Anybody else NOT doing the Dining Plan?

[Polynesian Dweller]

With so many posts about using the dining plan, just wondering how many others are not going to use the dining plan.

For us, we have been on the DDP until now but this year have decided to go without it. It just didn't work for us on a money level unless we over ate and even then it was close. Given what we would normally eat (rarely desserts or a shared one at most, 3 TS in the week) it didn't work out and we just didn't want that much food in a week.

Interested in what others who aren't going have to say.:mickey:

[princessjojo]

We're actually going next week during the free dining promo and not doing the ddp at all. It just wasn't worth it to us this trip, especially since we're dvc members. We'd rather use points and pay for cs food than pay for the resort, 1 day park pass and get free dining. As for next year, we'll have to sit and evaluate. In years past, especially this past June, we really didn't save a lot of money, though we did save some. We got it more for a matter of convenience rather than cost savings. No one in our house budgets well on vacation, so having our dining prepaid was well worth it to us. We'll just have to look at the cost for next year and compare the plans. I wish there was a way you could, and I guess you could, kind with switching resorts, combine the standard dining plan with the new counter service plan. But then you can't use one one day and another the next.

[disneymom15]

We never use the DDP. We just don't eat that much, and most of our meals are CS.

[Mom to a Princess and a Prince]

We have never used the DDP. My cousin is a CM and she gets us some great deals so it never seems to pay off for us. I would love to try it some time, but right now, the cost just isn't worth it. Plus my kids and I are picky eaters and we probably wouldn't get our money's worth anyway. We are more about CS than TS and when we do TS, they are usually character breakfasts.

[WishingStar2006]

I had decided, when I booked my recent trip, to WDW, that we were not going to do the DDP (we ALWAYS got the plan before the changes). We didn't like the changes to the DDP and we were just gonna do lots of CS and use our Disney VISA rewards as our own DDP.

Then, 9 days from departure, I started thinking about the times when we would be eating at a TS and that we would be worried about the prices. And, I started thinking about how the kids love "spending" their snack credits. And I started thinking about how many bugers and chicken fingers can I stand in a week. I then called Karen at MJ and added the dining plan.

Believe it or not, it still came out cheaper to be on the plan and I'm glad I made the switch.

Enjoy, whichever way you decide to go!

[JoDisney]

We never use the dining plan. We live less than 2 hours from Disney World. We always pay as we go for food. We are not really into desserts and snack rarely. We do love many of the restaurants at Disney World, but it is better for us without the dining plan, really. The teens have their money and go off with their friends and choose where they want to eat at that moment. Everyone is happy.

[DisneyWhirled]

We have done both, but in most recent years used the DDP. We decided that for the next trip, we are going w/out the DDP. We want to do less TS and more CS/snacking throughout the day. I will have to review if the 2009 CS plan will work for us, though.

TS is great, but it does tie us down and then we are all so full from all those meals, that we don't indulge in the "little" things we want to treat on. And DH does not want to be so tied down.

[thrillme]

I'm still wavering. The ADR's are easy enough to get since we really don't eat at NORMAL eating hours but...they're sooooo constricting. When I went through the menus and calculated $30 a person for a table service I came up with "less". I didn't add "desert" because we almost never get dessert but we DO like appetizers so we'd end up paying for those regardless. For Counter Service I calculated about $10 a person. That might be a little low for entree and drink. My DS "sometimes" likes dessert at the counter services (but rarely table service)...other than that we really don't eat it unless it's free.

Anyway when I added everything up I'm pretty much "breaking even". I may end up spending a little less than the dining plan or maybe a little more but not a lot more. I don't think you can get the Dole Floats on the plan as your snack can yuo???

If it was "FREE" and I still got a good deal on the room I'd take it. But without it we can "choose" to save or spend without the pressure.

[disneygeek84]

We did the calculations for our trip this year and it was going to be cheaper for us to just pay OOP than do the DDP. But then we couldn't go in early December like we wanted to, but we COULD go in September during Free Dining. So that's why we're doing the DDP on our trip in 2 weeks. So for our next few trips we probably won't do the DDP just because it doesn't make sense for us. We don't eat alot and we usually can share a CS meal or something.

[Faver]

We've never used the dining plan.... just seemed like to much food for us. Even with a teenager, and one sit down meal a day, it just doesn't make since for us.

And believe me, we've never gone hungry at Disney World ;)

[Aggie97]

We've never used the dining plan. I've done the math before every trip -- we would not save any money with the DDP, and it would really hamper the way we like to eat at WDW.

We don't like to eat a TS meal every day.

Many of our TS meals are at signature restaurants (2 TS credits), where we each order a starter (appetizer/soup/salad) but either split or skip dessert.

The snacks we eat at WDW often are not covered by the DDP.

And we never eat dessert at the same time as a CS meal. We tend to get dessert-type items an hour or two later from different locations.

We don't get stressed when looking at menu prices, so the pre-paying benefit isn't there for us either. :mickey:

[Artsake]

We normally don't use the dining plan but we are this upcoming Sept trip because it was a "free" add-on. In past Sept trips I have chosen to use room only discounts as opposed to the free dining but I couldn't find a good room only discout this year so free dining it is.

The reason I don't like the idea of a dining plan is because you have to plan your day around meals and we do not go to Disney for the meals.

The new quick service dining plan available next year would be more to our liking since you don't have to plan your trip around table service meals which can take anywhere from 1-2 hours.

[Disney Doll]

I've done the math and it just doesn't fit my family. We like to snack a lot and eat mostly CS meals. We're just too busy enjoying the parks to stop and eat a long drawn out meal. We usually schedule only a couple of TS meals. Plus, I also think it's too much food.

[Jasper]

Add us to the list of those not using the plan either. It just doesn't make financial sense for us.

[Ropachs]

We have never used the plan, but will this Oct. as my in-laws booked our trip and the TA so highly recommended it. I'm not sure it will pay off for us, seems like too much food, we would never or rarely get dessert. I don't like how much time we'll use up at the TS's and hate knowing we have to be somewhere at a specific time every day. At least we'll get to try lots of TS's that we normally wouldn't have. I think the 2009 plan sounds very interesting for this CS type of family, hope they still have it as an option in 2011!

[DizNee143]

for my honeymoon in oct we wont be using it..we just dont eat alot when we are on vacation..no matter where we travel to! its just to much food for us..
i did use it once 2 years ago when i went with my sister..but only cuz it was free..and we felt like all we did was eat..it was to much food..yes it was worth it that time since we didnt have to pay a dime..but i would never ever pay for it on..sooo NOT worth it! but if we managed to get it free again..ill take it..as i always say..if its free give it to me! lol :mickey:

[danicafan]

We are going to do the Quick Dining Plan in January which is 2 CS and 2 snacks per day. Cost wise if you plan it just right you will spend about the same if you did it OOP but at least it will all be paid for before we go. Plus on the quick dining you get a refillable mug for the resort!

[Kisobel]

no plan for us either. too much food. and we don't always want a table service meal every day. i checked out the new couter service plan- we don't eat two snacks a day, and i think we spend less than that on food. i like the flexiblitly to have a table service once in a while.

kate

[SAHDad]

We've never used the plan, though we plan to on our next trip. With two adults, a pre-schooler, and a toddler, it just isn't a realistic option for us - the kids simply won't sit through the TS meals that make it worth our while.

With that said, we are currently* planning on trying the Deluxe DDP on our next trip - but only because it is an anniversary, kids-free trip, and it can be worthwhile.

* We may not do it. I can't make the ADRs until the system goes up again in mid-Oct, and I have the feeling that the dates from late Jan to mid-Feb will disappear almost instantly, a timespan which includes our trip. If we can't make most of the ADRs, we won't be doing it.

[garthbarth1]

We did the DDP last year, but will not this year basically for two reasons:
I did not like the feeling that our vacation felt ruled by what time our ADR were. The "we have to see this, ride that and make it to here or there before lunch" feeling really took out the spontaneous feeling of our vacation. We felt trapped by our ADR. I dont like being pinned down to meal times..I want to eat what I want, when I want. I dont know what I am eating 6 hrs from now let alone 6 months. That being said, we like the freedom of eating whenever (CS) and whatever we felt like. Many times we went to out TS restaurant and I was not in the mood for what they offered, but it was booked and paid for so thats what we ate.
Second...pls don't flame me for this... DH and I just dont think the TS restaurants are that good-mediocre, at best. Now maybe we are not eating at the right ones....but 50s Prime Time, San Angel Inn, Coral Reef and Tonys Toon Town were where we ate last year and after each meal we left thinking it was "Just Ok." If I had to pay full price for the meals I would have been really upset bc menu prices are not cheap. This being said, we have made two ADR (Teppen Edo and Liberty Tree) and the rest will be counter service and we are excited about that. We can go about our day and eat when/where we want. We would entertain the new CS meal plan for next year and throw in one or two TS if we could ever find one we thought we would like :) Even if we did love the TS restaurants, Im not sure that we would do the DDP due to the feeling of being tied down by the ressies and its just to much food for the two of us. We like snacking our way through the park, kind of like the State Fair!

[joonyer]

We tried the DDP, but also found that it gave us way more food than we could eat, even though it was a good deal $$- wise, IF you wanted to order that much food. We won't buy it again. We can eat all we want on a lot less money that what the plan costs, simply because we don't order that much food. Even at a CS, my DW and I will usually split one salad or sandwich. Its plenty of food for us, and we rarely order an appetizer or dessert at a TS.

The real benefit of using the DDP for us was it gave us the opportunity to try a lot of TS places that we wouldn't have otherwise, and that was fun. But the bottom line for us was it was too much food. I wish Disney offered a discount-rate DDP; maybe one TS for every two CS meals, etc. That might interest us.

[mouseketeer mom]

We are just home yesterday from 9 days in WDW using the deluxe dining plan for 6 of the days. Then we switched resorts and paid out of pocket for the last 3 days. All 5 of us agree, NO MORE DELUXE DINING PLAN FOR US!!! Too, too much food. Waaaay too much food. Beyond too much food. And we like to eat. The apps, entree and dessert being included were mind blowing. We could barely move after the third day. Creme Brulee is our favorite dessert, and I don't want to see another one for a looong time. PLUS..the time it took. All of that precious time. And I felt like we had to make our ADR's since they were paid for. We did use some counter service meals on our plan, and even that was alot. That came with sides and dessert too. It was a never ending stream of food and time ticking away. It was a relief to pay oop for the last 3 days. We split apps if we wanted them, we skipped dessert if we were full. At the very most, I would do the basic dining plan in the future as we do like one table service meal a day at least. I would not do the DELUXE plan again. Now I'm home, and in detox mode. I feel polluted from all of that food. This week I'm eating light, to feel like myself again!! Also, on another note. 2 of my kids are 14 and 12. They were ordering apps, entrees, and desserts on the plan and my girls actually felt sick trying to eat all of the food. It was just plain ridiculous.

[Kurley]

We just returned from WDW last week - whew just in time. Anyhow - did not do the DDP and loved it. We had three under 9 in the group and did not think sit down meals were in order. We did eat at the Rose and Crown in Epcot. R&C is pretty good for children. Only other sit down meal was at the Cali Grill - not good for children.

In the end we came out ahead by staying on site and eating many snacks and back at the room.

[thejens]

garthbarth, um, you are eating at the wrong restaurants. Regardless as to which plan you use or don't use, try Le Cellier, Ohana's, Cape May, Park Fare, Boma, for some yummy table service choices. Or for two table services: California Grill, Narcooses, Jiko, Brown Derby, or Flying Fish.

I agree that the deluxe dining plan is WAY too much food. I tried to use it best by having a two table service meal every day and one counter service. We did a late breakfast or early lunch and a later dinner. But it really was too much. I am still trying to get that gargantuan chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich off my hips!

Not sure what we'll do next time. Sadly, with gas prices etc what they are we may have to skip 2009.

[Natazu]

Then, 9 days from departure, I started thinking about the times when we would be eating at a TS and that we would be worried about the prices. And, I started thinking about how the kids love "spending" their snack credits. And I started thinking about how many bugers and chicken fingers can I stand in a week. I then called Karen at MJ and added the dining plan.

Believe it or not, it still came out cheaper to be on the plan and I'm glad I made the switch.
Awesome! I wish I had a nickel for every dollar Karen has saved us... wait, that doesn't make any sense. Well, you know what I mean.

[VWL Mom]

Since the DDP came out, I have always wondered if we would benefit from it. Last year I actually sat down and added up all our meals when we returned. We ate TS at Artist Point, MaMa Melrose, Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, Fulton Crab House, and Tokyo Dining. DS12 and DS16 had desert twice. We enjoy appetizers to the point where I sometimes order 2 in place of an entree. We had CS for lunch, bought some snacks, and traveled the F & W kiosks.

Our total cost of food for our party of 4 was 901.00 (tip and tax incl)

The DDP would have cost 936.00 and we would have not been able to pick and chose as we please.

OOP seems to work best for us.

[Nurse Kim]

For our trip March 2009 we are booked with the new quick service plan. I have drove myself crazy crunching numbers to see if we should upgrade to the dining plan or just pay OOP all together. My DH is a big breakfast eater and the rest of us are big dinner eaters with eating light for lunch. I have planned for both ways as far as where we would eat and our TS would be breakfast or late dinners. The main reason would probably be convenience and having it paid for ahead of time. I think as we approach our date it will come down to money. If we have plenty of it then we will go ahead and do it just to try and if not we will pay OOP and still eat well.

[bmj721]

We've never used the dining plan and for the time of year we've traveled in the past it has not been offered for free. We, too, have done the math and have found that it doesn't give us any financial benefit.
:mickey:

[Polynesian Dweller]

Nice to know we aren't alone. When we did the calculations we did it two ways.

First, if we calculated all the food we ate on the dining plan it came out very close in cost. But we knew we had eaten way too much because it was on the plan.

But, second, if we calculated what we actually would have eaten (half the deserts, lighter entrees etc. etc) it looked to be way cheaper OOP. It seemed like Disney was actually encouraging us to spend a lot more by using the DDP.

The second way is what I think people need to calculate when they figure out if its worth it. Would you (and perhaps more importantly from a health perspective should you) order that much normally? If not, don't include it as a saving but rather the portion that Disney got you to spend that you wouldn't have normally.

[goofygirl67]

My biggest problem with the DDP is that I would have to buy a ticket when I am already a passholder. I also have been to WDW so often I don't keep to any schedule, whatever bus shows up first is where I go. The only ADR I make is for the CP and this year I had to do to my 3rd choice.
During my May trip I let myself have 60.00 a day for meals/snacks. Out of 9 days I only went just over 40.00 for 3 days. I was able to figure out that I didn't need the DDP since I didn't do TS and I didn't buy that much food for my trip.

["DoYouHaveYourParkPass?"]

We don't use the dining plan. We just can't eat that much every day. We do always have a supper at Boma and Cape May but would hate to be tied down to an eating plan everyday.

[DizneyRox]

The DDP has never made much financial sense. Never got it, never considered it, and I don't plan on it. Blast Disney for filling up all the restaurants and cheapening up the menus to make a buck!

[LudwigVonDrake]

I have never used the Dining Plan and have no desire to use it.

[RedSoxFan]

We are not using the Dining Plan either. We just don't eat that much food and I don't want to plan my dinners in order to use the plan. I'd rather just wing it.

[Mousemates]

We don't do the dining plan either...too much food for us...and being raised by depression era grandparents I have this thing about wasting food...which means I overeat. Most of the time a single salad, entree and dessert is more than enough food for both of us...so we pay as we go.

[Mousemates]

We don't do the plan because it is simply more food than we want to eat...and being raised by some depression era grandparents, I have tis thing about wasting food...(i.e. if its on your plate you eat it)....so we tend to order one salad, one entree and one dessert and split it...and 9 times out of ten its still plenty of food for both of us.

[Bringonthemouse!]

Add us to the "no dining plan" list. It is just myself and DD16 so the cost just doesn't make sense. We have 2 snacks per day and one CS meal about 3 in the afternoon. We also love to be spontaneous at Disney therefore, think the dining plan and ADR's would be way to restricting... I have read too many posts here in Intercot about people missing out on rides/attractions because they had to get to their reservation. Food just isn't that important to us at WDW. We eat when hungry, not when I thought I might be hungry 6 months before our vacation;)
:mickey:

[LebelJD]

We don't use the DDP either. It's just too much food for us. Since we're DVC members we get the AP each year, and then we get the DDE which gets us the 20% discount on food *and* drinks (alcohol) at most of the places we like. We use the AP and DDE for two to three trips each year, so it saves us quite a bit.

[KAT1811]

TS is great, but it does tie us down and then we are all so full from all those meals, that we don't indulge in the "little" things we want to treat on. And DH does not want to be so tied down.


:ditto:

We also feel chained to our ADRs. It just seems like a waste not to go after you've paid for it. DH hated all of the running around it made us do on our last vacation. I have to admit by the end of the vacation I was tired of running to ADRs too.


...they're sooooo constricting.


:yes:


I did not like the feeling that our vacation felt ruled by what time our ADR were. The "we have to see this, ride that and make it to here or there before lunch" feeling really took out the spontaneous feeling of our vacation. We felt trapped by our ADR. I dont like being pinned down to meal times..I want to eat what I want, when I want. I dont know what I am eating 6 hrs from now let alone 6 months. That being said, we like the freedom of eating whenever (CS) and whatever we felt like. Many times we went to out TS restaurant and I was not in the mood for what they offered, but it was booked and paid for so thats what we ate.


I agree totally. There are restaurants in WDW we really enjoy: California Grill, 'Ohana, San Angel Inn, Le Cellier, to name a few but there are times when I am too tired (after a long touring day) to be bothered with CG and just want to grab a quick bite. Not to mention there are days when the girls just won't make it. They are fabulous but everyone has their days and to be chained to an ADR stinks. Plus there are nights when I could kill for a great steak and others when a cheese burger and fries are the must haves of the moment. Especially on this next trip. I'll be 5 months pregnant and some nights the thought of mexican is enough to make me sick and on others I HAVE to have it!!! The more guacamole and jalapenos the better!

We are also more of an appetizer family than dessert. We were very disappointed that Disney took away the app option. I could have seen if you had to choose between the two but to eliminate it all together was a big letdown.

Regardless DH refuses to be a prisoner to our ADRs on our upcoming trip. We have quite a few TS planned but if we or the children do not feel up to them I will call dining and cancel. Plus I won't be forced to order certain entrees. I often like to have a couple apps as my meal.

So we can also be added to the list of non DDP people.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

We don't use the DDP either. It's just too much food for us. Since we're DVC members we get the AP each year, and then we get the DDE which gets us the 20% discount on food *and* drinks (alcohol) at most of the places we like. We use the AP and DDE for two to three trips each year, so it saves us quite a bit.

We are in the same situation with DVC and APs.
DDE works great for us and we don't tie up 1/2 the day with meals, unless we CHOOSE to that day.
We use the DDE for the couple breakfasts and one dinner we do each trip and just eat when and where we feel like the rest of the time.
In June we had a group of 8 and the DDE card saved us a bundle of $$$. :thumbsup:

[AvonleaCF]

We had it for free last year, and while it was nice to try so many TS places, it felt like the entire trip was planned around our ADRs. After all that planning there were times when we simply didn't want to be at a particular place on a particular day. Or we wanted to take longer naps but we had to get going for our ADR.

Plus there was SO MUCH FOOD! We had to throw away a lot of leftovers or else go back to our resort to get the leftovers in the fridge. It was a pain.

And with the elimination of appetizers and tips, well, that was the breaking point.

This year we're not doing it. We have two ADRs at our favorite buffets (Cape May clambake and Boma) and that's it. The rest will be CS.

[Iluvpooh]

We did it last year and we just did break even(lost money really because we ordered lots of food we didn't eat) We are not doing it for our Dec trip, but we are going to try the counter service plan next year.

[Crow]

I used it last Sept for free dining. this coming trip Im using it the forst 4 nights at Pop, then Im going to use my DDE
too much food for me also. & Im more of an app & entree person than dessert, although I do have some desserts. Figure Ill have my first 4 or 5 days covered for the food (the DDP is good til midnight on checkout day)
doubt that I would get it for most of my trips though

[Aggie97]

Nice to know we aren't alone. When we did the calculations we did it two ways.

First, if we calculated all the food we ate on the dining plan it came out very close in cost. But we knew we had eaten way too much because it was on the plan.

But, second, if we calculated what we actually would have eaten (half the deserts, lighter entrees etc. etc) it looked to be way cheaper OOP. It seemed like Disney was actually encouraging us to spend a lot more by using the DDP.

The second way is what I think people need to calculate when they figure out if its worth it. Would you (and perhaps more importantly from a health perspective should you) order that much normally? If not, don't include it as a saving but rather the portion that Disney got you to spend that you wouldn't have normally.

I could not agree with you more! We've always done the calculations your "second" way, and that's why our projected (and actual) OOP costs always are less than the DDP. :mickey:

[BlueDorrie]

We never used the DDP. Even though we love to eat and anticipate our ADRs, it's just waaaay too much food. DH and I usually have breakfast and dinner when we're on vacation. We rarely have lunch and may have the occasional snack if we're a little hungry or just happening to be jonesing for a particular snack. I'd be two tons of fun if I ate all the meals the DDP offers.

[IloveDisney71]

We are cosidering a trip this December and we've already decided to skip the DDP if we go. It just doesn't seem worth it. We will just do mostly counter service meals and maybe one or two table service meals.

[mdricks]

no more ddp for us. We had a sick kid and missed our resie for le cellier :( spent an inordiante amount of time and effort to "Catch up". The ddp ruled our vacation.

bottom line for us is that we can eat a little less for far less money and be just as happy.

I also have a 10yr old "adult" that eats like a bird.

[homeschool mom]

We have never done the DDP before. As a family of 7, we could eat much more economically than paying for the DDP. On our last trip there were 8 of us and between eating breakfast in the hotel room, taking snacks into the park, and sharing CS meals, we were able to eat for less than $40 a day most days except when we had character meals (only 2). However, we have always wanted to try the DDP and will accept it for free in Sept. I'm just afraid there is going to be more food than we will ever be albe to eat. I'm glad I'm not paying for it.

16 days and counting! :thumbsup:

[sophie peach]

we have never had it
seem more trouble then its worth
most people that are on it waste a lot of food and i dont agree with that
also it makes large queues when paying and ordering food

[Septbride2002]

We don't use the DDP - after having our kiddo we find that wasting park time in a resturant to be frustrating. She still really young ( only 2 ) so to go to a TS for an hour or longer really eats into fun stuff we could be doing. If we do a TS it is usually a character meal (like lunch) and maybe one dinner. Other then that we are able to variate the counter service enough to not feel we are eating only chicken fingers and cheeseburgers.

~Amanda

[MickeyMousse]

We've decided against the dining plan for our 2/09 trip. Actually we have never done the dining plan, ever! When I crunched the numbers it added up to cost more $$ than we usually would spend. Most days we just wing it when it comes to eating and end up at whatever TS or CS we crave at that moment. Just a few times we actually plan ressies in advance.

[Roo Girl]

We did the DDP one time and yes, it was wonderful and I definitely can see the savings if your "foodies" like we are. That said, it was too much food. We just #1 don't want to eat that much food and #2 it almost made us feel bad to not finish everything that was available to us per meal. And since we weren't interested in eating AS much, it was more efficient to just pay OOP. Granted, we don't have children yet so maybe that thinking may change when kiddies are around...:cool: