Enough Food?

[CurtS]

Okay, I have four teenagers and an 8 year-old who loves to eat. I just came back from a Chinese restaurant and watched them consume their food and, looking at the Disney Dining Plan, I don't think WDW has enough food to feed them let alone having a Dining Plan that will fill their bottomless stomachs. The plan looks like it really doesn't have enough food for them. Any suggestions on how to best use the plan to fill up this bunch or should I buy more Dining Plans (not a cost-worthy option)? It could determine the difference between a WDW experience and a DCL cruise (not bad options, though).

Thanks.

 

[ShannonMB]

Well, I really do love to eat, and I love to pig out at Disney! I am usually more than adequately full from the regular dining plan!!! In fact, most of the time we don't even have room for our snack credits. If you are worried about it, you could try the deluxe plan, which most people say is "way too much food!".

That said, a lot of the most fun places to eat at Disney are buffets, so you could always go that route for a lot of your meals. Honestly though, since every meal comes with a dessert, your hungry brood will probably do fine, especially with those snack credits added in!!

Good luck!

 

[Jakesmom1]

My DS is 15 and I know what your talking about, sometimes feels like hes eating us out of house and home.

The dining plan can work, there are plenty of buffets where the kids can eat all they want, works out pretty well for my DS.

When we go in Sept we only have one Buffet ADR for Crystal Palace, but I'm pretty sure he will be ok with our other choices. (at least I hope so !)

 

[WantToGoNow]

Buffets and family style restaurants sounds like they would be just what you need. But seriously, we did the regular dining plan last trip and it was more than enough food for the adults in the group - the children's offerings however are another story.

 

[ShannonMB]

Buffets and family style restaurants sounds like they would be just what you need. But seriously, we did the regular dining plan last trip and it was more than enough food for the adults in the group - the children's offerings however are another story.

Too true!! Kids meals at Disney pretty much stink in all imaginable regards. Yet another reason to go with lots of family style and buffets, OP, as kids (your 8 year old) can eat anything and as much as they want at these kinds of places!

 

[Gina35]

The regular DP is defintely enough food for your teenagers. As PPs have said, buffets are the best for "filling up"...but most dinners have been more than sufficient for my always-hungry just-turned-20-year-old (as well as my DSIL and DD's fiance). We've been to Disney when he was 18, 16, 14.....and he always had plenty to eat. The snack credits definitely help as well. We are thinking of trying the DxDDP this year, but we're not sure. If we do try it, it won't be b/c the regular plan doesn't have enough food!

 

[tami82]

I too was worried about this but after reading the posts and seeing pics of the food (especially counter service) i can see how it is more than enough. You have to find out the best places that you get the most portion for the money. There were various lists throughout the boards. Also with buffets try to schedule at a good time and there should be plenty for the kids to eat that would fill them up.

 

[Dustmouse]

We just got back from taking three teenage boys (18, 17, and 16) to the World. Two of the three are big eaters. We were on the basic DDP and they were all satisfied. If they weren't stuffed from the entree, then the dessert pretty much finished them off. My biggest eater was also able to get a smoothie at some TS's so that helped fill his hollow leg.

 

[mrsannb]

I can't imagine it not being enough food! I would do the CS for lunch, the TS for dinner, and pay oop for breakfasts and/or use snack credits for it or bring some things from home such as granola bars, pop tarts, etc.

 

[CurtS]

Thank you, everyone!

It sounds like my crew of bottomless stomachs will manage to fillup on the DDP--especially the buffets. It looks like WDW won out!

 

[ShannonMB]

Thank you, everyone!

It sounds like my crew of bottomless stomachs will manage to fillup on the DDP--especially the buffets. It looks like WDW won out!

WooHOOO!

 

[abc999]

Also if you get the basic plans just order the biggest items at the quick service places, like the half chicken and ribs at Cosmic Rays. My 18 yo nephew couldn't finish the whole thing this past week.

 

[B-Ride]

I would agree that with buffets and family style you are pretty well covered for dinner. At the non buffet places like Kona and Le Cellier they have great bread and will bring you seconds of it. You can also order an appetizer or two and pay for it OOP.

For CS lunches places like Flame Tree BBQ and Cosmic Rays serve big meals. Also at Pecos Bill you can get a double cheeseburger and load it up at the fixin's bar. At Epcot, Sunshine Season's serves a pretty good size meal. Also try Wolfgang Puck Express and DTD for a good sized meal as well.

 

[webprinter]

We did the DDP (basic plan), for the first time a couple weeks ago. I thought it was way too much food. There were times I ate dinner because I had to use the credits but wasn't even hungry for it, let alone dessert. We brought quite a few desserts and snacks home because we couldn't eat them. Like others have said, if you are worried, use the buffets and all you can eat skillet from Whispering Canyon. Those would fill them up easily. Also, the food courts, especially POP and POR have some very large meals.

 

[pmiranda]

I miss the old jokes from Jay Leno about Americans and food.

Definitely buffets are your best bet. There are a few restaurants known for smaller portions. Do a search and avoid those.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't know what you mean by "buy more dining plans" but you can only buy one type dining plan for the length of your stay.

You could upgrade the regular plan to the deluxe plan but you can't buy a second dining plan for the same stay.

 

[bangzoom6877]

You guys all have me laughing...reading this thread reminds me of a conversation I had with DH not too long ago.

We had the basic DDP last July and we loved it. We did CS for lunches and TS for dinners, and we paid OOP for 2 breakfasts (the rest were in the room with things we brought). We decided that we are definitely getting the basic DDP again next summer (deluxe plan seems like too much food). We find the DDP to be a particularly great deal for our sons since they cost $11 per day, but a character dinner alone costs more than that for each of them (we like the character meals). I said at one point to DH that the DDP may not be worth it anymore when the kids are over 9 because children that age currently cost $40 a day on the DDP. Our kids will only be 3 and 5 next summer when we go so a few more years until we reach that point. Anyway, DH's reply to me was, "Do you really think a 10-year-old boy or a teenage boy can't easily eat OVER $40 worth of food in one day?" This cracked me up, and this thread reminded me of it! After DH said that to me and I laughed, I turned to him and said that maybe we will need the deluxe plan by then, and the two boys will be eating most of the meal and snack credits!

 

[Dustmouse]

"Do you really think a 10-year-old boy or a teenage boy can't easily eat OVER $40 worth of food in one day?" This cracked me up, and this thread reminded me of it! After DH said that to me and I laughed, I turned to him and said that maybe we will need the deluxe plan by then, and the two boys will be eating most of the meal and snack credits!

My DS17 is always the guy looking at everyone else's plate asking, "Are you going to eat the rest of that?"

 

[chabs]

We are "big eaters" and we are always stuffed so I think that you will definitely have enough food-especially if you do the buffets and family style.

One thing that I didn't see anyone else bring up-consider upgrading your 8 year old to an adult. It is not very expensive and well worth it for the larger selection of meals. We did that a couple of times when my kids were almost 10-my dd does not eat "kid" food.

 

[disneygirlinnj]

not sure if someone suggested this but have you thought of upgrading to teh deluxe dining plan? 3 TS meals a day, with appetizers, entrees, and dessert. If that's not enough food... you should invest in a grocery store