We are back with some of our very best kept Disney Dining Secrets, courtesy of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. And we want to share them with you! And today’s topic is so big that we’re not just writing about it…we’re sharing a DFB Video about it too!
The Disney Dining Plan and Other Discounts: Do the Math
It’s a question that we get over and over again: Does the Disney Dining Plan really save me money?
The answer depends heavily on the person asking it, and the people using the benefits. Let’s break it down.
The Disney Dining Plan. Will the Disney Dining Plan save me money? Well, the answer is…maybe. It all depends on how you get it, and how savvy you are as you use it.
Disney Restaurants, for the most part, operate within very specific ranges of cost per meal. So when you use those Disney Dining Credits, they’ve already pretty much figured out how much, on average, your meal would cost without them.
![](https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Aged-Gouda-Mac-and-Cheese-California-Grill-700x467.jpg)
Aged Gouda Mac and Cheese from California Grill, or One of Our Other Recommended Signature Spots, to Use Those DDP Credits Wisely
But the key, of course, is on average. If you consistently go for the highest priced menu items, and weigh that against the cost of the plan per day, then you’re likely to see some savings. For an idea of what we mean, check out our post listing our top 2020 picks for Disney signature restaurants, based upon price.
But that being said, you still have to tip on the cost of the meal, so will you be paying more in tip based upon a higher meal cost than you would if you weren’t trying to “get your money’s worth”? It’s something to consider.
One thing is for sure: you will lose money on the Disney Dining Plan if you don’t use all of your credits! So be sure to research ahead and book those advance dining reservations. There is nothing worse than having to “eat” those leftover credits.
But What About Free Dining? In recent years, Disney has offered Free Dining Plan promotions in an effort to lure guests during historically low occupancy times. And it’s worked like a charm! Many Disney fans breathlessly await offers of free dining to book their next adventure.
Check our Top 2020 Best Value Disney Dining Plan Quick-Service Restaurants here!
But are you saving? Again, it depends. Because here’s the sticky part: Free Dining Deals normally require you to pay full price for your Disney Resort Room, and they also usually require a minimum theme park ticket purchase. If you can find a great deal on a room, or you’re already an Annual Passholder, these deals are unlikely to net you much in the way of savings. You can check out some current Disney World offers HERE!
Find Out Which Disney World Restaurants Offer the Best Value For 1 DDP Credit in 2020 HERE!
In our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, we spend an entire chapter crunching numbers — with and without resort discounts, with and without Free Dining, etc. — to show you exactly how you can save money on the Plan.
Still, some guests think that the real savings of the DDP isn’t in terms of money. Instead, they see it as a time saver, and a way to pre-pay more of the trip’s expenses, thereby freeing up spending money for other things.
Take a look at the video, and at our DFB Guide to WDW Dining e-Book, for more great details!
Ready for All of Our Best Tips? Check out the DFB Guide!
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So now, please weigh in below. Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it to you and yours? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!
When I crunched the numbers we saved $500 but we eat at table service meals and eat snacks . What snacks we do not eat we use to buy rice crispy treats for when we get home and to give our niece and nephews. We also get the more expensive snacks and the refillable mug saves us from hitting the vending machine each morning and night so that adds up too!
The main reason o get the DDP is for just the peace of mind it’s paid for and I don’t have to worry about how much everything cost which makes it a true vacation!
I still think this is not a simple cut and dry I saved this much so it’s worth it.
I feel that there is more savings with the Quick service plan vs the dining plan.
When you’re eating out at a sit down restaurant each day what is the value of that time you are using and not on rides? Are you one that even values it? Not to mention the additional price of taxes and gratuity that you have to shell out that is not included with the initial purchase.
And how do you rate that “I saved XX dollars using the plan?” Would you have purchased that $4 mousse desert had you paid without a plan? Would you have bought 4 32oz drinks if you were not on the plan?
That’s why I do not think that taking your receipts and subtracting it from what you paid for the plan really works.
From my experience, if you DO enjoy taking time away from parks and like to sit down whether it be for breakfast lunch or dinner and just compare it to the price you paid to receive that…..You can certainly save quite a bit…..
For me buying the dining plan (Quick Service) has never been as much about the money savings as it is about the hassle reduction. It’s so much faster and easier to just tap your MagicBand and keep walking than it is to keep up with cash. And I don’t have to worry about keeping up with what kind of tab I’m running by charging to my resort room account. It’s just all already paid for. Even if I end up paying more for the dining plan, for me it’s still “worth it” for reasons other than financial.
A little off topic today, on the video at 1:48, what restaurant/store is this? I’m guessing it’s somewhere at the Poly, but wanted to ask.
As to the Dining Plan, for us it’s a (yes) to not worry about food and (no) to saving money.
Lastly, trip down memory lane…one year the Food & Fun option INCLUDED Victoria & Albert. We couldn’t believe our good fortune!
We are the people with all the leftover snacks to talk about!
I don’t think I’ve ever been able to hit the ‘free dining’ option on time. What should I know to get this? How do you calculate $1500?
We were in WDW last month and had free quick service dining. We’d read all of your blog posts & guides, watched all your YouTube videos, we were SET to get a huge bang for our (free) buck. There was one huge factor, though, that happened that we didn’t plan for. Because we have a 2 year old we found ourselves needing to eat breakfast at our resort before going to a park. You think in your head oh, we’ll just eat a little snack and then breakfast in the park. What you don’t think about is the time that lapses between when your little one wakes up to when you’re actually in a park. Then also think that when you first get to a park you’re normally trying to ride with short lines or use early fastpasses. Breakfast is also a HUGE deficiency area when it comes to counter service. So for those factors we ate at the resort every day except the days we had Be Our Guest. We also found his nap time lent itself to doing either lunch or dinner at our resort each day. Therefore, we used 18/24 counter service credits at the Pop food court which was not a great value (even with splitting meals!) So if anyone is paying for the dining plan and traveling with a little one, they might want to consider this! We still came out ahead but not nearly as much as we couldn’t been!