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Mom and daughter on Expedition Everest; Animal Kingdom
  • On Apr 19, 2010
    Niki Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    My husband and I are coming to Disney with our 4 yr old and 2 yr old. I'm on the fence about doing a dining plan...is it worth it for us when our 2 yr old eats free anyway and our 4 yr old will probably share our food?

    Hi, Niki! When our first two children were the ages of yours, the dining plan was not an option. However, if it was, I don't think I would have purchased it for our family simply for the fact that it is a lot of food, and my kids "grazed" at that age instead of eating meals. When they were little, we would plan a quick service meal and order three meals for all four of us. Then, at a table service restaurant, my husband and I would split an adult appetizer and entree and feed the kids off of one kid's meal.  We would spend the rest of the day eating packed snacks from the diaper bag! (Until now, I had forgotten how inexpensively we used to eat!)

    Now, with teenagers and bigger kids, no one wants to split, and the family is sometimes in different locations for meals.  Therefore, the dining plan makes more sense for us on those occasions.  The determining factor for us continues to be how we are eating on any given trip to WDW.  If we are staying in a villa, we usually fix our own meals and snack at the parks. If we're at a convention, we eat sit-down meals with the group and plan for only quick service in the parks. If it's a quick WDW trip, we'll get one of the various types of the Disney Dining Plan for the convenience as well as the savings. Therefore, it does help to sit down and budget your daily (estimated) expenditures to determine where you would like to spend your vacation money. For us, it may be different for each trip!

    Let me know if you have more questions...I'd be happy to help! Have a wonderful day and a magical vacation!
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Meet the Panelist: Andi, Alabama

Anchors aweigh! Time to set sail aboard Disney Cruise Line, and I'm just the mom to help you navigate the waters of planning. From stem to stern to ports of call, I'll show you the ropes of pixie-dusted vessels filled with magic and adventure. Learn More About Andi

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