Dinning Plan: Deal or No Deal

[thelionqueen]

We also got it for free last year, but are paying for it this year for our May/June trip. We added up our receipts and spent over $1500.00. If we had payed for the plan we still would have saved over $800.00.

We love the Dining plan...it's a GREAT deal for our family!!!

 

[MOMOFMNM]

we got it for free last year but like others have posted, if you have kids over 10 and under 13 or 14 that are kid sized eaters, then I'd say no deal because then it would be too much...then again if you plan to do character meals or buffets then they would charge you the ADULT price anyway even for a 10 yr old so I guess it would still be a deal...depends on what type of eaters, where you eat, how old your kids are, and if you get AAA or AP rates or qualify for other savings like SOG in our case for this trip.

 

[Danestress]

Well, here's my logic for not using it, and if any one thinks I'm not thinking straight here, PLEASE tell me because I have really gone back and forward on this.

We are going to stay at the SOG so we can't get it, but I have really considered staying elsewhere and getting the plan. It would be soooo nice to go out to eat and not be thinking about the cost ..... not calculate what we are spending or have spent ... not ever say "no" to dessert of appetizers.

BUT my reservation is that my boys will be turning nine at WDW. They almost never order off a kid's menu. They like adult food - grilled seafood, shrimp, steak. They would be crushed to be told they had to order of a kid's menu. Of course, if we stuck to buffets it wouldn't matter, but buffets sort of horrify me. It's the germ thing...

So I am thinking that we would either have to be limiting them all the time regarding what they could order, OR we would pay extra for them to order what they want. And it's a vacation so I hate to disappoint them.

So I guess for us, even though we love to eat out and will probably do nice TS meals most nights, I just feel like it would ruin the experience for them to have to order form a certain menu. And since I am happy with lighter eating, I don't need apps and desserts .... but I do need wine. I figure we can always order a pizza at SOG and have one really cheap night to compensate for the expensive nights.

So am I right about this or do you think I should rethink here?

 

[Sammie]

Well, here's my logic for not using it, and if any one thinks I'm not thinking straight here, PLEASE tell me because I have really gone back and forward on this.

We are going to stay at the SOG so we can't get it, but I have really considered staying elsewhere and getting the plan. It would be soooo nice to go out to eat and not be thinking about the cost ..... not calculate what we are spending or have spent ... not ever say "no" to dessert of appetizers.

BUT my reservation is that my boys will be turning nine at WDW. They almost never order off a kid's menu. They like adult food - grilled seafood, shrimp, steak. They would be crushed to be told they had to order of a kid's menu. Of course, if we stuck to buffets it wouldn't matter, but buffets sort of horrify me. It's the germ thing...

So I am thinking that we would either have to be limiting them all the time regarding what they could order, OR we would pay extra for them to order what they want. And it's a vacation so I hate to disappoint them.

So I guess for us, even though we love to eat out and will probably do nice TS meals most nights, I just feel like it would ruin the experience for them to have to order form a certain menu. And since I am happy with lighter eating, I don't need apps and desserts .... but I do need wine. I figure we can always order a pizza at SOG and have one really cheap night to compensate for the expensive nights.

So am I right about this or do you think I should rethink here?

Oh I agree completely, we are still in the deciding mode, as our group this trip is all adults. We would never order 4 appetizers, 4 entrees and 4 desserts, at the most we order 2 appetizers and maybe 2 desserts and share at a TS meal. And I can not remember when any of us ordered dessert at CS.

 

[Pembo]

We were at WDW last summer with our 3 kids, age 9,6, and 2. We did not get the dining plan. I added up our receipts and the dining plan would have cost us more money. I don't think it's a good deal for us because we are not big eaters.

 

[JoiseyMom]

CS= Counter Service

TS=Table Service

There are only a select few TS restrictions...like adding the "add ons" such as lobster to your meal. You still *can add it, but you would have to pay OOP (out of pocket). Another TS restriction would be, that you cannot get the glowing ice cubes in the drinks without paying extra. That's about it.

My kids were offered the glowing cubes at the Concourse Steak House. We didn't ask, she said it was included.

 

[kcashner]

I have maybe a little different logic. I bought the plan for our upcoming trip. I agree that it may not save us money--normally, we wouldn't get appetizers and desserts at all meals, etc....

However, I looked at the prices of entrees, and with my teenaged daughter who loves steak and shrimp (not necessarily together), we will at least break even. I will probably end up ordering more for myself than I normally would, but can always take a salad or dessert back to the unit for a late night snack.

Our advantage--we're going to try more "grown up" restaurants, and I'm not going to cringe when she orders the most expensive thing on the plan.

 

[Priorityonecb]

Danestress...would it be an option for buy the boys adult DP? If they will be buying the more expensive entrees anyway, it may save you still to get the dining plan...and pay adult prices for it. Just a thought.

 

[Jobie]

Well it looks like most people thinks it is a deal! I hope ya'll keep polling, I would love to get a huge number of people polled on this!

 

[cstraub]

Anyone know how far in advance you have to add the dining on? I don't have a package just room only reservation for April. Is it too late for me to do the dining?

 

[mybgirl]

You can book an AAA package and add dining, you just need to use an AAA agent to do it. We're saving almost $300 on our rooms at POFQ with the AAA discount, and are looking forward to saving more on the DDP!

This is what we did also , POFQ for OCT 2006 with DP , AND WE SAVED ALSO

TAKE CARE

MARY

 

[4theloveofdisney]

No Deal for us! With three kids who are all picky eaters, there is no way we would spend that amount even if we tried. We split a lot of meals because we know they won't finish it all and DH and I usually split a sandwich and get a side salad or something anyway.While we do splurge on dinner, even so, it doesn't add up to anything close. I might mention that we usually do breakfast in our room (unless it's a character meal) to save time and money.

 

[Dustmouse]

We will using the DP for the first time in June and I think it will work very well for us. My DH doesn't know about it yet, but the first time the check comes and I say it's taken care of, he will suddenly find his happy place! Our two DS's (13) and (14) are big eaters and will enjoy being able to order dessert at will. They will probably never eat an appetizer unless it's fried cheese or nachos, so I may snag theirs as a soup and salad to save a TS for later in the week. We LOVE TS restaurants, so I am very excited to see how the DP works out for us!

 

[AdventurerKat]

I said no deal as I have an AP and DDE. Its not worth it to me to pay an inflated hotel room rate just to get the dining plan, even if its AAA, as my AP rate or FL Res rate has always beaten that at least by $10.00 a night on the cheapest room (values), in effect making the cost of the dining plan $47.99. When you get to the nicer room categories, it just goes up from there.

I usually don't eat that much money's worth of food a day, maybe once during a trip, and I don't normally order an appetizer or dessert either, although I do on occasion grab a mickey bar.

So for me, I will stick with my less expensive room rate and 20% discount.

 

[majortom]

Correct me if i'm wrong but I think the reason why Disney has this dining plan that is considerable less expensive than the actual food cost is because they make up their money on the Kids dining plans.

You are wrong. They have it because it is a way of sucking as much money out of people as they can. Food cost is much lower than menu prices. Disney wins in several ways, first these plans encourage people to commit all their money up front to Disney restaurants (they have your money and just like Casinos, can make money on "float"). Second, many people end up leaving money on the table (they pay for meals they do not end up eating). Third, they program people to eat more often then they would have otherwise. Finally, it is an inducement to get people to stay at Disney hotels.

If it does not change one's behavior at all, it can be a great deal. For many others, it is not so good.

/carmi

 

[LisaBi]

We had it for free last year, and it was great not worrying about the cost of meals and trying stuff we otherwise wouldn't have.

If it was me and DH going, I'd do it again. But most trips are me and DS12, who still eats off the kids menu - so there's no way I'd spend the $38.00 for him. I'd buy it for myself if you didn't have to put everyone in the room on it, or for both of us if they'd let me pay for him as a child. Why couldn't they let older kids have the child price, but restrict them to kid menus?

LisaB

 

[Degli]

Why couldn't they let older kids have the child price, but restrict them to kid menus?

LisaB[/QUOTE]

Could you do this? Would Disney allow it? Has anyone asked. My 10yo ordered off the kids menu the whole time this last trip. He eats like a bird. Does everyone in the party have to do the dining plan or could the adults not the kids do it? That way, adult meals could possibly be shared in some instances.

 

[Travelboy]

The Dining Plan was an excellent deal and ended up saving us money (our Table Serivce meals alone came close to or exceeded the daily cost of the plan). .

 

[MEK]

My family of four got the dining plan for free last August. My sons were 10 and 12 at the time. I was not going to purchase the plan, because I did not think we would get our money's worth. As it turned out, my normally picky boys ate adult meals for all their TS credits. They loved the dining plan. They tried all types of new foods. When we return in November we plan to purchase the plan. It allows so much flexibility. I can't wait to pick where we will eat this time. Having thre convience of the dining plan gives a whole new dimension to a disney vacation.

___________________________________________________

Max is my favorite cat!

 

[MomofCKJ]

We got it for our trip in December. It will be DH and I plus our 3 kids---ages 9, 7 and 4. I think it is a great idea for us because we won't have to worry about our meals. As someone said earlier it is priceless for DH not to be worried, or grumpy, about paying for all those meals! Now I know we can eat well all week and not worry about DH getting cranky towards the end of the week about how much we are spending. I am definately an appetizer, entree, dessert girl and have more filet and creme' brulee tastes so I know I will get my money worth! As for the kids I think that for the $11 a day or whatever it was it is worthwhile. They don't eat a ton but kids meals do add up and we want to do a few character meals for sure.

Allyson