Can the Dining Plans save you Money? Yes! Can a Dining plan waste your Money? Yes!
So that we are all on the same page, here are the current prices and a little video Disney has put together to tell you the benefits you get with a dining plan.(price can change at anytime and dining plans can be changed at anytime by Disney) I have also included short break down of what each plan includes for 2013! The breakdown below can be found just about every where you look when looking for information on the dining plans, but not many sites actually put the plan in action for you.
Quick-Service Plan
Price Per Night 2013
Adult (Ages 10+) $37.58
Child (Ages 3-9) $14.32
The Quick Service includes the following for each resort guest:
2 Quick Service Meals per night stayed
Each meal includes an entrée or complete combo meal, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and non-alcoholic beverage
1 Snack Option per night stayed
1 Resort Refillable Mug for the length of stay
Standard Plan- This plan is suggested by Disney and Myself
Price Per Night 2013
Adult (Ages 10+) $55.59
Child (Ages 3-9) $17.16
***During Peak Season (typically summer and holidays), prices increase for the Basic Standard Plan to $56.94/night for Adults 10+ and $18.16/night for Children ages 3 to 9****
The Standard Plan includes the following for each resort guest:
1 Quick Service Meal per night stayed
Each meal includes an entrée or complete combo meal, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and non-alcoholic beverage.
1 Table Service Meal per night stayed
Each meal includes an entrée, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and non-alcoholic beverage, or, if eating at a buffet, the full buffet.
1 Snack Option per night stayed
1 Resort Refillable Mug for the length of stay
Deluxe Plan
Price Per Night 2013
Adult (Ages 10+) $99.97
Child (Ages 3-9) $26.84
****During Peak Season, prices increase for Deluxe Dining Plans.to $102.27/night for Adults 10+ and $28.91/night for Children ages 3 to 9.****
The Deluxe Plan includes the following for each resort guest:
3 Meals per night stayed, which can be any combination of Table Service Meals and Quick Service Meals
Quick Service Meals include an entrée or complete combo meal, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and non-alcoholic beverage.
Table Service meals include an appetizer (lunch and dinner only), entrée, dessert (lunch and dinner only), and non-alcoholic beverage, or, if eating at a buffet, the full buffet.
2 Snack Options per night stayed
1 Resort Refillable Mug for the length of stay
Now that we have the details down, it is time to put the standard Dining plan into action!
Here is a good tip: While there are some exceptions to the rule, Table Service meals used for lunch are a waste of money. You get more bang for your table service meals during breakfast or dinner.
I am going to use the dining plan I have set up for my family to show how you can use the standard dining plan.
Being the outstanding planner that I am, for our trip at the end of March through first week of April, I made our table service reservations right at the 180 day mark when they became available to get the times and restaurants we wanted. This is the peak season and the longer I would have waited, the less likelihood I would have gotten restaurants or time we wanted. The wild cards in our dining plan here will be our daily snacks and quick service meals. Since we are only getting 2 meals a day, we are going to supplement our dining plan with some items in our room to get those of us in our family that want 3 meals a day that "extra" meal. We are using a personal shopper that will deliver things to our room from the grocery store, beating the high cost of the onsite gift shop. We prefer to use Orlando Theme Park Shoppers. For about $35, they are delivering us groceries that will supplement that extra meal for our 8 night/9 day visit. Their delivery will consist of some snack items but mostly breakfast items. It will save us money and time in the mornings.
Day 1 is going to be a quick service meal for us based on our arrival time. So lets say because of our arrival time we are going to eat dinner at the food court of our resort.
Hypothetically, 2 from our family will get Carved Roast Turkey served with two sides that would cost out of pocket $10.19 a meal. Another family member decides to get an Angus Bacon Cheese burger with Fries for $9.39 and then the final member(who is a child) decides to get a pepperoni pizza for $5.99.All meals come with a drink and desert. This meal would cost right around $36 out of pocket if we were not on the dining plan. Today we opted out of a Table Service meal because we are going to use a 2 table service meal credit dining experience later in the week.
Day 2 For breakfast, those that choose to, will be having bagels with cream cheese, granola bars and some bananas that have been delivered to us by Orlando Theme Park Shoppers.
Today hypothetically we are starting the day at the Animal Kingdom and will be using a quick Service meal at Flame Tree Barbecue (Great quick service meal highly suggest this place) for lunch. 1 adult choose the Rib and Chicken combo for $11.99. Adult #2 orders The Pulled Pork Sandwich for$8.99 and Adult # 3 gets the 1/2 Slab of Ribs for $11.69. The child gets the Hot Dog for $5.99(the hot dog is enough for an adult) all meals include a drink and desert. Lunch out of pocket would cost roughly $39, but we are on the dining plan and it already paid for!
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| Two Quick Service meals from Flame Tree barbecue |
For dinner we are going to the very popular O'hana's at the Polynesian and this is a table service meal. This is family style all you care to eat meal is offering carved meat and other goodies brought to our table. This will run $59.99 per adult and slightly cheaper for children. This meal will be about $220 out of pocket but since we are on the dining plan, I will be responsible for the tip and any alcohol we may decide to purchase. We will be leaving stuffed.
Day 3 Today we are going to do breakfast in the room again and then another quick service meal for lunch that will cost us about $40. Dinner is going to be a Character Dining Experience at Chef Mickey's which is a table service meal. This a buffet style meal all you care to eat. Again this meal will cost us $59.99 per adult and slightly less again for the child, putting us back at $220 for the meal. Again since we are on the Dining plan, I will only be responsible for the tip.
So you get the idea here that things are expensive out of pocket and paying for the dining plan in advance can lessen the burden on you paying out pocket while on vacation. The only thing you have to really worry about is choosing how you want to spend your dining credits for each category(a vacation planner like myself can help you choose really good meals), the tips, alcohol, and anything you may went to add to the meal i.e appetizers. For the rest of the post, I am going to skip putting in projected cost out of pocket.
Day 4 We are going to shake thing up a little. Not only are we doing a table service meal for breakfast. We are doing a table service meal that will cost us 2 table service meal credits per person. We are having the Signature Dining experience/Character Dining at Cinderellas Royal Table! This plated meal, NOT all you care to eat.This a great location plus we get some one on one time with the Princesses when they come to our table for autographs and photo ops. Our princesses might not be so charming with the early morning wake up call to get here.
Later in the day will probably use a snack credit for something to munch on then have an early quick service dinner at which ever park we end up at for the evening. We love to park hop.
Day 5 Tonight we are dining at EPCOT for another great Character Dining experience table service meal at the Garden Grill Restaurant in the Land Pavilion It is another all you care to eat family style meal and character meal with the added bonus of a restaurant that slowly turns while you dine! We will probably grab a quick service meal in the World Showcase for lunch and use a snack credit for Churros to watch Illuminations.
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| Intergalatic tunes from Sonny Eclipse |
Day 7 We will be experiencing the brand new Be our Guest Restaurant for dinner for our table service meal. We aren't sure what to expect here, but hear great things about it. During the day, if you want brave long lines, this restaurant is quick service meal. I hear it is great and maybe one of the days we are in the Magic Kingdom, we may try out the quick service offerings. This morning we be opting for a quick service meal at the food court of our resort.
Day 8 Tonight we will be dining at the Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano with and it will include the Fantasmic! package for our table service meal. What is the Fantasmic package? Well you will get your normal table service meal with reserved seating later in the evening at Fantasmic! We will probably have a quick service meal for lunch at Typhoon lagoon today. We will also probably use some snack credits here for some treats while we wait for Fantasmic! to start.
Day 9 is our departure day. If we have any quick service meals left or snack credits left, before we head to the airport we will use them up at our resort. If we don't use them, we lose them. This is one way the dining plan can "lose" you money.
So if you are keeping score, here is summary of the highlights of our Standard Dining Plan.
4 Character meals
1 Fantasmic! Dining package meal
1 Signature Dining Experience that takes 2 table service meals.
Half of our Table Service meals are all you care to eat.
We haven't used many of our snacks or maybe we will along the way.
Here is a tip: if you have snack credits at the end of your trip, stay away from bottles of pop and bottled water. Why you ask. You can't get past security with them at the airports and they will end up being put in the trash!
In my opinion, this is a lot of food to consume and more food than I normally would consume while at home, but then again, We are on Vacation.
While this is not an all-star line up for the dining plan, it more than meets my families needs and we save money and time in the mornings by using Orlando Theme Park Shoppers for breakfast items.
I hope that sheds a little more light on the value you can get with a dining plan and may help you choose one way or the other if you want to use it during your vacation. No matter how you look at it, using a Dining Plan or not using the Dining Plan will make Disney money no matter what, so ultimately it is your choice as to when they get your money.
I choose to promote Orlando Theme Park Shoppers because they offer excellent service at an affordable price. Orlando Theme Park Shoppers does not offer me any incentive to promote their business. I gladly promote businesses I believe in and never seek anything from them in return and believe word of mouth is one of best forms of advertisements.
Tell us your experience with your dining plans at Disney.
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