Is the Dining plan right for me? The age old question

[Kylej29]

I need help here friends. I've never used the dining plan but I'm wondering if it's a good idea to use it this trip. Here's the plans so far:

Three adults and one four year old.

Booked Riviera, and 4 day park hopper passes.

We were planning on at least two character breakfasts and sit down dinners each night, Skippers canteen, brown derby, the Edison, etc

Thoughts?

 

[sharonabe]

I need help here friends. I've never used the dining plan but I'm wondering if it's a good idea to use it this trip. Here's the plans so far:

Three adults and one four year old.

Booked Riviera, and 4 day park hopper passes.

We were planning on at least two character breakfasts and sit down dinners each night, Skippers canteen, brown derby, the Edison, etc

Thoughts?

How many nights are you staying? It sounds like the rumored 2TS plan MIGHT fit the bill for you. Otherwise, with both breakfast and dinners, you'll have either too few TS credits on the regular plan and too many credits left over on the DxDDP. Although, Brown Derby and Edison are both 2 TS credits, so you might not have too many left over with the DxDDP.

BUT your dinners look to be a la carte, so you probably need to look at the menus and see what you might order and do the math. Do all 3 adults want their own entree and their own dessert (and app too, if you do DxDDP)? Would you prefer to share a dessert or app between you? Do you all want alcohol or some other drink? There are still to many variables for us to give you solid advice.

 

[Kylej29]

How many nights are you staying? It sounds like the rumored 2TS plan MIGHT fit the bill for you. Otherwise, with both breakfast and dinners, you'll have either too few TS credits on the regular plan and too many credits left over on the DxDDP. Although, Brown Derby and Edison are both 2 TS credits, so you might not have too many left over with the DxDDP.

BUT your dinners look to be a la carte, so you probably need to look at the menus and see what you might order and do the math. Do all 3 adults want their own entree and their own dessert (and app too, if you do DxDDP)? Would you prefer to share a dessert or app between you? Do you all want alcohol or some other drink? There are still to many variables for us to give you solid advice.

Thanks, again sorry for lack of info. I've always thought it wasn't worth it, but after watching a few videos I'm considering. we'll be there 5 nights (4 park days).

All the adults would for sure want their own entrees, and I'm sure alcohol will be involved. Dessert and apps aren't a guarantee

 

[RivShore]

Brown Derby and Edison are both 2 TS credits, so you might not have too many left over with the DxDDP.

One quick correction, the Edison is a single credit dinner.

 

[DurhamBuckeye]

Before each trip, I try to go through a few days and imagine what we would all reasonably eat, use the menus online, and add up the costs. The dining plan has never made sense for our family. But that is because our kids aren't big on character meals, we don't drink soda/alcohol often, and we would have a hard time using the snack credits AND getting dessert at dinner.

The last several trips we went and ate where and what we wanted, and then looked back at the total costs after the trip. We have never come close to spending what we would have on the dining plan.

So try to do the math and try to imagine what you would actually eat; that should give you the answer

 

[sharonabe]

I think Disney will have to treat the credits just like the DxDP unless they completely revamp the restaurants POS computer system

Thanks, again sorry for lack of info. I've always thought it wasn't worth it, but after watching a few videos I'm considering. we'll be there 5 nights (4 park days).

All the adults would for sure want their own entrees, and I'm sure alcohol will be involved. Dessert and apps aren't a guarantee

With 5 nights and just the restaurants you've mentioned, you're already 1 too many TS credits and you still have 2 more nights. I just don't see how the regular plan will work for you. You'll still be paying OOP for a couple meals. And unless you want about 7 more meals than what you've given us, you're not going to make good use of the deluxe plan either.

First, I'd wait and see if the rumored 2 TS plan does make its debut and what the cost of that might be. That plan would definitely work for you if the cost comes in right.

But, I'd still make your final decision of where you WANT to eat and go look at the menus to see what you might order. You're going to have to do some math, at least a little bit in your head, to see if you can make the plan fit your family's eating style.

One quick correction, the Edison is a single credit dinner.

Thank you. I confess I was hitting a 3:00 slump when I answered the first time. I couldn't remember if Edison was 1 or 2 and didn't take the time to go check. Thanks for making the correction for me.

 

[KrzyKtty101]

Whether it is right for you or not is really dependent upon too many things. No value can be added to the convenience factor, so if that is what is most important to you, then it could be right for you. Some people really just prefer the idea of paying for as much as they can upfront. However, you still need to account for tips, and that can get expensive quickly depending on the number of signature dining experiences and character meals that you do.

Another large factor is how do you eat? The odds are with a small child, and 3 adults, you will probably lose money. The only real way to break even or pull ahead is for everyone to only eat the most expensive things on the menu. So if you are a family that normally enjoys lobster and steaks, the plan is probably perfect for you. However, if you are a vegetarian, or someone with a lighter diet, or tend to share meals, you will lose money.

Where people also tend to lose money is in the snack credits. You really need to be aware of what you use your credits on and what you don't if you want to try to maximize what you paid. For some people, a quick service meal, a dinner, and 2 large snacks A-day is just too much food.

 

[Feberin]

When you say 5 nights and 4 park days do you have a break day or you'd only have four days at Disney? I think it helps when you have more days than nights. We're staying 5 nights and will have 5 at Disney full days plus breakfast the day we leave so I'm planning to use up some of those snack credits as meals.

 

[amuse-bouche]

Just pay for the food you want to eat! I don't think anyone ever comes out ahead unless they force feed themselves and their families the most expensive options.
A week or so ago, I was in line at the Belle Vue lounge at BWI, early in the morning when they have a quick serve continental breakfast option. I just wanted a breakfast sandwich! In front of me, an Italian speaking gentleman (checking out that morning) had the cast member go to a back room to get two cases of prepackaged cereal cups so that he could trade in his remaining credits for something that he could take home in his luggage.
Come on! Does any one really want to transport Cheerios across continents!
Just pay for what you really want to eat. Use AP or TIW if you can, but my opinion is NO on the dining plan.

 

[Kylej29]

When you say 5 nights and 4 park days do you have a break day or you'd only have four days at Disney? I think it helps when you have more days than nights. We're staying 5 nights and will have 5 at Disney full days plus breakfast the day we leave so I'm planning to use up some of those snack credits as meals.

We're from NJ, we're flying down to Tampa for a few days to see family and then drive over to Disney. So we'll drive to Disney on Tuesday that will be the no park day, then parks Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, come back to NJ Sunday

 

[starry_solo]

We're from NJ, we're flying down to Tampa for a few days to see family and then drive over to Disney. So we'll drive to Disney on Tuesday that will be the no park day, then parks Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, come back to NJ Sunday

Well, you could possibly use credits for a nice dinner Tuesday night.

Write a complete list of the places you want to eat at

 

[sharonabe]

Well, you could possibly use credits for a nice dinner Tuesday night.

Write a complete list of the places you want to eat at

They already have more credits than they have nights. If they add in Tues night and the nights they have yet to plan, they're definitely going to need to look at the DxDDP.