I Didn't Use The Disney Dining Plan - Did I Save Money?

[@JenLefforge]

When this video goes live, I will be traveling, but I promise to respond to your comments as soon as I can! Have you ever compared to see if you would lose or save money by not using the dining plan??

[@jesuscontreras1882]

Hey Jen. We are going in August to Disneyworld and i got to daughters who just like eating simple quick food. Is the dining plan worth it for us.

[@jaredlange9604]

Thanks all the videos. This is my first trip to Disney World and Disney Cruise for my wife our kids and her sister (6 total). August 1st isn't coming fast enough. We were looking into the dining plan and I have a very IMPORTANT tip. In looking at the dining plan we felt that the plan that gives each of us 2 snack credits, 1 quick service, & 1 Table service fit us best. When the Disney Agent informed me of the price ($1216.00) for the 6 of us for 3 days we then looked at some of the menus online for meal pricing. Today (July 11) I called Disney reservations to purchase the dining plan. In the discussion with the Agent I literally Asked the agent, "Is the price of $1216.00 of the dining plan the best possible price for the 6 of us?" After a brief hold (15 minutes) the agent then came back was able to drop the price of the dining plan for us to $898.00 for the 6 of us for the days we will be at Disney World. Thats a $319.00 savings. Yahoo now that's something I can sink my teeth into. lol.

[@katyestrada613]

We always save money using the dining plan. Our only problem is having snack credits left over. We usually take some bagged candy home to continue the Disney Magic.

[@jaywalker17]

We brought a ton of candy home using up our snack credits. Chewing on those jelly beans eventually made by bridgework come out. Those snack credits cost me $$ :)

[@Marzeonthego]

We usually grab the rice crispy treats! Refrigerate them and you can have them for a couple months til your next trip Home! =)

[@jcarey1357]

Katy Estrada We did the same thing but now we always go to Epcot first and use the snack credits to try food or drinks at the kiosks. Pretty much we eat/drink all day there haha

[@yesnik09]

I love these discussions about Dining Plan or no Dining Plan in real-world scenarios. We used the regular dining plan a few years ago and the deluxe plan last December. Both times they saved us money and we like the "pre-saving" aspect of it. That being said, the next time we go I've already decided I'm going to try AP and TIW discounts and with the added flexibility of not having to eat certain items that maybe we wouldn't have otherwise, I think we'll have a more relaxed trip. We are not AP holders nor DVC owners so we didn't see any discounts on our trips other than the $300 or so we "saved" with the DDPs. Also, we eat differently than I think most families with kids (15, 10, 8). We don't eat fast food at home so we don't generally partake of the counter service at WDW. We like sit downs and with the Deluxe Plan this last trip, we would do character breakfast in the morning, snack during the day, then signature for dinner (or signature for lunch and snack at night) I will say however that even with the $300 savings, we ate a ton of food and we utilized extra credits at the end of the trip (some dining credits transferred into snack credits.....in case listeners don't know, most of the time you can turn 1 dining credit into 3 snack credits if you ask the right cast member nicely ;-) ) to pick up snacks to take home. We liked that aspect, but I know that's a much debated topic on the inefficiency of the DDP. Anyway, this is a long-winded comment which I guess shows how much I love talking about this. Oh, one last point, another potential "benefit" of the DDP is how long you're on property on your arrival date as well as your departure date. Since you only get credits for the nights of your stay, our 6-night stay last December wasn't a full 7-day of eating so we lost a little bit of our advantage by not arriving until later afternoon that first day. If you're able to eat on property all day on your arrival date and departure date, you can spread those 6 nights of credits over a full 7 days and perhaps that tips the scales in the DDP's favor. Thanks for this discussion Jen. Love it.

[@Marzeonthego]

The leftover dining credits ALWAYS can be traded into snack credits if not used. =) Hopefully ALL the CM's are knowledgeable about this! =)

[@ryanjames6134]

Exactly why I prefer not using the dining plan. The flexibility and freedom to choose whatever you'd like to eat, without having to stress about dining plan-eligible food options and using all of the credits, makes avoiding the dining plan the way to go. Thanks for going through and figuring out the details, Jen!

[@JenLefforge]

+Ryan Sweeney and because I’m going to cover it another video I didn’t say this, but i still got that “all inclusive” feeling by using our gift card that I had loaded up with the approximate cost of the dining plan so no big bill at the end! Thanks for watching, Ryan!

[@ryanjames6134]

Oh I love that idea!

[@emxemxem]

Using the dining plan during Food and Wine festival was such a blast. Didn't have to think about spending 6-8 bucks on a small amount of food, just use a snack credit instead. Plus, you can get three items at one of the booths for a quick service credit (or two plus a bottled water). Really made the food and wine festival experience carefree!

[@thomasfitzgerald8172]

I like the deluxe dining plan! I like having a good breakfast in the morning, and then using 2 credits on signiture dining each day! This cuts down on the amount of food you are eating! It also frees you up during lunch, where I would use snack credits for a quick bite! On a side note though: I have a bigger apitite than most people, so I don't find it TOO much food to eat!

[@JenLefforge]

It sounds like you've found what works for YOU, Thomas, and really that's all that matters! And I love a good breakfast - it's actually my favorite meal to splurge on!

[@brendaamira7249]

This is exactly how we use our deluxe dining and it most definitely saves us tons of money. Late breakfast or early lunch often a chatacter meal then signature dining at night. Our family is mainly adults who enjoy the quality dining and a couple of 7 year olds who also enjoy new things. It works for us and wouldn't do it any other way.

[@SusanCatherine]

Glad to hear you break this down and your comment of "I wouldn't want to eat any more than I did on this trip." So true! The value may be there if you can eat all of it. I tend to drink more than eat, particularly during F&W.

[@jlogsdon1540]

Yes, the sushi is included on the Deluxe Dining at Kona. It can be an appetizer. We do that all the time. And using the Deluxe, we always do a Signature restaurant (2 meal credits) once each day so you’re only eating twice instead of 3 times. I love the dining plans. 😍

[@Cccoast]

This is what I was planning! Signature dining (just dinner) seems like it can cost more than the dining plan daily.

[@christinecummingstrunk5576]

We did dining plan twice and no dining plan once. I’m so glad we did it to see how good the options were. I’m glad we didn’t last time and saved some money.

[@cwdefouw]

Your research is excellent. We did the standard plan on our trip in September. We don't usually take the dining plan, but decided to try it again this time. We did end up saving money by using the dining plan, but that was only by choosing some of the most expensive items on the menus, (which we might not normally do) and getting an alcoholic beverage whenever possible, (which we might not normally do). Our take was that without the alcoholic beverages, it would not have been a good value, so Disney adding that option makes it a better value, still not sure if it is the best way to go for value for everyone. It was nice to have it all paid for up front. I have watched other videos breaking it all down, and it appears that the standard plan is the only one that has the potential to save money. We did the deluxe plan for a short trip about nine years ago, we found that in trying to get our value out it there was just waaaaay to much food, and waaaaay too much time spent in restaurants. Great video!

[@okedokie]

If we continue to eat like we normally would with the dining plan we would lose money big time, but having the dining plan we really get those expensive meals and always seem to get our moneys worth. It's a win-win, Disney gets to keep us on property for all of our dining, and we get to splurge in a way we typically wouldn't without the dining plan. Was just there last week and wished they could have kept the dining plan, but with limited capacity I can definitely see how they couldn't continue it for the time being.

[@AllisonMertzman]

I found this to be super informative and it confirmed my suspician that I save by NOT doing the dining plan!

[@JenLefforge]

Reason NUMBER ONE: no Tutto Gusto on the dining plan. LUIGII! Get me my table!

[@keyman6689]

Great job the both of you! Just came from Bekah's video. It proves how you can save money both by getting the plan or not getting it...it all depends on how you plan to eat. This is so important for people planning their trips, to know when and why it's either a good deal or not so they can figure out what will work for them. We went out of pocket and saved a bunch of money, enjoyed the flexibility of eating what we wanted when we wanted, and didn't have to stress about using credits wisely.

[@KarenBee]

We love the flexibility of not being on the dining plan but also the convenience of having the dining plan so our preference is half and half but that only really works for a longer stay!

[@TL_oS]

You really do make best videos about DVC, the dining plans, etc. You lay it out clearly, concisely & give us the numbers. You’re the “go-to” as far as I am concerned😺.

[@JenLefforge]

+TL oS I love this comment so much!! Thank you!!😍😍😍

[@OrganizedbyChance]

Great comparison video. We don’t do the dining plan either. I do think a pro of the plan is not worrying about what you’re spending on food since it’s already paid for. However, the last time I was on the plan, I felt like all I did was eat since I wanted to be sure I got my money’s worth. You are right, everyone is different and doing what’s best for your family is always the way to go.

[@JenLefforge]

Absolutely! And a different trip we might make a different decision!

[@lesliechain7703]

I think the idea of pre paying really appeals to many. But here is what I heard happens, they go and order the most expensive items to make the most of the plan and then get hit with gratuities that they didn’t plan for. I say budget for food, pre buy Disney gift cards at Target and eat when you are hungry and not because you want to get the most out of the plan.

[@lisaleviton8312]

Great video Jen!! We actually used the dining plan for our trip this past May. We loved the fact that it made our vacation feel more all inclusive. We had fun planning where we wanted to eat and exploring all of the menus before we arrived. Let's just say we were never hungry and used our leftover snack credits to bring a little bit of Disney Magic home with us. I couldn't tell you if it saved us money or not but I'm glad we had it.

[@DisneyKittee]

This was a GREAT idea for a video! I think it really comes down to how to define "flexibility" -- for me, not overly worrying about ADRs or feeling like I need to eat all of my meal entitlements feels like freedom! But I can see how for others being able to enjoy a meal without having to worry about the numbers would feel like a true vacation! I will have to check out Bekah's video too :)

[@JenLefforge]

Becka, I also think we come from a different place as frequent visitors - I never sweat it if I miss a particular restaurant because I know I'll be back! I could see how that might be a bigger deal for a family who's going on a once in a lifetime trip so I do see how it could work for some. But yeah, I'm with you - NOT FOR ME! Thanks for watching, Friend!

[@charissatroup5611]

We have not used the dining plan since becoming dvc. I think it does save us money, and definitely saves us calories, lol. The dining plan is convenient for the sake of pre paying, and if you're new to Disney it's a good idea to get it, just to keep organized. Pros and cons to both, just a matter of figuring out the system.

[@1DawnMarie1]

The only time I've ever used the Dining Plan is when they had free dining if you booked certain rooms. We are very similar to your family with how we eat on vacation, not eating 3 meals a day and not usually eating large meals. I always do the math every few years just to make sure that it hasn't changed and suddenly become more cost effective for our trips but the numbers always work out to not go with the dining plan.

[@e.c.squared2507]

This is such an interesting video! Thanks for sharing! I love getting to hear about everyone’s different ways of eating at Disney. I went to Disney in July and (being a broke law student) packed breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and snacks to cut down on food costs. Looking forward to being out of school and being able to afford more dining options 😊

[@JenLefforge]

+Elizabeth Chapman oh yeah, when the boys were little it was pb and j from home all the way, so I get this 100%!! Thanks for watching!

[@journeys_with_jen]

This is a wonderful comparison! Thank you so much for sharing. I tried to do this once but I epically failed at saving all of the receipts for a family of five. I also have the issue of never using enough counter service meals and booking too many table service. In addition to that I also enjoy the option of having an appetizer or even a kids meal whenever I choose to do so. Great info here!

[@nd9950]

This was such a great video, Jen. We were just at WDW last week. We did the deluxe dining plan because we wanted to do a lot of character meals. It worked out really well for us, and we did end up coming out ahead. I think overall, we saved about $200 with the deluxe dining plan. However, if it hadn't been our first big disney trip, and we hadn't been trying to maximize character meals, I doubt it would have been as economical for us.

[@ThatOldSWDude]

Thank you so much to you and Bekah. Your input was fantastic! I've started planning for a future trip and my wife and I aren't sure about the DDP yet. This was perfect

[@JenLefforge]

I'm so glad to hear it helped! It really depends on your individual choices but our hope was that we could give some real life experience so thank you for taking the time to comment!!

[@sheem.2450]

This is why I love Disney World!! So many different ways to enjoy your vacation. My husband and I love the DDP. ☺It helps us to just feel free. We never thought of money and etc. This is so cool! Just do whatever works for your family. ❤ I see how that will make sense for you and your son. ☺

[@JenLefforge]

And you know what, Shaylah? A different trip I may decide it's right for us, too! Absolutely different things work for different people and also different types of trips! Thanks for watching!!

[@BigTimeHSMfan]

Hey Jen. When we have used the dining plan option we found ourselves being focused on eating, ordering things we would have thought twice about before ordering, in order to ensure we beat the plays cost. Not great.

[@JenLefforge]

+Jeffrey Foster yeah if you go and watch Bekah’s video she had a similar experience!! Thanks for sharing that.😍

[@deancoffman9164]

In our case, it made sense to do the dining plan for many years. But things have changed and now it is no longer something we come out ahead on. I took our receipts for the trip we took in December. When all was said and done we would have saved 150 dollars combined by not doing the dining plan. For the sake of full disclosure, we both got a stomach bug on this trip and missed 1 Quick service meal each that we ended up converting to snack credits to take Rice Krispie treats home. However, for the sake of "real" value, I counted it as if we did the QS at our most expensive QS rate for the trip and did not add in the RKTs we purchased on the way out of the resort. One thing I attribute to this difference is we do not drink alcohol which would have easily added an additional 10 dollars to the bill in each case. The last time we went was 2015 and alcohol entitlements were not included in the plans back then. Prior we usually broke pretty much even, especially with 2 growing boys who made sure all our entitlements were used and loved to order the most expensive things on the menus. We still did all the same places (3 character meals at dinner). This time we even went to one signature restaurant. The whole reason I did the math on this was that we recently became DVC members and I was trying to determine if it was worth us to do the dining plans still. The 10 percent off on the table service meals alone added another 70 dollars to the savings if we had been members then. So going forward we are no longer purchasing the dining plan, even though we came out ahead for years, it just does not make sense for us going forward. Now we are going to put the money we would have spent on the plan and apply it to some Disney gift cards from Target so we at least still get the feeling of "prepaying" for everything before we get there. The savings should easily cover the tips.

[@JenLefforge]

Dean, this is exactly why I encourage people to take the time and do the math! Not only can each trip be different, but your needs and patterns (and discounts) can change as well! Great comment. Thank you for sharing that.

[@HappinessandSweetTea]

Great upload!! I hope you are enjoying your travels!! ♥️ I honestly think it comes down to where you’re going eat and how each person eats. I’m going to see for sure in March! Keeping all of our receipts vs. what we paid for the dining plan.

[@jojosmith1097]

Thanks for assembling the data. It does reinforce our thoughts of not using the Disney Dining Plan. For our family, because we like to eat outside of Disney, there's no way we would sign up for the Disney Dining plan. There are a lot of restaurant in the Orlando area that we got to try and enjoy. Ravenous Pig is one that was recommended by a wait staff at a Universal restaurant and it worth getting stuck in traffic to try out. :) There was a Cuban restaurant we lucked into because I wanted to get at least one under our belts. We got lucky because they offered a spit roasted whole pig every 3rd Saturday (not sure) that was awesome. Orlando has some fabulous places to dine outside of Disney.

[@JenLefforge]

I have family who live in the area that would completely agree with you! This motivates me to get out of the Disney bubble a bit more when I’m there. Thanks, Joni!

[@sandrabond1]

I just did a ‘drink package’ review from a recent cruise and it was so much fun to take a hard look at what’s right for you in regards to a la cartel purchases vs. packages. Your video reminded me I need to do the same thing for my WDW trip in January! Thanks so much for doing this vid... I KNOW it’s not easy keeping up with all the receipts but we appreciate it!

[@carriel3054]

We saved last year using the plan, but ONLY because of Food & Wine. We used all of our snack credits there and those dishes can be expensive. I also like the flexibility of having an appy for dinner, or skipping the table-service meal some days.

[@mamabear8555]

For our family we are so picky and hate being tied to reservations ( especially since we only go for 5 days with 3 park days) we use the quick service dining plan. Does it save money? Not really. I mean maybe a few bucks if you get the most expensive quick service meals and snacks. You DO get the refillable cup and drinks are also included so that is an extra perk. We just LOVE having the food pre paid and not worrying about it come trip time! That is the main reason we get it! We have a small breakfast in our room or use snack credits and have our two meals and that's enough for us. So quick service for our family....totally worth it.

[@JenLefforge]

We achieve the pre-paid feeling by loading up a Disney gift card before our trip - because I'm with you, I love that, too!

[@SuperEnthused]

You always do such a great job breaking these things down, and the collab is such an awesome idea, I'll definitely be watching Bekah's video too to see the comparison. The dining plan is something that doesn't apply to me and would definitely cost me more, because I don't eat a lot of deserts, snacks or treats, and I travel as an adult either solo, as part of a couple, or part of a group of adults. I don't do a lot of sit down meals, and I like my flexibility and freedom. Always interested in learning more and in people's experiences and I think this was such a great idea!!!

[@ForLoveoftheMouse]

Thank you! Lots of points we had not thought of when we tried to figure this all out

[@MsToady]

Great video! I enjoyed your comparison and analysis! We have only used the dining plan a couple of times & prefer not using it!

[@keiththompson1265]

Yay, great job again. We have yet to decide the dining plan makes sense on any of our trips, but maybe one day it will. Next March we are going to Disneyland and dining plan might make sense, but they do not offer it... I did buy a TIW card this year. We will see how that works out. AP discount is less and no alcohol, so we ran some numbers and still should save over the course of a year. Plus we can use AP discount some places that do not accept TIW.

[@karenmalmgren3238]

SAVE 2 TABLE SERVICE MEALS! Why and how: My husband and I used the regular dinning plan when we went. What we did was for breakfast we used a snack and got a breakfast roll or some such item. Then a couple of the days we used our other snacks for lunch and used counter service for dinners. We saved 2 table service meals to go to Grand Floridian Resort to eat at Narcoossee's. Saving the 2 table service meals was a real bargain for what we got at to eat and the experience of watching the fireworks and light parade on the water. Out next trip we are going to do the same thing but plan better to use all our table service meals for some really nice places to eat.

[@JenLefforge]

Sounds like you had some fabulous meals, Karen! Great choices and a super creative way to use the Dining Plan!

[@teamcuddles6074]

Love the post. Informative and cheerful! We skip the dining plan b/c we aren't foodies and we aren't big eaters - so it just isn't cost effective for us. But, some of my extended family have big eaters and it is a much better value you for them.

[@JenLefforge]

Yes, I could totally see it working better for big eaters!

[@adrianaxgs1536]

We use the dining plan, we love not worrying about food expense and like some of the signature restaurants that take two credits.

[@JenLefforge]

I TOTALLY get this! i like not worrying about cost as well but I get around that by pre-loading a gift card with what I think we'll spend - I budgeted well this time and actually had enough money on there for all our food and my souvenirs. All that to say, TOTALLY love the all-inclusive feeling!

[@yeniffergarth9253]

Great video Jen. I found this very interesting. I have never used the Disney dining plan, but it is something I've thought about for future trips. I don't think it would work for our upcoming trip as not all our meals will be at Disney.

[@silviamullinax6180]

This was super informative. I really appreciate the data!

[@dianabadger2493]

At the kona cafe with the Deluxe Dining Plan my husband was actually able to use his appetizer credit for sushi and his meal credit for sushi as well!

[@JenLefforge]

+Diana Badger you know i have heard that they do allow that sometimes but not always which is weird! So glad he was able to do that! Because that sushi is pricey.🤣🤣🤣😍

[@dianabadger2493]

@@JenLefforge oh really? We lucked out we went to kona cafe twice and were able to do it both times. Also I so appreciate your channel! So helpful!

[@kathrynjames1881]

My Daughter bought all our snack credits and had the snacks sent home!

[@morganbailey3357]

Last time we were there we asked and you can upgrade two counter service for one table service

[@tommyo8068]

Just booked a December trip went with the regular dining plan, usually always works out for us.

[@yesnik09]

Jen, can I get a clarification on this please. I thought you noted this was a 4-night trip, but the total cost you appropriated to the DDP was X 5 nights

[@judithldavis]

Great topic! Loved the dining plan when we traveled with all the kids and they were younger, but now that I only take one or two adult children, it is a bit different. I do know that my 2 daughters and I went during the Flower and Garden with just the quick service. I tried to keep all the receipts, but I am just not as organized as I should be on vacation! We loved all the snack credits and quick serves to use around Epcot, but the full dining plan would have been a waste to us. I think it is all about who you go with and how you travel.

[@wolfsonryan]

This is great information. Just wondering if the total amounts with all the food/drinks was with or without the 10-20% discount with the annual pass, DVC, or Tables in Wonderland? How much did you save with that extra 10-20% off?

[@JenLefforge]

Great question! It did include 10% off at a few of the table service restaurants.

[@heatherrubin746]

I love this video! I think the most important point is to think about how you want to eat, and where you want to eat. The last trip I did to WDW was in summer 2017 with two kids ages 5.5 and 3, and for us, the Deluxe Dining Plan worked wonderfully as we did a number of Character meals (which typically cost more) and also did Cinderella's castle breakfast and California Grill. I think we ended up about even on the whole proposition only because there was no way we wanted all the snacks (so those became lollies for the friends at home) and we don't drink soda so we didn't really use the mugs for much. HOWEVER, having already paid for all of our food, and having that credit card bill paid off before we went, was worth it's weight in gold. Those meals are EXPENSIVE and if I had already been at WDW I would have backed off on the pricey outings with little kids. However, it was only a 4 night stay so I am really happy we did it that one time. I don't think I would do Deluxe again, but for my next trip summer 2019, I will definitely run the numbers (figuring maybe one snack a day for all four of us) and see if a dining plan makes sense, aside from the mental freedom of having things "already paid for."

[@epcotlandfan2804]

I have gotten the dining plan before, but I found that we never have enough room for all the desserts. I like the idea of it, but it can be tricky keeping track of all the meals. I do like the idea of not having to see the cost of each meal though.

[@TerriR1818]

Thanks Jen! I’ve always wondered if the dining plan was worth it. We did the plan way back in 2008 and felt like we had to get the dessert every time because it was included. By the time that week was over we were so sick of chocolate cake! Whaatt??

[@JenLefforge]

+Terri Reid the struggle is real.🤣🤣🤣😍

[@hollybrugha2207]

The last time we used the Disney Dining Plan was back in 2012 when we had Deluxe. It felt like we spent all of our vacation going to a reservation or eating and it was WAY WAY TOO MUCH food (appetizer, entree, and dessert). It felt like we would finish eating and then the next reservation would come up and we would sort of dread it because we were still full. The past 2 trips we have paid out-of-pocket and been so much happier.

[@BethAnnesBest]

YEAH I have heard that about the deluxe that you end up spending all your time eating...which for some people that are foodies and don't care about going on the attractions is great but for most people it's not ideal.

[@bradleyolinger1691]

I am curious on your thoughts about those with a signature heavy trip, but including days off property. Right now, my upcoming two week trip for late August/early September that includes food and wine and at least three days off property includes California Grill, Jiko, Hollywood Brown Derby, and Tiffins(Rivers of Light Package), and I am planning for 8 days in the parks, a couple of off days, a day at SeaWorld and 2 days in St. Augustine. Do you think the standard plan would likely be worth it in my case, given my ability to shift some of the credits around?

[@JenLefforge]

If I were you I would go ahead and look at the menus of the signature restaurants and do a ball Park sum for what each meal will cost and then compare it to the cost of the dining plan. It may very well work out but you’ll never know until you do the. Agh and my concern would be what if you have to cancel a meal? Great question!😍

[@bradleyolinger1691]

@@JenLefforge, thanks for the advice. My last trip was so short I just did gift cards, so a lot to consider. Kind of a couple big celebrations going on for me for this trip.

[@gretabrown1983]

We love the convenience of the dining plan but your right that it depends on what and where you eat. If you plan to go to one of the dinner buffet that is $60 per person, then paying $70 a day for the dining plan would be worth it. That same buffet at lunch (around $35 each) isn’t such a bargain. Those are the types of things we looked at before deciding whether or not to purchase the ddp. Also the resort mugs are not something I would buy unless your room is close to the refill station, so those are not even a factor in our decision to get the dining plan. Our last trip we went without the plan and ended up saving around $900 from the price of paying for the 4 of us for 7 nights on the ddp.

[@GhostHostMemories]

I think in general, $$ to $$, the dining plan is not worth it. to make it 'worth it" there are 2 ways to look at it. Pure cost and "hidden cost value" on a "pure cost" comparison, unless you are getting the most expensive item at every meal, or snack, you are basically leaving money on the table. Sure you might be able to go cheaper sometimes, but that's far and few between. Also, you must commit to eating an average of x table, y quick and z snacks (depending on your plan) per day. that's a big chunk of time. And realize that not all items are covered. but I've seen of people coming out ahead on the dining plan. on the "hidden cost" it becomes much more muddied. does having your meal money "pre paid" cause you less stress? do you want to not have to deal with gift cards (if your savings plan involves making payments over a few months) etc? not having to worry about picking the $45 steak on the menu, etc? if that offers some value to you (hey you are on vacation) then maybe so. If your dining package costs $1500, and you bought $1300 worth of food, does that extra $200 you paid bog you down, or are you ok with that, believing that the dining plan convince helps make your vacation smoother? and of course, don't forget any other discounts available (AP, DVC, Tables in Wonderland) that all factors in.

[@neillatour121]

We saved money not using a meal plan but we brought breakfast bars for us and our kids. Secondly when we booked our restaurants they menus were not too expensive so we saved around 400 dollars

[@dewback47]

The thing I liked about the Disney dining plan that other than tip I don’t have to worry about having to budget that at my trip cause it’s already paid 4

[@JenLefforge]

I totally get that! It's why I pre-load a Disney gift card (adding to it in the months before we leave) so I can get that same pre-paid feeling! Thanks for watching, Robert!

[@dreemkin2448]

I actually think this was not something you can compare. Too many variables in the way people vacation. For us, with the meal plan we are free to pick more expensive things than we would out of pocket. So to me it actually has the feeling of more flexibility. Plus a lot of people don't add in drinks/apps/desserts that are usually included in a TS when seeing if it will save you money. Including these things, it will always save money for us, even if we are picking the least expensive items on a menu or at a QS counter. It's funny how everyone thinks differently but that's why the world works. PS: We do the regular DDP as the deluxe is too much and just a quick service is too little. Have you ever used a dining plan before?

[@JenLefforge]

+dream kinn yes I have, on two different vacations. Thanks for watching!

[@nicolelivy]

Man this info and Bekha’s info was so great for me and my husbands trip next summer thank u so much :)

[@JenLefforge]

I’m so glad!! Thank you for watching and happy planning!😍

[@tanyafritzinger7692]

I have a dining plan question and I'm not sure if you would know or hopefully someone else out there may know. Ok... so... say you used up ALL your table service credits, but you still have counter service credits left.... can you trade 2 or 3 counter service credits for a table service meal?

[@JenLefforge]

+Tanya Fritzinger sadly no. You can use table service credits for counter service but not the other way around. Thanks for watching!

[@tanyafritzinger7692]

Jen Lefforge thank you so much for letting me know!! That's a shame.. who would want to trade in table for counter? Anyway, we have been to Disney several times, but when my daughters were younger. The meal plan would have been a huge waste of money back then, because kids don't eat alot. In fact most of the time when they are little, they can eat off your plate. Well now things are different, it's been 10 years since we have been to Disney world and my girls are ages 24 and 16. My 24 year old can drink alcohol now and of course my 16 year old eats more than when she was 6 lol. So we decided to try the meal plan. Each night we get 1 table , 1 service and 2 snacks and we are not going to waste our snack credits on cheap items like rice crispy treats. There are $6 and $8 items like FF with pulled pork on top and huge cinnamon rolls and huge waffles with icecream or strawberries on top just to name a few. We are going to make sure we use ALL our credits and we will save ALL our receipts to see if the meal plan was good or a bust. I'm also making sure to get my alcoholic beverages with each meal too. I know the prices of food in Disney went up a lot, which also helps our meal plan more cost effective, since we purchased the meal plan before the price increases.

[@pixiedustandpins3771]

I'm loving that you guys did this! I need to do some math now and see if I should skip the DDP for this upcoming trip.

[@lauraf9860]

Two questions (forgive me if I missed the answers) 1- did you have any discounts on your dining like Tables in Wonderland? 2- The 800 something you spent including tip, but the 700 something of the plan did not. Right?

[@JenLefforge]

+Laura F I did have 10% off at many places because of our annual pass. And correct, my number included tip but the dining plan number did not. Great questions!

[@ShelbyA2LA]

If I already booked a package with Costco , can I contact Disney to add the DDP? Thank you .

[@JenLefforge]

I don't know you'd need to call Costco. Thanks for watching!

[@Ken_Leivonen]

Hi Jen, nice video as always, but I think it might be lacking a little. As you know I was at Disney last week with my brother and his family. I didn't stay with them on property so I didn't have a dinning plan to work with myself. I get a free made to order breakfast at my hotel everyday and have an annual pass to Universal so I get 15% off all of my meals on property there, plus I do dine at restaurants in the city as well, like Saturday night I ate at Ocean Prime on Sand Lake, mainly because my friend was performing there that night. I just wish it was this past Saturday night as Gene Simmons from KISS was there and paid my friend a very nice compliment on his performance, but I digress. I did dine with them on Friday night at the Turf Club in Saratoga Springs. And they had extra table service meals that they used to cover my meal, but was more shacking was they had a lot of quick serve meals left over, they were a group of 11 and had 26 quick serve meals left after dinner on Friday night. They were able to use some of them for breakfast the next morning, but then ran around using the quick serve meals to buy snacks to take home with them, like your candy corn rice crispy treat in your giveaway. I did pick up some mickey pumpkin sugar cookies to take home, I digress again. in the end they still had 5 quick serve meals that they didn't use. What I found interesting was they were able to convert a quick serve meals into 2 snacks. I do not know what you can do with table service meals and if can convert snacks into quick serve, etc. Can you do a video about the flexibility of the meal plans, converting meals. Also my brother told me that just because you have 2 meals per day, you don't have to use them like that, he said some days they only had one meal on the plan and then 3 the next day.. It is not something that I have heard from anyone that has done a video on the meal plans. A second question, when you did your actual costs, did that include your annual pass holder discounts? How does being a DVC Member or an Annual pass holder affect the cost of the meal plans, are there discounts with them? Sorry that this got a little rambly, I don't think that is a word, but I think you know what I mean. Ken

[@malavalla]

I have a question im going with my son , sister her husband and my niece this April. I am booked at saratoga but im also on a waiting list 7 days out at the beach club. I have stayed at the yacht club and i want that pool to spoiled my niece , have you ever used the list and had any luck on the list and what do you think my chances are? I know it a tough ticket. I will add its not over easter its 5 thur 10

[@brownsfamily24]

We have 14 night qsdp for 6 next year. Free with a stay at Coronado Springs. Saved about $3000. Probably wouldn’t buy a plan though.

[@JenLefforge]

Yes, having it for free is really nice!!

[@carolsmith916]

Good comparison, Jen! However, are your numbers before your AP or DVC discounts?

[@JenLefforge]

After a 10% discounts on a few of the table service places but not all. I wish now I had said that! Thanks for watching!

[@alienlife9832]

We have used the standard dining plan the last 4 fortnight vacations we've been on, it's great for us except for the poor service and bad attitude we received at several table service restaurants in Disney springs when our server discovered that were on the dining plan , we were made to feel like we'd turned up with free meal vouchers !!

[@JenLefforge]

Ugh! That's horrible! I'm so sorry you had that experience. Dining plan or not, you should still receive excellent service - I hope you told the manager! And aside from the bad service, I'm glad the dining plan worked well for you!

[@511djlamb]

Thank you for this, good "food" for thought! ;0 We have never come out ahead on the DP, we did it 1x and that was 1x too many. Even when Disney offers free dining, I usually wait to see what's offered but since we don't stay value and usually have room discounts, it never makes sense for us. Plus the plan is very restrictive for us and we don't like that aspect of it. We come out ahead paying OOP. I have two daughters ages 10 & 11 and they usually do a lot of sharing of meals at non-buffet restaurants so paying for them as adults on the dining plan is a total waste IMO. We go back in 3 weeks and have two buffet meals, they better save some room to get our money's worth!

[@CyndiAKADisneyqueen]

With Marc's dietary needs now I calculated using the dining plan and even with needing to do three meals a day it would have cost us more (then I am willing to pay lol). Now if I was offered it for free I would be all over it.

[@gregolson3616]

Great video. I'm going to Disney World in October so I have been watching a lot of videos like yours. Maybe you can do another video only adding teenage and older kids scattered all over the park. With the dinning plan it is already paid for you know your kids are getting to eat without breaking the the BANK-O-DAD and it's pretty good. Two paying adults no problem. Two paying adults three teens your wallet doesn't stand a chance. You should also do one where you would set a daily budget and stay within that budget.

[@kristip.3858]

Thank you for this! My husband and I tried the dining plan on our anniversary trip in March. But we won’t be doing it for our whole family this summer 😊. I found that if you have any food allergy restrictions, you are not necessarily getting your money’s worth. Because of allergy restrictions, you aren’t able to get the most expensive item on the menu. Plus, we don’t drink alcohol so that also takes away some of the benefits. I liked the idea of not having to think about money but I felt like I was always trying to find the most expensive item 🤦🏼‍♀️😊

[@JenLefforge]

Yes exactly!! I just want to eat!🤣🥰

[@kristip.3858]

Jen Lefforge 😂 exactly!!

[@analins3125]

Really good video. Loved the insight

[@BekahHart]

Awesome job!! Thanks again for reaching out to do this video 🎉 Such a fun idea! It really is comparing apples to apples, and everyone’s vacation is different ☺️

[@ginaperez1804]

I actually get so full on portions that I'm not hungry and I don't need snacks as much. The dining plan I could possibly waste food

[@sheilawallace8080]

Hi! New Subscriber! Found you from the Neverland Family. We only used the dining plan once (2015) and haven't used it since. BUT our kids are older now and wondering if we should try it again.

[@JenLefforge]

+SheilaWallacePhotography I’m so glad you’re here! I say plan out where you want to eat and do the math - it can be worth it depending on your choices!

[@ivegotadisneydream]

Great video! I have a plan in place to do a similar video in the future with our findings from previous trips 🙂. I feel like so many people feel like they need to do the dining plan (especially 1st timers) because a lot of people kind of push it so to speak. But just like vacations in general...everyone vacations differently and just because the dining plan might work great for some it might not work for everyone.

[@atropos0754]

My wife agrees with you, flexibility means no thinking about what you ‘have’ to eat. Eating what you want and then run like a mad man after a Disney trip = great Disney vacation. Usually we spend less than what the 2nd tier dining plan costs😀👍🏼

[@findingdisney9016]

I’m on the fence about the Dinning plan. The trip we took last month we used DDP. But we did character Dinning every day. So we saved money. But my husband and I both agreed it was a bit much to do 4 character dinnings. It’s sure is convenient though. 🤔 Like I said.... the fence......🤣

[@jasonheather6204]

I would have loved to know your totals minus tip...as the dining plan is tip not included

[@JenLefforge]

Well, if it helps (and unfortunately I don't have my receipts) I tipped 20% on every table service meal.

[@kathrynjames1881]

We just went to Disney with four hungry teenagers. We still could not use all our dining plan mostly the snacks. I do think it is worth it!

[@moviesgonewild1313]

I see that you have the annual pass magnets in the backround, did you use the discount at all? I feel like one or so places would of had the discount? plus if you used discounted Disney gift cards it would of saved you a little bit.

[@JenLefforge]

I did use our AP discount everywhere we could! 10% off at a few of the table service restaurants and YES I also bought discounted gift cards at Target using our Red Card so that definitely helped (although i didn't factor that savings into the numbers I used)

[@tdadp]

The dining plan does pay for itself when you eat a lot of Character meals and signature dining compared to out of pocket..

[@JenLefforge]

For sure everybody is different! Thanks for watching, Tony!

[@jeanmacfarland1428]

I definitely agree about the Deluxe plan, way too much food and not worth it for that alone. As you also, said, it is hard to compare-you can look at it two ways...Compare what you would want to/typically eat OR compare what it would cost you if you ate what the plan offers, but paid out of pocket. If you do the latter, the Plan does save you money, but if you won't eat one table service, one QS and snacks each day, then you are right, not worth it. I always do it when the Dining Plan is free, that is a no brainer-LOL, but my crew paid for it this time, so we shall see. the leftover credits is also a sign whether it was worth it or not...The refillable mug is also nice as that is my morning coffee, and then something to take back to the room at night...eesh, so much to think about. Thanks for this-love you vlogs!

[@JenLefforge]

+Jean MacFarland it’s definitely different for everyone and even for every trip! Thanks for watching, Jean!!

[@jeanmacfarland1428]

Just watched Bekah-you may have got me hooked on another vlogger!

[@JenLefforge]

+Jean MacFarland hurray!!

[@robertkirkpatrick1826]

I agree with no plan unless you have several kids. For my wife and I use the Disney dollars from our Disney Visa card. We haven’t paid for food at all for 6 or more trips, and we eat wherever we want. I think you probably do save money with it but that’s not a goal for us as it limits our flexibility in our opinion.

[@JenLefforge]

I keep using my Disney Visa rewards to buy stuff. I really should save them but then there's a new Dooney bag and, well, you know . . . you guys are smart!

[@jcarey1357]

This. Video. Was. Amazing! We normally do the dining plan :)

[@ebonydecarlo6017]

Great idea. We always buy the dining plan but my son just turned 10 but doesn’t eat much. I was debating it it was worth getting him the adult meal plan knowing he will still want chicken fingers and fries at most places.

[@nicoleedwards5543]

Love the comparison. Thank you for the feedback.

[@TreClaire]

Did you not count the snacks you bought or did you not buy any snacks?

[@JenLefforge]

+TreClaire we didn’t get snacks or when we did it was at a place like Baseline Taphouse and I factored that in. Btw their pretzels are amazing!

[@TreClaire]

Jen Lefforge okay thanks! I asked because snacks are one of the biggest reasons I get the dining plan, I’m a big snacker. There have even been occasions were I break down one or two quick service credits into snack ones cause that’s just how I prefer getting through the day! One big meal and a bunch of little stuff throughout. I can’t imagine not snacking 😅

[@JenLefforge]

You may want to do that math and see if it’s saving you any money then because typically using a quick service meal for 2 snacks isn’t a good value. 😍

[@bbeachley1293]

quick service breaks down into 3 snack credits and they have to be used in the same transaction. So depending on what you are getting, you might get better value for 3 $6 snacks versus some of the cheaper qs restaurants. My family is doing the Deluxe Dining plan next summer. we are big eaters, though so I'm not concerned about the value. I love my steak too much :)

[@TreClaire]

Bridget Beachley yeah, it’s true it goes to three snack credits but you don’t have to spend them all at once? At least I’ve never had to, you can just ask them to be converted and the extra snack credits are on your band When I do that I do always make sure to get the more expensive snacks just to make sure I’m not wasting

[@bridgetdougherty2102]

You Jen are amazing and soooo super helpful to me 😊. I am starting to plan a possible solo trip (might take a friend not sure yet) this helps so much. I had surgery over summer and do not eat that much anymore and have been thinking if the dining plan would still be helpful and worth it for me. After this video it honestly wouldn't be worth it for me. I forgot how much they give you for food and how many credits a dining plan has on it. I would waste so much money with it. Thanks again for another amazing helpful video 🍻💜😊

[@anniephilipsadventures2872]

Love your Spirit shirt!

[@eddiebenson4259]

Have you ever done the Disney's club level? Great video 👏

[@JenLefforge]

I have! When we can afford it, I LOVE club level! Thanks for watching, Eddie!

[@hm4704]

The vlog was informative. On a personal note, because I am more visual, I needed cost graphics. I know this is more work for you. However, it would be twofold as it would a) tell me your actual cost per restaurant (also giving me an idea of how costly that restaurant is) and b) have a side by side total cost comparison of DDP vs your out of pocket. Plus more table services mean more out of pocket TIPS. So maybe you could state tips separately.

[@JenLefforge]

I do the best I can with the time available to me. Thanks for watching!

[@hm4704]

I’m so sorry. I know you work so hard on these videos! And it is very time consuming. That’s why I said it would be more work. From what I’ve read you are a good resource. And I am glad that I found you. Please accept my apologies if you didn’t feel appreciated. BTW- you are only the second YT to respond to a comment I made. You made me feel valued.

[@JenLefforge]

I'm so glad! I try to respond to as many comments as I can but this video was tough because I was in London when it was published! I'm glad you're here!

[@daisycocoa2557]

Great job thanks😃

[@Mtmumsie2]

We used the dining plan when we went as a family when our kids were younger. I think we had the deluxe and even with two young kids we couldn’t eat all the meals and snacks that we could have. We found ourselves getting fruit, etc just to use up the snack credits 😂 The last trip was just my daughter and I and believe it or not - 6 days at Disney and we only spent $300 on dining! We got a gift card because of construction at the Caribbean and we used it just for food. We did share a couple of meals - we are not big eaters - but still had 3 meals a day and snacks. We had breakfast at Beast Castle one morning too. And high tea, and a couple of sit down restaurants. So, I know we aren’t typical but we just can’t eat as much as the plans offer. Also, I find it confusing to keep track of what is included and what’s not! 😂

[@beautymarking]

Are apps included in the dining plan?

[@JenLefforge]

Not in the regular dining plan but I believe they are in the deluxe. Great question!😍

[@ThereGoesCheri]

Thank you for this! We have done the math and it doesn't work for us either!

[@JenLefforge]

You are most welcome, Cheri! Thank you or watching!

[@Dominus_Ryder]

Alright, I watched both videos...basically, you can make both options work to save you money...you just have to be flexible with your eating choices and where you want to eat at. If decreasing price is your primary objective/motivation, then you could probably save the most by not getting a dining plan. If the quality of the meals and getting the most value per dollar is your goal, then getting a dining plan is the way to go. My advice would be to get a Target red card so that you can buy Disney gift cards at 5% off, and then invest the money that you would spend on a dining plan (or perhaps 85% of that money), on pre-paid gift cards, thus allowing you to save 5% on all purchases (including souvenirs), and have the most flexibility in dining choices.

[@JenLefforge]

YES! Great plan, Brit!