Deluxe DP or Deluxe Resort? Help!

[jackal]

I need some help deciding here. I want to stay at the Poly (have 2 times previously and CR 1 one and GF two times) and do the regular dining plan. DH and DD15 want deluxe dining so that means we would have go mod or value. DD6 is with me. Would rather stay at the Poly. We have done Deluxe the last 2 times and loved it, yet.

Here is where we HAVE To eat:
Askerhaus Breakfast
Tuskerhaus Breakfast
CM dinner
O'Hana Dinner
Teppan Edo
WGP Dinner
1900 PF Breakfast
LTT lunch
ESPN

And some that I would probably say we HAVE to eat at but could eliminate:
CRT - breakfast
Cape May - breakfast
Planet Hollywood - Although that is a NEED to DH and DD15
Kona
O'hana Breakfast
Beaches and Cream
Yaki and Yeti

We are staying 10 nights (maybe 9 if staying at Poly)

What are your thoughts? We always get mugs when we go. And my girls are snackers. Deluxe Dining Plan or Deluxe hotel??

[abc999]

We are doing the Deluxe Dining Plan at a Value resort because we don't care about where we sleep, since that is all we do at the resort.

[jackal]

Do you have most of your meals scheduled in the parks? I find that when we do deluxe dining, we almost have to stay at the deluxe resort because of the restaurants at the resorts, etc. If you do a value resort and deluxe dining, it's a lot of traveling if you are not dining in the parks.

[Faldred]

Personally, I'd take deluxe dining given those choices. Then again, the resort to me is just a place to sleep and shower. It all comes down to priorities -- which do you want more?

[jackal]

Personally, I'd take deluxe dining given those choices. Then again, the resort to me is just a place to sleep and shower. It all comes down to priorities -- which do you want more?

I think that is the problem. Me and DD6 like the ease of the monorail so, ours would be the place to sleep and shower. DD15 and DH's top priorities are eating. It's a hard choice. We usually going during spring break and christmas so getting to the parks quick was important. This time we are going for Halloween.

[septbaby]

Given all of those MUSTS you really should have the Deluxe Plan. Since the budget isn't allowing for both "Deluxes" I'd downgrade the resort to Moderate OR try to reschedule the trip during Free Dining, then you can upgrade to Deluxe AND stay at the Poly.

Based on everything you've said I don't think the Basic DP is right for your family this time.

We had a good stay at CBR including wonderful bus service. Those rooms have all been recently renovated as has the pool. I think DD would enjoy the new pool, you'll appreciate the two new hot tubs, etc. I did a quick stay at Pop this winter and while I enjoyed it I just kept comparing it to CBR. With the Deluxe plan you will have a better resort CS selection at CBR, noticably better.

Good luck with your decision.

There is at least one more choice...do Deluxe-Deluxe for a shorter time period. Hey, don't shoot the messenger, very "unDisney" but it will help the budget issues!

[chocolateMinnie]

We've just made the same call, staying at CSR for the fourth time next year with Deluxe Dining Plan for the first time. Can't wait.

A couple of years ago we stayed at GF, yes the monorail is great and yes the rooms were beautiful but we preferred the CSR overall for restaurants, transport to other parks than the MK and it is true, you only sleep there.

[jackal]

Given all of those MUSTS you really should have the Deluxe Plan. Since the budget isn't allowing for both "Deluxes" I'd downgrade the resort to Moderate OR try to reschedule the trip during Free Dining, then you can upgrade to Deluxe AND stay at the Poly.

Based on everything you've said I don't think the Basic DP is right for your family this time.

We had a good stay at CBR including wonderful bus service. Those rooms have all been recently renovated as has the pool. I think DD would enjoy the new pool, you'll appreciate the two new hot tubs, etc. I did a quick stay at Pop this winter and while I enjoyed it I just kept comparing it to CBR. With the Deluxe plan you will have a better resort CS selection at CBR, noticably better.

Good luck with your decision.

There is at least one more choice...do Deluxe-Deluxe for a shorter time period. Hey, don't shoot the messenger, very "unDisney" but it will help the budget issues!

I am sooooooo hoping for free dining or some other discount. We are going 10/24 to 11/3. Anything would help. I was also thinking of a doing a split stay with 4 nights regular at Pop and 6 nights at Poly deluxe. If free dining comes our way, I might be able to pull it off. Thanks for your suggestion. I think you are right, I don't think i can convince the family to give up deluxe dining

[jackal]

We've just made the same call, staying at CSR for the fourth time next year with Deluxe Dining Plan for the first time. Can't wait.

A couple of years ago we stayed at GF, yes the monorail is great and yes the rooms were beautiful but we preferred the CSR overall for restaurants, transport to other parks than the MK and it is true, you only sleep there.

I am thinking of CSR for the room service. It's good to hear you like it there. Transportation to the parks is a huge factor for us too. Thanks for your input!

[MissMichelle]

To a lot of people the room is just a place to sleep. To me I enjoy the resort. I want to love where I am when Im not at the parks. I build a midday rest in (for me I stay at CSR and that includes lounging on the hammocks, drinking at the pool bar, hitting the fitness center). It isn't a deluxe resort but I feel like a snob saying that the other mods don't do it for me and I won't stay Value anymore since going to CSR.

We downgraded the Deluxe Plan as with the regular plan we are pretty stuffed so we felt the cost wasn't worth it to us.

Open Mouth Insert Foot...SO today I booked a CSR with Discounted DELUXE Dining for our September trip (downgraded August to regular dining) We are only staying 5 nights and want to try so much with the kids I am going with that we HAD to do deluxe. Afterall the princess wants to dine in the castle and we'd love to do some 2 credit TS's. Oh and it looks like breakfast almost everyday where we normally skip it.

[septbaby]

I am sooooooo hoping for free dining or some other discount. We are going 10/24 to 11/3. Anything would help. I was also thinking of a doing a split stay with 4 nights regular at Pop and 6 nights at Poly deluxe. If free dining comes our way, I might be able to pull it off. Thanks for your suggestion. I think you are right, I don't think i can convince the family to give up deluxe dining

If the family is used to the Poly, moving them to Pop maybe asking a bit much. I'd move the whole trip to a mod. I'd liked Pop and would book it again, but much preferred CBR.

For now keep it at the Poly and keep hoping for a PIN for free dining, we got one last fall, didn't use it though. Just before your 45day mark if you haven't gotten a PIN or useful discount just book CBR. It is the largest resort on property so it should be no problem getting a room.

[jackal]

"For now keep it at the Poly and keep hoping for a PIN for free dining, we got one last fall, didn't use it though. Just before your 45day mark if you haven't gotten a PIN or useful discount just book CBR. It is the largest resort on property so it should be no problem getting a room. "

If I downgrade at the just before my 45 day mark, I do NOT have to pay a fee, right? Or will they charge me for downgrading?

[TillyMarigold]

To be perfectly honest, if I could afford either an upgrade to Deluxe Dining or a Deluxe Resort, I'd use the money to stay for a longer time at a value/mod with the regular DDP. :idea:

If that wasn't an option for some reason, I'd rather stay at a deluxe resort--either something that's walking distance from Epcot, or on the monorail line, or the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I don't want to spend all my time eating, I want to see the parks too. :rotfl:

[jackal]

To be perfectly honest, if I could afford either an upgrade to Deluxe Dining or a Deluxe Resort, I'd use the money to stay for a longer time at a value/mod with the regular DDP. :idea:

If that wasn't an option for some reason, I'd rather stay at a deluxe resort--either something that's walking distance from Epcot, or on the monorail line, or the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I don't want to spend all my time eating, I want to see the parks too. :rotfl:

I wish! We are already staying 10 nights though and I can't get DD's out of school for any longer than that. We don't feel we are spending all our time eating when we get deluxe at all. We do rope drop. Late breakfast/early lunch and then a sit down for dinner. We always going during busy times and have found that our ts meals take us less time than cs meals. One time at Cosmic Rays we were in there for an hour and a half. We don't like the wait of cs meals that much. I thought going in October, cs options will be less of a wait.

[Colleen27]

Are you budgeting based on rack rates? I think I'd book Poly and hope for a code, either a PIN or general public discount. If nothing comes along or if what does come isn't enough of a savings, I'd downgrade to CBR just before the 45 day mark. The new pool & water play area look cool enough to win over even the most skeptical 6yo!

[abc999]

Do you have most of your meals scheduled in the parks? I find that when we do deluxe dining, we almost have to stay at the deluxe resort because of the restaurants at the resorts, etc. If you do a value resort and deluxe dining, it's a lot of traveling if you are not dining in the parks.

We schedule lunch at the parks and dinner usually at a resort. Since most of the restaurants we prefer are at the monorail resorts, we hop on the monorail back to MK and take the bus back. The few times that we are at an Epcot resort, we take a cab back to the resort.

[jackal]

Are you budgeting based on rack rates? I think I'd book Poly and hope for a code, either a PIN or general public discount. If nothing comes along or if what does come isn't enough of a savings, I'd downgrade to CBR just before the 45 day mark. The new pool & water play area look cool enough to win over even the most skeptical 6yo!

Yes, I am budgeting based on rack rates. I never get a code or Pin:confused3 I am hoping for some type of discount, but being over Halloween, a lot of those are blacked out.

[dbaker375]

sorry to ask.... but, what is a PIN and how do you get one?

[SKTiger]

I was in this same boat before booking... Contemp w/ DP or Pop with DDP.

The decided factor for us was the two snacks a day per person... We plan to eat our way around the world during Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. And really, how much time will we spend a day in our hotel room?

[jackal]

I was thinking the same thing! I want to use those snack credits for the F & W festival as we have never been.

Now that my DD's are older, we do not spend any time at the hotel. It really is foolish to pay almost $3,000 more just so I can be 20 minutes closer to MK.

[CoolPool]

If I'm reading this correctly, your family is Mom, Dad, and 2 daughters. Four. That means you could stay at WL or AKL? Thus you would keep your deluxe experience, but pay considerably less, and perhaps justify the DxDP.

[jackal]

I was just looking at WL!! That may be doable actually. I might shorten the trip by one day and stay at WL with Deluxe DP. Our flight prices just came way down for the day after we were going to go originally, so this might work. We would be there at noon on Sunday instead of 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. And save over $160 on the flight.

[disneydiva0729]

Hi there-
I ordered a Vacation planning dvd (like i do every year) and this year, about the same time the dvd came in the mail, I got a pin for 30% off rack rates... maybe you could order a dvd and hope for the best. :cool1:

[Colleen27]

Yes, I am budgeting based on rack rates. I never get a code or Pin:confused3 I am hoping for some type of discount, but being over Halloween, a lot of those are blacked out.

Watch around mid-August. That's when general public discounts for the fall usually come out, and this year I would be very surprised if there were blackouts over a minor holiday like Halloween.

[jackal]

Hi there-
I ordered a Vacation planning dvd (like i do every year) and this year, about the same time the dvd came in the mail, I got a pin for 30% off rack rates... maybe you could order a dvd and hope for the best. :cool1:

LUCKY! I wish. I have ordered the dvd and still no pin. :sad2:

[jackal]

Watch around mid-August. That's when general public discounts for the fall usually come out, and this year I would be very surprised if there were blackouts over a minor holiday like Halloween.

I really hope you are right Colleen. A discount would make this all very easy.