Dining plan calculator

[Nana2Callie]

For some reason I can't find it - isn't there somewhere that helps you decide if the dining plan is the best financial choice? We do a lot of character dining which makes it an option, but the last couple of years we've ended up with lots of snack credits. So would like to run the numbers and see... especially our GD is 12 so it is now 3 adults.

 

[loves to dive]

I don't recommend using it. It only does an average and doesn't let you pick exactly what you plan on eating. It can be off by a good amount. Just look at the menus and pick what you think you are going to eat and set up a spreadsheet. Much more accurate. Keep in mind the dining plan does not include tip so if you are on the plan and order the most expensive thing on the menu, you will need to tip on that amount.

 

[LaidBackDad]

The DDP cost per person, per day, roughly breaks down as follows:

2 snacks = $10
QS meal = $15
TS meal = $42
Plus a free (resort only) drink mug

If you pay OOP, it is virtually impossible for every person in your group to spend that much money on their meals every day, even eating at character meals most of the time or ordering the most expensive items on the menu at every other restaurant. When you break the meals down like that, there is no need for a calculator. Basically, you have to decide if getting a free resort mug is worth how much money you will waste on meals.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

It is so funny how people are.

If they use the plan, most will tell you to calculate how much you would spend with the plan and without. Then if you save money with the plan, book it. And if not, pay OOP.

If they don't use the plan, it seems that most will tell you that you are a moron for even considering it.

Sorry guys, but it makes the most sense to run the numbers. And if you save money on the plan, book it. If you don't, pay out of pocket.

 

[Hikergirl]

I don't recommend using it. It only does an average and doesn't let you pick exactly what you plan on eating. It can be off by a good amount. Just look at the menus and pick what you think you are going to eat and set up a spreadsheet. Much more accurate. Keep in mind the dining plan does not include tip so if you are on the plan and order the most expensive thing on the menu, you will need to tip on that amount.

I agree. I compared the calculator to actual menu prices and the calculator was off.
I ended up not doing the plan but that was because I was going with just dh during F&W and it just worked better to get the vouchers for booths and pay OOP for any full meals we had.

When my kids turned into Disney adults the meal plan did not save us anything since my kids still ate like kids. We didn't do a ton of character meals though so that never factored in to my decision. It rarely saves us money so I don't get it. And no, I don't think anyone is a moron for considering it

 

[loves to dive]

It is so funny how people are.

If they use the plan, most will tell you to calculate how much you would spend with the plan and without. Then if you save money with the plan, book it. And if not, pay OOP.

If they don't use the plan, it seems that most will tell you that you are a moron for even considering it.

Sorry guys, but it makes the most sense to run the numbers. And if you save money on the plan, book it. If you don't, pay out of pocket.

Not sure anyone has said anyone was a moron for using the dining plan. I suggested not using the calculator as it wasn't accurate to actually look at menus and compare costs then decide. I didn't say one way or another whether to use it. Other people have offered just about the same advice, one just showing the breakdown of the costs of the plan and offering their opinion that it might not save money. I don't use the plan, we used to use it years ago but it isn't the way we eat any more. I would never tell anyone how to spend their money or call them a moron for their decisions.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

It is the insinuations, not the actual words, "You are a moron."

Kind of the, "there is no reason to calculate it because it never works in your favor." Or, you have to decide if getting a free mug is worth all of the money you are going to lose on meals.

I'm sure you've read these types of posts.

 

[LaidBackDad]

It is the insinuations, not the actual words, "You are a moron."

Kind of the, "there is no reason to calculate it because it never works in your favor." Or, you have to decide if getting a free mug is worth all of the money you are going to lose on meals.

I'm sure you've read these types of posts.

There is no insinuation of any kind. The OP couldn't find a dining plan calculator and appeared to be looking for an easier way to budget food cost rather than going through menus line by line. I merely provided an approximate break down of what the cost of the DDP actually is. What usually happens is a DDP advocates faces a mathematical certainty that the DDP is not designed to save the guest money and cannot save guest money in virtually every scenario. The DDP advocate then feels foolish and interprets the innocuous post to be personally offensive and they lash out by name calling and attributing false accusations to the post. There are lots of reasons why someone might like the dining plan; but, saving money is not one of them. I don't think anyone is a moron if they like using the DDP. I do think they are morons for making false accusations and trying to harass other posters because they have their own insecurities.

I'm sure you've read those kind of post.

 

[klbrow11]

I made a spreadsheet of the cost with tip and tax. We are doing a lot of character buffets and came out slightly ahead with the dining plan. My husband prefers the dining plan for the sheer convienience. We are also going during food and wine so the snack credits will be very helpful.

 

[GusGus77]

So does the 1 quick service=3 snacks in one transaction work at snack carts (like I buy 3 churros) or food booths at food and wine?

This is the first year we will not get a "free" dining plan (which was a great savings for our family) and I had counted it out, but if it is true there are no longer child and adult credits (I remember reading that somewhere?) my 9 yr old will be eating off the adult menu and occasionally my 6yr old will, too, so I am wondering if that changes if there is value as we will be paying kid prices for adult meals for one child. (She never feels there is enough food in the kids meals.)

 

[eeyoreandtink]

The DDP cost per person, per day, roughly breaks down as follows:

2 snacks = $10
QS meal = $15
TS meal = $42
Plus a free (resort only) drink mug

If you pay OOP, it is virtually impossible for every person in your group to spend that much money on their meals every day, even eating at character meals most of the time or ordering the most expensive items on the menu at every other restaurant. When you break the meals down like that, there is no need for a calculator. Basically, you have to decide if getting a free resort mug is worth how much money you will waste on meals.

Pretty much every dinner buffet is at least $42 with tax. My family habitually goes over $42 per person at table service if everyone orders entree, drink, and dessert. We like different things so sharing isn't ideal. The average quick service meal with a drink is at least $15, more in the "nicer" quick service places that aren't just processed fried nonsense. I can easily use that $10 on a snack and a drink throughout the day. My breaks even or saves a little on the dining plan. It isn't virtually impossible. Its pretty easy to get the value out of it if everyone would have ordered their own entree, drink and dessert anyway.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

So does the 1 quick service=3 snacks in one transaction work at snack carts (like I buy 3 churros) or food booths at food and wine?

This is the first year we will not get a "free" dining plan (which was a great savings for our family) and I had counted it out, but if it is true there are no longer child and adult credits (I remember reading that somewhere?) my 9 yr old will be eating off the adult menu and occasionally my 6yr old will, too, so I am wondering if that changes if there is value as we will be paying kid prices for adult meals for one child. (She never feels there is enough food in the kids meals.)

QS credits are not divided, but TS are. You could order adult QS meals but not TS.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

There is no insinuation of any kind. The OP couldn't find a dining plan calculator and appeared to be looking for an easier way to budget food cost rather than going through menus line by line. I merely provided an approximate break down of what the cost of the DDP actually is. What usually happens is a DDP advocates faces a mathematical certainty that the DDP is not designed to save the guest money and cannot save guest money in virtually every scenario. The DDP advocate then feels foolish and interprets the innocuous post to be personally offensive and they lash out by name calling and attributing false accusations to the post. There are lots of reasons why someone might like the dining plan; but, saving money is not one of them. I don't think anyone is a moron if they like using the DDP. I do think they are morons for making false accusations and trying to harass other posters because they have their own insecurities.

I'm sure you've read those kind of post.

I keep receipts. I save money every time on the DDP, so yes, saving money CAN be a reason to like DDP. No foolishness, and I have done the math many times. The bottom line doesn't lie and we come out slightly ahead, plus get the convenience of the DDP.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I just figured out what I would pay OOP as opposed to the DDP based on the menus from the website and decided that for me it was pretty much a wash. We wound up paying OOP because it turned out there were going to be a couple of days spent off property and we wouldn't have used those TS credits.

The only plan that I found to not have any value, for me at least, was the DxDP (3 TS, 2 S) because we were never going to eat TS 3 times a day - even if we ate places that charged 2 credits like the Yachtsman.

Also, since my 10 year old would have been charged the adult price (and he does not eat adult portions) he could order off the children's menu and pay the children's price, which also made it MUCH cheaper.

 

[maxiesmom]

http://www.distripplanner.com/


If anyone is still interested, here it is. It is a good place to start and gives you an idea if the plan will save you money or not.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I just entered all our meals from our last trip and according to their estimate the DDP would have cost us over $200 more and because We didn't eat on property every day of our stay we would have 12 (4 each) QS credits left. We actually saved more than that because our 10 year old ate from the kid's menu pretty much in every restaurant so we paid kid's prices. If it were just DH and I or my son was older and ate more the plan might work for us, but for now, it doesn't.

 

[CanadianMouseDad]

We use the DDP. Mainly for convenience, not having to carry around large amounts of money for a family of 5. Paying for the food months in advance. Etc, If for any reason we don't use the credits we break them down as snack credits and have a tonne of food left for our drive home. (20+ hours to Canada.)

 

[Imnatari]

I made a spreadsheet of the cost with tip and tax. We are doing a lot of character buffets and came out slightly ahead with the dining plan. My husband prefers the dining plan for the sheer convienience. We are also going during food and wine so the snack credits will be very helpful.

I just spent the last few hours hovering over online menus and my google sheets