Dining Plan 3 meals 2 snacks worth it?, 1 8 yr old and I only?

[grantiare]

Live in FL, actually about 15 minutes from MK. Want to take little cousin (8 years old) for a 4 day 3 night package at WDW. My question pertains to Dining. I want to do the Princess Breakfast in Epcot, The Crystal Palace Breakfast and then I also want to do other dining establishments throughout the parks - we will probably only go to Epcot for the breakfast, and some of that first day as the cousin's main thing would be wanting to go to MK and Hollywood Studios.

I wonder, with her being not so much of a picky eater as such, but more of a "five bites of this, one bite of this, 3 of this, etc" and me wanting to not worry with the nickel and diming of the vacation, would a dining plan be wise, she doesn't have a huge appetite and I don't want to just eat food because it's there but I don;t want to worry, I just want us to be able to eat three meals and grab snack in between if she wants a Mickey head Ice cream.

Thoughts on if the 3meals 2 snacks if the way to go best value I would think but quantity of the food may just be too muych? Any insight, good bad, appreciated. Thanks

 

[goofyintoronto]

Live in FL, actually about 15 minutes from MK. Want to take little cousin (8 years old) for a 4 day 3 night package at WDW. My question pertains to Dining. I want to do the Princess Breakfast in Epcot, The Crystal Palace Breakfast and then I also want to do other dining establishments throughout the parks - we will probably only go to Epcot for the breakfast, and some of that first day as the cousin's main thing would be wanting to go to MK and Hollywood Studios.

I wonder, with her being not so much of a picky eater as such, but more of a "five bites of this, one bite of this, 3 of this, etc" and me wanting to not worry with the nickel and diming of the vacation, would a dining plan be wise, she doesn't have a huge appetite and I don't want to just eat food because it's there but I don;t want to worry, I just want us to be able to eat three meals and grab snack in between if she wants a Mickey head Ice cream.

Thoughts on if the 3meals 2 snacks if the way to go best value I would think but quantity of the food may just be too muych? Any insight, good bad, appreciated. Thanks

I would do the standard dining plan in your case. 1 TS, 1 QS, 1 snack per day. I would not do the delux plan, thats way too much food considering your there for only 3 nights. The standard DP is the best in my opinion. That way your not spending most of your trip in restaurants. I cannot imagine eating at 3 restaurants per day at disney. There's so much eating involved in a disney trip that I only end up eating twice a day as oppose to the usual 3.

Crystal Palace & Akershus are great choices for an 8 yr old. Have fun!

 

[Jeanieblue114]

As other people have posted, doing 3 table service/sit down meals a day with the deluxe plan will suck up an average of about 5 hours a day plus travel time to restaurants (and you will have to make a lot of reservations and potentially feel like you are chasing reservations constantly).
Plus the 3 meals each come with appetizer entree and dessert.
It is a lot of food, time consuming, and unnecessary.

at the PP said. the basic dining plan gives you
1 counter service meal that is an entree and a dessert and drink
1 table service meal that is entree and dessert and drink or a buffet/character meal plus drink.
and 1 snack

check the sticky here for what can be considered a snack.
you will be surprised.
chicken fried rice
chicken soup
huge soft pretzels
smoothies
sausage biscuits and gravy
nachos
popcorn
egg rolls
cupcakes the size of your fist
oatmeal
cereal
hummus dip
fruit salad
there are hundreds of things and many can make a decent breakfast or even lunch.

 

[emsmommy323]

I just got back from a trip with my 8 yr old and 5 yr old and we had the 1 ts/1qs/1 snack. That was a TON of food! Don't be afraid to use your snack credit for breakfast! Snacks are pretty cheap (if you're even hungry, the meals are quite large!) and if it's only one child you can probably even split a snack for not too much money! Have fun!