When using the dining plan, do you order the most expensive thing?

[KatieCollette]

I LOVE the dining plan because the food is already paid for! When at a restaurant faced with a choice between two meals that look good, I always choose the cheaper. This way I can get what I want, and not worry about spending money because it's already been spent!

 

[Becky2005]

I don't. Last time we were on the Premium plan and we got 3 meals/day which included appetizers & desserts way back when. 99.9% of the time we didn't order appetizers.

It was already a TON of food as it was. We just ordered what we wanted to eat and didn't worry about the cost. We are a bit finicky eaters and we probably wouldn't have liked what the most expensive meal was anyway. It was pretty funny going to Fulton's and not a single one of us ordered any seafood. (No, Fulton's isn't on the normal dining plan -- just putting that out there just in case).

We are on the regular dining plan this time and we are mostly eating buffets. We did get free dining but even if I paid for it, I wouldn't go out of my way to order the most expensive meal -- however, being on the plan, I wouldn't be looking at the prices and then ordering the least expensive meal even if it really wasn't what I wanted either (which if I was paying cash I more than likely would do).

 

[eduk8r26]

I priced out adding the dining plan for myself and 12-year-old nephew. It would have come to $800 for a week. There's no way either one of us would eat that much. He's the pickiest eater on earth. So I couldn't justify spending that much money--though if someone gave it to me, I'd take it!!

 

[luvsJack]

We love the ddp. But, I don't get caught up in eating at the most expensive places or ordering the most expensive thing.

We all order what we want. And we may eat a lot of buffet because we like character meals--which I know isn't getting our best "value" out of the ddp, but its what we like to do.

I have priced out every buffet and what I "think" we will order in other places and always come up cheaper with the ddp but I don't make us stick to that.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

We love the ddp. But, I don't get caught up in eating at the most expensive places or ordering the most expensive thing.

We all order what we want. And we may eat a lot of buffet because we like character meals--which I know isn't getting our best "value" out of the ddp, but its what we like to do.

I have priced out every buffet and what I "think" we will order in other places and always come up cheaper with the ddp but I don't make us stick to that.

You definitely come out much cheaper with buffets if you have children ages 3-9 in your party. The DDP is only $13 per day for kids and just Chef Mickey's alone is more than that.

We are doing the DDP for our summer trip because 2 of the kids are pretty picky eaters and buffets are just easier for them to find something they like without whining that they HAVE to order off of the kids menu.

 

[Donaldswife]

I order what looks to be something I wouldnt normally order because of price, but also looks incredibly delicious.

I am like this as well.

If I am paying OOP sometimes I order something "safe" and less expensive because I don't want to waste money if I don't like the more expensive dish. I find myself trying a lot of things I wouldn't have otherwise when I am on the dining plan because I am not worried about price, therefore I am not afraid to try the $30 entree whereas if I was paying OOP I would probably order the less exotic $16 pasta dish.

 

[GeorgeG]

I have a question-If you go out to eat and are paying OOP do you order the cheapest thing on the menu? I order what I actually want to eat no matter where I go or how I am paying.

Yup! If I feel like having surf and turf, that's what I get. If I feel like having a hot dog, that's what I get.

 

[pyrxtc]

I just get what I will eat no matter what. It makes more sense to me that way. Plus, we end up doing a lot of buffets so it's nice to not have to choose and just eat as we like.

 

[FINFAN]

We did the DDP once and I orderd some pricey stuff but not necessarily the most expensive,,,I mean, it had to be something I would like. We actually had a variety because the DDP did allow us to try upper priced TS that we normally would not have spent on, like Cali Grill. I didn't get the most expensive item, but sure did enjoy the atmosphere! We did enjoy trying appetizers and desserts too. We only did it once tho, eating all that food at all those sit downs takes a lot of time. We found ourselves touring around our ADR's instead of our FP's...lol...and we are commando, so we prefer to now pay OOP if we choose a nice TS.

 

[luvmy3]

We just ordered what we wanted to eat.

 

[sjs314]

Just because you can??

Looking at the menus where we are eating - Via Napoli, California Grill, Tutto Italia and La Hacienda something something - some of the entrees are pretty pricey at some places and I just want to order them because I can!

We are on the plan where you get a snack, a counter service and a table service a day. I think that's enough food. All our table services will be dinner in the late evenings. I'll probably save dessert for breakfast!

So excited, it's been over 10 years since I've been to Disney!!

We have never been on the DP before this will be our first time and we are doing DxDP

I did look at the various menus for where we plan to eat and priced out what I thought we might order to do a cost analysis to see if it was worth getting the DP on this trip.

No I did not price out the most expensive items on the menu just what I thought sounded good and came out with at savings of 38.75% even after adding in a 20% tip.

I do have to say I changed a couple of ADR after checking out the menu's. I changed San Angel from lunch to dinner due to more & better choices on the menu with dinner. I also changed LTT to Tutto Italia since I felt Tutto Italia was a better value $ for the atmosphere and food choices.

I am looking forward to being on the DP so I do not have to look at the price side of the menu, just pick out what I want on this trip

I have a question-If you go out to eat and are paying OOP do you order the cheapest thing on the menu? I order what I actually want to eat no matter where I go or how I am paying.

I do not always order the cheapest item on the menu but I do take the cost into consideration when paying OOP at Disney or when going out at home.

I enjoy an appitizer so will normally order that instead of dessert but if trying to keep the cost down I just order an entree no App and no Dessert and sometimes I just order an App

Looking at the price on the menu is always a consideration and I am so excited to be able to order and not worry about the cost on this trip having it all prepaid (except for tips)

 

[taitai]

Remember, by ordering more expensive items, you will be tipping on a higher base so your savings in the end might not be that great. A tip on a $50 entree is in the $8-10 range where as a tip on a $20 entree is $3 or $4.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Absolutely.

If you are going to invest in DDP, why not make it worth it?

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

no!

one of the advantages for us is to just order what we want and not consider prices!!!!!

ETA: DH does look at prices and adds it all up, he likes to see in the end that we came out ahead! I just relax and enjoy!

ETA (again) we always come out ahead even without planning or purposely choosing the most expensive.

we do watch prices on snacks a liittle even though it makes the least impact.

also, have not done the plane since they eliminated apps and tips - will have to seriously consider this in the future!!!

 

[nmmom95]

No, we just order what we like.

 

[eliza61]

We will be on the dining plan for our upcoming trip, we've planned out our meals, and yes, we priced out everything including what would get us the most bang for our buck.

Doesn't everyone?

I do have to add, I like that you call it La Hacienda something something.

Nope, sorry goofy

I generally order what I think sounds good at that time. If it is an expensive item so be it, but if it's not that's cool too. Why would I get some thing I don't want just because it cost more?

You guys actually map out what you want to eat to insure you spend as much as possibly?
Sorry but that sounds like seriously sucking the joy out of having a meal especially on vacation.

I don't do the ddp since the got rid of the appertizers and tips, but I have a TIW card so I save more money that way.

We don't pick restaurants on vacation by price, we chose places to eat by the menu. No way am I sitting at a restaurant and mentally calculating how much an appertizer is going to change the tab.

 

[NMAmy]

Nope, sorry goofy

I generally order what I think sounds good at that time. If it is an expensive item so be it, but if it's not that's cool too. Why would I get some thing I don't want just because it cost more?

You guys actually map out what you want to eat to insure you spend as much as possibly?
Sorry but that sounds like seriously sucking the joy out of having a meal especially on vacation.

I don't do the ddp since the got rid of the appertizers and tips, but I have a TIW card so I save more money that way.

We don't pick restaurants on vacation by price, we chose places to eat by the menu. No way am I sitting at a restaurant and mentally calculating how much an appertizer is going to change the tab.

I agree with everything you posted. Believe me, I've done the math every year to see if the dp would work for us and it just doesn't.

Price of an entree doesn't matter to me. I'm either hungry for something or I'm not and I don't want to feel pressured to get the most expensive thing if I'm just hungry enough for a cup of soup. Nor do I worry about getting something expensive if that's what I want--it all evens out for me.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Nope. We will have the deluxe plan on our next trip. I refuse to drive myself crazy trying to max out the plan. We order based on what we want, not what is included. If someone only wants chicken aans iced tea, that's fine with me.

 

[tlbwriter]

I wouldn't ever get the most expensive thing just because it was expensive. But the nice thing about DDP is that I also don't have to eliminate the most expensive thing just because it's expensive. I can get what sounds good without worrying about the cost.

 

[shortbun]

To answer your question: No, I order what I want to order, regardless of the cost.