Is the Dining Plan worth it? Is there a better way?

Do the Disney dining Plan?

  • Yes

    Votes: 24 27.0%
  • No

    Votes: 65 73.0%

  • Total voters
    89
My GC will probably have a lot left when I get home and I would have denied myself all those luscious desserts! And Venti Starbucks with extra shots.....and funnel cakes!
OMG! no funnel cakes.... I think not! I completely agree about it being disrespectful to declare people wasteful or anything else for getting the DDP because it wouldn't work for you. It would be no different than me saying someone was wasteful for staying at the Grand Floridian because I can't imagine spending that much for a hotel room! It's not wasteful to enjoy your vacation to the fullest whatever you can afford.
If the question is "can you do it cheaper?" than absolutely! But you can stay off property cheaper and you can make all your own food and that is cheaper and for some people that is exactly what they want to do. I would not like that and feel like I wasn't even on vacation but if it's for you than fill your boots and it's not wrong!

:cloud9: Whatever that may be!
 
If the question is "can you do it cheaper?" than absolutely! But you can stay off property cheaper and you can make all your own food and that is cheaper and for some people that is exactly what they want to do. I would not like that and feel like I wasn't even on vacation but if it's for you than fill your boots and it's not wrong!

:cloud9: Whatever that may be!

My thoughts exactly. Every trip my DH says "We need to do this cheap...motel 6!" Okay. Ummmmmm…...Did you book the Poly? Nope. "I thought we were going to Disney???????!!!!!" LOL!

He kills me! I never book "cheap" and I always keep him in mind when I plan dining plans. This trip is killing me because we booked a 2 bdrm villa and I have to keep us all on the same plan. I would love to have a few of us on the DxDDP so we can have the best of both worlds. We are now in the bubble of having extra meals and appetizers to pay OOP, but not enough to justify the DxDDP for all 7 of us.
 
I would love to have a few of us on the DxDDP so we can have the best of both worlds. We are now in the bubble of having extra meals and appetizers to pay OOP, but not enough to justify the DxDDP for all 7 of us.

That is very cool. Until this thread, I would never have thought of the DxDDP. I used to assume that was way too much food! (hypocrite I know) But having read how it gets used and how it works cost wise, I can see the advantage for some for sure. I can even see trying it myself sometime if the situation makes sense for me.

Hope have an excellent trip! pixiedust:
 
That is very cool. Until this thread, I would never have thought of the DxDDP. I used to assume that was way too much food! (hypocrite I know) But having read how it gets used and how it works cost wise, I can see the advantage for some for sure. I can even see trying it myself sometime if the situation makes sense for me.

Hope have an excellent trip! pixiedust:

This is exactly how people should consider it with the DxDDP. See if it works for you. We added it for 3 days of our 9 day trip. We are only eating two meals a day and none our signatures. We have a friend who lives in Tampa join us for a few days and we can use credits on her. It really can work for you if you want it to work but that being said I agree with people who say it doesn't work for you because everyone eats differently. For me the food is half the experience of going to Disney.
 


That is very cool. Until this thread, I would never have thought of the DxDDP. I used to assume that was way too much food! (hypocrite I know) But having read how it gets used and how it works cost wise, I can see the advantage for some for sure. I can even see trying it myself sometime if the situation makes sense for me.

Hope have an excellent trip! pixiedust:

WE tend to book several signatures and like a nice lunch or breakfast on occasion, so if we have the DxDDP for one room we are generally good. We order appetizers as well, so this just works out nicely. The issue this trip is that we have 7 and I cannot imagine we will break even, however I need to run some numbers to see if our OOP spending looks like it will come close. If so I will go for it. If not...oh well.....

I always run numbers after I book meals and book the plan that works. Once you book your meals you can see if the DxDDp is a good one for you. I look to see if we will book more TS meals rather than CS as well. Look at appetizers at the meal you book to see if you would order them. For my family, these are the make or break items.
 
I always run numbers after I book meals and book the plan that works. Once you book your meals you can see if the DxDDp is a good one for you. I look to see if we will book more TS meals rather than CS as well. Look at appetizers at the meal you book to see if you would order them. For my family, these are the make or break items
I can understand that. I tend to stay away from signatures on the regular dining plan so I don't have to pay OOP as well as paying for the DDP. (if it isn't free) But I would really like doing a trip and being able to try out a bunch of signatures. So Maybe next time we go my DD and I will try it. Also if we convince my Dad to come finally we can do one room on DxDDP and the other with no dining and share.
 
For us this year is the deal breaker. I went through even doing spreadsheet of the most expensive meals, it doesn't save us money because DD with turn 10 before we go. And we don't drink alcohol. When the difference is over $500 out of pocket there is no way DDP would be our way to go.
 


We skipped the dining plan this past trip as an experiment. For a 5 night trip we ended up saving almost $600. We ended up eating 4 CS meals and 4 table service including a character breakfast. The first night would’ve been a complete wash on the dining plan because our flight was delayed multiple times and we didn’t arrive at our resort until 3:00 am. We only got the equivalent of 6 snacks. We would’ve had 40 snacks on the DDP. I can’t even fathom how we would’ve used them all.
 
OP like others have said you need to plan out all your meals and make sure it would make sense. My family did the dining plan in Feb and it worked for us because my youngest was still free and my oldest was 6–but imo as soon as your kids start getting charged as Disney adults it probably wouldn’t ever make sense.
We made sure to do all the most expensive meals —Ohana, Chef Mickey, 1900PF, Tutto Italia, etc. DH and I got an alcoholic beverage with our meals, so if you don’t drink that may be a deciding factor right there.
When we go back in 2019 I’m not getting it because I’m not planning on doing all the expensive character meals again.
 
Exactly! I get frustrated when some make an arbitrary decision that the DDP is either a no brainer for a family, or a colossal waste of money, and have not even asked any questions to see how they tour, the family dynamic, and what meals they want to enjoy. And to declare that someone is wasting money because they plan differently is also disrespectful. We all know our own mindset, and no gift card is going to help me order a meal after I see the price. My GC will probably have a lot left when I get home and I would have denied myself all those luscious desserts! And Venti Starbucks with extra shots.....and funnel cakes!

Yep. Pretty much every argument against the plan seems pretty specific to the individual and not really a general rule. For every person who says table service meals waste too much time that could be spent on rides, there is another person who wants to spend extra time at meals to have a break from the heat/lines/rides. I've heard it said that it's crazy to order dessert each dinner because nobody eats that way in real life; others like that because it they are on vacation and so indulge more each meal. Others complain you have to eat at character meals to get the best value on the plan; we genuinely like to go to a character meal each day because we hate waiting in lines or wasting FP+ on character meet and greets. And given we always save money on the plan before factoring in the cost of snack credits, I don't think it is a "waste" to stock up on packaged treats at the gift store on the last day with any leftover snack credits.

It all depends on what you like to eat, and where you like to eat it.
 
And given we always save money on the plan before factoring in the cost of snack credits, I don't think it is a "waste" to stock up on packaged treats at the gift store on the last day with any leftover snack credits.

I don't know why it goes up my back so much, but this assumption really bugs me!

I've done the math with several different scenarios. With 3 Disney kids and several character meals, we make up the cost of the plan before we use a single snack credit as well. I've got my snacks planned out so that I am hopefully not in line just buying treats to take home on the last day but, if that's how things shake out, we'll have still spent much less on the DDP than we would OOP.
 
I don't know why it goes up my back so much, but this assumption really bugs me!

I've done the math with several different scenarios. With 3 Disney kids and several character meals, we make up the cost of the plan before we use a single snack credit as well. I've got my snacks planned out so that I am hopefully not in line just buying treats to take home on the last day but, if that's how things shake out, we'll have still spent much less on the DDP than we would OOP.

Exactly. My DS and DDIL often travel with us and they hope we do not use our snacks all up, and given a choice they would hope we have a few CS left as well. DS is a sweet lover and the bags of candy he acquires are nuts! We do tend to use our snacks, however given that this year we are booking several signature meals and are still on the regular DDP, I hope that some of those snacks can actually stretch our dining credits so we are not so hungry at dinner that we cannot share a few on occasion.

I will budget enough to pay all of our OOP, however it will be nice if we can manage those credits so that we not only have plenty to eat (it is about the food for us! LOL!) but do not waste, and reduce our OOP wisely. I am pretty darn good at stretching that plan to it's limits, without resorting to forcing my family to order food that is within the confines of the plan but that they will not enjoy. We never lose money, and so far before snacks we are good.
 
Exactly. My DS and DDIL often travel with us and they hope we do not use our snacks all up, and given a choice they would hope we have a few CS left as well. DS is a sweet lover and the bags of candy he acquires are nuts! We do tend to use our snacks, however given that this year we are booking several signature meals and are still on the regular DDP, I hope that some of those snacks can actually stretch our dining credits so we are not so hungry at dinner that we cannot share a few on occasion.

I will budget enough to pay all of our OOP, however it will be nice if we can manage those credits so that we not only have plenty to eat (it is about the food for us! LOL!) but do not waste, and reduce our OOP wisely. I am pretty darn good at stretching that plan to it's limits, without resorting to forcing my family to order food that is within the confines of the plan but that they will not enjoy. We never lose money, and so far before snacks we are good.
It sounds like you might be a good candidate for the DXDDP this time around especially if your DS and DDIL are in a different room. Only one room upgrades and it gives you credits you can share. I have never done it with either one room or two but with a bunch of signatures it might be worth it, who knows. Worth checking out though.
 
It sounds like you might be a good candidate for the DXDDP this time around especially if your DS and DDIL are in a different room. Only one room upgrades and it gives you credits you can share. I have never done it with either one room or two but with a bunch of signatures it might be worth it, who knows. Worth checking out though.

I recommend the same thing if you have two rooms for sure. We did this on my trip last December and when we did the math we ended up getting the apps for free.
 
It sounds like you might be a good candidate for the DXDDP this time around especially if your DS and DDIL are in a different room. Only one room upgrades and it gives you credits you can share. I have never done it with either one room or two but with a bunch of signatures it might be worth it, who knows. Worth checking out though.

Oh, I wish I could! We have 7 for FD in a 2 bdrm villa. I had originally planned to book two rooms, one FD and the other RO and DxDDP, however I cannot find any discounts configuration that adds up to the $4300 I saved this way. I can tell you my spreadsheet is going to be a bit of a challenge because my nieces are new travelers with us and I have no idea really, how they will eat. They tell me they are not big eaters, and they even say it with a straight face! however one of my nieces is used to burning massive amounts of calories, and her wife looks like 90 pounds dripping wet but has a great appetite! We have told them the food is all included, so they can order whatever they want, but I still need an idea how to use the credits to the best advantage, have plenty to eat and to be sure that we use the credits wisely, and pay OOP for the least expensive meals. I do know that we are going to share some meals because my DH will order appetizers for the table to share, so when two people are not hungry enough for an entire meal, but both want the same thing, we will do this, and if anyone orders pasta or a sandwich instead of a full entrée, we will not use the credit.
 
I'm just about at the end of my trip right now. The three of us (three adults--two big eaters and me) are making it worth the money, but I'll tell you, it's a bit tough.

With the heat we just haven't been very hungry. I've been eating cereal in my room and my husband and son have been having a QS for breakfast every morning at the Contempo Cafe. THEN, they've been having the QS for lunch. But a few days we were so hot we just couldn't eat. I think in the end, we'll come out okay because we are ordering the highest priced items and alcohol wherever available. Where I'm really not keeping up is the snacks. Going to have some leftover. But I'll go to somewhere Thursday morning and see what I can get for the 12 hour ride home.

BTW, the cupcakes at the Contempo Cafe have been FABULOUS!
 
As a solo traveler and AP holder I always use the DxDP , now I agree that can be a lot of food for most people however what I do is plan an early TS lunch and then an evening signature TS thereby using my 3 credits and always come out on the plus side money wise . I often feel a lot of the breakfast TS are a poor use of a credit and can then use my snack credits for breakfast .
 
Disney is wise to the fact some on the dining plan would order the most expensive items, so most likely that is already factored into the price (and some restaurants apparently have upcharges for the most expensive items). Disney is running a business and doesn't offer dining plans with the intent to lose money. It seems most people find it an advantage to know ahead of time what their meals will cost, which is fine, but in reality that isn't saving any money. Whether you pay upfront, pay cash as you go or charge it while at Disney, that cost would be the same. If you end up with a bunch of unused credits at the end of your vacation that you have to use up buying junk food, then you probably haven't saved anything overall.

The bottom line from other similar threads is that it depends on where you eat, how much you eat and how much advance planning you do. Honestly, we don't know what we will want next Tuesday for lunch/dinner and part of the fun of being on vacation is to NOT be so structured in what we do each day.
 
I'm on the side of "There is no blanket rule for this". My spouse and I got the DDP for our January trip because at Disney I am a ravenous beast and we're drinkers. I didn't do the math, but I ate EVERYTHING in sight. Typical day: coffee in the reusable mug (2x refills, I'm a serious black coffee drinker) with a snack breakfast (fruit, muffin, cinnamon roll etc), quick service lunch with a beer if not at MK, ice cream snack (Mickey Bar, Dole Whip...), table service dinner with beer or wine. That's every day we're there. We're hungry people. We did it before not on the plan with me and my spouse sharing purchasing duties and I alone spent about $900 on food/drinks over the course of about 7 days. The dining plan lets me order whatever I want without thinking too hard about the cost.

If you don't eat/drink like you've never seen food before, I can totally see how it's not worth it. Or if you have picky eaters. Or if you're not drinkers. There is a lot to consider.
 
I'm on the side of "There is no blanket rule for this". My spouse and I got the DDP for our January trip because at Disney I am a ravenous beast and we're drinkers. I didn't do the math, but I ate EVERYTHING in sight. Typical day: coffee in the reusable mug (2x refills, I'm a serious black coffee drinker) with a snack breakfast (fruit, muffin, cinnamon roll etc), quick service lunch with a beer if not at MK, ice cream snack (Mickey Bar, Dole Whip...), table service dinner with beer or wine. That's every day we're there. We're hungry people. We did it before not on the plan with me and my spouse sharing purchasing duties and I alone spent about $900 on food/drinks over the course of about 7 days. The dining plan lets me order whatever I want without thinking too hard about the cost.

If you don't eat/drink like you've never seen food before, I can totally see how it's not worth it. Or if you have picky eaters. Or if you're not drinkers. There is a lot to consider

I completely agree. It's all about what makes your vacation better! Would I order a drink if it wasn't included, probably not. That is not to say I wouldn't enjoy one but the price would bother me enough not to. This is one way it makes my trip way more fun on the dining plan. But others it would make them crazy to try to get every penny they paid.

Everyone just needs to figure out what aspects work for them and what doesn't. Such as for me staying at a MK resort makes absolutely no sense, too much money for the convenience of the monorail. I usually don't spend a ton of time in MK as my kids are older. But an EPCOT resort totally appeals to me, (haven't done it yet but soon) because we love HS. Some people say HS is a half day at most without TSL but for us it's probably 3 days of an 8 day trip. It's all in what makes you happy! :cloud9:
 

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