Dining Plan, No Dining Plan...Help

[lililolo]

There are 8 of us and only one child under 9. We are staying 6 nights but the first night we will be arriving late. We have a 2 bedroom suite with a full kitchen, so we probably will eat breakfast in the suite. So far I have reservations for the following:

BOMA - dinner
T-Rex - lunch
San Angel Inn - dinner
Jiko - dinner
Mama Melrose's - lunch w/fantasmic package.

I am debating whether to purchase the dining plan. We are not the "dessert" type people, rather the "appetizer" type. We also don't drink soda. Sometimes, if we are not that hungry, we also split a plate. However, with the DP, I feel that we would need to make our money worth by eating/drinking "sweet" and more than we normally do. Also, is that really good savings by purchasing the plan?

I feel that without the plan, there might be more flexibility. Also, if I decide to add the DP, do I also have to add the tickets too? Otherwise, I might just buy the tickets from undercover tourists.

Please advise, thanks.

[Quin]

Well, 2 of your meals are lunches; in general, if paying oop lunch is cheaper than dinner. 1 of your meals is a Signature; since the DDP does not include appetizers, I think a Signature is not a wise use of 2 DDP TS credits.

And the 'not liking desserts' is probably a killer, because part of the point of the DDP is that you get a dessert with every TS credit AND with every CS credit.

But the best thing to do, as always, is to price it out. Go to a site with all the menus with prices like allears.net. Boma and the F! package are easy since they're a set price. For the others, add up the prices of your best guess of what each person in your party would order if you were not on the DDP. Add the price of 1 CS meal per person per day (again, just what you would order if no DDP). If you are likely to try some snacks (sweet or savory or beverages), add $3 - $3.50 per person per day as an average oop cost of the snack/beverage. Would you purchase the mugs if not on the DDP? If yes, add that 1-time cost to your oop as well.

Compare that total OOP number to the cost of the DDP. That will tell you whether to buy it or not. It's a lot of math, but you're talking about a lot of money so it's worth the time to sit and do it.

[bdklein]

Originally Posted by lililolo

There are 8 of us and only one child under 9. We are staying 6 nights but the first night we will be arriving late. We have a 2 bedroom suite with a full kitchen, so we probably will eat breakfast in the suite. So far I have reservations for the following:

BOMA - dinner
T-Rex - lunch
San Angel Inn - dinner
Jiko - dinner
Mama Melrose's - lunch w/fantasmic package.

I am debating whether to purchase the dining plan. We are not the "dessert" type people, rather the "appetizer" type. We also don't drink soda. Sometimes, if we are not that hungry, we also split a plate. However, with the DP, I feel that we would need to make our money worth by eating/drinking "sweet" and more than we normally do. Also, is that really good savings by purchasing the plan?

I feel that without the plan, there might be more flexibility. Also, if I decide to add the DP, do I also have to add the tickets too? Otherwise, I might just buy the tickets from undercover tourists.

Please advise, thanks.

No brainer. No Dining Plan. Move on to something else more fun!!!

[robinb]

Originally Posted by lililolo

There are 8 of us and only one child under 9. We are staying 6 nights but the first night we will be arriving late. We have a 2 bedroom suite with a full kitchen, so we probably will eat breakfast in the suite. So far I have reservations for the following:

BOMA - dinner
T-Rex - lunch
San Angel Inn - dinner
Jiko - dinner
Mama Melrose's - lunch w/fantasmic package.

I am debating whether to purchase the dining plan. We are not the "dessert" type people, rather the "appetizer" type. We also don't drink soda. Sometimes, if we are not that hungry, we also split a plate. However, with the DP, I feel that we would need to make our money worth by eating/drinking "sweet" and more than we normally do. Also, is that really good savings by purchasing the plan?

I feel that without the plan, there might be more flexibility. Also, if I decide to add the DP, do I also have to add the tickets too? Otherwise, I might just buy the tickets from undercover tourists.

Please advise, thanks.

I agree that the DDP is not for you. Do you think that you may return to WDW in the next year? If so, you can get at least one annual pass for your family and then purchase the Tables in Wonderland Card (http://allears.net/din/dde.htm) for a 20% discount (including alcohol!). The card is $75 for annual passholders, so you need to spend $375 to break even. You would be 70% there there on your first dinner at Boma.

[nkereina]

The dining plan is not really meant to be a savings. It may be slightly cheaper, if you would normally order a drink other than water (non alcoholic) and dessert with every meal. But since very few people eat like that, it's not really a savings and more of a way to "pre-pay" your meal. Since you'll be ordering apps and won't eat the dessert, it doesn't make sense for you.

[smiths02]

For adults (which is nearly everyone in your party), the dining plan offers minimal savings even if you use every entitlement and order the most expensive items (and always use CS for lunch and TS for dinner). I would never pay for DDP in your situation.
Then add in that you don't normally order dessert and drinks...makes any savings disappear.

[tony67]

I personally would not recommend the DDP if you are paying for it out of pocket.
If it was free and there are three or more of you yes it is well worth it.

I just got back from a 10 day trip and even with the more expensive snacks during the F&W festival I only came out about $50 ahead. I only used snack credits on snacks over $5

But to be $50 dollars ahead I also ate a lot of desserts I really did not want and even a few meals I did not want because I had to use the credits up - just to break even

Unless you will go and eat every meal and order the most expensive thing on the menu every time and dessert it just is not worth it IMO

Also one big tip - don't fall into the trap of not using a credit for the cheaper meals (or snacks). I decided not to use credits for QS meals that were under $10 and I ended up with three QS on the last day that I had to use.

I will never pay out of pocket again for the DDP - it is dead to me.

[GeorgiaHoo]

I am trying to decide whether to add the dining plan to a trip in March and am seriously leaning towards no. At $56 per person per day I feel like even if we eat an expensive table service/buffet meal each day we would be better off paying out of pocket.

[TDC Nala]

You only have one buffet/all you can eat listed, and to me you seal the deal by saying you prefer appetizers to desserts, you sometimes split meals and you tend to drink water. DDP will probably not save you much, if it will save you anything at all.

Also, if I decide to add the DP, do I also have to add the tickets too?

Unless you are an annual passholder, a DVC member booking through Member Services, or eligible for the military room discount, then yes, you do.