Dining Plan Question

[WillieBearsMom]

My husband and I usually do the dining plan with a QS/TS/S per day. We have been twice with our little boy and enjoyed this plan, although with a 2 year old the TS meals can get kind of long and he gets restless. I am planning another trip for October, but this time we will have a 2 year old and a 6 month old. I am debating on whether to just do the QS plan to avoid the long drawn out meals with two children instead of one. Any suggestions?

[disneemama]

If I were you I would do the QSDP, it sounds like your trip is going to be very memorable. The slower pace would be a lot easier for all, rushing to make dinner reservations can be very stressful. Although I would also do at least one nice character meal, (breakfast at Crystal Palace). There are a lot of nice places to eat using the CS credits. Hope you enjoy every minute.:yay:

[Perditamarie]

I agree w/doing the QS plan....it takes too much time getting to a restaurant to hurry up and wait that by the time you finally get your food, the kids are DONE...or it is cold by the time you get a chance to eat. I think doing 1 or 2 TS OOP would be much more relaxing than trying to do a daily ADR w/2 little ones who will have no patience for that!!

[JDUCKY]

Or, if you opt for the regular dining plan, perhaps roll some TS credits together for some of the character dining that takes up 2 TS credits? Seeing the characters about might occupy the 2 year-old's attention.

[TDC Nala]

CRT is the only character meal that takes 2 credits per person. (You could also count Mickey's Backyard Barbecue which is listed as a "dinner show" rather than a "character meal")

[sgrabin]

Keep an eye of Free Dining. Remember in '09, they extended it after the 1st week of October, so you may get it for free!

:teacher:

[prncess674]

Keep an eye of Free Dining. Remember in '09, they extended it after the 1st week of October, so you may get it for free!

:teacher:Nothing in life is free. Realize you are paying full rack rate for that room with free dining. If you look at the cost of room with discount (pin codes) and paid dining it isn't that much different. Disney has an awesome marketing department.;)

[squirrel]

Nothing in life is free. Realize you are paying full rack rate for that room with free dining. If you look at the cost of room with discount (pin codes) and paid dining it isn't that much different. Disney has an awesome marketing department.;)

Depends on what level of resort you are staying at and how many people are in the room.

I stay at a value and have one child and one adult. Still cheaper to go during Free Dining than a discount on the room and the dining plan. Yes, I could skip the DDP and pay for meals but I wouldn't enjoy it.

[MomToAp1699]

Nothing in life is free. Realize you are paying full rack rate for that room with free dining. If you look at the cost of room with discount (pin codes) and paid dining it isn't that much different. Disney has an awesome marketing department.;)

Not free maybe but there is for sure a savings with free dining that can often eclipse the savings of 20/30/40... I am staying at pop with myself, my husband and 10 year old.. So that counts as three adults on the dining plan. There is definatly a diffrence with free dining vs 20%

[squirrel]

My husband and I usually do the dining plan with a QS/TS/S per day. We have been twice with our little boy and enjoyed this plan, although with a 2 year old the TS meals can get kind of long and he gets restless. I am planning another trip for October, but this time we will have a 2 year old and a 6 month old. I am debating on whether to just do the QS plan to avoid the long drawn out meals with two children instead of one. Any suggestions?

I like the TS meals. I found them to be a nice break from the park. What places did you do last time? I find the character meals fun and most of them go quite quickly (buffet/family style). The family style is even more relaxing as you don't have to get up to get the food. Your 2 yr old would eat for free at the character meals and it would save you time in line to meet them.

[beautyqueen]

i think you can look at it both ways, it would be less stressful to not have to worry about making your ADR's on time, but for us the dinning time is the only less crazy time we (my husband and I) have since the parks are all about our kids. I will get my 4 kids to TS meals every day, they get to pick foods that are more healthy than the QS and also get to relax a little. My kids are 7,4,3 and 1 so I know where your comming from with being stressed thinking about TS meals!

[HannaBelle]

We are big fans of TS meals. They are a great down time for parents and kiddos! We especially love character meals b/c then you can eat and get great pics without standing in lines to meet characters.

I would recommend choosing character meals that are served family style. The characters come to you, the food comes to you and you get to relax and eat while the kids eat and are entertained! They are also faster and take up less park time.

We also like to choose buffets. Everyone gets settled, orders drinks and then one parent goes to the buffet. Grab a stack of plates (one for each family member) and then fill a couple of plates with food for the family and do your own “family style” meal. This works out great when you have multiple families at the table with little kids!

I think TS meals that are family style are easier than trying to maneuver everyone through ordering at CS and then finding a seat.

[DaniB]

Nothing in life is free. Realize you are paying full rack rate for that room with free dining. If you look at the cost of room with discount (pin codes) and paid dining it isn't that much different. Disney has an awesome marketing department.;)

When you say "full rack rate", do you mean higher prices than what are already shown for the value season on WDW website? Or do you mean that no one can use a pin or other discount against those value rates?

Dani

[DaniB]

We are big fans of TS meals. They are a great down time for parents and kiddos! We especially love character meals b/c then you can eat and get great pics without standing in lines to meet characters.

I would recommend choosing character meals that are served family style. The characters come to you, the food comes to you and you get to relax and eat while the kids eat and are entertained! They are also faster and take up less park time.

We also like to choose buffets.

I think TS meals that are family style are easier than trying to maneuver everyone through ordering at CS and then finding a seat.

Mine and my husband's feeling excatly! Now we have never been to WDW before but these are the reasons we choose 2 TS buffett character breakfasts and 4 TS dinners.

[Mrs D]

When you say "full rack rate", do you mean higher prices than what are already shown for the value season on WDW website? Or do you mean that no one can use a pin or other discount against those value rates?

Dani

Full rack rate is the full price of the room for the travel dates.
Mousesavers has my favorite place to see full rack rate (http://www.mousesavers.com/roomrates2010.html) (w/o taxes) for the various date categories.

[serene56]

Full rack rate is the full price of the room for the travel dates.
Mousesavers has my favorite place to see full rack rate (http://www.mousesavers.com/roomrates2010.html) (w/o taxes) for the various date categories.




ooo I didnt know about rack rate-- but according to that posted site rack rate for Pop is 85.00. do you mean I can find a cheaper rate then the rack rate?

[HannaBelle]

Mrs. D, do you know where we can find historical rate rates?

I would love to be able to do some research on room cost increases.

Thanks!

[Mrs D]

Mrs. D, do you know where we can find historical rate rates?

I would love to be able to do some research on room cost increases.

Thanks!

This page of Historical Rates (http://www.mousesavers.com/historicalwdwdiscounts.html) from Mousesavers.com has info on rack rates for each year as well as the types of discounts released and when they were released.

[Mrs D]

ooo I didnt know about rack rate-- but according to that posted site rack rate for Pop is 85.00. do you mean I can find a cheaper rate then the rack rate?

Well you can book a room at a discount depending on what Disney offers.

So for instance: a room at rack rate for May 3 - 4th at Pop is $118 inc tax.
Using the current room only discount that room is $89 inc tax.