Anyone with multiple food allergies do DDP?

[Mum23]

I am trying to get an idea of pricing for a 2016 trip. I was wondering if the room only discount would be better for us vs. DDP. Kids would all be between 3-9 at time of travel Just trying to think things through. Last time was our first trip so we did all breakfasts and most dinners in room and ate out for lunch most time.

TIA for any advice!

 

[mistysue]

The allergies likely won't change your cost as we haven't run into upcharges for substitutions. For us, allergies make the dining plan more worth it because prepackaged foods for DS are expensive or can be hard to find so we have to either eat on-site or spend unknown crazy amounts of hours to find items he can have and he would never have a warm meal. I don't want to have to plan to the exact detail what he is going to eat constantly, so we get a lot of value in stress reduction for eating on site. If you were all happy eating in the room that much you might be better off taking the room only discount and skipping a dining plan. For my family, it's not strange that we would eat a lunch buffet and still eat out for both breakfast and dinner so our spending is completely different.

Still, as a family of 5 we find that the discount at a deluxe is worth more than the DDP while the amount of food we will get for free is worth more than the discount at a value or moderate. It all varies by the week you go, what discount is offered, etc. I would never pay OOP for a dining plan though.

 

[bookgirl]

As some one as multiple allergies I can't see any advantage or disadvantage to the DP since it's not more to get a meal with allergy substitutions and Disney is really good about working with those with allergies. Especially if they continue to let you substitute a dessert (which I can't eat most of and don't like the OMG stuff) for a side that will be easier for me to eat.

That being said I have done the DDP and will do the QSDP both of which are only two meals per day. I do not eat breakfast at Disney restaurants. That one meal hits like everyone of my allergies and it's just easier for me to bring some safe foods and eat in the room. I'd do that whether I had a plan or not. So it doesn't save me money or cost me more, it's just safer and easier.

 

[Mum23]

*I* was not happy being on vacation and having to still make 2 meals a day lol It was our first ever vacation so we did a full kitchen with lots of Amazon Prime deliveries and a garden grocer one as well. Now that we have done it once, I feel a *little* more comfortable eating with my allergic kiddo there. We are looking at the prospect of going during free dining which is why I was wondering if paying full price vs. renting DVC points would be more advantageous.

 

[mistysue]

I have to redo pricing every year to see what our best deal is because numbers keep changing. One year I had one child and 2 free babies and the way it's spaced out 3 years in a row somebody has either become an "adult" or started being charged for. Add that to constant price increases and I feel like I'm going in blind every time.

I feel like it adds so much freedom to eat out vs. in the room because you don't have to go back or even think about planning it all. Unless you look over the menus and are likely to always be ordering the most expensive thing I would give up on the game of trying to outspend a dining plan you directly pay for. We had to cancel our trip this year but when I did the math I was going to end up paying roughly $50/night for 5 mugs plus the buffet, snacks and CS for each of us per night. Free or not, that is one heck of a deal over the room discount.

What are his allergens?

 

[Mum23]

We have dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, banana and has Celiac Disease so no wheat, rye and barley.

Has anyone stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort??

 

[dmetcalfrn]

We used DDP last week and have a child with multiple food allergies. We have also used Tables in Wonderland in past with room only. We tend to do a lot of table service meals as we feel they are safer as we talk to the chef each time. In comparison I think room only was less expensive and last week we ended up searching for snacks and quick services that were safe for her.

 

[mistysue]

The egg/dairy/gluten combination can make breakfast hard but it looks like at least van's waffles are still safe for you. There are a number of locations where DS's allergies (mostly same list, add soy subtract banana) mean they can offer him bacon and orange juice. We have learned that if we want DS to have a good breakfast we either eat at the resort CS, the casual TS at a deluxe or go to the buffet at Tusker House. The other breakfasts are sort of hit and miss for providing something worth your time and money. Resorts will make gluten free fresh waffles but otherwise except for Tusker House they have only been offering DS van's waffles which have soy.
We haven't stayed at CBR, but don't recall terrible complaints which is always a good sign.

 

[quakechicago]

Kiddo has food allergies to milk, soy, and about a million other thing. I'm severely allergic to mustard. We not only do DDP but we do Deluxe. They've always taken wonderful care of us (the one exception is 1900). Every TS kitchen we've been to (we mostly do character meals and Epcot restaurants) has a designated allergy chef with a separate kitchen and equipment that can completely take care of your needs. It does take longer to have them come out before each meal (& they do) but well worth it.

We not only save time but money and I get kitchen duty off!

It's actually quite amazing and doesn't feel real to not worry about allergies for once.

 

[mhopkins2910]

I have several unusual food allergies and Disney is one of the only places that I will actually eat at. They are very good about taking care of their guests.

 

[themonorailappreciator]

I have Celiac and a dairy allergy, and tried out the DDP last October. It was great! The chefs took very good care of me, and they were very accommodating with the dining plan options. I stayed at Caribbean Beach a few years ago, and had a fantastic experience. The only resort that I have experienced that I would tell you to avoid is Coronado Springs - they seemed separate from Disney, and they acted like they couldn't be entirely sure that my food would be gf..