Planning vs. Over planning (dining)

[MollyR11]

Hello, we are headed to WDW with a 6yo and 2 1/2 yo. Both girls if it matters. I'm looking at dining plan options and want to make sure to get a good balance of ADRs and not planning the days down to the minute. We are planning to do deluxe dining plan, given that, how many TS meals would you plan/day? We will be there 5 days& 4 nights. We want to do CRT, chef Mickey and Askerhus for sure.

 

[nco91590]

Well, 3 TS might be a lot for kids that age. My strategy with young kids is to hit the parks first thing in the morning, have lunch, head back to the hotel for naps/swim and back out for dinner.

That being said, I would schedule one early lunch (11a or 11:30) and a 2 TS dinner around 6p. That way, you're done after dinner in time for fireworks or just to go home for a good night sleep.

My kids attention span would not fare well with 3 sit down meals a day.

 

[han22735]

I agree that 3 TS meals a day would be a ton of food as well as a ton of time for small children. With only 5 days 4 nights your gonna spend 15-20 hours sitting at restaurants.

 

[MollyR11]

I don't think we would do 3 TS meals/day but if we only get 4TS meals and 2 are spent at CRT that doesn't leave us much to work with and we wanted to see others like Coral reef and H&v. Ugh.

 

[minnie mum]

I don't think we would do 3 TS meals/day but if we only get 4TS meals and 2 are spent at CRT that doesn't leave us much to work with and we wanted to see others like Coral reef and H&v. Ugh.

Are you confusing the deluxe dining plan (which you stated in your OP) with the regular DDP? The deluxe dining plan would give you 12 credits and 8 snack credits for a 4 night stay. The DDP gives you 4 TS credits, 4 CS credits and 4 snack credits. Which is it that you want?

The DxDP would require 2-3 TS meals per day, plus snacks to come close to paying for itself. Way too much food, too much time, and too much planning IMO for a family with such small kids.

The DDP allows for a TS meal and a CS meal per day. If you use 2TS credits for CRT, then you will be paying OOP for a meal on another day. Plus you would need to pay OOP for at least one meal each day if you normally eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you don't want to plan a lot of TS meals every day, then just book the number that you have credits for ( limit them to one per day) and do CS the rest of the time. It's virtually impossible to eat at every TS restaurant you want to try in a single visit.

 

[MollyR11]

Are you confusing the deluxe dining plan (which you stated in your OP) with the regular DDP? The deluxe dining plan would give you 12 credits and 8 snack credits for a 4 night stay. The DDP gives you 4 TS credits, 4 CS credits and 4 snack credits. Which is it that you want?

Sorry if that didn't make much sense, let me try again.

Is the deluxe dining plan not a great idea for 6&2.5 year olds? Will it be too much food/too much time sitting for the littles? We like it because there are many character meals we want to do and many meals at other TS restaurants we would like to try. Since CRT takes 2 TS meals we really would only be allowed 2 more TS meals over the course of our stay which is a bummer.

How do I square that with the fact we would need the kids to sit and wait and always be subject to the time constraints of reservations?

 

[JZCubed]

Sorry if that didn't make much sense, let me try again.

Is the deluxe dining plan not a great idea for 6&2.5 year olds? Will it be too much food/too much time sitting for the littles? We like it because there are many character meals we want to do and many meals at other TS restaurants we would like to try. Since CRT takes 2 TS meals we really would only be allowed 2 more TS meals over the course of our stay which is a bummer.

How do I square that with the fact we would need the kids to sit and wait and always be subject to the time constraints of reservations?

Deluxe Dining Plan is as Minnie Mum outlined - 3 TS that include as many as 2-credit 'Signatures' each plus snacks.

If you don't eat mostly all the (expensive; 2-credit) meals and snacks, you are likely wasting some money.

Deluxe Dining is pre-paying for 3 meals each day at any restaurant (1- or 2-credit).

Scheduling 3 ADR's per day is not for me and my family.

Time management is how vacations are won and lost.

With children as young as yours, the 'Guidebooks' suggest no more than 4-hours at the Park at any one time. Factor in the needs and demands of your kids to match expectations.

Deluxe Dining Plan means you're going from meal-to-meal...or throwing away money by not going out-of-pocket.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you don't want to eat Table Service at every meal, the Deluxe Dining Plan is a terrible value. (Even eating TS at every meal, it may be a terrible value.)

 

[Hopefully]

Sorry if that didn't make much sense, let me try again.

Is the deluxe dining plan not a great idea for 6&2.5 year olds? Will it be too much food/too much time sitting for the littles? We like it because there are many character meals we want to do and many meals at other TS restaurants we would like to try. Since CRT takes 2 TS meals we really would only be allowed 2 more TS meals over the course of our stay which is a bummer.

How do I square that with the fact we would need the kids to sit and wait and always be subject to the time constraints of reservations?

I, unlike many on these boards, I am a DDP advocate for my family. But I definitely think the Deluxe Dining Plan is too much for your children's ages. You would be spending way more time getting to and sitting in restaurants than enjoying the parks. As a PP stated you simply can not eat in all the restaurants you want in 4 days.
If you want to use 2TS credits out of 4 on CRT , then you will have to pay OOP for 1 additional TS restaurant.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't think we would do 3 TS meals/day but if we only get 4TS meals and 2 are spent at CRT that doesn't leave us much to work with and we wanted to see others like Coral reef and H&v. Ugh.

Ok, so you basically fall in the middle. Basic plan feels like too little. But the deluxe plan is just way too much. Will it even work out financially?

Is the deluxe dining plan not a great idea for 6&2.5 year olds? Will it be too much food/too much time sitting for the littles? We like it because there are many character meals we want to do and many meals at other TS restaurants we would like to try. Since CRT takes 2 TS meals we really would only be allowed 2 more TS meals over the course of our stay which is a bummer.

I would get out a nice fresh notebook and your fave pencil and work out the money.

Look at the menus on wdwinfo and on allears. Find the ongoing thread listing out the buffet prices.

One page is for what you think the family would order.

Then a page for paying out of pocket. Then a page for DDP showing what you miss out on. Then a page for DxDP. And then a page for DDP and boating out of pocket for a meal or two.

If you got the DDP and paid for CRT, what are the financials for that? Or paying for another meal? Could that work out better?

The 2 year old of course is free with the dining plans as long as she eats off someone else's plate. With the plans, only include the cost of the mugs for the people you would buy them for; would you buy one for the 6 year old? The mug gives you soda coffee and tea.

Just work it out.

We have yet to make a plan work for how we eat, and that's important to me. I don't want to change how we eat and be miserable. Instead I fully budget for food and we get what we like.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

We did the deluxe dining plan for a 5 day trip when our girls were 2 and 5. We loved it, but we also rarely do quick service meals and love having TS planned. We've stopped doing any kind of dining plan because we may want a meal of all appetizers or cocktails instead of soft drinks and desserts, but the deluxe plan can be fun. We did have one day that trip with 3 TS meals, but we mainly tried to balance days with a TS character breakfast and a TS signature dinner. Narcoosee's and California Grill timed with Wishes were big faves with our girls. I personally find it super easy to plan our days around meals while still doing a ton and prefer having set meals in place, especially when children are involved.

 

[mrzrich]

On your CRT day I would have breakfast at Crystal Palace and Dinner at CRT

Epcot Day do Akershus and Le Cellier or Yachtsman Steakhouse

Another Day have a 1 TS breakfast of your choice (Chef Mickey?) and go to the 4 PM Hoop Dee Doo or the Backyard BBQ

Your last 3 credits could be divided between your arrival and Depature day depending on what time you are arriving and departing.

 

[Kae]

I would do Akershus over CRT. Then Maybe do chef Mickey's or Breakfast at Tusker house. then the other 2 TS Credits can be used more for you & DH. Stick with regular plan.

Kae

 

[mgentry210]

If you are planning of lots of character meals it may work in your favor. I would worry about having too many credits than not enough. If you are falling short you can drop the girls at a kids club for the night and have a grown up dinner. Our niece loves the kids clubs. We do deluxe all the time. We do a late breakfast/early lunch and then a late dinner. We enjoy the break and sitting down in a comfy chair with AC.