Loving the Dining Plan

[Gator]

Post 2008: For our Christmas trip in 2008, we decided to use the Dining Plan. And we LOVED it! I know there's a lot of people here who hate the DDP and accuse it of ruining the food at WDW, though I'm not sure it was ever great anyway. But we really liked it and can't even think about going back without it.

1) We love eating at a nice place every day we're there. Before using the DDP we'd only hit a nice place 2-3 times a trip. But with the DDP, we could stop and relax at a nice resaurant quite a bit.

2) We thought it was great using it for the Candlelight Processional Dining Package. Instead of paying way more for the food+show, we simply used 1 dining credit and got it all for the price of a meal.

3) I loved eating and not worrying about how much an item cost. Instead of thinking "this is a good cheap item", I just get what I want.

What do you think?

[Zippy 1]

We have used the dining plan twice and found it very benefical for us. My husband likes to eat at least one TS meal a day. Both times we have used it we have come ahead with the savings over what it would have been out of pocket. I do wish they would let you choose whether to have an app or desert. We don't always want desert but love to share an app.

[Mousemates]

For us its just too much food...plain and simple the dining plan adds pounds to our frames that takes a whole lot of work to remove. (our 40+ year old bodies just dont shed the excess calories like they used to--its easier not to eat it, than it is to have to lose it)

[Melanie]

I've never been one to say it's ruined the food. For us, it's just not a deal. In recent years, we can get an awesome deal on rooms (usually 40% off) and then use our Tables in Wonderland card for meals AND alcohol. That's the best deal for US.

[Ms. Mode]

We love the DDP too! We can pay for our food and not have to worry about carrying extra cash with us. Plus there is a great variety of places to choose from.

I put on weight by walking by it, but when we are at WDW I have never gained any weight due to all the walking....it's when I get home and continue eating big that the problem comes in.

[MagicalGuest]

We also love the DDP. There is a lot of food, but we're careful in our choices to avoid overeating. We're very light eaters at breakfast, so we save the snack to use toward food court breakfast items. In fact, one of our favorite pre-vacation activities is to have a family meeting to decide where we're eating on our next trip. The kids love this!

[AllDisney]

We love the DDP too! We eat a big breakfast. We get a snack mid-day & look forward to sitting down at the end of the day to a nice meal.

We never gain weight, and sometimes even shed pounds while at WDW do to all the walking we do at the parks.

We also wish they would let you pick between an app instead of chocolate cake

[WDWCrazyKaren]

We are fans too. I've been doing the dining plan since it was the "Food N Fun" plan long ago. Haven't gone without it since. Is it economical? No. Still love it!

We don't have to give a thought about the money while we are there. We pre-pay for our vacation LONG in advance of arrival, just so all we have to dig out of our pockets for while we are there, is tip money. I'm a planner. I love thinking about where to eat, making those plans. We eat 1 TS meal a day, so it generally isn't a big deal for us get to it. If we did the Deluxe, I don't know if I could do 3 TS meals a day, but one is just fine!

We go for the ambiance, not the food. It fills us up, and we are happy!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Our family loves it too for the same reasons as you...

[jodijo]

We tried it for the 1st time last year and loved it! I loved being able to sit down and order the most expensive items on the menu and not feel bad about it. I never get to do that at home. It was a wonderful treat!

[Rachie]

We love it too! It's nice to have everything paid for before you even go! The only thing I've noticed is that we tend to order the more expensive things on the menu "just because we can". I gotta get away from doing that & not always order the steak. I'm sure there are plenty of other yummy alternatives!

[mom2morgan]

Yep - we went once with and once without and will never go without again :-)

[Silver_Surfer]

I am making dining reservations right now for our trip in May w/dining plan.
It seems too easy.
One question, If you book a reservation in a expensive $$$ (The restaurant says 1 meal credit) restaurant and the a $ cheaper restaurant that only uses 1 credit also is it the same? You don't have to pay anything? After performing all my searches it does seem so????

Thanks!

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

I am making dining reservations right now for our trip in May w/dining plan.
It seems too easy.
One question, If you book a reservation in a expensive $$$ (The restaurant says 1 meal credit) restaurant and the a $ cheaper restaurant that only uses 1 credit also is it the same? You don't have to pay anything? After performing all my searches it does seem so????

Thanks!

The only time you have to pay more, or more accurately, use more entitlements is if you are using the DDP for a signature restaraunt (Yachtsman, Artist Point, Brown Derby etc) or for a special package (Candlelight Processional, Hoop De Doo etc) in which case you have to relinquish 2TS instead of 1TS.

The $ $$ and $$$ are just simple ways for to gauge average menu prices for people that are paying oop. If you are on the DDP all TS (unless signature or specialty package) are only 1TS regardless of how many $$$$ are listed.

[clausjo]

I also love the dining plan. We went over the summer and stayed offsite, but eat in some of the TS places - mostly buffets, and I think we spent more money than if we stayed onsite and used the DP. We're going in February and will have the DP. I prefer to be able to order whatever I want without thinking about the price. I like not needing to worry about how much I'm spending on the meal itself and find that I enjoy the dining experience much more this way. I don't think I'll go without it again.

[Silver_Surfer]

The only time you have to pay more, or more accurately, use more entitlements is if you are using the DDP for a signature restaraunt (Yachtsman, Artist Point, Brown Derby etc) or for a special package (Candlelight Processional, Hoop De Doo etc) in which case you have to relinquish 2TS instead of 1TS.

The $ $$ and $$$ are just simple ways for to gauge average menu prices for people that are paying oop. If you are on the DDP all TS (unless signature or specialty package) are only 1TS regardless of how many $$$$ are listed.

YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!
THANK YOU!!1

[wdw dude]

I'm another dining plan lover. I can't imagine going to wdw without it now.