Would You Recommend DXDP For 1st Timers?

[AngelBabyJana]

We are going to Disney October 3-11 with extended family (11 of us total). This will be everyone's very first trip to Disney.

Right now we have our package booked, staying in 3 rooms at POP for 8 nights, with basic dining. We are hoping to get free dining when that offer becomes available on Monday. Since free dining is an added bonus, we have thought about upgrading to the deluxe dining plan and just paying the difference.

I've taken everything into consideration, and am still not sure.

The pros to the Deluxe are:
*All meals would be paid for in advance before we go
*We want to do several of the 2 credit meals (Hoop-Dee-Doo, Cinderella's Castle, Grand Gathering Safari Dinner)
*We would get to eat in nice TS restaurants with A/C - we aren't big into CS places
*We will all be buying the resort refillable mugs anyway, and of course they come with the Deluxe

The cons to the Deluxe are:
*We plan to do a lot of character meals (not the best use of the deluxe plan) but this is what the kids are most excited about
*More TS meals means spending more money on tips (no tips on CS)
*I'm worried that we are trying to plan too much, being this is our first trip to Disney - will planning all these meals take away from our park touring? Or will the TS meals be a nice break from the heat? We are also planning MNSSHP, Princess Tea Party, Horseback Riding (with the older kids), Mini Golf (with the younger kids), BBB with the girls ........ hmmmm, I am just overwhelmed I guess???

What would be your advice? Especially considering that this will be our first time to Disney. (I would really appreciate any advice from those of you with experience on this). Our group consists of 6 adults, 16 yr girl, 10 yr girl, 5 yr boy, 5 yr boy, 2 yr girl (well, she will be almost 3, going one month before her birthday).

[Faldred]

The cons to the Deluxe are:
*We plan to do a lot of character meals (not the best use of the deluxe plan) but this is what the kids are most excited about
*More TS meals means spending more money on tips (no tips on CS)
*I'm worried that we are trying to plan too much, being this is our first trip to Disney - will planning all these meals take away from our park touring? Or will the TS meals be a nice break from the heat? We are also planning MNSSHP, Princess Tea Party, Horseback Riding (with the older kids), Mini Golf (with the younger kids), BBB with the girls ........ hmmmm, I am just overwhelmed I guess???

What would be your advice? Especially considering that this will be our first time to Disney. (I would really appreciate any advice from those of you with experience on this). Our group consists of 6 adults, 16 yr girl, 10 yr girl, 5 yr boy, 5 yr boy, 2 yr girl (well, she will be almost 3, going one month before her birthday).

I'll counter some of the "cons"--

* Character meals, i.e., buffets, especially breakfast, are generally considered non-optimal use of adult credits (great use of kid's credits) on basic DDP. On deluxe, you have enough credits that some "non-optimal" choices are fine.

* Several of your meal choices (Hoop-Dee-Doo, Cinderella's Castle, Grand Gathering Safari Dinner -- that's 6 credits right there) have gratuities included, so tips aren't as big of an issue as they might seem

* I'm sure a significant block of posters here would tell you that it is impossible to do too much planning. Now, if the question is whether you're planning on doing too much... Everyone is different, and likes different things and a different pace. TS meals do take a good chunk out of the day, but CS meals really aren't that much better at peak times (due to long and slow lines), and I think they're more of a hassle. I understand the desire to "do it all", but do remember it is a vacation, and to make sure you aren't spending so much time running from one activity to the next to enjoy them -- but as I said, everyone has their own pace they're comfortable with.

[sarah4770]

i think deluxe may be too much for a first trip.
yes, planning all those meals will take away from park time, especially with all the children. I find it difficult enough to do the regular dining plan. you have to watch the time all day to make your adr time. you have to factor into your plans transportation time. allow about an hour to get to each meal if it is not inside the park you are at that day. then allow 1 hour for the meal. do that 3x a day, and it is not much of a vacation.
i would pick a few special things to do on your first trip. and allow for plenty of free time. there is just so much to see and do, you dont want to get yourself all stressed out.

[plutolovr]

I agree with the PP. I also want to add that if you were planning in doing all TS dining, and you're not familiar with the transportation system, it will be very stressful.

Disney's counter service restaurants have great menus. Yes, there are some burgers and such, but there are some with great menus.

Columbia Harbor House in MK (fish, sandwiches)
Flame Tree Barbeque in AK (pulled pork, ribs, awesome BBQ chicken salad, and onion rings.
Yak & Yeti in AK (Asian meals (think Chinese restaurant style)
At Epcot there are some great counter service spots in the World Showcase.

The regular DP is a lot of food. When we do the DP, we usually have a light breakfast in room or at the park (think bagel, cereal, pastry) have a counter service lunch, and TS dinner. If we planned some signature dining (2 credits), we'll just do the CS lunch at a place where the food is substantial and eat a little later, like 1 or 2 pm. We like to do dinner around 8 or 830pm.

If we do a big breakfast at a sit-down (1 TS) we will just have a light snack for lunch, and a counter service for dinner.

[disneysuncat]

I am a fan of the DxDP, because I just don't worry about food, period. I like knowing I can use them all for table meals, or if we get caught up in something and don't want to make a lunch reservation, I could always cancel it and just grab a counter meal. (of course, I love food too much to do that, but it's an option!) I like the two snacks a day, although I've been known to have to grab stuff my last day to use up snack credits.

My biggest love of the plan is that I really like signature restaurants like Narcoossee's and Yachtsman's that take two credits. For our next trip (11 nights) we have seven signature meals planned. Might do a room service or two as well (which are also two.)

That said, other than a couple of days maybe, we don't do THREE sit-downs a day. We'll do an early lunch and then a 2 credit dinner. That works out well for us, but might not work for everyone. Also, I really like the little "break" it gives you at lunch to sit down and be served.

My daughter (age 9) likes to sit down somewhere quiet to eat, and thinks it's nice to get out of the craziness of the parks for a bit. Gives her a little "wind-down" time before we get back into the masses.

[PrincessTiffany]

No, I would not recommend the Deluxe plan for a family with children for their first visit. Takes too much time and it's too much food. We always get the Basic Dining plan. One sit-down meal per day is plenty and just the right amount of food.

[GoofySon'sMom]

We upgraded "free" dining to deluxe last year & loved it! Keep in mind that you would be paying less than 1/2 the actual cost of the dxddp by paying for the upgrade so it isn't as important to maximize your credits. If you are planning to do several character breakfasts along with the two credit meals you are already planning, I say go for it! If you don't use all of your credits, you aren't really going to be out anything. Plus you may be able to add a couple of more signature restaurants if that is what you decide to do.

I agree that you should be familiar with the transportation system but you can always plan your meals at or near the park you are visiting that day. Try a later dinner on the Boardwalk after a day at DHS for instance.

I also do not like CS very much which is why we upgraded. I liked knowing I could get that sit down break for meals and knew that if we wanted to change up and eat CS, I would call to cancel our reservation and just do it. I am one that thinks the hassle of waiting in line, getting condiments & napkins and finding seat makes a CS meal nearly as long as a TS one. Also no one is forcing you to eat all three courses. DS and I skipped dessert a few times to use snack credits for something a bit later when we knew we'd enjoy it more (mmmmm, dole whips!).

So my vote is to go for it!

[Colleen27]

We are going to Disney October 3-11 with extended family (11 of us total). This will be everyone's very first trip to Disney.

Right now we have our package booked, staying in 3 rooms at POP for 8 nights, with basic dining. We are hoping to get free dining when that offer becomes available on Monday. Since free dining is an added bonus, we have thought about upgrading to the deluxe dining plan and just paying the difference.

I've taken everything into consideration, and am still not sure.

The pros to the Deluxe are:
*All meals would be paid for in advance before we go
*We want to do several of the 2 credit meals (Hoop-Dee-Doo, Cinderella's Castle, Grand Gathering Safari Dinner)
*We would get to eat in nice TS restaurants with A/C - we aren't big into CS places
*We will all be buying the resort refillable mugs anyway, and of course they come with the Deluxe

The cons to the Deluxe are:
*We plan to do a lot of character meals (not the best use of the deluxe plan) but this is what the kids are most excited about
*More TS meals means spending more money on tips (no tips on CS)
*I'm worried that we are trying to plan too much, being this is our first trip to Disney - will planning all these meals take away from our park touring? Or will the TS meals be a nice break from the heat? We are also planning MNSSHP, Princess Tea Party, Horseback Riding (with the older kids), Mini Golf (with the younger kids), BBB with the girls ........ hmmmm, I am just overwhelmed I guess???

What would be your advice? Especially considering that this will be our first time to Disney. (I would really appreciate any advice from those of you with experience on this). Our group consists of 6 adults, 16 yr girl, 10 yr girl, 5 yr boy, 5 yr boy, 2 yr girl (well, she will be almost 3, going one month before her birthday).

I think with the number of two credit meals you already have planned, it would work well, and you could think about adding a couple other special 2TS meals like the Fantasmic dinner package at Brown Derby or a fireworks-time reservation at California Grill.

Character meals are considered a low-value use of standard DDP credits because they're a little cheaper than ala carte TS but they aren't a bad use of the deluxe plan. The same holds true of 2 credit meals.

Another nice option on the deluxe plan that doesn't make sense on the standard plan is room service/pizza delivery. If you're hanging around the resort one evening, you can use 2 credits to have a pizza, soda, and dessert delivered to the room without thinking twice about it. It would be a poor-value use of credits on the standard plan, but not so much on the deluxe plan.

As a general rule of thumb, if you're going to use 2/3 or more of your credits for sitdown meals the deluxe plan will probably be the better deal, but that's based on paying full price for the deluxe plan. Since you'll only be paying $32 per night per adult and $10 per night per child, it'll be even easier to get value from the plan. People often assume you need to use every credit for TS but we haven't found that to be true at all.

With your party size, CS all together is likely to be a zoo. It is hard enough to find a table for 4 at meal times in many of the CS locations, much less for 11. We don't care for the CS experience either, which is one of the reasons we tried the deluxe plan.

Personally, I loved the deluxe plan. We didn't find it to be too much time in restaurants at all, and it isn't really much more planning either. You need to plan which park you'll be at each day to make ADRs on the standard plan anyway, so it isn't much additional effort to look at other restaurants in that park that you might like to try.

EPCOT has enough great restaurants that you never have to leave for meals. MK doesn't have as many options, but the monorail makes travel to the nearby resorts for meals quick and easy. DHS is the park that involves the most traveling for meals, but the boat to the EPCOT area resorts makes that simple enough. AK has a couple of good options and is a short-day park, so you aren't losing park time to go to dinner at a resort. Since you're planning on some non-park recreation like mini-golf and horseback riding, you'll have plenty of opportunity for non-park meals without adding too much travel time to your day.

We generally stick to 2 meals per day, and use some of the "extra" credits for 2 credit dinners and others for CS or room service. On our January trip, 11 nights paying full price for the plan, we saved about $500 on meals & mugs (I didn't count the snacks because I didn't save receipts, but guessing a low-average of $2 per snack that's another $170). On our upcoming May trip, I have 14 ADRs over 8 nights, and that will put us right at breaking even. The 6 meals, 5 mugs, and 80 snacks still left uncounted are all extra value.

[luckytobeme88]

I like to think that this "first" trip of yours won't be your one and only trip to WDW. I remembered our first trip with Basic DDP. While there were plenty to eat with this plan but we ended up paying a couple of meals OOP so we can eat at California Grill and Narcoosee's(2 TS restaurants) Since then we found based on our family's eating preferences, the Deluxe DDP is the way to go. Well, that's just our takes on it. If you worries about extra TS meals = more tips, the OP suggests places such as CRT, HDDR or the "dinner show"(tips and alcohols included too) :thumbsup2
No matter which DDP you ended up picking for this "first" trip, you will find what works best for your group after the fact. I guarantee your next trip will be a breeze..:woohoo:

[PrincessTrisha]

Based on what you've stated that you're planning on doing, I'm also getting that you're not planning on seeing and doing every ride and show - you're trip seems to be more "The best Disney has to offer" not "Disney -Commando style".

The deluxe plan might fit well into your schedule, especially if you use it to combine food and entertainment - this means heavy on the character meals, shows and experiences (which based on what you've said, this seems to be the plan).

Also, remember that not every single credit needs to be table service in order for you to benefit from the deluxe plan. As long as about 2 / 3 credits are used for TS, you should still at least break even (but will probably still come out ahead).

Would I normally recommend it for a first timer? No - most "first timers" I've dealt with, think this will be their one and only trip to Disney and want to see and do as much as humanly possible in the parks - food is more of an after thought. I usually still recommend the regular DDP because, while they might not think they'll need a rest, I'm pretty sure they will. Plus, to me, many people under estimate the impact that bad food can have on a vacation.

[luckytobeme88]

Would I normally recommend it for a first timer? No - most "first timers" I've dealt with, think this will be their one and only trip to Disney and want to see and do as much as humanly possible in the parks - food is more of an after thought. I usually still recommend the regular DDP because, while they might not think they'll need a rest, I'm pretty sure they will. Plus, to me, many people under estimate the impact that bad food can have on a vacation.

I finally read all your PTR. You are super cool:cool2:
I hope more DDP first-timers get to read this thread. You hit the nail right on regarding people's overall vacation experience based on the food or service.

[ExtinctDino]

I would not recommend the DDP - especially the Deluxe - for a family with kids going for the first time. As others have said, it takes hours away from the attractions every day. On a first trip you'll spend a lot of time learning to navigate the parks, transportation system (whether you're driving or doing the WDW buses), etc. Save the 2-3 hours sitting in restuarants until your next trip.

[Pakey]

I also would NOT recommend it. Going with a group that large, all first timers, is going to be a logistical nightmare doing that many TS.

[JoePa4Ever]

Here's my 2 cents, FWIW: If you really want to eat at all of those places (if dining is going to be a very important aspect of the trip) & are excited about it - then do it & get the deluxe plan. However, just know that it will take up time each day to eat at these places - time away from the parks/attractions. Also be mindful of all the other special events you are planning: BBB, Horseback riding, etc. - these take up alot of time as well. With the dining & the special events, I don't see alot of time for you in the parks w/the attractions. As long as you are ok with that, then you will be fine. If not, then I would consider scaling back at least the dining portion.

[PrincessTiffany]

I also would NOT recommend it. Going with a group that large, all first timers, is going to be a logistical nightmare doing that many TS.
I totally agree.

[blondinkaya]

Okay, I'm totally going against the grain ... We went on our first WDW vacation in May 2008 and used the DxDP. We loved it so much that we're going with it again in November. We had our two boys with us (ages 5 and 13); this time around, we'll have the in-laws. ;)

We thought our trip would be our only one, so we wanted the full experience, including dining. We ate at a few 2-credit restaurants and enjoyed them very much. We aren't CS folks, so having the option of having TS for every meal was wonderful. We never felt like we were "losing time" by sitting down for meals (a common reason for not using DxDP). We enjoyed ordering appies and sharing them. We also enjoyed the desserts. As for tips ... What I did was get cash back over the amount when grocery shopping and whatnot. I had a good ballpark figure by estimating the most expensive dishes at the allears website. I paid more than the 18% suggested tip in cash at every meal. I'm planning on using this same strategy this time around.

I guess it really depends on what kind of a group you are. If you like eating on the fly and like fast food, go with the regular dining plan. If you like sitting down and relaxing, go with DxDP. Look at it this way: Basic DDP is free for you; you'd be paying that price to go DxDP. I think it'd be well worth it, personally. I'm looking forward to using it again ...