Dining Plan - character meals question

[hswillia07]

Hi there!

I'm totally new to the dining plan and have questions! We are a group of 6 (ages 55, 36, 34, 31, 5, 2). We would like to book a dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table, book the Fantasmic Dining Package, and maybe do a character breakfast here and there.

I'm looking at the 'regular' dining plan. How do the 'special' meals work? I was just on the phone with Disney and they said that the Fantasmic Dining experience, for example, would just count as one table service meal. Is that true?

I've been reading a lot about people not thinking the dining plan is worth it, but I think for us (especially with the 2 year old eating free), it might be. Any insight? Thanks so much!

Oh also, we're going for 10 nights, but booking theme park tickets for 5 days. So, would the dining plan apply to the 5 days for which we have tickets, or does it correlate to the entire length of your stay? Thanks again!

 

[supersnoop]

The two-year-old eats for free whether you're on the plan or not. That shouldn't sway your decision. You've got four adults and one child, which is generally makes the plan a bad value.

Plug in your plans to www.distripplanner.com and see what it says. My guess is you'll come out better just paying for your meals out of pocket.

 

[hswillia07]

The two year old gets meals for free, even with no dining plan? I didn't realize that. She has many food allergies, so she can't just eat off of our plates, she needs special meals prepared.

Thanks for the link - I'm going to check it out!

 

[Shellyb84]

The dining plan correlates with your length of stay, nothing to do with park tickets. Definitely just work the numbers and see how you come out. I've worked them out multiple times, because I just wanted the convenience of the dining plan, but we would save so much paying OOP. We would order a lot less food than we would get on the dining plan. And I hate wasting so much food, which is what always happens when we use it.

 

[Iowamomof4]

The two year old gets meals for free, even with no dining plan? I didn't realize that. She has many food allergies, so she can't just eat off of our plates, she needs special meals prepared.

Thanks for the link - I'm going to check it out!

I think if she needs special meals, you'll end up needing to pay for her. I don't know how those logistics work though.

 

[supersnoop]

The two year old gets meals for free, even with no dining plan? I didn't realize that. She has many food allergies, so she can't just eat off of our plates, she needs special meals prepared.

Thanks for the link - I'm going to check it out!

You don't get to order a "free" meal for 2 and under. They get to eat off you plate (or get their own at buffets). If you're ordering a meal, you'll pay for it, whether you're on the plan or not.

 

[LinderInWonderland]

As to the Fantasmic! dining package, two of the restaurants that offer it are one TS credit (Mama Melrose, Hollywood & Vine). Hollywood Brown Derby is a signature restaurant and would require 2 TS credits per person. Of the three, only Hollywood and Vine is a character meal.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If your 2 year-old needs special food, you will pay for it. Or you will need to have an adult eat the specialty food to share.