WDW Meal Plans

sag746 · Post by **sag746** » Jan Mon 12, 2009 3:01 pm

Are the Disney Meal Plans worth it. I have only checked in for rooms and have always turned down the meal plan.I figured that the extra cost wasn't worth it. However a few people we met swear by it.

What do you think?

Thanks

viking245 · Post by **viking245** » Jan Mon 12, 2009 3:59 pm

If you plan eat several sit-down meals and/or character meals then yes. If you don't need those, then probably not.

It is convenient having it available though and you won't go hungry!

Over Christmas, for four, our counter service meals rang up to about $32 +/-. Here's some of our sit downs:

50's Prime Time Cafe $ 120.48
Biergarten $ 179.23
Chef Mickey $ 134.38
Garden grill $ 183.28
Mickey's Backyard BBQ $ 179.96 ($44.99 X 4)
Ohana $ 164.26
Whispering canyon $ 203.82

These $ include a required 18% gratuity (more than 8(?) total in the dining group) and at most 2 (extra curricular) drinks.

These may have also been holiday season menu prices. Not sure.

stev02 · Post by **stev02** » Jan Mon 12, 2009 5:33 pm

The meal plans are DEFINITELY worth it. I'm going to WDW in October for the food & wine festival and will be there for 8 days. I'll be doing the meal plans for this vacation and I'll save tons of money by doing it. Every night will be a delicious sit down restaurant. mmmmm!!

figmentaholic · Post by **figmentaholic** » Jan Mon 12, 2009 5:52 pm

I would say that for adults travelling alone, or with only one child, it is worth it. If you think you are going to do a lot of character dining- if you have two or more childen, and especially if you have younger children who will need to eat immediatly when they are hungry, or at off times, then it may not be for you.

kcarts · Post by **kcarts** » Jan Mon 12, 2009 5:58 pm

They are if you use them all. We found that we didn't use our allotment the week we went. You get a lot with the sit down meal. Each person gets an appetizer, meal and dessert. For the price, it's a deal. Again, if you eat everything.

Post by **Len90** » Jan Mon 12, 2009 11:46 pm

For us, it is not worth it, but that is because we eat what Disney calls 2 table services each day with a full breakfast and dinner. Also, we rarely eat a counter service or have a snack.

sherabby · Post by **sherabby** » Jan Tue 13, 2009 7:47 am

kcarts wrote:They are if you use them all. We found that we didn't use our allotment the week we went. You get a lot with the sit down meal. Each person gets an appetizer, meal and dessert. For the price, it's a deal. Again, if you eat everything.

There is no appetizer on the dining plan unless you do the deluxe plan which can tend to be way too much food. We do the regular dining plan and pick up breakfast foods before we hit Disney World. We rent a car so stopping at a grocery store is pretty easy. We also figured that we could counter service breakfast if we want cheaper than the deluxe plan costs.

It is a great value for us and we like the break of a sit down dinner. We try and chose character meals for my son and the dining is a great Disney experience too!
Oh and if you do not use all of your snack credits be sure to use them up before you go by purchasing snacks that you can take home with you like Mickey Rice Krispie treats!

figmentaholic · Post by **figmentaholic** » Jan Tue 13, 2009 8:11 am

Also don't forget that some shows like the Hoop De Doo Revue can be done, but you have to reserve way in advance, and it takes two credits (meals) for those, but it can definatly be worth it.

CapnHook · Post by **CapnHook** » Jan Tue 13, 2009 10:02 am

It can be worth it if you are careful. Otherwise it isn't as worth it as a few years ago. Back then it included appetizer, desert, entree, drink, and tip. Appetizer is gone, tip is gone. So you will still be expected to tip your servers who usually do a fabulous job.

I was fine with cutting either the appetizer or dessert, but would have preffered a choice. I'm not much for sweets, and would usually get the appetizer, while the DW is a Creme' Brulee fanatic. I can't imagine going to le Cellier and not having the Canadian cheese soup. So now I have to pay extra for that.

The tip, well on that one that is where in my book the plan shined. Some places a tip could easily get to $40/$50 and that alone was worth it. That being gone digs heavily into the value. Though it would have been helpful to us and management if there was a way to rate service and have their tip be figured by that, rather than killing it all together.

Also with the 2009 plan, a LOT of places are gone. Even the counter service places have lost participation. Go on the disneyworld site and look at the brochure... http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media ... Dining.pdf (they make it difficult to find so here is the link

I was really suprised at how many places are not participating this year. So check that first, and make sure that where you want to go is still on the plan. Also consider that without tips included that you will have to budget for that cost as well.

wdwannabe · Post by **wdwannabe** » Jan Tue 13, 2009 10:34 am

CapnHook wrote:It can be worth it if you are careful. Otherwise it isn't as worth it as a few years ago. Back then it included appetizer, desert, entree, drink, and tip. Appetizer is gone, tip is gone. So you will still be expected to tip your servers who usually do a fabulous job.

I was fine with cutting either the appetizer or dessert, but would have preffered a choice. I'm not much for sweets, and would usually get the appetizer, while the DW is a Creme' Brulee fanatic. I can't imagine going to le Cellier and not having the Canadian cheese soup. So now I have to pay extra for that.

The tip, well on that one that is where in my book the plan shined. Some places a tip could easily get to $40/$50 and that alone was worth it. That being gone digs heavily into the value. Though it would have been helpful to us and management if there was a way to rate service and have their tip be figured by that, rather than killing it all together.

Also with the 2009 plan, a LOT of places are gone. Even the counter service places have lost participation. Go on the disneyworld site and look at the brochure... http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media ... Dining.pdf (they make it difficult to find so here is the link

I was really suprised at how many places are not participating this year. So check that first, and make sure that where you want to go is still on the plan. Also consider that without tips included that you will have to budget for that cost as well.

Some of those places renew the contract after the new year, so you may need to check back. Usually they are added latter. Hopefully! Unless I haven't heard about some new change.

We too loved the dp, of course it was appitizer, desert and tip included when we used it. I would have to crunch the numbers to see if we would do it now. Menues are available on www.wdwinfo.com you can get a lot of info, what is there and price.

Happy eating!

Croaker · Post by **Croaker** » Jan Tue 13, 2009 11:12 am

Having used the Dining plan 3 years in a row, i have come to the conclusion that it should be purchased based on your plans in the park. The first year we took advantage, they offered the appetizer and we had way too much food. At the end of the Trip, we had over 6 counter service's and a few snacks left over.

The Second Year i took a friend and we were on a whirlwind see all 4 parks in 5 days as well as take in "Not a Joy"...er Night of Joy. Once again almost 6 counter service meals left over, which i randomly chose people and purchased their counter service meals for them. (I love doing that, they are so happy and its like giving away a Disney Magical promotion. everyone should try it!).

The Third Year (2008) we slowed down our trip, met some wonderful people! IndyandMarion, QuickGold, Rodders "Go Wigan!" (name dropping!) we enjoyed all the meals (minus the land...ok Matt you were right it was bad) and once again we had leftover counter service meals.

My overall expierience, the Plan feeds you well and is worth the money...We however are not early morning people, so we stock our room with cereal, bowls, juice etc. by time we are out in the parks we are not hungry for several hours. I wish Disney would offer a plan with one sit down meal a day, that would be great!

My Advice: (bought time you windbag!) if your enjoying a leisure visit, get the dining plan and give away any extra's. if your on a fast pace visit, or your one who zips to the next attraction, skip the dining plan altogether. I personally will only get the Dining plan if it comes free with the vacation. Get ADR's! even if its just for a back up.

aparadissis · Post by **aparadissis** » Jan Tue 13, 2009 2:28 pm

I had three children plus my wife and I at our last visit. The meal plan was definitely worth it. We were able to schedule with ease and my 5 year old never once had a issue with being hungry. My wife did schedule things out well though. We did take snacks/water with us to keep the hunger demons at bay.

One suggestion is to make your first dinner reservation before you get there!

Also, snacks in the resort general stores count on you plan!

AND, your first day there you get the full use of you meal plan, so if you arrive late (as we did) stock up that night in your room for emergencies over your stay!

Enchantment · Post by **Enchantment** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 2:06 pm

I wish there was more flexibility to the plan so there wouldn't be counter service leftovers. On one visit, a lady came to me and others in the food court passing out meals. It was her family's last day and they had too much food and didn't want to waste it.

My husband and I discussed it and found that it wouldn't work for us because our daughter is a picky eater.

spodie · Post by **spodie** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 10:08 pm

I did it for the first time the last time we went. It was a TON of food and even with the appitizers and tips aren't included, it's still a great value. I don't understand why people complain about no appitizer because there's so much food you won't even miss it. Here is an example of one of our days, meal-wise:

Lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express (CS meal): $24
Dinner at Crystal Palace (TS meal): $39

I would say that that's a pretty good deal. Of course, most of your Counter Service meals aren't going to cost $24, but I think a good average of our CS meals throughout our stay averaged about $16.00.

The bottom line: you'll definately be saving money, even paying the tip. However, to me, the major drawback (and the reason that I would never pay for the DP) is that the TS meals MAJORLY cut into my park time. I really didn't like being tied down to a place every night. I think I would do better on the CS meal plan and still come out on top, even if I had to pay for it.

CapnHook · Post by **CapnHook** » Jan Thu 15, 2009 7:23 am

aparadissis wrote: One suggestion is to make your first dinner reservation before you get there!
Also, snacks in the resort general stores count on you plan!
AND, your first day there you get the full use of you meal plan, so if you arrive late (as we did) stock up that night in your room for emergencies over your stay!

I would add that if you do this that you go ahead and make ALL of your reservations to ensure that you can get the places you want. Places do fill up and the one thing even worse than having left over CS credits Is having left over TS credits that you couldn't use. Especially if you cannot get into a sit down. I have not had this happen, but I've heard people having tantrums outside a TS place that they bought the plan but couldn't get in anywhere. This will ensure that you are not "That Guy"

You certainly can use the snack credits for snacks at the general stores. You can use a few in the middle for room snacks. (Though I've always had leftover things from the meals for that...) I have one friend who never uses his snack credits himself, but goes to the general store spends them all there, and gives out the snacks as gifts when he gets home. Another saves a couple for the flight home.

Remember too that the snack credits can also apply to drinks in the parks. Something that is especially important in the Magic Kingdom (the water is worst there). Don't forget to keep everyone well hydrated, you will feel better if you do. And remember to have water sometimes, coffee, soda/pop/coke/soft drinks will not be as effective. (yeah, I work in the medical field...)

I have managed to never have credits left. But it is extra planning to accomplish it. Which depending on how you look at it, isn't necessarily a bad thing...