Need Help

[ravensterling3]

This is your first trip to WDW. We plan on staying at the WL 6-25 thru 6-29. We just don't know if its cheaper to stay at CL and pay oop for food or get normal room with DP. Any help would be wonderfull and thank you.

 

[wahmtexas]

Congrats on your first trip We love WL. We have never stayed CL and we love the dining plan

 

[pepe of ohio]

It's our favorite resort, over 19+ stay there and we have stayed CL in the past....

We don't feel CL is worth the money anymore and just opt for a regular room and our in route grocery stop we load up on sandwich fixing, snacks and beer, wine and soda... Our own CL so to speak....

As for dining plan... Again it holds no interest for us, we're not schedulers, don't want to arrange ADR's 180 days out and have our vacation run by a clock.... We always have a picnic pool lunch every day with our supplies, breakfast is easy at either Roaring Fork in the WL or Trails End in FW and dinner can be any CS on property ( we don't like most of the TS restaurants in WDW.

There again , we're not foodies... Not in WDW for food, that we can do at home.... We enjoy the parks and lounging around the pool with some adult beverages ....CL.... Nah....

 

[OhThePain]

Given the length of your stay and the fact that this is your first trip to WDW, I would skip the CL and opt for the dining plan if you want (we personally don't care for the DDP, but that is just our preference). While you could get some great service and help from the CL-CMs as well as the IPO, I think in order to "feel" like you are getting a good bang for your buck from the CL, you have to utilize the offerings. You can easily get good use out of the breakfast offerings, but how much are you planning on being back at the resort? Are you going to be back most days for the mid afternoon, evening or dessert offerings? I would tend to think that for a first time trip you will want to spend as much time as you can in the parks and less time at your resort.

Now, whether it pays for you to use a DDP or pay OOP for meals depends on where you plan on eating and how much you tend to eat. If you are buffet/character meal type people or always order dessert with your meals, the DDP would be for you. If you are not interested in buffet/character meals, like appitizers or don't like to order dessert after every meal, or don't plan on having a TS every day, you may want to consider not staying CL and not getting a DDP.

 

[ravensterling3]

There is going to a 15 yr and maybe 20 going with us. My plan is to back to the hotel in the middle of the day for a break. I have been to wdw but its been 15yrs. We have been looking at the QSDP because we like the fact no ADR's.

 

[mouseketeermama]

Unless you plan on spending a lot of time at the resort, CL usually isn't worth it.

 

[mickeynut1]

If you will be spending some time at the resort, I would go with CL and pay OOP for meals. WL CL is amazing.....the food offerings are great and the CL CMs are awesome . We spend alot of time enjoying the resort so CL works well for us. We also love the DDP, but if I had to choose between CL and the DDP, my choice would be CL . Good luck deciding and have a great trip. The WL is an awesome resort .

 

[Pakey]

Our first trip to Disney as a family, we stayed club level and it ended up being a mistake IMO. For the first time, you aren't going to spend a lot of time at the resort. And Disney's clubs are not open all day like concierge floors are at luxury non-Disney resorts.

The mid day offerings are minimal. I'm being kind. Celery and dip and golfish crackers are about the standard. It could not remotely replace a meal. Most people are not at the resorts middday so the clubs just don't offer anything.

Mornings will have cereal and some pastries. I'm very happy with the club breakfasts because a small bowl of cereal or some toast is plenty.

Evenings from 5-7 will have 2-3 hot appetizers, some cheese, etc. It's not enough to fill up teenagers, at least not mine when they were that age!. You will get a plate that is the size of a cup saucer.

To stay club level and take advantage of the food, you have to plan your day around their operating hours. I think it's nice and very convenient for breakfast but even now, after so many trips to WDW, I often miss the evening offerings because I get busy doing something else between 5 and 7.

I am full eating two pieces of appetizer so it works for me as a meal. Most people will tell you that it's not enough. I wouldn't plan on you finding enough food to serve as meal replacements not even on a day where you were there for all of the food offerings.

I would get a regular room and the dining plan.