Silver pkg add-on...how is this good?

[Pyedog]

On the dining line today, the rep. tried to sell me the silver package add-on for my reservation. She said it would really save us money on our dining for the week. Since we're doing a lot of expensive dining, I decided to sit down and figure it all out. To those of you considering the silver package - or gold or whatever - please think for a moment about what you really want to do and what you would spend otherwise. Here's how I figured it:

Silver package add-on is $63/person/day. For our family of 4, that comes to $1764 for the week (7 nights)

I already have most of our dining planned out & the counter service type meals that I didn't plan out I figure at $7/person, after looking at some of the fast food type menus online.

Sat:
1900 Park Faire $20/adult, $10/child --> $60
Sun:
CRT Brkfst (girls only) $20/adult, $10/child -->$30
Boys counter service bkfst -->$14
Plaza lunch $14/adult $10/child -->$48
Hoop De Doo Revue $50/adult $25/child -->$150
Mon:
Counter service bkfst & lunch -->$56
Narcoossee's dinner (adults only) -->$100
Grandparents treat kids to dinner!!
Tues:
Counter service bkfst -->$28
Sci-Fi lunch $12/adult $8/child -->$40
Luau $50/adult $25/child -->$150
Wed:
Spend the day at Universal
Thurs:
Crystal Palace bkfst $17/adult, $9/child -->$52
lunch - pizza at wilderness lodge $12 -->$12
Mama Melroses for dinner $22/adult $5.50/child -->$55
Fri:
Counter service bkfst & lunch -->$56
Liberty Tree dinner $21/adult $10/child --->$62
Sat:
Counter service bkfst & lunch -->$56

Tips are included for HoopDeDoo and Luau
Total of all other meals: $684 (.15) --> $102
for tips...notice I've tipped for counter service!

Total of all meals, tips, & dinner shows ---> $1087


It adds up to $677 less than with the silver add-on!!!

Granted, we are not eating as high off the hog as we would if we had the silver add on (our plan does not use 14 magical wishes per person for food for the week). But come on!!!! This plan just gets your money up front & then you decide "oh, well, might as well go there and eat since I've paid for it already"

Please tell me how this is a great deal!????

-Pyedog

 

[kda]

Convenience, the luxury of eating anything almost you want, and some people want most meals to be full service. As you've figured out, it's not FINANCIALLY a great deal if you don't choose to eat a lot of food in the more expensive resteraunts. Many people don't want to spend that much time eating, plus the $$$. It's obviously not for everyone. We've never done it, for the same reasons you mention.
($63/day seems like an awful lot for a child!)

 

[~Sparkly~Zoe]

Did you include tax & tip in all of your meals that you figured out?
I don't think the silver add-on is good, but that's my opinion.

 

[Mickeycrazie]

Just my 2 cents worth.

I wouldn't look at it as spending 67 for kids. I'm not sure how old your kids are but the kids price is 54 and the adult price is 67. And what that actually means is it would be 27 per child and 33.50 for the adult per point used.

I see you are going to Narcoossee's for dinner one night (adults only). This is a 2 point place. which it would cost you 67 dollors in theory for the 2 points. And you get appetizer, salad, main entree, desert and beverage and the tip is included. So the waiters/waitress love the people on the silver plan that eat the expensive stuff because their tip is bigger.

And the Hoop Dee Doo would be 1 point or 33.50 per adult.

We used it in 11/02(1st time using it) and we will be using it again in 10/03 and again in 4/04. I'll have myself 2 back to back massages at the GF. We're going to se LaNouba. Doing the Hoop Dee Doo. Eating at Narcoossee's also. Doing the Keys to the Kingdom Tour.

You have to know how much things are and use your points wisely and I love doing the research and planning. Then I just e-mail my TA at Dreams Unlimited and she makes all the arrangement for me. No long distance phone calls for me. And if I change my mind about anything we've planned she changes them for me.

Anyway that was my 2 cents worth.

 

[kdibattista]

We used the Silver Plan last year for the first time and will never go back!!!! In all honesty, I couldn't tell you if we lost money, saved money or broke even but it was well worth the convenience of not having to worry about paying for our food. It also allowed us to do things we never would have previously... spa, golf, etc. It made for a much more enjoyable vacation.

 

[honeymo78]

I've never used the silver plan, only the gold and it's great!!! I would not recommend it if you planned on eating at counter service restaurants. That is not a wise use of your wish (silver) or meal in general on gold. And actually lunch costs much more than $15 dollars which is more than you seem to have planned. Most lunch entrees at sit downs are over $10 each. To make the most of the plan you would get an appetizer and dessert plus drink with it bring it over $20-25 plus tax and tip. For my DF and I we enjoy fine dining and even when we go out at home we eat an app and dessert. I also love being able to eat wherever I want and not have to worry that I can't have a steak every night b/c I didn't bring enough money with me. I will never go back to WDW without a dining plan. Most likely I will always use gold unless we go in the winter and don't plan on any recreation and go with silver but then again it doesn't get that cold for boat rides and I really love the tours that are included. Packages aren't for everyone but I can tell you from experience that for many families they can be money savers. Every trip I've taken using one (between 4-5) we have saved money on our dining and recreation by using the gold plan.

 

[Wyndale]

This is our 5th anniversary trip! Hubby is playing golf a couple times, and taking a pro lesson, while I'm doing spa treatments and Keys to Kingdom tour. We want to enjoy great dining and Hoop dee doo, and LaNouba.

When I sat down and figured it out, it was worth it to us.

 

[Pyedog]

Good point by Sparkly Zoe! I did NOT add in tax for our meals....BUT, I DID add in tips for EVERY meal, even counter service, which ought to make up for the tax oversight.

I guess if I were going on an adult trip, it may be worth it. We might take advantage of a massage, dawdle over long meals with lots of wine and appetizers, etc. But with little kids who just want to ride ride ride, and are really picky eaters that will only want the chicken nuggets and hot dogs no matter where we go, it just doesn't make sense to me.

I would encourage everyone to really put some thought into whether this add on is a money saver before booking it.

Pyedog

 

[DreAnna Clayton]

For adults the silver add on plan is $67 per adult and $54 per child

I don't know if this will make a difference. For my DH and I it

works out great, we eat charater breakfast every morning and

the most expensive restruants at night. For instance, for dinner

total usually runs around a hundred dollars for the both of us.

 

[magicmouse2]

Can you get the Silver Package with room only ressies ??? this sounds good!

 

[magicmouse2]

I just checked it out - You cant......

 

[goofy4tink]

Our group consists of myself, dh, and 9 y/o dd. Dd is somewhat (okay, very) picky about what she eats. When in WDW she exists on mac and cheese and hotdogs! We already have 2 meals a day already booked, for most of our visit. I have tried every which way to make the silver package work for us and it just doesn't. I've added price, tip and tax, totaled it all up and the silver pack. would still cost us about $500 more than I'm spending now. We will be eating basically two big meals a day with snacking mid-day. With a 9 y/o we won't be doing any golfing, tours or getting massages....much as I may like to. If just my dh were going then I would probably do the silver and eat at some terrific restaurants, but until then it just isn't fiscally responsible for us.

 

[Pyedog]

Thanks Goofy4Tink!! I was beginning to think I was the only one!
-Pyedog

 

[KIS]

Pyedog and others who are interested in this aspect of planning,

Like you, I costed it out, a rough estimate, of course. I've never been to WDW. But, I tried to honestly list, as you did, all of what we would naturally gravitate to eating and all of what we would naturally gravitate on doing that was on the WISH list. It was boarderline.

Then I tried it using up all the extras we'd have to do or eat to make it work. I looked at what sort of vacation we wanted to have. We have a 5 year old who is not a food enthusiast. I mean, she eats like a bird and tends to sit for 10 minutes at home for dinnertime. She can behave in a restaurant, but it's not her natural state. I knew we would want her to enjoy the rides, the shows and activities more than fancy dining. I knew we'd not want to have too many nights out alone as this will be a family vacation.

I actually lucked out and had a very helpful discussion with a woman who works at the local WDW store. We discussing passes and the Silver plan. She listend carefully to our family's vacation focus and to my plans so far. When she learned it was our first trip and that we were planning a trip with a young child, she recommended skipping it. After your first time, you'll know more about your preferences for the future based on your experience. Also, I imagine as your family changes over time, you can always revisit this question.

So, we're taking her advice and planning a kid-friendly, MK intensive, lots of down time sort of trip.

I hope it helps to hear about my experience so far thinking this through. I'd be interested in hearing how you work this out.

KIS