DVC Dinning Plan

[grimb]

Has anyone used the DVC Dining plan? I have been to Disney 20 times and have not looked into this yet. Cost? Restricted menues? Worth the money? Will be traveling with parents in 70's and need to slow down and enjoy the trip. What do you think:mickey:

[tinkerbell04]

The dining plan for DVC is the same dining plan for non DVC guests. It is about 38 dollars a day for adults and for that you get one counter service meal, one snack and one table service meal. Your table service meal consists of one entree, one non-alcoholic beverage and one dessert. As of January, the tip and appetizer are no longer included in the plan. We travelled withmy grandparents, as we found it great to schedule the sit down meal and know that they would have some down time. I also really like paying for meals when we check in, and not having to worry about paying for meals as we go. :mickey:

[wendy*darling]

:mickey: Welcome to INTERCOT grimb! :mickey:


The Disney Dining Plan has been in existence for about 3 years or so now.
DVC decided to allow members staying on points the opportunity to purchase the DDP about a year into the program.

I have used it at DVC and when paying cash. It's the same plan either way.

I think it's a better deal for DVC members since we do not have to pay rack rates for rooms or buy park passes as part of a package. :thumbsup:
This year, they added the Deluxe Plan and the Wine & Dine Program. You can read the details here (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/dining/diningplan/default.asp)in Info Central.

We will be doing the Deluxe Dining Plan this fall for the first time.
We very much enjoy our down time (we are not commando park visitors!) and we like knowing our meals have a fixed cost (pretty much).

If your family enjoys table service meals and are not running through the parks every possible moment- this may be worth it for you as well.

[dolphinmickey9170]

We used the dining plan on our last two DVC stays. Just be sure to let member services know you want the dining plan at least one day prior to check in. We love it. Having the freedom not to be pinned down to how much a meal costs. It's just one fee and you can eat what you wish. I never liked worrying, "Do we have enough money?" This way there is no worry.

[linedropper]

They should have killed the desert and kept the appetizer

:mickey:

[JMTStone]

I like the Dining Plan. It forces me to make my ADRs for our sit-down. We used to grab whatever was available counter service. I like the relaxing sit down once a day. We've also used it for Cinderella's Royal Table and Ohana. We wouldn't have done these without the dining plan and ADRs.

[Sharon1026]

They should have killed the desert and kept the appetizer

:mickey:

They should give you a choice between a dessert OR an appetizer.

[Sharon1026]

We have done DP and not...

Both have plusses and minues.

The calculator on a different part of this site gives you a great idea of whether it's worth it monetarily for you to do or not.

Not only did they kill the appetizer this time around, but they don't include the tip. So you still have to add 15- 20% on the bill.

Personally, I think I'll probably NOT do the dp next time around. Only because we don't like to eat so heavy every single day... We did the math the last time around and I think we would have spent less if we didn't do the DP.

It's a great deal for the right circumstances! You just have to see if you fit the parameters.
:stitch2:

[Johnno52]

I agree the DDP has many pluses and minuses with people who have done it. You should try it so you can find out for yourselves if its right for you. Does it save you money? yes! if you normally eat TS everyday. You will eat more food as it is human nature to try and get your money's worth. It will tie you down to pre-set ADRs and take out the spontaneity of park visits. But this is for you to decide. Being in a DVC at least you can bring home the leftovers as you have a frig, however you will get more of the same thing the next day. We have done it for 3 years and now find its not for us for reasons most have stated throughout the various posts.

[xipetotec]

it all depends on your dining habits.

In our case, we always had breakfast in our rooms, had a counter service for lunch and the whole family would get together for a sit-down meal at night. So even with the removal of the appetizer and tip, we still found the plan worked for us on this past trip. The only pain in the butt is "accounting" for the credits if you're a large group ( which we were ).

[MarkC]

The best way I can think of to describe or compare this is............

The Dining Plan is much like Disney Vaction Club-- it is not a plan designed to save money for everyone. It's a good deal if you like to enjoy finer meals during the majority of your stay, much like DVC is for people who like to stay at Deluxe Resorts. If you wish to stay on a budget and are willing to eat more counter service meals, you should avoid the dining plan. It's an individual preference. Mark