Questions about the Deluxe Dining Plan

[DisneyBliss7]

We are booking a family suite at the Art of Animation for 7 days. I have never used the Dining plan before. I'm looking at the Deluxe Dining Plan. We are a family of seven, kids ages will be 12,9,6,6, and 2 but wouldn't our 2 yo be free?? We are getting 5 day tickets and I want to do at least one character meal two if possible I would also love to eat at either O'hana or at the Fantasmic show at DHS. How does it work to use the DDP towards a character meal and a dinner show? It's all kind of confusing on what I can and should do. Thanks!!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Your trip sounds like fun! Which suite are you in at AoA? I'm itching to stay in the Nemo suite, but with only 3 of us, I am going to have to find some extra people to bring along to justify it!

Your 2 year old is free, but you are expected to share off your plate. I believe buffets will typically let you get a plate of things they like.

Some character (Cinderella's Royal Table and Chef Mickey's, for sure) meals take 2 of your dining credits per person. I am pretty sure 'Ohana is just one credit. We love both the breakfast (with Stitch and friends) and the dinner. Fantasmic! is 2 credits at Hollywood Brown Derby but only 1 credit at Mama Melrose or Hollywood and Vine.

We found Deluxe Dining to be too much food, and it really surprised me. We can be big eaters! We just weren't ready for the next meal by the time it rolled around. If we ever do Deluxe Dining again, I would plan 1 credit breakfasts and 2 credit dinners. For lunch, we would either grab a light counter service (out of pocket) or just snack when we were ready.

 

[DisneyBliss7]

Thanks for all the info! We are calling to make reservations this week, I'm hoping for the Nemo room but Lion King is a close second Can you use credits at the Rain Forest Cafe and the T-Rex restaurant in DTD?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Can you use credits at the Rain Forest Cafe and the T-Rex restaurant in DTD?

Yes.

 

[artemis908]

Some character (Cinderella's Royal Table and Chef Mickey's, for sure) meals take 2 of your dining credits per person. I am pretty sure 'Ohana is just one credit. We love both the breakfast (with Stitch and friends) and the dinner. Fantasmic! is 2 credits at Hollywood Brown Derby but only 1 credit at Mama Melrose or Hollywood and Vine.

I just looked it up and Chef Mickey's is only 1 dining credit per a person.

 

[TDC Nala]

The 2 year old will not receive dining credits. They are expected to eat from the plates of other family members, and are considered "free" at buffets and all you can eat family style restaurants. If you order anything specifically for the child at an a la carte or CS restaurant you'd need to pay for it.

Chef Mickey's is 1 TS credit, as is 'Ohana. The Fantasmic dining package is 1 credit at Mama Melrose or Hollywood & Vine, and 2 credits at Brown Derby. The package is not considered a dinner show; it includes dinner at the restaurant and vouchers for preferred entry and seating at the Fantasmic show, which occurs at a later time in a different area of the park.

 

[DisneyBliss7]

If I change our DDP to the one that says Magic Your Way Plus Dining can I still use the credits at all the same restaurants I mentioned? Like O'hana, Chef Mickey, Rain Forest Cafe....Do you think I should stick w/ the Deluxe Plan or should I change it? I just don't want to spend the extra money and not need all the credits. My kids aren't the best eaters.

 

[artemis908]

If I change our DDP to the one that says Magic Your Way Plus Dining can I still use the credits at all the same restaurants I mentioned? Like O'hana, Chef Mickey, Rain Forest Cafe....Do you think I should stick w/ the Deluxe Plan or should I change it? I just don't want to spend the extra money and not need all the credits. My kids aren't the best eaters.

According to the 2012 Dining Plan Guide O'Hana, Chef Mickey, and RFC are all 1 credit dinners. So yes, you could easily go with the regular dining plan. The only difference is you'd get ONE quick service (entree+dessert (lunch/dinner only) and non-alcoholic drink), ONE table service (non-alcoholic drink, entree, and dessert only. NO appetizer), and one snack. So you wouldn't be able to do table service more than once a day. It's still a great plan, I did it before they took away the appetizer and that's one of the reasons I am going with deluxe. I am also not a burger and french fries kind of gal and that's what you get from QS at just about every place. Though Epcot has some great quick service restaurants in France, Mexico, and the Land pavilion. I found DHS the hardest place to find QS, it all seemed like your typical fast food places and I hate fast food.

 

[jackie101]

We are a family of 6 and the regular dining plan was more than enough food for us and our kids are great eaters.

 

[sndral]

We did deluxe dinning last year and have done regular dinning the 3 years before last. If it were me w/ young children, wanting to eat at a few character meals I'd stick with the regular dinning plan (not the quick service - which is counter service only.) Deluxe dinning is great if enjoying meals is as important to you as riding rides/visiting the parks is, otherwise regular dinning is a nice balance.With your kids as young as they are trying to do 3 table service meals a day will take away way too much park time, IMO.
W/ regular dinning I always used our snack credit for breakfast items (shared fruit bowl, yogurt, pastries) our counter service credit for lunches wherever we happened to be @ lunch and our table service credits for one sit down dinner a day.
There are several 1 table service restaurants that have characters -Chef Mickeys breakfast and dinner, 1900 Park Fare breakfast and dinner, Ohanas breakfast (Ohanas is a lot of fun for kids at dinner even w/out characters since they lead them on a parade through the restaurant on the coconut race) Cape May Cafe breakfast, Crystal Palace breakfast, lunch and dinner, Garden grill dinner, Akershus all meals, Hollywood and Vine breakfast and lunch and Tusker house breakfast and lunch.
Note, you can spend your credits however you like, so if you want to go to a fancier 2 table service place - like Cinderella's castle you can.
Likewise you can go to Hoop Dee Doo or Spirit of Aloha shows but it'll cost 2 TS to do so. So plan on paying for a meal, or sharing a counter service or 2 to 'extend' your credits. It's total credits for the whole party - so if the 6 yr. olds share a counter service lunch one day, you'll have a spare child's credit to use up later, for ex..
When you do your ADRs you'll enter a credit card no. for the shows and character meals, but will not be charged @ that time - you'll only be charged $10 pp if you fail to show up, otherwise when you get there you'll be asked if you are on the dinning plan and at the end of the meal they'll take one of the room cards and use it just like a credit card. You'll get a receipt which tells you how many adult and how many child credits you have left. At counter service places they just swipe one card at the register when you order again you'll get a receipt telling you how many you used and how many are left.