garada3
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2004
We spent a week at WDW using the dining plan. We are a family a five which according to Disney requirement, was three adult dining plans and two kids plans.
Overall we saved $300+ dollars.
We had counter service for lunch almost everyday and used our table service in the evenings.
At CS places there was not any distinction between adult and child credits.
Our oldest DS wasn't always thrilled with adult options, even when he ordered things 'plain'. He did better at the begining of the week and I think just wanted more familiar foods towards the end of vacation.
Our middle son was often frustrated by the kids meal options at TS places. But between the five of us, with appetizers, entrees and desserts no one walked away hungry.
CS places included the bakery in Norway, Tusker House, Lottawatta Lodge at Blizzard Beach, Cosmic Rays, the food court in the Land pavillion, the counter service place in Disney Quest (twice) Gasparilla Grill at the Grand Floridian.
Table service places were the restaurant in Morrocco, Boma, California Grill( ), Sci Fi,Narcoosee's and Hollywood Brown Derby. We cancelled Crystal Palace.
We did use the kids clubs two nights to that we could enjoy CG and Narcoosee's as a couple. So the cost of the kids clubs used up just about all the savings from the dining plan but oh well. The memory of the California Grill meal - it would have been worth out of pocket costs for both the meal and the kids club!
We left WDW with two unused TS meals and 2 snack credits.
We know it wasn't the most efficient use of credits (2 each at HBD for a not so good meal).
It was a lot of food! DH and I talked about how nice it would be if Disney would allow unused credits to be 'donated' to charity (their equivalent cost) or if we could customize the plan to our needs rather than base it on how many nights we are there, as we really don't need to have a CS and a TS everyday.
Our snacks were mostly drinks and two rounds of Mickey bars. Even with the expanded options for snacks, we were just not hungry for them. We did 5 waters and 5 bags of chips for the plane ride home.
We stayed concierge so we did enjoy the food offerings in the lounge but didn't gorge on them so I don't think it affected our appetites too much.
We did have a bar bill every TS but planned for this
DH didn't like the tipping being already taken care of.
Not sure that we will use the plan again. All three kids will be priced as adults by then. If it was free the YES!
So anyway that it is the long version of our experience with the dining plan.
Overall we saved $300+ dollars.
We had counter service for lunch almost everyday and used our table service in the evenings.
At CS places there was not any distinction between adult and child credits.
Our oldest DS wasn't always thrilled with adult options, even when he ordered things 'plain'. He did better at the begining of the week and I think just wanted more familiar foods towards the end of vacation.
Our middle son was often frustrated by the kids meal options at TS places. But between the five of us, with appetizers, entrees and desserts no one walked away hungry.
CS places included the bakery in Norway, Tusker House, Lottawatta Lodge at Blizzard Beach, Cosmic Rays, the food court in the Land pavillion, the counter service place in Disney Quest (twice) Gasparilla Grill at the Grand Floridian.
Table service places were the restaurant in Morrocco, Boma, California Grill( ), Sci Fi,Narcoosee's and Hollywood Brown Derby. We cancelled Crystal Palace.
We did use the kids clubs two nights to that we could enjoy CG and Narcoosee's as a couple. So the cost of the kids clubs used up just about all the savings from the dining plan but oh well. The memory of the California Grill meal - it would have been worth out of pocket costs for both the meal and the kids club!
We left WDW with two unused TS meals and 2 snack credits.
We know it wasn't the most efficient use of credits (2 each at HBD for a not so good meal).
It was a lot of food! DH and I talked about how nice it would be if Disney would allow unused credits to be 'donated' to charity (their equivalent cost) or if we could customize the plan to our needs rather than base it on how many nights we are there, as we really don't need to have a CS and a TS everyday.
Our snacks were mostly drinks and two rounds of Mickey bars. Even with the expanded options for snacks, we were just not hungry for them. We did 5 waters and 5 bags of chips for the plane ride home.
We stayed concierge so we did enjoy the food offerings in the lounge but didn't gorge on them so I don't think it affected our appetites too much.
We did have a bar bill every TS but planned for this
DH didn't like the tipping being already taken care of.
Not sure that we will use the plan again. All three kids will be priced as adults by then. If it was free the YES!
So anyway that it is the long version of our experience with the dining plan.