#AskIt: Disney Dining Plan – Now With Alcohol!
Last week, the trip-planning world was abuzz with the news that Disney has made some changes to its dining plan options for 2018. Usually the news this time of year is just another price hike (though we did see that too), but the big news was that dining plan meal credits now include specialty beverages. Yes, even alcoholic ones.
You can read up on the ins and outs here, but we have one question:
Are you more or less likely to purchase the Disney Dining Plan now that it includes specialty beverages?
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Can’t say I ever bought it, but I have taken for free when it’s offered. I’m slightly more likely to take it over a room discount now.
My DH and I don’t drink so it’s not really an incentive to us and the price increase because of the alcohol addition makes it more difficult to get true savings out of it. On future trips we may opt in for the convenience of pre-paying for everything but now it’s kind of out if we are trying to save money!
This will be our first trip to Disney. I was on the fence for quite some time about the dining plan. I finally decided to purchase it. We will be in the parks only 2 days and I knew I would have to pay for 3 days of the dining plan. I found out we could use those extra days to eat a third meal in the parks on the 2 days we are in them and I was sold. This means we can eat off site the third day and our items will not go unused. Once they announced the alcohol being included, it was just a plus for us.
Just an FYI — The DDP also works at some restaurants in Disney Springs, and at the Disney Resort Hotels. You do not need a park ticket for those locations.
The dining plan was never really a good deal for just the two of us (me and my DD9). We got it free a couple of times, but really had to work to get our money’s worth (and that was doing at least one character meal a day). I don’t drink and my daughter has never ever asked for a special drink or milkshake at any restaurant, so I can’t see how the new plan would be good for us at all.
I’m a fan of the dining plan, and I like the addition of alcohol and specialty drinks because a) I get sick of soda at every meal and b) I do sometimes add a cocktail onto my bill at dinner, now it’s included. I said “neither” because I’ve always gotten the plan and will continue to do so.
For our family, the food is mediocre so we avoid eating it as much as possible. When I factor in the steep prices for the mediocre food, then I avoid it even more!! We’ve eaten at signature, table service and quick service restaurants. Some of them were “good” but none of them were worth the price. If I’m paying Disney prices for food, I want it to taste REALLY good. Given the choice, I would rather eat at a fast casual chain restaurant than any of the restaurants on property. And it would cost a fraction of the price as on-site food.
It’s honestly easier just to put a set amount on a debit card and use that to pay for food and drink in the parks. And I get to order what I want without guilt even if it’s not the most expensive thing on the menu (which I would do to get the most bang for my buck on DDP).
The more expensive the DDP gets, the more difficult it becomes for my family to save any money using it. When we choose the restaurants we really prefer, and order only what we really want to eat, we save 15-20% by paying out of pocket, even when our choices include a signature/character meal or two and an occasional glass of wine! When on the DDP, we end up eating at places we don’t care for, ordering food that isn’t our first choice, and wasting huge quantities of food and drink, all in a desperate attempt to “get our money’s worth.” Now that problem would only be intensified as we felt compelled to order sugar-laden specialty drinks or alcohol, whether we felt like it at that moment or not. For us, the DDP causes stress and inconvenience rather than alleviating it. The price increase only makes saying “no” to the DDP easier for me.
Yes, I completely agree with every word you said. We haven’t used the dining plan in a long while for these very same reasons. The dining plan is supposed to make it easier to kick back, relax, and enjoy your vacation, but for us we either end up overeating and then feeling miserable or we end up wasting a ton of food, which also makes us feel terrible. Not fun. Not enjoyable. Not relaxing.
I buy the dining plan anyway so it wouldn’t change things for me but I love the addition. I like that the kids can get froufrou drinks and My Non-Disney hubby can destress a bit with a drink!