I wish.....

[Brit_Jude]

I wish there was another option for the dining plan. I would like a plan that included, two quick service meals and one table service meal.

With my family we like to have a good full breakfast at the resort before hitting the park, a nice counter service lunch and then a table service for dinner. Trying to make a meal of snacks does not work for the guys in my family.

We have done the regular dining plan and end up spending money on another meal. We usually end up purchasing deluxe dining but then it ends up way too much food with an appetizer and/or dessert at both lunch and dinner, even if one of them is a counter service. I know we could refuse the app and/or dessert but that just makes me feel like we are not getting our moneys worth.

I think a choice with two quick service and one table service would be a good option for Disney to add. Does anyone else think this would work for them, thoughts, suggestions?

 

[catne]

Why not just buy the regular dining plan,and pay cash for breakfast (usually the least expensive counter service meal..use your counter service credit for lunch in the park or at your resort if you're taking an afternoon break. You can usually get a good breakfast at resort for around $10 total...whereas lunch in the parks typically runs well over $10.)

That would be far less expensive alternative than getting the Deluxe plan ($10 more per day paying cash for breakfast VS. $30 more per day to change from regular to deluxe dining), and you won't have the way-too-much-food issue. Even if you occasionally want to add an appetizer to your table service meals, you'd still come out ahead paying cash for the app.

 

[sukhakuli]

I'm with you, I wish they offered that, too.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I think you have a very good idea. That kind of meal plan would work for many... BUT I doubt Disney will ever offer that kind of plan because it might keep the folks ,who like the 3 meals a day idea, from purchasing the Deluxe plan, which would make them more $$$.

 

[TDluvsDaisy]

I think you have a very good idea. That kind of meal plan would work for many... BUT I doubt Disney will ever offer that kind of plan because it might keep the folks ,who like the 3 meals a day idea, from purchasing the Deluxe plan, which would make them more $$$.

True. However as a deluxe dining family I'd go for a 2 table service 1 quick service meal plan first. Don't know if I'd be tempted for 2 quick service and only 1 table service. I like my signature dining too much.

 

[Brit_Jude]

Why not just buy the regular dining plan,and pay cash for breakfast (usually the least expensive counter service meal..use your counter service credit for lunch in the park or at your resort if you're taking an afternoon break. You can usually get a good breakfast at resort for around $10 total...whereas lunch in the parks typically runs well over $10.)

That would be far less expensive alternative than getting the Deluxe plan ($10 more per day paying cash for breakfast VS. $30 more per day to change from regular to deluxe dining), and you won't have the way-too-much-food issue. Even if you occasionally want to add an appetizer to your table service meals, you'd still come out ahead paying cash for the app.

Thanks. I hadn't though if it this way. While not as convenient I agree this could work for us. Still I think a middle of the road option with counter service breakfast, lunch, and a three course meal per day would be a good idea (of course the lunch and dinner could be swapped). Though as chocovrdmicears stated this might discourage people from getting the Deluxe plan.

 

[sukhakuli]

I can see that about the deluxe plan.

It would be nice if they had a base plan that you could buy, and then you could add CS or TS meals at a per credit price if you wished. I think for a lot of guests, it is annoying that you buy a meal plan, and then have to still buy meals OOP.

 

[havoc315]

True. However as a deluxe dining family I'd go for a 2 table service 1 quick service meal plan first. Don't know if I'd be tempted for 2 quick service and only 1 table service. I like my signature dining too much.

That's already what many people do with deluxe.
If such a plan was customized, at best, it would be about $10 cheaper than the dxdp.

 

[ReneeA]

If you have 2 people in your party with smaller appetites, think about sharing some CS meals. I know that I never finish a CS meal because there is just too much food for me so I share at least 3/4 with my DD. Then that frees up enough credits to have a CS breakfast for a few days.

I also order many breakfast foods & bottled water from Garden grocer just to have in the room for our stay.

 

[Brit_Jude]

If you have 2 people in your party with smaller appetites, think about sharing some CS meals. I know that I never finish a CS meal because there is just too much food for me so I share at least 3/4 with my DD. Then that frees up enough credits to have a CS breakfast for a few days.

I also order many breakfast foods & bottled water from Garden grocer just to have in the room for our stay.

Thanks. However, with two over six ft men...hubby and teenage stepson...there is no one to share a CS with I'd be lucky to get a fry. I could probably manage on regular dining with a snack or cold breakfast foods in the room, the guys not so much. As stated in my original post we like a good breakfast before heading out for they day. Personally I don't like purchasing a dining plan to then have to supplement with food in my room or pay OOP to get 3 meals a day. I guess regular dining must be working for a lot of people but we like the convenience of the deluxe with 3 meals, it is just a lot of food. There are also whole threads about what snacks can be used or combined to make a meal, this leads me to think that for some guests another option in between might work too.

 

[lovin'fl]

True. However as a deluxe dining family I'd go for a 2 table service 1 quick service meal plan first. Don't know if I'd be tempted for 2 quick service and only 1 table service. I like my signature dining too much.

I'm not a deluxe dining person...did it once and it was too much. But, I too wish they had a 2TS or 2TS & 1CS plan. We'd do a bunch of signature places. I guess Disney figures we can use the deluxe with 3 meal credits, but that plan is $31 more than the basic DDP and that's just too much $$.

 

[BlovesC]

My dream plan is 2 TS per day without appetizers, 2 snacks, and a mug, for a price point between DDP and DxDP. DH and I are passholders so we'll never be able to take advantage of free dining, and the DxDP is just WAY too expensive for us. We're trying it for the first time ever next in October 2012, just because we're only staying 3 nights and it's our anniversary, so we're planning on utilizing it JUST to try out signature dinners each night.

I'd consider DH and I fairly big eaters at WDW but there's no way we'd ever use 3 TS credits a day. I also never want appetizers, but yet I insist on desert, some folks feel the opposite. And while there's a lot of CS places we enjoy, that I don't mind eating at, we eat at them all the time on our day trips to the parks. When we're in 'resort vacation!' mode, I always gravitate towards TS for lunches too. We have two OOP TS lunches planned in our upcoming January trip on the basic DDP that resulted in me having to cram CS breakfasts into the plans.

 

[brymolmom]

DH, me and ds10 like to eat full meals. But we think the DDP is a ton of food. We rarely have desserts - so when you throw in a dessert twice a day - that fills up the belly a LOT more than usual.

What we do to eat our meals and not pay OOP:
1) We put a box of cereal, bag full of bagels in our luggage. On days when we want to make rope drop - a bowl or two of cereal plus a bagel is plenty to get us out the door.
2) We schedule some of our bigger meals at 10 - 11 am. A late breakfast buffet. Have a little something before leaving the room and then having a BIG buffet at this time - we're very full through to 5 - 7 pm. Then we usually split a couple CS meals as we're never hungry for a full meal at this point.
3) Have you really investigated using snacks for meals? You say that it isn't enough but if you've seen the size of the cinnamon loaf at Main St Bakery I can't imagine that wouldn't fill one person (even add a bowl of cereal if necessary). DH and I usually split one of these. If you do your research I think you might find things that are more filling by using snacks.
4) On our 'sleep in' day or two - we'll eat a big CS breakfast (bounty platter will keep most people full for a long time)at 10am. Then do a 'snack' at 1 or 2 - like ice cream. Then we schedule and early TS dinner for this night - 4:30 - 5. Only 2 real meals this day but due to the way they're scheduled - we are full all day anyway.

Honestly - even if you end up buying the occassional CS meal, I think you'll end up ahead of the game.

With bigger eaters my best advice would be to do as many buffets as you can stand. Getting as MUCH as you want for one meal a day goes a long way to eating less the rest of the day.