How much money do you save by going of the Dp?

[Dreamingoffairydust]

I had the great fortune of going on my dream Disney vacation this summer. It was awesome. I went all out on the hotel, got the souvenirs I wanted, and used the Deluxe DP. And after that first trip, my mom (who went with me) and I have both agreed that we need to go back. Thing is, as much fun as we had, I would really like this next trip to be cheaper. I was already thinking of downgrading to the regular dining plan but I've been seening a lot of posts that say any DP is s bad value. I knew I wasn't quite breaking even on the Deluxe, but I never knew how much I was losing. Does anyone know roughly how much I would save if we ate like we we're on the regular plan (1 qs, I tb, some snacks) but paid OOP? Sorry for formatting, on my phone. Thanks!

 

[bigbabyblues]

It really just depends on where you eat and what you order. You'll just have to look at the menus and price it out for yourself. The dining plan hasn't saved us any money for years, and it isn't likely to because we don't always want a TS meal every day and we tend to split some meals.

 

[momto3pirates]

There are sites with menus and prices. You can estimate what you would eat and figure out the approximate costs. DDP never works for us as we tend to share meals or snack our way through the parks. We also don’t like to spend a lot of time eating. We would rather be enjoying the park.

 

[GreatLakes]

I have no idea how anyone can make the dining plan into a cost savings measure. It has been years and I'm sure the values have changed but I set up a system of linear equations using the different plans to solve for what they are charging for a snack, counter service, and table service credit. I don't have the results any longer but remember there was no way eating my natural way I could make the cost of the credits equal to or less than the cost of an out of pocket meal.

The only argument I've ever heard that almost makes sense is that it allows for the cost of dining to be predetermined. That is just lazy though. If you really want to have a fixed cost of dining go get a gift card with the equivalent of the dining plan on it and use that. When it is gone you are done eating but unless you make a point of eating the most expensive things at the most expensive restaurants you'll have money left on the card to put towards some other part of the trip.

 

[Marionnette]

I had the great fortune of going on my dream Disney vacation this summer. It was awesome. I went all out on the hotel, got the souvenirs I wanted, and used the Deluxe DP. And after that first trip, my mom (who went with me) and I have both agreed that we need to go back. Thing is, as much fun as we had, I would really like this next trip to be cheaper. I was already thinking of downgrading to the regular dining plan but I've been seening a lot of posts that say any DP is s bad value. I knew I wasn't quite breaking even on the Deluxe, but I never knew how much I was losing. Does anyone know roughly how much I would save if we ate like we we're on the regular plan (1 qs, I tb, some snacks) but paid OOP? Sorry for formatting, on my phone. Thanks!

Start with what the DDP costs:

• QSDP - $52.50 (adult) $21.76 (child) per night
• DDP - $75.51 (adult) $25.77 (child) per night
• DxDP - $116.26 (adult) $40.01 (child) per night

Then think about what that is buying you:

• A refillable mug
• 2 snacks
• On the QSDP you also get 2 QS meals that include an alcoholic or specialty beverage. The DDP includes one TS and one QS and also includes the beverages mentioned. The DxDP includes 3 meal credits that can be used for QS or TS dining as you see fit and each credit includes the beverage options mentioned. TS meals include a dessert.

Now ask yourself:

• Did I actually use that refillable mug very much? They can't be used in the parks and the refill stations in the resorts are not terribly convenient.
• Did I eat 2 snacks every day that I had the plan? Or did I do what a lot of people end up doing - purchase a lot of pre-packaged snack foods to use up the remaining credits on the last day of my stay?
• Did I order the most expensive items on the menu to "get my money's worth"? Or did I "waste" credits by ordering some entrees that cost less than what the dining plan cost me?
• Did I eat dessert with my meals? Or take it back to the room (and end up throwing it out when I packed up to leave)?
• How much more did I spend in tips because that alcoholic or specialty drink and the dessert raised the total bill?
• Am I eligible for any dining discounts (AP holder, DVC member, Disney Visa cardholder, TiW, etc.) that I'm not using because I was on the DDP?

After going thru those questions, I learned that the dining plans just aren't a good fit for me. Since we now just order what we want, I can get an appetizer without feeling guilty about spending additional $$ for it. I can skip desserts. I can purchase a bottle of water for $3.50 and not feel like I wasted a snack credit because a Mickey Bar would have been a better use. And I'm not constantly trying to keep track of how many credits are left. I ate what I wanted and how I wanted. And I ended up spending less than if I had purchased a dining plan. I wasn't pouring over the menu looking for the best bang for my buck but instead I was looking for the healthiest choice or the most appealing. I wasn't standing in line at the Main Street Mercantile to buy bags of Goofy Gummies and Chip & Dale chips on my final day at Disney. And I didn't put a refrigerator full of take-home desserts in the trash just before check out because they never did get eaten.

Some people with children under the age of 10 can make the dining plans work for them because they can use some of the children's credits for adult meals. When you can do that, it makes the plan a lot more economical. But for 2 adults, the dining plans are not cheap and are not a good deal for the money spent in many cases. However, I will say that if I have a split stay with just one night at a resort before moving to my final resort, I do consider the DxDP for just that one night. For that price, I can dine for 2 days (3 TS credits), get a refillable mug that is good for my entire stay (even at my next resort) and if I have snack credits left over, I can use them to buy sandwiches and pastries that will actually get eaten during the rest of my stay.

 

[Gigi22]

As earlier posters have said, the dining plan can be used to help fix the cost of meals. Also, depending on your individual vacation plans, it can be used to ensure a varied dining experience, so you are not eating fast food all the time. As with everything Disney, there’s a built-in upcharge for convenience, which may or may not be worthwhile for you.

 

[SouloTravlr]

As earlier posters have said, the dining plan can be used to help fix the cost of meals. Also, depending on your individual vacation plans, it can be used to ensure a varied dining experience, so you are not eating fast food all the time. As with everything Disney, there’s a built-in upcharge for convenience, which may or may not be worthwhile for you.

People who don't have the dining plan can eat wherever they choose. You aren't forced to eat only at qs without the dining plan.

 

[Marionnette]

People who don't have the dining plan can eat wherever they choose. You aren't forced to eat only at qs without the dining plan.

Agreed!

I can dine at Shula's (better steaks and not on the dining plan). I can order just appetizers instead of an entree if that's what I want. TBH, I think we eat better and get a nicer variety of food when we're not tied down to a dining plan. QSDP and the regular DDP pretty much force you into eating "fast foods" because the credits cannot be converted to TS.

 

[danielocha30]

and don’t forget, all table service restaurants will calculate your tip base on the total amount of your order, yes is a suggestion, but tips are expected. Dining plan doesn’t save money, is just a way to have all inclusive vacations. Going without it gives you a lot of freedom.

 

[Darcy03231]

I typically don't buy the dining plan because, due to the way we eat, we spend far less on food at WDW than what the dining plan would cost. My mom and I are both light eaters and tend to share meals, have soup/salad and/or an appetizer for dinner, and share snacks. We also like to have breakfast in the room while we're getting ready. For us it's a time saver. The one time we did it we had a ton of QS and snack credits left over at the end of the week. I don't know how many Mickey treats we brought home, but it was a lot!

However, when I took my niece (she was 4, almost 5) we were doing a character meal every day. While I don't think I saved any money, I pretty much broke even and it was convenient to have everything paid for up front.

*** PP's have said the best thing to do is look at the menus to approximate your costs by paying OOP and decide from there.

 

[SouloTravlr]

I typically don't buy the dining plan because, due to the way we eat, we spend far less on food at WDW than what the dining plan would cost. My mom and I are both light eaters and tend to share meals, have soup/salad and/or an appetizer for dinner, and share snacks. We also like to have breakfast in the room while we're getting ready. For us it's a time saver. The one time we did it we had a ton of QS and snack credits left over at the end of the week. I don't know how many Mickey treats we brought home, but it was a lot!

However, when I took my niece (she was 4, almost 5) we were doing a character meal every day. While I don't think I saved any money, I pretty much broke even and it was convenient to have everything paid for up front.

*** PP's have said the best thing to do is look at the menus to approximate your costs by paying OOP and decide from there.

One way people can pay up front, so to say, is put the money on a disney gift card before the trip and then you have the freedom of eating whatever/wherever you want and the peace of mind knowing it is prepaid.

 

[Darcy03231]

One way people can pay up front, so to say, is put the money on a disney gift card before the trip and then you have the freedom of eating whatever/wherever you want and the peace of mind knowing it is prepaid.

That's a good way to do it, too. I don't do it that way because I don't want to be stuck with money tied up in a gift card. While my kids were younger and we were making the trip at least once a year I wouldn't mind as we'd use it up on the next trip, but now that they're grown and gone it can be years between WDW trips. I just pay OOP and use my CC (to get the points) and pay it off when we get home.

 

[SouloTravlr]

That's a good way to do it, too. I don't do it that way because I don't want to be stuck with money tied up in a gift card. While my kids were younger and we were making the trip at least once a year I wouldn't mind as we'd use it up on the next trip, but now that they're grown and gone it can be years between WDW trips. I just pay OOP and use my CC (to get the points) and pay it off when we get home.

I do the same with my credit card, but I know some people prefer the peace of mind knowing they have it prepaid before they go.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I've done the dining plan twice now. Once DxDP in 2015, and DDP in 2017. We DEFINITELY got our money's worth on the DxDP. However, we were on our honeymoon and wanted to splurge and have a great time. So we ordered filet mignon or pricey seafood dishes, had multiple charcuterie appetizers, and fancy sushi rolls. There's no doubt we came out ahead on that plan, and I don't regret the money we spent on it one bit. For the DDP in 2017, we probably broke even based on how we ate. That being said, DH and I stretched the plan out by splitting two different quick service meals. We also had a table service meal at Yak and Yeti that we definitely should have split because the portions were HUGE.

I have another big trip in 2019 planned and am undecided yet on whether I'll do DDP for that. We will not do deluxe again since we'll be traveling with 6 people.

 

[Hikergirl]

Agreed!

I can dine at Shula's (better steaks and not on the dining plan). I can order just appetizers instead of an entree if that's what I want. TBH, I think we eat better and get a nicer variety of food when we're not tied down to a dining plan. QSDP and the regular DDP pretty much force you into eating "fast foods" because the credits cannot be converted to TS.

I totally agree, when we did the DDP I felt like I had to eat everything that was included, and I had to search out the best value restaurants.
Without it, we eat where we want, what we want and most importantly to me is when we want (not stressing about ADRs to make sure we got a table at a restaurant that was worth the cost of the DDP).
We also save money not doing the DDP, but I know that really depends on many factors.

 

[Sandiz08]

I believe that people just tend to eat more on the dining plan because they feel the need to use all their credits. When you don’t have to worry about the plan in the back of your mind, you might actually eat less. I like no dining plan because I sometimes prefer to sample different things as opposed to several large meals. My husband prefers alcohol over soft drinks while on vacation. My kids sometimes share adult meals if they don’t like kid options. We eat what we want, whenever we want without actually having to ask if we can on the dining plan. We spent 1200 on food on our last trip and ate well.

 

[saraheliz]

Based on what I would order with no dining plan, vs what a dining pan costs, I save no money on the dining plan AND I get what I actually want to eat. I'd rather get a dole whip in an hour than get a dessert with my lunch. I took my two girls to Disney and we ate whatever we wanted for 6 nights/7 days (we arrived in time for dinner the first night and left at 6pm on departure). We spent about $650- I really said no to nothing if they were hungry and wanted a snack, we had plenty of treats, etc. I did bring a few boxes of muffins for quick breakfasts on early mornings- so call it $700 if we had purchased two more breakfasts. On the dining plan that would have cost almost double. I've priced it out each of our last three trips and the dining plan would never save us money. This was especially true last trip since my oldest was 10 and eats like a bird- no way was she eating anywhere close to $75 worth of food each day!!
I totally get why some people like paying for their food ahead of time but I can't imagine many people save money with the plan.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Also, depending on your individual vacation plans, it can be used to ensure a varied dining experience, so you are not eating fast food all the time.

I don't get this statement.

1) There are a good variety of options available at the QS level

2) Access to TS is not restricted to those on the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

Ergo--you eat the type of food you want to eat on or off the Dining Plan. If that means fast-food style-fine, if that means sitdown style places eating the options on the menus that are not fast-food style-fine.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

A good copy-and-paste from another similar thread.... https://www.disboards.com/threads/dining-plan-worth-the-value.3665969/


I will just quote what I always say about Dining Plan:

"Yes the Dining Plan is subtly designed for you to get the most planning out of your Character Meals! " There is adjusted value now that BoG is now a 2 credit TS.

"Yep, Dining Plan is much more designed for families who are trying to get ALL the Character Meals they can. If you've eaten at enough places and eventually have some favorites and a pattern, the Dining Plan will lose its value to your family, as well as when your kids become Disney Adults. "

"I have a simple batch of questions I ask to determine if the plan will save you money, or just be more convenient...

1) Are you trying to get at least 1-2 Character Meals a day out of your trip?
2) Do you have at least ONE child guest that will want to eat off the adult menu? And do you have an adult guest that may want to order from the kids' menu?
3) Do you have party members who will just not survive without massive quantities of food?

The #1 question is really the most important one. Near as I can tell, Disney's restaurants/credits and the Dining Plan system are supposed to work in conjunction to provide Guests with more themed experiences. If you don't care about Character Meals, and you order breakfast food for your hotel room and you eat Snacks and Quick Service only, yeah please do not try to "save money" by using the Dining Plan. If you're eating appetizer-sized portions at Table Service, and you cannot or do not want to bag up the rest in take-away boxes and nibble on it for the next three hours, don't do Dining Plan. Assuredly, if the situation for your family LOOKS complicated in conjunction with the Dining Plan, really, don't get it! Just manage yourself on giftcards or the room account, or OOP."

 

[imbatman]

A good copy-and-paste from another similar thread.... https://www.disboards.com/threads/dining-plan-worth-the-value.3665969/
"Yes the Dining Plan is subtly designed for you to get the most planning out of your Character Meals! " There is adjusted value now that BoG is now a 2 credit TS.

I believe that is just the dinner. The lunch is still QS.

Unpopular food for thought: I go on vacation to unwind and not think. I plan ahead for months and then enjoy the fruits when we are there. Yes, the DDP can cost more. You can find threads that nickel and dime everything and a million reasons why not to have the DDP. However, we've used it before and I love it. Why? I like ordering what I want to order instead of looking at the prices and worrying about the cost because I only budgeted for a certain amount. We try to maximize the TS credits (using 2 for HDDMR and for an early breakfast reservation). We have snack credits left over every.single.time. You know what? It's fan-freaking-tastic to pull out a Disney snack a week after you've left, so we spend them on ones we can take home and eat later.

Now I can't speak to the DxDP because THAT'S a lot of food and I'd need a wheelbarrow to get around.