Does anyone else think deluxe dining is a waste?

[Momof3gals]

We just got back from Poly 2/15 - 2/18. We got the deluxe dining because our group of 10 figured since we were doing luau and hoop de doo that would use 2 deluxe credits per day just for that and we wouldn't have enough. When I left yesterday I still had 6 deluxe credits and 14 snacks!

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I wouldn't call it a 'waste' but I know it wasn't a good plan for us. Twice I booked a package with deluxe dining and twice I have busted it down to the regular DDP. Besides the fact that it is a lot of food, I'd much rather pay out of pocket for any extra meals than give Disney the money up front.

 

[francie57]

We don't even consider the deluxe plan since we don't eat that much food plus I don't want to take the time for 2 sit down meals a day. If we use 2 credits for a meal we then just pay for the cheapest sit down meal that we have planned. We have enough trouble using the snacks on the regular plan never mind having double.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've discussed the issue of Disney dining on many a trip and just forget it. It's too much of a hassle and too much food. We don't like the time constraignts.........We've talked to quite a few people during our stays and they were ticked off having an ADR and still waiting 30 minutes plus to be seated. Throw in waiting to order, waiting for the meal, eating the meal and then waiting for the check.......takes alot of time we're not willing to spend during our vacation. We also feel the TS meals are over priced and medic ire at best. Disney is not about the food for us, we're just as happy making some sandwiches (groceries picked up in route) pack some drinks and have a pool picnic each day, CS serves us fine for other meals and we know what we like and where to visit to get them at other places. Even when it's for free, we won't take the dining plan but it's just our way.

 

[disneemama]

I agree, we do like the DP for the convenience but can't imagine using all those credits up for DxDP. DP alone makes us all want to join WW by the time we get home.

 

[thej]

I don't know if it was a waste -- we came out ahead $$$ wise the one time we did it, but we did feel we spent a lot of our trip working around ADRs. It was just too many TS meals for most people with kids. I don't regret doing it that one time as it was our first trip with DS (7 at the time) and he does not deal well with crowds, so it gave him a break to be out of them a couple of times a day when in the parks. I doubt we would do deluxe again. In fact I think after our next short trip, we may just go OOP for meals.

 

[aggielawyer]

Interesting discussion. I haven't taken a trip with the deluxe plan yet, but have been seriously considering it for my next trip. I want to try all the 2 credit places just once. After that I'll likely go back to the regular dining plan, which is more than enough food.

 

[williamson_ja]

We could never do it! When we are on the regular dining plan, we end up with extra credits left over because we just don't eat that much. We even did some 2 credit meals. We share meals a lot of times on the CS meals because with the dessert and everything they are just too big for one person to eat .

 

[EeyoreEma]

I think it depends on the family/person. For us, I think it would be a good deal - we enjoy eating at WDW and like the breaks that ts offers. We haven't done it yet, just because we've either had CL or dh has been there for conferences, and wouldn't get to do breakfast or lunch.

 

[TJA]

I don't know yet -- I'll find out in a couple months though!! We're trying the DxDDP for the first time and the way I have it planned out hopefully will work okay. We're staying at Poly and I have most/almost all of our credits worked around Poly and the parks we can get to via monorail/TTC. A lot of days we'll have a character breakfast but ONLY at the convenient places to get to from Poly, such as Chef M, Ohana, Crystal Palace, 1900 PF. Then we'll have a signature meal around the dinner hour or see a 2-credit show. Nothing should be a hassle to get to because of where we are staying and the ADR's I have planned.......I hope!! We'll see soon enough...

 

[ancestry]

Sorry you feel that way. We did the DxDP last summer for 7 nights. We used all of our credits and saved well over $500 - although I will admit it was a lot of food.

 

[TwistofCate]

For my travel party it is a good idea. We usually travel with my grandparents who prefer to eat at TS restaurants. Even when just my mother and I go we don't really do fast food, so the reg DP isn't really good for us. But, if you are a family that doesn't like to do just the TS I guess it would work out in your favor. Just up to your travel party really.

 

[plutolovr]

My DH and I are frequent visitors to Disney and on our last trip we tried the Deluxe Dining Plan. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We were also there during the F&W festival and used every one of our snack credits eating around the world. We also enjoy signature dining and took advantage of that. We had no credits left.

 

[Pakey]

Dining plans in general are not for us. We have done Deluxe twice and regular once and we just don't like it. It only saves you money if you would be paying OOP for a dessert at every meal, something we would never do. And having each person get an entree and appetizer at every meal on the Deluxe is way more food that we want to eat.

 

[kaligal]

At the risk of being flamed and labeled a heretic, I'll say that IMO - that's in MY opinion - all the dining plans are a waste.

I did one once...the second one they had...and I'm never doing another. Not only did it interfere with planning, it didn't save us any money at all.

 

[iheartdolewhips]

We really love the regular dining plan - we used all of our credits and it worked perfectly for us. We did CRT, so we just paid out of pocket for one meal and maybe a drink or two, don't remember for sure. I just can't imagine eating anywhere near all of the food that the deluxe plan provides! The regular plan was already a lot of food - and we're big eaters! I also would hate all of the dining reservations we'd have to make. We just try to do one of the signature restaurants each trip and then pay out of pocket for the cheapest. This trip we're actually going to pay for my meal at Jiko since I don't want any of the appetizers, then use those two credits for our extra meal - that works out cheaper this time!

 

[focusondisney]

My DH & go go yearly & have enjoyed Deluxe dining a few times. We prefer an appitizer over dessert sometimes. We also like to do a nice, relaxing 2 credit dinner most nights. Don't think we'll do it every trip, but we have come out ahead cost wise when we did use it. So I think we need to figure out ahead of time what kind of a trip we are planning : commando park touring or relaxing adults winding down kind of trip & go from there.


Edit to add: Yes, it is a lot of food on Deluxe Dining. But I am OK with leaving some of my entree if I want to try a dessert. I know it's "wasteful" to some people, but really, no starving children are being hurt because I didn't eat all my dinner one week a year. And I regularlly give to my local food bank!!

 

[singnring]

As stated before by others, it all depends on the person using it.

For my family, it would be a TOTAL waste of money. Too much food, and too much time devoted to eating raather than fun family time.

Even the reg DDP is too much for us. We only use it when it is "free" dining. We still have credit leftover in the end. We would never outright pay for it, because we just don't eat that much food normally. So it is more cost effective for us to pay OOP.

But for someone who eats at a lot of signature rest's and doesn't mind spending most of the day eating, it could be a great value.

Everyone needs to evaluate their own preferrences and determine if it is a good value for their family.

 

[my3sons77]

I wouldn't call it a waste. It works for some but not for others. We used the deluxe when we went Oct 08 and it worked PERFECT for us. We only had a few snack credits left over at the end, I ended up buying some things for the road back home.

With the deluxe you go into it KNOWING you are getting alot of food. Use the credits right and you won't get "wasted" leftovers.

We had a blast, having all boys (who love to eat) we said we won't go back and NOT have the deluxe anymore. So nice when walking along and the boys want, ice cream, or a snack, I didn't have to tell them no. They could order whatever they wanted (kids menu), they never were hungry. That's saying ALOT when these kids have holes in their stomachs. We were able to eat at places that we never would eaten at before because of the prices.

Like I said, it works for some, not for others. For us, it's not a waste. We love the deluxe dining plan.

 

[kaffinito]

For us the DxDDP wouldn't work. It's just too much food! We use the credits we have on the regular DDP wisely and eat at a lot of buffets, rarely pay OOP for a meal, and come out just fine cost wise. The QS DDP wouldn't work either, since the boys like sit down TS meals too much. It would work well on trips with DH though.

I just can't do a signature meal with the kids, and can't imagine a time when I will be able to, so for us it's the regular DDP.