Now we aren't doing the dining plan and I don't know how to plan, help!

[Dean Kennedy]

So we usually get the dining plan. I like the dining plan. I'm used to the dining plan. I was excited for it next trip (originally we weren't going to get it, but I changed his mind ).
So we've had some unexpected vet bills and plane tickets to purchase to help other family members for things. All to say we discussed and seems best way to make up for some lost money is to cut the dining plan.

I'm not sure how we would save doing that, because I still want to eat! I don't get how people lose money on the plan...

Pros to cutting dining plan:
We don't have to eat at a sit down all 9 nights, can switch to every other.
I don't have to eat a full counter service for lunch if I don't want to, can just eat fries.
I can get an appetizer for dinner and be done with it.
I don't have to get dessert.
We can eat at lounges/bars.

Cons to cutting dining plan:
No idea how much to save for food and alcohol.
Worried I'll be worried about money entire time.
I feel like i'll deprive myself of food because I will want to make sure I'm spending less than if I had dining plan
Now that we can eat anywhere (including lounges, etc.) - no idea where to even start to make ADRs.
No alcohol included. (I won't miss the lunch drink actually and I will drink more than allowed on plan, so would have to pay anyway)

I'm thinking I always eat a small breakfast in room, will probably snack for lunch throughout the day and then either hit a lounge or good quick service at Disney Springs for dinners the nights we don't do sit downs?

Why am I so lost with this?

Give me lounges/bars/ good places for lighter dinners at parks? Disney Springs? Hotels? Restaurants with small plates/apps? Like on DHS day, thought we could go over to Ale And Compass bar/lounge for light early (or late) dinner?

I guess I'm not grasping how not having dining plan is going to save me money.

For sure go to Geyser Point Bar and Grill. Impressive.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We eat the way we want and it is always cheaper than the DDP by quite a bit. It varies by trip, but still.

 

[sethschroeder]

I don't understand anyone saying to buy gift cards ahead of time.

Just wait and when needed buy gift cards online from Target digitally and they come in like 2 hours.

If you don't have a red card get one that is debit and it's an easy 5‰ discount.

 

[Iralyn]

We didn't have a dining plan for our 4 days at Disney this time. I definitely saved money but I also kind of hated it. Disney dining is so expensive that I prefer not to have to think about each meal if it is "worth it". We saved money because we shared quick service meals (and a mug) and mostly ate breakfast in the room. When we had a dessert party, we just had cheese and crackers for dinner. Overall it made sense to not get the dining plan this time but I totally get your pain.

 

[nco91590]

We only skipped the dining plan once, and only because it was a short last minute trip. We booked one TS and decided to do the rest CS on the fly. Drinks drove up meal costs for us significantly. If I did it again we’d all be having water with meals. We also figured out our kids do not share meals well at Disney, even if they eat like birds at home. We don’t order the most expensive things on the menu when we get the dining plan, we just order what we like. We did the same paying OOP and when we came home and crunched the numbers, the dining plan would’ve worked out better, but that was just poor planning on my part. If I did it again I’d really look at the menus and pricing in advance so I was mentally prepared. It’s a big difference going from just signing a receipt, to actually paying OOP for a Disney meal.

Lol this was completely us the last time we went and paid OOP. I thought I could get away with the kids sharing food and they were not having it. We didn't save a TON of money and ultimately decided that we would go with DDP for this next trip now that alcoholic bevs are included (that drove up our OOP costs considerably) and Festival of the Arts is happening during our trip so we can burn snack credits.

We didn't have a dining plan for our 4 days at Disney this time. I definitely saved money but I also kind of hated it. Disney dining is so expensive that I prefer not to have to think about each meal if it is "worth it". We saved money because we shared quick service meals (and a mug) and mostly ate breakfast in the room. When we had a dessert party, we just had cheese and crackers for dinner. Overall it made sense to not get the dining plan this time but I totally get your pain.

Yeah, I agree that I had anxiety over food costs last time we paid OOP. My husband insists on DDP because he literally cannot stand how expensive the food is. I know this doesn't make sense, but psychologically paying in advance and not worrying while you're there allows for a more laid back attitude toward food costs.

 

[alex9179]

You could squirrel away the approx cost of the DDP for your party, use your MB and just charge everything to the room and pay upon checkout. That's what we did when we were OOP. You will likely end up slightly under that amount.

This is what I usually do. These days, you authorize a card for use when you check in and they put a $100 hold against it. After that amount of charges accumulate, they're processed and another $100 is held. I use whatever card I have with the best rewards. If restaurants rewards are higher than travel, I'll tend to take care of the the bill at the meal because the coding will be right. I'm not diligent and will do what's easiest for me, though! I'd rather not have my money tied up for Disney only purchases.

You'll enjoy yourself. I just came back from a free dining trip. I had no problem using TS but we had snacks and QS left due to a room issue that took hours to address. I just didn't have time to go to the shop/food court and use them. The amount of food is enough to feed twice the number in our party. Like you, I like to get an adult drink and walk around the park. On the plan, you have to get food with it for it to be covered. So many desserts! A lot of food waste.

I love eating in the lounges. We get a couple of things to share, have a drink or two, and relax. No one is stuffed and you're recharged. Just verify when they open. Some do around lunch time and others at 4pm. Dawa in AK at 10am, but no food.
I'm up for trying any of them but my favorites are
Geyser Point
Territory Lounge
Scat Cat's at POFQ, if staying in that area
Blue Zoo lounge is great. The bartenders were skilled and the crab nachos are out of this world.
Barcelona/Dahlia - I wanted to try both but the snafu was at Gran Destino and Dahlia closed due to the electrical problems
Jock Lindsey's
Hole in the Wall by Raglan Rd, food can be purchased at Cooke's if wanting to hang there.
The bars at Springs' TS. Homecomin's was really busy at lunch time. I'd like to visit Frontera Cocina
HBD lounge is my favorite eating spot in DHS
Nomad lounge of course, but I'd also hang in Satuli Canteen because I love the entrees
I really want to try Tutto Gusto in Epcot!

 

[vinotinto]

I think your plan of having a certain amount of TS meals and round it up with some lounges and QS will work just fine and it won't be expensive.

For our last-minute SWGE AP preview trip (booked just a few weeks in advance), we did not make any ADRs, nor ate at any proper TS restaurants. We popped into lounges and had mostly drinks and apps.

On our arrival night, we wanted to see Fantasmic, so we went to HBD Lounge and had a lovely (light) meal of appetizers with drinks. It wasn't expensive.

Next day, we had QS breakfast at the hotel, QS lunch at SWGE (really good!) and then went to Jock Lindsey's for another lovely (light) meal of appetizers with drinks. It also wasn't expensive.

Departure day, we had QS breakfast at hotel, and yet another lounge meal at Ale & Compass lounge. Yup. More drinks and appetizers. Not expensive.

I think the dining plan saves you money when doing many fixed price meals/character meals. But, if you order from a menu, and maybe don't always need an entree for each person, or a dessert for each person, you will save money not getting the DDP. If you think each of you will spend $22 at a QS and $44 at a TS and eat 2 snacks worth at least $6 each daily, then you should stick with the DDP.