Worth it or not

[daystar]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone thinks the dinning package is a good deal???My family is staying on disney property for six days without car....If anyone has purchased the dinning package and used it let me know how it worked out for you and your family?????Also how many days did you purchase the dinning the whole length of stay ????Thanks

 

[DisneyDreamer2]

My neighbor just returned and had the dining plan. She said it was a LOT of food. How often do you have dessert with lunch and a full appetizer, entree and dessert with your dinner? And if you do, you usually feel full, not exactly condusive to theme park touring. They ate so much the first few days they ended up skipping meals later in the week and wasting the money.

All that said, it is a bargain for the amount of food you get, and your choices too. However, by looking at the menus and where we want to eat, we'd come in even or a bit less than we'd spend on the dining plan. And we wont have to worry if we get too busy for a sit down or if get sick, we wont throw money away on missed meals already paid for.

But if you like to eat and tour, and plan your restaurants well, it could be an awesome value. But we've decided against it. I think you'll hear good and bad- it can be a great value but its a personal choice.

 

[princessknb]

I haven't tried it yet but I will for our trip 5/28/05-6/4/05 but I do think the previous post was well said.

 

[sandraB]

We just returned from Disney last night....sigh...

Anyway, we decided not to do the dinning plan, and I budgeted us the same amount it would have cost us (135/day) our sons are 10 and 7, and they charge the 10 yr old an adult rate.

The restaurants however, only charged him a kids meal rate....so I am glad I did not go the MYW dinning plan.

We ate at one table service meal a day, one counter service, and breakfast in our room (we also did snacks) and came in under the budgeted amount. We ordered desert almost every time even!

I think the plan is a good deal if your kids are under 10, but we found it better to just pay!

 

[estnh]

We haven't tried it yet, but have booked it for our April trip this year.

We think it is an incredible value. Just do the math--take a look at the menus:

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

For example, go to the Concourse Steakhouse and order a shrimp cocktail ( $8.99), an 8 oz. Filet Mignon ($ 27.99) , a cheesecake for dessert ($ 6.99), then add on a coffee for $ 1.75. Totals $ 45.72. Then add on the tip (15%--$7.00 and the Florida Tax around $3.00. Your total for that ONE meal is $55.72. For that day, you have paid only $35.00, and on top of the dinner you had for $ 55.72, for lunch you had a counter service for around $10 and a soft drink in the parks for $ 2.00. For the day, you got around $ 68.00 worth of food for $35.00.

I can't see how anyone could not view this as an extraordinary value.

 

[daystar]

Hi,
Does anyone know if you don't use a snack or meal one day can you use it for another day???Thanks

 

[estnh]

Yes, the way it works is that you are credited snacks, counter service and table service for the number of days in your package. It is your choice when you use them.

 

[scrump]

We haven't tried it yet, but have booked it for our April trip this year.

We think it is an incredible value. Just do the math--take a look at the menus:

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

For example, go to the Concourse Steakhouse and order a shrimp cocktail ( $8.99), an 8 oz. Filet Mignon ($ 27.99) , a cheesecake for dessert ($ 6.99), then add on a coffee for $ 1.75. Totals $ 45.72. Then add on the tip (15%--$7.00 and the Florida Tax around $3.00. Your total for that ONE meal is $55.72. For that day, you have paid only $35.00, and on top of the dinner you had for $ 55.72, for lunch you had a counter service for around $10 and a soft drink in the parks for $ 2.00. For the day, you got around $ 68.00 worth of food for $35.00.

I can't see how anyone could not view this as an extraordinary value.

It's a great value, if it suits your dining style. We never do snacks or counter service, so all those credits are wasted on us. The entire $35 goes towards the sitdown, and even then I'd come out ahead only if I ordered the expensive meal or extras that I normally wouldn't get (I ususally don't order beverages, and order dessert only if I'm in the mood.) On top of that, not all our favorite restaurants are listed on the plan, so our dining experiences are restricted, rather than enhanced by the Dining Plan.

 

[estnh]

It's a great value, if it suits your dining style. We never do snacks or counter service, so all those credits are wasted on us. The entire $35 goes towards the sitdown, and even then I'd come out ahead only if I ordered the expensive meal or extras that I normally wouldn't get (I ususally don't order beverages, and order dessert only if I'm in the mood.) On top of that, not all our favorite restaurants are listed on the plan, so our dining experiences are restricted, rather than enhanced by the Dining Plan.

Certainly everyone has their own preferences, but it is still an extraordinary value in my opinion. A lot of people DO use counter service, and do drink beverages. Anyone planning a WDW trip would be remiss not to at least consider it.

In our family, it has been fun just planning--everyone has had their own picks within the confines of the plan, and it has added another dimension to the trip. Also, when the kids want the $ 8.00 dessert, I usually say no. Under the plan, knock yourself out!

Nothing works for everyone, but I give Disney credit on coming out with a plan that offers real value to the average family!

 

[scrump]

Certainly everyone has their own preferences, but it is still an extraordinary value in my opinion. A lot of people DO use counter service, and do drink beverages. Anyone planning a WDW trip would be remiss not to at least consider it.

In our family, it has been fun just planning--everyone has had their own picks within the confines of the plan, and it has added another dimension to the trip. Also, when the kids want the $ 8.00 dessert, I usually say no. Under the plan, knock yourself out!

Nothing works for everyone, but I give Disney credit on coming out with a plan that offers real value to the average family!

Well I think I said that I agree, it's a great plan, if it suits your dining style, and I was sincere. What interested me was your disbelief that everybody doesn't see it so, and I wanted to offer my take on it as a non-subscriber. Additionally, I don't see it as much of a family issue, as it is a personal dining style. I know plenty of non-family WDWers (friends, childless couples, random groups) who would probably love this plan because they do combinations of counter, snacks and sit down meals.

I know there are tons of people who love this plan, but there are also many who just don't see it as a value for them. Seems like a lot of people are doing the math, and are considering it. I appreciate your particular point about the plan's benefits for your family, especially the example you offered with the $8 dessert. Just offering my side as well.

 

[2plus2]

So do you think the plan is worth while for a family of 6 ,DH,Myself, DS 16, DS 12, DD 7,DD 5. My husband likes to eat well on vacation. He will not go for the granola bar breakfasts in the room. The last time we were at disney 8 yrs ago and minus 2 children he became hooked on taking the boys to character meals.