Do we really need the DDP

[Devin18]

DH thinks we do but I of course of the other hand disagree and think we should get the basic dining plan. It will be us and 2 kids ages 8 & 5. I have most of our ADR planned out and just waiting to make the call and we only have 1 TS that we may have to pay out of pocket if we decide to use a 2 TS meal at the HDDR. We will still have all the other CS and snacks and think the DDP would just be way toooo much food for us. Any thoughts??

 

[septbaby]

It is a very personal decision. I think you probably should talk to DH and find out why he really wants the Deluxe plan. Are there places he wants to go but you are skipping because you don't have the credits? Does he not want to spend any OOP and wants it all paid? Are you staying Deluxe and he wants to be able to order room service? Does he simply want to order whatever and NOT share (you know how guys can be about their food)

I will say one thing, if you go with Deluxe and it is too much food, just let it roll and next time you won't even have to have this discussion.

 

[ilovediznee]

Devlin18,
You have several options. First, even with the basic plan you have CS and TS so you could eat more TS places than just one. Have you looked the menus? If not, go to www.allearsnet.com and see if there are some more TS places you would like to try. Our daughter loved several places, especially character meals at that age.

I will get a subscription to this thread and see what others say, but I would first look at all your food options for both CS and TS and then decide how many you have of each.

Also, the main difference between the two besides the price is that on the DDP you get an appetizer, entree and dessert at each meal.

Good luck - Di

 

[Devin18]

Thanks for the input. I just think an appet, entree & dessert are way too much food for us. Especially since I know how our kids eat and DH will probably end up eating what they don't finish, especially if they get appetizers. Since I already have most of our TS meals planned out and we have enough except for 1 which we may have to pay out of pocket if we decide to go with a 2 ts meal. Decisions, decisions!!!

 

[summermac]

I think the possibliity of 3 TS meals a day is a bit too much to expect of children. That's a lot of time lost at the parks, etc.

 

[Colleen27]

DH thinks we do but I of course of the other hand disagree and think we should get the basic dining plan. It will be us and 2 kids ages 8 & 5. I have most of our ADR planned out and just waiting to make the call and we only have 1 TS that we may have to pay out of pocket if we decide to use a 2 TS meal at the HDDR. We will still have all the other CS and snacks and think the DDP would just be way toooo much food for us. Any thoughts??

We really enjoyed the deluxe plan, but it certainly isn't for everyone.

The first thing I'd ask myself if I were in your shoes is how accustomed your boys are to eating out and how well they usually behave in restaurants. Would they be able to handle some signature dinners? Will they enjoy it is you do some dinner shows?

Second, I'd take a long hard look at your overall trip plans. How long are you going? How many times have you gone before? Are you going to miss the park time if you have 2 or 3 sitdown meals each day, or will that contribute to a more laid back feeling for the trip? Are you staying in a deluxe resort, in which case the freedom to use credits for room service might be nice?

We love the deluxe plan, but we're on our 5th trip in the last 4 years so we're over the running from park to park, trying to do it all style of touring. And our kids enjoy nice restaurants as much as we do, so they don't get ancy during meals. The food is part of the fun for all of us.

 

[Colleen27]

Thanks for the input. I just think an appet, entree & dessert are way too much food for us. Especially since I know how our kids eat and DH will probably end up eating what they don't finish, especially if they get appetizers. Since I already have most of our TS meals planned out and we have enough except for 1 which we may have to pay out of pocket if we decide to go with a 2 ts meal. Decisions, decisions!!!

The kids meals don't include real appetizers most places. A kids' appetizer is veggies & dip or something along those lines, and is often served more like a side dish (brought out at the same time as the entree, to fill one ear of the Mickey plate). We found that having 2 kids meant the plan didn't feel like so much food, because the kids shared our appetizers while waiting for their own food.

And remember, just because it is included doesn't mean you have to order it. We skipped or shared dessert many, many times on our last trip and still easily got our money's worth out of the plan.

 

[septbaby]

Especially since I know how our kids eat and DH will probably end up eating what they don't finish, especially if they get appetizers. Decisions, decisions!!!

The kids meals do not change on the Deluxe plan. They are exactly the same. Each include items from the 5 food groups.

While I'm not quite sure Deluxe Dining is too much food. I do think Basic Dining can be enough food if that makes sense.

There must be something DH really wants, but isn't spelling it out for, coax it out of him. Are you staying at a Deluxe resort such that room service is an option? I have not experienced that at WDW, but wow what a nice treat on vacation.

Finally, many think Deluxe Dining means some sort of special privleges. It does not it simply means more food(and more money), no more no less. Make sure DH realizes this too.

 

[paws1010]

I new to the board, just back from Wilderness Lodge 2-8 to 2-15. My husband, and 2 sons ages 11 and 7 were on the Deluxe plan, it was WAY too much food, I found myself obsessing about it, and it put a damper on my enjoyment of the trip. I did several good adrs- our first problem was both my boys weren't feeling well the first two days - bad appetites, one night we stayed in because of a fever. I had to juggle some adr's but we were already starting to get behind on the plan.. I realize it was a mistake for us because we really aren't big eaters, when we go out to dinner normally, we don't always order an appetizer for each of us and a desert since my 11 yr old counted as an adult we ended up with three apps per ts meal, I was severely overwhelmed by it. toward the end of the week we had canceled a few adrs because of conflicts what parks the kids wanted to revisit- it got me so aggravated because by then everything was so booked we ended up doing more cs than I wanted because its less value. when we were down to two days left we still had over 36 meal credits.. I ordered a total of 3 room service meals, ate at Artist Point - signature (excellent BTW) just to spend down the credits. I know I did not get my moneys worth out of the plan - since it was more than 250/day to purchase the plan. I would not do it again, the plan that has a snack, cs and ts , for us, would have been a better way to go.