The dining plans have never been advertised as a way to save money. We always buy it, and know it isn't necessarily a savings for us. We do it for the convenience. Plus,it allows everyone to order whatever they want, without someone else critiquing their choices because of $.

I have to respectfully disagree here. On the Disney website it says "save 20% on dining" with the Disney dining plan. It is not marketed as "all inclusive" from what I can see.

 

[havoc315]

We are doing the DP for the first time ever, we have always paid OOP and I am one of those looking forward to having my meals and snacks prepaid.
If I were to buy and use gift cards as you suggest I would still have to look at the prices on the menu at each and every meal and decide if I wanted to spend the $ on an app, entree and dessset and keep track of my GC balance so I did not run out of $ before it was time to go home just the same way as if I was paying OOP.
I am looking forward to a very much less stressful meal times during my trip.
For me it is not about saving money, it is the convience of knowing I do not have to worry about what each bite I put into my mouth is costing me at that moment.

So I just wonder....
The most expensive ddp 1-credit meals are generally about $43. With many meals being far less.

So for 1 dinner... Would you rather pay $45 in advance? (and buy yourself the convenience of not looking at the menu price later). Or would you rather wait, and pay the actual cost of the dinner? (range of $23-43).

 

[sjs314]

So I just wonder....
The most expensive ddp 1-credit meals are generally about $43. With many meals being far less.

So for 1 dinner... Would you rather pay $45 in advance? (and buy yourself the convenience of not looking at the menu price later). Or would you rather wait, and pay the actual cost of the dinner? (range of $23-43).

I will be better able to answer that question once I return from our March trip. Having never used the DP it will be interesting to see if we come out ahead by using it or not.

We are doing the DxDP since the reg DDP does not fit into how we eat. We always do a sit down breakfast when on vacation and a sit down dinner, I have to eat lunch because of being diabetic so we will be doing 3 TS a day.

I did do a cost analysis based on what we might order paying OOP vs the dining plan cost and came up with a savings of 38%. This was based on just the meals + tips, after deducting the cost of the mug and 2 snack credits @ $3 each day.
To break even each of the 3 meals daily by my calculations need to cost $25.50

Granted if paying OOP we tend to skip app or desserts to save $ Some of the meals we will eat will meet or exceed that and some will not. But in all cases the 3 TS meals per day will easily come to $76.50 pp(incl tax) and when added to the $6.00 snack credit(2 per day)+the cost of the mug* meeting the cost of the DP $85.52. *(I am only valueing the mug at $15/$3 per day, if we use it more than once a day great if not no biggie.)

I see a lot of people say but you have to pay so much in tips, I have to tip if I pay OOP and I have to pay the tax out of my pocket too at least with the DP the tax is incl in the meal credit.

I guess I will say I would rather prepay the $45 since the $23-43 meal x3 + tax will actually be $69-129+tax where as I am only prepaying $76.50 a day($85.50-$3(mug)-$6(2snacks)

At least going in I know I can have an app, entree, dessert and beverage

 

[canopynut66]

Starting recently, the QS dining plan dropped from 2 snacks to 1 and there seems to be restaurants dropping their highest priced meal to be cheaper. For example, does Cosmic Rays still have the chicken and rib combo? It was something around $15 and was a steal with a QS credit.

So, just to do some quick math:

QS dining plan = 2 QS meals, 1 snack = $35

QS meal ($10+$3+$3) + QS meal ($10+$3+$3) + snack ($5) = $37

So... you save $2 only if you really would buy a dessert at each meal. Honestly, I would never buy a dessert at a QS location if it wasn't for the dining plan. I much rather save dessert for an ice cream somewhere else or a funnel cake or something. If you take away the 2 desserts it would come out to $31. Why in the name of heck would I ever buy the QS dining plan anymore? Disney has really gone downhill with this one (that one is for Brunette)

Am I forgetting something here or am I one of the last people to realize what a bad deal this is? Why would Disney think this was ok?

we upgrade QS to MYWD is like $12 more per adult per day and there is a lot of nice places to go on QS. not sure about cosmic rays as we go to wolf gangs in downtown disney and to flame bbq in AK and the land seasons in Epcot has many things to chose from and then we still have the TS for character buffets or dinners and sometime use two TS for a signature. we never buy it regardless and we plan our trips when we get free dining. so far it outweighs any discounts also at POP and some other resorts if you do not want say ice cream right after you eat you can have receipt stamped and go back within 90 minutes and have a sundae or bakery item. also in MK Caseys is good place for a QS...

 

[sharonabe]

we upgrade QS to MYWD is like $12 more per adult per day and there is a lot of nice places to go on QS. not sure about cosmic rays as we go to wolf gangs in downtown disney and to flame bbq in AK and the land seasons in Epcot has many things to chose from and then we still have the TS for character buffets or dinners and sometime use two TS for a signature. we never buy it regardless and we plan our trips when we get free dining. so far it outweighs any discounts also at POP and some other resorts if you do not want say ice cream right after you eat you can have receipt stamped and go back within 90 minutes and have a sundae or bakery item. also in MK Caseys is good place for a QS...

Just so you don't go in to sticker shock when you book your next vacation, that upgrade cost is now $16.50 per adult per day.

 

[2Tiggies]

We've used the QSDP every year since it came out in 2009 and it has always worked well for us. In 2009 we paid for it and saved. In 2010 it was still cheaper for us to keep the QSDP which was part of a "free dining" package and pay OOP for our TS meals than to upgrade (even taking gratuity into account, it was still a saving this way!) Last year we did fewer OOP meals and it was pretty much a break even. We have it again this year because it suits us. But whereas in the first two years it was absolutely worth paying for, I wouldn't pay for it now and that comes down to one major factor: My daughter turns 10 this year

I upgraded her to adult last year as she has a very healthy appetite for her age. I, on the other hand, am a bit of a grazer and rarely eat dessert and an entree in the same sitting so we used to be able to trade and share between us. So ironically, not because my child won't eat enough but because it's thrown the self created equilibrium with the way we use it, we would definitely lose if we paid for the plan now

 

[havoc315]

I will be better able to answer that question once I return from our March trip. Having never used the DP it will be interesting to see if we come out ahead by using it or not.

We are doing the DxDP since the reg DDP does not fit into how we eat. We always do a sit down breakfast when on vacation and a sit down dinner, I have to eat lunch because of being diabetic so we will be doing 3 TS a day.

I did do a cost analysis based on what we might order paying OOP vs the dining plan cost and came up with a savings of 38%. This was based on just the meals + tips, after deducting the cost of the mug and 2 snack credits @ $3 each day.
To break even each of the 3 meals daily by my calculations need to cost $25.50

Granted if paying OOP we tend to skip app or desserts to save $ Some of the meals we will eat will meet or exceed that and some will not. But in all cases the 3 TS meals per day will easily come to $76.50 pp(incl tax) and when added to the $6.00 snack credit(2 per day)+the cost of the mug* meeting the cost of the DP $85.52. *(I am only valueing the mug at $15/$3 per day, if we use it more than once a day great if not no biggie.)

I see a lot of people say but you have to pay so much in tips, I have to tip if I pay OOP and I have to pay the tax out of my pocket too at least with the DP the tax is incl in the meal credit.

I guess I will say I would rather prepay the $45 since the $23-43 meal x3 + tax will actually be $69-129+tax where as I am only prepaying $76.50 a day($85.50-$3(mug)-$6(2snacks)

No, you misunderstood the question. Unless I misunderstood you, you initially stated you only get the ddp out of convenience, so you don't have to "worry" about the prices. So I wasn't asking about $45 to cover 3 $43 meals plus tax.
I was asking if you were willing to overpay in advance. So on the deluxe plan, where you are estimating the value of your meals as $129 plus tax plus mug and snacks.... Would you be willing to prepay $175 per night?

Clearly, you are expecting a significant savings (38% by your calculation). And truthfully, on the DxDP, eating 3 meals (mostly TS) per day, you almost certainly will save. But if instead of saving 38%, if prepayment led to a loss of 10-20%, would you still do it for convenience?

I do expect you will save significantly on the DxDP. But having done the plan myself, I wouldn't project using all your entitlements. With beverages already included in every meal, we used our mugs a total of 0 times. With desserts included in every meal, we used a total of 7 snack credits, leaving 41 snack credits over. Plus we were so stuffed, had to cancel an ADR -- left over 6 out of 104 meal credits. And ended up skipping about a dozen desserts and apps.
To actually use every entitlement on the DxDP, you need to have food in your hand at just about every waking minute of the day.
The nice thing about the DxDP -- at least 2011 pricing -- you could save significantly without using all your entitlements. Thats becoming less true.

 

[sjs314]

No, you misunderstood the question. Unless I misunderstood you, you initially stated you only get the ddp out of convenience, so you don't have to "worry" about the prices. So I wasn't asking about $45 to cover 3 $43 meals plus tax.
I was asking if you were willing to overpay in advance. So on the deluxe plan, where you are estimating the value of your meals as $129 plus tax plus mug and snacks.... Would you be willing to prepay $175 per night?

Clearly, you are expecting a significant savings (38% by your calculation). And truthfully, on the DxDP, eating 3 meals (mostly TS) per day, you almost certainly will save. But if instead of saving 38%, if prepayment led to a loss of 10-20%, would you still do it for convenience?

I do expect you will save significantly on the DxDP. But having done the plan myself, I wouldn't project using all your entitlements. With beverages already included in every meal, we used our mugs a total of 0 times. With desserts included in every meal, we used a total of 7 snack credits, leaving 41 snack credits over. Plus we were so stuffed, had to cancel an ADR -- left over 6 out of 104 meal credits. And ended up skipping about a dozen desserts and apps.
To actually use every entitlement on the DxDP, you need to have food in your hand at just about every waking minute of the day.
The nice thing about the DxDP -- at least 2011 pricing -- you could save significantly without using all your entitlements. Thats becoming less true.

As this is our first trip ever using the DP I have to say yes in the interest of convenience that is exactly why we are trying it this time. If we wanted to save money I would be doing like every other trip we have made since 1989 and just take along $XXXX, well not actually take it in cash, back in the day we used a combination of Travelers Checks(what ever became of those?)cash and credit cards.
Looked at the menus and picked and choose what we could get for the amount budgeted per meal. Many times we wanted to order an appetizer that sounded "good" but would decide against it to stay within budget, same thing with desserts. It was a real pain at times, so prepaying even if it might come out costing a tad more per meal is something both DH and I are looking forward to this trip.
One thing it will change is the way I spend for souvieners as I have always looked but held off buying till the last day of our trips just to make sure I did not overspend and end up coming up short later in the trip.

Look at the popularity of cruising which is all-inclusive, I have never cruised but you basically are paying for all those meals and buffets that are offered and I am sure one never gets 100% value out of what is offered and paid for in advance (and overpriced)

I agree about the mug, reason I am only taking the actual cost of buying the mug OOP and not any savings per fillup up. We on our last trip used the mug 2x the night we bought it and one morning for coffee.

I think we will use our snack credits if for nothing else water while in the parks, 2 bottles a day seems likely.

I do not see us skipping and meal credits if we decide to cancel last minute we will most likely do as in the past and order room service which uses 2 credits in a clip not a good use of the credits, value wise but still not a waste of credits either.

Another aspect of using the DxDP vs DDP or QS is the fact that with DxDP you have "meal credits" which you can use interchangeably as CS or TS which although using a credit for CS might not give you the same $ value as using it for a TS, it is still not like having a CS left over unused because you opted to go to a TS place for dinner.

 

[TDC Nala]

I have to respectfully disagree here. On the Disney website it says "save 20% on dining" with the Disney dining plan. It is not marketed as "all inclusive" from what I can see.

I think it's always important to note from an interpretation of advertising standpoint that it says you "may" save "up to" 20%. It shouldn't be read as a guarantee that you will save that much using DDP or that you will save anything at all. With the price increases it now has to be "worked" a bit harder to realize maximum savings. The "all inclusivity" is mostly psychological. Whether one pays with a credit card or pays with dining credits on a KTTW card, one has to dig out a card and give it to someone to make the payment. But barring any possibility at savings (there's some possibility still there although it's now harder to realize more than minimal savings) there's a choice of either getting the bill and paying it before the vacation, or getting the bill after the vacation. Some just like getting the bill ahead of time. It can't be entirely all inclusive because if you're on a plan that has table service meals, you still have to get out another form of payment so you can pay the tip. The point is that it FEELS all-inclusive.

I've got a friend who knows the DDP is a bad deal for her family but gets it anyway to prevent squabbles over what to order, so she can say "You've got a dining credit, order what you want." I never run into this sort of thing because I'm usually buying food only for myself and not for anybody else. Even psychologically it's better for me to go OOP. I used all my entitlements but I wanted to skip sometimes. I didn't want the desserts but ate them anyway. I wanted to eat some of the appetizers they sell at La Cava but they don't take the plan and I had to go elsewhere. I like appetizers but I don't want to feel I have to order a full three course meal EVERY time as I would need to do on the deluxe plan if I didn't want to lose money.

And having read this board for quite a few years I no longer find it astonishing that some guests purchase the DDP even if it's likely they will lose money on the purchase compared to what they would spend going OOP. Up to them.

 

[havoc315]

As this is our first trip ever using the DP I have to say yes in the interest of convenience that is exactly why we are trying it this time. If we wanted to save money I would be doing like every other trip we have made since 1989 and just take along $XXXX, well not actually take it in cash, back in the day we used a combination of Travelers Checks(what ever became of those?)cash and credit cards.
Looked at the menus and picked and choose what we could get for the amount budgeted per meal. Many times we wanted to order an appetizer that sounded "good" but would decide against it to stay within budget, same thing with desserts. It was a real pain at times, so prepaying even if it might come out costing a tad more per meal is something both DH and I are looking forward to this trip.
One thing it will change is the way I spend for souvieners as I have always looked but held off buying till the last day of our trips just to make sure I did not overspend and end up coming up short later in the trip.

Look at the popularity of cruising which is all-inclusive, I have never cruised but you basically are paying for all those meals and buffets that are offered and I am sure one never gets 100% value out of what is offered and paid for in advance (and overpriced)

I agree about the mug, reason I am only taking the actual cost of buying the mug OOP and not any savings per fillup up. We on our last trip used the mug 2x the night we bought it and one morning for coffee.

I think we will use our snack credits if for nothing else water while in the parks, 2 bottles a day seems likely.

I do not see us skipping and meal credits if we decide to cancel last minute we will most likely do as in the past and order room service which uses 2 credits in a clip not a good use of the credits, value wise but still not a waste of credits either.

Another aspect of using the DxDP vs DDP or QS is the fact that with DxDP you have "meal credits" which you can use interchangeably as CS or TS which although using a credit for CS might not give you the same $ value as using it for a TS, it is still not like having a CS left over unused because you opted to go to a TS place for dinner.

You're still missing my question. In your past cheaper trips, you skipped those appetizers and expensive entrees.
On the DxDp, you are upgrading your dining experience, with a calculated discount.

My question is--- if you could get the deluxe dining experience -- every expensive entree, every single appetizer -- but it was still cheaper oop, would you still get the dining plan for convenience?

It sounds like you are choosing the dxdp not out of convenience, but because you want a deluxe dining experience.
You have projected a significant savings.

The question is --- if instead of saving 38%, you were losing 38%, for the EXACT same food, would you still get the plan?

 

[Sorsha]

There's a psychological difference between cash, whether on a credit card, debit card, or gift card, and dining plan credits. With any cash-like payment method there's always that little voice pointing out that it could be spent elsewhere, that $40 is ridiculous for a steak that would cost $20 at home, that the kids really don't each need their own $4 slushie that is no different from the $1 ones they get from the neighborhood gas station, etc. The dining plan eliminates that tourist sticker shock, and for those of us coming from low-cost hometowns and/or very frugal day-to-day habits there is a value to that perceived freedom.

And THIS is exactly why we always have, and probably always will, do the Dining Plans.

We live in a very low-cost area (a super nice meal at a steak house tops out at about $25 a plate) and my DH is horribly frugal (read: cheap LOL). If we were paying cash OOP, or even if we had the money pre-purchased on a card; he would still examine the menus with a microscope, gasp and nearly die from sticker shock at every meal, and then have a side salad or a bowl of soup and an ice water.

Or he would insist on renting a car and we would be out in Kissimmee eating at CiCi's or KFC for every meal.

The DDP gives us the freedom to know that we can all order whatever we want, regardless of cost, and not have to suffer the sticker shock. Its all paid for, regardless of how much the price says on the menu.

Whether of not we actually "save" anything, THAT alone makes it worthwhile. Vacation Peace of Mind.

 

[sharonabe]

And THIS is exactly why we always have, and probably always will, do the Dining Plans.

We live in a very low-cost area (a super nice meal at a steak house tops out at about $25 a plate) and my DH is horribly frugal (read: cheap LOL). If we were paying cash OOP, or even if we had the money pre-purchased on a card; he would still examine the menus with a microscope, gasp and nearly die from sticker shock at every meal, and then have a side salad or a bowl of soup and an ice water.

Or he would insist on renting a car and we would be out in Kissimmee eating at CiCi's or KFC for every meal.

The DDP gives us the freedom to know that we can all order whatever we want, regardless of cost, and not have to suffer the sticker shock. Its all paid for, regardless of how much the price says on the menu.

Whether of not we actually "save" anything, THAT alone makes it worthwhile. Vacation Peace of Mind.

Does that mean you don't tell him that the plan costs you $221 a night? So, let's say you stay 5 nights....that's $1100. To me, that is sticker shock!

 

[Sorsha]

Does that mean you don't tell him that the plan costs you $221 a night? So, let's say you stay 5 nights....that's $1100. To me, that is sticker shock!

He knows exactly what it costs. He is involved in the vacation budgeting and planning, down to the penny.

BUT it is all paid for, ahead of time, and done and over with by the time he gets there. That leaves him free, the entire time, to order a $45 steak if he so chooses; without being blown away by the physical act of handing over that money, every night DURING what is supposed to be his relaxing vacation.

Works for us, maybe not for others, YMMV. But we certainly won't change how we do things.

 

[sjs314]

You're still missing my question. In your past cheaper trips, you skipped those appetizers and expensive entrees.
On the DxDp, you are upgrading your dining experience, with a calculated discount.

My question is--- if you could get the deluxe dining experience -- every expensive entree, every single appetizer -- but it was still cheaper oop, would you still get the dining plan for convenience?

It sounds like you are choosing the dxdp not out of convenience, but because you want a deluxe dining experience.
You have projected a significant savings.

The question is --- if instead of saving 38%, you were losing 38%, for the EXACT same food, would you still get the plan?

Yes Yes Yes........I am trying it for convience as We always do a sit-down breakfast, we are not grab a coffee and pasty and go (saving $ as some do with CL would never work for us since we do not do continential style breakfast) In fact when we stayed at the YC we were upgraded to CL and DH and I never even ventured into the lounge once.

We may very well lose money by buying the DxDP this trip DH is a picky eater and most appitizers do not appeal to him so he may be skipping them, I do not know.

I might mention I did the cost analysis out of curiosity to see what our meals might come to if we ordered what we wanted and also to project the amount of tipping as it seems that is the major reason people here on the DIS favor either the OS or the DDP since you do not have to tip at CS.

In a nut shell I decided after our last trip that I will most likely never do CS again. Our expierences were that bad.....waiting in long long lines, finally getting our food, searching for a place to sit, eating cold food and once in Epcot having to sit on a wall and be attacked by gulls do to the crowds during the height of Spring Break. I might add My Ddil made all the trip plans and only made one ADR for HDDR and finding TS to eat was next to near impossible.

Yes I would definately rather pay ahead and possible pay more this trip for the convience. I don't consider that I am looking for deluxe dining expierence since we are not eating at even one signature establishment, we are basically plain food types. I don't consider 3 meals a day "deluxe" just the norm and we do not cut corners on vacation other than maybe not to order and app or dessert so our trips have never been cheap when it comes to food which as a rule ends up costing us more than our room, last trip we spent roughly between 100 and 150 a day for both of us for food(2009) so this trip the DxDP is costing us $171.04 a day a reasonable increase over what we paid OOP in 2009. At the very least for the convienece of pre paying we should break even due to inflation. maybe ?

 

[sjs314]

And THIS is exactly why we always have, and probably always will, do the Dining Plans.

We live in a very low-cost area (a super nice meal at a steak house tops out at about $25 a plate) and my DH is horribly frugal (read: cheap LOL). If we were paying cash OOP, or even if we had the money pre-purchased on a card; he would still examine the menus with a microscope, gasp and nearly die from sticker shock at every meal, and then have a side salad or a bowl of soup and an ice water.

Or he would insist on renting a car and we would be out in Kissimmee eating at CiCi's or KFC for every meal.

The DDP gives us the freedom to know that we can all order whatever we want, regardless of cost, and not have to suffer the sticker shock. Its all paid for, regardless of how much the price says on the menu.

Whether of not we actually "save" anything, THAT alone makes it worthwhile. Vacation Peace of Mind.

Exactly my thought!

Does that mean you don't tell him that the plan costs you $221 a night? So, let's say you stay 5 nights....that's $1100. To me, that is sticker shock!

Actually the sticker shock is budgeting $1100 OOP and end up spending $1500 instead. And that has happened to us more than once during a trip.
Prepaying is relatively painless.IMO

 

[havoc315]

Yes Yes Yes........I am trying it for convience as We always do a sit-down breakfast, we are not grab a coffee and pasty and go (saving $ as some do with CL would never work for us since we do not do continential style breakfast) In fact when we stayed at the YC we were upgraded to CL and DH and I never even ventured into the lounge once.

We may very well lose money by buying the DxDP this trip DH is a picky eater and most appitizers do not appeal to him so he may be skipping them, I do not know.

I might mention I did the cost analysis out of curiosity to see what our meals might come to if we ordered what we wanted and also to project the amount of tipping as it seems that is the major reason people here on the DIS favor either the OS or the DDP since you do not have to tip at CS.

In a nut shell I decided after our last trip that I will most likely never do CS again. Our expierences were that bad.....waiting in long long lines, finally getting our food, searching for a place to sit, eating cold food and once in Epcot having to sit on a wall and be attacked by gulls do to the crowds during the height of Spring Break. I might add My Ddil made all the trip plans and only made one ADR for HDDR and finding TS to eat was next to near impossible.

Yes I would definately rather pay ahead and possible pay more this trip for the convience. I don't consider that I am looking for deluxe dining expierence since we are not eating at even one signature establishment, we are basically plain food types. I don't consider 3 meals a day "deluxe" just the norm and we do not cut corners on vacation other than maybe not to order and app or dessert so our trips have never been cheap when it comes to food which as a rule ends up costing us more than our room, last trip we spent roughly between 100 and 150 a day for both of us for food(2009) so this trip the DxDP is costing us $171.04 a day a reasonable increase over what we paid OOP in 2009. At the very least for the convienece of pre paying we should break even due to inflation. maybe ?

Having done the deluxe plan, it's not regular eating for most people. Yes, I eat 3 meals per day -- but those meals are about 1/4th the size of the portions at TS restaurants.
Nothing wrong with eating a bit differently while on vacation, but I wouldn't compare it to regular eating at home.

But ok, we are finally understanding each other. So out of curiousity, how much would you be willing to lose on the dxdp for convenience?
Instead of breaking even or saving money, would you be wiling to lose $5 per meal? $10?
Would you get the dxdp if it was $100 per night? $150 per night?

Each family is obviously different. There is no right or wrong way to do things.
Personally though, I am fascinated by the thought ... That I'd rather pay $35 for a turkey sandwich in advance, then pay $10 later.