Disney Dining Plan for Two

This week I saw this tweet and it got me thinking about exactly why my husband and I always choose to get the dining plan.

Free dining is so common now that it might make the question obsolete. However, in the UK the ‘free dining’ offers are different to those in America. Not only are they offered at different times, but the type of plan you get is different. If you book in the UK for a Value Resort, you’re usually not eligible for free dining. A moderate gets you Quick Service and a Deluxe gets you the full Dining Plan. Essentially, whatever offer Disney have on in the UK, it usually equates to the same value – the stay 10 get 4 free promotion offered last year worked out at roughly the same savings as if you’d got free dining (assuming you were to buy the dining plan anyway). Therefore for many, the question about whether to get the dining plan, or upgrade is still relevant.

Here are the reasons we always get the full Disney Dining Plan:

1. We stay on property and don’t have a car – that means we’re restricted to only eating at Disney anyway. As you have to buy the plan for the number of nights you’re staying in Disney, if you plan to eat off property a lot, then obviously the plan isn’t worth it. But for us it is.

2. We walk A LOT – normally the amount of food available on the dining plan would be way too much for us – and we’re big eaters. But despite all the food consumed while we’re in Disney, I have never once put on weight while we’re there – and that’s because of the huge amounts of walking I’m doing compared to normal. The increased energy needed actually requires me to eat more – that’s what I tell myself anyway!

3. Financials – it makes sense – if you plan to eat all your meals at Disney, and can fit them around the dining plan credit system, then you’ll be saving money, compared to if you were to buy the same food out of pocket.

4. In reality though, I don’t think we would be buying the same amount of food – the meals yes, but the snacks, probably not – I don’t usually snack at home and the meals can easily fill me up. Having said that, what’s a Disney holiday without a Mickey bar, or a dole whip, or an ice cream from the Main Street Ice Cream Parlour.  And occasionally I’ll want a drink other than water during the day. I’ve found that it’s actually not all that hard to spend those credits! They’re also great to use for a light breakfast.

5. For us, one of the things we most look forward to is the excuse to eat out every day. Disney has some amazing restaurants and the dining truly is part of our holiday experience.  To be able to spend money at signature restaurants is great. Its not a luxury we would allow ourselves if it wasn’t on the dining plan. Being there for 14 nights means we might occasionally go off site, shopping or to another park – that day’s credits can go towards a signature meal.

6. The fact that there is just the two of us makes the dining plan even more of a must, in my eyes. I can easily see that if you’ve got a gaggle of pre-schoolers, then rather than it being a relaxing and enjoyable time out from the parks, a meal in a nice restaurant could be pretty stressful. Especially if they’re gearing to get back out ther again. But for us, its a pleasure.

7. We don’t do the buffets or dinner shows – or rarely. Although they can be seen as good value for money when you’re paying out of pocket as they tend to be all-you-care-to-eat, the fixed price option means that actually your one credit could be put to better use – there are pricier restaurants you could be eating at. Having said that, you don’t get an appetiser included at regular restaurants, so if you’re counting value as quantity, the buffets are a good deal. The dining shows are all two credits and I think you can lose out here – cost wise they’re not equal to double the price of a regular meal, so if you plan on doing a few dinner shows, you might not want to get the plan. But we don’t, so we do!

8. It’s all budgeted and paid for – I love going on holiday knowing that the vast majority of the entire holiday is paid for already.

9. It stops us scrimping – it was only a few years ago when my husband I and were students, spending as little as possible and living off pasta. It’s a hard habit to get out of – thinking that we should maybe not do something as it means we could save the money for something else. While as a rule, that’s not a bad thing, its not how I want to spend my holiday. I know we would end up skipping a few table services for quick services if we were paying out every night. The fact that we’ve already made the decision to buy the plan upfront saves us from ourselves.

10. I LOVE to plan my holiday – part of the joy is the run up to it – spending time pouring over menus and figuring out how best to use the credits. It’s important to book your ADRs anyway – but even more so if you’ve essentially already paid for your meals. The dining plan gives me a reason to do just that.

I would have absolutely no doubts in recommending the plan to anyone – but I do think it is important that you really consider your personal circumstances. For us, it’s great, because it fits with our plans for our holiday, but they don’t suit everybody. For that reason, Disney have alternatives, such as the Quick Service plan. However, bearing in mind that most British holiday makers will spend a significant portion of their holiday away from Disney World, for many it isn’t the best deal – unless it’s free!

BRiTMiCK is a blog aimed at British visitors to Walt Disney World, helping you to make the most of your holiday. Follow @Britmickuk for the latest on whats going on at BRiTMiCK and other Disney sites.

This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival.