Quick Service vs. Reg. Dining Plan

[DisneyFr33k]

I have been MIA for a while, so I am sure this question has been asked a lot, but which plan would be a better financial deal?

We are not looking for a trip full of food. We have done the regular free dining plans before and have come away with the "I don't want any food for a year" feeling.

So what is your take? What would you recommend for us for our last big trip as a family of 4? By the way, our kids will be teens when we go next and eat as adults.

[SBETigg]

Sometimes, we find the dining plan to be very convenient. We will do a table service a day and snacks or quick service for a meal or two a day as well, on average. But we don't all always get dessert and sometimes we prefer to share appetizers, adding to the cost, and we will not always use the DP to full advantage. As it has become less of a value, I think it's probably best to skip if you're already thinking it might be too much food.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

For us the convenience of not having to carry money for food and figure out how much we might spend is worth it. I would worry about not being able to order what I wanted because I didn't figure right and that would bum me out. Plus we enjoy the part of deciding where and when we'll eat dinner and making our ADRs. Its as big a part of the vacation for us as deciding where to stay and what park to visit each day. We also find that it does save us money.

The downside, it is a lot of food. I wish they would cut out the QS dessert and charge a little less. Two desserts a day is a bit much to me. That is the only negative that our family really has so it is a no brainer for us we go with the plan.

If you are light eaters, don't want to be tied to ADRs and do not mind carry extra money then you probably should skip it. Then again, with two teenagers it might be a good idea. I know how much my son can eat.:D

[Strmchsr]

The last couple of trips we've done OOP and found it to be a much better deal, financially, for the way we eat. Now, there are other families that with their eating style the DDP is a good deal. But, we mostly felt like you and so went off the DDP. The DDP is not meant to be a good financial deal. It's meant to be convenient. That's why most people get it. They don't have to worry about paying for food while there. I understand that side of things and it is nice. But, I hate walking around all day feeling so stuffed I'm going to pop. I eat less and enjoy meals a LOT more paying OOP. And the Tables In Wonderland card makes it an even better deal.

[DisneyFr33k]

And, if you pay OOP, then you can share meals, right? My DD and I don't eat much and I could see us share many meals.

[Strmchsr]

And, if you pay OOP, then you can share meals, right? My DD and I don't eat much and I could see us share many meals.

Yes, that is correct.

[greengeen]

I still don't understand why DDP is "convenient"; how difficult is it to pull out a credit card (or debit card, or gift card) and pay for a meal OOP? And for us, it's a bad deal - we like appetizers, and don't care for snacks or desserts.

[Strmchsr]

I still don't understand why DDP is "convenient";

I think for most folks who say that it's because everything is prepaid. You can order what you want without worrying about cost. Yes, I realize you pay the same, or more, than paying OOP with the DDP but it's a psychological thing for a lot of folks. I get that. When I'm paying OOP I am much more careful about what I order than when I've done the DDP to keep costs down, but that's one of the reasons I do pay OOP instead of the DDP. I come out much cheaper. But some folks just don't want to think about money while on vacation.

[Tinkerbella16]

We normally would not do the DDP unless its free.. and we usually visit during the Fall months so its almost always offered for Free nowadays. I wouldn't pay for the dining plan because its just too much food and for the prices.

[steamboat willy]

So what is your take? What would you recommend for us for our last big trip as a family of 4? By the way, our kids will be teens when we go next and eat as adults.

We have done both and now with the FREE DINING offer its a No Brainer.
We ENJOY the FREE DINING Quick/Counter Service Plan and the two of us can eat off this plan for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with an ice cream sundae out by the pool in the evenings.
Granted we ate at some GREAT PLACES on the Basic Plan, we felt like you (over full) and way too many big desserts. Our biggest problem is having our whole Disney Vacation scheduled by "where we gotta eat tonight". We do plan our trip due to Park Hours, EMH, parades and shows but we can eat where we want on the Quick Service. If we want to spurge on a TS, we just pay OOP.
So glad to see the FREE DINING offer come out today! CHRISTMAS TIME......here we come.:tree::santa::tree:

[DisneyFr33k]

From what I am reading, the "free" dining plan really isn't free as you have to upgrade your room or some other requirement?

[VWL Mom]

It's not necessary to upgrade your room unless the one you request is not available. If you're referring to upgrading from value to moderate in order to get the basic DDP rather than QS, you may. In the past, they did allow you to pay a small fee to upgrade your meal plan at a value. If that offer is not available, you would need to book moderate or higher for the basic DDP.

The only other requirement would be purchasing a minimum 2 day ticket.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

From what I am reading, the "free" dining plan really isn't free as you have to upgrade your room or some other requirement?

The dining plan is free, but many times there are other offers, such as a room discount that negate or equal the free dining plan.

For us, we book the dining plan. We'd eat a TS and a CS every day, and we break even, usually saving a little on the dining plan, so when we get it for free, for us it is the best deal.

But, it isn't for everyone. If your kids are light eaters, or young teens and prefer kid-type food then it might be better to go OOP. If you don't want to do a TS meal every day, then it might be better to pay as you go.

[Kairi_7378]

I think that if you're having doubts about getting the plan that you should go OOP for this trip. You've mentioned a few reasons why you are considering not using it... so go with your gut!

If it doesn't work for you this time, you can always get it for your next trip!

[darthmacho]

Maybe it's the way I eat, but I find the DDP to be a bargain. We tend to overspend at restaurants, and I tend to order the most unusual or expensive items available. Therefore, getting a prepaid and fixed price in restaurants is very helpful and economical. What I wish they would do is allow you to substitute an appetizer in place of a dessert on sit-down meals, and second side in place of dessert on quick service. I love desserts, I have an avid love for them, but I don't need two a day, especially if I'm going to get a sweet with my snack credit. Sorry to digress... :blush:

[DisneyFr33k]

Maybe it's the way I eat, but I find the DDP to be a bargain. We tend to overspend at restaurants, and I tend to order the most unusual or expensive items available. Therefore, getting a prepaid and fixed price in restaurants is very helpful and economical. What I wish they would do is allow you to substitute an appetizer in place of a dessert on sit-down meals, and second side in place of dessert on quick service. I love desserts, I have an avid love for them, but I don't need two a day, especially if I'm going to get a sweet with my snack credit. Sorry to digress... :blush:

I 100% agree with your thoughts. If we do the dining plan again when we go next (in 2 years), I hope they offer more choices like you are advocating. It really isn't that much difference for them cost-wise.... is it?

[ChipNDale79]

I've just done a comparison of prices to pay out of pocket based on where we would want to eat versus the DDP.

In reality its basically just a pay in advance type of thing, you don't really save a lot of money.

Do you save money if you were going to get all of that food and pay for out of pocket? Sure, but only about a 10% savings, if you take out the deserts for lunch (which we could really do without), and 1 or two of the dinner deserts, then you basically break even.

We usually end up getting it because we can get the most expensive thing on the menu if we really want to, lets face it, we aren't going to get it if we pay out of pocket.

So for now, we get the DDP, but who knows, knowing Disney they will take deserts away and raise the price on us, if that happens, then it doesnt make much sense.

[CMCTxMom]

I was battling with whether or not do do the DDP for our January trip. DH and I agreed that with the DDP we'd eat Waa-aaay more than we otherwise would because it was "free" at that point. The flipside is maybe not ordering quite how we'd like because Entree A might be $8 more than Entree B. I think, though, we're going to go OOP and just try to loosen up with our ordering and get what we want.

Also, we're planning to use Disney Visa Reward dollars - This is an AWESOME deal for anyone who is a Disney fan! We're using reward dollars for 1/2 of our family's airfare, and then all dining and souvies while on property. We recently upgraded to the Premier visa - well worth the annual fee when you look at what we'll ultimately save. And then we'll start racking up more reward dollars for our trip in April 2014. And then (hopefully) a cruise in June 2015. (Not that I'm planning ahead...)