Is DDP enough food?

[Juliealto]

Actually, there are quite a number of CS locations that offer a large combo meal that is plenty of food for 2 (adult) people to share (for example, Cosmic Ray's, Fairfax Fare, and Flame Tree BBQ all offer meals that include half a chicken plus ribs plus side dishes; Sunshine Seasons offers large platters). Most locations will give you an extra plate if you ask. There are also numerous substantial items for which snack credits can be used; see the sticky on this forum for a list. Sharing large platters and maximizing your use of snack credits would provide sufficient food for a family with 2 young children and 2 older children, unless there are picky eaters or family members are squeamish about sharing food that originally comes on one plate.

 

[coltsfanatic]

Our family has found that it is cheapest and easiest not do the dining plan. We usually eat an early breakfast at our resort food court-toast/bagel, fruit salad and juice at around 7. This costs around $15 for 3. Then we do lunch around noon at a quick service location with veggie burgers and fries and a glass of water. We then sometimes have a snack around 3:30-shaved ice/scoop of popcorn. We love to finish out the night at a table service dinner around 6 (just entrees), and if we have room later, a vegan ice cream on Main Street while watching the parade.

 

[caroline1851]

My last trip was my mom, ds8 and dd5. We did our days several different ways.

We stayed at CSR and somtimes we would use a CS credit for breakfast (omelet, homefries, muffin, o.j and bottle of water to go.) I would also take the muffin to go as did my mom. That way we'd have 2 snacks for the kids later as well as the extra drink.

We then would use some snack credits to buy differnt types of fruit cups in the park. around lunch time. if it was less than $3 like a banana, i would pay oop.

We then would have a TS dinner.

Other days, we would usue a snack credit for a muffin or whatnot then do TS lunch, then CS dinner back at resort.

My kids tend to want to eat more often and smaller amounts. So i brought a few snacks from home also to bring in the parks.

 

[DCDisney]

We usually do a mix of breakfast lunch and dinner. I think having that big breakfast each day would get old fast and you'd be buying more food oop. Clearly with the 2 little ones buffets are the way to go. I agree with others--bring poptarts, bagels, granola bars for breakfast and then do a buffet in that time frame where they are switching breakfast to lunch so you can get some of each food. For the dinner QS I think planning at least a meal or two at places with no kids menu might help have more for sharing. There are also things like ordering a big pizza at your resort that takes 2 credits that you could stretch. AK has the picnic in the park options that are stretchable too. Honestly though if you have to order 1 extra adult item per QS meal to stretch that won't be bad. I wouldn't order extra kids meals though as 1 adult meal has way more food than 2 kids meals usually. We also have done things like eat around Epcot where you just order a meal or two at a few different countries and all share-- that can be really fun and a good way to taste new things for the kiddos.

 

[rentayenta]

The DDP doesn't work for our family but if it did, there are two ways we could make it work to cover our food for the entire day:

Breakfast: snack credit
Lunch: CS
Dinner: TS

Breakfast: CS
Lunch: snack credit
Dinner: TS

Either option would work for us but I'd prefer option 2 personally. I hate to be stuffed at Disney and don't know how people tour while eating 3 full meals with desserts and snacks. I'd be in a food coma.

When we did the DDP, we'd often take the CS dessert with us and eat it later. We also found that most CSs would sub a salad or side instead of dessert so we didn't have to have 5 desserts. We are not huge soda drinkers either and would often have the kids share one and drink the water bottle throughout the day.

 

[cgerdon02]

We are sort of in the same situation. I am traveling with DH, DS 6, DD 4 & DD 2. We are going with the Disney Dining Plan, but I have read on Trip Reports here where Cast Members at Table Service restaurants have brought out extra food for the kids that weren't on the DP. I'm really hoping I get some of these super nice Cast Members when we go this year.

 

[scottmel]

I have done the dining plan a few times and found it TOOO much food. We worked it so a sit down lunch table service was our big meal. Evening we either ate snacks at the club level lounge and breakfast club level as well. I am talking snacks not "meals" . And we still had many counter services left over...IDEALLY if not staying club level I would have snack for breakfast using credit - fruit cup, yougart, cerel/milk, sit down lunch and counter service dinner. It is a lot of food!!!!!