Is the Disney dining plan a good deal?

Answer 1

I really think that it is worth it. It will still save you a lot of money. Every trip I have taken to Disney since this plan was released had the dining plan on it, if not the premium or platinum plan, it's a great deal. I believe Disney says most guests save an average of 40% off of their dining. The key thing to remember is that the tip is include. Consider that at 18%-20% of your meal and the savings start to add up.

Most restaraunts are included in the plan, it changes all the time, so its a good idea to watch what is and isn't included as well as how many meal points it will use, one or two. But for the most part a lot are included As far as what you can order, you will be able to order way more than you can eat. It's amazing. Each restaraunt at Disney is a little different as far as what you can order, so my travel agent has always told me to just ask when I get there. The waiter will tell you what you can all order.

Any time you eat at a table service meal, not counter service, you should book it in advance.Especially if you plan to go during one of the peak, and sometimes regular seasons. You may wait in line a long time otherwise, or you may not be able to get in. As far as what parks on what day, look for the ones that will be open the longest during the days you are there. That is what I always do. This way you can go t the park all day and get the most out of the day. Otherwise, you can just plan to go to the parks on any day and schedule your dining around it. But I wouldn't go to more than one park per day. If you have a meal in one park, but spend the day in another park, you will spend most of your time traveling between parks and not get to do as much.

The dining plan is great. It's the least expensive plan I have been able to get from Disney for dining in a long time. Of course the premium and platinum plans include a lot more and are definitely worth the upgrade. But if you are on a budget the dining plan is still great. One of Disney's great benefits for their guests. You will be able to eat a restaraunt that are really nice, and most likely places you wouldn't eat at if you have to pay full price.

My recommendation would be to find a good website that has the information for the plan on it. Find a site that really outlines the plan, what you get, what you can eat, where, etc. If you are planning this on your own it will be the most useful way to go! If you can, look for a Disney specialist to help you with your trip. I think it is because of my travel agent that the dining plan is such a great deal for me. She helps me plan my dining and in some cases my days (although not so much anymore since I pretty much know how the plan works and have used it 20+ since it originally came out. But she still was able to help me learn the plan to get the most out of it) I've read a lot of people that didn't think it was worth it or it wasn't really a savings, and immediately from reading over their plans I could see where they had went a little off course and lost out. Their are a lot of little secrets to help you plan the dining that will make you get the most out of it, which is why I find a travel agent very useful.

So in short, I think the plan is worth it. I wouldn't even question it if you have children under 9, in this case it is an amazing bargain. Even if you have adults only, it is still a great deal. You will get so much food you won't know what to do with it. Plan wisely and you will do great. If you plan to dine onsite while at Disney, consider the least expensive meal, a very basic meal to run you about $10 per person. That can show you how quickly the plan can save you. These are just burgers, fries and a drink at a counterservice, if you want something a little nicer you are looking for at least $20 per person. There are restaurants in the plan that you could spend well over the cost per day in one meal.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Disney has changed this plan in recent months so it is more flexible than before. There are 3 levels available depending on what you might think you would be eating while there. Disney dining is very expensive in the parks. So to have it already prepaid for you is a great relief to many. And it does include the gratuity already- so right there it helps too.
If you know you are going to be in a certain park for the day- you should call the Disney Dining phone number (listed at all hotels in the area) to make a reservation for that night as dinner is the busiest meals in the park.

Answer 3

I definitely think it's worth it. Most people think it's only a good choice if you're traveling with a big group or staying for a long time. I usually stay over a week and go with only one other person. Last August we got Disney's Premium Package with the dining plan included. It worked out great, we actually didn't even use all our "coupons." (After a meal you'll pay with your Disney "Key to the World" and they will give you a receipt with the amount of coupons you have left, or points. We didn't get up for breakfast any day we were there, though. lol That's why we didn't use them all. We were kind of lazy. But anyway, this year we booked Disney's Platinum Plan, also with the dining plan. I love that taxes and gratuities are always included in the dining plan. It made it so easy for me, because I'm not from Florida, so I don't know anything about the taxes there, and I'm always worried about whether or not I'm giving the waiter/waitress a good tip. Most restaurants are included on the dining plan, and if you get Disney's Platinum Package, just about EVERY restaurant is included, even room-service. Which is awesome, that's why we upgraded our package this year. We want to eat at the more expensive restaurants that weren't included on the other plan, like Fulton's Crab House, Victoria & Albert's, etc.

I love the Disney dining plan, I know I'm always going to get it everytime i go to Walt Disney World. I'll never just pay for our meals. One night we had dinner at Narcoossee's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort... our meal, including appetizers, entrees, and desserts cost at least $130... if we had payed cash for all of out meals, it definitely would've cost more, I think.

Answer 4

It is the BEST! Once you get there, you don't have to worry about having cash to eat! My son and I went to some of the best restaurants in Disney World last year-ones that would never have fit into our budget! The year before, by the last couple of days, we had to split foot-long hot dog meals to save money! Last year we dined everywhere. A couple of the meals would have cost us over $100.00 for the two of us!

Answer 5

If you are going to stay at Disney and don't plan on leaving Disney you definitely want to get the dinning plan. I calculated staying for 5 days and you can save a couple hundred dollars. Don't forget to figure out what restaurants you might want to eat at especially for dinner and looking into making reservations before you go on your trip.

Answer 6

When making your decision, keep in mind that eating at Disney hotels, Downtown Disney, etc is expensive, and eating in the theme parks is even more expensive. Last time I ate at an MGM snack bar, it was $8 for a small burger, chips, and a fountain drink. (And I was still hungry after.)

If you are the kind of people who keep an ice chest in your room, you go to "off campus" restaurants for meals, who bring substantial snacks with you to the parks, then the meal plan won't represent much savings for you. Use it one or two days, like when you go to Epcot. (Going to Epcot and not having dinner is like going to the prom and not dancing.) The respondent who urged to make reservations is correct.

If you are the sort who don't deal with "groceries in your room" and plan to eat every meal at a WDW venue, then it will probably save you money to use the meal plan every day.

Another way to save money is to buy prepared sandwiches, cheese, crackers, six packs of sodas, etc, at the convenience shops near hotel lobbies. If you are a WDW guest, then you are welcomed to use the poolside tables and other areas of ANY hotel to eat food purchased in these shops

Answer 7

We did not care for it. The dinners are the most of your points and you do not want to lose them by not reserving. One time reservations is plenty for us, but to be tied down to a dinner reservation at a certain time for three or five times is just too much. Say if you are in one park and your reservation is in another place, you have to hurry back, usually go to your room and clean up and then rush to make it. It's just too much hassle. And then the snack points are usually wasted, or they were by us anyhow. They cannot be carried over to another trip either. The lunch part of the package is ok, but I say no, it's not a good deal for what you have to pay for it.

Answer 8

Yes a very good deal. Just make sure you plan ahead and make your ressies for the park you plan to be in that day. We ate like kings for hundreds less than what we should have. For example at one resturant our bill was $178.00, for one meal, for 3 people. We paid only 36.00 for that meal. It was great.

Answer 9

Yes, if you like three good meals a day. We usually do one or, at most, two, so it wasn't something we'd invest in.