Meal plan confusion

[cowza]

Hi all. I'd be really grateful if anyone could clarify any of my confusion surrounding the meal plan.

I've just booked for July at the sequoia lodge and upgraded to full board. It is a plus plan that is included.

I've read you can pretty much eat where you want and you'll just pay the difference if your voucher doesn't cover it. I do understand some restaurants have specific set menus designed for the particular plan you have paid for.

However, as an example, if you went to a restaurant that has a meal plan with the premium icon are you allowed to order from this menu and pay the difference (or even just pay for it as a normal guest not on a plan) or would that menu be exclusively for premium vouchers?

I've also struggled to find info on the value of vouchers on a full board. Is there a lunch and dinner voucher or is it just two meal vouchers of the same value?

If that's the case, in essence I'm thinking you only get the full value of your vouchers if you go to a buffet or table service restaurant?

However, say if your lunch voucher is worth 30 euros but you only want a small meal, are you allowed to use it on a quick service meal for 15 euros and then perhaps make up the extra money by getting your drink with a souvenir cup etc?

On a side note I wondered if anyone had any experience taking the TGV train from CDG? My flight lands in terminal 2 which is the same terminal as the station so I thought it made sense to do the train to the parks.

Sorry for all the questions. Hope I make sense and thanks in advance for your advice

 

[A Small World]

Have a look at this info on DLP Guide - its quite informative

http://www.dlpguide.com/planning/dining/meal-plans/

As far as I know (and its also suggested in the above info) you can't use the vouchers at counter service restaurants

 

[Firsttimer15]

There is still a lot of confusion surrounding the meal plans bc right now they still have different ones going on at the same time for people who booked before march and from now on.
I talked to somebody on the phone yesterday and she said from now on you get 1 voucher for a table service meal and 1 voucher for a quick service per day. Breakfast is also just in the parks or a grab an go at Starbucks or the hotel bar.
But if it stays like that I wouldn't bet on it. Check back in a couple of weeks with them.
Also Inventions from now in is only for the Disneyland Hotel guests or Premiumplan owners only.
We will be there next week and I will let you know how it all worked out

 

[cowza]

Thanks so much. I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences! I was under the impression the breakfast buffets would continue at the hotel but this wouldn't be included in the price. However if you're on the current meal plan deal it includes breakfast so you would in essence still get it? Let us know and have a fabulous time!

 

[Firsttimer15]

Yes they still have the buffets at the hotels and bc we booked in january we should still get the buffet. But I heard there is a lot of confusion going on about it and not all CMs know how to handle it.
We will leave tomorrow for Paris and be in Disney from thursday on for 4 days

 

[anthony2k7]

I hate the special meal plan menus at DLP, definitely one of the worst things about DLP's meal plan. I don't see why its needed when there are different grades of meal plan in the first place to cover the cost variances ?

 

[Firsttimer15]

It's not just Disney. All the French restaurants have those special meals starter+entree or dessert and you only get to choose between 2 choices usually. Those are very popular so Disney has those too.
It is in France, so they do things how they are locally done

 

[A Small World]

It's not just Disney. All the French restaurants have those special meals starter+entree or dessert and you only get to choose between 2 choices usually. Those are very popular so Disney has those too.
It is in France, so they do things how they are locally done

Its not just France either - restaurants in the UK often have set menus at a slightly lower price than the items would cost individually.

These set menus in DLP werent designed for the meal plan they were on the menu before the meal plan came into existance but what they have done is link each plan to one of the set menus.

 

[mjr0483]

The vouchers aren't what they are cracked up to be. Yes the voucher has a value and each is different.
Four our scenario the voucher was worth 57E. So at California Grill the premium menu is 69E. Great value there.
But the next menu is up is 89E, so just 20 difference right? No, 89 - 57 = 32E difference if you want to bump up.

I also felt great I have my 57E locked in so I can go to a cheaper place and just take 57 off my dinner. Again no, you get one App, one entree and one dessert and if it comes out to less then 57 you are beat. You can't order two apps or two desserts. If I had to do it again I wouldn't do the vouchers.

 

[Firsttimer15]

We got the vouchers for the old breakfastbuffet. I never saw signs for the new breakfast yet but once.

The plus vouchers are worth 31€ for adults if you go to a restaurant that doesn't have a plus menu and you just use them for money.
The problem with the menus is that a lot of places have totally similar food. Especially for children it's always pasta or chicken.
Of course it's best to go to table service restaurants to get the most out of them.

We tried Silver Spur, Yacht Club and Remy. I wasn't too thrilled about the food anywhere and think the menus are overpriced for what you get. But there is nothing that can be done about it. I wouldn't leave for food elsewhere. If you pay out of pocket for all the meals I think you will end up paying more so I still recommend the vouchers

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

I thought the TGV from CDG to Disneyland was super convenient and I'd do it again in a heart beat. You really can't beat 10 minutes - but might have to wait a bit for the train depending on train schedules. I thought the parisbytrain website was helpful for information.

 

[Firsttimer15]

We did that too, the train was delayed 15 Min but other than that the ride was fine.
I don't think there is a better way to get to the airport than the TGV.
The magical express is more expensive and slower and you risk getting stuck in traffic.

 

[cowza]

There's five of us going now so we weren't sure whether it was worth looking into a private transfer instead. Seems to be about 70 euros each way.

Do you remember how much the tgv was approximately?

 

[Sam1]

There's five of us going now so we weren't sure whether it was worth looking into a private transfer instead. Seems to be about 70 euros each way.

Do you remember how much the tgv was approximately?

We booked it recently, for one way we've paid €17.50 for an adult and €9 for a child.

 

[Firsttimer15]

We paid 13€ per person from Disney to the airport oneway. It gets cheaper if you buy a return ticket.