2018 Disney Dining Plan Prices & General Discussion

Status
Not open for further replies.
I didn't get the dining plan when I booked my reservation and now I feel like I may regret it and want it. Am I able to call and add it to my reservation? Is there a certain deadline I'd have to call by? My final payment date is 10/06 or something (last minute decision to decide to book and just go!) so I'm really not sure how it works since I NEVER do the dining plan when I go. Thanks guys!
 
Last edited:
I didn't get the dining plan when I booked my reservation and now I feel like I may regret it and want it. Am I able to call and add it to my reservation? Is there a certain deadline I'd have to call by? My final payment date is 10/06 or something (last minute decision to decide to book and just go!) so I'm really not sure how it works since I NEVER do the dining plan when I go. Thanks guys!

You can add it up to 72 hrs before check in.
 
I booked free dining promo for my December trip. We are staying at a value resort so we received the QS plan. Yesterday, I broke down and booked the standard dining plan and paid the upcharge. I keep thinking that maybe I should have just kept the QS and paid to eat TS just a few times. Did I make a mistake? If you have done this, do you still think you get a good value. If so, what restaurants did you eat at that made you feel like the upcharge was worth it.

I don't think you made a mistake. If you were going to pay out of pocket for a "few TS" meals, the difference in cost should easily cover. I was in a similar situation and, when I did the math, I felt I would have been crazy to not upgrade and be able to do TS every day for less than paying OOP for a few meals that I planned.
 


A friend told us we could not get the meal plan if only at Disney 2 days. Is this correct?

No, I think you can still buy a meal plan. You couldn't get a free dining package, as those have a greater minimum nights requirement (I think it was 4 nights this year).
 
Question. If we are on the regular disney dining plan and want a second alcoholic beverage (for example, a glass of wine with dinner then an Irish coffee with desert), can we use our Tables in Wonderland card to get 20% off that second beverage?
 


This may be a ridiculous question, but can you get your appetizers to go (with the Deluxe Plan)?

We are staying DVC so we will have a kitchen. I think the kids (teens) would eat the leftovers later, but there's no way we can eat all the courses during some of the meals. There are 7 in our party, so that's a lot of appetizers.

Ex. Looking at the menu for Paradiso37. We could perhaps get a few appetizers for the table to share and then take a few quesadillas back to the room for the kids to snack on later.
 
This may be a ridiculous question, but can you get your appetizers to go (with the Deluxe Plan)?

We are staying DVC so we will have a kitchen. I think the kids (teens) would eat the leftovers later, but there's no way we can eat all the courses during some of the meals. There are 7 in our party, so that's a lot of appetizers.

Ex. Looking at the menu for Paradiso37. We could perhaps get a few appetizers for the table to share and then take a few quesadillas back to the room for the kids to snack on later.

We couldn't eat all that either, but boy we sure tried during our first couple trips between 2005-2008 with the "original" free dining, boy those were the days. But have you thought about maybe trying to stretch the credits? With that DxDDP, with all the food that is included, a party of 7 might only need 6 credits for plenty of food? Just a thought.
 
We couldn't eat all that either, but boy we sure tried during our first couple trips between 2005-2008 with the "original" free dining, boy those were the days. But have you thought about maybe trying to stretch the credits? With that DxDDP, with all the food that is included, a party of 7 might only need 6 credits for plenty of food? Just a thought.

That's a good idea. It really seems like at some of the places an appetizer could be a meal itself for a light eater/kid, so that may work out. I'm planning to taste off everyone's plate anyway ;)

We're actually planning to share the credits among our group (getting dining plan for one room but not the other) because I know there is absolutely no way we could eat that much food. This way we will only be doing maybe one meal per day vs trying to use up 3 credits per person.

We have only done the dining plan once (the last time we brought my parents with us in maybe 2010) and it was just way too much food and ADRs for the way my family likes to vacation. We are doing this trip with my parents so this partial dining plan for a portion of the trip is our compromise. (They always get the dining plan every time they go.)
 
That's a good idea. It really seems like at some of the places an appetizer could be a meal itself for a light eater/kid, so that may work out. I'm planning to taste off everyone's plate anyway ;)

We're actually planning to share the credits among our group (getting dining plan for one room but not the other) because I know there is absolutely no way we could eat that much food. This way we will only be doing maybe one meal per day vs trying to use up 3 credits per person.

We have only done the dining plan once (the last time we brought my parents with us in maybe 2010) and it was just way too much food and ADRs for the way my family likes to vacation. We are doing this trip with my parents so this partial dining plan for a portion of the trip is our compromise. (They always get the dining plan every time they go.)


I could be incorrect, but I think I'm right. I believe the dining plans are two meals a day, unless of course you get the top tier plan, I think three are included. But it's really expensive as well.
 
The regular dining plan is 2 meals: 1 QS. 1 TS. and 2 snacks. The deluxe is 3 TS/QS and 2 snacks. And then theres always the QS only meal plan. I'm debating on if they're worth it at all or if I should just set the money aside on a gift card as "Dining Plan Gift Card"
 
If you have an annual pass it gives a twenty percent dining discount most places (not sure what the exceptions are).
 
If you have an annual pass it gives a twenty percent dining discount most places (not sure what the exceptions are).

Nice! I plan on upgrading my ticket to an annual pass when I go, so that's definitely a thought. Trading out the dining plan and just using that money as food money and pocketing the left over. We just have several character meals scheduled and I know those are more expensive.
 
Nice! I plan on upgrading my ticket to an annual pass when I go, so that's definitely a thought. Trading out the dining plan and just using that money as food money and pocketing the left over. We just have several character meals scheduled and I know those are more expensive.

The only caution I'd give is that from what I've read it's only worth it if you're going to go something like two weeks a year, a little less if your using the dining discount.
 
If you have an annual pass it gives a twenty percent dining discount most places (not sure what the exceptions are).

Most AP discounts are 10%, not 20%.

They did a special 20% for the 45 anniversary last year, but that's long since ended.
 
Most AP discounts are 10%, not 20%.

They did a special 20% for the 45 anniversary last year, but that's long since ended.

Ah gotcha. Still, 10% is better than none! Thank you though for that information!


The only caution I'd give is that from what I've read it's only worth it if you're going to go something like two weeks a year, a little less if your using the dining discount.

I live about...6 hours ish away? I have the thought of going for 3 days at a time, at least 5 times. Weekends mostly. I'm still crunching the numbers. if I get the AP, i probably won't tack on the dining plans at that point. It'd just be me taking solo trips.
 
I could be incorrect, but I think I'm right. I believe the dining plans are two meals a day, unless of course you get the top tier plan, I think three are included. But it's really expensive as well.

You are correct.

We have a split stay with DVC— 2 separate rooms at Poly and then all together in a 2br for the second half of the trip.

We are considering doing the deluxe dining (3 meals) for one room during our stay at the Poly. So half of us would have the dining plan and half would not. (But use the credits for the whole group since none of us could possibly eat three meals per day)

The deluxe is expensive, but it would work out to being a savings for our particular group in this situation.
 
Plans are solidifying, so I'm ready to drop some of my "just in case" reservations. All are for 4 people unless noted. Willing to coordinate via PM.

Friday 11/23
1900 Park Fare at 5:30 PM

Saturday 11/24
Be Our Guest party of 2 for 4:10 PM and party of 2 for 4:20 PM
1900 Park Fare at 5:10 PM
Ohana at 6:40 PM Cancelled

Sunday 11/25
1900 Park Fare at 4:15 PM
Ohana at 5:30 PM Cancelled
1900 Fark Fare at 6:30 PM

Monday 11/26
Hollywood and Vine with Fantasmic at 8 AM
Tusker House with Rivers of Light at 11:30 AM
California Grill party of 2 at 5:30 PM
Le Cellier party of 2 at 6:25 PM

Tuesday 11/27
Hollywood and Vine with Fantasmic at 8 AM
Sci Fi at 11:55 AM
Akershus at 5:30 PM

Wednesday 11/28
Trattoria al Forno at 7:30 AM
Garden Grill at 12:00 noon
Teppan Edo at 5:10 PM

Thursday 11/29
Hollywood and Vine with Fantasmic at 8 AM
Tusker House with Rivers of Light at 11:30 AM
Ohana at 5:30 PM Cancelled

Friday 11/30
Hollywood and Vine with Fantasmic at 8

You are correct.

We have a split stay with DVC— 2 separate rooms at Poly and then all together in a 2br for the second half of the trip.

We are considering doing the deluxe dining (3 meals) for one room during our stay at the Poly. So half of us would have the dining plan and half would not. (But use the credits for the whole group since none of us could possibly eat three meals per day)

The deluxe is expensive, but it would work out to being a savings for our particular group in this situation.
We are doing the deluxe ddp for our 2 night stay at AKL this November. We are doing Jiko, which is a 2 credit restaurant. Also, we are then going to CR so the credits dont expire until midnight the day you check out so we'll really have almost a full day to use our credits.
 
I think that the only way you can know if any of the dining plans are worth it is to really crunch the numbers. Figure out where you want to eat and look and see what you would like to order. Personally I don't like to eat at QS as I like to sit at a table and have regular waiter service. I am also gluten free and I prefer having more options that TS provides and even more specifically that signature dining provides. I think that if someone enjoys an adult beverage with most meals that also adds quite a bit of value. For my way of eating I did the calculation and I came out a little over $200.00 ahead by purchasing the dining plan, but that is not the case for everyone.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Latest posts

Top