Disney Dining (part 2)

Hollywood & Vine, Character breakfast

People often question whether or not they should invest in the Disney Dining plan and which one to choose. The answer isn't easy because everyone's different. But this is the best way I know of to answer that question:

1. Will you be having your own car or relying on Disney transportation?

2. Are you a foodie who likes to experience the world of food while on vacation?

3. Are you hoping to get as many character experiences as possible?

4. Do you want to spend as little time eating as possible in order to spend more time seeing the parks?

5. What's your budget like?

Answering these questions will help you figure out the best way to go in deciding whether or not to purchase a Disney Dining plan. I've gotten the Deluxe plan and the Regular plan, but never the Quick Service plan.

If you have your own car and plan on dining off of the Walt Disney World resort most of your time there, then it won't be worth it to purchase a dining plan. But if you're going to stay on property, a dining plan is the way to go. It usually ends up being cheaper in the long run than paying for each meal out of pocket, especially when you add in the two snacks and refillable mug. I personally don't like the Quick Service Dining Plan because I like to sit down and relax over a nice meal instead of rushing with hamburgers all the time. But that's just me. Some of you may prefer to not spend the time waiting for food so you'll have more time to see the park's attractions.

The dining plans are even better if you eat a menu restaurant as opposed to a buffet. Buffets have one price for adults and one for children, period. (When we ate at Hollywood & Vine, our total for 2 adults and 1 child was a little over $100). A menu restaurant has a variety of choices at a variety of prices. As long as you have the dining plan that allows a table service meal, you don't have to worry about how much the meal costs. Go ahead and order that steak!

The other question is whether to get the Regular Dining Plan or the Deluxe Dining Plan. The Deluxe is more expensive, but also offers a lot more for the added cost. You get 3 meals instead of 2, and you're not limited to table service or quick service. You can combine them in any way that you choose.

If you're going to be choosing more quick service than table service meals, though, the Deluxe plan wouldn't be the most cost-effective way to go. It's appeal is that you don't have to worry about paying for that 3rd meal of the day because you get three with the plan, and you can eat every meal at the more expensive table service restaurants if you want to try all the food that Disney has to offer. This plan is great for foodies!

T-Rex restaurant, Disney Springs

It's important to note, however, that tips are not included in the meals unless you're dining at a special event/show, like Mickey's Backyard BBQ or Cinderella's Royal Table. And trust me, those tips add up! When your meals are all over $100, even if you don't have to pay the $100+, you're still paying $20 a meal on tips. So make sure you factor that into your Disney budget when deciding which option is right for you!

You should also decide on how many shows/events you think you'll be attending. Many take 2 table service meals. Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, Cinderella's Royal Table, and Mickey's Backyard BBQ all take 2 meals instead of the usual 1. So if you want to do a lot of these, you'll be running out of meals quite quickly if you only have the Regular Dining Plan that allows only one table service per night (you are given one per night, but you can use as many as you want on any given day until you've used your allotted meals).

The last time we went, I purchased the Deluxe Dining Plan because I didn't want to be limited in my table service meals. For us, it was a mistake. We didn't eat 3 meals every day, so we had A LOT left over. I learned, though, that you can turn your meals in for snacks, so we came home with a bunch of Mickey crackers and other assorted candies for my family and friends who didn't go with us.

So decide how many meals and what kinds of meals you think your family will be eating before deciding which dining plan to purchase. Never a good idea to overspend, but just as costly to underspend on the plans.

Rainforst Cafe, Disney Springs

Another point to remember is that the dining plans can be used at most (not all) Disney Springs restaurants, like The Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex, House of Blues, Chef Morimoto, Wolfgang Puck, etc.