dining plan vs eating at rv

[Michelle GT]

I am planning on about 2 weeks at the fort in Dec and to save some $ am considering not doing the meal plan this time. We are a family of 5 and with the changes in the plan and 2 of my kids( 10 and 11) considered "adults" with the pricing I am thinking we might not do the plan this time. Anyone else feeling the same way? It would cost around $170/day plus gratuity for us to be on the plan.
I am worried that having most of our meals in the rv will be a downer since we usually do the meal plan. This would be our big trip/vacation for the year. Maybe a few well picked dinners out would make up for it. Any thoughts?

 

[becky1960]

We were just discussing this and decided that although we eat out at a lot of the Buffets and theamed resturants it was cheaper for us because we always have Breakfast in the Rv and we also eat offsite several times during our 10 day stay. We buy two cases of Juice at Sams and also water and mostly cereal and snacks. We also carrry sandwhich stuff just in case.
We will see you in Dec. I think we skip June this year, the first time in many, many years.

 

[djblu883]

I can see how you would want to skip the plan with 5 and 2 of them being "adults" but for me a vacation is not a vacation if I have to plan and prepare meals. I've only used the DP once and it was soooooooooooo nice to have it that I've told my friends/family if they want to join our group going in Dec. they will have to pay the extra cost. That just makes it a VACATION. When not on vacation I spend a LOT of time in this TT for work and cook...I'll enjoy the pampering the DP provides me lol!!!! (all adult trip plus one child anyway)

 

[JodyLynC]

There is a website which has the menus with prices posted at all of the restaurants in WDW. It is allearsnet.com (click on Dining)

We sat down and picked out the restaurants that we had ADRs for and the Counter Service meals we would most likely order from and added prices for allowed snacks. Then I compared those figures to the dining plan. Since we are getting a cabin, we are eating most breakfasts at fort. We also have 2 free nights in which we will cook at the cabin. (We are sticking with sandwiches, hot dogs, salads, etc.) Even after adding in the cost of the food that we will be purchasing to eat at the cabin, we are still saving a significant amount of $$ by not doing the dining plan this year.

My suggestion is to do the same and figure out which would be most cost effective for you.

Good Luck!

 

[ntsammy5]

Unless you plan on eating one big meal every day, we normally don't, the dining plan costs much more than buying stuff out of pocket. We normally eat at CS places 2 out of 3 days. Even if you don't cook at the RV, under that scenario, you'll spend less OOP than in getting the plan.

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

Ive never thought about cooking while at Disney. That is the one campground my wife and I refuse to cook at lol. Other than light snacks. When our kids get older we might but as for now we are planning on going to the fort next summer and plan on the meal package. I wonder if you can talk to someone when booking to see if you can just get a few days of meal plan. That way you can be spoiled and only a few meals to cook.

 

[Rhonda]

There is a website which has the menus with prices posted at all of the restaurants in WDW. It is allearsnet.com (click on Dining)

We sat down and picked out the restaurants that we had ADRs for and the Counter Service meals we would most likely order from and added prices for allowed snacks. Then I compared those figures to the dining plan. Since we are getting a cabin, we are eating most breakfasts at fort. We also have 2 free nights in which we will cook at the cabin. (We are sticking with sandwiches, hot dogs, salads, etc.) Even after adding in the cost of the food that we will be purchasing to eat at the cabin, we are still saving a significant amount of $$ by not doing the dining plan this year.

My suggestion is to do the same and figure out which would be most cost effective for you.

Good Luck!

Don't forget - we have the menus and pricing right here in our Dining Database on the DIS!

 

[auntie]

Just Because you don't do the dining plan doesn't mean you can't eat in the Disney restaurants. You just may be at a point with your kids at 10, and 11 where the plan isn't worth it...and it's best to pay out of pocket. They may not be eating some $40.00 worth of food. I think people get spoiled when the kids are under 10 and you're paying the kids price. It's hard to resist..as you can't feed kids anywhere for all of $10.00 a day. Sort of like sticker shock..as the kids aren't getting the "little kids" price anymore. They do get to an age where it's debatable depending on your child,..whether it's worth it for you to do the plan or just pay out of pocket that year. I can tell you this..in a a couple of years..the $40.00 for the day will seem like a bargain again when you're feeding growing teenagers.
It's best to take a look at the menus...get a ballpark figure of what it would cost you if you paid out of pocket vs. the plan.

 

[PanFanAL]

We never do the dining plan. I spend all my time touring the parks, we stop for a few minutes to eat at a CS and go on. It just doesn't make sense to us. $40 a day is way more than we ever spend on food, and we eat in the parks. Usually a light breakfast at our room, or camper for our upcoming trip. I think we may cook out a couple of times also.

 

[Colson39]

As Florida residents we always use the Disney Dining Experience card, it's much more cost effecting than the Dining plan, but only if you get the discount that Florida residents get.

Plus whenever I look at the dining plan, I feel like somehow they're skimping you, but I know overall it's a really good deal.

As others have said, try to figure out how much you think you would spend, and if it seems worth it, go for it!

 

[ntsammy5]

Don't forget - we have the menus and pricing right here

Yeah, it's always amazed me that everyone puts the allears links up and never the Dis links.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I agree...If you cant find it on DIS, it probably doesnt exist.

 

[disneyfan55]

This may be a stupid question, but is the free dining ever offered with campsites. I rather doubt it but I just would like to know. In reality the cost for a premium campsite is not that much less than the value resort and no housekeeping, towels, sheets etc. Thanks!

 

[Shannone1]

This may be a stupid question, but is the free dining ever offered with campsites. I rather doubt it but I just would like to know. In reality the cost for a premium campsite is not that much less than the value resort and no housekeeping, towels, sheets etc. Thanks!

No, it's not offered with the campsites.

 

[Rhonda]

This may be a stupid question, but is the free dining ever offered with campsites. I rather doubt it but I just would like to know. In reality the cost for a premium campsite is not that much less than the value resort and no housekeeping, towels, sheets etc. Thanks!

No, because they allow 10 people on a campsite! That would be a lot of free food!

 

[disneyfan55]

Thanks! I really didn't realize that so many were allowed to stay at one site.

 

[Michelle GT]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I should try to figure out where we would like to eat first. Maybe we should just do the meal plan for part of our stay or look into the discount card. We are in PA, so I believe one person in the party needs to have an annual pass in order to purchase the card. If we choose the dining plan it would probably cost us about $2000 for 10 days and that is such a large sum of money for food.
Does anyone know if you eat at a sit down restaurant if my 10 year old would have to eat off of the adult menu or could he order a childs size order? I don't mind ordering adult meals for my 11 yr old , but my 10 year old would probably only eat chicken fingers anyway.
Thanks,
Michelle

 

[Rhonda]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I should try to figure out where we would like to eat first. Maybe we should just do the meal plan for part of our stay or look into the discount card. We are in PA, so I believe one person in the party needs to have an annual pass in order to purchase the card. If we choose the dining plan it would probably cost us about $2000 for 10 days and that is such a large sum of money for food.
Does anyone know if you eat at a sit down restaurant if my 10 year old would have to eat off of the adult menu or could he order a childs size order? I don't mind ordering adult meals for my 11 yr old , but my 10 year old would probably only eat chicken fingers anyway.
Thanks,
Michelle

If you are on the Dining Plan, then the 10-year-old is considered an adult, and is supposed to eat from the adult menu. You might get a nice server, that will let him eat from child's menu, but he would still have to pay for an adult dining plan.

If you are paying out of pocket, I'm sure he can order from the kid's menu. Nobody will ask for ID.

 

[AuburnJen92]

No, because they allow 10 people on a campsite! That would be a lot of free food!

sometimes they take the fun out of things....

 

[graciejane]

We have never tried the DP. We always plan a couple special meals, this trip it was breakfast at Chef Mickey's and of the course the HDDR. We pack for easy breakfasts and dinners that can be grilled quickly or crockpot it. I know for some people it would not be a vacation if they have to cook, but for us it is a more flexible way to go. ON nights we are back at the Fort and I don't want to cook, there is always the TE buffet