Given our dining reservations, any thoughts on if getting Deluxe Dining is worth it?

[Reuben Varzea]

Hello DISBoarders!

So we're all set for a trip to Disney in October, staying at the Beach Club (can't freakin' wait!!!). My wife and I are big on dining, and we usually use dining as "rest periods" for our two daughters (5 and 2).

Right now we have quite a few reservations (11 reservations, including 4 2-credit restaurants [so needing a total of 15 dining credits]). We are likely to book one more reservation before then.

Just wanted to get opinions from folks in terms of dining plan. I know the standard plan obviously won't cover us, and we'll have to pay out of pocket for at least 4 - 5 of those meals. Does that justify coughing up the extra for the deluxe dining plan?

Thanks in advance!
- Reuben

 

[NicoleLarson]

If you list your restaurants, it's easier to figure out. How many nights are you staying?

 

[Reuben Varzea]

Wasn't sure if folks would want all that info.

We'll be there for 7 nights (arrive on a Tuesday, check out on a Tuesday)

Chef Mickey's (breakfast)
Akershus Royal Banquet (breakfast)
Cape May Character Breakfast
Le Cellier
Beaches & Cream
Tiffins
Flying Fish
The Crystal Palace
O'hana
Hollywood Brown Derby
Be Our Guest (dinner)

And its a real possibility that we'll also book Jiko.

 

[HeidiGW]

Well, you'd be buying the plan for three, if your younger daughter is still two on your trip. I will suppose that she is and will just be sharing with you/your wife/older daughter.
It is a lot more food with appys at non-AYCTE. (Will you be tempted to order oop appys at the sigs anyway?) Means more and more variety to share. Or maybe spliting a couple of meals to save credits. It also means longer for some meals and budgeting for more tips.
How were you planning on using your CS meals? if you are going to end up wasting them, yet paying oop for other meals, just go DxDDP and blow out your table-meal choices. You will still have 42 snacks and can use them in between meals or for breakfast items.
Paying oop, your cheaper meals above should be Beaches, Cape May b-fast, CM b-fast...and, don't use your daughter's credits when the meal is $10ish. Save all her credits for the more expensive buffets. Just tell your server which meal you using DDP and which are cash. Of course you should run all the numbers, but if you're adding Jiko, I think you're a really good candidate for DxDDP.

 

[bumbershoot]

Are you eating any other time? Are you including those meals and snacks into your budget?

 

[Nancyg56]

I think you need to do a little more math and additional meals planning in order to make that determination.

Will you have two full meals a day, and if so where would the second meal be? We used the DxDDP on one trip and for us it was a good value because we had a lot of character meals planned for the kids. Between breakfast and dinner we used the credits, and we stopped for lunch when we did not schedule breakfast. The kids all wanted snacks and we always had a beverage with meals. WE like appetizers.

I would build a quick spreadsheet that includes all of your meals, not just the TS you plan to book. Look at menus and decide if you would order appetizers. Two snacks a day? Add that in.

Given a choice, would you prefer two TS meals a day rather than a CS meal? We booked a few TS lunch because it was August and we knew that we needed a cool place to get out of the sun and take a break.

The DxDDP is a commitment to dining, IMO. If my DH is with us, we will book it. If we go as an extended family we will book it for at least one room. I always do the math first though, after I plan our meals. It is important to do it after, rather than before though, IMO becuase you want to pick a plan that matches your dinign preferences, not choose dining to fit a plan.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Use this as a starting point:
http://www.distripplanner.com/

Take a look at the assumptions it used for menu choices. If that doesn't fit your family, replicate out on your own spreadsheet.

One limitation of the calculator is that it won't use the strategy of paying oop for kids meals when cheap in order to save the credit for an adult meal later.

 

[Reuben Varzea]

You all are the best...

So I think I've still got a bunch more "planning" to do, just to be sure of what is going to be the best option. The suggestions on how to approach a plan for my daughter is freakin' brilliant and for some reason I'd have NEVER have thought of that... so this has already been an ENORMOUS help.

I'll sit down and work out a more detail plan and see what is going to work (I'll post once I'm done for anyone else down the line who might stumble across this thread).

Thanks again, folks!!!
- Reuben

 

[Nancyg56]

You all are the best...

So I think I've still got a bunch more "planning" to do, just to be sure of what is going to be the best option. The suggestions on how to approach a plan for my daughter is freakin' brilliant and for some reason I'd have NEVER have thought of that... so this has already been an ENORMOUS help.

I'll sit down and work out a more detail plan and see what is going to work (I'll post once I'm done for anyone else down the line who might stumble across this thread).

Thanks again, folks!!!
- Reuben

If you do decide to order the DxDDP, you will have plenty of food, and will probably be able to order a meal for your two yo at Non buffet meals. I doubt you would need to pay anything OOP with that plan. Also a consideration, many DIsney owned restaurants will allow the youngster to order an adult meal is she wants. My girls loved that option at times.

 

[Reuben Varzea]

Use this as a starting point:
http://www.distripplanner.com/

This site is AMAZING!

 

[quakechicago]

We always do deluxe and love it. I plan/use the restaurants for a well needed rest to keep everyone feeling fresh (we average 10 miles of walking per day), kiddo doesn't have to wait to see characters, and we like to eat (haha). For us, it's a commitment to characters and not standing in long lines rather than necessarily a commitment to eating. We first went when kiddo was 2 and she could share what I had or we were always offered a kid's meal for her (I even mentioned this to be sure every single meal and the server and/or manager always said it's not a problem).

We pick up any extra snacks our last day and use them to keep the magic after the trip.

We do have some food allergies but nothing that I couldn't do a TS if I had to, but it's nicer to sit and have the experiences as well as more choices IMVHO. It doesn't take longer than TS and then waiting to see a character. On average 45 minutes for a meal and characters. We also go to HDDR and usually go to CRT more than once (breakfast and dinner). It does require more planning, but once there, everyone is looking at me for an itinerary anyways.