If you are not on the DDP, how many Table Service Restaurants do you visit?

[forever a child]

I am just looking at the prices of the table service Restaurants and I am amazed at the cost. :eek: Of course that is to be expected at WDW. But I just got to thinking, if free dinning isn't being offered AND you are not choosing to buy the Disney Dinning Planning, then how many Table services do you visit during your stay at WDW?

[DizneyRox]

We'll average out to about a TS location a day, sometimes just lunch, sometimes breakfast and dinner or some combinaiton.

Never get the DDP, not even a consideration. We don't eat all that food, it's never a value.

[Kathy Jetson]

We do 3 for the week the rest is cs.

[SBETigg]

We tend to eat at a table service a day, dining plan or not. We've never stayed during free dining.

[gerald72]

Just wondering why you don't think the dining plan is a value if you are already doing one ts per day.
It cost the four of us (2 adult / 2 child) about $100 per day for the dining plan last year. Each ts bill was roughly $100. So I figure I got a cs and snack per person each day for nothing, whether we ate it or not.

As for the original question, this next trip I am planning, I an going without the dp for the first time, and I find myself scheduling considerably less ts meals.

[faline]

Just wondering why you don't think the dining plan is a value if you are already doing one ts per day.
It cost the four of us (2 adult / 2 child) about.

Oftentimes, you can get very good discounts on room only reservations. Those savings can be applied towards dining. When you have the dining plan, you're paying rack rate for the roon plus additional for the dining plan. In this scenario, it may be less expensive to pay out of pocket for your dining - even table service.

The only time we've used the dining plan is when free dining is offered. The first time we got free dining, it was definitely a good deal as it included appetizer and tips. Over time, what you get has eroded so it is now questionable as to whether you come our ahead or even break even with free dining especially when you're paying rack rate for the room.

[mom2morgan]

We'd do 3 and eat all the rest counter service. The DDP IS a very good value for us...and without it, we definitely can't afford those meals.

[SBETigg]

Oftentimes, you can get very good discounts on room only reservations. Those savings can be applied towards dining. When you have the dining plan, you're paying rack rate for the roon plus additional for the dining plan. In this scenario, it may be less expensive to pay out of pocket for your dining - even table service.


Just a clarification-- having the dining plan doesn't mean that you have to pay rack rate for your room. When the free dining deal is offered, the room is rack rate and the discount is the free dining plan. But there are other promotions in which you can get a good deal on the room and still decide to add the dining plan. The dining plan in itself might or might not be a savings for you depending on where and how you dine-- but you can get the dining plan and not necessarily have paid rack rate for the room.

[Donald's Girl]

We never do the DDP anymore either since they took out the appetizer and tip (and individual tax too.) When those were included, it was a value for us but now it's just not worth it. We love appetizers and really aren't dessert people.

When we decided to stop using it, I calculated what we would probably order and pay for and then compare to the DDP total and it was never worth it for us. In addition to adding appetizers to our orders, we would never order dessert at any counter service place so our counter meals don't add up to that much.

One thing I do think makes a difference is if you have kids with you. For the price of the kids, it's definitely worth it, especially for character meals.

[faline]

Just a clarification-- having the dining plan doesn't mean that you have to pay rack rate for your room. When the free dining deal is offered, the room is rack rate and the discount is the free dining plan. But there are other promotions in which you can get a good deal on the room and still decide to add the dining plan. The dining plan in itself might or might not be a savings for you depending on where and how you dine-- but you can get the dining plan and not necessarily have paid rack rate for the room.

This is true. I forget about the options they've added for vacation club owners and annual pass holders! Thanks for reminding me!

[badkitty]

I don't like to be tied to ADRs so I would say one every other day. I also couldn't eat all the food on the DDP. My family likes to split meals.

[Seasonscraps]

We probably have a TS meal every day or maybe 5 TS meals on a 6 day trip.



Just wondering why you don't think the dining plan is a value if you are already doing one ts per day.


It gives us too much food that we don't want to eat. I don't want a packaged dessert from CS places, I usually prefer an appetizer to a dessert and there are a couple of TS places we like that don't take the plan.

[Missy_Mouses_Dad]

We each pick a ts for dinner (dw dd14 and me). Lunch is just about always Earl of Sandwich.

[SBETigg]

This is true. I forget about the options they've added for vacation club owners and annual pass holders! Thanks for reminding me!

I have a room discount with a Magic Your Way package and we added the dining plan. Not DVC, not annual pass. It all depends on what discount offer is going on, but you can get a room discount in a package and still have dining plan. Having the dining plan with a MYW package does not mean you've paid rack rate. In our case, we're saving money with the dining plan and not paying rack rate.

[ElenitaB]

You didn't mention how long the vacation was when you posted your survey. Our next trip will be our longest yet (just shy of two weeks). We'll probably visit a TS restaurant every other day, because I'm looking to maintain a fairly strict budget. One of the things we'll be doing to keep our food costs down is to visit TS restaurants for lunch and not for dinner when costs are generally higher. We only have two dinners planned: 'Ohana and a celebratory dinner at California Grill. I'd love to have more dinners, but I'd rather compromise on that and be able to stay longer.

[kakn7294]

We also average about 1 TS per day regardless of whether we have the dining plan or not. We've gotten free dining twice. Our trips average about 8 days.

[forever a child]

You didn't mention how long the vacation was when you posted your survey. Our next trip will be our longest yet (just shy of two weeks).

I didn't mention a length of stay since everyone's vacation length varies.

We are saying 7 nights this trip. We are only doing 2 table services Boma's (our first time) and Garden Grill. It was hard to only pick two but we also picked so many new counter services that we are also excited about like Wolf Gang Express, Cosmic Ray's & Yak & Yeti Cafe. So I think we will be happy. We normally do 3-4 but scheduled the Pirates and Pals boat ride and so that sort of took 2 of our TS food budgeted $. I always like to keep our trip total trip under a certain amount...so since we prefer moderate over value it is always a give and take. But we are excited and can't wait to be back in the World after 5 years!:mickey:

[goofygirl67]

I don't use the DDP since I have no idea which park I will be at each day. I also go alone and don't feel the money is necessarily worth it. If I can walk in at the spur of the moment then I will. The only time I have booked an ADR is during the CP, just to make sure I get a seat.
This past December I took my Mom to WDW and we did the dining package, we ate like pigs. I had to go through the trouble and make all the ADR's and try to figure out which park I was going to each day. For someone who just wings it, it gave me a headache.
I have no intentions of using the plan again.

[TheVBs]

During a 9-10 day stay, we're happy with 3-4 sit down meals. We've tried the DDP more than once, both paying for it and getting it free. We wouldn't opt to pay for it again. We rarely get desert, sometimes the DDs split meals and we just don't need a sit down meal every day of the trip.

[forever a child]

I don't use the DDP since I have no idea which park I will be at each day. I also go alone and don't feel the money is necessarily worth it. If I can walk in at the spur of the moment then I will. The only time I have booked an ADR is during the CP, just to make sure I get a seat.
This past December I took my Mom to WDW and we did the dining package, we ate like pigs. I had to go through the trouble and make all the ADR's and try to figure out which park I was going to each day. For someone who just wings it, it gave me a headache.
I have no intentions of using the plan again.

I hate trying to figure out what parks we are going to be in each day too. I usually choose my food by what I am craving that day....sort of hard to know that 180 or 90 days out;)

[Loweschevy]

We usually eat at TS restuarants twice a day, we like to take it slow on vacation.

[KylesMom]

We have a 15-day stay planned and currently have ADRs for 17 TS meals. We are not on the dining plan, but rather we utilize our Tables in Wonderland membership. We have a nice mix of character dining, nicer evening meals and casual lunches.

[forever a child]

We have a 15-day stay planned and currently have ADRs for 17 TS meals. We are not on the dining plan, but rather we utilize our Tables in Wonderland membership. We have a nice mix of character dining, nicer evening meals and casual lunches.

I wish the Table in Wonderland was available to non AP holders too:(

[Seasonscraps]

I wish the Table in Wonderland was available to non AP holders too:(

Me too! It's such better deal then the dining plans (for us anyway).

[Mickey'sGirl]

We have a 15-day stay planned and currently have ADRs for 17 TS meals. We are not on the dining plan, but rather we utilize our Tables in Wonderland membership. We have a nice mix of character dining, nicer evening meals and casual lunches.
Same with us. We go for 2 weeks and use the TiW card to get our discounts. Even without the TiW, we would have one TS meal each day. The boys eat better at TS restaurants.

Hey Carol -- we've even run into each other at one such lunch, haven't we? ;)

[KylesMom]

Hey Carol -- we've even run into each other at one such lunch, haven't we? Yep, and looking at our dates, we might just be able to do that again this year! :D

For those of you who mentioned it, have you considered buying one A/P for an adult member in your family to be able to take advantage of the TiW card? I don't know if it would pay for itself - it would really depend on your own situations. However, it's a thought if you find the dining plan doesn't work for you.

I think "worth" with regard to the dining plan is what you make it. For instance, we are not big dessert eaters. It would be silly for our family to prepay for something that we wouldn't take advantage of on the dining plan. Over the course of our stay, we'd prefer to have a few adult beverages and sample some appetizers - none of which are covered in the Dining Plan.

[GrmGrninGost]

We try to use the dining plan, but when things are tight we still sneak in 1 or 2 TS meals! :mickey:

[forever a child]

For those of you who mentioned it, have you considered buying one A/P for an adult member in your family to be able to take advantage of the TiW card? I don't know if it would pay for itself - it would really depend on your own situations. However, it's a thought if you find the dining plan doesn't work for you.


I have looked at that as an option, but with just two of us there is really no value. :cry: If we were a family of 4 or larger than I would think it would be worth it though! Plus WDW seems to have reduced the other discounts (resorts) that AP cardholders receive:crying:...it those were also a bit higher I would again think it worth the cost.

[forever a child]

Thanks to everyone who has participated in this poll.:thumbsup: We are currently at 80 voters and I am very surprised at how many people choose TS every day of their stay!

[bruin1344]

If the weather is very hot and humid, I like to do TS every day to take a break from the heat. Other than that, maybe 3 times a week since its so pricey w/o DDP.

[diz_girl]

We do at least one TS meal every day. Last trip we stayed for 6 nights and had seven TS meals. We had three TS breakfasts, two TS lunches and three TS dinners (one of those was at Narcoossee's, which is a Signature restaurant). I'm a big breakfast eater, so I love WDW TS breakfasts.

The one time we did the DDP, it was a value for us and we used all of our TS credits on dinners, but that was when the appetizer and tip were included. Now that the tip is gone, it isn't much of a value for us. The DDP now is really only a value if you use it for TS dinners and you order the more expensive entrees. I don't eat beef, pork, veal, lamb, and most seafood, so I usually order the lowest-priced options.

Also, now that I am a DVC member, I get discounts at some TS restaurants. I can get 10% off breakfast and lunch at many of my favorite restaurants, GF Cafe, WCC, and Trail's End Buffet. I can also get discounts for lunch at Chef's de France (20%) and lunch or dinner at Tutto Italia (10%). The restaurants and discounts may change, but I'll definitely take advantage of it for as long as it lasts.

[mouseketeer mom]

At least one/day. Eating dinner out is an event for us. We don't skip a TS dinner. We usually don't do TS lunch, but we will do a TS Kona breakfast one day too.