2009 Dining Plan Poll and Comments About This Page:

[msnewfie]

does the quick service meal plan show adult vs kid usage on the reciepts??

I think I'll need my older child to order kid breakfasts to let the younger child have more choices at other times of the day?? Or does it matter?

Does the quick service meal plan record adult / child meals or just meals used?

[HeatherD]

We are a family of 4 - DD was 8 and DS turned 5 on our 7 day trip in February. We had previously done the dining plan in 2007, when tip and appetizers were still included. At that point, I'd had my doubts about the plan, since we felt pressured to have a TS every day and ordered so much food! It was worth it for the food we had, but would we have done all this without the plan?

So, this time around, we looked into the QSDP. We sat down and looked at what we wanted to do for meals, to see if it made sense. Bottom line is that for us, it didn't. We wanted to able to do a few TS, but not one every day. We would be eating breakfast in our room, so on the QSDP any day we had a TS, a CS credit would be wasted. We also would have 8 snack credits per day among us. Now, I can do a Mickey bar and a Diet Coke in a snap - but there was no way we'd use 8 a day without really trying. We'd gotten a case of water for our room, so getting drinks wasn't going to fill up the snack quota either (you're still paying for it, even if it's ahead of time - it's not free just because it's left over). And, looking at what we'd eat/spend at CS meals we realized we'd be paying a couple dollars MORE per meal on average if we used the plan. We usually don't order the "high end" items available at CS. And, frequently, the kids split a meal. And we rarely order dessert.

So, if we were already buying all the things you get on the plan, it would have made sense to work it around our schedule. But, because of the way we eat at the park, we would be paying quite a bit more per meal than OOP. And the "convenience" of paying ahead of time couldn't counter the amount.

[TinkerbellsBFF]

We've had the Basic DP twice before and have it again when we go this August. We love this plan! All of our children are grown but one or two always figure a way to finagle their way along - LOL This time the 19 yr old DD is going with us. She picked the TS meals. Who knew she wanted to eat at CRT!

I do agree with the people who wished they could get appetitizers instead of dessert or another snack credit instead of dessert. None of us have ever been able to eat dessert right after dinner (or lunch). And I hate to carry a backpack or purse to carry the desserts around in b/c it's a hassle so if we don't eat it, it's usually left behind.

I love to eat places I never would have been able to afford or eat food I never would have ordered because of the cost. Last time we all had lobster!

[ChelleMB70]

Thanks for the advice on the different dining plans. I've been trying to convince my hubby that a DP would be good for us. After he read this thread he decided that we needed it. WhooHoo!

[samwise2577]

where do you get pin codes and are they for more than dining?

[Laurast]

We have used the dining plan for all but our first two trips. Even with the changes to the plan this year, it was still worth it for us, especially my husband. The last time we went (just the 2 of us in February for an anniverary trip) was the first time we had used the plan since the tips/appetizers were excluded. I wasn't sure if it would still be good for us, but it was. My DH prefers to go the "all-inclusive" approach when we can so we don't have to worry about spending a lot of money once we are there and kind of have things paid for up front, except for incidentals. He also loves that he doesn't have to think twice about the price of the entree that he is choosing. I imagine we will continue to purchase the dining plan unless the price gets really out of control and/or they make it less attractive!

[Shelley the Pooh]

This was my first experience using the Dining Plan. We had the Deluxe plan and felt that combined with the fact that we stayed "club level" we just had too many food options.

There was only two of us and many times we didn't get the dessert because we were just too full to eat it and didn't want to carry them around as most times we weren't leaving the parks right away. Or vice versa with the appetizer. Sometimes we weren't interested in what the appetizers were. My DD also didn't feel well one of the days so we burned 6 meal credits (3 meals each) since she didn't want much food that day or the next.

Another thing was that if we didn't feel like waiting in line for QS breakfast we would just go to the lounge that was included in our "club level" service and had about the same type of foods for breakfast there.

Overall, I like the dining plans. I agree that the Basic plan should give the option of an appetizer or dessert. Maybe Disney will hear the comments and adjust for the future.

We have decided that the Basic plan will prolly more than cover what we are interested in eating while at the parks and beyond. We also has 15 snack credits left but used them up the last day to take some food/snacks home with us (we drove and had a cooler).

One other thing - We did the Hoop de Doo Revue, Spirit of Aloha, and Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner and still burned the 6 meal credits.

[msnewfie]

I don't think summer travellers will have the same issue with unused snack credits, so keep this in mind when deciding the best plan for you.

Did the basic dining plan last year and even with a few meals that counted as 2 sit down credits, we still left with counter meals unsued.

We were very stuffed our entire trip

[TheMadonna3]

2007 was my first experience with the DDP. Then it was basic, it was free, and it still included apps and tips. I went again in 2008 when it was not free, apps and tips were removed and I paid for deluxe. Because I believe if I pay for something I should get my money's worth and to do this I decided to have two sit downs per day. BIG MISTAKE!!

Now, the deluxe plan wasn't a mistake, my planning on the deluxe plan was a mistake. We were constantly running to make an ADR and we sometimes weren't hungry. We always ordered apps, picked at our entrees, and took dessert to go. The tips KILLED us. Every meal we were forking out $20-$40 between tips and adult beverages. That was an extra $300 at least on top of what we already spent. It added up.

This year I went deluxe again. The differences this time are it was half the price so for me it's instantly worth it because of free dining, I am planning only 1 TS most days so tips will be low because I don't drink, I included some 2 TS credit meals that include tips and I still get to eat that day (either at a CS or TS) without worrying about OOP costs, and I get my precious apps. We also get our mugs.

However, if the price for deluxe was not discounted so greatly and I had to pay OOP for it again - I wouldn't do it. It's not worth it to me that way. You spend too much effort making sure you get your money's worth because of the expense of the plan.

[samwise2577]

what places include tips. we spent about $300 on tips this time too.

[Pam and Darcy]

My daughter and I did the deluxe dining plan and found that it was definitely too much food (especially for her petite appetite!) but we save over $200 for our 3 night trip because we arrived early the first day and left late the 4th day, thereby stretching the 3 day meal plan to cover 4 days. We were also able to enjoy Narcossees which I had wanted to do for years, but had never felt justified in spending that much on a meal. It was a lot of fun--well worth the money.

[Karen L]

We had the basic DP & it was ok - still had to pay oop for some ts meals. We'd really be better off if there was a plan that offered 2 ts meals per day because we often had ts breakfast & late ts dinner. don't know about the deluxe - seems like a lot of food.

[kazzy3]

I have a question. Does everyone staying in room need to be on same dining plan? Could I get basic for kids and deluxe for adults?

[TraD4Disney]

Originally Posted by kazzy3

I have a question. Does everyone staying in room need to be on same dining plan? Could I get basic for kids and deluxe for adults?

Everyone on the reservation has to be on the same dining plan. Sorry.

[msnewfie]

at 30 dollars a day, it is a great choice.

Often our snacks were the high end floats, slushies , caribou ( ICED ) coffee or smart water.

That meant 8 dollars a day of the 30 went to snacks.

Then a typical meal would run from 12 to 18 dollars, of which you are having 2 a day.

This easily surpasses the 30 dollars you pay.
That doesn't take into account the mugs and refills that most people buy anyway- at least in summer.

With kids, this plan is like a freebie, because they get most of the same snacks and I don't think they really know what kids meals you order unless you order for your full party at the one time.

The larger pizza meal is by far the best kept secret. For 2 counter meals, you get a larger pizza, 2 drinks and 2 desserts. This is an easy way to make meals last.

This meal plan allows flexibility and the extra snacks really needed for hydration of florida summers.

In my opinion, no one should do disney without a meal plan.