Anyone actualy likes deluxe dining plan?

[Senor_Jorge]

I've given this quite a bit of thought recently. My wife and I are in our mid 40s, and currently crunching numbers prior to purchasing DVC. We have used the DxDP on our most recent trips, found it to be a good value for us, and enjoyed it. Part of that value comes from the ability to not look at prices, and take some time away from the parks and lines. Our primary goal for the 7-10 days we are there in early December is to get away from work and the associated calls, texts, emails, etc... DxDP helps a lot with that!

2013 pricing makes it a little more difficult to make the decision based solely on dollars based on our past dining habits. Neither of use eat a large breakfast. It's usually coffee and a snack, or leftover dessert. That has freed up additional credits for other meals in the evening, or to be converted to snacks at the end of the trip to bring treats home for friends and family.

I used current pricing for restaurants we usually dine in, for a 7 day trip. Before tax we would have spent $788.33 or about $112.62/day. I think the DxDP is priced at $99.97/day for 2013. Not eating breakfast consistently, and the number of signature meals we have hurt our return on the plan. With snacks and the treats we take home from unused credits we do a little better than the numbers indicate. That being said it has delivered a reasonable financial value, and giving us one less thing to think about which has been priceless.

We probably won't use DxDP after purchasing DVC. We will probably be spending 10-14 days per year at Disney then and using the AP or PAP with TiW seems to be the better option at that point. Using the same numbers $751.22 would have been eligible for the 20% discount, for a total of $638.06, before tax and tip (including the one meal not covered by TiW).

The first year with DxDP it was a no brainer. We stumbled into a promotion that included free DDP, and we just paid the price to upgrade to deluxe. The return on investment that particular year was greater. With increasing prices, and our changing travel plans we are spending a lot more time looking at numbers and deciding what we are most likely to do in reality to figure out where the best value is for us.

I hope this helped some, rather than just making it more confusing!

 

[lunamum]

It is great to hear that there are people who are in favor of the Deluxe Plan.

My DSis and I are going to WDW for the first time in January and it will be our first time on a dining plan and we decided on Deluxe .

I was wondering is there a general information thread on the basics of the dining plan, and I mean very easy and basic, maybe including pictures of quick service signs, etc.?

I think I understand Table Service restaurants and have made all of our ADR's, but I am having a little bit of anxiety about QS and snacks: how to order, how to look at a sign and know whether something is included on the dining plan.

For example, I have looked at the official snack thread and saw a picture of a display case for the caramel place in Germany, (it looks fantastic and we are definitely planning on using a lot of snack credits there), but am wondering, how would I know walking up to the dsplay case which things are avail for a snack credit?

I have heard of the DDP purple square symbol thing but haven't seen them on any actual signs.

Also, I'm worried that at Counter service I will slow the process down by not knowing how to order properly. Sounds like things are so crazy rushed I don't want to annoy people by asking a million questions or holding things up trying to figure things out.

I have enjoyed combing through all of these threads and posts and know one of you will definitely be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks!

 

[aaarcher86]

It is great to hear that there are people who are in favor of the Deluxe Plan.

My DSis and I are going to WDW for the first time in January and it will be our first time on a dining plan and we decided on Deluxe .

I was wondering is there a general information thread on the basics of the dining plan, and I mean very easy and basic, maybe including pictures of quick service signs, etc.?

I think I understand Table Service restaurants and have made all of our ADR's, but I am having a little bit of anxiety about QS and snacks: how to order, how to look at a sign and know whether something is included on the dining plan.

For example, I have looked at the official snack thread and saw a picture of a display case for the caramel place in Germany, (it looks fantastic and we are definitely planning on using a lot of snack credits there), but am wondering, how would I know walking up to the dsplay case which things are avail for a snack credit?

I have heard of the DDP purple square symbol thing but haven't seen them on any actual signs.

Also, I'm worried that at Counter service I will slow the process down by not knowing how to order properly. Sounds like things are so crazy rushed I don't want to annoy people by asking a million questions or holding things up trying to figure things out.

I have enjoyed combing through all of these threads and posts and know one of you will definitely be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks!

The snacks included on the plan have a DP symbol next to it in the menu ir in the case. If you look at the display case pic again you see the white and purple symbol.

For QS it is pretty much the same. You will see the meal and what it includes for a credit and get to choose a dessert and you will get a drink.

I promise it sounds harder than it is. Our first time we knew nothing and we were fine. It makes more sense when you are there.

Dont worry about asking questions!!! Thats the easiest eay to figure it all out. It wont hold anyone up longer than a few moments.

Have you looked at the DXDP brochure? Check out some DXDP dining reports to get an idea of what others ordered at a QS or used for a snack. But stick with things marked by that symbol and you will be just fine

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

We love the deluxe plan. I always tell people it is the best way to go unless you can get tables in wonderland. My DH hates counter service as well. He wants reservations and TS for our meals. If you use the plan right, you save money and you do not have to stuff your face just because you are allowed an appetizer, entree and dessert. It is up to you if you want to order it all, eat it all or wrap it up for later. The best way to utilize your credits is a breakfast or lunch and a signature dinner. And remember those credits do not expire until midnight of the day you check out. So if you have time before your departure home, you can use any leftover credits on your checkout day.

 

[lunamum]

Thanks for the info about the plan. I will definitely go back and look at pictures and see if I can see the symbols so I know what I"m looking for when I get there.

I also appreciate your comment about it being easier than it sounds and not to be afraid to ask questions.

thanks again

 

[mfulk]

We love the DxDP. We've done it the past two years for 10 nights both times. We tried going with no dining plan for 7 nights a few weeks ago and hated not having the deluxe plan! We decided not to go back again without it.

 

[clanmcculloch]

It works well for some people. The big question is will it work for you?

I would recommend booking all of the ADRs that you want and then sit down and do some math. At each restaurant, estimate your cost based on what you would like to order if you're not looking at price and just ordering exactly what you want to order. Add it up. Add any snacks you'd be interested in. I tend to estimate on the side of caution and if I think there's a chance that we might want an item then I include it in the estimate. Once this is done, compare it to the DxDDP. Most likely your estimates at this point aren't using all of the allotments of credits. If the prices are close or DxDDP is less then it's worth getting the plan and using it as an excuse to splurge on maybe a dessert or appetizer that you wouldn't have otherwise ordered but want to sample just a few bites and using up the snack credits for souvenirs. If the DxDDP is significantly more expensive than your estimate then just pay OOP.

 

[aaarcher86]

It works well for some people. The big question is will it work for you?

I would recommend booking all of the ADRs that you want and then sit down and do some math. At each restaurant, estimate your cost based on what you would like to order if you're not looking at price and just ordering exactly what you want to order. Add it up. Add any snacks you'd be interested in. I tend to estimate on the side of caution and if I think there's a chance that we might want an item then I include it in the estimate. Once this is done, compare it to the DxDDP. Most likely your estimates at this point aren't using all of the allotments of credits. If the prices are close or DxDDP is less then it's worth getting the plan and using it as an excuse to splurge on maybe a dessert or appetizer that you wouldn't have otherwise ordered but want to sample just a few bites and using up the snack credits for souvenirs. If the DxDDP is significantly more expensive than your estimate then just pay OOP.

I second this.

I made a schedule of our ADRs. We do a sit down bfast and sit down dinner. I went to allears.net and looked at the menus for each restaurant and picked out what I figured each person would order. I added up the total and compared to the total of the DP. I added an additional amount (I think it was $6.00 or something) per person each day for a snack. I think I even did a generic amount for a QS meal.

Anyway, we ended up coming out ahead a bit (not much). But even if it was a little more to do the DXDP I still would have. The freedom is something we factor in as well.

 

[OLIVIA'S DADDY]

Love it! Eating at whatever place you want, whatever days you want. Not having to worry about having money at the end of your vacation to purchase meals...signature meals at nice restaurants, dining in the castle, that 4 table service credits right there...we might not even use every meal credit but its money i dont have to worry about on our trip...my daughter and i's first trip and we ended up spending something like $98 for the two of us to eat at crt...ever since we have had the dining plan...to me it seems like eating for free and not having to worry about prices at dinner...also like the fact that if we want to eat chicken nuggets or a cheeseburger we can do that, or if we want fancy meal we can do that as well..great value and stress free as far as im concerned, even if it has been going up in price. Still worth it to me.

 

[bdklein]

Love it! Eating at whatever place you want, whatever days you want. Not having to worry about having money at the end of your vacation to purchase meals...signature meals at nice restaurants, dining in the castle, that 4 table service credits right there...we might not even use every meal credit but its money i dont have to worry about on our trip...my daughter and i's first trip and we ended up spending something like $98 for the two of us to eat at crt...ever since we have had the dining plan...to me it seems like eating for free and not having to worry about prices at dinner...also like the fact that if we want to eat chicken nuggets or a cheeseburger we can do that, or if we want fancy meal we can do that as well..great value and stress free as far as im concerned, even if it has been going up in price. Still worth it to me.

Glad it makes you happy. Makes disney stockholders even happier.

 

[mb_uh]

We love it, always say we will skip it but, always go back. We enjoy eating character meals for kids and dinner shows. Kids pricing it so worth it and we bring snacks home, to enjoy disney for another week.

We actually split meals to cover lots of 2 credit places so we use all our credits but never eat too much.

 

[Steakgoddess]

We love the DxDP as well. We eat an early lunch, a 2 TS dinner and use the snack credits if we need, well, a snack.

This past trip in September, DH and I never spent an extra penny on food or drink. It was perfect.

 

[aml3679]

I am glad to see all of the positive reviews. I booked DDP and then changed back to the regular plan and then switched back to the DDP. We are staying on site for the first time next December for 11 nights staying at POFQ.

We are in our 50's and while we plan on spending plenty of time in the four parks, we also want to have time to relax. We both have stressful jobs and get very little down time.

I like the thought on not having to worry about the cost of our meals. We plan on using gift cards to cover the tip and alcohol.

We will plan a big breakfast most mornings. Eat wherever we happen to be for lunch and eat a fairly late nice dinner where we can have a couple of adult beverages and enjoy each other's company. Plus we will probably order things we would never if we weren't on the dining plan. We usually order an appetizer or dessert, not both.

 

[cceandme]

We are using deluxe for first time in June. Last time we did basic dining plan and found we were spending to much on extra meals and snacks. Also we can do the signature restaurants and still have plenty of credits left.
Glad to see some good reviews on it for once. After so many negatives we were second guessing our plans.

 

[Masonmj84]

I've done two DxDP trips and loved both of them.

We do two meals a day, a breakfast (usually character) or early lunch + a 2 credit dinner.

On days we do a lunch, we use snack credits for breakfast items at the resort's CS location.

We never do buffets for lunch (usually only breakfast and even then, we're careful not to over do it).

It's still a lot of food, but manageable (3 TS a day, however, would just be too much).

With the recent price increases, however, I'm thinking about going the TIW route next time (especially since my oldest is about to turn 10 and my youngest is about to turn 3).

 

[tlkscott]

I have ran the numbers and found that the Deluxe Plan will save us money. We are a family of 3 with a 5 year old for our next trip. We are planning character meals daily. One will be in the parks before open on each or our 4 park days. On non park days we will do the latest breakfast time we can get so it will also be like lunch. I have also scheduled dinners each night some of which will take 2 credits. We are saving almost $250 and still have 4 credits left to use. I'm sure that the 4 credits will be used to get lunches as needed for our son, more than likely CS in the parks. We got the Deluxe plan for a one night/day trip last Feb. and saved over $100 in food. We are major foodies and don't like fast foods. Our son is used to eating like this so it works best for us. I spent hours looking at menus figuring out what we would order. Much easier to figure out with the buffets. I made a table with each place we would be eating, figured the tip and added them all up. We are looking at renting points so free dinning will not be an option. However, I figured out that we would save a little over $1,400 if they offered free dinning at the time of our trip and we just had to upgrade.

 

[Kate0716]

Another family checking in that loves the deluxe plan. Like others have already posted, we usually do a ts breakfast or lunch and then a signature dinner- so just 2 sit down meals per day. We also usually stretch our credits to include meals for our checkout day. The plan still makes sense for my family as I know we would spend the same amount without the plan. We aren't big CS people.

 

[jenn3456]

I am hoping I love it as much as all of you. We are taking our large family for our first Disney trip in June. DH and I have 5 kids 11 and under. My mom and brother are going with us as well. WE will eat some breakfast in our room and then do CT for lunch with a few ADR for dinners. My though is that we can convert our credits into some snacks because my kiddos are big snackers! Can anyone explain to me how they convert? 2 snacks/per (esp when one is a bottle of pop, etc) won't be enough for my kids. So I am very curious about the conversion.
Thanks

 

[jennab]

I am actually debating if we want to do DxDP for our next trip in Sept 2014 (I know very far away!!). DH is a big breakfast eater on his off days and vacations and got mad last time on the regular plan that we had to save our TS meal for dinner. He would do a breakfast buffet everyday! This trip it would be the 2 of us and our 2.5yr old. I'm thinking it might be worth it since we don't have to pay for DS and he is a big eater now, image what he will be like in a year!

I was debating between a Deluxe with DDP or moderate with DxDP. I'm thinking the moderate and DxDP might be the way to go . Now I would be overjoyed if we ended up with a FD promo next year and only had to pay the upgrade fee!

 

[aaarcher86]

I am hoping I love it as much as all of you. We are taking our large family for our first Disney trip in June. DH and I have 5 kids 11 and under. My mom and brother are going with us as well. WE will eat some breakfast in our room and then do CT for lunch with a few ADR for dinners. My though is that we can convert our credits into some snacks because my kiddos are big snackers! Can anyone explain to me how they convert? 2 snacks/per (esp when one is a bottle of pop, etc) won't be enough for my kids. So I am very curious about the conversion.
Thanks

When we did it in 2010 it was 3 snacks per meal credit. Lots of people aren't able to get a CM that allows them to do it though - it's not a guarantee. I've read the food courts in the resorts are where people are having success. That's where we did it, but again, I've heard they're trying to phase it out (rumor).

I'd also definitely run the numbers if that's your plan and you haven't already. It's hard to save money on the DXDP as it is, but using a lot of credits as snacks is probably costing you money. Maybe the regular DDP would be a better option? Or none? You can see prices on allears.net.