mom2rtk
Invented the term "Characterpalooza"
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2008
Day 1: Check in 3pm / $308 dinner Portobello
Day 2: $35 snack / $84 lunch Seasons / $395 dinner Hoop dee doo revue
Day 3: $35 snack / $95 lunch La Cantina / $320 dinner T-Rex
Day 4: $35 snack / $79 lunch Leaning Palms / $406 Ohana
Day 5: $35 snack / $96 lunch Restaurantosaurus / $345 Grand floridian cafe
Day 6: $35 snack / $87 lunch Columbia House / $92 dinner Endzone
Day 7: $35 snack / No lunch / $413 Spirit of Aloha
Total: $2900 for 2 appetizers, entree for everyone, and desert.
With Dining Plan: $3050 for no appetizers, entree, and desert.
But WAIT! Hoop Dee Doo requires TWO dining credits. So does Spirit of Aloha.
Therefore, TWO of those dinners we would have had to pay out of pocket ANYWAY - Adding an extra $400 to $600 in cost. Therefore making the dining plan really $3500 to $3800.
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It's confusing to many because they got caught in the Disney trap.
You ONLY break even by purchasing the most expensive item EVERY SINGLE TIME. Yeah, I could order a $50 steak but what if I WANT or am craving that $15 pasta meal? Etc.
It's why disney got rid of appetizers from the dining plan.
Without details on what everyone ordered, it's really too hard to evaluate.
But I've never been one to use 2 credits on a meal. Just not a good value.
Bottom line is that each family has to evaluate individually and not buy it just because they think it will save them money. But you can't dismiss it out of hand unless you are doing so for your own family and your own personal eating habits.
If we were taking our oldest son, I would lean toward wanting the dining plan, just so we would have our meals be free of the "why do you always want to order the most expensive thing on the menu!" arguments.
I do see that you did no character meals, which is probably why you have a different opinion than some. We do every character meal we can schedule, so it's given when you walk in the door that you're ordering the most expensive thing on the menu.