Disney dining plan costs compared to paying on own

dstemm

Earning My Ears
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
I am debating on whether to pay for Disney dining with 1 full service meal per day or pay as we eat.
We are 4 adults going. Has anyone done the math to figure this out?
 
I am debating on whether to pay for Disney dining with 1 full service meal per day or pay as we eat.
We are 4 adults going. Has anyone done the math to figure this out?

Unfortunately, you have to do your own math as none of us knows how you like to eat.

Decide on the restaurants you want. Pick the food you WANT to eat with no regard to any plan entitlements. This would include any apps, entrees, desserts and drinks. Decide if you want alcohol. Do all TS and QS you want to do. Add it all up and add 6.5% tax.

For buffets and prix fix, try this list (tax is already added): https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/d...meals-shows-and-all-you-care-to-eat-platters/
 
I do it every trip because I’m odd that way! Last trip the dining plan would have cost $603.92 for myself and my oldest daughter for four nights. We spent $356.37 for those same four nights. We didn’t restrict in any way, ate three meals a day out and treated ourselves to anything we desired. The dining plan is a rip off. Never have I come out spending more oop.
 
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You really do have to do your own math to see if it actually makes sense. Use the pricing online (just about all menus with prices are available at the Disney website and Touring Plans) and figure out how you would NORMALLY eat during your vacation. I picked out the things my family would most likely order, including drinks and desserts. Then compare it to the cost of the dining plan for the trip. it's a bit of work, but worth it.

When you're doing that, keep in mind that tax is included with the dining plan, but tips are NOT (except for the places where it specifically states your cost per person includes gratuities). Even on the dining plan you need to tip your servers.
 


You really do have to do your own math to see if it actually makes sense. Use the pricing online (just about all menus with prices are available at the Disney website and Touring Plans) and figure out how you would NORMALLY eat during your vacation. I picked out the things my family would most likely order, including drinks and desserts. Then compare it to the cost of the dining plan for the trip. it's a bit of work, but worth it.

When you're doing that, keep in mind that tax is included with the dining plan, but tips are NOT (except for the places where it specifically states your cost per person includes gratuities). Even on the dining plan you need to tip your servers.
I did the math and it was almost a wash. I think I will continue to use the meal plan.
Thanks
 
I'm staying for 10 nights in december, so 30 dxddp credits is 1116. Factor in the 5 percent discount for buying disney gift cards and using that, 1060. I did a spreadsheet with all the places would like to eat at (mostly character breakfast with a few regular TS and mostly signature for dinner with a few 1 credits). I'm using 28 credits for TS, with 2 credits still left over. Even if we ordered the cheapest thing on the menu it would cost about 938 OOP. This doesn't include drinks, tax, the 20 snack credits (100 dollar value at least if you do right), and the refillable mug.
 
I’ve seen this tool recommended a lot:
https://www.distripplanner.com/

I always used to buy the DDP. I was one of those folks who just liked the convenience of prepaid food.
After noticing we were wasting a lot of food (we prefer water with meals, no apps, and rarely dessert right with meals) I tracked our food for two trips in a row and realized that I was throwing away around $300 per trip.

It’s not any more convenient, either, since now I just charge the meals to my magic band/room so I’m not lugging cash and credit cards around.

I know there are definitely many scenarios where people make out better with the DDP- but we don’t.
 


I’ve seen this tool recommended a lot:
https://www.distripplanner.com/

Unless something has changed in the last month or so, this planner has not been updated to reflect the higher prices at restaurants that came in late 2019 nor does it include the alcoholic drink entitlement for the DDPs. I think they quickly learned it was very difficult to keep up with all the changes of Disney eating.
 
We personally feel like we would be better off without it, but the last couple times they have offered the play stay dine deal where it's discounted so then we make out. I think if you're going to do a lot of expensive meals, always get a drink and dessert, you will be better off with it. We almost never get dessert without it, and get beverages probably less than half the time without it.
 
I agree that you have to do the math for your own family. When we did the math for our family of four, the dining plan cost considerably more than what we would pay without it. And because the plan set-up is quite different from how we eat, it wouldn't even be more convenient for us to pay the higher amount to have our food pre-paid, because we'd be paying for many items out of pocket.
 
The thing that I feel doesn’t give a true picture is that planning what you are going to eat in the future does not always translate to reality. I find I often want less food than I anticipated. Or I’m not in the mood for a big sit down meal. Or I don’t want soda with dinner or a drink. I’ve been to Disney hundreds of times and more often than not my ding plans change based on my appetite. The dining plan would lock me in and have me spending needless money b
 
This is true. The dining plan is not a one size fits all plan. For my family, eating meals is just as big a part of going to Disney as the rides and characters. I cook most meals at home, so when i get to go out to eat, i make it an event. If you have the dxddp, 3 meals a day can be too much, so i found doing a character meal for breakfast and a signature dinner was a good way to space out meals and get your monies worth. If you're family likes to grab something at a QS and make rope drop, the dining plan won't make financial sense.
 
There in lies the problem or issue here, some trying to come out ahead......For one, if everyone was coming out ahead then Disney would NEVER have this plan, they are in the money making business....I use it for the intended purpose, or what I feel it is, convenience! I use it just to have my food paid for in advance, and no I do not order the most expensive things on the menu, I order what I think sounds good, it does afford me to be a bit more adventurous on the types of food I order. But it is nice knowing when I check in, my room, tickets and food are paid for and there is ZERO need to carry around any cash......
 
But it is nice knowing when I check in, my room, tickets and food are paid for and there is ZERO need to carry around any cash......

Well, there is one reason to carry some cash or some type of payment other than your MB. As recently as last week, the whole system was down and NO ONE was able to pay using the DDPs or charge to their room, so if you don't have cash or a CC and this happens, you won't be eating.
 
Well, there is one reason to carry some cash or some type of payment other than your MB. As recently as last week, the whole system was down and NO ONE was able to pay using the DDPs or charge to their room, so if you don't have cash or a CC and this happens, you won't be eating.
I hear ya and had something similar with a CC machine at a place we ate at locally....Oh well if the machine/system is down then that is THEIR issue, not mine....:)
 
Our general saying is we can often each cheaper, but we can't eat better. We have a big family usually, and the free dining is a no brained. If it is just the two of us, we rarely purchase it. Either way, I love the convenience, and not suffering sticker shock.
 
I think the DxDP provides the greatest potential value, assuming you do two things 1) order an alcoholic beverage at every meal and 2) order one of the more expensive options in every category (appetizer, entree, dessert). If you do this, you will almost certainly come out well ahead. I understand the argument that you don't know ahead of time what you'll be hungry for and you don't want to be forced into ordering something you don't want, but in my experience I do always find something on the higher cost end appetizing. We do not get a dining plan every trip but we are getting the DxDP this trip and I think the best strategy to maximize value is to go to a breakfast buffet and then a signature dinner - yes, the signatures cost 2 credits but they provide at least double value over most 1 credit dinner places and that way you aren't eating all the time - I personally can not eat an appetizer, entree, and dessert at two meals, let alone three. And yes, I order a mimosa or similar at breakfast to maximize the value!
 
I tend to be the strange one that will eat super cheap if not on the dining plan and as a result I won’t get what I would truly enjoy. All in all it is usually close to a wash for us, but we have more enjoyable meals when using the dining plan as a result.
 
I finally finished doing the math for our trip that begins this coming Sunday. The DDxDP would have cost approx 2.8K for 4 Disney adults over 6 nights; OOP for the specific reservations we want this trip is about 2.2K with 5% off face value gift cards and AP discount averaging 10%. It was a no brainer this time around but other times we come out ahead using the DP.

You really have to do the math each trip to get the best bang for your buck.
 

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