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[vikim81]

Hi, I am going to DLP for the first time in January 2016. I am very confused as to get the dining plans or not.  I have read so many forums and asked friends who have previously visited and I get more confused.

Please can someone simply tell me which is more cost effective?

There are 4 adults and 1 4 year old. We have breakfast included in our hotel booking. We are planning on filling up at breakfast and then having one meal late afternoon/early evening. We also want to do a character breakfast on one day.

I have previously been to Disney World Florida and didn't do the dining plan and this wasn't that expensive as the dollar was $1 = £2!

Thanks in advance for your comments

[bad-pink-tink]

I have been to Disneyland Paris twice and I have a third trip booked for February 2016. I dont use dining plans.

I fill up at breakfast, have a snack in the afternoon and main meal in the evening. I budget €50 per day for food.

To me the dining plans are a waste. You pay upfront before your trip , so its a guaranteed revenue source for Disney. When you are there, Disney don't care if you use all your vouchers or not, as they already have your money. Its also a way for Disney to discourage you from spending money in non Disney owned food places in Disney Village, as if you have prepaid meal vouchers you are less likely to eat in Planet Hollywood for example.

I also don't like the fact that with meal vouchers you have to eat from the set menu ie a reduced version of the regular menu. You can also eat from the regular menu but you may have to add money, which to me defeats the purpose of prepaying.

[Zee79]

I think it depends on where you want to eat & what you want to eat plus your budget. I've been on numerous occasions to dlp but only recently started to use dining plans, half board. We enjoy the buffets so use our plan for this plus I have a daughter who is a competitive swimmer & can eat for England so it would cost a fortune to feed her otherwise. I use it for budget purposes, if I can't manage to save a lot for spending money I know I'm at least OK for meals because they've already been paid for.

[stifle]

If you pay in euro, and are going to use all your vouchers to the fullest you will make a modest saving as compared to paying as you go. The saving is a bit better on full-board, but if you are on full-board more than two nights, you will burst

If you pay in sterling, have an annual passport, have picky or light eaters, want to use a restaurant of a lower category than your entitlement, or don't plan ahead, you may come out worse. You almost certainly will do worse if you fall into two or more of these categories.

Worked example #1: Standard, half-board — 4 guests (2 adults 2 children) staying for 3 nights — €246
Day 1: arrival, eat counter service and pay normally
Day 2: lunch at Restaurant des Stars, would cost €91.96, use vouchers
Day 3: dinner at La Cantina, would cost €84.96, use vouchers
Day 4: lunch at La Grange, would cost €91.96, use vouchers
Total you would have paid €268.88, so you save €22.88

Worked example #2: Premium, full-board — 2 guests (2 adults) stay for 2 nights — €404
Day 1: arrival, California Grill, would cost (at least) €160, use vouchers
Day 2: lunch in Auberge de Cendrillon, would cost €133.98, use vouchers; dinner at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, would cost €123.80, use vouchers
Day 3: Sunday brunch in Inventions, would cost €143, use vouchers
Total you would have paid €560.78, so you save €156.78

As mentioned, unless you use the vouchers fairly optimally or are getting them for free, the meal plan is not a tremendous option.

[rebecca20]

It completely depends where you are wanting to eat! For us it wouldn't have been worth paying for the vouchers - they were included free and I honestly felt like I was only eating to get my monies worth and not going to places I really wanted! (We had premium vouchers) If you want to do the main character dining its probably worth it though.

[BethKJ]

I was just at the park in September with three adults and three teenagers. We had Premium vouchers and loved it! We had reservations each day for a wonderful restaurant: Inventions, Bistrot Chez Remi,  and the Auberge, plus a character breakfast at Cafe Mickey.  We had great experiences and the food was mostly excellent. And it was great not to fuss around with money all the time. Plus the meal plans come with a free drink...and that is quite a thing at DLP, as drinks are so pricey in the restaurants. The Pause Gourmande included was also a lifesaver, as it gave us a chance to slow down and have a drink for free.
I will definitely do Premium Vouchers again for my next trip and highly recommend them if you are a group that doesn't want to waste time...and who like to eat. My teenagers certainly got good use out of the buffet at Inventions!
Hope this helps. I do tend to ramble....