For you that used the dining plan,

[Letsbgoofy]

Last August we had the free dining plan (5 nights). My DS (16) had a fruit tart in Norway and a Dole Whip that were not on the plan. Maybe $8.00 for both? We took our deserts from dinner most nights and ate them for breakfast the next am (I know - disgusting!) We used our snacks for water,popcorn, and we took home a bunch of rice krispie treats. We brought flavored water with us, so we didn't need to use as many snack credits for water as I thought we would.

This year I will probably bring the flavored water again, and use more of the snack credits for breakfast type foods (fruit,muffins,etc.)

 

[Lewisc]

I generally order an adult beverage with my dinner, that's extra. The first time I used the dining plan I brought muffins for breakfast. I spent a few dollars for bottled water but not much.

The second time I wound up paying OPP for CS breakfast and for lunch at WCC, using the saved credits for CG.

The major issue is what you do with the missing meal. Eat in your room will cost very little, the deluxe and moderate resorts give you a refrig and coffee maker. Eat CS or TS and you'll pay accordingly. Adult beverages will depend on how much you drink.

 

[threeboysmom]

We had the free dining plan last September. It was me and my DS 13 and DS 8. We used up every credit very easily each day! I did end up buying us breakfast at the hotel a couple of mornings for those times we wanted eggs rather than the breakfast stuff I had packed in our room. Probably about $25 for 2 breakfasts for us. And I ended up buying extra water bottles because 1 water bottle per day (snack credit) didn't last with us. Spent about an additional $10 on water. That was it...

Now my DH and I are going in May - just the 2 of us. So many of you mention sharing, but can you feasibly do this with 2 adults?? I can't imagine both of us eating 1 breakfast platter and both of us eating off 1 counterservice meal. I think we'd still be starving! So we will have to buy breakfast OOP every morning, plus an additional CS meal (not enough for all our days), and one TS meal (we are doing 1 signature so lost a credit there). My guess is we'll spend an additional $125-$150 on top of the dining plan this time, unless someone can help me figure out how to share meals....

 

[HayGan]

We didn't pay OOP for any snacks but we did end up paying around $200 for additional (kids) meals and a few beverages (adult )

 

[3mickeys&me]

The only thing we paid for out of pocket on the dining plan was Margaritas and beers at the bar.

 

[2ofUs]

We plan to use 2 TS and see HDDR (hopefully that is a good bargin?) To make up for the extra TS, we plan to share a couple of TS meals and perhaps buy an extra salad or appetizer. I wonder if they will 'frown' on that? We are light eaters anyway and sharing is the way we normally eat out at home. It's really not money, just don't like wasting (and waisting) food.

 

[Allensfan]

My dh and ds and I are going in Sept. We have never really been to Disney so this is new to us and we did select the dining plan. We figured we would come out of pocket for many things.

We will need to buy something each morning for breakfast. We eat light so not a big deal. Lunches will be covered everyday, but we have decided to try Victoria and Alberts...of course that will have to be out of pocket and we drink cocktails or wine at most dinner meals. I don't plan on having a lot but I am sure at CG I will order wine and how can you go to San Angel and not get a cocktail?

We had also talked about trying one of the all you can eat lobster resturants since we will be leaving the park for sea world one day...I may post a new thread about that.

But I figured with the drinks...dinner out...we would be spending at least $500.00 more than the plan.

Maggie