Which Dining Plan with Club Level?

[gavsgirl]

We have been to Disney several times and almost always have gotten a dining plan. Once we realized how great it was we kicked ourselves for those few trips prior where we didn't get it. This year my DH surprised our family with a trip in December - staying at the poly with a club level room. The CM at booking went on and on to my DH about all the food and having never stayed CL before I'm wondering if it's worth saving a bit of cash and dropping from the deluxe dining down to the mid level plan. It will be 2 adults and 2 kids (8 and 6). I'm just not sure if the extras in CL are worth dropping down the dining plan. Any suggestions?

-Kristen

 

[sarmat1]

I would drop the dining plan completely. Certainly, you don't need deluxe. We stayed CL at YC 2 years back and just paid OOP for meals. Some things to think about:

- The mugs are now not needed because you get unlimited drinks CL.
- Breakfast is now not needed since you get it CL.
- Snacks are now not needed because other than a couple hours that the lounge is closed, snacks will be there.

So what's left - lunch and dinner? Apps are put out I believe between 5 and 7 with desserts and cordials following in the evening. If you partake in the apps, are you really going to be looking for big TS meals for dinner? With desserts available when you return from the parks, are you going to be looking for desserts at meals as well? Only you can answer those questions, but DDP seems like overkill in connection with CL. I'm sure there are people who add a dining plan to CL, but unless your family eats a ton of food, it would seem far more cost efficient to just pay OOP as you go for meals.

 

[happymommy]

I agree with skipping it altogether too, for the reasons mentioned.

 

[mimi1016]

I think you have to look at how long you'll be at the parks vs at the resort. I have Poly CL booked with the regular DP for next year and plan on grabbing something quick for breakfast but still having a QS lunch and TS dinner. Our snacks will be in the parks for things like ice cream. Our touring style is to grab something light for breakfast, hit the parks early and come back midday after an early lunch to avoid the crowds. Then we go back to the parks and have a later ADR for dinner.

I do think the Deluxe plan might be a bit much however and would at least consider downgrading to the regular DP.

The DP works in our favor because we like to do character meals for our TS. We found it wasn't too much food for us at all (and all of us minus BF love dessert!). Its me, my bf his dd(12), my dd (7) and our DS (2).

 

[gavsgirl]

My DH did the booking and we have always gotten the dining plan so he did the usual - but the more I read about CL the more I thought that our dining plan might be overkill. I am intending on doing as many TS meals as I can as with the two young boys I want to do some character meals and we love several epcot restaurants and love to trade in our meals there. We also have picky eaters so variety is a necessity. I may bring it down a level - even last year when we went and weren't on club level we still had extras left over on our plan!

 

[happymommy]

If you still have extra meals left over, I think you answered your question. The deluxe will be super overkill.
Personally, the more trips we've made, the less TS meals we've wanted to do. We like to relax and not have to be somewhere at a particular time.
If your family loves to schedule meals at TS places, then I'd run the numbers. CL isn't cheap, and I'm sure you will want to at least use the lounge for breakfast and drinks, and appetizers in the evenings.
PS: if you want a beer or wine and it's not put out, you can ask and they'll bring you one (or two)!

 

[gavsgirl]

PS: if you want a beer or wine and it's not put out, you can ask and they'll bring you one (or two)!

I was VERY excited about seeing the beer and wine availability. Probably a little more than I should have been!

We were lucky to get the Poly CL room as part of a military rate so it's not costing us AS much as it would normally but it definitely isn't cheap. We definitely intend to make the most of it but not knowing exactly what to expect or whats offered it's just hard to figure out what we will want. I'm pretty positive we will be dropping it down - more money for souvenirs after all lol

 

[mimi1016]

I was VERY excited about seeing the beer and wine availability. Probably a little more than I should have been!

So was I! Lol

We also will be taking advantage of a military rate and staying CL at Poly. Although I am admittedly still on the fence. Would love to hear about your experience when you return

 

[OregonGirl]

I will be among the minority, I guess, who is going club level and getting the deluxe dining plan. Hubby and I have 5 days at the Grand Floridian, deluxe king room, Royal Palm Club and I am still going deluxe because, frankly, I want to spoil ourselves with optons and no worries. We may or may not have snack credits left over but I don't care. I want to splurge. That said, I don't suppose I'd get the deluxe dining if I didn't go into it knowing I wanted to splurge.

Also, we fly red eye so it's 4 nights and 5 days. Deluxe let's us use 4 nights of credits over 5 days without sacrificing table service and signature dining choices.

Carey

 

[Nancyg56]

I will be among the minority, I guess, who is going club level and getting the deluxe dining plan. Hubby and I have 5 days at the Grand Floridian, deluxe king room, Royal Palm Club and I am still going deluxe because, frankly, I want to spoil ourselves with optons and no worries. We may or may not have snack credits left over but I don't care. I want to splurge. That said, I don't suppose I'd get the deluxe dining if I didn't go into it knowing I wanted to splurge.

Also, we fly red eye so it's 4 nights and 5 days. Deluxe let's us use 4 nights of credits over 5 days without sacrificing table service and signature dining choices.

Carey

No, you are not in the minority. I think that Club Level is more than just the food offered, and there is no way to justify the cost if that is all you want it for.

If you have already determined that the dining you will be enjoying includes the appetizers and snack, then go for it. We choose CL periodically, and while we enjoy a snack late afternoon in the lounge (along with a glass of wine for me) we never feel it is a substitute for the yummy appetizers offered during our meals.

We do not usually purchase the DxDDP because after we run our numbers, adding in all of the extra meals, and potential appetizers, it does not seem to be even. I have to say that after the last trip with my DH, we are going to reconsider the next time he joins us, even though upfront the numbers do not add up. Oh my goodness, my husband, who never wories about the cost of his garlic bread, stuffed mushrooms and additional salad when we are at home, got himself so darn confused over what he "could have" on the last trip that I am not going there again! WHen he is with us, DxDDP. He can then get anything he wants and stay on the plan! The poor guy, who pays for everything, from beginning to end for eveyone who joins us, somehow got all stuck on that appetizer that was "extra". LOL! He also was not at all happy that I did not book full breakfasts every day, thinking we could just have a light meal before we hit the parks. So lesson learned: I can run all my own numbers before we go, and that plan does not add up, but if we toss my DH in the mix....it pays for itself just in appetizers, breakfast and snacks! LOL! (He is the only guy I know who after several stops at a sausage and pepper booth at the Big E, is offered a discount! LOL!)