When Will The Dining Plan Return?

[rosieposie3]

I do think that food was better before the dining plan, but that is a moving target as there are new offerings now that were not around before it came around.

I think much of the dining plan is psychological. It takes some of the stress out of dining if it's already "paid for" -- even if you are paying more.

"Free" dining is the same. A Disney fan can tell their significant other that dining is "free" to make it appear they are getting some great value and eliminate the constant reminder of the high prices when eating.

This is so true. I'm planning my first trip for next year with my bf and would love the free dining to be available. It's silly but I know without the free dining he will think about the costs so much. I'd much prefer for him just to eat and enjoy lol

 

[Castillo Mom]

Dining is definitely an important element of our trips. While it may not have value for many, it worked well for us. I have three adult sons and we're all foodies, so rarely had any leftover credits at the end of our vacation and it was actually a cost savings for us. Once they added alcohol, it became an even better value for us and I was looking forward to being able to try out the new one, DDP+. I hope it returns.

 

[YesterDark]

The Dining Plan is never really a good deal, unless you are planning on having at least one Character Meal AND a table service meal a day. My family managed to use it for breakfast/lunch buffets and fancy sit-down dinners during fireworks. But yes, you do tend to feel like you are a round roly-poly ball rolling from one food stop to another LOL

If you have one Character Meal a day, you more likely than not break even, give or take a few bucks. You don't need both.

Add in alcohol and you probably come out a head a bit in some instances, but nothing significant.

 

[YesterDark]

We buy Disney gift cards at Target to accomplish the feeling that everything is already paid for. It ends up costing quite a bit less than the dining plan does.

Everyone has their own tricks to feeling better about their trips, so this isn't a knock on what works for you because who cares what I think if you're happy with it? Personally for me, gift cards never give me that feeling because it's still cash. I can save those Target cards for Christmas shopping or whatever so when I'm sitting down to eat, I still think about it like it's cash regardless.

And I'm a huge proponent of the DDP. I love having everything paid for when I go down there, it's a huge stress reliever not to worry about money all day. That has value to me.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’ve done two trips without the DDP. Once was when we got a magical deal and stayed deluxe very cheaply and we couldn’t purchase the DDP. Second time was when I did a mother daughter (DD12) trip and purchasing the plan didn’t make sense.

That family trip we took, well it was rough seeing those totals. Ohana for 4 Disney adults....GULP! The total for QS for a family of 4 that don’t share that was hard to see too. CRT for 4 OOP....insane. At the end, when I totaled it up we saved a bit of money not having the DDP but We ate at places Or had certain things that didn't accept the DDP. this was also before alcohol was included.

For the mother daughter trip it wasn’t that bad since it was just two of us and we ate differently. We shared a lot, snacked some meals, did room service, ate at kiosks on the boardwalk, ate at lounges, tried places that don’t take DDP, we are more go with the flow, like to try lots of new things. So DDP didn’t make sense to purchase. I will probably never get the dining plan if it’s just mother/daughter, mother/son or I just go with my SO.

But as a family of 4 the DDP makes sense, especially if it’s “free” and even more so if we stay at a moderate or value and upgrade it. When we go as a family the DDP works for us. Those trips end up beinga breakfast in the room or a snack, QS lunch and TS dinner. We make All ADRS in advance and I even plan our QS meals. It’s just easier this way when it’s all of us. Less complaining when there’s a plan in place. We aren’t spending time deciding where to eat with 4 different opinions. So the DDP works with the way we eat on family trips.

If we go again as a family of 4 I will purchase the DDP if it’s not “free.” It works and it takes the stress off of those totals.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

You need to make sure you get an alcoholic drink with your meal to make your money.

You get a QS burger and a coke it would cost what $15

You get that burger with a margarita it takes it up $30

You can easily make money back and and quite a bit extra if your smart.

Definitely need to get the alcohol and whatever sides you can get included with the quickservice credit. My personal best was $43.50 at deluxe burger for one quick service credit.
Burger, fries, milkshake, and a bourbon milkshake.
Most our quick services meals were around $30 and table service were $75 when you included alcohol so we saved money vs paying out of pocket. You need to focus on buffets and character meals though.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Since you are DVC, when the dining plan is available, DVC has a contract for DVC Members with Disney to book the dining plan without a package. If you have a night booked at a DVC resort, you could book a dining plan to go with it. No package required. Even if you didn't have a ticket and were doing a resort only stay - you could get the dining plan.

It really works well for short stays.

I certainly agree with you about the dumbing down of the menus.

For myself, 1-2 days of DDP is/was plenty. Anything more than that and I'm not hungry anymore.

Before the pandemic we were planing on a split stay. 2 days with the deluxe dining plan and the other 7 with no dining plan. Get most of our buffets and character meals out of the way the first 3 days and then do mostly quick service and maybe a breakfast or two. Figured it was the best blend of flexibility while getting a good value out of the dining plan.

 

[Blondie58]

Apologies, but I'm going to be that guy: hopefully never.

Why never?? Just wondering?? If you do not like do not participate but those that like the prepay all inclusive feel of a Disney vacation may wish to see a return of the dining plan. Personally, we do not use DDP but we know others that really like this aspect of WDW vacationing. HOWEVER, we are awaiting the return of annual pass sales!!!

 

[Rm4OneMore]

We went to WDW 7 years in a row in the mid 00's. With the exception of the first trip, we stayed on property but we never utilized the DDP. After an 8 year hiatus, we returned to the parks (this time with 2 kids in tow) & this signed up for the DDP. We had concerns about getting our money's worth, especially with 2 young kids. I ran the numbers before and after our trip. Before the trip I was confident that we would at least break even, but we actually came out ahead with the DDP. I was amazed and at the same time disappointed that we hadn't taken advantage of the DDP all those years before we had kids. We loved it and can't imagine going again without it. I just hope that it returns before our June & Oct 2021 trips.

 

[Upatnoon]

Why never?? Just wondering?? If you do not like do not participate but those that like the prepay all inclusive feel of a Disney vacation may wish to see a return of the dining plan. Personally, we do not use DDP but we know others that really like this aspect of WDW vacationing. HOWEVER, we are awaiting the return of annual pass sales!!!

The hope is that the end of the dining plan would result in higher food quality and improved offerings.

I wouldn't worry about the end of the dining plan. Disney likes getting that guaranteed revenue.

 

[Jrb1979]

The hope is that the end of the dining plan would result in higher food quality and improved offerings.

I wouldn't worry about the end of the dining plan. Disney likes getting that guaranteed revenue.

I agree the food quality has gone done. There is much better options off property. Its ok to leave the bubble sometimes

 

[Blondie58]

I agree the food quality has gone done. There is much better options off property. Its ok to leave the bubble sometimes

I do agree the food offerings at some of our favorite eateries have gone down. The concierge floor food offerings have also become less in quality and quantity of choice over the past 10 to 12 years. We still love Disney but we have also noticed the attention to detail at the resorts is far less than it once was.

 

[Jrb1979]

I do agree the food offerings at some of our favorite eateries have gone down. The concierge floor food offerings have also become less in quality and quantity of choice over the past 10 to 12 years. We still love Disney but we have also noticed the attention to detail at the resorts is far less than it once was.

As some people have said many times "Bottom line as long as people keep coming Disney will keep giving less and making more $$$$$$$$"

 

[Blondie58]

As some people have said many times "Bottom line as long as people keep coming Disney will keep giving less and making more $$$$$$$$"

Unfortunately, I find in many aspects of life that service and quality has diminished. That goes from store clerks to wait staff in eateries and restaurants. Everything is so much more casual and less professional per service of all types. I don't think this is just a Disney issue. But I would love for Disney to be the exception instead of the rule. (Note: I have done both jobs aforementioned when I was young. The bosses had much higher expectations than we have today. When I began my career as an educator we did not even wear pants to school. The degree of professionalism in dress and working with parents was far different than we find today.)

 

[Billy4akvt]

Everyone has their own tricks to feeling better about their trips, so this isn't a knock on what works for you because who cares what I think if you're happy with it? Personally for me, gift cards never give me that feeling because it's still cash. I can save those Target cards for Christmas shopping or whatever so when I'm sitting down to eat, I still think about it like it's cash regardless.

And I'm a huge proponent of the DDP. I love having everything paid for when I go down there, it's a huge stress reliever not to worry about money all day. That has value to me.
[/QUOT
I agree with you about the DDP being a huge stress reliever, my family and I also like to have the the option of ordering anything on the menu and not worrying about the price. When I'm on vacation I like to eat like a king for the dinners. Lol

 

[pigletgirl]

I believe people really enjoy the all inclusive feel to having the DDP, so I think it'll be back mid 2021.

 

[Billy4akvt]

I believe people really enjoy the all inclusive feel to having the DDP, so I think it'll be back mid 2021.

I hope that you're right, but I hope that it's before then because we're planning a spring trip, and my family does enjoy it.

 

[skeeter31]

I don’t think anyone has a firm idea of when it’ll be back, but I wouldn’t expect it until most, if not all, of the restaurants on property are reopened. And in order for that to happen, the closed resorts need to reopen as well. So yeah, summer 2021 is probably a good guess, if not even later depending on a vaccine.

 

[Eric Smith]

Unfortunately, I find in many aspects of life that service and quality has diminished. That goes from store clerks to wait staff in eateries and restaurants. Everything is so much more casual and less professional per service of all types. I don't think this is just a Disney issue. But I would love for Disney to be the exception instead of the rule. (Note: I have done both jobs aforementioned when I was young. The bosses had much higher expectations than we have today. When I began my career as an educator we did not even wear pants to school. The degree of professionalism in dress and working with parents was far different than we find today.)

And yet the world still goes on. Maybe we've just found a better way to do things?

 

[Eric Smith]

I don’t think anyone has a firm idea of when it’ll be back, but I wouldn’t expect it until most, if not all, of the restaurants on property are reopened. And in order for that to happen, the closed resorts need to reopen as well. So yeah, summer 2021 is probably a good guess, if not even later depending on a vaccine.

I think we won't see the DDP come back until at least most of the restaurants on property are open and they're at full capacity. If I had to guess, I'd say next summer at the earliest.