We have never used the dining plan, but we have gotten a discount or two over time. RFC, we belong to the Safari Club, so we get a discount on the meal. We also use our MyPoints to obtain RFC gift cards, basically for free. Last year, we bought a $50 Raglan Road gift certificate for $25 through a Clear Channel promo, so we saved big there too. We have had deals at Planet Hollywood and Ghirdelli in the past too. Basically, with the deals that we find, we come out even or save over what the dining plan offers. But, it's just the two of us and we tend to enjoy CS meals and breakfast on the go. If we buy AP's, I am going to consider the DDE though, because it might be a good money saver for us. Maggie