Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

I'm in the process of booking a vacation to Disney in October my TA priced me with a meal plan is this necessary? I'm figuring we will be at the parks all day and would most likely eat there.

Is it necessary?

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

I think it's absolutely necessary. Food is $$$ at Disney. The meal plan is really a lifesaver. We always get the basic meal plan and add the wine and dine option (a bottle of wine for each day of your stay). It's more than enough food.

I don't think you need the deluxe plan and if you do the counter-service only, you are definitely limiting yourself.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

No it isn't necessary but depending on what you want to eat it can definitely be worth it. If you like to be flexible though it might not be a good plan for you.

The counter service plan isn't a great value - but depending on the sit downs you pick if you go with the regular plan (1CS, 1 TS and 1 snack per night) can be a great deal depending on the restaurants you pick and the meals you are interested in. For example at some sit down restaurants the entrees can easily be upper $20s and low to mid $30s. So say you pay about $45 a day (more if you go during certain peak times). So figure you go the coral reef and get a NY strip steak which is about $32 (or say the fresh catch of the day is about $27). Then you get a soda (TS includes entree, non alcoholic drink and dessert) - so say about $2.50 for the soda and dessert is $8. So for dinner alone you are paying almost that PER night rate for dinner alone. Then figure a snack up to $4, and a combo meal lunch - which runs about $10-14. You come out ahead.

Places like Akershus princess storybook dinner cost adults $46. That is the cost of the plan pp for the day right there - before you even take the snack or a counter service meal into account. Crystal Palace character dinner is $36.

So you can get an idea. Now if you go to say Sci Fi Drive in for lunch - a burger is $13. Add the drink and dessert ($6-8) you are closer to breaking even.

So my suggestion (you can add the dining plan up until I believe 2-3 weeks before you arrive or at least by final payment) is to not add it right away - go to allearsnet.com and look at their menus - if you are under 180 days - see IF and where you can get TS reservations (ADRs) b.c if you can't get what you want or you decide you don't want more expensive items or places then it might not be worth it for you.

You don't get to keep the credits so it is use it or lose it. A lot of people are in the shops buying mickey rice cakes with their snack credits at the end of the trip so they don't lose that money.

If you want to be flexible or you think you don't want to do a sit down every day it might not be worth it for you.

We personally love it - BUT this last trip with 2 girls who were almost 3 and turning 1 on the trip - we weren't as crazy about it - b.c they didn't always want to do that sit down meal - we did them all - but we wished we were a little more flexible but that might not be the same next trip - they might sit better and want to do more then.

What is nice about the plan is that you can go to the more expensive places and order anything you want and not worry about if you are being on budget OR having to worry about the check.

Tips are NOT included in the dining plan you will have to pay those either way - but you can charge them to your room if you wish.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

We loved the Dinning Plan and we would do it again in a second! It worked out great for us.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

We loved the plan and is doing it again this year.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

I would never do disney without a dining plan again, it is a great deal.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

Thank you for all your responses they were very helpful

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

you don't really need the meal plan and we didn't do it when we went because some things are covered under the meal plan and some aren't and when we were down there, there were a ton of people who were walking around confused and holding up the line because they didn't understand the meal plan. if you are booking with a travel agent, i would suggest doing some research on line, whichis what i did, and if you decide to do it, book it with them later.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

we love it. it's a good use of our money.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

we went this past october and it was during free dining..so we didnt pay for it! SO it was FABULOUS!!! we got so uch food and def thought it was worth it...If we go again we would def do it again....it was great for doing character meals at no charge! We would have not done 4 ( ) out of pocket - but on the meal plan it was great to book those

BUT make sure you book your reservations at the 180 day before mark...bec they will close out times those first couple of days!

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

Actually we did not do a meal plan last time we went.

DS is a very picky eater. We had a microwave for this own food that we ordered from the local peapod type service offered for the area.

DH and I do not do big sit down breakfast, we eat a salad or a burger for lunch or dinner.

We only went to 1 sit down restaurant for our trip.

So unless you are into sit down restaurants, wants snacks, etc... make sure this is really what you want.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan

DH & I had the meal plan last Sept and it was fantastic! The food is great, but expensive. It paid for itself over each dinner - so it was like having breakfast and lunch free. We could have easily spent 30-40 for lunch alone without the plan.

Re: Disney Question- Re: Meal Plan