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View Full Version : Disney dining plan... worth it?



phantomdilbert
03-19-2006, 10:42 PM
Just ran across this offering...not even sure how to get it so I guess that's the second half of the question... =)

We'll be there for 5 days so we were thinking of doing the 3 day to allow for some flexibility. We'll be staying probably at the CGH...

Do they expire? Do you have to use them within 3 days or are they flexible and can we spread them across multiple days?

Thanks in advance...

hlbtimes2
03-20-2006, 05:25 AM
There are a bunch of other threads on this if you do a search.

If you are looking at "worth it" as in will they save you money- NO. It works out pretty much dollar for dollar.

For our family they are a budgeting tool. We usually book way in advance, when we have a chunk of money. By paying for a days worth of our meals at that time, it cuts down on our out of pocket money while at the parks. We are horrible savers, so it works well for us. We've used them on 2 of the last 3 trips. We didnt use them this month when we were there, because we booked close to time of our trip and I figured we could hold on to our money for 4 weeks. LOL While we were there my husband asked why we didnt have food vouchers. I guess he really likes the plan.

Buying less days then your trip is a great idea, and I usually recomend that to people. If you do go with the meal plan there are a few rules: they dont give change, so always carry some small bills to make up the difference rather then giving them extra in vouchers. There will be a few vouchers in the books that can only be used in the park (I believe they are the $5 snack vouchers). They do expire, but its usually the end of the calendar year. They would be good for at least your entire trip. Oh, and you aren't supposed to tear them out before you get ready to pay- so dont take some out and give them to part of your party if you seperate for the day- give them an entire book. I dont know how much they enforce that rule, but I'm not willing to find out!

Rhiannon8404
03-20-2006, 06:45 AM
For our family they are a budgeting tool. We usually book way in advance, when we have a chunk of money. By paying for a days worth of our meals at that time, it cuts down on our out of pocket money while at the parks. We are horrible savers, so it works well for us.

We aren't terribly good savers either. I think we just might try the dining plan this fall. We've never really considered it, but I'm going to talk to DH about it. Thanks for the info.

Pat-n-Eil
03-20-2006, 08:18 AM
Can you use Disney Dining vouchers in Downtown Disney too?

hlbtimes2
03-20-2006, 08:19 AM
Can you use Disney Dining vouchers in Downtown Disney too?


No. They are only good at Disney locations (hotels restuarants and in the parks). That is the main reason I recomend not buying day for day for the entire trip. It would make you feel limited to eating just Disney food or waste the vouchers.

Malcon10t
03-20-2006, 08:23 AM
Can you use Disney Dining vouchers in Downtown Disney too? When we considered them, they were only good inside Disneyland Resort Parks and Hotels. Problem I had was things like the Character Dining I can get cheaper with my AP or AAA cards. So, it actually COSTS me more to use the vouchers. Instead, to "save" for the trip, I save up a month or so, then turn the cash into Disney Gift cards (good at all Disney except ODV) or dollars (good even at ODV.)

TripleTrouble
03-20-2006, 09:28 AM
DON'T do the Disney dining plan. We've done it twice. The first time was in 2003 and it worked ok. We did it again in 2004 and it was a nightmare. In 2003, the vouchers were these tickets that resembled your entry pass. Each voucher stated what type of meal it was for but also a cash value and we were able to use them with ease at most restaurants. In 2004, they had changed them to a booklet with coupons. The coupons could only be torn out by a Disney employee or they were otherwise void. They were only good for stated meal. The vocher booklets were so much larger than the previous year's that it was just more to carry around with you. Much of the staff at the restaurants were clueless about them and would argue that they didn't take them. We had to ask for a manager almost every meal to get to use them. I mean, you buy it from Disney, it costs a lot, and they are use it or lose it and here the employees try to discourage their use. I was left wondering how many people just went along with the "we don't take them" story and ended up with useless unused vouchers. We vowed to never use them again. You don't get anything extra for buying them and they end up being a nuisance.

hlbtimes2
03-20-2006, 09:56 AM
DON'T do the Disney dining plan. We've done it twice. The first time was in 2003 and it worked ok. We did it again in 2004 and it was a nightmare. In 2003, the vouchers were these tickets that resembled your entry pass. Each voucher stated what type of meal it was for but also a cash value and we were able to use them with ease at most restaurants. In 2004, they had changed them to a booklet with coupons. The coupons could only be torn out by a Disney employee or they were otherwise void. They were only good for stated meal. .

We used them in Dec. 2003 and Oct 2005. We didnt notice any change in that time period. They were the same size, in a book, and were only to be removed in front of a cm both times. :confused: They do take a while to pay with, which is a pain. There is a code on each one that has to be put in the register by hand for each voucher. We never had a problem using the for what ever meal or snack we wanted and we were never questioned about them taking them. I guess its another example of how you find cm's all over the park that know things and others that dont. We must have been lucky.