Won't Do Dining Plan Again

[Wef]

We just returned from our trip (March 17-22) and while we've done the Dining Plan in the past (and loved it), this time it proved to be more of a hassle than anything. The two things that made it less workable for us was the new reservation requirements and the MDE app not working very well.

One of our daughters was sick one day and so we weren't able to make our dining reservation. Luckily, they told us that we wouldn't be charged the fee because of illness. The next day, however, we realized we had an extra table credit we needed to use up. We arrived at Epcot at 10 am and found an open reservation on MDE, but once we tried to book it, the reservation wouldn't go through. We made several tries and finally it told us there was no availability at all at ANY Epcot restaurant. My husband spent 30 minutes on the phone with WDW booking and they couldn't do anything for us.

We ended up doing a Signature Dining restaurant the next day for two credits, which was fine (but maybe not the best value). But I have to say that the new policy of having to cancel reservations the night before made things difficult. It just doesn't work with young children, when you need to make plans on the fly. It totally sucked the spontaneity out of the trip. In the end, we had more credits than we could use. Next time, we won't buy the Dining Plan, that way we can make reservations as we need them and not feel pressured to use up credits.

 

[FLSarah]

We've never done the dining plan, but I've heard numerous people complaining about the amount of food being too much at counter service restaurants. This weekend I also overheard a couple of ladies talking to someone else about being out of dining credits on their first day because they didn't understand that the credits were for their entire stay and that some places required 2 credits.

 

[Katy Belle]

We just returned home too. We were there, on the Dining Plan March 15-23. I will probably not do it again. I agree with you. I felt the pressure of HAVING to show up at our reservation, or be charged $50...on top of already paying for the Dining Plan and then maybe not being able to reschedule a meal. No thanks. It made something that was really stress free feature for me, stressful. Next time we will likely schedule a few TS meals, on days that we are sure about our schedules, and eat at Counter Service, or off site, for the rest.

There was rain forecast while we were there. I changed our water park day to later in the week, afraid of lightning. I had to cancel the dining reservation at least 24 hours in advance. So I cancelled Monday's meal and tried to move it to Wednesday. I had a hard time getting an ADR for Wednesday, and this was Sunday. Luckily, Wed had been planned as a Island of Adventure day, so we didn't have to try and scramble to get an ADR for Monday night.

 

[kaybird]

Canceling the reservation would have been the same if you were on the dining plan or not. Under the current ADR's you have to cancel within 24 hours. They have tried to make it guest friendly when there is an illness, but if every guest said that, it wouldn't have the same cancellation effect. Hope you little one feels better, and still had a great trip.

 

[Stephaniesue]

I don't understand how this was a problem with the Dining plan it's self. But and issue you had getting the app to let you move an ADR.

We all know ADRs are hard to get. This is prime time for visits with spring break going on everywhere. I think they were pretty nice to let you get out of the cancellation fee. I think it was a good idea for Disney to start charging a fee for no shows.

I'm sorry your little one got sick, and that caused a problem. I hope you were still able to enjoy your stay, and your little one is better!

 

[Polynesian27]

I don't think my wife and I will do the dining plan this April and this is why. After every trip we usually have our last table service dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse. So last July on our final day we had 3 table service credits left and I fully understood this meal would be 4 table service credits. I thought that we would use our last 3 credits and pay out of pocket for the last credit, or pay cash for 50% of one of our meals. Well I was wrong about that, because Disney says that you must have increments of 2 credits per person in order to use the DDP at Yachtsman. I kept my cool but said I would never again use the dining plan. So in the end we were able to use 2 of our remaining 3 credits and I was forced to use our last table service on a snack before catching the ME. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Very disappointing....

 

[chinarider]

This will be our first trip without the dining plan since it's inception ( now , please be aware that it's only our 3rd trip since it has existed). I dont know if we will actually be spending less ( saving money ) but, I believe that it gives us much more flexibility in the way we want to eat. I know there are apps that we will want, I know that sometimes we might want to share a meal and sometimes we will be in burgers and frys mode. Granted, we'r bue still doing a few buffets ( Boma, Tusker House (BK), CP (BK) as well as MMF and VN, after running, rerunning and over analyzing numbers, I think we will come out ahead without it. Also, that way if towards the end of our trip, we want to do more CS, we just need to cancel our ADR's and we're good to go.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

After having had the dining plan for several trips, I decided to go without it on our last trip. I saved receipts and tallied up what we spent. I came out about $50 ahead by paying OOP, and the best thing was the flexibility. I didn't schedule ADRs for each day. We ordered what we wanted at the time rather than worrying about making the most of the credits. A lot of times, we didn't want dessert right when we were eating the rest of our meal. On the DDP, we would have ordered it anyway. Paying OOP, we skipped it then would pick up something later like a Mickey Bar or Dole Whip. After that experience, I'll never pay for the dining plan again.

 

[mmbl]

I have said since this came out that it is simply not a good deal. We go a lot and inevitably hear people scrambling how to use all their credits before leaving! I rarely eat dessert and with the dining plan unless you get steak every meal, eat 3 meals plus, are a snacker, get there in the morning of your first day and leave at the end of the day on your last day, it is cheaper to pay OOP~ especially with an AP and/or TIW where you get 20% off on food and beverages! We frequently go for long weekends (Wed night after work until early Mon or Tues morning / fly home/go to work) and you have to pay for meals or DP credits for the arrival and departure day! We'd be rolling over stuffed and would do nothing but eat Fri-Sat-Sun! If it were really a savings for the consumer, do you think Disney would offer it? Only if they made $$$ on the majority who buy the plan!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't think my wife and I will do the dining plan this April and this is why. After every trip we usually have our last table service dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse. So last July on our final day we had 3 table service credits left and I fully understood this meal would be 4 table service credits. I thought that we would use our last 3 credits and pay out of pocket for the last credit, or pay cash for 50% of one of our meals. Well I was wrong about that, because Disney says that you must have increments of 2 credits per person in order to use the DDP at Yachtsman. I kept my cool but said I would never again use the dining plan. So in the end we were able to use 2 of our remaining 3 credits and I was forced to use our last table service on a snack before catching the ME. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Very disappointing....

That's been a condition of the Dining Plan since it began in 2005. It's the same for any Signature restaurant, or any dinner show. Each individual's meal/dining experience has to be paid by either dining credit or money.

 

[yankeepenny]

I just canceled the plan for me for Sept. There is no way in this Magic place that I will eat that much food each day for the cost, and I am vegetarian to boot. (also, no soda)

I will pay out of pocket.

The times we used it, it seemed to put the clock on things. I can wing it.

 

[kP72]

Devil's Advocate here...
We have done DDP on our last three WDW vacations and felt it's worth every penny. (not the Deluxe DDP though.... so not worth it for us.)

Not only did we not worry about food prices, we actually saved over $800 on our last trip (10 days). Yes, I did the math!

Being a stickler for the rules, I'm ok with the 24 hr cancellation notice. Perhaps more people will be less inclined to make ADR's that they have no intention of keeping, which opens up more tables for us who do plan on dining at that establishment.

As for sick party members.... it happens unfortunately, and our experience has been positive. One evening DH was not well so the kids and I kept our ADR. The CM suggested a broth based soup "to go" for DH, so that way we weren't off in our DDP credits. He even bagged up extra breads and desserts for us, not to mention a huge Sprite in a "to go" cup.

Perhaps it depends on the restaurant or the CM?

Well, only time will tell if I'm going to join your band wagon... Another DDP paid for this coming October...

 

[smidgy]

the worth and/or value of the Disney Dining Plan had absolutley nothing to do with ADRs and cancellation policies.

I have a few ADR's for my upcoming trip. I do NOT have the dining plan.. we will pay out of pocket.

the same cancellation polices apply. the DDP is a way to pay ahead of time for a certain amount of meal credits. depending on the plan (ie, quick service, regular, deluxe).
It might or might not be a "good deal" depending on how often and how much your family eats, and what you would order.

it has absolutely nothing to do with the "reservation" and cancellation policies. those apply across the board, no matter HOW you plan on paying for your food.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

the worth and/or value of the Disney Dining Plan had absolutley nothing to do with ADRs and cancellation policies.

I have a few ADR's for my upcoming trip. I do NOT have the dining plan.. we will pay out of pocket.

the same cancellation polices apply. the DDP is a way to pay ahead of time for a certain amount of meal credits. depending on the plan (ie, quick service, regular, deluxe).
It might or might not be a "good deal" depending on how often and how much your family eats, and what you would order.

it has absolutely nothing to do with the "reservation" and cancellation policies. those apply across the board, no matter HOW you plan on paying for your food.

I agree with you except to say that some people connect them because the regular and deluxe dining plans only make sense if you eat a larger number of TS meals and to get the more popular restaurants and times, you need ADRs. So there's additional pressure to book ADRs and deal with the cancellation policies than if you are paying OOP. Without the dining plan, I won't book as many TS meals as we have nights at the resort booked. For the TS meals I do book, yes, the cancellation policies apply to me. But I'm not feeling like I have to book a certain number of TS to use up my dining credits.

 

[mmbl]

Devil's Advocate here... We have done DDP on our last three WDW vacations and felt it's worth every penny. (not the Deluxe DDP though.... so not worth it for us.) Not only did we not worry about food prices, we actually saved over $800 on our last trip (10 days). Yes, I did the math! Being a stickler for the rules, I'm ok with the 24 hr cancellation notice. Perhaps more people will be less inclined to make ADR's that they have no intention of keeping, which opens up more tables for us who do plan on dining at that establishment. As for sick party members.... it happens unfortunately, and our experience has been positive. One evening DH was not well so the kids and I kept our ADR. The CM suggested a broth based soup "to go" for DH, so that way we weren't off in our DDP credits. He even bagged up extra breads and desserts for us, not to mention a huge Sprite in a "to go" cup. Perhaps it depends on the restaurant or the CM? Well, only time will tell if I'm going to join your band wagon... Another DDP paid for this coming October...

Oh my! How did you save $800.? I guess spouse and I simply don't eat enough food to make it worth our while, and with 20% off on food and all beverages using TIW, I'm not sure we could ever make the math work that well for us!

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

Oh my! How did you save $800.? I guess spouse and I simply don't eat enough food to make it worth our while, and with 20% off on food and all beverages using TIW, I'm not sure we could ever make the math work that well for us!

She must have a lot of kids? It's only three of us so the Dining Plan does not work out to be a savings anymore. The price has been raised too high. We prefer our character meals for breakfast or lunch which are cheaper and counter services usually cost us $10-13-ish, so it just doesn't add up to the almost $60 a day price tag Disney has on the plan now. We do table services daily, but we can never make the math work to our advantage anymore with the Dining Plan cost. I used to love the dining plan SO much! Bit I agree with others, these issues the OP listed is not dining plan exclusive at all.

 

[aaarcher86]

You don't have to have a lot of kids. It just depends on where you eat and if you get any deals.

We were 3 adults and 2 kids last year. We got SPD and upgraded to the DXDP. We do a TS breakfast, QS lunch, and a TS dinner. They're mostly character meals, so we aren't stuffing our faces full of food. We saved roughly $800 since we had the discount. At full price we would have been within $100 or so.

What works for some people won't work for everyone. Not a big deal. We are doing TIW in September and I'm sure we will save more. Unfortunately it's not available for everyone so it's not a great comparison.

 

[smidgy]

You don't have to have a lot of kids. It just depends on where you eat and if you get any deals.

We were 3 adults and 2 kids last year. We got SPD and upgraded to the DXDP. We do a TS breakfast, QS lunch, and a TS dinner. They're mostly character meals, so we aren't stuffing our faces full of food. We saved roughly $800 since we had the discount. At full price we would have been within $100 or so.

What works for some people won't work for everyone. Not a big deal. We are doing TIW in September and I'm sure we will save more. Unfortunately it's not available for everyone so it's not a great comparison.

what do you mean by SPD? since you mention you
had the discount" and then upgraded, I'm going to assume you had the free dining?

if you, when you figure how much you save with free dining (and we have used that discount often), you have to figure in the extra $ you spend on the room byhaving to pay rack rate for it as oppsed to a room discount.

during free dining is the only time we pay rack rate for a room.

 

[aaarcher86]

what do you mean by SPD? since you mention you
had the discount" and then upgraded, I'm going to assume you had the free dining?

if you, when you figure how much you save with free dining (and we have used that discount often), you have to figure in the extra $ you spend on the room byhaving to pay rack rate for it as oppsed to a room discount.

during free dining is the only time we pay rack rate for a room.

SPD is the Stay, Play, Dine discount they had last year (can't remember if they offered it this year, too). It's not as nice as FD - adults pay the child price for the dining plan, but the upgrade cost is the difference between the adult plans.

We did figure the difference between the room discount vs SPD. We were 3a and 2c in a POR room - it was a no brainer. Even at full price dining rates we would have come within $100 versus OOP.

 

[ptcbass]

I do feel for anyone trying to make all the plans for a Disney vacation with little ones. Disney has made it so that almost all of your trip is planned out minute by minute. I don't like how controlled everything is anymore. Now in saying that I do like that they are charging for those that don't call to cancel their ADR's. I don't agree that it should be a 24 hour notice. There are certain places we always want to eat so the ADR's are great for us to ensure our vacation "experience" will be complete but if we couldn't get ADR's for where we wanted it would be great to be able to see if there have been any cancellations to give us a chance to eat there. Without these rules people don't call and then there is a missed chance for another family to get to eat. I guess everything comes with good and bad.

As far as the value it used to be a lot better than it is now. This trip I looked up the menus of where we would want to eat and priced out how much it would cost us vs the DP. It was almost the same so we opted to get the DDP so that we didn't have to think about it and it would be prepaid. Really more of a convenience for us.

I hope other than that you had a great vacation!!