plan vs. paying cash for first trip

[Piwacket's Mom]

Hi, this is my first trip I'm planning. It will just be my brother and I (both middle aged) and we opted to upgrade to deluxe plan for $500 more. I've been reading boards and am starting to get nervous. I have to set up reservations for each night. I am not familiar with each park yet. I am new to posts and in a previous post someone suggested the deluxe might not be the best fit for a first timer and I am wondering if that person is right.
1. Can you please give me insight on doing a lesser plan where we would mostly hit quick service?
2. How long do you generally stand waiting to order quick service in mid December?
3. I read about little snack spots that have small meals. Is there a lot of seating for even these spots?

I appreciate all advice. thanks everyone!

 

[sharonabe]

If you stick with the deluxe, the best way to use it is do a TS breakfast/lunch and then a 2TS dinner. It will still take up a lot of your park time, but if eating is as much a part of vacation as the parks for you, then you should do it.

If you are the type to be just as happy grabbing something quick and only do one or two TS meals, then I would pay OOP. None of the dining plans fit this type of eating. But it sounds like you have free QS dining, and I would stick with that and just eat whenever/wherever you get hungry. The time it takes standing in line is proportional to the time of day. If you are there during "typical" meal times, 12-2 for lunch and 5-7 for dinner, then you may have to stand in line for 10 min or so. If you can go at off times, there may be no line at all.

 

[nalajms]

Seating can also be an issue during busy times, but mid Dec should not be that crowded. The worst for us is AK Flame tree. In Jan/Feb they had a lot of construction and limited seating.

This is my go-to for pricing and menu: http://allears.net/dining/menu

1. QS plan, 2 QS per day and 1 snack
2. If you eat early or eat late, there's no line.
3. Seating with table? Limited. Seating without table - easier to find.

 

[happymommy]

For your first visit to Disney, you may want to spend more time watching shows or going on rides. Table service meals take time (but are an enjoyable experience almost always!).

Good thing you're here - lots of information can be found on these boards.

Now the official Disney website has menus for pretty much all dining spots - so once you narrow things down that's a great resource.

I don't often find myself waiting in lines for a very long time - only a couple of times last trip did we wait for maybe 10 minutes (and we were there over spring break - and picked VERY busy places like Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe at the Magic Kingdom at NOON!). Still it was doable - much easier than when I had two kids and one stroller by myself for sure. Mid-December isn't a packed time.

For our next trip, we have the quick service plan, only because it was free. It works perfectly for us - if we wanted one table service meal, we'd just pay out of pocket for it.

If you got the dining plan free, I'd keep it. If it's your first trip and you're paying for it, you probably won't save money, so I'd pay for meals out of pocket. At least for me, I wouldn't save. I don't often order dessert at all, other than getting a treat or two during the week for myself (my daughter loves sweets so pretty much one treat a day for her). I don't drink lots of soda; rather order a large cup of ice water with counter service meals, or a beer or wine, so will just get a bottle of water or something that I can take back to the room for later! With the plans, you get dessert with each meal - that's a lot of sweets! I'll be on the lookout for fruit instead.

One nice thing, but probably you won't use it since it's your first time, but room service is covered and counts as two table service meals - and it includes the tip! I used that once when we had the regular dining plan free (and the kids and I were wiped out the first night). The food was just okay, but the convenience was so worth it!

 

[Piwacket's Mom]

we got free dining and upgraded to deluxe. we are thinking do 1 meal using 1 seating ticket and 2nd meal using 2 seating tickets. I noticed those sitdown meals are really big, but I really want the comfort of sitting down to eat. I counted how much I believe I would spend out of pocket and think I'm wasting a bit of money, but my brother already is holding tight to the deluxe plan. I think if I make reservations for dinners and just did whatever for the other meal, it wont be too daunting. Thank you everyone for all your help. I still wonder if winging it is the way to go.

 

[happymommy]

Winging it is hard, only in that you really need a reservation for most restaurants. That's why we prefer counter service now as well - we don't like to plan where to be at a certain time. Plus we enjoy many counter service options! Not all but most! And we snack along the way too.
I'd plan out where you will be for the meals, and remember you're penalized for no-shows.

 

[lauradis]

I look at first trips as if you have fun will you come back?

Do you enjoying dinning out on different vacations?

Would you rather mostly sit downs or do counter service?

I bias because I love table service and love the deluxe plan.

 

[rainboots]

We were a group of 9 with 3 young kids.. We loved the DLxDP. It have all of us time to unwind and refresh during the day. I'm having a horrible time deciding which plan for the next trip! We did have some extra credits left at the end, so we kind of want to downsize, but I don't want to be disappointed.

 

[cnorth]

It really depends on how you like to vacation. I have seen many people discouraged from the DxDDP because others say it takes too much park time. And for some, I'm sure that is the case. For my family, meals are as important to a happy vacation as the park touring. It's been that way since the first time we went. We just like food. I found that a table service early lunch is a good park break. If you eat in the parks, it usually is about an hour. You get to relax and refresh, and head back out! The signature restaurants are definitely worth going to, in my opinion. They do take longer, but it is a wonderful experience. And if you time it right, you can see the fireworks from some of the restaurants. All that longwinded talk just to say- decide what is really important to YOU. If you like to eat and relax, keep it. If you want to try to do as much as possible, stay with the QS plan.

 

[Piwacket's Mom]

It really depends on how you like to vacation. I have seen many people discouraged from the DxDDP because others say it takes too much park time. And for some, I'm sure that is the case. For my family, meals are as important to a happy vacation as the park touring. It's been that way since the first time we went. We just like food. I found that a table service early lunch is a good park break. If you eat in the parks, it usually is about an hour. You get to relax and refresh, and head back out! The signature restaurants are definitely worth going to, in my opinion. They do take longer, but it is a wonderful experience. And if you time it right, you can see the fireworks from some of the restaurants. All that longwinded talk just to say- decide what is really important to YOU. If you like to eat and relax, keep it. If you want to try to do as much as possible, stay with the QS plan.

thanks for your help. we decided to keep deluxe dining. we are older and enjoy eating out.

 

[cnorth]

Wonderful! I'm sure you will have a great time. Just make sure to get those dining reservations as close to 180 days as possible! Enjoy your trip

 

[Piwacket's Mom]

Wonderful! I'm sure you will have a great time. Just make sure to get those dining reservations as close to 180 days as possible! Enjoy your trip

June 19th will be my 180 mark. Can you please tell me if I can do all my reservations that day or do I have to do each day as it hits the 180 mark?

 

[powellrj]

We are doing the dlx plan this time. We have done the regular plan with the kids, but we are an adults only trip this time and are only planning on going to the food and wine in the parks this trip. I forsee a food coma coming! We are also middle aged and enjoy dining out. Have a great trip!

 

[Piwacket's Mom]

We are doing the dlx plan this time. We have done the regular plan with the kids, but we are an adults only trip this time and are only planning on going to the food and wine in the parks this trip. I forsee a food coma coming! We are also middle aged and enjoy dining out. Have a great trip!

I can see it now...trudging away from the restaurants clutching my cupcake. terrible. I don't know how I will control myself.

 

[Sarahbelle341]

Deluxe dining is fun! Its not like you are being force fed. enjoy your meals order what you want and eat what you want. Having a reserved chair at a restaurant is really nice sometimes.

 

[cnorth]

June 19th will be my 180 mark. Can you please tell me if I can do all my reservations that day or do I have to do each day as it hits the 180 mark?

You can do ten days at the 180 day mark. If you are staying longer than that, you will have to add dining daily for every day after the first ten

 

[Piwacket's Mom]

You can do ten days at the 180 day mark. If you are staying longer than that, you will have to add dining daily for every day after the first ten

thanks!

 

[SethandMac]

I have done the dining plan multiple times and I do wanna give my 2 cents. If you buy the deluxe and do not make reservations, you will not get seating at sit down restaurants and thus will waste all of your money. While I like going with the flow, some basic plan is almost necessary or you won't get to eat at most of the best places. Absolutely make reservations! You can sit at the counter service areas and take your time so don't let that scare you. It is more like a cafeteria but you can rest and enjoy as long as you like and it is much cheaper. There is also a lot of great food to be had at counter service places. My personal fave is the regular dining plan that slots each person one counter service, one table service and one snack. We have found that on almost every occasion it has been more than enough food for the day. While the deluxe plan is great treat, I have calculated it in several ways and find it is almost never worth the money. I wish you the best either way you go. Some of the best food is at Disney and you will love it!!

 

[Piwacket's Mom]

I have done the dining plan multiple times and I do wanna give my 2 cents. If you buy the deluxe and do not make reservations, you will not get seating at sit down restaurants and thus will waste all of your money. While I like going with the flow, some basic plan is almost necessary or you won't get to eat at most of the best places. Absolutely make reservations! You can sit at the counter service areas and take your time so don't let that scare you. It is more like a cafeteria but you can rest and enjoy as long as you like and it is much cheaper. There is also a lot of great food to be had at counter service places. My personal fave is the regular dining plan that slots each person one counter service, one table service and one snack. We have found that on almost every occasion it has been more than enough food for the day. While the deluxe plan is great treat, I have calculated it in several ways and find it is almost never worth the money. I wish you the best either way you go. Some of the best food is at Disney and you will love it!!

thanks for the advice. I've debated and researched to the point of anxiety (lol) and decided to keep deluxe dining unless I can figure how to add on a day. (we got the free dining package). This idea really excites me. I am now wondering if the money balances itself out if I drop deluxe.

 

[SethandMac]

Haha! I totally understand. you will have fun no matter what and don't want to ruin the trip stressing yourself out! Enjoy!