Disney Dining Plan - Yes or No

[srwarden1928]

The Disney Dining Plan does NOT work for our family.

I could not imagine DW and I eating FOUR desserts between us EVERY day of a vacation. We might eat one between us in two days.

If they replaced the desserts with appetizers, it would be more attractive to us, but regardless its just TOO MUCH food.

I think its just a ploy to get more people into the TS places. We used to call THAT DAY to get dinner reservations, not SIX MONTHS in advance.

I realize that DDP works for some families and respect their use of it, especially when its free. I will not likely ever be able to go to free dining, but if I could I might sign up for it. I wont pay for all that food that we arent going to be able to eat.

 

[catho72]

DDP works for our family. To me, eating at different restaurants is a big part of the vacation. I get excited about making our ADR's at all the different restaurants. I love planning our meals and figuring our where our family would most enjoy eating. Even with my OCD vacation planning, I realize that the best laid plans sometimes can change and I will gladly cancel an ADR if it isn't going to work into our plans that day.

On the DDP, we are able to eat at restaurants that we wouldn't pay OOP. I feel less guilty about spending $60+ on breakfast for the 5 of us when we use DDP.

Bottom line is that it makes sense for some, not for others. You need to figure out, based on menus posted online, if your family would like to eat at several of the TS restaurants. If not, then don't purchase the DDP.

 

[hoosiergirl7]

We're trying the DDP for the 1st time this October. I've heard mixed reviews about it and decided to finally give it a try. Partly because we've really enjoyed the TS meals. When we went in April we most certainly would've saved money on the DDP since for the 3 of us (DS 4 included) many of our TS meals were in the $60-$90 range. Not including the CS meals & snacks we had also. We were spending well over $100/day for food.

I know gratuity is not included and neither is alcohol but I'm not much of a drinker and since we are driving we may just bring our own with us and have it back in the room after meals. Cheaper that way too. We'll probably bring things with us for breakfast too and definitely water and soda.

Now will it be that good of a choice when our children are above the 9 yr old cut off, probably not. But right now $10/day is a steal for his meals!

 

[ronandannette]

We've crunched the numbers, and we end up saving $$ by just paying OOP. The way we eat, the DP just doesn't fit with our needs. DD doesn't like "kid food", so we ended up wasting most of her TS credits (we usually share 1 appetizer and 2 entrees between the 3 of us). We also aren't big on dessert, so we felt like we either wasted part of our TS credit, or we were trying to stuff ourselves. We also don't do many buffets, so we save $$ vs the DP that way.

We find that we tend to like having a TS meal once every other day while at WDW- one a day was too much. We budgeted about $85/day for the 3 of us for food our way. The DP would have cost us more ($86/day+ tip). Yes, we would have gotten a TS each day instead of every other day, but we were fine with that.

And now that DD is about to turn 10, the DP would be an even bigger waste. There's no way she could eat $38 worth of food each day!!

Excellent information the way you've parsed it out. We were a party of 3 also, and had free DDP in Aug/06 (the old plan; it was better than the one now as it included desert and gratuity on TS). We actually did use all of our credits and paid for very little OOP except the odd bottle of water and cup of coffee (couldn't see using a snack credit on those). By our calculations we couldn't have done all that for less than about $200.00/CAD per day (considering that certain TS locations were VERY pricey).

Obviously, one really must consider what their needs will be before they jump on the DDP. This is made easier to do before hand by looking at the menus of each restaurant you're interested in. Have a great trip which ever way you go and BTW - the food at Disney is not all that fabulous no matter how you pay for it.

Annette

 

[~Fisharefriends~]

we have never done the dinin plan and dont plan too, after looking into it it just isnt for us, we always have a car included in our package and like to eat offsite and explore a bit. also with 2 young children we cant say that they will want to do the ts we have planned 6mths before.

I think its suits some and not others, it really is a personal choice about whether it fits the needs odyour family.

 

[JSJR514]

In October, we will be making or 6th trip since 2005. This trip, however, we decided to skip the DP, saving about $600 (2 adults, 1-8 yr old) over a 7 day trip.

The reason is not the money as much as we hate to be tied down to reservations and always tend to over eat. Aside from one evening at 1900 Park, we will eat at the resort dining area.

What are some of your thoughts concerning the DP?

We just went in June, we chose not to do the ddp also. There are 4 of us, 2 boys, 15 & 11. We went with another couple, also with 2 boys, 12 & 9. The family that we went with are all big eaters, even the boys. The did get the ddp and they have over 25 snacks left (9 day trip), and there was one day when her youngest only having a cookie for dinner. I feel that there is to much food and paying up front is like throwing that money down the drain. When it is hot, you don't feel like eating that much anyway. We did do 5 ADR's (Boma's, Chef Mickey, Crystal Pal, Le Cellier & Sci-fi) and it worked out great. Most days we purchased 2 or 3 combo meals and we split them between the 4 of us. With the prices of everything so high, I would rather spend my money on other things at Disney then on over priced food.

 

[Disneydreamer5]

I am trying to decide too if I should go for DDP & stay Pop or try going without DDP and stay Moderate Resort this time around.
We went to Disney back in 2005, last, first & only trip there and we were on the plan. I like the idea also of having everything pre-paid and there are many places that we eat that there is no way we would be able to do paying opp, I also like the idea of planning with the kids where they want to try and knowing we don't have to shell out that extra cash while we are there.
With all that said there is 2 things that I didin't or don't {as they have changed the plan since 2005} they I don't like. Graduity is no longer included so I have to shell out 20% every night no matter what on the plan or not. We always tipped a little more then the plan gave in 05 but now we have to dish out the whole tip.
I can't see spending $38 per
day for my 14 & 10 year old to eat. It is way too much food for them, now ,y 15,16, & 18 year olds are another story but you can't just get it for half your party!
I also didn't like having to watch the clock all day everyday to make sure we made our Ressie everyday/night. It was a royal pain somedays and there were times when we weren't even hungry.
There are 7 of us total so there is no dout we save money on the plan but right now I am trying to see where we could afford to eat table service and it won't brake the bank so to speak. Last trip we stayed Value Moives and this time around DH would really like to stay Moderate but there is no way we can afford to pay for Moderate {need 2 rooms} and dinning. That would be way out of the budget.
So if there are any large familes out there that have gone with the plan and without and can tell me which way worked best for them I could really use some feed back here.
Thanks all.

 

[ptcbass]

Well as we all can see it is a money saver for some and not for others. I do wish we could pick how many in the party wanted the dining plan but I can see where Disney would want to keep it simple and include everyone. For us it does save us money. We enjoy the TS's that cost so much that we normally wouldn't do. I also like not having to look at the prices on the menu and being able to pick anything I want. That is a nice perk. I don't understand why some lose their snack credits though. Before giving those up by not using them go somewhere like Earl of Sandwich and pick up brownies or cookies or something and take them home to eat later or give them to other family members or even a stranger but don't just not use them. We picked up about 7 of our credits before we headed home last time.

As far as staying in a Mod or Value that would be personal preference too. How important is it? How much time will you be spending there? With us we are not in the room much at all. We have stayed in mod's 2x and Pop last time. The rooms at the values are smaller but we didn't care. We were only in the room to sleep at night or for a quick stop before heading somewhere else so the value was really great! I love it that Disney offers rooms that cost around $85 a night. At the beach the dumps cost lots more than that. For us spending the money on the room would be a waist. I also think the grounds are just as nice and clean as the more expensive choices.

 

[larryz]

Although I'd love to be able to order (and eat) pretty much what I want off the menu, we generally don't eat that much per person to make it worthwhile. We certainly couldn't do it day after day for a week!

 

[ptcbass]

I completely understand! I can't image they have too many sign up for the deluxe dining with even more food.
I have to ask....What is that a picture of in your avatar?

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Looks like a peeled easter egg with a hidden mickey, from seeped dye.

 

[ptcbass]

Well it gave me a much needed laugh today!

 

[Disneydreamer5]

I couldn't care less either way about staying at Pop or a Moderate cause as I see it the DDP would serve us better then a moderate hotel especially because we are exactly the same as many of you. We sleep, shower, and change in the room and then we are off again. I mean we will only be booking for like 8 days at the most and we have park hoppers and water parks, well we plan too so really to be the moderates would be wasted on us.
My DH on the other hand said we have already done value lets try something new. What he doesn't get is that not all values are the same and I do think they are just as nice as the mods that we seen and visited.
Besides I plan to still be going to Disney when the kids are all grown and that is when I will spend the money to stay Delux cause then I will be in the room more and get my monies worth.
Now I just have to convince him about this.

 

[esdras]

Because our kids are under 10 (8 and 4 for this trip) and we KNOW that they need a break, the DDP works well. The fact that we're going during Free Dining is also - admittedly - a pretty big incentive.

Anyway, being "tied" down to TS reservations means that we know we need to make it to an early lunch or dinner ressie - and eat lunch or dinner at a time that works out for the other meal.

This means we get to the park when it opens - eat an early lunch (by 11:30 - either CS or TS) and then leave the park to go back to the resort for a break. The lines and heat are getting to be the worst of the day at this point.

Then, early dinner, by 5pm - either TS or CS - and that means we're done dinner by 6:30 - allowing for a little more time back in the parks when the lines are shorter and the heat as eased off a little.

Essentially, while we are tied down, it prevents us from wearing ourselves out.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this thread over to our restaurant board for you.

 

[bluwater]

Hmmmm...this is my question...

Why do people associate DDP with ADRs?

You can use DDP without ADRs. Is it that you do not want to eat at any TS places?

I visited during free dining last summer and walked up to many TS places...slight wait...but was seated in reasonable time.

I don't understand the ADR frenzy!!! ADRs are being pushed by Disney...but you do not have to buy into it. Go, relax ,eat, enjoy!

 

[esdras]

Hmmmm...this is my question...

Why do people associate DDP with ADRs?

You can use DDP without ADRs. Is it that you do not want to eat at any TS places?

I visited during free dining last summer and walked up to many TS places...slight wait...but was seated in reasonable time.

I don't understand the ADR frenzy!!! ADRs are being pushed by Disney...but you do not have to buy into it. Go, relax ,eat, enjoy!

I'll repeat my previous answer. Because my kids are 8 and 4. PLEASE, don't tell them that you can walk up to another restaurant without a ressie.

If they think that they have a choice while there, we'll never eat. It'll be a never ending, "but I don't wanna eat there, I wanna eat there instead" - and they likely won't agree either.

We've told them where we're eating on this trip - they got some input, but Mom and Dad got to pick a couple of TS meals too.

 

[Gymbomom]

WE had DDP for the first time on our last trip. WOW, talk about a worry free vacation. No more looking at prices or making the kids order water. We loved it. We have been to Disney many times and eating is a big part of the experience for us.

 

[newyorkhogs]

DP or not?
I was told if stay in disney properties and plan to get back for lunch, a rest, and dip in the pool that DP may not be best option. Agree ?

 

[newyorkhogs]

Someone mentioned if stay on disney property and plan on taking midday break, rest, swim, etc. that perhaps DP is not best option

Agree?