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Mom And Daughter; Animal Kingdom
  • On Aug 31, 2013
    Lisa 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 moms, wondering whether the delux dining plan is worth the extra money, we are planning on eating in 8 signature restaurants and will be having 2 table service meals on 3 of the days, what do you think, your advice would be much appreciated, thanks

    Lisa,

    Obviously this is a question that is unique to everyone's different dining plans. But as a rule, I have always found that when you spend dining credits on the signature restaurants that require 2 credits per meal you really don't get your money's worth. That is not to say that I am anti-dining plan. I like it. But in the greater scheme of things I don't find them working out from a value perspective to the comparative cost of the meal.

    So as an example, with the Deluxe dining plan you spend around $100/day, roughly equating to $33 per meal. Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast is in the $50-55 range, so you are spending $66 (2 credits) for a $55 meal. Admittedly that one includes tax, but still not a good use of your money.

    Another example would be Jiko. The average pre-tax, pre-tip cost would be right around that $66. But that means that you HAVE to eat an appetizer, entree, and dessert to hit that number. What if you are not quite that hungry?

    Finally, every time you use a meal credit at a lower cost restaurant, like a quick service meal, you are 'losing' money.

    BOTTOM LINE: While the dining plan is good in many cases, you would be more fiscally well-off in this case if you paid out of pocket and ate what you wanted, not what the plan required you eat to make it a good deal.

    Write me back if you have any follow-up questions.

    Have a magical (and delicious) vacation!
     


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Meet the Panelist: Doug, Indiana

I am one of the Dads on the planDisney Panel, and I love to help parents plan their vacation, with a focus on showing them how it can be fun for them too. I am also here to help Dads plan some nice surprises for the Moms in their life (they deserve it!). Learn More About Doug

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