Disney Deluxe Dining Plan: Advice?

I was curious about the math. So I looked at the menus and just picked what I would order, based off the original restaurants (not my suggestions for improvement). I didn't pick the most expensive things, just what I would actually order. These were my numbers. Usually even more in favor for the dining plan when I consider my steak loving husband or character meal loving DS.

$504.73 (tipping 20%) tax is 7%? total $540 for these meals, using 9 out of 12 credits.
$119 for the dining plan each night is $476.

So the "value" is already $64 above the cost of the plan...and there are 3 more credits to use (at Tusker House, please at Tusker House!) AND snack credits (fancy Starbucks coffee, caramel apples/popcorn to take home from Germany in Epcot). I just see this working out very well for you OP.

Make sure to add the tips for the DxDP. To me,OP, maybe the DDP+ would be a better option
 
Don't forget to factor in gratuity with the dining plan cost. That is above and beyond the $119 per night. You may still come out ahead with your numbers, but to include gratuity in both scenarios would be the more fair comparison.
Make sure to add the tips for the DxDP. To me,OP, maybe the DDP+ would be a better option
Yep! I always consider the gratuity! But it's the same weather paying OOP or using a Dining Plan. I will tip $12 at Skipper Canteen whether I pay $60 cash for my meal OR use dining credits. The tip is the same. I could definitely add it in, but it changes both numbers by the same amount.

My 9 meals are $504 dollars, a little over $100 for tips, lets say $101.
I can add that $101 to both the Dining Plan Cost and to my OOP cost...
OOP with tax and tips is $641
Dining Plan with tips is $577
...still a difference of $64 and still in favor of the dining plan.

I'm all for tipping (well, actually I'm all for paying living wages and not needing to tip, but until then...) and I always include tips in my budget when planning Disney. I don't understand why everyone is so adamant about including tips when comparing Dining Plan and OOP because I figure, they are the same either way. I don't mean this in a snarky way at all. Why do think the more fair comparison includes gratuity?
 
Yep! I always consider the gratuity! But it's the same weather paying OOP or using a Dining Plan. I will tip $12 at Skipper Canteen whether I pay $60 cash for my meal OR use dining credits. The tip is the same. I could definitely add it in, but it changes both numbers by the same amount.

My 9 meals are $504 dollars, a little over $100 for tips, lets say $101.
I can add that $101 to both the Dining Plan Cost and to my OOP cost...
OOP with tax and tips is $641
Dining Plan with tips is $577
...still a difference of $64 and still in favor of the dining plan.

I'm all for tipping (well, actually I'm all for paying living wages and not needing to tip, but until then...) and I always include tips in my budget when planning Disney. I don't understand why everyone is so adamant about including tips when comparing Dining Plan and OOP because I figure, they are the same either way. I don't mean this in a snarky way at all. Why do think the more fair comparison includes gratuity?
If you were paying OOP, would you truly order an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and alcoholic beverage for EACH person in your party at EVERY TS meal? I think this is the main point that makes such a difference for some people. Many people would not order all of this when paying OOP, or perhaps they'd be inclined to share a dessert or app. By nature of that, their meals are cheaper OOP than they would be on the DxDP. I understand eating all that when its included in the DxDP, but often people don't consider their inflated bills after a DxDP meal also leads to larger gratuities. By the same token, people will often order dessert or an app they don't necessarily want, just because its included, but it doesn't occur to them that they are still paying for that both in the cost of DxDP and in the cost of the gratuity.

If you'd truly order and eat all that paying OOP, I agree that you can come out ahead on the plan. But I don't know anyone who eats all that at sit down meals normally. I would urge people to first look at the menus, jot down what you think you'd honestly order at your TS meals, and then add up the cost and gratuity. THEN look at the menus again, select an app, entrée, dessert, and drink from each TS place you chose, add up the cost of the meals so you can calculate each gratuity, and then add the total gratuity onto the $119 DxDP cost per night (times however many nights onsite).
 
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If you were paying OOP, would you truly order an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and alcoholic beverage for EACH person in your party at EVERY TS meal? I think this is the main point that makes such a difference for some people. Many people would not order all of this when paying OOP, or perhaps they'd be inclined to share a dessert or app. By nature of that, their meals are cheaper OOP than they would be on the DxDP. I understand eating all that when its included in the DxDP, but often people don't consider their inflated bills after a DxDP meal also leads to larger gratuities. By the same token, people will often order dessert or an app they don't necessarily want, just because its included, but it doesn't occur to them that they are still paying for that both in the cost of DxDP and in the cost of the gratuity.

If you'd truly order and eat all that paying OOP, I agree that you can come out ahead on the plan. But I don't know anyone who eats all that at sit down meals normally. I would urge people to first look at the menus, jot down what you think you'd honestly order at your TS meals, and then add up the cost and gratuity. THEN look at the menus again, select an app, entrée, dessert, and drink from each TS place you chose, add up the cost of the meals so you can calculate each gratuity, and then add the total gratuity onto the $119 DxDP cost per night (times however many nights onsite).
Adding to this - and you have those snack credits, too - which also add into how much you might eat each day - and have room for. I can't imagine using the Deluxe plan on a solo trip - and I've done alot of solo trips. Too much food!
 


I think the "value" in having the dining plan is using it for signature meals. The deluxe DP is a LOT of food, which I would be more then happy to eat if my stomach was actually that big since I love food. But my suggestions is the same as others, really do the math and think about how you normally eat. If you feel that you can eat 3 full service meals with app, meal, dessert, etc every day and you want to splurge, then go for it. If you are just considering purchasing for the "convenience" then that is a decision you can make too, but more then likely, you will not be saving any money that way. Have a fun trip.
 
My husband and I are planning on deluxe dining for our anniversary trip next february. We plan on doing breakfast every morning, mostly character meals, and signature dining every night with snacks for lunch and hopefully a bunch of goofy gummies to bring home after the trip. Running it through a dining calculator I figure the deluxe plan will save us about $500 before tips. Normally, it wouldn't matter, we would just do regular dining plan, but this is our 30th and our first trip alone. If we eat more than normal, we will work off the weight afterwards. It is a splurge and we know it. We talked about switching to the Dining Plan +, and will probably use that one in the future since it is exactly what we have wanted for years, but this trip we want to do signature dining for a once in a lifetime experience.
 
So, I ended up following the advice on here. I talked it over with the S.O. and she reminded me that I eat a lot less since I had intestinal surgery a couple years ago.

On that note, any advice on how to use snack coupons for a breakfast style item? For my last and first day there.
 


Dining Plan really only is "worth it" when you are doing lots of Character Meals and Signatures, when you can drink the alcohol credits offered, and when you don't mind taking packaged snacks home. :D
IMHO I would pay OOP for your plan, OP
 
I did a DxDP too and now am second guessing. But I AM doing a lot of character dining & signatures: BOG dinner, Cali Grill dinner @ fireworks time, CRT breakfast, Tusker House breakfast, Im contemplating Brown Derby? On the fence. And Storybook Dining @ Artist Point which is 1 credit but looks like quite a pricey meal regardless.
 
So, I ended up following the advice on here. I talked it over with the S.O. and she reminded me that I eat a lot less since I had intestinal surgery a couple years ago.

On that note, any advice on how to use snack coupons for a breakfast style item? For my last and first day there.

Lots of options for snack credits for breakfast. Use the refillable mug for coffee, then snack credits for a danish, another for OJ, or even a side of bacon or hard boiled eggs !!!
 
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I did a DxDP too and now am second guessing. But I AM doing a lot of character dining & signatures: BOG dinner, Cali Grill dinner @ fireworks time, CRT breakfast, Tusker House breakfast, Im contemplating Brown Derby? On the fence. And Storybook Dining @ Artist Point which is 1 credit but looks like quite a pricey meal regardless.
If you're doing a lot of signatures and character dining, the DxDP is for you. I've had individual meals at signature restaurants that would cost more out of pocket than I'm paying for a day on the dining plan.
 
I think it all depends on the REASON for going to WDW. If it’s to ride Rise and Space Mountain as many times as you can or run around to the next show or park, then no, Deluxe Dining Plan may not be for you.

We are going for our Honeymoon for 11 nights and I have booked us at lots of places that use 2 dining credits, shows, and both Fantasmic and ROL dining packages. Mostly because we are there to enjoy the atmosphere and we love food.

At home, We’ll go out to eat and order an app or two and then order two, sometimes three, meals to share. Plus a dessert or two. We may not finish all of the food, but it’s the experience we are paying for, not just the food. I’m planning FP+ times around these meals, and taking into account 45-60+ mins for most meals plus travel time, and as the week goes on, we can alway check and adjust the plan.

I think it will be fun to track the meals and have more of the flexibility than the regular plan offers.

I booked at least 1 TS credit meal a day and the second is a 2 TS credit. The third is a wild card of a snack or QS credit.

Eat what you love, book a Fantasmic or ROL meal, do the math, and make sure you come out ahead. Even with tipping I am still saving up to $300. (I don’t have my spreadsheet in front of me ATM to check).
 
I think it all depends on the REASON for going to WDW. If it’s to ride Rise and Space Mountain as many times as you can or run around to the next show or park, then no, Deluxe Dining Plan may not be for you.

We are going for our Honeymoon for 11 nights and I have booked us at lots of places that use 2 dining credits, shows, and both Fantasmic and ROL dining packages. Mostly because we are there to enjoy the atmosphere and we love food.

At home, We’ll go out to eat and order an app or two and then order two, sometimes three, meals to share. Plus a dessert or two. We may not finish all of the food, but it’s the experience we are paying for, not just the food. I’m planning FP+ times around these meals, and taking into account 45-60+ mins for most meals plus travel time, and as the week goes on, we can alway check and adjust the plan.

I think it will be fun to track the meals and have more of the flexibility than the regular plan offers.

I booked at least 1 TS credit meal a day and the second is a 2 TS credit. The third is a wild card of a snack or QS credit.

Eat what you love, book a Fantasmic or ROL meal, do the math, and make sure you come out ahead. Even with tipping I am still saving up to $300. (I don’t have my spreadsheet in front of me ATM to check).
Note that there are no quick service credits as part of the Deluxe Dining Plan. You get 3 meal credits per person per night, but they can be used for table service or quick service. I’ve also found that using a Deluxe meal credit for a quick service meal can be a waste of money.
 
Note that there are no quick service credits as part of the Deluxe Dining Plan. You get 3 meal credits per person per night, but they can be used for table service or quick service. I’ve also found that using a Deluxe meal credit for a quick service meal can be a waste of money.

Right, but if you are already ahead, then a QS meal is just gravy. With our plan, we are already ahead on cost, not including a few QS meals
 
That's my thing, I'm always willing to pay a bit for convenience. I've downgraded to the DPP and figured out my restaurants, and read a great article for using my snack credits on goodies, like the smothered pulled pork fries at flame tree BBQ.
 
taking into account 45-60+ mins for most meals
Signature dining and some character meals can take 90+ minutes. Many places also will not seat on time. IMO, its better to over estimate than under estimate and be rushing.

as the week goes on, we can alway check and adjust the plan.
You may already be aware, but I will caution that a lot of restaurants can be difficult to book or change on the fly. Especially if you are traveling during a time free dining is offered. We ran into this when we did deluxe dining. We felt we needed to move some meals around because we weren't hungry, and ended up not being able to re-schedule them because there were no time slots available. We left credits on the table at the end of our stay because of this. So, I would suggest refining your dining plans as best as possible in advance of your trip. I would also suggest spacing your meals far apart, which it sounds like you're doing if you have a 1 TS meal early in the day and 2 TS in the evening. I would do breakfasts at 8am, lunch at 1pm, dinner at 8pm type of schedule. We tried to schedule in line with the times we'd eat at home, but didn't account for the fact that we eat less food at home so we needed more time in between.

I like the convenience & feel of “all-inclusive”
I'm always willing to pay a bit for convenience.
This is a good point. As has been said, the deluxe plan doesn't make financial sense for most people. BUT, there is a cost of convenience that should be factored in and that's an arbitrary number that will have a different value to each family. Analytical people can't wrap their heads around it because it doesn't seem logical or practical, but then there are others who aren't counting pennies and are willing to spend more for what they perceive to be a better experience for their family. I totally understand this, as long as the buyer understands this and isn't under the impression they are buying the plan as a means to save on food costs.
 
If you like the all inclusive idea, why not put the same amount you think you'll spend on a Disney gift card and use that for all of your meals? That way, whatever is left over can be saved for another trip OR you can spend it any way you want in the gift shops or whatever.
 

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