Am I Missing Something?

[PandaBear & Boo]

Going in September - Free Dining! I've never done DDP before and I have a couple of questions for you DDP experts. I understand that you get 1 snack, 1 CS and 1 TS. I already have my ADR's for my TS booked so thats out of the way. I just want to be clear that I understand this whole dining plan thingy. I know that you are allowed an appetizer, entree & dessert. Do you have to have all 3? What if I just want an entree & the dessert OR just the entree. Please can someone please verify. I am reading so many peoples posts of how much food they had and that they couldn't finish. That they have so many credits left over. Isn't it just plain and simple eat what you want, use up your credits and carry on with your vacation and enjoy yourself. Or am I missing something?

 

[cdntourguide]

You do not have to order and eat all three of the appy, entre and dessert.

Eat whatever you like. Disney CM's will not force feed you.

 

[kcashner]

You certainly do not have to order appetizer, entree, and dessert. Order whatever you want. You might want to consider sharing with other family members on some meals (which will free up TS credits for 2 credit restaurants or a character breakfast), or having them box up the dessert to take back to the resort with you.

We just got back--had way more food than we could eat!

Order whatever makes you happy!

 

[CamColt]

I think the comments you are referring to (speaking for myself here) is when people are paying for the Dining Plan. Personally, I wouldnt pay for the dining plan since it is too much food for us. We never order 4 entrees, appetizers and desserts for our family of 4 at a meal. I wouldnt want to worry about "getting my moneys worth" or "wasting credits", if I was paying for it. And I wouldnt want to essentially be paying for food I don't want and wont eat.

However, with the free dining I feel its a whole differnet ball game. We will get what we want, eat whatever we can, and also not worry if something isn't on the plan (we will pay for it). I wont have that "gotta get the most for my money" feeling.

So to answer your question, no you do not have to get all those things when on the plan, but I think people feel obliged to if they are paying for that food.

 

[DisneyMama27]

The free dining was awesome last fall, and we have signed up again! Last year my parents came too, and the DDP was perfect, as they are penny pinchers and would have split hamburgers all week long otherwise! I loved not having to worry about the bill, let the kids get dessert if they wanted. I got to try more exotic things than I would if I were paying OOP, since if I didn't like it, no wasted money! Also, we got to sit down and enjoy dinner more, having a TS each day. Well worth the "hassle" of planning ahead and making ADRs. We ended up cancelling one because we just weren't hungry! And the CMs didn't even bat an eye at my 27 Mickey rice krispies on our last day (they are easy to pack and were a great snack on the plane) so I know I wasn't the first to do that! We just were rarely hungry for a snack! I used the snack credit for water a couple times, but ran into some places where I couldn't, so we just charged to the room. DH didn't get uptight about my charging stuff since we weren't paying an arm and leg for meals. Which is why he booked a trip we hadn't even considered as soon as he heard the dining plan was free again!!