Half board option - please help, booking now and confused!

[ailish]

We are planning on going in June half board - 2 adults, 2 kids but one child is under 3 so isnt included when we select the half board option.

Does anyone know what happens when we go for meals as obviously she will need fed and dont want to go half board for rest of us and spend a fortune on her?

Thanks - booking tonight hopefully so a quick reply would eb brilliant.

Thanks again

 

[bumbershoot]

Does "half board" mean the quick service dining plan?

Kids under 3 can eat off parents' plates, in general.

 

[MarkF0wle]

We are planning on going in June half board - 2 adults, 2 kids but one child is under 3 so isnt included when we select the half board option.

Does anyone know what happens when we go for meals as obviously she will need fed and dont want to go half board for rest of us and spend a fortune on her?

Thanks - booking tonight hopefully so a quick reply would eb brilliant.

Thanks again

I don't know I understand what you get for half-board, but that aside. Generally those under 3 can share of off plates at the table for no extra charge. But if you order a meal just for them it will not be covered by the plan.

If I am wrong I am sure somebody will jump in & correct me.

 

[minnie mum]

"Half board" is not a term that is used in the US or at WDW. You will have to explain what that includes (as you understand it) compared to the QSDP or the DDP. Then we can help you with more definitive answers.

 

[purple figment]

Are you planning to book a trip to the United States (Disney World or Disney land in California) or a trip to Disneyland Paris. I know Paris has the half board plan, but as minnie mum says - it's not a term used in the United States so we would need a clearer description of what meals would be included.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The "half-board" at Disneyland Paris has no equivalent at WDW, especially as the Paris entitlements are affected by the Hotel you are staying in.

 

[TDC Nala]

As it appears this post is regarding an option available at Disneyland Paris, moving to the Disneyland Paris board.

 

[HFJohnson]

If you eat at buffet restaurants then your 3 year old can have their own plate for free. For table service restaurants what you get seems to vary though, with under 3s mostly being offered something like a plate of chips or rice. I've never done it though so don't speak from experience.

BTW the hotel you stay in doesn't affect the dining plan you have. You can stay at the DLH and have a standard or plus dining plan if you want to, or vice versa.

 

[DLPdaft]

Are you sure you want a dining plan at DLP? They are restrictive and they're not really good value for money anymore.

 

[disney_rocks_86]

We have used to half board plus option last year for adults and our 2 year old at the time - they get some food for free some Just chips and a drink - but in cafe Mickey a full children's meal
For free, we got half board last time and now for our next trip in march as it means that all food is paid for pretty much as that's what costs a heck of a lot when you get there. On the meal plan its a full 3 course meal (half board plus) plus drink and is a lot of food so we use them most for lunch (late - after a big SL breakfast) then had a snack for tea. They don't work for everyone but they work for us!

 

[mickeymouse11]

Are you sure you want a dining plan at DLP? They are restrictive and they're not really good value for money anymore.

Dont you think there good value? i was thinking about getting the plus meal plan. The must places i want to eat are Inventions, Cafe Mickey and Auberge and i'll use them at face value there.

Is the current price still 31E half board plus?

 

[DLPdaft]

Dont you think there good value? i was thinking about getting the plus meal plan. The must places i want to eat are Inventions, Cafe Mickey and Auberge and i'll use them at face value there.

Is the current price still 31E half board plus?

if you're using them at face value, you'd be better just not bothering and paying for the whole meal when you're there, wouldn't you? I mean you're not saving a penny doing that are you ?

 

[kizzabel]

I'll jump on the band wagon here and say I think they are good value.
Its great to have your meals already paid for and lets be honest that is the most expensive part of a holiday at DLP.

I find if you use them at face value then you arent restricted to having to eat off the set menu and also having to eat 3 courses. Yes you will have to put money with them at the dearer places but they are as cost effective as you make them.

I find I'm watching the pennies if I havent got meal vouchers, saying that this time we have a meal budget plan done out (with huge help from Disboards restaurant review threads) and we'll see how this works out. I'm an impulse spender though anyway so it'll be interesting!

 

[DLPdaft]

kizzabel don't you have an AP, so you'd get meal discount of 10% anyway ? Or have I got you mixed up with someone else?

eta - are you a shareholder too? Isn't your 15% shareholders discount better than any meal plan vouchers saving?

 

[kizzabel]

Yes I do Elaine (and a SHC thats getting its final use far too soon for my liking ) but I meant before I had the AP I found the meal plans were great, especially if you are budget conscious or going for the 1st time. I remember the initial shock at meal prices
I think it gives you more freedom with your spending money.

 

[mickeymouse11]

Yes I do Elaine (and a SHC thats getting its final use far too soon for my liking ) but I meant before I had the AP I found the meal plans were great, especially if you are budget conscious or going for the 1st time. I remember the initial shock at meal prices
I think it gives you more freedom with your spending money.

ahh you've made me doubt now. I like the idea of paying upfront then i wont worry about money budget when im there but then again i dont want to be out of pocket and eating at the most expensive place so i get the most from my vouchers.

So you rekon you can easily eat a dinner (apart from inventions,auberge, cafe mickey) for 31E or less. Were staying 7 nights so will need eating recomendations for 4 of these nights

 

[DLPdaft]

so do you mean its value as in budgeted in advance, rather than a saving in monetary terms? I can understand that, but would it be a more flexible option to put the dining plan money on a pre-paid travelcard instead and use that to pay for your meals wherever you've planned for at DLP?

 

[mickeymouse11]

so do you mean its value as in budgeted in advance, rather than a saving in monetary terms? I can understand that, but would it be a more flexible option to put the dining plan money on a pre-paid travelcard instead and use that to pay for your meals wherever you've planned for at DLP?

a bit of both, will have a talk with all parties see what they rekon. thanks for your help

 

[DLPdaft]

ahh you've made me doubt now. I like the idea of paying upfront then i wont worry about money budget when im there but then again i dont want to be out of pocket and eating at the most expensive place so i get the most from my vouchers.

So you rekon you can easily eat a dinner (apart from inventions,auberge, cafe mickey) for 31E or less. Were staying 7 nights so will need eating recomendations for 4 of these nights

An adult can have a main course and a drink at Cafe Mickey for about 25 euros (the portions are generous).

There are quite a few better value options for dinner, off the top of my head -
Cafe Mickey as above
La Grange at Billy Bobs in the Village (all you can eat buffet)
Annettes Diner - they have a menu for less than 20 euros for a main and a dessert.
Rainforest Cafe again, main course and a drink (again generous portions as I recall) for around 25 euros
Plaza Gardens in the main park (may be open for dinner if you're there when the main park closes at 8pm or later).
Beaver Creek Tavern in the Sequoia Lodge hotel, here you can choose a full 3-course, or a 2-course, or just a main course, the main courses are under 20 euros.
If you're staying at the Santa Fe or Cheyenne, they have their own buffet dinner restaurants, again well under 31 euros per adult.
If you want a big lunch rather than a big dinner, you have more choice - Agrabah Cafe in the main park and Restaurant des Stars in the studios, both around 25 euros per adult, full buffet and soft drink. Walts and the Blue Lagoon do express lunch menus for around 20 euros per adult, includes one main course and a Cafe Gourmand (coffee or tea of your choice plus 3 mini-desserts). The Silver Spur steakhouse in the main park also has a set menu for less than 30 euros per person I believe.

 

[kizzabel]

so do you mean its value as in budgeted in advance, rather than a saving in monetary terms? I can understand that, but would it be a more flexible option to put the dining plan money on a pre-paid travelcard instead and use that to pay for your meals wherever you've planned for at DLP?

Yes! Thats what I mean! I'm not putting my thoughts into words very well tonight sorry! (Just started packing so I think thats why I'm addled!) Thats a great idea. I suppose at the time we first went my bank here didn't offer debit cards and there was only one prepaid card only after being released so I wouldn't have thought to do it that way. That could be a good idea for our next trip though. Thanks for the tip. That would be a better option then the meal plan too although the last card I had was hard to check balances on (needed to have internet access) so you would have to be taking note of how much you'd spent.