Quick service and Deluxe dining plans split between a group?

[Summer Fisher]

Disney Dining Plan related question- If a large group was going to Disney World, (8 people), and were staying in 2 separate rooms in the same value resort, how beneficial would it be for those in 1 room to get the quick service meal plan and those in the other room to get the Deluxe meal plan with the intention of dining together at the majority of the meals? I'm concerned if everyone is on the deluxe meal plan it will #1 be very expensive, #2 we'll spend the majority of our trip in restaurants and #3 we won't use up all of our credits by the last day. We would like to plan at least 1 table service meal per day and perhaps 2 depending on availability. We all had the quick service plans last year and ran out 2 days early, (mainly because the teenagers wanted to constantly eat).
Has anyone split the dining plans between groups before and how has it worked out?

 

[sharonabe]

Disney Dining Plan related question- If a large group was going to Disney World, (8 people), and were staying in 2 separate rooms in the same value resort, how beneficial would it be for those in 1 room to get the quick service meal plan and those in the other room to get the Deluxe meal plan with the intention of dining together at the majority of the meals? I'm concerned if everyone is on the deluxe meal plan it will #1 be very expensive, #2 we'll spend the majority of our trip in restaurants and #3 we won't use up all of our credits by the last day. We would like to plan at least 1 table service meal per day and perhaps 2 depending on availability. We all had the quick service plans last year and ran out 2 days early, (mainly because the teenagers wanted to constantly eat).
Has anyone split the dining plans between groups before and how has it worked out?

You can do this and for many it has worked out great. Remember, with the DxDP, you get the app, entree, dessert, and drink. If all 8 of you use a credit, that's a lot of food on the table, so you may want to share or do some with credits and some OOP.

One other thing you'll have to plan is who is eating where and when. Only the room with the DxDP will have the credits on their MBs, so one of them will need to be there when you eat at a TS. Conversely, you DON'T want these people using their MBs for any QS meals as it will take the credits off your DxDP. Make sure that everyone understands how it works and who needs to pay where.

 

[Summer Fisher]

Great tips, thank you!

 

[StuckInKS]

We do this and it works out perfect for us. We use the QS mainly for breakfast, BoG lunch, a few places in Disney Springs and converting to snacks at F&W. Then we do a TS dinner. We did have one mixup where DH used the DxDP band for a QS meal, but luckily it was only 1 credit.

 

[Faldred]

I actually have this in the back of my mind for our next trip - family of 5, all "Disney adults" (kids currently 12, 10, 10) - I figured we'd stay in 2 rooms at a value if we can get free QSDP, and then only upgrade the room with 2 people to DxDP - that yields a total of 6 Dx meal credits, 6 CS credits, and 10 snacks per night to split 5 ways - essentially a jumped-up version of the basic DDP, but with an extra TS and CS credit per night and appetizers included at TS.

Granted, assuming we're going to mostly stick together we don't have to worry about the coordination of credits problem.

 

[krd315]

We are looking at splitting credits between 2 rooms as well. I understand using the dxdp credits but wasn't sure about the QS credits. If 3 adults have QS credits can all 6 of us go through the line together at one time and they scan their bands twice? Or do they have to go through two separate times?

 

[Raykids]

We followed your threat last year and had 4 people in two rooms, with one room buying the deluxe plan that all four would share. With the reduced rates at Coronado and with the deluxe meal plan also reduced in price, it seemed the best way to maximise our holiday budget. We had some days over at Universal so we knew we only required x2 meals a day for four people on Disney days. We feasted like kings!! Snack credits could be used easily for breakfasts. Interestingly, you do not need one of the persons with the dining plan present, just their bracelet, with their name on one spot of the reservation if reservations were made- this became a worry since our room without the plan went to a theme park for table service where the pair with the plan weren't. We worried would the plan not work if they didn't swipe for entry into the park but everything worked just fine. This worked financially much better then four people in one room getting a 'free' dining plan and we each had much more space and privacy. Thanks for the great tip and we go back this year to split the plan again, but this time with glass of bubbly to enjoy! This only works for those who want a "foodies" way to see Disney since you do lose park time with x2 table service meals per day to get the most value from the plan. We booked lunch times during the usual thunderstorm times and dinner later in the day so we did do every ride and show we wanted but yes, less time in parks.

 

[eileen2664]

That's what our plan is as well. 2 rooms at Pop; Dh & yds will have the DxDP (1 adult & 1 child), ods and I will have the QSDP (2 adults). Yds is very picky so we'll likely pay OOP for much of his food (he won't eat a whole meal, likely just a side and a drink) so we'll have extra credits there too. We usually stick together but there may be times when ODS will want to go off on his own (or more likely sleep at the resort then grab breakfast and meet up with us later), also at QS one of us usually takes yds to find a seat while the other 2 go get the food, and since the MDE app is in my name and on my phone it makes more sense to have the QS tied to me for mobile ordering purposes. My only concern is making sure to keep it all straight once we're there and there's a million things going on all around us.

 

[Rich M]

We did this in December and it worked great. We loved being able to get the different apps and desserts and sharing and tasting everything that was offered.