DxDP~ What do you do?

[havoc315]

Personally, I don't have a problem with 3 TS meals a day, as long as they're spaced out, you don't over-do it (a danger with buffets, especially), and you do a LOT of walking during the day.
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The "problem" I'd have trying to space out 3 meals, is if I wake up early enough for a really early breakfast, then I'll be too tired to stay up for a really late dinner! If I had the energy, I could imagine doing a 7 am breakfast, 1 pm lunch, and 8 pm dinner.

I've done the 3 meals in a day, but when doing so, the first meal is usually just a quick grab small meal CS breakfast. We may use a few credits for CS breakfasts, that we then share.

 

[Faldred]

We managed fine on 8, 12, and 6. Those are normal mealtimes for us at home (closer to 7:30 for breakfast, but none of the in-park places open before 8), and the whole being outside and walking all day thing worked up enough appetite that we even wanted some snacks.

Of course, it's vitally important to not over-do it at breakfast particularly, especially the carbs. (Not saying no carbs, just don't over-do it... have the treats you want to have, but "fill up" on proteins.)

 

[ChefMickey123]

Just read your 2009 review of Chefs De France. Knowing your CIA background and the detail of your review, it gives me hope of a good meal there.

Thanks. I hope it goes well for you.

 

[havoc315]

We managed fine on 8, 12, and 6. Those are normal mealtimes for us at home (closer to 7:30 for breakfast, but none of the in-park places open before 8), and the whole being outside and walking all day thing worked up enough appetite that we even wanted some snacks.

May I ask what hours you did your park touring?
Just feels to me, if I did an 8 am breakfast ADR -- Depending on whether it is at a resort or the park, I wouldn't be touring that day until starting at 9:30 or 10. (which would ruin ropedrop for us, but not everyone is a rope drop person).
Then heading towards your next ADR by 11:45. So really only about 2 hours or morning touring.
Then finish that noon ADR by 1:30ish.. But if your dinner isn't at the park, you need to leave the park towards your next meal by 5ish, giving you just over 3 hours of afternoon touring.

I get the whole "normal mealtimes" -- But at home, those aren't all big heavy multi-course meals and buffets. (most of the in-park TS breakfast options are buffets, unless there are more that I'm not thinking of?)
Our normal breakfast meal time is also 7:30amish -- but it's a bowl of cereal and glass of milk.

So I'm really just wondering, when/how do you get touring into that tight schedule? And are you actually still hungry when lunch rolls around, after doing a breakfast buffet?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We are doing our 1st time with DxDP in Dec. We have 4 kids who will be 11, 10 (really she will be 9, but we listed her as 10 so she could eat grown up food), 4 & 3. We are opting for 3 meals most days as some down time for the little ones. We are doing lots of character meals, no signature meals this time around, and Spirit of Aloha.

We have 4 kids also and have been traveling annually with the to WDW since they were 2, 3, 4 and 7. We always do the Dining Plan, but we do the Basic/Plus DDP. I did the Deluxe plan one time a couple of years ago and my kids HATED it. They did not want to waste their precious park time eating 3 sit-down meals per day. We ended up cancelling a number of the meals - we had upgraded from free dining, so we weren't out a ton of money, but still, it was a waste. We all have our favorite WDW restaurants by this point and hardly any of the signature restaurants make that list so I doubt we will ever do the Deluxe plan again. Eating 3 sit-down/table service meals per day can take up about 6 hours - maybe longer. There are a few die hard Deluxe diners on here who, I am sure, will come and contradict me, but that was my personal experience with 4 young children and the deluxe dining plan.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Thanks everyone....it seems that with 2 young kiddos, we are doing mostly buffetts but thats ok.

 

[nkereina]

If you're doing mostly buffets, you should do the calculations to see if DxDP is even a good value. We did DxDP in September and 3 meals a day would have been way too much food and way too time consuming. Each meal took us an hour, sometimes longer, and sometimes even 2 TS meals a day was too much food with the app, entree and dessert. If we ever do DxDP again, we will likely do TS breakfast and then signature dinner or dinner show. Even though breakfast isn't a good value, it's the only way the meal spacing would work for us with all the food.

 

[angierae]

On our last trip we were 5 adults and a 15 year old, so we did a lot of lunches and then signature dinners. On our next trip we're doing the same, as well as one dinner show (SOA) and we'll have some credits available if we want to do CS breakfasts a couple days. (We also two booked two TS breakfasts.)

We're an upgrade from free dining, so no worries at all about getting our "money's worth", though.