Dining Plan Convenience???? Where's the Convenience?

[Farro]

I'm not going to argue the price. Everyone's plans are different. If the dining plan works out to be cheaper, then I understand it.

What I don't understand is when people say "I don't mind paying extra for the dining plan, because I like the convenience". What convenience are they talking about?

I don't think you care why, I think you want to "argue" why.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

I don't think you care why, I think you want to "argue" why.

I'm simply trying to understand if there is something I am missing. This was literally my second reply in the thread (the first being seconds earlier basically replying with the same question to someone else.) Hardly arguing.

 

[TravelandLeisure]

In my case the dining plan “forces” me to splurge. I’m a naturally frugal person, and even if I chose to pre-load a Disney GC, I would still find ways to talk myself out of getting the alcoholic beverage or snack or whatever. It’s all psychological lol.

Now we have done Disney both with and without the DDP. It’s not something I would get for every stay, but I’m looking forward to it for our upcoming trip.

 

[sharonabe]

I'm simply trying to understand if there is something I am missing. This was literally my second reply in the thread (the first being seconds earlier basically replying with the same question to someone else.) Hardly arguing.

I think the convenience part is that it is completely prepaid and gives an "all-inclusive" feel to the vacation. With prepaid VISA or just money put aside for dining, the convenience people wouldn't eat the same way they do with the DDP. They would look at prices, they would forego some snacks, they wouldn't book the same meals they do with the DDP. It's definitely psychological.

There are also those who use the convenience "argument" (for lack of a better word) when they are traveling with extended family or treating their parents or grandparents to the vacation. With the plan, their guests are more free to order what they want without worrying about over pricing their hosts. Those with older kids feel like their kids can go on their own and order what they want and Mom and Dad don't have to worry about the bill at the end of the trip.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

There are also those who use the convenience "argument" (for lack of a better word) when they are traveling with extended family or treating their parents or grandparents to the vacation. With the plan, their guests are more free to order what they want without worrying about over pricing their hosts. Those with older kids feel like their kids can go on their own and order what they want and Mom and Dad don't have to worry about the bill at the end of the trip.

This is the best response I've heard. I definitely see how purchasing a Dining Plan provides a bit more of a convenience than figuring out how your guests/older kids will budget their food costs.

 

[tguz]

It is convenient in my eyes because I don't have to carry gift cards, cash, or keep a mental running total of the food and snack purchases we have made versus the food/snack budget. My girlfriend and I are they type of people who would stick to a set budget for food/snacks. If after day 4 we were over budget, we would probably start ordering the $10.99 items when we really wanted the $18.99 ribs and chicken platter and probably get 1 snack instead of the 2 allotted on the plan for days 5, 6, and 7. We 100% save up for vacation and don't go into any debt for vacation so there is only an XX amount of money available. We got free dining again this year so that made the "out of pocket" food budget a moot point. The free dining did allow us to be able to return to Disney for the 3rd year in a row though, without it we would have done something fun closer to home.

 

[over50visits]

Some people prefer to know exactly how much meals will cost them ahead of time. Some think the dining plans are great and others hate them. Just depends what you prefer.

Disney loves these people...they create the perception of value when in fact it is an expensive imagined comfort level.

 

[MarkinNM]

It is convenient in my eyes because I don't have to carry gift cards, cash, or keep a mental running total of the food and snack purchases we have made versus the food/snack budget. My girlfriend and I are they type of people who would stick to a set budget for food/snacks. If after day 4 we were over budget, we would probably start ordering the $10.99 items when we really wanted the $18.99 ribs and chicken platter and probably get 1 snack instead of the 2 allotted on the plan for days 5, 6, and 7. We 100% save up for vacation and don't go into any debt for vacation so there is only an XX amount of money available. We got free dining again this year so that made the "out of pocket" food budget a moot point. The free dining did allow us to be able to return to Disney for the 3rd year in a row though, without it we would have done something fun closer to home.

DING...DING...DING...

It is convenient in that my food is prepaid and when I go to whatever I feel like restaurant I can order anything I please and it is PAID for, do I get my dollar value out of it per say, yea as I don't care about sticker shock or even look at the prices I just order what sounds good as 99% of the time I would have ordered it anyway! Just remember that perception is in the eye of the beholder......

 

[gillep]

DING...DING...DING...

It is convenient in that my food is prepaid and when I go to whatever I feel like restaurant I can order anything I please and it is PAID for, do I get my dollar value out of it per say, yea as I don't care about sticker shock or even look at the prices I just order what sounds good as 99% of the time I would have ordered it anyway! Just remember that perception is in the eye of the beholder......

It is fantastic that this works for you! I will push back on the idea that you can go to a restaurant and order 'anything you please' and it is paid for. This is simply not true. You can order anything that the plan specifically covers and have it paid for. So if you have the regular DDP you can order any of the covered entrees and be all set, but if one of the apps looks better than any of the entrees you are out of luck. If you are happy with any of the included alcoholic beverages with your meal, you are all set, but if you prefer one of the more expensive beverages or one of the exempted flights, you are out of luck.

The dining plan also needs to work for how you eat and what you would typically order in order for it to have value, which is always my issue with it. Others find that it fits their eating style perfectly, and that's fantastic!

 

[MarkinNM]

It is fantastic that this works for you! I will push back on the idea that you can go to a restaurant and order 'anything you please' and it is paid for. This is simply not true. You can order anything that the plan specifically covers and have it paid for. So if you have the regular DDP you can order any of the covered entrees and be all set, but if one of the apps looks better than any of the entrees you are out of luck. If you are happy with any of the included alcoholic beverages with your meal, you are all set, but if you prefer one of the more expensive beverages or one of the exempted flights, you are out of luck.

The dining plan also needs to work for how you eat and what you would typically order in order for it to have value, which is always my issue with it. Others find that it fits their eating style perfectly, and that's fantastic!

IT IS PAID FOR............................simple, no matter how one twists it.......


And you are right it comes with an adult beverage if one chooses and I choose YES......PAID for, simple.....

 

[gillep]

IT IS PAID FOR............................simple, no matter how one twists it.......


And you are right it comes with an adult beverage if one chooses and choose YES......PAID ofr, simple.....

No, it is not as simple as saying that 'you can order anything you please and have it paid for' that is objectively false information.

You can order anything that the dining plan covers, at a location that accepts the dining plan, and have it paid for. So if what the dining plan covers matches up with what you want to order then yes, it is paid for. If you prefer to order items that the dining plan does not cover at a specific establishment, then no, it is not that simple. Or, if you prefer to eat at establishments that do not accept the dining plan then it is not that simple. This is why people need to ensure that one's dining preferences match up with the plan, because it is not as simple as saying that a TS credit covers dinner, it covers the specific items that are outlined in the plan at specific establishments that accept the plan.

 

[MarkinNM]

No, it is not as simple as saying that 'you can order anything you please and have it paid for' that is objectively false information.

You can order anything that the dining plan covers, at a location that accepts the dining plan, and have it paid for. So if what the dining plan covers matches up with what you want to order then yes, it is paid for. If you prefer to order items that the dining plan does not cover at a specific establishment, then no, it is not that simple. Or, if you prefer to eat at establishments that do not accept the dining plan then it is not that simple. This is why people need to ensure that one's dining preferences match up with the plan, because it is not as simple as saying that a TS credit covers dinner, it covers the specific items that are outlined in the plan at specific establishments that accept the plan.

Twisty turny.......

Again it is PAID FOR.................so............................

 

[gillep]

Twisty turny.......

Again it is PAID FOR.................so............................

I am not sure you are understanding my point. The dining plan works for you and you like that it is paid for in advance. That's fantastic, i'll leave it at that.

 

[tguz]

Twisty turny.......

Again it is PAID FOR.................so............................

Agree.

 

[tricia]

The 'convenience' factor for me comes from having teenage boys. They are allowed to go off on their own when we are at Disney. This allows them to be able to use snack and QS credits. This way I don't have to hand them $50 every morning and NEVER get any change back. We do TS dinners together every night and I also don't have to give my youngest, steak loving son, the side eye everytime he orders the most expensive thing on the menu. We traveled with extended family 2 years ago and had 6 different family groups. For some dining plan made sense for my niece who needs to pay up front because she will likely not have enough money at the time if not. And for others like my brother who traveled solo and doesn't eat dessert it did not make sense.

 

[Christine]

I'm all over the place with the dining plan. I did it for the first time last year, just to try it. I stressed about it the whole time because I'm the type of person who *has* to ensure that I get top value you for my dollar. In my case, there were nights that I wanted to order the chicken, but when it was the cheapest thing on the menu, it made me feel like I was getting ripped off (and I was).

I guess I differ from a lot on this thread who are locked into a food budget and are stressing if they go over. I am pretty frugal in most area of my life, but my DH and I do make good money, kids are out of college and the house now, etc and I don't need to adhere to a budget so much. One reason for that is because, as I said above, I'm pretty nuts about getting good value for every dollar I spend: be it clothing, food, cars, etc. With the dining plan, I really worked that thing over every day and spent a lot of time stressing. But, I will say, on the days I "got over" on the plan, it was an exhilirating feeling!!

We're going again in November and I probably won't get it. On the last trip, there were things some people wanted that were excluded (mainly the beer, wine, or mixed drink flights).

As far as the ease, I just link my credit card to the band and pay that way--just like with the DDP. I also link my older kids so when they are separated from me, I'm not having to worry about how they'll pay for food.

Then, I like the fact that I can charge my meals to a credit card that has a good percentage rewards back on dining out. I realize that when I charge my room and DDP, I also get rewards, but I can shift my distinct dining costs to a card that specifically favors dining so in that way, I get a discount on my food.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

guess I differ from a lot on this thread who are locked into a food budget and are stressing if they go over. I am pretty frugal in most area of my life, but my DH and I do make good money, kids are out of college and the house now, etc and I don't need to adhere to a budget so much. One reason for that is because, as I said above, I'm pretty nuts about getting good value for every dollar I spend: be it clothing, food, cars, etc. With the dining plan, I really worked that thing over every day and spent a lot of time stressing. But, I will say, on the days I "got over" on the plan, it was an exhilirating feeling!!

This is the one thing I never understood. The dining plan is so expensive. Even if you did go over, unless you have a family of 10, your only going to go over a nominal amount.

The way I see it is, 90% of the time your going to come out way under if you go without the dining plan. The other 10% of the time, your only going to go over by around 10%. At 75.49 per night, your only talking about the potential of going over budget by about $7.50 per night, or $50 for a week vacation. $50 per person on a week's vacation is a fraction of the cost of going. If you can't afford to go over by that amount, then you probably should not be travelling to Disney World. Getting the Disney dining plan is like buying the extended warranty.

That's why I started this thread. From a pricing standpoint, it doesn't make sense. But everyone keeps talking about the convenience. I've seen a couple of people mentioning when they are paying for older children, or extended family, it's a bit more convenient to pay for the dining plan vs giving everyone cash. But that is the only "convenient" thing that makes any sense to me.

 

[Christine]

That's why I started this thread. From a pricing standpoint, it doesn't make sense. But everyone keeps talking about the convenience. I've seen a couple of people mentioning when they are paying for older children, or extended family, it's a bit more convenient to pay for the dining plan vs giving everyone cash. But that is the only "convenient" thing that makes any sense to me.

I'm still wondering where the cash thing comes from? Well, I guess I do understand it if you don't use credit cards and some people don't.

 

[Paul Francis]

Those who like the convenience don't care about the cost, don't care if they get their full value, don't care if they bring snacks home. They DO like that it's paid for completely before they leave home, they can order whatever they like without worrying about the price, they can let their kids get snacks when they want them.

It's definitely a particular mindset and it works for those who have it. If they didn't have the DDP, they would obsess over the cost of food, they wouldn't do as many character meals, they would feel like their vacation wasn't as magical.

To each his own

I agree 1000% with this. The OP wrote about worrying about this or that, and doing this or that. I look at it as though my vacation is paid for in advance, my reservations are in, and I don't ever think about it again. It gives me an all inclusive feel that I like, and I believe is worth paying extra for. Who knows if I'll lose or make out on the plan but either way isn't a deterrent, at least for me. Over the course of a week's vacation at a place you know you're spending thousands of dollars on for a family the $100 or so that you saved or lost is really splitting hairs.

 

[sharonabe]

That's why I started this thread. From a pricing standpoint, it doesn't make sense.

But it can make sense even from a pricing stand point. The cheapest character dinner buffet is $55 for adults and $33 for kids. The kids plan is only $30/night. Families with the 7-9 yr olds who can really eat, can EASILY push the value of the dining plan just by eating at 2 or 3 of the character buffets. $33 buffet + 2 snacks @ $5 ea + an adult QS meal and specialty drink avg $20 and you've just "spent" $63 with a plan that only cost you $30. That adds up to a lot of money.

With the addition of alcohol, if you know you want them, you now have to work at it to LOSE money on any of the plans. I think the cheapest alcoholic drink at a QS is around $10 and even more at the TS.