Do you do DP and CL?

[duck_adoo]

Just wondering if anyone does both DP & CL? We really like doing DP so everything is paid for before we go, but I think we may end up with CL our next trip and am trying to justify both. Lol. Thx

 

[GPC0321]

We did the QSDP and were "business class" at CSR, which is similar to club level (though less offerings, from what I read). We wasted money by not using all of our meal and snack credits. I think we would've used them up if we'd been forced to use them for breakfast.
But that's just us. We just didn't eat very much on that trip for some reason.

 

[Hopefully]

I wouldn't. We use the DDP and get a grocery delivery for breakfast foods, water, soda, fruit, beer and wine and snacks. We eat breakfast in the room before going out, our QS credit for lunch in the parks and our TS for dinner in either a resort or Epcot. We go during F & W so we use all of our credits, and more, for the food booths at the festival. CL and the DDP would be such a waste, in my opinion. I could never justify it

 

[BusyP76]

We always have used a DDP in the past (once regular and once deluxe). This next trip will be our first time staying CL and we will also have deluxe dining. The only reason we are staying CL was to get FD so that I could use our budgeted DDP money to bump up to deluxe. Switching our standard room to CL actually dropped the cost of our vacation package over $200 and that was the only category room available that had the FD offer. This maybe too much food but a) I've heard the food offerings at CL have declined b) I'm not sure we will have much time to even enjoy what is offered and c) we really like our TS meals especially signature dining so the deluxe works well for that. I plan to do my first dining report on this trip so I will be reviewing your exact question as part of that.

 

[AngiTN]

No, we have not. There is more than enough food choices in the lounge to give you all you'd want for Breakfast and possibly dinner, if you eat a big lunch (something we often do at Disney)
Paying for that big lunch OOP is much cheaper than the dining plan, or than free dining and rack rate room
But you do have to be able to be at the Resort at the times of those meals. So that is something to consider too
Last week we did CL at AKL for 1 night. We got there in time for afternoon snacks and stayed through breakfast the next day.
We didn't do a park, just hung at the resort so we were there for each meal service
We didn't purchase a single meal till a late lunch after changing resorts.
And we were full. The evening offerings have not reduced and matter of fact, breakfast has increased (we stayed AKL 2 summers ago and there was more out now than there was then)

 

[AngiTN]

Just wondering if anyone does both DP & CL? We really like doing DP so everything is paid for before we go, but I think we may end up with CL our next trip and am trying to justify both. Lol. Thx

Maybe you need to take the cost of the dining plan and buy gift cards so it's still all paid for but you get to eat how you want. Chances are you'll even bring home some gift cards, or have more for other things

You can even save 5% (not a paltry sum when you add it all up) by buying them from Target with a Red card

 

[minnie mum]

One or the other, but not both. If you were to take full advantage of the CL offerings, you'd end up with DDP credits left over ( unless you like eating all day). I'd simply budget for the meals I want and pay OOP.

 

[duck_adoo]

Thanks for all your feedback! I like the idea of doing the gift cards! Ww typically do RD stay until 11-12, come back, nap, then head back into a park for dinner so that may work out perfect with the CL. We started that schedule when our oldest were 5 and now they're 20 and we*still* do it. Lol! Thanks again!