To dining package or not, that is the question!

[golfgal]

How much do you spend, on average, for food at Disney? I am really trying to decide if it is worth getting the dining add on or not. It will be DH, Me, DS12, DD10 and DS10. Our kids are ok eaters, but not big eaters (a Happy Meal at McDonalds is still enough to fill them up). Dh and I eat an average amount. I can see how the dining package would be less expensive if you ate at a sit down rest. every day, but if you don't, is it worth getting the dining add on?

I have looked at the menu's and prices and unless we eat at a sit down, we probably won't spend the $175/day it would cost us to add on dining. I am curious to know what you spend on food at Disney. Will we eat more then I think we will? Is a sit down meal/day something we will most likely end up doing and I just don't know that???? I wish they would give you the option of selecting the jr price for the meals--the children's menus would be plenty food for our kids.

What I am guessing we will spend is about $80/day on lunch/dinner-so 6 days of that is $480. We will have breakfast in the room. If I add 2 sit-down dinners at an additional $120 each--$240. Then $100 for snacks through the 6 days--we would probably bring some small snacks with us into the parks but also get pop corn/ice cream in the park in the afternoon. It comes to $730. Am I underestimating our food costs? The dining add on for 6 days would be $1050. We will bring water bottles into the park because my DH will have a heart attack if we spend $2.50 on a bottle of water in the park.

I know everyone's eating habits are different, but if I can get a general idea of what others are spending I can see if my numbers are in the ball park or if I am way off.

Thanks!!!

 

[jellydisney]

Well, according to Disney.com, each day you get:

1 table-service meal including appetizer, entree, dessert, non-alcoholic beverage and gratuity
1 counter-service meal including entree and non-alcoholic beverage
1 snack including either ice cream, cookie, popcorn or a non-alcoholic beverage

If I were to follow the above itinerary, I estimate that I would spend about $45 a day ($10 on counter service, $30 on table service, $5 on snacks).

A child would spend less, probably around $21 ($6 counter service, $10 table service, $5 on snacks)

With 3 kids and 2 adults, that would put you at $153 a day (saving you about $20)



Here's a few other things to consider:
-There are supposedly "100 participating locations"... will there be enough locations so that you won't have to search all over the place for one that takes the dining package?
-Will everyone typically eat a snack every day?
-Do you want to eat at a sit down restaurant once every day?


I think the Dining Package is good for very large parties of people, because it reduces the need for money managing. But for smaller parties, I think it restricts your freedom to decide where and how much you want to eat each day.

Strictly financially speaking, I think either way you can't go too wrong. But at least without the dining package, you won't be paying for something you never ordered.

Whew that was a long email! Hope that helped a little.

 

[Chuck S]

If you are having to book the room at full rack rate, without a discount code, then yes, the dining option will probably work for you. If you can receive a decent discount on the room, then you would not be eligible to the discount anyway. But, but having to book at full rate vs. a discount rate (if you are eligible) the difference in price would cancel out any savings you'd have on the dining package.

 

[jeepgirl30]

For us, yes. We like to eat a nice table service meal. This way we don't have to worry about a budget on food. We also want to do Character meals. We want to do Cindys dinner at GF, that is 27.99 plus tax. We want to do Ohana's and Bomas for sure too. Cindy's breakfast also. DH will want to go to ESPN club and that will include appetizers, entree and desert. That will add up. I haven't even thought of the counter service meals but those can easily add to $10.

As for a snack, that includes a soda at the park. We always need a cool drink atleast once throughout the day.

For us, I am definately getting it. There are so many options even without some of my favorites like CG, Le Cel, etc. We are taking kids so I wouldn't do CG this time anyway.

 

[kyirish25]

Another option to get your $ worth if not wanting to eat a sit-down every day is to eat your sit-down at a signature restaurant and use up 2 "wishes". This will be a more expensive meal than the average sit-down and still very easy to spend more than $40 per adult for the meal.

Adult dining package per day is $35
$3 snack
$10 counter service
$22 sit-down meal

You aren't going to come out ahead on any of the offered snacks or counter service meals. The only way to break even or spend more than you are paying is to do the sit-down meals.

 

[Becky2005]

Adult dining package per day is $35
$3 snack
$10 counter service
$22 sit-down meal

Thank you for that breakdown my brain wasn't grasping it! LOL!! It's so simple but I think my brain is overly boggled with all the information or something.

I had just read Le Cellier is now a signature restaraunt and since I knew we already wanted to go to Yachtsman Steakhouse....I was trying to decide if it was worth it or not for us to do both now being that it's 2 sit-downs for both of those...I just couldn't figure out "how much is the sit-down portion worth? Will we get our money's worth using 2?" Or if it would be better to just pay out of pocket instead. This helps me figure it a bit more! My DH wants to eat big but he's kind of picky too (but likes a good steak & potato!), so am torn between is this a good deal or not for us!

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

We too will be purchasing the dining package. As a married couple traveling with no children, we love to have at least 1 sit-down meal every day. We are also planning on eating at California Grill, as this is an anniversary trip.

 

[kyirish25]

So on the dining plan for 2 sit-downs you need to spend more than $44 per adult.

Here is an average meal at Yachtsman Steakhouse
Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail -- traditional cocktail sauce and pea shoots $12 (prices were $8 - $12)
Entree: Yachtsman Filet Mignon -- 8 oz. filet with mashed potatoes and a red wine sauce $33 (prices were $20 - $55)
Dessert: Creme Brulee with fresh berries and rolled chocolate $8 (prices were $7 - $8)
Non-alcholoic beverage: $3

Meal Total: $56 + tax + tip

As you can see you come out way ahead after tax and tip. Even if you ordered the cheapest thing for each item you would at least break even for the meal.

 

[Doug123]

Is the $175 a day/per adult a set price, with no discounts available?

 

[dizplanner]

The dining program may not be a good deal for you, because you have two 10 year olds. You have to pay the adult rate for the 10 year olds if you do the dining program, but if you pay on your own, they get the child price (at buffets, etc). Plus on your own, they can order children meals if that is sufficient for them.

For us it would be a good deal because my kids are teens and eat like adults (and have for some time). We also like to do a sit down meal once a day. And don't forget that the tip is included when looking at menus.

I read somewhere that the sit down meal includes an appetizer and drink, but not a dessert.

 

[deanna2426]

We may be out of the ordinary, but our family (DH, DS(5), DS(23 months) and I) typically spend between $80-100 per day on food. We usually do have one sit down meal (nice to take a break in air-conditioning), one counter service and breakfast in room or quick items from bakery each day. We just can't eat fast food every meal for more than a couple of days. Even if our sit-down is a character meal, it is at least $22 per adult plus beverage and gratuity. The plan includes those things.

Since we are now DVC members, we will get the DDE card with our AP. This being said, I am a TA and I do not usually encourage packages. However, I am currently letting people know about the food plan, b/c I do think depending on their eating habits, paying rack rate and getting the dining option, still works out better for some.

Good luck with whatever you decide! :space: (added this b/c my 5 year is sitting next to me and he thought it was so cool...lol)

 

[Disfreek]

I think I am going to stick w/ AAA or AP discount and DDE...I have been crunching the #s and that seems to be the better deal for me for Dec. 2005.

For the Poly trip we are using AP discount and vouchers... I know I will miss meal vouchers...oh well. The DDE should be a great deal, too!!

 

[gingermommy94]

We are also going to stick with our AAA discount and not purchase the dining package.

Actually, I sat down and made a list of all of the places we wanted to get PS's for this trip. Then I added up the price of each of those meals, included some counter service and snacks. The total I came up with was almost the same as the price of the dining package. So...even though I was really excited and ready to book the dining package..it's just not worth it for us.

It's just one of those things that works out great for some, but not so great for others. *sigh*