Hi, Renee!
Welcome to Disney Parks Moms Panel! We are so glad that you sent us your question!
When guests are planning a stay at
Walt Disney World and are trying to decide if a
Disney Dining Plan is right for their family, I tell them to check out menus posted online. Locate restaurants that you would likely enjoy while touring the parks, look at their menus and note the items you would each most likely order while dining. Add up the cost of the items of one meal, then do the same for the other. Add to this the actual cost of one snack per person, per night of stay as well as the Rapid Refill mug you'll each get with your Disney Dining Plan, then compare each day's total with the cost of the plan.
For example, on a plan that offers 1 Quick-Service and 1 Table-Service meal per night, I may enjoy a QS oven-roasted salmon at Wolfgang Puck Express at Disney Springs Marketplace ($20), plus a non-alcoholic beverage and creme brulee with berries ($6). For dinner, I may opt for a grilled New York strip steak at The Coral Reef ($33), another non-alcoholic beverage and Bailey's and Jack Daniel's Mousse for dessert ($9). This total is likely more than I would have spent on one night of a DDP.
If your family is like mine, and you find that you tend to order the more expensive items on a menu when the price is not a concern, then a Disney Dining Plan will likely save you money. Because you've paid for your meal entitlements before your trip begins, you can order anything on the menu that is included in the plan, and not worry about spending too much. If you plan to enjoy your dining options at Walt Disney World as much as we do, the Disney Dining Plan may be just right for your family.
Send more questions as you think of them, Renee; we love to help!
Andrea H