Disney Dining Plan

[theBIGyowski]

Though, remember that "renting" those points also means you are SOL if the deal goes south, Disney bans the practice, or any other reason. With a reservation, if your room suddenly vanishes the resort would attempt to find you a suitable replacement and at worst give you a full refund.

This is true...which is why you make sure to CYA with a contract.

While Disney doesn't approve of it...they don't stop it because they make money regardless. They actually make more money from renters than owners since owners get discounts on food and merchandise that renters do not. So...it's something they tolerate in favor of the almighty dollar.

[JenMuse]

For my January 2015 trip with my dad, I pulled up menus of the places we had reservations and prefer (for QS) then calculated the out-of-pocket vs DP price: out-of-pocket won. Mostly cause he's a diabetic and I don't have much of a sweet tooth so dessert was not a priority.

For my upcoming September 2015 trip with my brother (who does like sweets and fine dining), I did the same process and once again out-of-pocket won...until I remembered it's Food and Wine festival at EPCOT and looked at that menu and saw that most of the tapas are considered snacks AND are on the dining plan. So then I redid my calculations spending ALL 14 snacks in one day at EPCOT, and now we are looking at a $23 savings with the DP.

Disclaimers: 2 of my meals will be covered by my agency on the 2 training days this "work" trip encompasses (my brother will use qs credits for those meals on his own). We will be having breakfast in the room most mornings (1 breakfast at Be Our Guest) cause we have a full kitchen at Saratoga Springs; and, I since get a free checked bag on American, I will be packing breakfast ingredients and some healthy snacks. And carrying our own re-fillable Brita water bottles for hydration in the parks. And I can't eat a full meal within 12 hours of flying lest I spend the entire flight in the lavatory emptying my stomach so there's one less lunch to cover.

So here's our dining plan breakdown (not as pretty as my spreadsheet):

4 TS credits at Jiko
4 TS credits at Brown Derby Fantasmic package
2 TS credits at The Plaza
4 TS credits at Citricos
14 total ts credits & $137.55 out-of-pocket (appetizers and gratuity are not included on dining plan)

3 QS credits at Be Our Guest (bro gets one lunch there and we have 1 bk there)
1 QS at Cosmic Ray's (bro on his own)
1 QS at Captain Cook's (me on my own - though I may exchange it for 3 snack credits since I'll be having Tonga Toast at Kona's for BK and Jiko for early-ish dinner)
1 QS at Yak & Yeti (bro)
1 QS at Starring Rolls (me)
1 QS at Flame Tree (bro)
2 QS at Pizza Planet or Starring Rolls (together at last)
2 QS at Pinocchio Haus
1 QS at Harbour House (splitting cause we have BoG for BK and Citricos for dinner that day)
1 QS at Flame Tree (flying day - me no eat)
14 total qs credits (no out-of-pocket)

all 14 snacks at F&W festival + out-of-pocket non-alcoholic drinks and split one QS out-of-pocket meal if we are still hungry and I actually eat at Capt Cook's ($16.11)

Booze = $149.10 (assuming 1 per person per day at $10 each+tax; bro isn't actually much of a drinker so this could be less but I do like wine with fine meals)
Perishable grocery items $25 (probably less for a gallon of milk, cream cheese, cooking spray, & butter but it's Disney so I round up)

No DP out-of-pocket total = $1,189.16
DP + out-of-pocket = $1,166.28 ($848.96 + $317.32)

So I'll be adding the DP to save $20 (possibly more) and gain the convenience of not having to worry about it.

[theBIGyowski]

Great job there with your calculations! Good to know there is someone else out there just like me.

My spread sheet for a 2016 trip with our kids has me saving a little bit of money by going with the Dining Plan as well. Because it will be our kids' first trip (4.5 and 2), we'll probably be doing more character dining, which is more expensive when you multiply by 3. I want to say we'd end up saving around $45 on a week-long trip to WDW getting the DP versus paying out of pocket.

[Amy]

Wow ~ that is some awesome work JenMuse, and I know you have also shown how you do that as well BIG ~ I have to bow to both of you and your calculations!
My dream is to get the free dining ~ and yes, I'm aware that means I'm probably spending too much on the room ~ and be there during the Food & Wine so I can spend all the snacks there!
Don't forget about the fact you can get a free glass of water at any of the QS JenMuse ~ we still take a bottle so we can have water if we won't be near QS, but most of the time we got ice and water from the QS and filled the bottle. Much better than the drinking fountains!

[JenMuse]

Great job there with your calculations! Good to know there is someone else out there just like me.

My spread sheet for a 2016 trip with our kids has me saving a little bit of money by going with the Dining Plan as well. Because it will be our kids' first trip (4.5 and 2), we'll probably be doing more character dining, which is more expensive when you multiply by 3. I want to say we'd end up saving around $45 on a week-long trip to WDW getting the DP versus paying out of pocket.

I love that the Disney website has the menus online. Helps so much. The dining plan definitely affects how I order though. Without it, I'd drink only water from my Brita bottle (no tea or sodas) and I definitely would skip desserts but probably get more appetizers. So when I make my out-of-pocket comparisons, the orders are totally different which makes it a fun challenge. A good dining plan stretching trick is to order a dessert that will keep and have them put it in a carryout box so you won't be tempted and can eat it for breakfast in the morning in your room. Not an option at buffets though, understandably.

This will be my first trip in many years without a character dining experience. So I used an EPCOT fastpass+ for a Mickey and pals photo-op (I always get Memory Maker cause my family loves pictures pictures and more pictures).

[JenMuse]

Wow ~ that is some awesome work JenMuse, and I know you have also shown how you do that as well BIG ~ I have to bow to both of you and your calculations!
My dream is to get the free dining ~ and yes, I'm aware that means I'm probably spending too much on the room ~ and be there during the Food & Wine so I can spend all the snacks there!
Don't forget about the fact you can get a free glass of water at any of the QS JenMuse ~ we still take a bottle so we can have water if we won't be near QS, but most of the time we got ice and water from the QS and filled the bottle. Much better than the drinking fountains!

Yep yep, I do the water refill at QS rather than drinking fountains which usually don't have enough pressure to fill the bottle sufficiently, and ya know, kids put their mouths all over them. I'm not a germaphobe but I do have standards.

[KAJUNKING]

I think the dining plan can be worth it with the proper planning, you also have to consider the value of having everything paid for and budgeted before you get there.

[cy1229]

Wow ~ that is some awesome work JenMuse, and I know you have also shown how you do that as well BIG ~ I have to bow to both of you and your calculations!
My dream is to get the free dining ~ and yes, I'm aware that means I'm probably spending too much on the room ~ and be there during the Food & Wine so I can spend all the snacks there!
Don't forget about the fact you can get a free glass of water at any of the QS JenMuse ~ we still take a bottle so we can have water if we won't be near QS, but most of the time we got ice and water from the QS and filled the bottle. Much better than the drinking fountains!

Yep yep, I do the water refill at QS rather than drinking fountains which usually don't have enough pressure to fill the bottle sufficiently, and ya know, kids put their mouths all over them. I'm not a germaphobe but I do have standards.

Those germs give your immune system something to do.

[Captainnobeard]

Wow ~ that is some awesome work JenMuse, and I know you have also shown how you do that as well BIG ~ I have to bow to both of you and your calculations!
My dream is to get the free dining ~ and yes, I'm aware that means I'm probably spending too much on the room ~ and be there during the Food & Wine so I can spend all the snacks there!
Don't forget about the fact you can get a free glass of water at any of the QS JenMuse ~ we still take a bottle so we can have water if we won't be near QS, but most of the time we got ice and water from the QS and filled the bottle. Much better than the drinking fountains!

we managed to get free dining for our trip this fall, Amy. we did have to go from Port Orleans Riverside to a pirate room in Caribbean Beach at approx. $50 more a night. i know a bunch of people were griping that they had to add park hopper onto their trip to get it, but we always get that anyways so that wasn't a concern. basically the way we are looking at it, it is costing our family (2 adults and 1 child) $50 a day to eat. we're eating in two character meals, and a couple of other higher cost restaurants, so we are actually saving a huge amount. i know that if we were paying full price for the meal plan and had stayed in Riverside we might not have saved very money but we both like the idea that we can order anything on the menu any day regardless of what we ordered the day before without having to watch our pennies and realize that we can only order pasta or salads for our last day or two because we had indulged in steak too often early in the week. plus, when we are on holidays, desserts are a much enjoyed treat

[Amy]

we managed to get free dining for our trip this fall, Amy. we did have to go from Port Orleans Riverside to a pirate room in Caribbean Beach at approx. $50 more a night. i know a bunch of people were griping that they had to add park hopper onto their trip to get it, but we always get that anyways so that wasn't a concern. basically the way we are looking at it, it is costing our family (2 adults and 1 child) $50 a day to eat. we're eating in two character meals, and a couple of other higher cost restaurants, so we are actually saving a huge amount. i know that if we were paying full price for the meal plan and had stayed in Riverside we might not have saved very money but we both like the idea that we can order anything on the menu any day regardless of what we ordered the day before without having to watch our pennies and realize that we can only order pasta or salads for our last day or two because we had indulged in steak too often early in the week. plus, when we are on holidays, desserts are a much enjoyed treat

You'll have to let us know how you like the Pirate's themed room. I've heard mostly good things although the main complaint there seems to be how far away they are from the main bus stop and food court. But with all the bus stops at Caribbean Beach Resort, you could always hop on that to get to the front if you wanted to I would suppose.
I think the character meals definitely add to the decision to have the dining plan ~ those add up quickly!

[Captainnobeard]

You'll have to let us know how you like the Pirate's themed room. I've heard mostly good things although the main complaint there seems to be how far away they are from the main bus stop and food court. But with all the bus stops at Caribbean Beach Resort, you could always hop on that to get to the front if you wanted to I would suppose.
I think the character meals definitely add to the decision to have the dining plan ~ those add up quickly!

i will certainly be doing a trip report on the whole trip Amy

the distance from the centre of the resort for the rooms is going to be crappy, but since my daughter and I are arriving by car to meet my husband and in-laws who are all flying into Orlando, we will be bringing breakfast stuff for us for in the rooms. so no one will have to worrry about starting the day with a hike to the food court. there is a lovely looking quiet pool there for us, that will be more relaxing then the business of the main pool, and as you say, there is always the internal bus if we want to go to the main pool area and don't want to have to walk. the rooms themselves look pretty cool, Eleanor is 3 1/2 and can't stop telling everyone that she's going to sleep in a pirate ship!

as for the character meals, we have Akershus, 1900 Park Fare and Chef Mickey's all booked for dinner. those alone would have cost our family about $320 out of pocket.....

[Amy]

You'll have to let us know how you like the Pirate's themed room. I've heard mostly good things although the main complaint there seems to be how far away they are from the main bus stop and food court. But with all the bus stops at Caribbean Beach Resort, you could always hop on that to get to the front if you wanted to I would suppose.
I think the character meals definitely add to the decision to have the dining plan ~ those add up quickly!

i will certainly be doing a trip report on the whole trip Amy

the distance from the centre of the resort for the rooms is going to be crappy, but since my daughter and I are arriving by car to meet my husband and in-laws who are all flying into Orlando, we will be bringing breakfast stuff for us for in the rooms. so no one will have to worrry about starting the day with a hike to the food court. there is a lovely looking quiet pool there for us, that will be more relaxing then the business of the main pool, and as you say, there is always the internal bus if we want to go to the main pool area and don't want to have to walk. the rooms themselves look pretty cool, Eleanor is 3 1/2 and can't stop telling everyone that she's going to sleep in a pirate ship!

as for the character meals, we have Akershus, 1900 Park Fare and Chef Mickey's all booked for dinner. those alone would have cost our family about $320 out of pocket.....

I was going to ask how old your little one was ~ it sounds like she will have a blast! I've seen the pictures of the rooms and they look awesome to me as an adult, so I can only imagine how cool they will be to a 3-1/2 year old!
Quiet pools are always nice, and if you have a car anyhow, you can always drive if you really want to.
Looking forward to your report! Which reminds me, I really need to get back to mine...sigh...so many pictures to sort through

[JenMuse]

I think the dining plan can be worth it with the proper planning, you also have to consider the value of having everything paid for and budgeted before you get there.

Yep, the piece of mind is the biggest selling point I find. If my calculations had ended with the DP being only $20 more than out of pocket, I still would have gone with it as a way to "control" costs and free my mind from the worry of budgeting food $ on site. The all-inclusive aspect creates a sense of luxury that comes from not having to worry about the "nickels & dimes" of vacationing.

[cy1229]

I think the dining plan can be worth it with the proper planning, you also have to consider the value of having everything paid for and budgeted before you get there.

Yep, the piece of mind is the biggest selling point I find. If my calculations had ended with the DP being only $20 more than out of pocket, I still would have gone with it as a way to "control" costs and free my mind from the worry of budgeting food $ on site. The all-inclusive aspect creates a sense of luxury that comes from not having to worry about the "nickels & dimes" of vacationing.

I think this is an intangible benefit that needs to be considered; however, we also have to remember that gratuities and many beverages are not included on the DDP. Granted, gratuities would be out of pocket anyway, but it's not like when we went in 2001 when everything was included (except for a glass of wine or something like that).

[theBIGyowski]

I think the dining plan can be worth it with the proper planning, you also have to consider the value of having everything paid for and budgeted before you get there.

Yep, the piece of mind is the biggest selling point I find. If my calculations had ended with the DP being only $20 more than out of pocket, I still would have gone with it as a way to "control" costs and free my mind from the worry of budgeting food $ on site. The all-inclusive aspect creates a sense of luxury that comes from not having to worry about the "nickels & dimes" of vacationing.

I think this is an intangible benefit that needs to be considered; however, we also have to remember that gratuities and many beverages are not included on the DDP. Granted, gratuities would be out of pocket anyway, but it's not like when we went in 2001 when everything was included (except for a glass of wine or something like that).

In my calculations, I always tack on an extra $10 per meal for gratuities, as well as 6.5% sales tax. That way you can have an honest comparison to know how much you will be spending. I also always break out alcohol into a different line item even when I'm calculating out-of-pocket dining costs.

Looking ahead to next year, we're pretty sure that we'll do the DDP. I think if the amount ends up being over $50 more for the DDP we'll reconsider. But anything under that or if the DDP saves us money, we're sticking with it.