Does DxDP help with summer heat / crowds?

[JJsmama]

I am trying to decide between DDP and DxDP for June.

I know that it is too much food. I know that it needs a lot of planning for ADRs.

However, I am wondering with the summer heat and crowds, has anyone thought DxDP really helped you relax an enjoy? It seems like having a reservation for lunch in a cool, TS setting without the CS lines and chaos, and being able to take our time would be a big help.

Some people say DxDP is too much time spent in restaurants. Is that true in the heat? We are extremely early risers, so we will have time for breakfast before the park. We go to AM-EMH each day, and by lunch we have usually done all the rides we want and the crowds are too big to do too much more anyway.

Or is DXDP still just excessive and I should just save the money?

 

[SnowWhite33]

IMO the Deluxe definitely helps.

If you are able to get to the parks early and take a midday break it is nice to be able to sit down and cool off. After lunch we usually head back to the room for naps/swimming and then go back out for dinner and entertainment.

Don't forget that you don't HAVE to have 3 meals a day-signature dinners and Dinner shows can help take up some of those credits without making you feel like all you did was eat on vacation.

 

[shawnh199]

We really enjoy the deluxe dining plan. We did it on our last trip in December (nice weather, not this cold stuff they had this year) and really enjoyed sitting down relaxing in an air conditioned building (we go in May/June this year so I imagine we will love it even more!) My girls (3/8) generally nap at the table until the food comes which doesn't bother us - its nice and quiet that way so my DH and I can actually talk without much interruption. TS restaurants generally take us an hour or so to finish, but I don't think CS places would be much less when you consider standing in line to order, finding a table (especially since you can't sit down while someone else orders), and then sitting down to eat. And, it's so much more relaxing. It's nice for the evening as well. We enjoy the dining experience of Disney just as much as we enjoy the "ride/character" experience there.

We did the regular dining plan on our first trip and it was fine, but we really like to do a character breakfast each morning to get us up and going to the parks early, so the deluxe plan just makes more sense financially for us. When I calculate what we would eat paying out of pocket (generally having to split most meals, maybe an app/dessert) verses what we would really like to eat not worrying about costs of meals it works out in our favor to go deluxe because there was not much difference between the two (less than $100). With paying OOP for everything that we would eat on deluxe (not splitting, etc.) we come out way ahead.

We do a character breakfast in the morning before the parks open, a "later" lunch around 1pm and a dinner around 7pm. It's a lot of food, but the only meal we really feel full at is dinner because there is not as much walking, etc. after dinner since the parks are closing sometime soon. I am much too picky a person for the types of meals offered at signature restaurants and I imagine they take longer to get through than an ordinary TS restaurant (except maybe Ohana because that was our longest meal 2 1/2 hours) so I don't think we miss out on much park time at all. Everyone talks about sitting down to 2 meals (TS and signature to use 3 credits daily)not being that bad on park time, but our first meal is before the parks open so I really don't understand the issue. We also eat in the park we are going to that day (or nearby resort) so the travel time is really non-existent.

Yes, it is a LOT of food, if you want to eat every bite; but you don't have to (unless it's the NY strip at Le Cellier and then yes, I'm finishing every bite of that steak!)

Whatever you decide, enjoy your trip!

 

[walkdmc]

We had the DxDP in June 2010. I loved sitting in the A/C for our meals...the dark and cool Sci-Fi Diner was THE BEST at that time of year.

We didn't do any TS meals during that trip, just scheduled 3 TS meals/day. We found it to be too much food and if we could do it again, I'd grab something quick for breakfast, then make ADRs for lunch and a late dinner. I wouldn't want to deal with QS in the heat with the crowds. I would do the step above the basic dining plan (I forget the name right now) but below the DxDP.

 

[EclecticWAHM]

We did the DxDP in July last summer when the heat was brutal. We really enjoyed the down time in A/C and didn't miss the "park time" while we were eating and relaxing. I loved it and would do it again!

 

[CathieArms]

I am trying to decide between DDP and DxDP for June.

I know that it is too much food. I know that it needs a lot of planning for ADRs.

However, I am wondering with the summer heat and crowds, has anyone thought DxDP really helped you relax an enjoy? It seems like having a reservation for lunch in a cool, TS setting without the CS lines and chaos, and being able to take our time would be a big help.

Some people say DxDP is too much time spent in restaurants. Is that true in the heat? We are extremely early risers, so we will have time for breakfast before the park. We go to AM-EMH each day, and by lunch we have usually done all the rides we want and the crowds are too big to do too much more anyway.

Or is DXDP still just excessive and I should just save the money?

My personal opinion - and the reason we're doing DxDDP - is that we need a break in the middle of the hot June days, and I can't think of a better place than somewhere that makes you sit back, reflect on where you've already been and where you want to go next, than a nice cool restaurant. Basically, I plan to use it as an opportunity to col down and say "Okay, folks...what do you want to do next?"

 

[anjalee6]

We go in the summer months too and we like being on the DxDP. I think it helps us get out of the sun and just sit down for a little bit and enjoy the cool air. We get up early so there is lots of time between our first meal and last meal of the day which works out fine too. We are not huge eaters, but enjoy eating on vacation. We do dinner shows and character meals for our kids to keep both of us entertained, but also to stay out of the brutal heat to stand in line for autographs. It is a great way to relax, eat, and get autographs of characters. We hardly ever wait in line anywhere around the parks for autographs because of the meals that we choice. So, I would say, yes, it is a lot of food, but it does help with the heat and getting away from the crowds for a little while.

 

[juliebean]

We are going in April & paying for the deluxe also, I would never survive in the summer - I'm happy at 80 degrees or below - and even then this is a big factor. We did have a hard time even finding a table to sit at at the quick service restaurants last time too. That and we need an extra dinner the night we arrive, and 2 credits for Cinderella's. I think having the refillable drinks will be good. Not sure if it's still true, it was last year - but my friend said they could grab a cold bottle of water as they left the resort in the morning if they had the refillable mugs.... Have a good time! Julie

 

[NMW]

It's funny because I write this ALL the time when I respond to threads about the Deluxe plan. We go the end of May and yes, we LOVE getting out of the heat, sitting down and relaxing while a server brings us cool drinks, and then looking over the menu. I can't even tell you what a nice break this is from the heat/crowds/lines. As I walk past mobbed CS places with long lines to my TS restaurant I just think to myself that I'd rather be set on fire than have to stand in that chaos for a cheeseburger or chicken strips. I start thinking about my ice cold margarita or cold beer that will be served to me and how it's going to a nice hour to relax, recharge and spend time with my family. Plus, the food is way better too.

 

[ratlenhum]

We love the DxDP in the summer. We eat a nice early TS breakfast. We usually do a character meal at whatever park we are going to that day, pre opening just to get in before the crowds. A nice TS lunch around 1 or 2 pm to sit in the AC and relax a bit. By 2pm the TS places hit a lull in the action and they don't rush you out. Then we start back to what we're doing. We then either get a QS meal at 7pm or so, when they are usually a little less busy or do another TS meal if there is EMH. Nice to sit, relax and recharge the batteries for the long night.