Tips for Not using Dining Plan

[TinkerbellT421]

DBF and I our first trip did without the DDP. Second trip we decided to try it, we did, it was ok, a little bit of a hassel in our opinion when it came to which restaurants excepted, etc. So the second time we used it we decided to save all the receipts (mind you we do not vacation with children so our opinion may be sqewed).
Upon arriving home we did a lot of calculating. And the money we found we "saved" really wasn't savings at all if you took out the deserts at every meal. Yes they advertise as you save "30%" or whatever the figure is they claim to save. Yes you are saving that if you are actually eating EVERYTHING the DDP allows for, 1 ts, 1 cs, 1 desert, daily snack credits, etc. But we found that if you took out the worth of daily snack credits, deserts the money you were saving was based on including those. So in my personal opinion if you will not be using daily snack credits per each of you every day, and you rather not have desert with every meal per person I would go without. What we figure is we save our money in cash as if we are going to purchase the DDP. So for example if for two of us our length of stay would be a $800.00 ddp. We save $800.00 in cash. Then we pay for cash each meal....Every year we come home with money and then that extra cash we come home with goes into next years vacation fund. Also, we found by the time you eat a cs w/ desert, a ts w/ desert, etc., we were so uncomfortable full with food that we never used the snack credits, then at the end of the trip we would be scrambling in the gift shops buying junk food to take home to not waste the snack credits, and every year we came home with an extra cs each.

Personally, for us, the way we vacation, we find it costs less to prepare for the worst and not use DDP but save as much money as if we were. It works for us, might not work for everyone based on their eating habits, vacation styles, food choices, etc.

BUT keep in mind, we also do not starve, if anything, far from it! Not being on the DDP we still are able to eat at such places O'Hana's, LeCellier, etc. So like I saw someone else suggest, take a look at the menu's. Estimate pricing averages per person for each restaurant with just a meal and a drink per person, exclude daily snacks and deserts at every meal and then price what it would cost for all of you to use the DDP. See which one is more cost effective. Also, keep in mind, DDP does not include tip so you still have to have money on hand for tipping.

[BrerGnat]

If money is a big factor, just plan on mostly doing Counter Service/Quick Service meals. Throw in one or two sit down Table service meals, and then go for lunch instead of dinner (cheaper prices at lunch!), share entrees, do without sodas, appetizers, and desserts, etc.

My family of four doesn't spend a lot of money on food at WDW. We are more "snackers", with maybe one big meal per day. For breakfast, we are fine with cereal or toast and coffee. We pack snacks for our kids (pretzels, goldfish, applesauce pouches, etc.) and we don't buy too many treats. We let the kids have one treat per day, usually an ice cream or something like that. We never do character meals/buffets...just WAY too expensive considering how little our kids eat (they are 7 and 5).

Most of the meals at WDW are large enough to share. Also, instead of getting kids meals, for example, order the kids an adult CS meal to share and buy them each a milk or juice. This will save you money over ordering each child a kid's meal.

Truly, you can come out WAY ahead without using the dining plan. Just eat reasonably, pack some snacks from home, and you'll be fine.

[LVT]

We do not do it. We share 2 breakfasts 4 ways and get a nice Table service around 4-6 pm.
We all still ate way too much for less than the price of the DPP. We drink water or an occasional beer. Pop at restaurants is way too much. We buy the refillable mugs for the occasional soda pop treat.
We With the new ADR rules we may not be eating on property as much anyway.

[wdwaggie]

So many opinions, so little time...I tried the pack the snacks things once and always seemed like a pack mule for our family of four, then I switched to the Dining Plan and then after fretting about QS and TS balances, said to heck with it and went full blown Deluxe Dining Plan and didn't think twice about what I ordered, how much it cost, how much we ate or didn't eat. To us, it was like food insurance, we paid the premium, ate like royalty and didn't feel guilty if we didn't eat dessert or the fact that we had 2 leftover meals at the end of the trip. For us it was the convienence. Afterall, you are paying thousands for a once every three-four years dream vacation, what's a couple hundred dollars to have a stress-free, no argument over menu prices, eat it or not trip. We tried several signature restaurants and even hit some hidden gem snack places and tried new menu items all becuase we didn't seem to always be looking at costs and figuring out how to split a Dole Whip or other snack 4 ways. Again, just one posters opinion.

[joonyer]

You pay so much less for the room when you don't use free dining, that we come out ahead. We don't eat that many table service meals to begin with, and often skip desserts. DW & I will usually split a meal for lunch. we also take brekfast snacks to eat in our room or on the way to the parks. Our family of four can has spent about $500 LESS on a week-long trip when we don't use the Dining plan, even when it's free. Unless your family really eats a LOT of food, including TS meals every day, that you would pay OOP for anyway, then Disney is making money off you when you sign up for a free dining package. It's really not free at all, and DIsney is making a bundle off it.