Deluxe Plan = Insane! :)

[MadamMim]

Before anybody thinks I'm being negative, I'm not. Honestly. I just happened to have some time to waste (I should be writing a paper, but procrastination is the academic way of life right? ) so I thought to myself 'self, let's see what would happen if you had 10 nights in Disney with the Deluxe Dining Plan and could go anywhere you wanted.' Well holy crap! I did every dining location I've ever really wanted to go, mostly table service with a few beloved counter services thrown in, and I still had 7 credits left for each person in the party, not to mention ALL the snack credits. How can anybody eat that much food?? I'm no shrinking violet, I'm a 6' tall woman who's built like a linebacker for the Pats... but still. After I finished listing dinners and lunches I couldn't even contemplate breakfasts (except Kona, because come on, Tonga Toast ). So really... is the Deluxe Dining Plan crazy or is it just me?

P.S. Feel free to say it's me. I won't disagree with you.

 

[lynninpa]

In our opinion, one of the biggest perks to any of the DDPs is that it is paid for in advance. It just makes it all the more of a vacation not having to budget money day by day. Is the Deluxe Dining Plan too much food for most folks? Probably. Yet I would just remind myself that there is no law that says you must eat eveything offered. Just our humble opinions.

 

[asmit4]

Sounds crazy but if you go to at least 1 2-credit place each day you won't have trouble.

You could for example do a TS in the morning for breakfast, have 2 snacks during the day and do a 2-credit place for dinner. That uses your 3 credits a day and snacks without too much craziness in the quantity of food.

 

[kimsuenew]

On our September 10 day trip we couldn't even use all of our credits... we found it to be waaaaaaaaaay to much eating! I cannot even imagine even more! And you are right, I cant find that many places either! I would have to duplicate several places to even attempt to use my credits!

 

[frannn]

Would it be worth it then? I haven't had time to put ours on paper yet, but there are a lot of places we've never tried, and places we'd love to go back to. I was not a big fan of Mama Melrose with the FDP, and we've done H&V a handful of times...is BD worth the 2 credits if we get the deluxe pkg?

 

[Geekerbell]

DH and I are sooo looking forward to the Deluxe Dining when we go in January. We did it instead of regular dining, because we will be going to all table service and we are staying three nights, but will actually be there more like four full days (get there before lunch on Thursday and leave Sunday night.) So it's like three days spread out over four.
Yumm-o! Looking forward to some good food!

 

[kathie859]

IMHO, it's way too much food and too much of precious vacation time spent sitting in restaurants. Don't get me wrong, I like food and am an adventurous eater, but I don't want to spend so much time tied to eating.

There's certainly a few restaurants that provide good food and interesting atmospheres at WDW but I don't intend to spend time getting there, waiting for table, getting served, and eventually eating for every meal. I couldn't do the food justice if I ate more than one sit down meal a day (and to the OP--I'm no flyweight either--I have a hearty appetite--so I agree with you )

But like everything else, to each their own

 

[ljhmom]

I agree, I couldn't imagine eating that much food there, in August we had the dp and somtimes felt like we needed to be rolled out of the restaraunt after all that food, and we still had 7 snack credits left on our last day.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I'm really looking forward to deluxe dining. If this is your first trip to WDW, then I would highly recommend just doing the regular dining plan because deluxe dining will probably take up quite a bit of time away from the parks but if you've gone at least once before and have done all 4 parks, then I think it could be a good idea.

I know for a fact that my family couldn't possibly eat at 3 sit down meals per day, so I plan to do quite a few signature restaurants so that we will only eat 2 meals per day and I plan to put them apart. If I do breakfast and dinner, breakfast will be at 9am or so, then do 2 snacks for lunch and then a signature meal for dinner around 7 or 8pm. If I do lunch, it will most likely be a counter service and it will be light.

To me, the hardest part of planning a trip is picking the restaurants because there are so many to choose from and you want to try a variety, so I love the idea of having so many meal credits to use. My family of 3 will have 72 credits between us for a 9 day trip and I'm still having trouble deciding which places to eat at.

 

[MadamMim]

So I guess the consensus so far is that the Deluxe Plan IS insane... but we love it!

I am by no means saying that the plan is bad, just that I was shocked to see what it really entails once you get into the nitty gritty of it all. Now my problem is trying to find the time and money to take that imaginary trip!

 

[Tiger926]

This always confuses me, because I wonder if people think eating 3 meals per day is insane, how do you normally eat at home? We eat the same at home, as we do while on vacation due to blood sugar issues, allergies, etc. We eat healthy food - no pop, fast food, hardly any sweets, etc. My 4 year old daughter is a grilled chicken, rice and water kind of gal, so we are so looking forward to the Deluxe Plan as it allows us to eat the same way that we normally do - we have great self discipline and portion control, so we only order what we can eat. If we aren't able to eat desert, we don't order it, plain and simple.

A lot of people on here seem to forget that one doesn't have to order everything that is offered, as well as the fact that one needs not gorge at every meal that one sits at.

Tiger

 

[Colleen27]

Its just you

We're really looking forward to deluxe dining in January. We have reservations at all but 3 of the signature restaurants, and if we were staying longer, we'd try those too! We'll be there for 11 nights on the deluxe plan, and there are several places I'd like to try that just don't fit in with our plans. We aren't planning on 3 meals per day, though - we will have breakfast or lunch and then a signature dinner most days.

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

Would it be worth it then? I haven't had time to put ours on paper yet, but there are a lot of places we've never tried, and places we'd love to go back to. I was not a big fan of Mama Melrose with the FDP, and we've done H&V a handful of times...is BD worth the 2 credits if we get the deluxe pkg?

This is what I would do if we went Deluxe....we would go to the Backyard BBQ, and other Signatures.... with the regular DDP we don't do any of the 2 credit meals...

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

Would it be worth it then? I haven't had time to put ours on paper yet, but there are a lot of places we've never tried, and places we'd love to go back to. I was not a big fan of Mama Melrose with the FDP, and we've done H&V a handful of times...is BD worth the 2 credits if we get the deluxe pkg?

This is what I would do if we went Deluxe....we would go to the Backyard BBQ, and other Signatures.... with the regular DDP we don't do any of the 2 credit meals...

 

[MadamMim]

This always confuses me, because I wonder if people think eating 3 meals per day is insane, how do you normally eat at home? We eat the same at home, as we do while on vacation due to blood sugar issues, allergies, etc. We eat healthy food - no pop, fast food, hardly any sweets, etc. My 4 year old daughter is a grilled chicken, rice and water kind of gal, so we are so looking forward to the Deluxe Plan as it allows us to eat the same way that we normally do - we have great self discipline and portion control, so we only order what we can eat. If we aren't able to eat desert, we don't order it, plain and simple.

A lot of people on here seem to forget that one doesn't have to order everything that is offered, as well as the fact that one needs not gorge at every meal that one sits at.

Tiger

I think you hit the nail on the head Tiger. I'm not a three meals a day sort of girl. I eat once, maybe twice if I'm really hungry or if I've been up really early or something. So I was basing things on two meals (often at the Signature Dining places I wouldn't normally be able to afford ) a day and only on the amount of food I think I can handle. Again, I'd like to stress that I'm super excited about the Deluxe Plan because it would allow for those fancy Signature meals, but I was shocked to see just how many options I'd have. I wasn't trying to insinuate that it was a bad idea or that the people who take it are wrong to do so. Just amazed and overly excited. Note to self: post only once you have calmed down to avoid offending any lovely DISers you like so well.

 

[libinatorsmom]

we are doing the dulx dining plan for our family it makes total sense finacially for where we want to eat... to each there own some people are happy eating CS - we are not - though we are planing on a few CS at Blizzard Beach and Animal Kingdom... we have to give the food a try we will be at disney for 8 days and will enjoy every resturant we were hoping (including several signature resturants and character meals) with the use of this plan.. and cant be more exicted... personally I think its a great plan... its giving us the chance to try everything... and just because you have a three course meal doesnt mean you need to eat every scrap of food on your plate.. its giving us the chance to try new things... my husband for example doesnt care for desearts at all.. and says he doesnt want to order any... well i told him I want him to soo I can try more things... even if tht means two bites of each... I can try it... and I cant be more excited...

I think each family/person needs to make the decsion for themselves... we are not eating three meals a day due to using severl 2 credit signature meals... as for snacks i am sure we will eat them up... for treats, pop, etc

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> don't have to eat every scrap of food on your plate.

Then, whatever the Deluxe plan does not have in terms of insanity, it makes up for with wastefulness.

Reminds me of the Disney packages of 10, 15 years ago where you have to choose what would be the most expensive items (fanciest restaurants, fanciest golf courses, etc.) to come out ahead financially compared with ordering and buying each item separately. Of course Disney hopes that some guests will choose less expensive items like tee shirts or mouse ears or 5x7 photos.

And whatever time people spend sitting in restaurants, that is time not spent on the crowded rides.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[pilferk]

For us, it's about using the "right" package with the right "type" of vacation you're looking for.

For our January trip, we're sticking with the "Classic" DDP. It's a nice balance between "enough" food for our brood of 5 (one infant) vs the time we want to spend in a restaurant. For that trip, we're planning on doing more parks/rides, and less other "stuff".

For our early December '08 trip, it looks like the DX DDP is going to work best for us. THAT trip is going to be more about doing the "X-mas" stuff, touring the resorts to see the decorations, etc...in general, less of a "theme park commando" trip. We're also going to do the Hoop De Do, an early dinner at Jiko's (with kids, their first "fine dining" experience), hopefully breakfast at CRT...some stuff that will use up 2 credits per person on specific days. On others, we'll do 2 TS and ONE CS (which seems to be at least the "Break even" if not a bit better use of the plan). For THAT trip, it makes sense.

And I think, ultimately, that's what it comes down to: the DX ddp isn't going to make sense or be useful to EVERYONE or in EVERY situation. But it CAN be put to good use. I wouldn't say it's "insane" in so much as it's situational by family, vacation "type", etc. I'd certainly agree that MOST of the time, for MOST families, it might not be the best fit....it's more of a niche product.

 

[itchin2go]

We are doing the deluxe plan in January. We're doing mostly TS breakfasts before the parks open, along with several 2TS dinners. We're only doing one or two TS lunches. We may use one or two credits for CS or just have snacks at lunchtime, depending on how we feel at the time. I LOVE leaving the middle of the day open to play by ear. If, for whatever reason, we don't feel like doing the TS breakfast or dinner we have booked, we can cancel the ADR and do something else. We are not members of the "clean plate club", either.

Because of all that, for us:
(1) No, it's not too much food.
(2) No, it doesn't take up too much time.
(3) No, it doesn't kill all spontaneity.

We did the regular DDP this past January. We ended up paying for lots of stuff OOP because of all the TS we ate, plus we had tons of CS credits leftover. We ate at CRT, Cali Grill, Artist Point & Jiko, so the 2TS places ate up our TS credits like crazy. For this reason, I was considering going premium next year, but I couldn't justify the cost given that we're not going to do tours, water sports, Cirque, etc. I was DELIGHTED when Disney introduced this plan. It's perfect for us. We can eat the way we like to, without having a big extra bill waiting for us at the close of our vacation.

We love restaurants - they're a big part of any vacation experience for us. Not everyone feels this way. If you don't (and lots of people don't!), I would guess that the DxDDP is not for you. As has been said before, Disney offers so many different experiences so that there's something for everyone. Folks who want to eat lightly at the parks, or outside WDW can do that. Folks who want to prepare meals in their room, villa, etc., can do that. Folks who like the DDP can do that. I'm just glad that the DxDDP is an option because it's perfect for us.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I love to be able to sit down and relax for an hour or so in the middle of the parks and I agree with you itchin2go. We love restaurants too and with Disney, most are themed or have some sort of entertainment so its just as fun as the parks and attractions.

If we do a park from open to close, it will be heaven to be able to sit down 2 or 3 times a day in between to rest.