Why do YOU do the dining plan?

[sydneysmom]

we've never done the dining plan but are going with our DD4 for her first trip in Sept. We decided to do the deluxe dp over the regular for a bunch of reasons.

The main reason is because we wanted to start each day w/ a character breakfast....so, if we did the regular plan, that's it for TS for the day. I like that we on the DxDp we have 3 TS options....we look at it as "family time" and decompression time. Our DD is 4... I don't want to do the parks commando and have her little head explode confetti all over everyone. I want to take it at a nice pace, and when we get hot, we take a little break. It may not work for all families, but for ours, this is what we need to do. On the regular DP we'd also have to pay OOP for one other meal ( if we chose to have that). I don't want to deal w/ that on vacation.


For dinners, we also chose a few 2 credit TS. My DH drinks ALOT of water and diet coke throughout the day, so the snack credits will come in handy. Even if we break even on the dining plan, it's still a benefit to us to have it basically pre-paid. I don't want to be in Narcoosee's and say, we'll, I'd like the lobster but do I really want to pay $ 58 for an entree ?? On the dining plan, that's taken out of the equation... I can order what I want. If I don't want dessert every night, I won't order it. I don't HAVE to eat all that's offered on the plan. Or we can have a little taste and set it aside. it doesn't HAVE to be alot of food. it's what you choose and how much you choose to eat.

Also, we're not big fans of CS meals. We rarely go to McDonalds or anything like that. In my past experience, it's harder to find more balanced meals and I don't want my DD eating fried foods and sugar all week. It's also a longer wait and harder to find a table. So after looking at the menus, we decided that the TS could offer more well balanced meals that aren't fried.

I think it's going to be nice to just swipe a card if we want a drink or a cupcake for a snack rather than dig for cash. I went out to All Ears and looked at the menus, ball parked our meal prices so I can bring enough money for tips. But as for everything else, I think it'll be a relief to not keep having to open the wallet every five minutes. I think it's psychological maybe, but to us it's worth it .

 

[twogirlsandthatsit]

This is our first trip so I don't know what I will think when it is over. However, I can tell you that we bought the plan because we don't want to have to have all that cash on hand or a huge room charge at the end of the stay. I want to have my trip (room, airfare, food) paid for by the time I go. It's just easier for me that way. I know that we will eat our meals as we are big restaurant eaters anyway. Plus, my kids like to snack so I don't think we will have a problem using up or 4 snacks we have as family for each day -- we p'bly will use more. And as pp have mentioned the kid plan is a HUGE deal!

I guess the convenience is it for us and not really a savings/money thing. HTH!

 

[dixonsontour]

We loved the 'all inslusive' feel it gave our trip.

Regular plan worked for us as either a QS lunch and TS dinner or TS buffet breakfast and CS dinner.

Without DDP we would eat at a few Disney TS and the rest offsite or QS.

 

[Melodious]

From what I have read the ones that got the most of the plan and enjoyed it didn't worry about if there snack credits were good value or not, they just used them on what they want. They found that if they though oh that isn't a good value I will pay out of pocket for that one, then they end up with too many credits at the end.

I think if you need your snack credits to make it worth while then the DDP plan probably isn't for you. I am not being snotty or anything. I just think the most value comes in TS dinners and if those aren't making it worth it, then you probably would do better on your own... JMO

I didn't think that sounded snotty. In all honesty, and without going too indepth on our own eating habits, we will most likely not purchase the dining plan and may purchase a gift card instead to prepay. This is sort of an intellectual exercise and a question that interests me.

Do others enjoy the way the plan works, and how do they take advantage of that? Do a lot of others get a big savings from it? If it's not savings, what other reasons do people enjoy it? Do other people worry about getting the most out of the snack credits? Do other people change their eating habits, ie choose TS dinners instead of breakfasts to get more, or do other people relish the opportunity to eat more TS than they normally would? I guess in particular, if you've never used the plan before, what made you decide to use it on your next trip?

 

[coalmnrswife]

It's free at the right time!!

I enjoy knowing that it's already paid for before I get there!

 

[KELLY]

It is pre-paid. The QSDP is costing us around 72.00 a day for 2 adults one child and a infant(free). We did the math and with the snack and mugs I think it is a good deal for us. If we upgrade to the regular plan we have to be more sheduled also it is 200.00 more. Than the factor of the tips and mugs for 10 days another 275.00. So we are opting to pay for 3 TS meals one is rainforest cafe which isn't on the dining plan anyway.


We took the room only 40% discount at the AKL we are there for 10 days. 10 days of adr's is just not going to work for us. We were origianlly at pop with free dining QSDP. We really wanted to stick with the QSDP. But couldn't pass up the discount to stay deluxe. Just hope we don't miss pop!

 

[CrabbyPatty]

I got free DDP last year and this year, and this year I upgraded to DxDP. I don't plan on figuring out the "best" way to get the most out of the DxDP and don't worry that an item I may want for a snack is not available under the plan. Last year, I can't recall anything that I may have wanted as a snack that was not available under the DDP.

I think the main benefit is convenience - not having to either carry around a lot of cash or end up with a large amount on your credit card after the trip. I'm a big fan of paying for everything in advance, and I'd hate to come home from our vacation and have hundreds and hundreds of dollars on my cards for meals at WDW.

And if after a cursory check of the menus, I found I would save as little as $5 with the DDP, I'd still get it. Prepaid convenience is worth a lot, IMHO.

 

[MellieluvsDisney]

We love to take a break when dinner time comes around to enjoy a great sit down meal. After a lot of hours walking everywhere in the heat, it is most definetely welcome.

It's our third year using the free dining plan promotion. We usualy pay for our breakfasts and use the dining plan for CS and TS. We ate twice at France's Patisserie/Boulangerie for snacks and we could get mostly what we wanted. I never had any trouble finding snacks with the dining plan as there's a LOT to choose from, in my opinion.

We have one breakfast planned out this year and it's at Cape May for the buffet. Other than that, we pay for breakfast as it is the cheapest meal of the day for us.

 

[bmoc_ny]

I think the dinning plan adds $40 a day for an adult, one example of a days food at disney is :

CS Lunch Flame tree BBQ: ribs 10.50
Dessert 3.60

Dinner Le Cellier Veal T-bone $37
Onion rings 4.50
Chocolate whiskey cake 8.00

Snack 4.00


total 67.60 + fla tax I think is like 4%= $70.30 save $30 on 1 meal

 

[skiingfast]

If I didn't use the dining plan I wouldn't stop to eat. I'd end up eating mostly burgers and pizza for a week. Using the dining plan I don't worry about prices. I don't worry about passing up resturaunts that everyone talks about. And I get a few meals that let me just sit down and have things served to me.

 

[tonyRmoran]

I hear a lot of people say for the convenience, but what is convenient about it? My mom and I are going to WDW in November and we've both priced out the dining plans six million different times. Based on what we normally eat and the ADRs we want, we'd just about break even using the regular plan.

But the plan seems like a hassle. At first when I read about the plan I was excited because we'd have prepaid for food. But it seems like to really get anything out of the plan, you have to really plan, even snacks because not everything I may want is considered a snack on the plan, and stick to what you've planned. Plus we'll be paying OOP for alcoholic drinks and appetizers (because the deluxe plan would cost more money than we normally spend even though we eat appetizers and desserts most of the time at TS places), and for breakfast at the resort's CS.

I'm not bashing the plan, I just want to know if I'm missing something.

To be honest I think you may be over thinking a little much. I can see where it would seem like a hassle but the things you've mentioned are really not that bad. The thing that is a hassle however, are the reservations you must make. Last year it seemed like every day we'd be ready to go get in line for a ride but couldn't because of stinkin' reservation. For this reason I enjoy the quick service plan. It's free right now for certain time frames, but even if you pay for it you save money and are free to eat wherever you want, snack wherever you want and do it all whenever you want.

 

[bmoc_ny]

Go here to see the savings you can get on the DDP many examples.......



http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2461842

 

[Melodious]

I got free DDP last year and this year, and this year I upgraded to DxDP. I don't plan on figuring out the "best" way to get the most out of the DxDP and don't worry that an item I may want for a snack is not available under the plan. Last year, I can't recall anything that I may have wanted as a snack that was not available under the DDP.

I think the main benefit is convenience - not having to either carry around a lot of cash or end up with a large amount on your credit card after the trip. I'm a big fan of paying for everything in advance, and I'd hate to come home from our vacation and have hundreds and hundreds of dollars on my cards for meals at WDW.

And if after a cursory check of the menus, I found I would save as little as $5 with the DDP, I'd still get it. Prepaid convenience is worth a lot, IMHO.

Well said, and frankly that's the main reason we're even still considering it BUt what about buying a gift card? I have read that suggestion on other threads and thought it was a great idea. So what does the plan give you that a gift card does not?

To be honest I think you may be over thinking a little much. I can see where it would seem like a hassle but the things you've mentioned are really not that bad. The thing that is a hassle however, are the reservations you must make. Last year it seemed like every day we'd be ready to go get in line for a ride but couldn't because of stinkin' reservation. For this reason I enjoy the quick service plan. It's free right now for certain time frames, but even if you pay for it you save money and are free to eat wherever you want, snack wherever you want and do it all whenever you want.

The fact that we're overthinking it this much is in fact a very good reason not to get it You're right. The point of the dining plan is for convenience. The problem is we don't want to eat the way that the dining plan is designed for. Also I do enjoy eating a salad and an appetizer and a dessert at TS sometimes and on the plan that would not be possible. So the plan does impede flexibility some, particularly with planning a sitdown meal every day as you mentioned. Also drinks and appetizers and a third CS meal every day can add up so it won't really be 'prepaid' for us.

I just want to know other people's opinions on it, to know if there's something I'm missing in how other people are so pleased with it. And just for plain curiosity's sake. So thanks for responding

 

[Melodious]

I think the dinning plan adds $40 a day for an adult, one example of a days food at disney is :

CS Lunch Flame tree BBQ: ribs 10.50
Dessert 3.60

Dinner Le Cellier Veal T-bone $37
Onion rings 4.50
Chocolate whiskey cake 8.00

Snack 4.00


total 67.60 + fla tax I think is like 4%= $70.30 save $30 on 1 meal

Go here to see the savings you can get on the DDP many examples.......

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2461842

Oh I'm certain there are many ways to use the plan so that it saves you a lot of money. Unfortunately we don't eat like that and don't want to eat like that on our vacation. I just want to know if others eat like this and get a lot of savings out of the plan or if they get a different 'value' out of using the dining plans? Thanks

 

[ReneeA]

Well said, and frankly that's the main reason we're even still considering it BUt what about buying a gift card? I have read that suggestion on other threads and thought it was a great idea. So what does the plan give you that a gift card does not?




I just want to know other people's opinions on it, to know if there's something I'm missing in how other people are so pleased with it. And just for plain curiosity's sake. So thanks for responding

If you loose a gift card you are out the money left on that card. There is no recourse, and no tracking of info. If you loose your Keys to the World card, you trot right over to your hotel conceirge, verify that it hasn't been used by someone other than yourself, and then have them reissue it. That would be my biggest reason against a gift card. It also doesn't seem as if you want to do much planning or tracking with the DDP. I would think that you'd still have planning to do, as you are going to want to use the card in it's entirety, and not go over too much or it defeats the purpose of having a prepaid vacation.

 

[Melodious]

If you loose a gift card you are out the money left on that card. There is no recourse, and no tracking of info. If you loose your Keys to the World card, you trot right over to your hotel conceirge, verify that it hasn't been used by someone other than yourself, and then have them reissue it. That would be my biggest reason against a gift card. It also doesn't seem as if you want to do much planning or tracking with the DDP. I would think that you'd still have planning to do, as you are going to want to use the card in it's entirety, and not go over too much or it defeats the purpose of having a prepaid vacation.

Good to know about losing the card. That's definitely something to consider. But I don't think there would be much planning to use it because my mom and I have priced out our meals five hundred times to figure out if we should buy the DP Also I can use it to get two appetizers and a dessert and whatever snacks I want no matter how expensive they are AND I can use it to buy souvenirs since we normally shop our last day. Also it would be truly 'prepaid' including the drinks, appetizers, refillable mugs, and CS meals that aren't included on the regular DP which can really add up over thirteen nights. If we didn't put enough money on the gift card, yeah we'd have to pay OOP for things, but we still wouldn't have the size credit card bill we'd have even with the DP just for drinks and things that aren't covered.

 

[mefordis]

We've done the regular ddp twice and the dxddp once. I remember last time on the dxddp half way through our trip thinking wow, I am eating too much and also wasting a LOT of food. I also thought if I took the money spent on the dxddp, maybe around $650, and saved it in an envelope, or even on a Disney gift card, and used it ONLY for food, I would have some left over. And be able to eat whatever I want (I like to share entrees and appetizers with my mom, something the ddp won't allow you to do. For example, you cannot use 1 TS and order for two people with it.)

So, I think next time we go I will take my Disney Visa, which has a 0 balance, and use it ONLY for food, and see what the total ends up being at the end of the trip.

I hear a lot of people say for the convenience, but what is convenient about it? My mom and I are going to WDW in November and we've both priced out the dining plans six million different times. Based on what we normally eat and the ADRs we want, we'd just about break even using the regular plan.

But the plan seems like a hassle. At first when I read about the plan I was excited because we'd have prepaid for food. But it seems like to really get anything out of the plan, you have to really plan, even snacks because not everything I may want is considered a snack on the plan, and stick to what you've planned. Plus we'll be paying OOP for alcoholic drinks and appetizers (because the deluxe plan would cost more money than we normally spend even though we eat appetizers and desserts most of the time at TS places), and for breakfast at the resort's CS.

I'm not bashing the plan, I just want to know if I'm missing something.

 

[kirbygump]

When we went in June 2008 my boys were all under 9, and it was me & dh & I believe there was no "Peak Charge" for DDP and it was less than $40. It was an excellent deal - but realistically I never eat dessert twice a day, I love it, didn't refuse it, but most certainly didn't need it, lol! So this time around I only have 2 under 9 and it's $48/per person in early August, and I'm not sure it's truly worth it to us. Convenient yes, but not the best option I think. We are staying CL this time and can eat dessert at night at our resort, and snack in the middle of the afternoon if we like. So I'm thinking of cancelling. I don't mind making ADR's or that, will keep them as I want to eat at those TS restaurants regardless, but will probably break even by not buying DDP. Also, if dh decides to skip a meal, we're not with left over TS! I like the gift card idea too or having an all clear credit card just for the trip. I do intend keeping my receipts so I can really look at them when I come home.

 

[mrsltg]

There's no such thing as "free dining." If you receive the dining for free, you're paying rack rate for your room. It all balances out! That said, we use, and love, the dining plan! We always have at least one table service meal each day. Sometimes it is breakfast. We have little kids and they love the character meals. Some of those breakfasts are upwards of $20-something. Other times we go to some of the higher end restaurants and I feel comfortable ordering what I want - ie, a filet. Normally I wouldn't do that because I am cost conscious. We share counter service meals because there is a lot of food in one meal. This allows for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner to be included on the plan. I have done the math and we usually come out ahead by a few dollars.

I will say I have never looked at something and said, "Oh, it's not on the plan so I won't get it." If I want a snack that is not covered, I buy it anyway. If I want water I get water. If one of my kids wants a popcorn bucket instead of a box, I buy it. I don't go through life (or Disney) trying to figure out the best way to get over on anything. I realize WDW has likely loaded the DDP to come out in their favor in most cases. I enjoy the convenience of knowing most of my meals are prepaid. There will be times when I will add things OOP. It's not a big deal.

Your posts suggest the dining plan is truly not for you. You can absolutely use a gift card or Disney dollars, or even cash, to cover your room charge. There is no need to carry these items with you. When you check in, have the front desk add the value of the gift card (or whatever) to your account. The money will be debited as you spend. I've done it before, and it's nice to pick money up at the end of the stay, or just know that the money is already in place to pay for whatever you're buying.

 

[chrismass]

My family usually gets the dp for our trip, but this year the youngest 2 would be considered adults so we are opting for paying oop. They order basic kids food no matter where we are, so why pay for gourmet food when it will be chicken fingers every night anyway? And there was always the feeling that you "had" to eat since you paid for it already. The last day we ended up with about 6 extra cs and snack credits - way too much food!

Besides we are a family that prefers appetizers over desserts and has one or two adult drinks so last trip we had an additional $400 food bill anyway. I plan on tracking everything we spend to do a comparison this trip.