What???? No Dining Plan...Are you Crazy Mom??? - Our Dining Experiment

[Lisa F]

I agree with you...twelve days of quick serve.....I don't think my stomach could take it!

There are actually tons of good QS options. For me it is more a logistical nightmare than a quality of food issue with CS... I just detest standing in line to order, in line to wait for food and then fighting for a table... as a single mom this is even more difficult than a family with more than one adult. I just decided to go all out and skip the QS all together this time, my memory of balancing a tray, fighting my way through crowds to find a table and trying to keep a whirly kid under control are still all too fresh in my memory from 2014

When I nabbed my LTT ADR for my first day I was a little sad to know I was giving up the salad at Columbia Harbor House. Disney Studios is really the only place where the choices are mediocre but it's a good day to indulge in the nuggets and fries AK and Epcot especially have awesome QS options!

 

[CandiceF]

We usually do the regular dining plan and get a good mix of TS and QS. We don't eat out very often at home, so the 2 fussy younger kids are happy to get QS, my DH and I like the TS and my oldest likes both.

 

[Mrs. Inc]

There are actually tons of good QS options. For me it is more a logistical nightmare than a quality of food issue with CS... I just detest standing in line to order, in line to wait for food and then fighting for a table... as a single mom this is even more difficult than a family with more than one adult. I just decided to go all out and skip the QS all together this time, my memory of balancing a tray, fighting my way through crowds to find a table and trying to keep a whirly kid under control are still all too fresh in my memory from 2014

When I nabbed my LTT ADR for my first day I was a little sad to know I was giving up the salad at Columbia Harbor House. Disney Studios is really the only place where the choices are mediocre but it's a good day to indulge in the nuggets and fries AK and Epcot especially have awesome QS options!

We have always done a lot of quick serve. Two boys functioned only in a quick serve or buffet! However, my new gf diagnosis is really limiting...gluten free quick serve ... Blah! So this year is mostly ts for us.

 

[keahgirl8]

There are actually tons of good QS options. For me it is more a logistical nightmare than a quality of food issue with CS... I just detest standing in line to order, in line to wait for food and then fighting for a table... as a single mom this is even more difficult than a family with more than one adult. I just decided to go all out and skip the QS all together this time, my memory of balancing a tray, fighting my way through crowds to find a table and trying to keep a whirly kid under control are still all too fresh in my memory from 2014

When I nabbed my LTT ADR for my first day I was a little sad to know I was giving up the salad at Columbia Harbor House. Disney Studios is really the only place where the choices are mediocre but it's a good day to indulge in the nuggets and fries AK and Epcot especially have awesome QS options!

I'm solo, so no whirly kids, but I do know what you mean about the tables! It can be tricky when you don't have anyone who can hold a table while you order and wait.

 

[linana514]

Joining in for ideas for our next trip! We're also not doing the dining plan... But we're throwing in a few TS meals paid out of pocket.

 

[CandiceF]

We have always done a lot of quick serve. Two boys functioned only in a quick serve or buffet! However, my new gf diagnosis is really limiting...gluten free quick serve ... Blah! So this year is mostly ts for us.

I am GF and some of the QS at the resorts make a decent GF pizza.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

We get back to Pop quickly and f course we have munchies (we didn't get munchies on the Deluxe Dining Plan!). We headed into Everything Pop and grabbed a Tie-dyed Cheesecake ...

and a King Whoopie Pie...which was peanut butter, chocolate, banana, and bacon. We didn't get a picture tonight but Cary got that again another night and I believe I have a pic then. It was very good but really needed milk! Skye ate her cheesecake for breakfast. It was very good but it was better when you got an actual slice of cheesecake not a prepackaged product.

TOTAL = $7.58
TOTAL so far... $145.59

 

[Smbmoyers]

We get back to Pop quickly and f course we have munchies (we didn't get munchies on the Deluxe Dining Plan!). We headed into Everything Pop and grabbed a Tie-dyed Cheesecake ...

I used to dream of the tye dyed cheesecake at pop until they put it in a cup. just kind of ruined it for me.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

I totally get it. I think though that having kids who are disney adults but still light eaters (at least your daughter is, right?) does take some of the value away from the plan. I THINK if say pretended you were doing DxDDP and booked all of the same restaurants. but then just ordered what you truly felt like (no taking one for the team, mom). I THINK you might come out ahead. it is a LOT of food. It works out for me because I am managing to structure my vacation so I have it for 5 FULL days for 4 nights and we are doing 2 meals a day. We are doing a lot of character meals because my kiddo loves them and he is the prime age for them. But the kid credits are where you really make out. With all of those adult credits you would find yourself maybe having fewer meals (only 2 a day), splitting more apps or getting your own app and splitting an entree and probably not having so many desserts (personally I am happy with a bite or two of something sweet at the end of a meal). But it does require retraining yourself to LET IT GO. it's rough. I know. I think this is why people fight about the DDP like it's the most important thing in the world. It's vacation and we all just want to feel good on vacation. For different people it is different things! You obviously love the DxDDP for the freedom it gives you. I was the same way with the regular dining plan... wanted to take advantage of the kiddo savings to do somethings that made me oop (like H&V seasonal dine with F! package).

Still looking forward to the rest of your review!

I guess, in a way, since Skye can be a "light eater" it took away a little from the actual value but only in the sense that the meals she did not order her own meal at allowed us to have ANOTHER meal which caused us to had more to pay out for tips...that's a small price to pay though...LOL! If you add up our meals VS. the credits we had, if we had used the credits for all of us all the time, we would have been paying out of pocket. And that's another reason why it may have felt like on the last trip we ate so much...WE DID! Yes, kids credits are definitely a deal maker! I loved it when they were both kids, or even when Skye was still a kid! I wish there was an in between. But I guess, technically, in our case, Tyler makes up for any difference in Skyler's eating!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

We have stopped using ANY DDP. However, the sticker shock when paying OOP can be intimidating. I have found we eat what we want( beside the lobster at Narcooses,lol) and save ALOT in the long run. I was burned on the DDP. We had the stomach flu go through our family and it played total hell on my dining planning and I was scrambling to use up credits. That did it for us and I am so much happier not having to plan an invasion.

Sticker shock...yes, that's it exactly! And that is what my problem is... I just can't get past in individually. I know, I fell right into Disney's hands, right? I bought it!

I can see where your burn could leave a very bad taste in you mouth (no pun intended) for future DDP use though!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

I'm reading along! We have to decide in about 2 weeks whether we want to upgrade our free qs plan to the regular dining plan. The family says "No way! Let's just eat whenever we're hungry wherever we happen to be!" This mom says, "Y'all are gonna get so sick of quick service it's not even funny!" We'll be in the world for a total of 12 days! We do have an EMM planned along with a Tusker House breakfast and Whispering Canyon lunch, but that's it for meals that aren't quick service as of now. I'll be anxious to see your reviews and hear how it went!

It was an experience! Some good, some not so good. I'd do it again if I had to. I mean if it took no dining plan to be able to be in The World, it would still work out. We just like it with the plan better I think...but I'm getting ahead of myself!

I am in. I could never do all CS, so this is interesting. I have to sit and relax, and I just love character meals. However, if it was the only way I could go, I could do it for a few days, otherwise I would save for a future trip.

I can see why you want to prove your point.

Same. It would not be the end of the world but it is a different kind of trip, that's for sure! I had to prove it to him, but also to myself...I did wonder.

Following! I thought about not doing the dining plan this time (we arrive next week!) but went with it anyway. I just don't want to have to think about budgeting for meals. So now I'm thinking "I'm pre-paying".....I don't expect to save money since we don't always want the $30 steak and dessert with every meal.

Jealous! That's exactly my mentality. If I am on a dining plan, it's mot money! I am not "paying" for it. Eat UP! But as soon as I see the cost compared to me forking out cash, it just doesn't work as well. I venture a guess that even if I budgeted to eat as if we were on the Deluxe Dining Plan, so had the funds in my hot little hands, I would still be nit picking everyone's choices.

There are actually tons of good QS options. For me it is more a logistical nightmare than a quality of food issue with CS... I just detest standing in line to order, in line to wait for food and then fighting for a table... as a single mom this is even more difficult than a family with more than one adult. I just decided to go all out and skip the QS all together this time, my memory of balancing a tray, fighting my way through crowds to find a table and trying to keep a whirly kid under control are still all too fresh in my memory from 2014

When I nabbed my LTT ADR for my first day I was a little sad to know I was giving up the salad at Columbia Harbor House. Disney Studios is really the only place where the choices are mediocre but it's a good day to indulge in the nuggets and fries AK and Epcot especially have awesome QS options!

We do end up with some good meals. It was different though. And we did run into a problem of things closing much earlier than the parks, but it's not really posted that they are closing as a specific time. SO we'd show up expecting to eat something, but nope, closed. Happened a few times. We were always able to find something but it was frustrating. And that was exactly my thoughts on the deluxe dining plan especially at Christmas...CS places had huge lines for food. We had all TS meals so not waiting to be seated and waited on...mostly! Animal Kingdom has gotten some very good CS places...and Epcot too. We don't find dining at Hollywood Studios as horrendous as most other people but ya, they are lacking a little compared to other parks.

 

[HolRae]

We have done deluxe the last several years and are planning a trip for February with no dining plan. I am very interested to read the rest of your reviews. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Lisa F]

We do end up with some good meals. It was different though. And we did run into a problem of things closing much earlier than the parks, but it's not really posted that they are closing as a specific time. SO we'd show up expecting to eat something, but nope, closed. Happened a few times. We were always able to find something but it was frustrating. And that was exactly my thoughts on the deluxe dining plan especially at Christmas...CS places had huge lines for food. We had all TS meals so not waiting to be seated and waited on...mostly! Animal Kingdom has gotten some very good CS places...and Epcot too. We don't find dining at Hollywood Studios as horrendous as most other people but ya, they are lacking a little compared to other parks.

YES, I found that too. Things closed when I wanted to go. That happened to me at the MK one night, everything was closed but cosmic rays and what was left was barely edible. Sure I had no trouble finding a seat but what a yucky meal.

 

[kittylady1972]

Great report...can't wait to see how you do but I'm thinking pretty well. We have only had the dining plan ONE time in all of our trips...and it was many many years ago. We find it easy to share food in Disney these days and it's much cheaper!

 

[Spicey477]

I find this fascinating as well. I'm a former CM and now live out of state and visit a couple times a year. I get sticker shock when forking out $5 here and there for mediocre pretzels and frozen Minute Maids. But...I find it hard to plan my days with FP+, let alone the mulitple ADRs, lots of scheduling. I also can never seem to get an ADR that I really want when I want it, I'm talking Kona Cafe, not Chef Mickeys.

 

[klacey1]

Subscribing! I loved your Christmas report. I definitely couldn't do all QS and I can totally appreciate you missing the DxDDP!!

 

[dmea10]

no offense to your dining plan or anything but this dining plan is making me remember why I don't care much for CS and why I ended up going for the DxDDP and 2TS a day even the stuff you say is good is not that appealing, lol.

I always wonder with the DXDDP do you feel like most of your vacation time is spent in restaurants? I am debating going with the one sit down meal per day. On every other trip we would have a food court breakfast most mornings (we have never done rope drop) and a snack during the day and an early dinner. I want to be riding rides and seeing shows and wonder if 3 meals is just too much?

 

[littlebearfan]

I always wonder with the DXDDP do you feel like most of your vacation time is spent in restaurants? I am debating going with the one sit down meal per day. On every other trip we would have a food court breakfast most mornings (we have never done rope drop) and a snack during the day and an early dinner. I want to be riding rides and seeing shows and wonder if 3 meals is just too much?

I think it just depends on your personal preference and how your family normally eats - and what you want to see and do during your vacation.

We (2 adults) know that whenever we eat at a restaurant for breakfast, we are not really hungry again until dinner time - or a snack would hold us over until dinner. We will be in WDW for 10 days, so we won't have the pressure to see everything as quickly as possible!

We prefer to sit down and have a hot breakfast and we want to check out a bunch of the Signature restaurants. We are going to schedule a Character breakfast and an early Signature dinner for most of the days (Be Our Guest being one of the exceptions - if we can get an ADR). We can use the snacks to tide us over. This should allow us to tour a park in the morning, take a break in the afternoon, go to dinner, then back to a park (or shopping, or drinking ).

For this vacation we think the DxDDP fits the best. If young kids were going with us - or if we only had a few days to see attractions, we would probably do something entirely different!

 

[dmea10]

I think it just depends on your personal preference and how your family normally eats - and what you want to see and do during your vacation.

We (2 adults) know that whenever we eat at a restaurant for breakfast, we are not really hungry again until dinner time - or a snack would hold us over until dinner. We will be in WDW for 10 days, so we won't have the pressure to see everything as quickly as possible!

We prefer to sit down and have a hot breakfast and we want to check out a bunch of the Signature restaurants. We are going to schedule a Character breakfast and an early Signature dinner for most of the days (Be Our Guest being one of the exceptions - if we can get an ADR). We can use the snacks to tide us over. This should allow us to tour a park in the morning, take a break in the afternoon, go to dinner, then back to a park (or shopping, or drinking ).

For this vacation we think the DxDDP fits the best. If young kids were going with us - or if we only had a few days to see attractions, we would probably do something entirely different!

I want thinking about the character meals which we want to do most nights with a 4 year old. Those take 2 credits correct? So I guess it would work put well that way. I just cannot imagine eating three full meals a day.

 

[Lisa F]

I always wonder with the DXDDP do you feel like most of your vacation time is spent in restaurants? I am debating going with the one sit down meal per day. On every other trip we would have a food court breakfast most mornings (we have never done rope drop) and a snack during the day and an early dinner. I want to be riding rides and seeing shows and wonder if 3 meals is just too much?

i just did dxddp and 2 meals a day. I did not feel at all like my whole vacation was in restaurants. Most of my meals lasted about an hour which is not that much longer than CS given all of the line waiting.