roylanc
theDizneytaffy
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2009
When booking your Disney World Vacation 1 of the biggest questions you may ask yourself is do I need To purchase a Dining Plan.
What is the Walt Disney World Dining Plan?
I suppose I should start with a quick overview for those of you that don’t know much about the Walt Disney World Dining Plan.
What it is is a dining service that you purchase ahead of time, that covers the cost of the majority of your meals for your Walt Disney World stay.
There are a few different plans.
For this exercise I will only be focussing on the Regular Dining Plan.
This is the plan most associated with Guests staying on property.
1 Table service meal per guest per day.
1 quick service meal per guest per day
2 snacks per day.
And probably the biggest question is The Disney Dining Plan Worth it.?
Is it going to save me money.?
Should it be something I need to do.?
Now I believe the honest answer is YES / NO / MAYBE!.
Your probably thinking what!!.
Well we are all different in the way we approach the dining plan.
If you are a large family with fussy eaters you may be limited to the cuisine you can look for.
Or you may be vegetarians?
You may have allergies that can limit your eating.
See where I am going with this.!
We are not all the same in our tastes & eating habits.
So saying yes it will save you money could be considered a lie & the same goes for no.
Now some people will save on the standard dining plan.
So for this little Blog I am going to focus on the Regular Dining Plan.
That is:
1 Table service meal per guest per day.
1 quick service meal per guest per day
2 snack per day.
The Current cost is $69.35 per Adult per day.
So for this exercise it's 2 Adults at $69.35 = $138.70.
Now we stay on property for 14 day's.
But this exercise is going to be over 5 day's, so you can get a feel of the pricing.
Also because after 5 day's I decided to stop recording what we were eating & at where to enjoy the vacation more.
I do not know what the Tax was on all these items are, so at the end I calculated at 5%.
Please be free to correct this if I got it wrong.
Staying At The Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Day 1Breakfast at The Mara
African-inspired Breakfast Platter - - $9.49 x 2 = $18.98
Orange Juice -$3.49 = $6.98
Spent the day Magic Kingdom
Snack 1 Pinapple Dole Whip Float At Magic Kingdom = $5.49 x 2=$10.98
Snack 2 Mickey Pretzels with Cheese Sauce = $6.00 x 2 = $12.00
Dinner at Be our Guest
Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops - with Seasonal Vegetables and Mushrooms served in Puff Pastry with a Creamy Lobster Sauce - $29.00
Grilled Strip Steak = $35.00
1 Grey Stuff 1Chocolate cream puff both $5.00 = $10.00
2 Sodas at $2.99 each = $5.98
Day 1 total Running Costs = $128.92
Day 2
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Mara
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the snack plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
A morning At Animal Kingdom.
Flame Tree BBQ for Lunch
Ribs & Chicken Combo = $16.46
Smoked Turky Sandwich =$ 9.99
2 x Bevarages = $3.69= $7.38
Snacks at Tamu Tamu for 2 x Mickey Icream Sundaes = $4.49 = $9.98
1900Park Fare for Dinner
All you can eatBuffet = $59.99 x = $119.98
Day 2 Total Running Costs= $172.94
Day 3
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the Snack Plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
Morning At Disney Springs
Lunch At Blaze Pizza
2 x build your own Pizzas = $9.65 = $19.30
2 Fountain Beverages = $3.00 = $6.00
Back to the Mara
2 snacka x Zebra domes = $3.69 = $7.38
Polynesian Village Resort
Ohannas for Dinner
All you can eat Family Meal = $59.99 x $119.98
2 snacks x Dole Whip from Pineapple Lanai = $5.29 = $10.58
Day 3 Total Running Costs = $172.42
Day 4
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the Snack Plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
Off to Epcot
Lunch At Katsura Grill
1 x chicken & Beef Teriyaki = $12.00
1 x Chicken Cutle Cury m= $13.00
2 Beverages = $2.59 = $5.18
Evening At DHS
Fantasmic Dinner Package at Mamma Melrose.
Starters
Calamari = $12.00
Mozzarella & Tomatoes = $9.50
Entree
Seafood Arrabbiata = $23.99
Penne Pasta Chicken & 4 cheese sauce = $20.00
Desert Sampler = $6.00
2 Beverages = $3.69= $7.38
2 snacks of Mickey Ears ice cream at Fantasmic = $3.29 = $5.58
Day 4 Total Running Costs =$123.81
DAY 5
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the Snack Plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
Magic Kingdom for Morning & early Afternoon.
Lunch At Pecos Bill's
2 x Southwest Burgers = $13.99 = $27.98
2 fountain Beverages = $3.69 = $7.38
2 snacks of Dole Whip Floats $5.49 = $10.98
Dinner at Sanaa AK Lodge
Indian Bread Service = $11.49
Lamb Shank = $27.99
South African Braai sampler plate = $29.99
2 xTrio of Deserts = $7.49 = $14.98
2 x beverages = $2.99 = $5.98.
Day 5 total Running Cost = $145.95
5 Total running cost if out of pocket = $744.04 + 5% tax = $781.44
On Dining plan the cost would have been = $693.50
As you can see a saving of $87.94.
So for the exercise of our 5 day plan it saved money.
No tips have been included so you would have to factor in between 18% & 20% for tips.
But there are so many way's you could lose out as well.
The restaurants with 2 meal credits will considerably reduce your savings.
Also if you preferred the cheaper items on the list it will reduce the savings.
We were at Disney world for 14 day's & used up 2 dinner credits on a number of meals.
So overall we probably lost out.
But our dinning plan was free with our Vacation Package!.
Depending on what you book where you eat & what you order will determine if you save or lose out.
That is where the NO/YES/MAYBE is the answer.
Let me know your thoughts & how you plan your dining ADR's.
What is the Walt Disney World Dining Plan?
I suppose I should start with a quick overview for those of you that don’t know much about the Walt Disney World Dining Plan.
What it is is a dining service that you purchase ahead of time, that covers the cost of the majority of your meals for your Walt Disney World stay.
There are a few different plans.
For this exercise I will only be focussing on the Regular Dining Plan.
This is the plan most associated with Guests staying on property.
1 Table service meal per guest per day.
1 quick service meal per guest per day
2 snacks per day.
And probably the biggest question is The Disney Dining Plan Worth it.?
Is it going to save me money.?
Should it be something I need to do.?
Now I believe the honest answer is YES / NO / MAYBE!.
Your probably thinking what!!.
Well we are all different in the way we approach the dining plan.
If you are a large family with fussy eaters you may be limited to the cuisine you can look for.
Or you may be vegetarians?
You may have allergies that can limit your eating.
See where I am going with this.!
We are not all the same in our tastes & eating habits.
So saying yes it will save you money could be considered a lie & the same goes for no.
Now some people will save on the standard dining plan.
So for this little Blog I am going to focus on the Regular Dining Plan.
That is:
1 Table service meal per guest per day.
1 quick service meal per guest per day
2 snack per day.
The Current cost is $69.35 per Adult per day.
So for this exercise it's 2 Adults at $69.35 = $138.70.
Now we stay on property for 14 day's.
But this exercise is going to be over 5 day's, so you can get a feel of the pricing.
Also because after 5 day's I decided to stop recording what we were eating & at where to enjoy the vacation more.
I do not know what the Tax was on all these items are, so at the end I calculated at 5%.
Please be free to correct this if I got it wrong.
Staying At The Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Day 1Breakfast at The Mara
African-inspired Breakfast Platter - - $9.49 x 2 = $18.98
Orange Juice -$3.49 = $6.98
Spent the day Magic Kingdom
Snack 1 Pinapple Dole Whip Float At Magic Kingdom = $5.49 x 2=$10.98
Snack 2 Mickey Pretzels with Cheese Sauce = $6.00 x 2 = $12.00
Dinner at Be our Guest
Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops - with Seasonal Vegetables and Mushrooms served in Puff Pastry with a Creamy Lobster Sauce - $29.00
Grilled Strip Steak = $35.00
1 Grey Stuff 1Chocolate cream puff both $5.00 = $10.00
2 Sodas at $2.99 each = $5.98
Day 1 total Running Costs = $128.92
Day 2
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Mara
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the snack plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
A morning At Animal Kingdom.
Flame Tree BBQ for Lunch
Ribs & Chicken Combo = $16.46
Smoked Turky Sandwich =$ 9.99
2 x Bevarages = $3.69= $7.38
Snacks at Tamu Tamu for 2 x Mickey Icream Sundaes = $4.49 = $9.98
1900Park Fare for Dinner
All you can eatBuffet = $59.99 x = $119.98
Day 2 Total Running Costs= $172.94
Day 3
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the Snack Plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
Morning At Disney Springs
Lunch At Blaze Pizza
2 x build your own Pizzas = $9.65 = $19.30
2 Fountain Beverages = $3.00 = $6.00
Back to the Mara
2 snacka x Zebra domes = $3.69 = $7.38
Polynesian Village Resort
Ohannas for Dinner
All you can eat Family Meal = $59.99 x $119.98
2 snacks x Dole Whip from Pineapple Lanai = $5.29 = $10.58
Day 3 Total Running Costs = $172.42
Day 4
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the Snack Plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
Off to Epcot
Lunch At Katsura Grill
1 x chicken & Beef Teriyaki = $12.00
1 x Chicken Cutle Cury m= $13.00
2 Beverages = $2.59 = $5.18
Evening At DHS
Fantasmic Dinner Package at Mamma Melrose.
Starters
Calamari = $12.00
Mozzarella & Tomatoes = $9.50
Entree
Seafood Arrabbiata = $23.99
Penne Pasta Chicken & 4 cheese sauce = $20.00
Desert Sampler = $6.00
2 Beverages = $3.69= $7.38
2 snacks of Mickey Ears ice cream at Fantasmic = $3.29 = $5.58
Day 4 Total Running Costs =$123.81
DAY 5
2 Muesli Type Yogurts on the Snack Plan $4.59 x 2 = $9.18
Magic Kingdom for Morning & early Afternoon.
Lunch At Pecos Bill's
2 x Southwest Burgers = $13.99 = $27.98
2 fountain Beverages = $3.69 = $7.38
2 snacks of Dole Whip Floats $5.49 = $10.98
Dinner at Sanaa AK Lodge
Indian Bread Service = $11.49
Lamb Shank = $27.99
South African Braai sampler plate = $29.99
2 xTrio of Deserts = $7.49 = $14.98
2 x beverages = $2.99 = $5.98.
Day 5 total Running Cost = $145.95
5 Total running cost if out of pocket = $744.04 + 5% tax = $781.44
On Dining plan the cost would have been = $693.50
As you can see a saving of $87.94.
So for the exercise of our 5 day plan it saved money.
No tips have been included so you would have to factor in between 18% & 20% for tips.
But there are so many way's you could lose out as well.
The restaurants with 2 meal credits will considerably reduce your savings.
Also if you preferred the cheaper items on the list it will reduce the savings.
We were at Disney world for 14 day's & used up 2 dinner credits on a number of meals.
So overall we probably lost out.
But our dinning plan was free with our Vacation Package!.
Depending on what you book where you eat & what you order will determine if you save or lose out.
That is where the NO/YES/MAYBE is the answer.
Let me know your thoughts & how you plan your dining ADR's.