how to make DlxDP work???

[sanapp]

Hi everyone

I am hoping osmeone with some experience with DlxDP can offer me some guidance. I am trying to figure out how to use the credits so that we are not overly stuffed, so thinking of 2 meals a day. I just can't quite get it to work though:

These are not in the correct order yet, but:

Arrival either Narcoosee or Cali Grill

MK day CP breakfast and Hoop Dee Doo

MK day Castle lunch or late breakfast and Citricos dinner

AK day Tusker Bkf and Whispering Canyon dinner (early seating)

1/2 AK day Yak & Yeti ealy lunch and Ohana

Epcot day San Angel lunch and Tepan Edo dinner

HS day HV breakfast and Brown Derby early dinner

Down Day Wolf Gang Puck Cafe and Flying Fish

Leave Day Resort breakfast (not sure which maybe Cape May)

I believe that this totals 22 and we would have 24 for 8 nights. Could I just fill in with a counter service breakfast for the other 2 credits. If we can depart later then perhaps I can get a TS lunch, but I wouldn't plan on it at this point.

Would only conside doing HV breakfast for getting in the park early if there is a benefit to that as we are not interested in the characters there at all.

 

[Faldred]

That looks fine. You can use DxDP credits on CS, so adding a few to use up extra credits will work out well.

 

[MrsLS]

We've done the delux plan a few times and we do 2 meals a day. Usually an early lunch and a signature dinner (some days a 1 credit dinner). We've left over credits before and still come out ahead. We've also went to a counter service in our hotel and used the extra credits as snack credits (a drink & 2 snacks or a snack and another drink - 1 snack in place of the entree, because you can get a drink, snack & entree). they let us do this at GF counterserve on a few trips.
Although I wouldn't see why they wouldn't let you do this anyway anywhere, even if you got a drink & a snack and skipped the entree if they wouldn't let you use the entree for a drink or a snack because you'll probably be ahead or at least break even anyway.

 

[aaarcher86]

When we had extra meal credits we were able to use them as snack credits at our resort food court. I think 1TS = 3 snacks... but don't quote me on that. We were able to stock up on treats and food to take with us for the car ride home which was nice.

We usually do a TS breakfast and a TS dinner each day.

 

[sanapp]

I did know that we could use the counter service on DLxDP, but is it wise to. An I getting my monies worth with the choices I already have? Not sure that DD would agree to eat in the castle, but I think it is something that we should experience at least once. I think that breakfast might work better for us and perhaps we could get a late breakfast ADR. Any other suggestions about choices?

We have done Ohana, WCC, CP, Tusker and Tepan Edo before, but all the others would be new to us.

How else would you suggest doing our HS day.

DD will be 8, so she is not interested in the characters. I have read that the Fantasmic dinner packages are often booked quite early so I am not sure that we could get a lunch in that day in addition to the dinner. Thoughts????

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Credits on Deluxe are good for TS or CS. In order to "get your moneys worth" you should aim for 2/3 of your credits at a TS. You're choices look great, it gives you flexibility to skip a TS if you wish and are still ahead of the game.

 

[sharonabe]

I would say try for a Fantasmic Pkg. You can also do a lunch Fantasmic Pkg now as well, so one of them should still be open. It never hurts to call and ask! (or go on the website and check).

 

[Colleen27]

That looks like a good plan to me. We have done three trips with the DxDDP so far and what has worked best for us is two sitdown meals per day, many of the dinners at signature restaurants, with 2-3 credits per person left unplanned to use on the spur of the moment. There are invariably times where an EMH keeps us up long enough after dinner than we want to grab a late-night bite or when we get to the park and decide to share a QS breakfast to tide us over to our lunch ADR, so we prefer not to have every credit planned.

The breakeven point on the DxDDP is around 2/3s of your total credits used for sitdown meals, so leaving a few for counter service here and there doesn't impact the value of the plan.

 

[havoc315]

Yes, you will be getting plenty of value. And some cs breakfast is a good use of the remaining credits. Remember, outside of character meals, ts breakfasts are really not that much more expensive than cs breakfast.
We found that buy doing lunch and dinner every day -- even without snacks -- adults were getting $70-90 per day. (closer to 90 when 1 meal was signature)

There were a couple days where we basically broke even, but other days where we were saving $20 per adult.

 

[DisneyFamily123]

........ I am trying to figure out how to use the credits so that we are not overly stuffed, so thinking of 2 meals a day.....

Here's how we do it... all table service on the deluxe dining plan.

• We get to WDW early enough on our arrival day to have lunch at 12:30/1pm and dinner at 7pm. We depart on Magical Express at 4pm +/- so we have breakfast and lunch that day.
• On our upcoming 8 night trip, 5 of our dinners are 2 credit signature restaurants or shows.
• We will have 3 meals on a few days -- early breakfast at 8am, lunch at 1pm, dinner at 7pm.
• Some days, we skip breakfast (or muffin/coffee to go) and have an early lunch 11:30am... because our dinner must be early (fantasmic package or going to halloween/Christmas party at MK).

Here's some ideas for you...

Do you have time for a 2nd meal on your arrival or departure day? If not, grab a good counter service meal to go (to eat at the airport).

How about doing Brown Derby for lunch? If I remember right, their dinner and lunch menu was about the same. And do a different signature restaurant another night.

AK Day - if possible, schedule your breakfast at Tusker House at 8am before the park opens (if opens at 9am), have later lunch at Yak&Yeti, late dinner at Whispering Canyon. You can do the same with Hollywood and Vine and Crystal Palace breakfasts - open at 8am before park opens (if opening at 9).

I wasn't too crazy about Teppan Edo (we have those kind of places at home), and didn't care for Whispering Canyon or Ohana either. It's all in what you like... but I'd go to some more signature restaurants for dinner instead. The best part of the deluxe plan for us are the appetizers.

We loved Flying Fish - plan to eat there twice next trip! California Grill has great sushi appetizers and fish entrees, DW likes the filet there. Plus high up views... Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge was a nice after a day at AK park.

When you have early dinners.... are we talking about 3 or 4pm? Might you be up for a late night table service? or Room Service?

 

[sanapp]

I am not sure yet on arrival or departure times as I don't have airfare booked yet. We live in Maine though and I find it hard for us to get to Orlando very early and if we leave very late then we get home around midnight.

Sine we live in Maine (midcoast) area we don't really have a lot of dining options beyond seafood choices, so we actually enjoy Tepan Edo. My DD really enjoys having her own chef.

When I say an early dinner I mean around 5:00 TO 6:30. I like to stick to our regular eating times as well as bed times as it just seems to keep us both happier.

I really don't like the idea of having 3 TS in one day as I just think it would be too much food. If we do a CS in addition to 2 TS we would probably split one as well as the snacks.

I would guess that we would be in bed each night around 9:00 and up early the next morning for park opening. I would expect that we will have quite a bit of down time on this trip since we only want to do our favorites and then have time for pool, shopping, arcade ....... smelling the roses!

 

[DisneyFamily123]

......I would guess that we would be in bed each night around 9:00 and up early the next morning for park opening. I would expect that we will have quite a bit of down time on this trip since we only want to do our favorites and then have time for pool, shopping, arcade ....... smelling the roses!

I understand that... I'm trying to make for more down time on our next trip.... but adding waterparks.... and still wanting to do so many favorites is making it hard. Some of our favorites will have to be put off..... I'm hoping DS will NOT want to do one of his favorites -- Tower of Terror but we are watching the movie now and he is talking about the ride! I'm not a thrill seeker but there's something about that ride I'm obsessed about, even though it terrifies me! Me on TOT -