To get it or not?

[cmf06]

I am SO up in the air whether or not to get dining plan! So far, I do not have the plan, but have ADRs at the following places. . . .

'Ohana for dinner
Cape May for breakfast
1900 Park Fair for dinner
Garden Grill for lunch
We are going for seven nights.
I also want to get a lunch package for candlelight processional as we are going in Dec. There are three adults and two children. My husband says we do not need plan, but I think it may be a good deal. What does everyone else think? Help Me!!

 

[VAN]

I personally don't think you do, UNLESS, you plan to eat at a lot of TS restaurants. If you really, really want to do it, I'd say add up the numbers of what you would most likely spend WITHOUT the plan and present it to your DH.

If you are like most families, economically it probably doesn't pay to get it.

If your family would like to get it for the convenience or you plan to spend a lot of time in the restaurants vs touring the parks, then it might be worthwhile.

Based on your post, I wouldn't spend the money on it. If I know my numbers correct, you are talking about an additional $140 each day. Remember that the dining plan does NOT include gratuity, does NOT include appetizer, and does NOT include alcoholic beverages.

 

[asmit4]

Let's do some very quick Math:

Park Fair- 114 bucks
Cape May- 84 bucks
Garden Grill- not sure on pricing- lets say 85 bucks and that might be low
Ohana- 107 bucks

All of the above do not include gratuity- you will have to pay that WITH or WITHOUT the DDP, so it's not necessary to consider it when purchasing the DDP.

Right there you are around 390.

The DDP for all of you for 7 nights is around 140/night. For a total cost of roughly 980. Above you have 4 meals listed. Presuming your family eats like most families, you will need at least 2 meals per day, even if all of the others are counter service you will have to eat at least twice. Given that you have 7nights, you will need at least 14 meals. This leaves 10 meals unnaccounted for.

Now the question only you can answer. Can you feed your family 10 more meals for 590 bucks? (not including gratuity). That's roughly 59.00 per meal....

 

[asmit4]

Also, one more thing...don't forget the added snack value Kids want ice cream? They each have 7 snack credits. In fact, for your trip combined you will have 30 snack credits. (7 credits per person) That value alone is worth over 100 bucks.

 

[catne]

correcting math...7 nights x 5 people is 35 snack credits.

We were there in May 2008, guesstimate of average snack price was around $3.00 (some as low as 1.99, some close to $4.00), so snack per day on the DDP would give you a value of about $105.00 total.

And by the way, if you do get DDP, don't use your snack credit to buy bottled water...every counter service in WDW will give you a free cup of ice water for the asking. Sometimes it's dixie-cup size (6 oz.) but sometimes it's a regular-drink sized cup.

If you get the DDP, get more ADR's soon!

 

[tiger4me2]

I think it is a good value but this is my view it really up to you. Check the menus & add it up & that will tell you if it is worth it to you.

 

[bumbershoot]

Check out the menus online. Figure out what you guys might want to eat while there. Add tax to the cost of the food you figure you'd order.

Compare it to the cost of the DDP.

Also make sure you're comparing what you would get...if you like ordering a salad and an appetizer for dinner, although you *might* be able to order that appetizer as a dinner, it's not a for sure thing, so don't count on it. Therefore, if you still want that salad and appetizer, it will be totally out of pocket (plus tax). Or you'll end up ordering a normal entree that maybe you didn't totally want, just b/c it's included.

If you're like my family and you just don't snack that often (or you share snacks), the snack credits wouldn't be as used as they 'shoudl" be.

For my family, doing the math in that way doesn't work. We don't eat much when in the heat and at Disneyland, and I can only imagine it'll be worse at Disneyworld. In addition we're vegetarian, so our entrees are limited and generally cheaper. I just can't make the math work for us.

Don't go with what you *think* will be cheaper...spend time with the menus and a calculator, and figure out what WILL be cheaper.

 

[asmit4]

Oh my! Hiding under a rock right now! I have an accounting degree too! LOL!

Guess my parents pulled me out of school to go to DW during the 7's times table and I never learned it!

 

[catne]

your brain's just scrambled with pixie dust from too much time on the Disboards...

 

[ENSOCK]

We did it last time and it was a condition with my DH this time that we get it. He loved the having the sit down meal every day. He did not say much on the planning just to make sure he could sit down to eat.

With the way my boys eat, the plan works out well for us. You should get onto allears.net and search the menus.

 

[cmf06]

Thank you everyone for your help! I will research more! Everyone here is such great help

 

[septbaby]

Let's do some very quick Math:

Park Fair- 114 bucks
Cape May- 84 bucks
Garden Grill- not sure on pricing- lets say 85 bucks and that might be low
Ohana- 107 bucks

All of the above do not include gratuity- you will have to pay that WITH or WITHOUT the DDP, so it's not necessary to consider it when purchasing the DDP.

Right there you are around 390.

The DDP for all of you for 7 nights is around 140/night. For a total cost of roughly 980. Above you have 4 meals listed. Presuming your family eats like most families, you will need at least 2 meals per day, even if all of the others are counter service you will have to eat at least twice. Given that you have 7nights, you will need at least 14 meals. This leaves 10 meals unnaccounted for.

Now the question only you can answer. Can you feed your family 10 more meals for 590 bucks? (not including gratuity). That's roughly 59.00 per meal....

Also keep in mind that if your trip falls during the Holiday period your character/buffet meals are likely to be subject to the following surcharges: $4/Adult and $2/Child for an extra $17 per meal with tax included. So your 4 meals would have the surcharge and cost you an additional: $68. You would not have an increased fee for the DP during this Holiday period: $9.99/Child and $37.99/Adult.

Garden Grill is $92 so: $114+84+92+107+68 = $465 for 4 TS meals

As noted the DP would cost $134 per night so $958 for the length of your stay. You would have a "budget" of $473 to feed your family for rest of the trip if you spent as muchas the DP would cost you. Keep in mind that the meals you've already planned avg $116 each, so $18 more those days you could get everyone in your family a CS meal and a snack.

 

[mickeynut1]

We love the DDP and can't go to Disney without it as it is well worth it for our family; but the DDP isn't for everybody . I think it all depends on how you eat while on vacation, whether you prefer TS over CS . I don't think you can go wrong with the dining plan, but it's really an individual preference .

 

[Jakesmom1]

We tried it for the first time last week, and it worked really well for us.

We do like one TS meal a day, and we like to eat at some nice restaurants.

The average bill for my family of 3 was about $115 per night for table service meals. The dining plan for us was $120 per day, so that covered it perfectly, plus we had our snacks and CS. We did on occasion order an appetizer and once in a while an adult beverage which we did pay of of pocket, however, when it came to ordering our meals we never even looked at a price, since we knew we had the dining plan.

As previous Disers have noted, it is not for everybody, but it definately worked for us. I think we would be hard pressed to not get it again.

Have a great trip.

 

[eyor44]

I did some rough estimating based on the menus and what we eat and figured even having to now include tips we will save approximately $300 for a week with 5 of us. We are trying the DDP for the first time. My SIL just came back and said next time they were definitly doing the DDP. They spent $250 at Yachtsman alone.