dining prices

[DNS]

Omigosh! We have not been to Disney in just two years, but looking at the restaurant prices, it seems everything has gone up so much! Is that what others are noticing, or does it just seem overwhelming to me because I am in planning stages? Dining has always been pricey there, but these seem like jaw dropping prices in the table service restaurants.

[VWL Mom]

They have been creeping up little by little but IMO it's pretty much in proportion to my grocery bill increases. I think looking at it all at once could bring on sticker shock though. We pay OOP for our meals and we normally alternate nights (pricey vs reasonable) to keep the prices in check.

[TheDuckRocks]

1) As DVC members we go down often. After being asked one too many times in April 2013 I started keeping hard copies of how much we spend on our WDW trips.
2) We pretty much eat about the same every trip (number of TS and CS and snacks, signature restaurants sometimes, splitting now and then and having breakfast in the room.)
3) For 2 of us in April 2013 we spent $117.78 per day for food and just this past Dec. 2014 the amount was $112.99 per day.

[DNS]

Interesting. I wish I had done that. It would also be a good way to measure the dining plan vs. pay as you go.

[TinkerbellT421]

Just got back, ate at most of the same places we did last year, spent about the same. I still have receipts if you need any actual numbers.

[DNS]

Thanks Tinker, but I am concluding that I was just looking at too many prices in the higher end restaurants.

[TheDuckRocks]

It would also be a good way to measure the dining plan vs. pay as you go.

That was another reason I started saving this type of info.
I have found if you use the DDP very wisely you can save a nice amount of money and know up front almost exactly what it will cost for food. Sometimes a "I must buy popcorn in a Dumbo bucket", does over take me now and then.
And I also found that not using any dining plan and only ordering exactly what we want and no more, can also be cost effective with the purchase of Tables in Wonderland. The added bonus here is actually losing 3 pounds on a trip rather than gaining 3 to 5.