• On Sep 4, 2018
    Poonam from NJ 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.

    Hi. My husband and I are taking our kids (3&5). I’m not sure if we should do the dining plan or just buy and split meals since they don’t eat a lot. We’re staying Sat to Fri morning and when I divide up the dining plan between us it’s like $453pp

    Hi Poonam,

    Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!

    Given the ages of your children, I suspect that you have plans to do several character meals. These can be more expensive than a standard table-service meal. We always prefer to use a dining plan because it is such a great value for our family. When our girls were about the ages of your little ones, the Disney Dining Plan was perfect for us. With one quick-service and one table-service meal plus two snacks per night, we had some great dining experiences. We have enjoyed 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Cinderella's Royal Table, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Tusker House Restaurant and Hollywood & Vine. 

    We also find the dining plans to be a great value because they include beverages with meals and the resort refillable mugs. To be sure that we are getting a better value with a dining plan, I always make our dinning reservations for table-service meals, then make tentative plans for quick-service meals. Then I check the restaurant menus to get price estimates. For character meals, I always call and speak to a cast member in dining at 407-939-1947 to get pricing for the dates of our trip. And, I include an average drink estimate at $4/non-alcoholic beverage for each meal since without a dining plan, drinks can be charged separately. I estimate snack prices to be about $5 per snack. Check the Be Our Guest Restaurant breakfast menu to get an idea of the pricing.

    Poonam, for me, a dining plan also relieves some of the stress I have about food. Each person gets her or his own meal. I do not have to worry about dividing food. At character meals, each guest 3-years old and over has to pay for a meal, so since we do so many of those, we would not see much savings. For us, a dining plan provides a more stress-free experience!

    Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
    Donyell
thumbnail image for Donyell

Meet the Panelist: Donyell, North Carolina

Hello from North Carolina! I am a mom of twin girls, wife, and university professor who has been inspired by the creativity of Disney for a lifetime. Since my first Disney visit when I was 12-years-old, I have been drawn to the adventures crafted by Disney Imagineers. Planning Disney vacations helps connect me to families who will find in Disney the kind of joy my family has experienced over the years. Allow me to help you map your own Disney journey so that you, too can create the memories of a lifetime! Learn More About Donyell

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