Join Me as I Dream of a Premium Package Experience...

[NorweJenNY]

In thinking of our 10th anniversary coming up in 2 more years , it dawned on me that perhaps upgrading our trip a bit would be nice... even if we had our kids along with us...

What if we did a trip where at the end of it, we had a one night stay with a premium package?

If I understand correctly, we could use the features of that package from our check-in time through midnight the following night... correct? So technically, we'd be able to split up our table service meals over two days instead of cramming 3 big meals into one day...

We could take advantage of the carriage rides and boat rentals and mini golf on either of those two days as well...

We could try Cirque du Soleil (also included)...

And with the unlimited use of kids clubs, hubby and I could enjoy an anniversary dinner without the kids even!

Sounds good... doesn't it?

I've got a few questions though...

Normally dinner shows are 2 credits. When I looked on the Premium Plan sheet, it didn't mention 2 credits. Am I to assume that on Premium, dinner shows are only 1 credit? And Signature restaurants?

Also, if hubby and I go out to dinner one night while the kids are in one of those kids club places, what happens to the kids' meal credits? Would they be deducted because they'd be served a meal while at the club? Or would we be able to use those credits to order the kids' room service breakfast if we should be at a deluxe?

In addition, I thought about trying a special tour (as that is included as well), but don't think I can squeeze that much into two days... I'm also not sure there'd be anything appropriate for both my boys to attend that they'd be interested in... they'll be just 7 and 8 by then. Is there a tour that I actually should consider that's included?

Anyone else have suggestions for budgeting time or getting the most out of a single night's stay (yet 2 days) of the Premium Package (after several days of typical park fun with either no package or a lesser one)? Dream of the possibilities with me, won't you?

 

[kristinw3girls]

This was how we did our most recent trip in December. The meals were all 1 credid except Cinderella's castle. Enjoy!!

 

[RahRah573]

Normally dinner shows are 2 credits. When I looked on the Premium Plan sheet, it didn't mention 2 credits. Am I to assume that on Premium, dinner shows are only 1 credit? And Signature restaurants?

Both the Premium and Platinum Dining Plans require only 1TS for shows and signature restaurants - a definite bonus for the added cost!

Also, if hubby and I go out to dinner one night while the kids are in one of those kids club places, what happens to the kids' meal credits? Would they be deducted because they'd be served a meal while at the club? Or would we be able to use those credits to order the kids' room service breakfast if we should be at a deluxe?

I called to ask about this since DH and I have been looking to do a one or two night Premium or Platinum package during our upcoming Christmas-New Year's vacation.....I was told dinner is included with the Activity Clubs, so there is no deduction of a meal credit from your child's dining plan credits.

In addition, I thought about trying a special tour (as that is included as well), but don't think I can squeeze that much into two days... I'm also not sure there'd be anything appropriate for both my boys to attend that they'd be interested in... they'll be just 7 and 8 by then. Is there a tour that I actually should consider that's included?

What I did was sit down and look at what is included and what we could likely do in a one-night stay (technically two days) or a two-night stay (technically three days) with either dining plan. We're actually leaning toward the Platinum Dining Plan because Victoria & Albert's is on the list of restaurants included for 1TS....we each get a spa service (massage, facial or manicure/pedicure).....any meal is 1TS, whether it's signature, regular, show or in-room dining!.....La Nouba is a category 1 seating instead of category 2 on the Premium......and private BABYSITTING is included and unlimited, which means we can do a couple of tours that DS is too young for.....and the babysitters can and will take your child to a character meal or parks if you want them to (you have to pay for their meal, but that's fine with us).

The big difference between the Premium and Platinum is that with Premium you can stay pretty much anywhere, including value resorts....the Platinum requires a stay at a Deluxe - so it can add a lot to the package if you don't want to pay for a Deluxe resort! Since this is DH's one big vacation a year, and his first visit to WDW, we're going to do our vacation at a deluxe anyway, so that's why we're leaning toward Platinum too.

When I priced it out - with the ADR's we'd like to get, the tickets, massage, babysitting, etc. - we'd use more than the cost of the Platinum dining plan.....we're doing this with another couple joining us for the vacation so we're hoping to have a nice two days on the plan!

 

[NorweJenNY]

This was how we did our most recent trip in December. The meals were all 1 credid except Cinderella's castle. Enjoy!!

Sweet!

I called to ask about this since DH and I have been looking to do a one or two night Premium or Platinum package during our upcoming Christmas-New Year's vacation.....I was told dinner is included with the Activity Clubs, so there is no deduction of a meal credit from your child's dining plan credits.

So we actually could drop the kids off, go to Spirit of Aloha and relax, pick the kids up, go to our room, and order kids' in-room dining for the next morning... and we wouldn't even have to pay gratuity for any of the above! Sounds good to me!

What I did was sit down and look at what is included and what we could likely do in a one-night stay (technically two days) or a two-night stay (technically three days) with either dining plan. We're actually leaning toward the Platinum Dining Plan because Victoria & Albert's is on the list of restaurants included for 1TS....we each get a spa service (massage, facial or manicure/pedicure).....any meal is 1TS, whether it's signature, regular, show or in-room dining!.....La Nouba is a category 1 seating instead of category 2 on the Premium......and private BABYSITTING is included and unlimited, which means we can do a couple of tours that DS is too young for.....and the babysitters can and will take your child to a character meal or parks if you want them to (you have to pay for their meal, but that's fine with us).

The big difference between the Premium and Platinum is that with Premium you can stay pretty much anywhere, including value resorts....the Platinum requires a stay at a Deluxe - so it can add a lot to the package if you don't want to pay for a Deluxe resort! Since this is DH's one big vacation a year, and his first visit to WDW, we're going to do our vacation at a deluxe anyway, so that's why we're leaning toward Platinum too.

When I priced it out - with the ADR's we'd like to get, the tickets, massage, babysitting, etc. - we'd use more than the cost of the Platinum dining plan.....we're doing this with another couple joining us for the vacation so we're hoping to have a nice two days on the plan!

See... we normally aren't "go all out" kinds of people... we don't want to do spas (believe it or not)... and I am just not sure about the tours yet. If we did decide to do a special tour, I can see the value of upgrading to Platinum for the child care in the morning... that does make sense! But again, I am just not too sure about the added expense of it all. The mere idea of considering a Premium package is a huge deal for us! It would also be a lot to do for just two days... to consider a tour too. Dinner shows or signature restaurants would be a lot, and throw in a Cirque du Soleil, carriage ride, mini golf, and boat rental... yikes!

But the bottom line is that we do Disney for spending time with family, so I wouldn't want to end up doing practically an entire day without my kids. If we ever did that, it would be because Mommy and Daddy snuck away without the kids at all. (They probably wouldn't even know where we went! )

 

[RahRah573]

See... we normally aren't "go all out" kinds of people... we don't want to do spas (believe it or not)... and I am just not sure about the tours yet. If we did decide to do a special tour, I can see the value of upgrading to Platinum for the child care in the morning... that does make sense! But again, I am just not too sure about the added expense of it all. The mere idea of considering a Premium package is a huge deal for us! It would also be a lot to do for just two days... to consider a tour too. Dinner shows or signature restaurants would be a lot, and throw in a Cirque du Soleil, carriage ride, mini golf, and boat rental... yikes!

But the bottom line is that we do Disney for spending time with family, so I wouldn't want to end up doing practically an entire day without my kids. If we ever did that, it would be because Mommy and Daddy snuck away without the kids at all. (They probably wouldn't even know where we went! )

I think you'll have a fabulous time doing the Premium....DH & I are both PADI certified (SCUBA), so the DiveQuest at Epcot is enticing us to the Platinum (along with Victoria & Alberts!).....that isn't on the Premium.....since we'd like to do that and V&A, the Platinum makes sense for us financially - but yeah, it means quite a bit of time without DS - which is okay during our December vacation since my parents will be there too, along wtih my sister, BIL and their kids (DS's cousins)....so we're planning the babysitter in the evening to give my parents a break mostly! If we were solo, with just us and DS, I'm not sure we'd do Platinum since it really is a lot to do and he's too young to do much of the things included....maybe when he's older, and can do a lot more on the plan, we'll do a longer stint of Platinum - for now a night or two is what we're aiming for!