Another DP question

[southerngirl]

We're taking our annual Christmas trip down to Disney December 18-23. The travel party is just the three of us (DH, DS (age 2.5) and me), and we're staying on the club level at the Poly. When we stayed there last year, we found the lounge offerings more than enough for breakfast and snacks. However, we had the free dining plan, so we often ate out for dinner and used our CP credits for lunch in the parks.

This year, we're booked on a 40% bounceback offer, so we'd have to pay to add the dining plan. It's about $500, including tax, for the five nights. I'm trying to decide if it's worth the extra $$$, or if we can save money by just paying out of pocket. I know that some of you are absolute GENUISES at this type of math, and I'm hoping you will help me make my decision!!!

Here is some info that might be helpful--

1) We would probably only need one "big" meal a day, and most days, we'd do a sit-down meal for that, not a CS. DH and I are light eaters, so I thought we could eat a big lunch somewhere and then use the lounge offerings for dinner. However, DS is a big eater, and we'd probably end up having to buy a dinner for him, maybe from Captain Cooks or the foodcourt at the Grand Floridian. And, we'd probably still do one big dinner at Narcoosee's on our final night (which would make it 2 out of pocket meals that day, with perhaps the mid-day meal being a CS lunch).

2) All three of us could get by with the breakfast offerings in the club lounge.

3) The drinks, snacks and desserts in the lounge are more than enough to satisfy us, except for a rare ice cream craving.

Does it make sense to spend the money on the dining plan? I really hope someone can help me decide!

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

I haven't crunched the numbers, but for me, once they made the big changes to the DDP back in 2008? it lost it's value, regardless of the situation.

We are going down in Nov/Dec on the free dining. I guess I would make this suggestion: how important is it that you dine at a specific restaraunt? Because with all the free dining plans issued it is very hard finding what you want. With a family of 5 I found no openings during 8 days for Ohana or Whispering Canyon.

I'd be hesitant to pay oop for the DDP only to find I couldn't even get into the restaraunts that I wanted to.

Don't know if that helps much or not.

[southerngirl]

We already have several ADRs made (since we're on club level, IPO made them for us). I probably should have mentioned that, too, so thanks for asking! Here is where we have ADRs, mostly for lunches:

Grand Floridian Cafe
Chefs de France
Sanaa
Kona Cafe
O'hana (character breakfast on our last day, which is a tradition)
Narcoosee's (dinner the night before we leave)

Since these meals are going to be our daily "big meals," DH and I would probably do appetizers or salads and entrees, and we'd probably order DS the complete meal options, which I think are something like $8.95 at most places. (DS is such a big eater that sharing a plate with him is not an option!)

[nfrustaci]

are these reservations for your meals already paid for??? because that is about $300 without tipping. so do u think that u will spend an additional 200 on the rest of the meals? if that is the case then maybe it is a good idea to get the meal plan.maybe just the quick service , i am guessing that these reservations are for seperate days. hope this helps. have a great time

[ldc12377]

Another point you might want to concern is that kids under 3 aren't on the dining plan and don't need park tickets. So your son's meals won't be included on the dining plan unless you say that he is 3 but then you would have to buy park tickets for him as well. Make sense?

[Jared]

My instinct says you would lose money with the dining plan, but I suggest you crunch the numbers to check. It will take a little research and a lot of time, but with enough effort, you can reasonably estimate the amount of money you will spend on food during your trip.

The dining plan often nails people by offering individual desserts at both table service and counter service meals. I know my family would never order that much. The same goes for the daily snacks. By staying on the concierge level, I suspect the lounge snacks will keep you satisfied.

I admit my bias regarding this issue. I dislike the dining plan and rarely recommend it to my friends and family.

[southerngirl]

I really appreciate everyone's help and am happy to hear both positive and negative things about the dining plan. Trust me, no info is bad info!

I'm starting to have a hard time thinking that my husband and I are going to spend $500 on meals for just the two of us, which is what we'd be getting with the DP (we'd still be paying out of pocket for our son at each meal, since he is 2). We'd probably use most of the CS credits to get dinners for my son, but since we'd have 10 of them to burn in five days, chances are we wouldn't use all of them. We definitely wouldn't use all of the snack credits, either.

I'm wondering, has anyone with a similar travel party been down there recently without DP? If so, do you mind me asking how much you spent, roughly, on food?