Mom and Daughter at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Room
  • On Nov 20, 2010
    Jason from MI 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.

    We willl be coming down the first week in April. Is it worth it to purchase the dining plan? We have a 13 yr old girl , 11 year old girl, 8 yr old boy , and 6 year old boy.

    Hi, Jason!  I like to tell people that the value of the dining plan really depends on your eating habits.  It also is a tremendous help with budgeting.  My brother has two growing boys, and for his family, it makes absolute sense to purchase a dining plan.  The boys are both over nine, so they count as adults, and they are big eaters, so the amount of food on the plan is never an issue.  It also helps them know before they go about how much their food budget will be - adding only a few extra dollars for a light meal or snacks.

    For my family, it's a tough call.  My nine year old, who still counts as a child, really needs an adult meal to be content.  My five year old and I often share a meal, as neither of us are very big eaters, and she prefers adult food to the children's menus sometimes.  We end up with WAY too many meal credits left at the end of our trip, and a suitcase full of snacks that we weren't able to eat.

    You can absolutely make the most of your dining dollar with the meal plan, if you have a family of good eaters.  And with a teen and tween daughter, you might find that their adult meals are shareable with the little guys if the little guys need something more.  

    Weigh the pros and cons for your family, check out menu prices at allears.net to see about how much you might spend normally, and take it from there!

    Have a great vacation!
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Meet the Panelist: Anna, New Jersey

My name is Anna and I am a retired teacher with a J.D., a proud Navy wife with 30+ years of experience, mom to three daughters and a son-in-law, and grandmom to three tiny Disney fans. I have planned vacations for all sorts of special occasions and celebrations, but I really enjoy DVC vacations, helping military families, and assisting those with special dietary needs.    Learn More About Anna

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