Would it be worth it for me?

[PaDisney02]

I cant decide if the plan would be worth it for us. We have 2 adults, 1 child 1 toddler (free). What do you all think?
We plan on eating breakfast and a few meals at the food court at resort, thats what makes me think it might not be worth it. I dont know? Can I use the plan at the food court @ AllStarMov?

 

[septbaby]

Yes, you can use the CS and Snack credits any Disney hotel food court.

As for worth, you'll need to look at menus and decide if you'd spend an avg of $86 on food each day; the cost of the dining plan.

If you won't do any TS meals (includes all character meals) the DP isn't for you.

However, we had the plan for 2A and a 5yo and it was heavenly for us. We ate at the following TS places: Narcoossee's, Coral Reef, Boma, Chef Mickey's and the Fantasmic package at Hollywood and Vine for TS meals. We liked them all and were glad for our DP experience.

 

[PaDisney02]

As for worth, you'll need to look at menus and decide if you'd spend an avg of $86 on food each day; the cost of the dining plan.

If you won't do any TS meals (includes all character meals) the DP isn't for you.

We r doing CRT one day and also Chef Mickeys & Rainforest Cafe. Those 2 meals alone add up to over $86 for one meal.

My trip is in like 22 days. I just recieved my paperwork from AAA would it be too late to add thd dinning plan? I also already have my ADR's for those 3 places. Is it too late if I do decide to add the plan?

 

[abc999]

CRT is 2 table service credits, Rainforest Cafe does not take DDP... Again, it depends on if you want to sit down and eat or if you will be happy with fastfood type stuff. I prefer the DDP because I would not be very happy eating fast food 2-3 times a day for a week and my family would not be either.

 

[septbaby]

We r doing CRT one day and also Chef Mickeys & Rainforest Cafe. Those 2 meals alone add up to over $86 for one meal.

It isn't too late, but you have some time. Officially you can add the DP up to 72hrs in advance. I'd do it at least a week before, esp since you are planning through a travel agent.

Now for the numbers: CRT, CM for 2 adults and 1 child

CRT will use 2TS credits per person or cost $115 including taxes for Dinner and $97 for Breakfast, not sure which meal you booked

Chef Mickey's 1TS credit per person OR cost $80 for Dinner and $63 for Breakfast

You'd need three TS credits on the DP to pay for these meals: $86 per night means $258. If those meals are dinner it will cost you $195 just for those meals. For the extra $63 on the DP you'd get 9CS and 9 Snacks, over $100 value.

Not sure how many nights you are staying, but if its just 3 the DP is a good value for your ADRs and use of the CS/Snack credits. Keep in mind the snack credits are great for treats, but can also be used for some side items you may want for the toddler (milk, cereal, PB&J sandwich, fruit, fries, etc.)

As mentioned the Rainforest Cafe does not accept DP credits, so if you keep that plan you'll have to pay OOP. You can either eat a full meal, split something or get appetizers if you want the experience, but want to keep the OOP costs down. Personally, when were on the DP there were so many Disney places to go we never even considered places that wouldn't take a DP credit.

 

[PaDisney02]

we r staying 4 nights but my Magic Your Wat ticket r only for 3 days. So, I'm ssuming my plan would only be for 3 days? Correct?

Here r my plans as far as eating for those 3 days

Day1
Breakfast: @ CRT
Lunch: Food Court @ resort
Dinner: Meal in the park (probly CS)

Day 2
Breakfast: Food Court @ resort
Lunch: Rainforest Cafe (if I decide to go on the plan I will have to change that)
Dinner: Chef Mickeys

Day 3
Breakfast: Food Court @ resort
Lunch: Pizza Planet (kids really want to go there dispite the neg. things I've been hearing about it)
Dinner: Planet Hollywood (is this included on plan? if not I would have to change it)

Now that you know my plans is it worth it?

 

[septbaby]

we r staying 4 nights but my Magic Your Wat ticket r only for 3 days. So, I'm ssuming my plan would only be for 3 days? Correct?

Now that you know my plans is it worth it?

OK simple stuff first: Dining Plan is based on the number of nights you stay so you're plan is based on 4 nights so you'll have the following credits:
2x4 Adult TS and CS and 1x4 Child TS and CS and 3x4 Snacks
Credits expire at midnight on the day you check out so you can eat on the 5th and final day if wanted too.

Total DP cost for your family (includes all credits and taxes): $343.88

TS Meals for 4 total credits pp: $249
CRT (2TS pp): $97
CM's (1TS pp): $80
PH (1TS pp): $72

CS Meals for 4 total credits pp: $100
I am assuming $10avg per adult credit and $5 per child credit, low end $

Snacks assuming $3 avg x 12 = $36

Your meal costs will be at least $385 w/o the Dining Plan and without the Rainforest Cafe. Your CS meal cost can easily be $15per adult meal at some places.

I'll suggest a somewhat different meal plan if you are on the DP. You will get more food than you realize at some places:

Arrival Night: Shared CS meal or snack (not sure how late you're arriving)

Day 2: Bfast at CRT, CS lunch and dinner if you're hungry

Day 3: Bfast at resort, light CS lunch, heavy Chef Mickey's dinner

Day 4: light resort bfast, CS lunch at Pizza Planet, PH dinner

Day 5: CS resort bfast, CS lunch (not sure when you depart)

Planning to eat at the Rainforest Cafe and Chef Mickey's on the same day will be too much food and a waste of $ in my opinion. Go to Rainforest on your final day or arrival night if you really want to go. I really encourage you to arrive at Chef Mickey's with a very large appetite. The dinner buffet and dessert bar will make your eyes very big, so give your stomach a chance to match them. I had bfast at Chef Mickey's around 11:30am and only had a shared CS meal around 10pm that night as my second meal of the day. I could have eaten a hour or so sooner, but I waited until after the Spectromagic parade to grab a sandwich, HUGE slice of carrot cake and bottled drink from Main St. Bakery in MK. We ate the sandwich and drank the beverage, but we had cake left to take to the room, yum. I am not a little person and can eat my share, but really I was full and content. You may have to feed the little ones sooner though. Sometimes there is so much action at the character meals they don't eat much!

As for bad restaurant reviews. You'll read them for every place at WDW. Go to Pizza Planet and make memories with your kids. Hint: order 2 combo meals and share. You'll get salads, pizza, dessert and drinks that should be enough. If not use a snack credit and add in some fries.

I've read the portions at Planet Hollywood are pretty generous as well.

 

[PaDisney02]

I'm only there a total of 3 full days. On my arrival day I'm getting there @ 3pmish (we have a 16 hr drive) and on my departure day we r leaving after checkout. So you mean I will have to pay for both those days too even though i will probly only be there to eat one meal on both days?

Sorry for all the questions Thanks for helping me out

 

[PaDisney02]

My ADR for Rainforest cafe is for 12:30 pm and my chef mickey ADR is for 7:50 pm. Do you think that is too much food for one day even though they r spaced apart?

 

[septbaby]

The Dining Plan is based on the number of nights. So if you are staying in a WDW hotel and want to buy the DP you must buy it for the length of your stay which you indicate is 4 nights. You could buy a 1 day ticket and stay in a hotel for 10 nights and you'd still pay for 10 DP days.

Arriving at 3pm is plenty of time to eat a CS meal at the resort or even freshen up and have a TS meal if you want, so there isn't any waste on the plan. Also you can have breakfast at the resort or book an early TS meal before leaving. If you had CS credits left you could even get sandwiches, etc. for the road to take with you. So there really are 4 days of meals available to you.

Yes, I think bfast, lunch at Rainforest followed by dinner at Chef Mickey's is too much food and since you'd pay extra for Rainforest I think on that day it would be a waste. That is my opinion no more no less.

I ordered one of the breakfast platters at our resort w/o the meats and shared it with my 6yo nephew. We ate around 10am and didn't finish the platter. We spent a couple of hours in the pool before heading to he Animal Kingdom for the afternoon. At the park we had ice cream treats. Around 6pm we had a buffet dinner at Boma. We couldn't not have squeezed in a second meal that day. That was our experience and my opinion, not law, just what I think. We had one TS meal a day and that worked for us:

Arrival Day: shared CS meals around 3/4pm, Dinner at Narcoosee's at 8pm
Day 1: snacks for breakfast, TS lunch at Coral Reef, CS dinner in MK (yuck)
Day 2: Chef Mickey's bfast around 11:30am, shared CS dinner at 10pm (Mom and nephew did have McDonald's mid afternoon, nephew didn't eat much at Chef Mickey's too distracted by characters!)
Day 3: shared CS breakfast, ice cream, Boma Dinner
Day 4: early CS lunch, H&V Dinner at 5:30pm
Day 5: CS lunch, used left over credits for "road food"
FYI we paid for the adults at Chef Mickey's since we used 2TS at Narcoossee's, we paid cash for the kid at Narcoossee's ($6 meal)

We had enough to eat and were pleased with the plan. You know your family if you think your plans make sense go for it. You can make changes once you're here if things need to be different.

 

[PaDisney02]

thanks for all ur help, I think I might go for it. What is the absolute latest I can wait to book the dining plan? My trip is 20 days away? Thanks for all ur help. Do i have to call all my ADR's that I already have (Chef Mickey & CRT) and let them know if I get the dining paln? Thanks gain

 

[septbaby]

Since you've booked with AAA, they'll have to add the DP for you so call them and ask about deadlines to add it. You should not be charged a change fee to add it, so don't let them do that to you.

Once you've added the DP call about CRT. I think you may be charged for that ahead of time so you'll want a refund since you're paying with the DP instead. Your other ADRs should be fine. Just let the server know you're on the DP, they usually ask anyway.