Trifter

“Walt Disney World” often conjures up images of princesses and Mickey Mouse.  The TV commercials show the child fast asleep in bed dreaming of Disney while the parents look at the computer and marvel at how inexpensive it is.  As you go online and book the trip, you’ll be offered all sorts of options and add-ons.  Whether an once-in-a-lifetime trip or an annual pilgrimage, you must carefully evaluate all the various components. One of the most important of these is the dining plans because dining at Walt Disney World is not simple.

 First, you must know what the dining plans are.  You pre-pay for a certain amount of meals, snacks and drinks.  There are three plans: quick service, basic (the one Disney recommends), and Deluxe.  All three dining plans require that you stay at a Walt Disney World Resort and purchase tickets as part of your package.  The dining credits you receive for each plan is based on the number of nights you stay in your resort and are good from check-in until midnight on the day you check-out.  You may use your credits all in one day or spread them out.  From there, each plan includes different things. 

The quick service plan includes two counter service meals and two snacks per person for each night of your stay and one refillable mug for each person on your reservation.  Cost for this plan is ages 10+ $29.99 per person per night and children ages 3-9 $8.99 per person per night.  Children 2 and under are not eligible and will not receive a mug. 

The basic dining plan includes one table service meal, one counter service meal, and one snack per person for each night of your stay.  Cost for this plan is ages 10+ $39.99 per person per night and children ages 3-9 $10.99 per person per night.  Children 2 and under are not eligible. 

The deluxe dining includes three meals, any combination of table service or counter service and two snacks per person for each night of your stay and one refillable mug for each person on your reservation.   Cost for this plan is ages 10+ $69.99 per person per night and children ages 3-9 $19.99 per person per night.  Children 2 and under are not eligible and will not receive a mug.

Disney markets that the dining plan can save you up to 30% off your food.  At first glance that sounds great.  Yet, that may or may not be true as you look closer at the dining plans.  First define what is included in the meals and snacks.

An adult table-service meal includes 1 appetizer (deluxe plan only), 1 entree and 1 dessert (lunch or dinner only), 1 juice (breakfast only) and 1 single serving non-alcoholic beverage, or 1 full buffet. 1 child table-service meal includes 1 appetizer, 1 entrée, 1 dessert (lunch or dinner only) and 1 single serving non-alcoholic beverage, or 1 full buffet.  Tip is not included.  An 18% gratuity will be added for anything that isn’t covered under your dining plan. Note: Disney adds an 18% gratuity to all parties, dining plan or not, that are 6 or more people.

A quick-service meal includes 1 entrée or 1 complete Combo Meal, 1 dessert (lunch or dinner only) or 1 juice (breakfast only) and 1 single serving non-alcoholic beverage.  Children ages 3-9 are limited to the Children’s Menu (if one is available) for both counter service and table service meals. 

A snack includes one of the following: one frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single serving box), single serving grab bag of chips, single piece of whole fruit, 20-oz. bottle of soda or water, medium fountain soft drink or juice, 12-oz. coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea.  The refillable mug that comes with two of the plans is for unlimited refills of coffee, tea, soda or hot chocolate at your resort (not anywhere else) for the duration of that particular stay.

The first question to ask is: Is that how you would order?  The 30% savings are based on that being how you order.   If you have a 10, 11, or 12 year old child who would prefer to order off the child’s menu, that is allowed, but you would be doing so under the adult cost.  It is more cost effective to pay for a child’s meal off the plan.  At the same time, you may have an eight year old with more sophisticated tastes than a hotdog, hamburger, or fried chicken strips twice a day, every day for 10 days.  You’d then have to pay extra for the adult meal him or she (and their pediatrician) would prefer.   Or maybe you have two children under 9 who would split one adult meal.  Or a four year old who can eat off your plate since they are such a light eater.

Or maybe you don’t eat a lot of junk food/fast food at home and don’t really have a taste for it.  That’s fine if you get the deluxe plan, but if you get the basic plan you’ll be stuck paying for extra table service meals while counter service credits go unused or stuck eating somewhere that you don’t want to eat. 

Would you like a glass of wine, a beer or a margarita with dinner?  Alcoholic beverages are not included, except a bottle of wine under the wine add-on available for the basic and deluxe dining plans whose guests are over 21 for $39.99 per night. 

Would you like the occasional appetizer under the basic plan?  That would be extra.  Don’t eat dessert or appetizers under the deluxe plan?  Not only are you “wasting” food, you’re losing part of that 30% savings.  Remember, that is one appetizer (Deluxe plan) and one dessert per person.  That’s a lot of food. 

Then there are the little things you might not outright notice.  Under the basic dining plan, you still need to buy refillable mugs if you want them.  Of course, that could save you money since perhaps your three year old doesn’t need unlimited sodas or maybe you only drink water.

You may be arriving late on your check-in day but still need to pay for the dining plan for that night.  If you are also leaving early (and if you use magical express, you must leave several hours before your flight), you won’t have that extra day to use your dining credits.

You must watch where you eat.  Not all restaurants participate in the dining plan.  Some restaurants are signature and require two table service credits, like the coveted meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the castle. 

There can be no spontaneity.  Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) are strongly recommended, especially during the busier periods such as spring break, summer vacation, and Christmas break.  Without those ADRs you might not be able to eat at a table service restaurant; they may be too full to fit you in.  ADRs also commit you to being at a certain place at a certain time.  While there is no penalty for missing an ADR, you will waste a dining credit.  You entire vacation must be planned out months—three to be exact—ahead of time around what you will eat.  Feel like Mexican?  Sorry, 90 days ago you made an ADR for German.

But, you say, there is the convenience of having it all taken care of!  What convenience?  You still have to carry money or charge your tip.  Plus now you must also keep track of your entire traveling parties credits—who has used what, was everything subtracted properly, and figure out what to eat in order to get your money’s worth. 

Is it all bad and wrong?  NO!  It’s just not for everybody.  I would even go so far and say it isn’t the best economical choice for the majority.  So, how do you evaluate and see which line you fall under?  Go to Deb Wills website, All Ears, and check out the menus.  The menus are updated constantly and include prices; both table service and counter service are included.  Get an idea of where you want to eat and what you want to eat in the case of a la carte restaurants.  Estimate what you would really spend.  Add it all up for an out of pocket cost.  Then see how the restaurants you like fit into the dining plans.  Are they included?  How many credits are they?  How much extra will you pay out of pocket for items not covered under the dining plan?  How many extra meals will you need to purchase out of pocket?  Add up all those costs and add it to the cost of the dining plan.  You now have your true dining plan costs.  Compare the two.  The one that is less expensive is the right way to go for you.

Oh, and if you are thinking you have free dining under one of Disney’s special offers, so it definitely is a good deal, beware; it might not be the best deal if you still look carefully.  The free dining offer Disney has been running towards the end of the year requires you pay rack rate for your resort and buy tickets as part of your package.  Frequently, there are other, very good, discounted room codes available and then you would be able to purchase your tickets from a discount ticket broker.  Those costs couple with a true out of pocket on dining costs may be less than free dining.  Always look at and compare both.  Disney is expensive enough; don’t spend more than you have to.