Hi Rosalie,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am delighted that you brought this question to us. The
Dining Plan is always a must-do for my family.
Food can be unpredictably expensive while on vacation. Purchasing a dining plan gives me a better sense of how much money we will spend on food. Now that our girls are older, the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan is our family's favorite. We eat like royalty on the Deluxe Plan!
We also believe that the Disney Dining Plan or the Deluxe Dining Plan are good options because, for each Table-Service lunch or dinner, guests 3-years old and over receive an entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic, drink. The two snacks per day and resort refillable mug also add to the value of a dining plan. With the mugs, we have unlimited access to our favorite soft drinks at the resort.
Finally, when I have priced out our meals for the week, a dining plan comes out to be a great value for us. When using the Deluxe Dining plan, we typically eat at Cinderella's Royal Table and California Grill, both of which require two Table-Service meal credits per person. Since the Deluxe Dining plan includes three meals per night per person on the dining plan, it gives us flexibility. Our last meal at the California Grill would have been about $250.00 for the four of us (two adults and two children).
To better estimate for your family, I suggest that you check out the menus at a few of the restaurants. One of our favorite restaurants is
Be Our Guest. If you click on "View Menu," you can access the menu. Be sure to select breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Happy Planning!
-Donyell