Hi Kristin!
It sounds like the countdown is on for your upcoming sailing on the high seas with Mickey and the gang on Disney Cruise Line…how exciting! While a trip on Disney Cruise Line is special enough on its own, adding a couple days at Walt Disney World Resort after your cruise is sure to make this a vacation to remember!
When determining whether adding a
Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package makes sense for your family, I highly recommend that you try to roughly plan out where your family would like to eat out of the vast array of
Walt Disney World Resort restaurants, and if possible, estimate what you would likely spend on these meals over the course of your stay. Menus for most Walt Disney World Restaurants are available online to assist with this task. Don’t forget to also factor in the cost of any snacks available on your dining plan (which, if your family is anything like mine, you will have no problem using up) as well as the cost of any soft drinks, coffee or tea you would likely consume at your Resort, which would be complimentary under the dining plan using your refillable mugs.
Unfortunately, there is no simple or generic answer as to whether the Disney Dining Plan will result in cost savings as it is so highly dependent upon your own individual family’s dining styles and preferences. However, in my experience, I find the Disney Dining Plan to be particularly cost effective for families with children under age 10, especially if your family plans on doing a lot of character or buffet style meals.
I hope this gives you some “food for thought”. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to send them our way. We would love to hEAR from you!
Trish