Thanks for being patient on this one, I know it took a little longer than usual to finish getting this blog out there! Using my upcoming trip with Miss H, let’s take a closer look at which Dining Plan, or no Dining Plan, would be the best choice for us. I made a table using our planned meals and compared all of the dining plans and paying out of pocket. I'd like to start with a quick review of the dining plans...
First up is the Quick Service Plan. The 2018 rates for the Quick Service Plan are $52.50/adult and $21.74/child. For our 4-night stay, the weekly total for this plan would be $210 for me and $86.96 for Miss H for a grand total of $296.96 and a total of 16 QS and 16 snack credits. Remember, this plan doesn’t allow for any “sit down” meals, just counter service but with the mobile ordering available at these restaurants you can preorder from the app on your phone, pick up your food at the window, and grab a seat! This is a new feature and we will test it out and let you know how it goes!
Now, lets look at the Disney Dining Plan, this plan more accurately reflects how we choose to eat as a family and is the one that we choose. For the two of us the total cost of the meal plan for 4 nights would be $404.96. We would receive a total of 8 Quick Service, 8 Table Service, and 16 snack credits for the trip. I planned this one out using our existing reservations and plans for the November trip, so it’s definitely realistic!
Finally, lets take a tour through the Deluxe Dining Plan. We have never used this one as a family but I think it would be fun to try one day. It is A LOT of food though… I think it would be especially well used on Signature Dining restaurants, Character Dining, and Show Dining that use 2 credits each. You could also eat around the world at Epcot- I would wear elastic waisted pants. This meal plan is definitely the most expensive of the bunch at $116.25/ night per adult and $39.99/night per child for a total 4-night cost of $824.96. It allows for the resort mug, 2 snacks and 3 “meal credits”. It differs from the other two in that you are not restricted in the type of dining you can use your credits for, but its definitely more bang for your buck if you use them at a Table Service restaurant. It also includes both an appetizer and dessert for all sit down meals. So, for me and Miss H, we would receive 16 snack credits and 24 meal credits to be used on the trip.
Here is the table:
I know the savings doesn’t seem astronomical here but, using the Disney Dining Plan, we get 6 extra snacks for the same price as paying out of pocket. We also got 20% off our hotel room by booking the Magic Your Way package (hotel, meal plan & tickets all through Disney). When you combine the extra snacks (averaging 6 snacks at $5 each) and the hotel room discount, this provided us a savings of $394.91, which is definitely not something to scoff at! There is also value in having prepaid for all of your meals (no nasty sticker shock!) and there are opportunities a few times a year for free dining. Be forewarned though, if you take advantage of free dining you must pay full price for the hotel room, so do your math! Overall, I think that it is advantageous to use the Disney Dining Plan, but you have to make the choice that’s right for your family and their eating habits!