DxDDP vs DDP with toddlers

[aedensmom]

DH and I will be taking our kids to Disney for the first time next April (2012). Our son will be almost 4 (he'll turn 4 about a month later) and our duaghter will have been 2 for a month or so. I know that she won't have any dining plan, which is fine since she has had a small appetite so far and I don't see that drastically changing. DS can eat a lot sometimes, but he's gotten a bit pickier as he gets older. Children's menus are typically fine for him but he won't always eat much.

DH and I didn't do any dining plan last time we went, which was about 6 years ago. I think they had just introduced it. We know that we want to do 2 different character meals - I'm thinking breakfast at Chef Mickey's and hopefully a dinner with Cinderella's Royal Table or in Norway at Akerhaus. I have been dying to eat at Le Cellier as well, so we'll add that to the list. So there are a couple of places that would eat up some TS credit (Chef Mickey's is only 1 though, correct?) but we weren't sure which way to go on the dining plan. We do like to sit down and eat, especially in Epcot and there are several places that I want to try. But is it worth it? Will we end up spending to much? I dread the thought of trying to do quick service with 2 toddlers in tow. I would love any thoughts, especially if you've BTDT. I don't want to have to worry to much about budgeting for food and would love to have it all paid for before we go but I don't want to waste food either.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

The dining plan is an excellent value for kids (especially if you'll be doing buffets and character meals). I'd look at where you want to eat and start adding up what you'd order. The regular DDP meals include entree, drink and dessert while the Deluxe also has an appetizer. With the Deluxe plan it a good rule of thumb that you use 2/3 of your credits for TS meals.

 

[pmaurer74]

we did the DDP last year and it was great with a 4 year old and 1 year old but we were staying club level too. This year we are thinking of doing DXDP the two kids can share the meal or eat off the buffet we are doing character breakfasts every morning and a TS every night there are a few days where lunch is TS but we are trying to keep lunch flexible. It is a lot of food but we had a bad experience with CS and finding places to eat inside.

 

[abc999]

We have been doing the DxDP with our kids since they were 2 and 4 years old. We love the fact that we can have a sit down meal in the middle of the day, where we and the kids get to unwind from the lines and the heat and excitement. We tried the whole napping thing when the kids were 1.5 and 3.5 years old and found that they would fall asleep on the way to the bus, on teh bus and be wide awake by the time we got back to the resort. So, this was a happy medium for us where we get a break (we don't have to deal with food lines and food trays with the kids and they get a longer lunch break.

 

[aedensmom]

Thanks for the opinions. I was thinking that our kids might do that with the buses too and while we may end up taking some of the afternoon off and going swimming some days, some days we might decide to stay in the park and just eat a nice leisurly lunch. I've been going through menus and thinking about where to eat too. That's better in another thread though I think.