First of all, what is the dining plan? Well, it is a very convenient program that Disney has created that allows guests to bundle all of their meals into one easy package. There are several different plans to choose from, but I would say that the two most common ones are the quick service plan and the basic dining plan. The quick service plan allows for each guest to have two counter service meals and two snacks per day, plus they get one free resort refillable mug per person on the plan (29.99 per adult and 8.99 per child). The basic dining plan allows for each guest to have one counter service meal, one table service meal, and one snack per day ($41.99 and $11.99 for most of year, though this price depends on the time of year you visit). I believe I saw that the prices are going up in 2011, but I don't know how much. If you get a counter service meal (walk up restaurant where you serve yourself) on the plan, each person gets a drink, entree and dessert (or one combo meal). If you get a table service meal (sit down restaurant where you order at a table or a character buffet) on the plan, each person gets an entree, drink, and dessert. One note, every person in the room has to be on the same plan.
So, now you now a few basics about the plans. Now back to my original question...is it worth it to buy a plan? This depends on your goal for being on the plan. Is your goal to save money or is to take a lot of hassle out of your trip and to add a little convenience?
If your goal is add some convenience to your trip I would suggest the dining plan for you. One of the main advantages to having the dining plan is that it is a great tool in helping you to budget before your trip. You know how much you are planning on spending for food before you even leave home. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of budgeting when you begin planning your trip. All that is left to budget for is souvenirs, a few bonus treats, and transportation costs. Plus, while you are on your trip, you simply show your Key to the Kingdom card (your room key and park pass) at the restaurant and you don't have to open your wallet. If you are on the basic dining plan and eat at a table service restaurant, you will have to pay gratuities (if there are six or more in your party, this will be automatically billed to you). There are two options for paying for gratuities. You can either pay out of pocket or if you set up charging privileges on your room key, you can charge the tips to your room.
If your goal is to save money on dining, I would not normally suggest the dining plan, unless your family is full of really big eaters. If you would normally get a dessert at every single meal (including counter service meals), then you will probably save some money on the dining plan. We have had the dining plan on our last four trips and have kept the receipts to see how much we were saving on the plan. When I first looked at the receipts I thought wow, we saved almost $200 by simply being on the dining plan. Then I looked at the receipts a little more closely and realized we probably only realistically barely broke even. The reason I say this is because I would not normally get a dessert at any meal. If I were to add an extra item to my entree, it would be an appetizer. Also, the entrees are so huge, I can never finish them (and seeing as we always head back into the parks, taking a doggie bag with me isn't feasible). Also, since it seems like we are always eating while we are there, I have a hard time spending all of my snacks. Because of the fact that I don't really eat the snacks or desserts, when I took those items out of the equation, we barely broke even.
Now, for the last four years, plus our upcoming trip in October, we have been really lucky to get the dining plan for free. So, obviously, that makes it worth it for sure. We usually stay at Pop Century, which means that had we not booked our upcoming trip on a bounce back offer, we would have to pay $10 per adult and $2 for our child to upgrade from the free quick service plan to the basic dining. For $22 a day, I still would have jumped at that opportunity. I would probably never choose to have the quick service plan (even if it is free), but will definitely pay to upgrade to the basic dining plan. We love having the opportunity to enjoy some table service and character meals every day. That being said, we will have to continue to work the numbers each trip to see if it is worth it to purchase the dining plan for our family. Of course, I will always cross my fingers that Disney continues their tradition of offering free dining during our fall break and then the decision will be an easy one for me :)
One special note, if you decide to go with the basic dining plan, I cannot suggest strongly enough the importance of making your dining reservations for your table service meals as soon as possible. Reservations can be made 180 days out from your check in date. I know a lot of people detest trying to plan when and where they want to eat in six months, but if you don't make your reservations and get the restaurants you want, then the dining plan is not going to be worth it for you.
For additional information on the various plans, check out one of my favorite websites (touringplans) here http://www.touringplans.com/tp2/UG2_index.php?PageID=94. Also, check out the Disney World website here http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/ to see the different restaurant options or to book a reservation. Happy dining :)
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