To do dining plan or not, that is the question......

[ConnieB]

I'm on the fence because when I do the math using menus available online and guessing what we might eat, I'm just not sure we'd break even. It's tough to know how hungry we will actually be....and honestly the only way we'd break even on dining plan is if we actually used all those TS/CS/snack credits, but it is definitely more food than we eat at home, so when I calculate what the dining plan would cost OOP it would be worth it for what we'd have to order....but when I guesstimate what we'll actually eat based on our habits at home....I'm just not seeing a savings, I'm actually seeing it cost more. But I really am leaning towards the convenience of having it paid for and not worrying about it, but is that worth extra $$? I'm a cheapskate at heart and overpaying for food is just gnawing at me, lol.

Has anyone done one week on the plan and one week off and compared if they ate the same? I was thinking that since we have a split reservation (two resorts) we could try to schedule all the "expensive" TS meals for one week and do the dining plan then...and the following week do all the cheaper meals that we really want to try also, but that bring down the numbers to the point where the dining plan could be costing us. Is this sane?

 

[ChelleinNC]

We've found the same thing. Before each trip we add it all up and it's either a just barely break even or costs more to have the DDP. We decided that at a "break even" it's not worth it for us, too many variables --someone gets sick and you miss a meal and now you've lost money. We're also not huge CS fans.

We tried the DDP last December because my Dad & Stepmom were coming with us and I knew that Dad would freak out at the prices and wouldn't want to eat at TS with us. That made the DDP worth it to us for that trip (and the tip & appy were still included)

Overall, we find we do better without the DDP and using the TIW (formerly DDE)

 

[klynn]

We are into our third week here right now. The first week we did the DDP the second week we just used our DDE card. Being on the DDP the savings vs the DDE card was $80.00. However, we were tired of eating desserts twice a day and snacks every day. We do not eat like that at home. So the second week we just used our DDE card. We ate where we wanted and what we wanted. We still ate at 7 ts restaurants and 1 signature restaurants and several CS meals. We saved over $500.00 the second week by paying OOP using our DDE card. We are in our third week right now and enjoy just using our DDE card. My DD11 cannot eat an adult entree and she always orders from the kids menu or her and I split an adult entree. I'm sure this is adding to our savings. I hope this helps.

 

[Medic2891]

I ALWAYS use the DDP. I have found that the conveiniance of it alone is worth it, but we also like to splurge when we are there. We go to the higher priced restaurants that we wouldn't do, if we weren't on the plan. Plus we don't get the snacks everyday. We actually save them, and use them all on the last day so that we have snacks for the road. The counter service meals are great at lunch time, and if we want to go to the Hoop-de-doo or California Grill, we plan out our credits accordingly. I say got for it, and see what happens. I am sure that it will work out for you. It has for everyone that I have recommended it to, to this point.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Argued with the wife back a few years ago ... I didn't want DDP.

I was wrong .... I admit it. Will never go to Disney again without DDP.

I'm over it!

 

[Sandy321]

It truly depends on your adr's and style of eating - we're doing a lot of character/buffet meals, and we always do the snacks (going during food and wine fest) we come out ahead app $200 (when tax and tip were included it was a HUGE savings, not that I was spoiled or anything!! Love DDP, the deluxe is too much food and time, so the regular ddp + ordering an appy here and there works for us! i can also say I hate the standard made desserts at CS places - Sunshine Seasons at EPCOT and the Food courts do a much better job imho