We've never done the dining plan, free or otherwise. This is because although I always plan ADRs in advance, we aren't always that hungry. Sometimes we'll opt for an appetizer and a salad instead of a lunch. Sometimes we'll just have an entrée for dinner and nothing else. We keep the ADRs because we like the reprieve from the heat and enjoy sitting in the A/C for a while. With the dining plan, we'd always be thinking about the stuff we "should" eat to get the value out of the plan. I always wondered how many families would have less ADRs if they paid cash instead of being on a dining plan, especially with all of the posts about picky eaters and what kinds of accommodations they can find at certain restaurants.