should I purchase Disney Dining Plan

[Jenndrews]

Hi,I need some advice.I am single & 35 years old and I am going to Disney World in January by myself.I am staying at a Disney Resort for the first time and I am very confused about If I should purchase the dining plan or not.Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[bicker]

Have you any idea where you were planning on eating during your trip -- specifically how many table-service meals? (Also, we need to know how many days you'll be staying at the resort.)

 

[Jenndrews]

I plan on staying 8 days.I haven't made any resevations for restaurants yet.I would like to eat at the liberty tavern,Cinderella Castle & the Winnie the Pooh Breakfast but other than that I am not really sure.

 

[bicker]

Different people disagree about Cinderella's -- I feel it isn't a good value for the points it costs; none of the character breakfasts are, IMHO. If you're going to be doing character meals exclusively, you may find that you'll spend more on the Dining Plan than you would have spent just paying for everything in cash.

We're doing mostly regular table-service meals, and we're only saving about $40 per person total for a five night visit, as compared to what we probably would have spent paying in cash, so that's how close it can be in terms of value. Without knowing for sure just how you're going to use the Dining Plan, it would be impossible to guess whether you'll save money or lose money. So the more information about where you're going to eat, and especially how many table service meals you're going to eat, could make the difference between a good decision and a mistake.

 

[Good Ol Gal]

I would do the DP if I were traveling by myself. I like it being a pre-paid meal and not worrying how much everything cost, cheap or expensive.

We did the plan last year and had no problems at all.

 

[Jenndrews]

Thanks for the information on Cinderella's Castle.I will skip it!I know with snacks & counter service meals it would be worth it for me but Iam not sure about Table Service Meals because I do not like having to make Reservations.Do you think I will have a problem getting in at Restaurants with no Reservations.I am not worried about Character Meals and I do not mind waiting.

 

[thunderbird1]

If I were going by myself, I would definitely do the dining plan. Not necessarily because of the big savings (I'm a vegetarian, and therefore always eat the cheapest thing on the menu), but because everything would be prepaid, including tax and tip, and I wouldn't be able to skip appetizers or desserts because I'm too full/don't need it/costs too much. I would look at it as a sort of "forced indulgence" instead of my usual "try not to spend any more money" mentality.

But this rationale only works if you would do one TS meal every day, and if you don't do a lot of 2 credit meals. If so, I highly recommend giving the dining plan a chance. We found it really added an extra level of relaxation and fun to our vacation.

Edited to add: We must have been posting at the same time. I know what you mean about not wanting to make reservations. You'll be able to get in somewhere, but the question is, will it be where you want to go? We made 12 reservations for a 10 night trip. We ended up cancelling 3 and adding one new one during the trip. I'd recommend having reservations in place every day as a sort of insurance, but don't feel locked into them. You can always cancel if you find someplace else you'd rather go (once you know you can get in). Just keep that WDW dining number on your cell phone speed dial!

 

[bicker]

Without reservations, you could find yourself being shipped off to some remote, moderate resort, just to have a sit-down meal, because sometimes that's all that is available on a walk-up basis -- even in the off-season. Character meals are among the most popular meals, and therefore the ones you often need reservations for to avoid being turned away.

I don't place much value on things being pre-paid. In the end, I'm paying either way. So for me, the value of the Dining Plan is that it is a set price, which is (presumably) lower than I would have paid otherwise -- but the only way to know that is to take a look at the menus and figure out if it really is the right decision for you based on where and what you'd normally eat. One of the things that was first-and-foremost in my thoughts was whether it would tend to force us to over-indulge just to get a good-enough value. So I compared the cost not to what I could get on the Dining Plan, but rather to what I would have ordered if I was paying in cash. That way, we don't unnecessary "feed our obesity"...