Disney's dining plan
- Thread starter Michele S
- Start date
cab0899
Cathlete
We usually go to Disney every year, I've never purchased the dining plan for various reasons:
1) With the DP you have to have one counter service and one table service meal each day. we usually like to do a few table service meals each trip but definitely not every day as they take much longer and cuts into our time on the rides. Often we just want to grab a quick bite and keep having fun.
2) I don't think I could even eat $36 worth of food a day but we are light eaters. The meals are so huge we often just share meals. For breakfast we bring food like little boxes of cereal, instant oatmeal, dried fruit etc and just eat at the hotel. I'm an early riser and I like to eat the same breakfast every morning. Toast with peanut butter and coffee. I can buy the toast/pb for less than a dollar at the hotel food court (we stay on site) and use inroom coffee makers or refillable mugs. DH and dd eat the cereals, fruits etc. DS hates to eat in the mornings so I take granola bars, cheese and crackers with us to the parks. So breakfast doesn't cost much.
3) To get the dining plan you have to purchase a package. I think that you often get better deals purchasing seperately. For example I get the CAA/AAA discount (20% off) to book a Disney hotel room and then use Air mile points to get the park passes for free. Buying a package is usually much more expensive.
4) Most table service restaurants you need to make advance dining restaurants ahead of time so you day is scheduled around your dining plans. I hate to stop what we are doing just because we have a reservation for supper, it's more convenient to stop at counter service when you're hungry. I've often heard of people on the dining plan grumbling about keeping track of the credits seems like kind of a headache.
5) Also you have to be carefully as not all the restaurants are on the dining plan. You have to know what qualifies for each credit, etc. For example, a small water qualifies as a snack credit and large water doesn't etc.
I would check out the disboards.com under Disney Restaurants subforum dining plan to get all different opinions. I think the plan works well if you're going without kids so you can sit and enjoy a fancy meal each night and are big eaters.Otherwise probably not worth it. The last two years Disney has offered free dining in August and September, I would be tempted to get it, if we were going during those times.
Hope that helps!
75 days till my next Disney trip! Kim;-)
;(
1) With the DP you have to have one counter service and one table service meal each day. we usually like to do a few table service meals each trip but definitely not every day as they take much longer and cuts into our time on the rides. Often we just want to grab a quick bite and keep having fun.
2) I don't think I could even eat $36 worth of food a day but we are light eaters. The meals are so huge we often just share meals. For breakfast we bring food like little boxes of cereal, instant oatmeal, dried fruit etc and just eat at the hotel. I'm an early riser and I like to eat the same breakfast every morning. Toast with peanut butter and coffee. I can buy the toast/pb for less than a dollar at the hotel food court (we stay on site) and use inroom coffee makers or refillable mugs. DH and dd eat the cereals, fruits etc. DS hates to eat in the mornings so I take granola bars, cheese and crackers with us to the parks. So breakfast doesn't cost much.
3) To get the dining plan you have to purchase a package. I think that you often get better deals purchasing seperately. For example I get the CAA/AAA discount (20% off) to book a Disney hotel room and then use Air mile points to get the park passes for free. Buying a package is usually much more expensive.
4) Most table service restaurants you need to make advance dining restaurants ahead of time so you day is scheduled around your dining plans. I hate to stop what we are doing just because we have a reservation for supper, it's more convenient to stop at counter service when you're hungry. I've often heard of people on the dining plan grumbling about keeping track of the credits seems like kind of a headache.
5) Also you have to be carefully as not all the restaurants are on the dining plan. You have to know what qualifies for each credit, etc. For example, a small water qualifies as a snack credit and large water doesn't etc.
I would check out the disboards.com under Disney Restaurants subforum dining plan to get all different opinions. I think the plan works well if you're going without kids so you can sit and enjoy a fancy meal each night and are big eaters.Otherwise probably not worth it. The last two years Disney has offered free dining in August and September, I would be tempted to get it, if we were going during those times.
Hope that helps!
75 days till my next Disney trip! Kim;-)
;(Michele,
What time of year are you going? I ask because for the past two years Disney has offered their dining plan free (for a certain length of time). We have taken advantage of this both years. This past year I believe the free dining started on Aug 13 and continued (I think) thru the end of September. You do have to book this in advance which I think last year it was mid June sometime. This is the website I use for all my disney info www.wdwinfo.com. I am hoping they do the free dining again this year.
Re the dining plan. It is one snack, one counter service and one table service per day. I can only tell you my experience. We were on the dining plan for four days. It was myself, my husband and my 13 year old daughter. It was tons of food. My husband and I were splitting lunch from the first day and we are both good eaters. Dinners were nice but honestly, by the fourth night, I was tired of eating. Your dinner includes an appetizer, entree, drink and desert. At the end of our stay we had a lot of credits left over and this was only a four day stay. No complaints here since it was free but I'm not sure if I would pay for it. Now if you enjoy having a sit down dinner every night and will be eating at your hotel or the parks for lunch, I think it is worth the price.
What time of year are you going? I ask because for the past two years Disney has offered their dining plan free (for a certain length of time). We have taken advantage of this both years. This past year I believe the free dining started on Aug 13 and continued (I think) thru the end of September. You do have to book this in advance which I think last year it was mid June sometime. This is the website I use for all my disney info www.wdwinfo.com. I am hoping they do the free dining again this year.
Re the dining plan. It is one snack, one counter service and one table service per day. I can only tell you my experience. We were on the dining plan for four days. It was myself, my husband and my 13 year old daughter. It was tons of food. My husband and I were splitting lunch from the first day and we are both good eaters. Dinners were nice but honestly, by the fourth night, I was tired of eating
. Your dinner includes an appetizer, entree, drink and desert. At the end of our stay we had a lot of credits left over and this was only a four day stay. No complaints here since it was free but I'm not sure if I would pay for it. Now if you enjoy having a sit down dinner every night and will be eating at your hotel or the parks for lunch, I think it is worth the price.Bobalita229
Active Member
Michele
I recently went to Disney in August 06(Too HOT) I was originally going in December of 05 for X-mas with the family, But My Dad (Sepsis) and my husbands Mom (brain Aneurysm) as you can see, they were very ill so we canceled. I had to rebook my flights by a certain time so I called Disney in June of 06 to replan our vacation. At this time Disney was offering at NO EXTRA CHARGE the Disney dining Plan for trips booked Aug 13 and beyond. I am currently a nursing student (2nd year) so thats another reason why I went in August.
We had 5 in our party. (2 adults, (2) 16 year olds and (1) 4 year old)and we stayed 8 days 7 nights in the fort Wilderness resort Log Cabins in the campgrounds (absoulutely gorgeous) We had a choice of renting a golf cart to zoom around in on our own, but of course Disney transportation was their as well for those who didn't.
Is the dining plan worth it?
Each person got 1 sit down dinner, 2 snacks , 1 counter service a day, needless to say we ate like pigs and we still didn't use them all. Now don't forget we went in August (HOT, HOT)
I reccomend that you make reservations for dinner its sit down.(before you get their) Ebcot had the best food Italy, Germany, China, ETC. ALL YOU CAN EAT from main course to every kind of mouth watering deserts you can think of and absolutely MMMMM.When your done you can go watch the fireworks right there.( watch your portions ) Magic Kingdom and MGM also have great places as well. MAKE RESERVATIONS.
The counter service is walk up you get a soda or water full entrees(Hambergers, chicken, pizza, wraps, choice of sides and desert, and it all depends on where you ate the choices varied) and they are not small portions. Yes they do have healthy choices to pick from but, you have to find them in the park your in.
Downtown Disney had an awesome place next to the trading pin center, I can't remember the name (sorry) Salads, wraps, etc.
The snacks were water, slushies, popcorn, pretzels that kind of stuff.
We looked at the bills after each dinner, aprox $125.00-$250.00 depending on where you ate. Some were 5 stars some were 4 but again service & food were awesome.
Lunches were less we shared alot because the portions were so big.
Snacks were pricey like any amusement park.
The best thing about it was the shows with the all you can eat dinners. Some were only 1 dinner, but the good shows were two dinners the most (these came off your meal plan). We did the Hoop dee doo Review at the campgrounds absoulutely great. Dinner was ribs, chicken, cornbread, mac & cheese salads and homemade strawberry shortcake and was all served in steel buckets, on steel plates like the olden days. oh and we drank out of jars. I think this was the best bargin because these were very $$$$ and the show was fantastic!!!
There are also places for dinner and counter service that are quite inexpensive. especially if you don't want all that food you can just buy a wrap or salad and not get all the extras and we did that as well and saved up some of our dinner plans for shows because that where you made out.
Oh and you get to trade in your extra meal plans for pins. (do that on your last day if you have any left), and you have to do that at the dining places that your at. Kids loved that. We are big pin collectors and they are quite $$$ too.
Yes I would do it again in a heart beat, just because we like to eat in nice places with good dinners and shows and that alone was worth it $$$$. I keep checking for the promotion again.
I know you said you were going with your hubby, so I'm assuming you don't have kids or they're staying home.
I love Disney (as if you couldn't tell)We got our deal for nothing (we saved big bucks) and they run this promotion quite often. I suggest call monthly or check disney.com to see whats going on. I had to go in August because of school, but if i recall correctly you could book until early November of 06. But, you have to book at time of promotion. Which was June 06 for me.
I hope this helps you decide. Sorry so lengthy...I just couldn't pass it up. Even if I had to buy it, I think for us it would be worth it. Two people I'm not sure.
Oh one more thing, because they offer this free meal plan, I am sure you will decide to do whats best for you, but still make your Reservations at least for good dinner dinning before you get there or you will NOT get it when you get there.
Have a great time!!
Theresa
PS. Can I come? :7
I recently went to Disney in August 06(Too HOT) I was originally going in December of 05 for X-mas with the family, But My Dad (Sepsis) and my husbands Mom (brain Aneurysm) as you can see, they were very ill so we canceled. I had to rebook my flights by a certain time so I called Disney in June of 06 to replan our vacation. At this time Disney was offering at NO EXTRA CHARGE the Disney dining Plan for trips booked Aug 13 and beyond. I am currently a nursing student (2nd year) so thats another reason why I went in August.
We had 5 in our party. (2 adults, (2) 16 year olds and (1) 4 year old)and we stayed 8 days 7 nights in the fort Wilderness resort Log Cabins in the campgrounds (absoulutely gorgeous) We had a choice of renting a golf cart to zoom around in on our own, but of course Disney transportation was their as well for those who didn't.
Is the dining plan worth it?
Each person got 1 sit down dinner, 2 snacks , 1 counter service a day, needless to say we ate like pigs and we still didn't use them all. Now don't forget we went in August (HOT, HOT)
I reccomend that you make reservations for dinner its sit down.(before you get their) Ebcot had the best food Italy, Germany, China, ETC. ALL YOU CAN EAT from main course to every kind of mouth watering deserts you can think of and absolutely MMMMM.When your done you can go watch the fireworks right there.( watch your portions ) Magic Kingdom and MGM also have great places as well. MAKE RESERVATIONS.
The counter service is walk up you get a soda or water full entrees(Hambergers, chicken, pizza, wraps, choice of sides and desert, and it all depends on where you ate the choices varied) and they are not small portions. Yes they do have healthy choices to pick from but, you have to find them in the park your in.
Downtown Disney had an awesome place next to the trading pin center, I can't remember the name (sorry) Salads, wraps, etc.
The snacks were water, slushies, popcorn, pretzels that kind of stuff.
We looked at the bills after each dinner, aprox $125.00-$250.00 depending on where you ate. Some were 5 stars some were 4 but again service & food were awesome.
Lunches were less we shared alot because the portions were so big.
Snacks were pricey like any amusement park.
The best thing about it was the shows with the all you can eat dinners. Some were only 1 dinner, but the good shows were two dinners the most (these came off your meal plan). We did the Hoop dee doo Review at the campgrounds absoulutely great. Dinner was ribs, chicken, cornbread, mac & cheese salads and homemade strawberry shortcake and was all served in steel buckets, on steel plates like the olden days. oh and we drank out of jars. I think this was the best bargin because these were very $$$$ and the show was fantastic!!!
There are also places for dinner and counter service that are quite inexpensive. especially if you don't want all that food you can just buy a wrap or salad and not get all the extras and we did that as well and saved up some of our dinner plans for shows because that where you made out.
Oh and you get to trade in your extra meal plans for pins. (do that on your last day if you have any left), and you have to do that at the dining places that your at. Kids loved that. We are big pin collectors and they are quite $$$ too.
Yes I would do it again in a heart beat, just because we like to eat in nice places with good dinners and shows and that alone was worth it $$$$. I keep checking for the promotion again.
I know you said you were going with your hubby, so I'm assuming you don't have kids or they're staying home.
I love Disney (as if you couldn't tell)We got our deal for nothing (we saved big bucks) and they run this promotion quite often. I suggest call monthly or check disney.com to see whats going on. I had to go in August because of school, but if i recall correctly you could book until early November of 06. But, you have to book at time of promotion. Which was June 06 for me.
I hope this helps you decide. Sorry so lengthy...I just couldn't pass it up. Even if I had to buy it, I think for us it would be worth it. Two people I'm not sure.
Oh one more thing, because they offer this free meal plan, I am sure you will decide to do whats best for you, but still make your Reservations at least for good dinner dinning before you get there or you will NOT get it when you get there.
Have a great time!!
Theresa
PS. Can I come? :7
cab0899
Cathlete
The free dining plan has only been offered twice before: aug/sept of 2005 and 2006. Of course this is during hurricane season, it was a way of drawing tourists back after the years where they had bad hurricanes in Florida. Chances are it won't be offered at any other time of the year. They have announced free dining for Aug/Sept 2007 but only for people staying at Disney Resorts before Dec 31,2006 and willing to book for Aug/Set 2007 and pay a deposit before checking out of their hotel. So that may be an indication that free dining will be again opened up to the general public for that time frame. Kim
Conni
Cathlete
Hi,
We just came back and we used the Dining Plan. Yes, we paid for it, but it paid for itself and then some. We enjoy going to the nice restaurants and it was so cool not having to worry about the cost or the tip! The plan actually gives you more food imo than you may normally order. Our family of 3 went to Narcoosees at the Grand Floridian ( I had Lobster,too) and the bill came to over $200.00. That was more than 2/3 of what we paid for the entire plan, and we ended up saving bigtime. The last day Disney just let us apply whatever credits we had to whatever we were eating, tableservice or counter service, so we could use the plan points up. We loved it! It was so nice not to worry about food cost. I packed cereal, granola bars and fruit for our breakfasts, so we never ate that meal in a restaurant, then we were free to use the plan as we wished. We also loved the fact that Character meals were included as well. A great plan!!:7 :7
We just came back and we used the Dining Plan. Yes, we paid for it, but it paid for itself and then some. We enjoy going to the nice restaurants and it was so cool not having to worry about the cost or the tip! The plan actually gives you more food imo than you may normally order. Our family of 3 went to Narcoosees at the Grand Floridian ( I had Lobster,too) and the bill came to over $200.00. That was more than 2/3 of what we paid for the entire plan, and we ended up saving bigtime. The last day Disney just let us apply whatever credits we had to whatever we were eating, tableservice or counter service, so we could use the plan points up. We loved it! It was so nice not to worry about food cost. I packed cereal, granola bars and fruit for our breakfasts, so we never ate that meal in a restaurant, then we were free to use the plan as we wished. We also loved the fact that Character meals were included as well. A great plan!!:7 :7
Thanks for all the replies!
I did forget to mention that the trip includes my three kids, 8, 5 and 1, and we've been to Disney many, many times! My husband and I both love it. This is the first time that we're looking into the dining plan. We all love to eat and for us, it's part of the "Disney experience" as much as all the rides!
We're looking to go next December and I'm even looking into the discounts that are available if you purchase an annual pass. I'm trying to convince my husband that if we go in December and then go again for Halloween the following year, the pass would be so worth it, just for the room discounts alone!
Can you tell I'm a Disney nut???
I did forget to mention that the trip includes my three kids, 8, 5 and 1, and we've been to Disney many, many times! My husband and I both love it. This is the first time that we're looking into the dining plan. We all love to eat and for us, it's part of the "Disney experience" as much as all the rides!
We're looking to go next December and I'm even looking into the discounts that are available if you purchase an annual pass. I'm trying to convince my husband that if we go in December and then go again for Halloween the following year, the pass would be so worth it, just for the room discounts alone!
Can you tell I'm a Disney nut???
Conni
Cathlete
We were there in October, and we were able to enjoy the Halloween party. That was alot of fun, but crowded.
We like the food experience at Disney also, which made it nice to be able to go in the bakery on Mainstreet and order one of those huge cinnamon rolls and have that only count as a "snack" on the plan.
The key is to make your dining reservations early to best maximize your values!!!
We like the food experience at Disney also, which made it nice to be able to go in the bakery on Mainstreet and order one of those huge cinnamon rolls and have that only count as a "snack" on the plan.
The key is to make your dining reservations early to best maximize your values!!!