In July 2010, during a one-week Walt Disney World vacation with extended family--a total of eight people--we decided we would invest in the Deluxe Dining Plan at Walt Disney World, which cost (for adults) $71.99 per person per day. Our accommodations were  booked at Disney's BoardWalk Villas, as we are Disney Vacation Club members, so there was no significant outlay for our 2-bedroom villa (beyond the monthly dues, of course). We also have the Tables in Wonderland discount card, which provides 20% off most meals at Walt Disney World. In all honesty, we toyed with the idea of just using that discount, as we were quite uncertain as to whether we were getting a good deal with the Deluxe Dining Plan.

Here's why.

At first glance, $71.99 per person for three meals a day didn't sound too exorbitant--particularly when the Deluxe plan included an appetizer, entree, dessert and nonalcoholic beverage. (The Deluxe Plan also included 2 snacks per person per day, as well as a Refillable Mug.) It's not uncommon for a Disney diner to rack up a $30-$35 meal charge at a table service restaurant at WDW, so when you mutiply by three, you see that you might be getting over a hundred dollars worth of food for less than $75. Sounds like good logic, right?



Well, it is, if you have an appetite that big. But a couple of us aren't that big on desserts (unless they're something really special), so we found ourselves ordering desserts when we weren't really that keen on having them. Note, too, that there's a strange psychological conflict goiing on during your dining adventures. While wanting to get as much value as you can from the Mouse (translation: racking up a huge bill, thereby increasing your Plan's value), you are simultaneously increasing the amount of tip (18%) for which you are responsible. One couple in our party for one week racked up over $200 in tips--in addition to the $1,007 (for two Deluxe Plans) for which they were responsible. By the time our vacation ended, the entire party of 8 had more than 23 snack credits left--which were cashed in for food and drinks to go on checkout day.

As for the refillable mug: As much as I love BoardWalk Villas, this resort has absolutely the worst approach to refilling your mugs. You have to report to the BoardWalk Bakery (or, if open, BoardWalk Joe's or the pool bar) and allow a cast member to fill a cup (since cast members are not allowed to touch your mug). At the Bakery, you may stand in line 10 or 15 minutes before a cast member gets around to you. Even the Value Resorts have a self-service queue for Refillable Mug guests, making the time investment minimal. Furthermore, because of the constant dining and snacking, there were precious few times we really needed a free refill at the resort. And don't get me started about iced tea refills. They simply did not exist at the BoardWalk.

Now I know there are other plans you can purchase--including the all counter service offer--but we liked the idea that we could enjoy the finer restaurants that we may have avoided if we were paying in the conventional way. (That feature was a good one--we used two credits from our plan to enjoy Citricos, which was an exquisite meal. Unfortunately, we were still somewhat full from lunch when we were seated for dinner, so we didn't enjoy the meal as much as we would have were our stomachs empty.) But beware of the counter service plan, too, as you are relegated to enjoying only typical fast-food fare. (And many of Disney's counter service restaurants will not satisfy!)



Finally, with the Deluxe Plan used mostly at table-service restaurants, expect to spend up to four hours per day in restaurants, thereby cutting into park touring time. While that was no big deal for the Florida residents in our group who go to Disney regularly, it was quite the turn-off for members of our party who visit Walt Disney World once every five years or so.

Bottom line? Beware of Disney's Dining Plans--unless you are a guest who can reasonably expect to eat (and enjoy) so much food!

Are you planning a Walt Disney World vacation soon? Then I invite you to check out our Dynamic Planning System called "Mousin' About Walt Disney World." Much more than a guidebook, it provides multiple components to make sure you're getting the best bang for your buck during your magical Disney vacation. For more information, visit the official website at www.MousinAbout.com.