Justifying Meal Plans

[mom2morgan]

LOL, you're so right, the last thing i want to do is constantly plan plan plan for something. Oh the things we do for our kids. I guess the next question is and looking at all that I have reserved thus far.

4 character breakfasts (may cancel one)
1 Lunch
1 dinner
Expecting at least 2 more dinners to be booked when I get there.

Does this change the justification?

No, I think you are still better off skipping it. Breakfasts really never justify the cost of the dining plan - we've found it only pays if we are ordering the most expensive thing on the menu everywhere, and at dinner time. Especially considering that your kids are little, I don't think they'll eat enough. We did it last time and saved, but that is with teenagers and all of us being big eaters.

[BrerGnat]

How old are your kids? That's a lot of sit down meals in a week.

[nutsnbolts]

How old are your kids? That's a lot of sit down meals in a week.

Kids are 2 four year Olds and a 9 year old. You're right I don't think the meal plan will be worth it despite the reservations. That is a lot of sit down but it's no different if we were going to eat out. I just figured we have a place to go to that we may like based on the suggestions of places to eat.

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[Genie1953]

Just today I priced everything out and compared paying outright for it against getting the Dining Plan. We are going to go for the dining plan on our trip this November. In the past I priced everything out after we returned home and we usually came out ahead with the dining plan and it happened again when I priced out everything after we looked a menus today. We do a lot of the higher priced table service meals like Cape May Dinner and Ohana and some of the character meals as well as some of the higher priced quick service meals so for us it works out best to do the dining plan. We generally use our snack credits for a light lunch such as splitting a ham and cheese croissant or pretzel along with a small veggie tray. Has worked out well for us and if they offer free dining during our stay it is even better!

[Anthony007]

We found we saved about $1300 for the three of us. Plenty of food, the only thing we missed were appetizers. Some meals we would have preferred an apptizer to a dessert, and ordering both was just too much.

As someone who was completely against the dinng plan before I tried it, I stand corrected and wouldn't go back to paying OOP with kids.

[MrPeetrie]

Back in 2011, we already had our reservations paid for in full WITHOUT the Disney Dining Plan. Then, based on the number of sit-down meals we had reserved, my wife and I inquired about the plan. Disney's customer service looked at our ADRs and said it would be beneficial to include the plan. We decided to add it, but the way it had to be done was a total refund of the original reservation package and a new purchase of a completely new reservation WITH the DDP included. The added difference was approximately $1,150 dollars. (Two adults; two children.) I kept every receipt and those meals purchased separately would have cost $1,204.98, a savings of approximately $55.

But here's the thing:
We don't eat that way! I cannot stress that enough. While those meals cost $1,204.98 purchased separately, we never would have ordered that much food. You have to get a dessert with every meal. We almost never get a dessert. We want a Mickey Bar instead! My daughter had to order off the child's menu despite not finding anything to her liking. You had to get a fountain drink (or equivalent) with meal. I always purchase a 20 oz. bottle outside because I'm not a fan of fountain drinks. Now I have two drinks!!! There ended up being so much either wasted food or over-eaten food (because we didn't want to waste it) that meals stopped being enjoyable.

We tried it once and never again. Whenever possible, we use Tables In Wonderland. To echo John's suggestion, we also bring a pre-paid AMEX card for meals so that portion is paid prior to arrival.

I think I understand the Disney's desire behind encouraging pre-paying for meals. If the average guest brings let's say $3,000 with them to spend on a vacation, a large portion of that is going to be for food. But if the food portion was paid in advance, I think Disney believes that guest would still bring $3,000 (or close to it) to spend, but now that can all go on souvenirs! (That's just my theory.)

But I think the DDP has truly hurt the overall quality of the dining portion of the vacation. For one, walk-ups are almost unheard of anymore. (If you're paying for a sit-down meal, you better reserve one.) Second, I think the food quality has slipped a bit. And that's only natural.

I own a small construction company. When payment is waiting until I'm finished, I have a tremendous incentive to ensure each parking lot is done as best as possible so I can get paid. When I'm paid up front, however, the "pressure" is gone. I still do my best, but I don't have the same incentive. It's the same with the food. They're paid up front so the incentive to be exemplary has been lessened. And I think it is beginning to show.

Truthfully, I wish they'd do away with it. Just my opinion.

[nutsnbolts]

You all have me convinced. Everyone definitely put up really good points and actual experiences that I think at the end of the day, it reduces all the hassle from what to eat or how much something costs to eat at the expense of paying it all up front.

Everyone is right, if money wasn't a concern then this is an easy way out.

[RavsRuleDisney!]

It is hard these days to justify WDW pricing across the board (quick vent but been there plenty of times and hey, no one is forcing us to go) but regarding the meal plan if you do a little advanced research/planning you can definitely go out of pocket, save over the DDP and not feel like you're missing out on the Disney dining "experience". We did the DDP when our 2 DS' were wee ones and realized we were not getting any bang out of our buck. Managed to get in on the free dining for a few of our trips and out of pocket the last few including our trip coming in March. W have Liberty Tree, OHana and Chefs De France for dinners. Stocking up on some breakfast treats/snacks/drinks for the room (we are driving them in!) and we don't lunch much though will definitely graze the Epcot F & G kiosks for some grub one day....Whatever you decide enjoy!!

[#1donaldfan]

For us over our recent NYE trip we stayed 6 nights. We had at least one TS each day, plus the CS meals for lunch. There were two days that we had two TS meals because of breakfast .... for 5 of us we ate for under $1200 ... eg. Boma, Cape May, Morimotos, Trails End ... etc....the DDP is not worth it at all.

[titleistboy]

OK...so I'm a DDP advocate for a couple of reasons...

First, in full disclosure, we've never paid for the dining plan, however, I probably would if I had to - and here's why.

Our last trip included our then 2-year old Son, my wife and I, my parents, and Sister and Brother-in-Law. The one beauty of the dining plan is that (in my opinion) your enjoyment of your vacation isn't interrupted by getting a three-figure bill for meals. Regularly. As in every day. Which, for me at least, would be a bit of a killjoy. For instance, for your family, one character breakfast is going to be a $140-$150 bill for a breakfast. Not really how I want to start my day. So, yes, if you do the math, it's often not a savings to use the plan, however I'd rather go, eat, and walk away without worrying about how much I or my family are spending on food. Look around any counter service at lunchtime. They're packed, but look at people's faces - they're adding up what their lunch bill will be for some burgers and chicken nuggets...no thanks.

The DDP only covers two meals per day - true, but, we generally do either a character breakfast or an early-ish dinner (4-4:30 times are frequently open). This way, although we're only generally eating 2 meals a day, it is a lot of food (since these are mostly buffets) and if you time things out correctly, and plan, it works out just fine.

Snacks - with kids, this can be a biggie. Although they don't cover everything, popcorn, ice cream, and most cart-based things are considered snacks. And those can add up quickly. Again, even though you've "paid" for it, it's nice to not have money changing hands every time someone wants something.

So, what I will say is that a bit of planning can take you a long way. We will still often pay for one or two meals out of pocket (Via Napoli, for instance, one pizza can serve many) and that lets us save a meal or two here and there for a day where we may use two. As I mentioned, we tend to like the buffets (check out Cape May Cafe - relatively easy to get to for being in a hotel, and I think currently the most expensive option of the DDP single-credit options) for a couple of kid-based reasons - first, they're fast. You sit down, order drinks, and go eat, so not a huge amount of extra patience required. Second, if your kids decide at that moment in time that they don't want pizza, but really want some mac and cheese, no worries. If you plan around the timing of those meals, you can really make it work without a lot of extra out of pocket expense.

I know this was long, but I do think there are some positives to the DDP beyond finances. After all, it's a lot cheaper to stay offsite, too, right?

[marlyn]

I have priced it out a few times and we always save money paying out of pocket and NOT buying the dining plan.

[AJ Springfield]

Just my 2 cents--- we have never bought the plan because we couldn't justify the added cost. A couple things to keep in mind- just because you have the plan, doesn't guarantee that ALL your food will be covered-- there will still be expenses on top of what is allowed. Secondly, while the TS is "paid", there's still tax and tip to be paid. One of our biggest hang ups is that time spent waiting for reservations and eating a (usually) leisurely meal, means less time enjoying the attractions and rides. Yes, we have enjoyed a couple TS meals (OOP), but usually 1 or possibly 2 per trip. I wish you the best while making your decisions--- just wanted to share my thoughts!

[Eric87]

Not necessarily. Since they instituted the 24 hour cancellation policy, it is quite easy to get last minute ADRs once you are there. I have had very good luck doing this. I don't make reservations in advance anymore.

Same here. I've taken a few last minute trips with no reservations and didn't have any trouble getting into some of the more popular restaurants, and this was the week of the fourth and leading up to the fourth. The app would say nothing available, but I would walk up to double check and they had no issues finding a table for four.

As for the original post, also keep in mind the kids will be stuck ordering from the same items at a lot of the counter service locations, and even some of the sit down meals. Depending on how adventurous their palate is, this may be a downside as well. Unless, you pay for the adult plan for the child.

[Arielfan98]

I think it's worth it if your family likes to eat at a lot of fancy type restaurants and likes character dining. Those restaurants like The Wave and Garden Grill can be expensive for a family of 5. But if your family is fine with sharing plates at QS places and maybe affording one sit down meal, the dining plan may not be necessary. Again, it depends on your family.