Basic dining plan or deluxe dining!!

[pepe2123]

If just booked my vacation for april and add the basic dining plan, i love going to a lot of table service restaurants and signature restaurants who needs 2 ts credits. In the past i always pay more because i love to dine in good restaurants and i always pay more besides de dining plan, so i'm considering upgrading to the deluxe for i'm stayin 7 nights and i think that 21 ts credits it's too much, but maybe i worth if i use it for more signature restaurants. Please help me!!!!

Thanks

[catne]

have you run the numbers for additional food you buy in addition to the basic plan? Upgrading to the deluxe will cost you $30 more every night - that's adding a table service meal every day to your schedule - do you really spend that much above & beyond the basic every day? If you're just buying an occasional additional meal or snack, it may be a better deal to continue with the basic and pay OOP for extras.

We've done the basic dining plan several times now - usually for a week stay. By day 2, we're not getting any snacks throughout the day- full, full, full. We use our snack to buy a breakfast pastry, do counter service for lunch, and a nice table service for dinner. Never hungry after the first full day on the plan. We have done the deluxe...it is a LOT of food...3 large meals a day (remember it's appetizer & dessert every meal but breakfast. )And you're supposed to have 2 snacks a day on top of that. Frankly, deluxe works out for a very short trip - we're doing deluxe for a one night/two days in the park stay. So we'll spread the 3 meals & 2 snacks out over two days. And we'll be plenty full, I know! But I have also read plenty of people's reports where they thoroughly enjoyed 3 sit-downs a day & used the snacks for take-home treats. Or they use the credits for one sit down & one 2-credit signature restaurant a day but our experience was that the 2 credit places were nice, but not really worth the 2 credits.

Anyway, best thing is to look at the menus, plan out your days & figure out how much extra you'd spend to see if deluxe would be a better deal for you.

[princessjennie]

It's true that it is a lot of food at each meal. We really like to book the Signature dining restaurants and ordering without worrying about the menu price. We did get the feeling that we were going from one meal to another so make your reservations early so that your timing doesnt interfere with your enjoyment of the parks. There is a snack list posted on another blog that adds more value to the DDP. We had no idea so many items could be considered snack items last year. Good luck.

[pepe2123]

have you run the numbers for additional food you buy in addition to the basic plan? Upgrading to the deluxe will cost you $30 more every night - that's adding a table service meal every day to your schedule - do you really spend that much above & beyond the basic every day? If you're just buying an occasional additional meal or snack, it may be a better deal to continue with the basic and pay OOP for extras.

We've done the basic dining plan several times now - usually for a week stay. By day 2, we're not getting any snacks throughout the day- full, full, full. We use our snack to buy a breakfast pastry, do counter service for lunch, and a nice table service for dinner. Never hungry after the first full day on the plan. We have done the deluxe...it is a LOT of food...3 large meals a day (remember it's appetizer & dessert every meal but breakfast. )And you're supposed to have 2 snacks a day on top of that. Frankly, deluxe works out for a very short trip - we're doing deluxe for a one night/two days in the park stay. So we'll spread the 3 meals & 2 snacks out over two days. And we'll be plenty full, I know! But I have also read plenty of people's reports where they thoroughly enjoyed 3 sit-downs a day & used the snacks for take-home treats. Or they use the credits for one sit down & one 2-credit signature restaurant a day but our experience was that the 2 credit places were nice, but not really worth the 2 credits.

Anyway, best thing is to look at the menus, plan out your days & figure out how much extra you'd spend to see if deluxe would be a better deal for you.

Thank You very much, I will run the numbers, see how many resaurants I just booked and see if the credits will be enought or I need more. Thanks anyway. And enjoy your trip. Where are going to stay? This time i'm staying at the Boardwalk Inn

Jose from Mexico

[pepe2123]

It's true that it is a lot of food at each meal. We really like to book the Signature dining restaurants and ordering without worrying about the menu price. We did get the feeling that we were going from one meal to another so make your reservations early so that your timing doesnt interfere with your enjoyment of the parks. There is a snack list posted on another blog that adds more value to the DDP. We had no idea so many items could be considered snack items last year. Good luck.

You are right about the signature dining, I will run he numbers and see how many restaurants I have and how many credits do I need.

Thank you for your advice. !!

[tami82]

If you plan on going to alot of 2 credit TS then i would say do it. Personally i thought the regular dining plan was more than enough for us. I didnt want to feel sluggish from eating big meals constantly so with the counter service i would have a salad for lunch with 1/2 choco cake, for breakfast it would be something i brought like a fiber 1 bar, pop tart, something light and it really worked for me in giving me the energy to get through the day in the parks. My biggest meal would be for dinner which worked out well. We booked mostly dinner with our TS and im glad i did. The one time i did book a breakfast i ate like a little pig and wound up making me very tired & cranky especially in the heat.

[seadd67]

I just book the same DDP:cool1:,and thought It was a lot of food to but we usually do two TS meals a day and we only eat a couple of CS places (peco's Bill and maybe one of the cs at DHS) so yes its one more tS but they did not offer Two TS choices.But If you love to eat like we do:sad2: we look at It like this we get to try place we normaly would not and there Is alot we have not try:rotfl2:. Plus you do not need to eat the place out when your there:rotfl2: as much as I like to think I can!!.So we will look at each meal like big sampler plates eat what we can and just leave the rest(I know I feel bad about wasteing food,with so many starveing so I know I will struggel with that part). i have a question when they say 1-apptizer Is that per person or per meal?,usually the apptizers are served for the table not per person so how do they do that.

[pepe2123]

I just book the same DDP:cool1:,and thought It was a lot of food to but we usually do two TS meals a day and we only eat a couple of CS places (peco's Bill and maybe one of the cs at DHS) so yes its one more tS but they did not offer Two TS choices.But If you love to eat like we do:sad2: we look at It like this we get to try place we normaly would not and there Is alot we have not try:rotfl2:. Plus you do not need to eat the place out when your there:rotfl2: as much as I like to think I can!!.So we will look at each meal like big sampler plates eat what we can and just leave the rest(I know I feel bad about wasteing food,with so many starveing so I know I will struggel with that part). i have a question when they say 1-apptizer Is that per person or per meal?,usually the apptizers are served for the table not per person so how do they do that.

per person, if you are using 2 meals (2 persons) you can get 2 apptizer, 2 entrees and 2 desserts

[JEFFSWIFE11]

per person, if you are using 2 meals (2 persons) you can get 2 apptizer, 2 entrees and 2 desserts

Can u use the TS for CS?

[squirrel]

Yes, on the DxDP you can use the credits as either TS or CS.

Someone worked it out and if you use 2/3 of the credits as TS then the DXDP is worth the upgrade.

[meghanlea]

i think we are going with the deluxe this time, only b/c i like the fact of knowing ALL meals will be paid for upfront so besides tips, and extra drinks, we will spend nothing to eat while there. wwhich frees up money for extra things for the kids to do. plus my kids are breakfast eaters, but yet we are not going to a lot of breakfast b/c if they are sleeping in I don't want to wake them. So when they get up we can eat breakfast and begin our day. we also plan on doing the mickey bbq which is 2credits, and last time we ordered a pizza and it was 2 credits. Like someone else said you don't have to eat all the food they bring you, eat till your full. And don't look at is as wasting food, look at is as saving yout waistline:rotfl2:. I don't look at eating meals as taking time out of the day. I plan a lot into meals b/c i know that's part of the experience and with a 2 year old and 6 year old, going to character meals is fun to them. No we don't eat all day, but we do have one character meal per day scheduled. It's all up to you and what YOU want, not what works for someone else :thumbsup2.

[triciari]

i think we are going with the deluxe this time, only b/c i like the fact of knowing ALL meals will be paid for upfront so besides tips, and extra drinks, we will spend nothing to eat while there. wwhich frees up money for extra things for the kids to do. plus my kids are breakfast eaters, but yet we are not going to a lot of breakfast b/c if they are sleeping in I don't want to wake them. So when they get up we can eat breakfast and begin our day. we also plan on doing the mickey bbq which is 2credits, and last time we ordered a pizza and it was 2 credits. Like someone else said you don't have to eat all the food they bring you, eat till your full. And don't look at is as wasting food, look at is as saving yout waistline:rotfl2:. I don't look at eating meals as taking time out of the day. I plan a lot into meals b/c i know that's part of the experience and with a 2 year old and 6 year old, going to character meals is fun to them. No we don't eat all day, but we do have one character meal per day scheduled. It's all up to you and what YOU want, not what works for someone else :thumbsup2.


I'm with you! The TS's are a great way to regroup! There's no way we'll eat all the food, but for an additional $750 (3 adults, 2 kids, 1 baby) I won't have to worry about a thing! I think I'll even book CRT twice!

The final selling point for me is that we're staying in a villa, so we'll have access to a big kitchen and table - but I don't want to cook!!! I plan to use 2 TS for in-room dining on occasion. (Tip & taxes all included!) Also heard I can get take out from California Grill if I want to actually eat good food! My mother will be with us, so I'm hoping to do in-room dining for her and kids one night while my husband and I go to a signature restaurant. And hoping my husband will stay home one night so my mom and I can do the same!

We went on DP (without my mom) last year and spent 1150 on food total (well not including alcoholic beverages.) But, we paid OOP for Hoop and a couple other TS's.

Also, it's the last trip where my baby (who'll turn 3 in January 2011) will not be charged under the plan.

It certainly is a lot of money, but to avoid the craziness at CS's - assuming free dining is offered (and we won't get it because we're renting from a friend who has DVC), it'll be worth it!

2009 Dining Review: ($1280 - not including alcohol and tips)
Paid $800 for DP + $350 for extra food = 1150

[mrsmarilyn]

I just book the same DDP:cool1:,and thought It was a lot of food to but we usually do two TS meals a day and we only eat a couple of CS places (peco's Bill and maybe one of the cs at DHS) so yes its one more tS but they did not offer Two TS choices.But If you love to eat like we do:sad2: we look at It like this we get to try place we normaly would not and there Is alot we have not try:rotfl2:. Plus you do not need to eat the place out when your there:rotfl2: as much as I like to think I can!!.So we will look at each meal like big sampler plates eat what we can and just leave the rest(I know I feel bad about wasteing food,with so many starveing so I know I will struggel with that part). i have a question when they say 1-apptizer Is that per person or per meal?,usually the apptizers are served for the table not per person so how do they do that.

We also do a lot of 2TS meals, plus I like to really relax during a meal and at Disney, since the rest of the time is so GO GO GO, so we booked DxDP for this trip (the cost diff in total wasn't that much). The extra advantage is we are going to some restaurants my family has never been to (California Grill, Morocco, etc) as well as our usual favorites. Plus new Character meals. And my kids can EAT, so that's a plus as well ;-)

[pauly's girl]

We are going in Sept... Can't wait!! We have done both plans....the DDp is great!! The DxDP was better for us because we also do the 2 TS meals and the dinner shows! My brother who has never been to disney before and his family are going with us this year and we have upgraded to the DxDP so that they can experience them as well as some of the magical gethering meals. The DX is overkill for mostpeople who try to eat three meals a day bu twhen two meals are used most days in one sitting it really isnt so bad!!