Quick Service or Waiter Service DDP - what do I choose

[MichelinMan]

Just pricing up our Summer 2012 WDW holiday next year. We can get free DDP at Disney, but I'm not sure what class of hotel to go for.

I would really like to stay at AKL, especially as that comes with waiter service DDP. The alternative would be POFQ (which would be grand cheaper, so attractive price-wise), but that only has quick service DDP.

I've never done DDP before, and just wondered what peoples opinions are of the two plans - is the waiter service plan worth the extra money? If I went with the QSDDP, would I find myself shelling out extra to eat at some of the table service restaurants anyway? Or are there plenty of decent QS places so it won't be an issue?

I suppose a bit of a compromise would be to book the POFQ and then pay the bit extra (£300) for the table service dining plan, but is it worth it?

 

[disneyholic family]

look at the pricing for the Old Key West resort and also for the Saratoga Springs resort

they're both heavily discounted and so the price with free dining comes out at not much more than POFQ, but they're both deluxe resorts.


staying at OKW or SSR for free dining, when they're discounted is a fantastic bargain.

but that's assuming they still have studios left. they might be sold out for the summer. Play with your dates to see.

 

[dixonsontour]

Personally I would hate to go 2 weeks without a proper sit down meal. Eating is a big part of the hols for me.

There are some great sit down meal options at disney and if you are interseted in character meals, character meals are inclded on ddp.

I think if you are going to pay for a few meals it will be cheaper to stay at OKW or SSR studio with free ddp.

Have you priced with complete orlando - they were cheaper than disney for me next October.

 

[MichelinMan]

Hadn't thought about OKW - they have a good price on Complete Orlando (£1638 for 14 nights - just £100 more than POFQ) so that is a good shout. I will go and read up on OKW now (as I don't know much about that resort) to see whether I think it will appeal to my family (DS loves swimming on holiday, so a good pool is a must I'm afraid).

I have been pricing up using both Complete Orlando and the Disney site - interestingly, Disney was cheaper when I was pricing POP and AKL (although I have now discounted POP, because the free DDP makes moderate resorts cheaper in total).

 

[dixonsontour]

We loved OKW and have booked again for 2012.

Main pool had a water slide like a sandcastle.

We were turtle pond pool area - this was a lovely sized pool, newly refurbished. There was also a snack bar to get your resort mugs refilled at.

We were literally a few steps from this pool - DD swam every day. Only went to the main pool once.

 

[skelfbsfb]

We actually paid for DDP this year as we like to eat in sit down resturants. Just remember to factor in the 18% tip that you pay as well. This all adds up.

 

[disneyholic family]

OKW is far superior to POR and POFQ, which are only moderate resorts..

in the OKW, you'll get a little kitchenette in your room!
definitely a nice to have..

and the room is bigger than the moderates..

 

[starrysky]

We are going to OKW this year and to try out the DDP. Last two years we have done the QSP and loved it. I always thought I would not be one for the DDP but the offer of a better room etc at OKW was too good to pass up.
On top of that we have been enough times to know we would like to eat at and pay oop was getting more expensive for the sit down places. So this year its ADRs every day.

To be honest it all depends on how much time you are willing to give up on your trip to have the sit down meals. Most of ours are at the resorts rather than the parks so we have to factor in the time for getting to those as well as the times for the meals. If you feel you can factor this in then the DDP offer might be better than the QSP.

We always found plenty of places to choose from for meals and it was not all burgers. In fact I think I had two in the 14 days we were there.

 

[MichelinMan]

Just looked at OKW and Saratoga Springs - not sure about OKW. We like to have a good breakfast in the morning, but Olivias is table service, so would take up our table service meal on the DDP - not a good use of the DDP I think.

Saratoga Springs seems to have more eating options. Have they finished the new pool area yet? If so, what is it like?

 

[disneyholic family]

how many people in your group? 2? more?

the DDP isn't really built to have 3 full meals a day...

we typically eat breakfast in our room and use the meal credits for lunch and dinner..

keep in mind that the regular dining plan comes with 1 quick service and 1 table service credit each per person.....plus one snack credit..

so really that's only two meals a day..

if you like eating big meals 3 times a day, perhaps you'd be best off with the deluxe dining plan...

i think if you get the free dining plan at OKW or SSR, you can add on to get the deluxe dining plan....

 

[mackay_j]

we had the same thoughts, but as SSR has only 1 bed and a fold down bed-settee, we decided that 14 nights sleeping on a fold down would be too uncomfy for our 2 DD (but they are adult sized) so booked OKW and will either eat breakfast at the parks, or as its a studio make, some before we go out.

 

[mackay_j]

how many people in your group? 2? more?

the DDP isn't really built to have 3 full meals a day...

we typically eat breakfast in our room and use the meal credits for lunch and dinner..

keep in mind that the regular dining plan comes with 1 quick service and 1 table service credit each per person.....plus one snack credit..

so really that's only two meals a day..

if you like eating big meals 3 times a day, perhaps you'd be best off with the deluxe dining plan...


i think if you get the free dining plan at OKW or SSR, you can add on to get the deluxe dining plan....

We could never manage 2 full meals a day both with pudings for 14 days- we would be ill and were are quite good eaters, so as there is 4 of us we plan to use mainly use 2 QS credits to spilt 2 breakfasts- top up with snack credits if we need to, between us and then do the same for lunch. Other days we will make breakfast and have a very late QS lunch then a light snack when we get back to studio. that will give us 2 TS for sig dinning on another day. This way we won't get to the stage of being sick of food and not really enjoying our TS meals.

 

[MichelinMan]

On holiday we tend to eat a big breakfast and a big evening meal - not much for lunch (sometimes a snack), so the DDP is ideal for us. But I wouldn't want to waste a TS DDP for breakfast.

The overall resort at SSR looks better to me (especially once they complete the new pool revovations) but the only thing putting me off is the sofa-bed for DS. He is only 7 years old, however, and seems to love sleeping in sofabeds and mattresses on floors on holiday - I suppose the novelty factor at play!

I might just bite the bullet and splash out on AKL anyway - and just lie to the wife how much it all costs!

A quick question about DDP though - can you use a QSDDP credit at a table service restaurant, and pay the extra? Or use 2 credits perhaps? I know at DLP you can use meal vouchers at face value and pay the difference, and wondered if something similar operated at WDW?

 

[darthtatty]

Just pricing up our Summer 2012 WDW holiday next year. We can get free DDP at Disney, but I'm not sure what class of hotel to go for.

I would really like to stay at AKL, especially as that comes with waiter service DDP. The alternative would be POFQ (which would be grand cheaper, so attractive price-wise), but that only has quick service DDP.

I've never done DDP before, and just wondered what peoples opinions are of the two plans - is the waiter service plan worth the extra money? If I went with the QSDDP, would I find myself shelling out extra to eat at some of the table service restaurants anyway? Or are there plenty of decent QS places so it won't be an issue?

I suppose a bit of a compromise would be to book the POFQ and then pay the bit extra (£300) for the table service dining plan, but is it worth it?

you only mention 2 dining plans-counter or waiter.
do you know there are actually 3 dining plans?

quick service-2 counter meals, snack,refillable mug
basic-1 counter, 1 table, snack, refillable mug
deluxe-3 counter/table, snack, refillable mug

there are plenty of nice counter restaurants at each park-so you dont always have to have burgers/chicken nuggets etc.
personally I would upgrade and enjoy some of the fab restaurants Disney has to offer-look on the restaurant board for the dining reviews
you can eat at some of the 'fancier' restaurants that take 2 table service credits, so you dont have to eat at a table restaurant every day. although I enjoy the nice break.
just remember to calculte tips into your budget (when using table restaurants)-everyone forgets about this extra cost.

 

[Melcatfish]

We loved OKW and had the regular DDP with 1 TS 1 CS & 1 snack per day. I guess it depends how you approach the trip, we kept some snack breakfast items in the apartment so we had something to have before we went out but then usually used a counter service to get breakfast in the park. We did use a table service credit at breakfast to do some character breakfasts - we had two young children with us who love the characters but weren't big enough to want to queue up for them so we used TS credits to do character dining at Chef Mickeys (dinner) Crystal Palace with Pooh & friends (breakfast) and Princess lunch in Norway at Epcot.

Would definitely recommend OKW or Saratoga as being worth a lot more than a moderate because of the space you get.

Mel
x

 

[micksn]

We have stayed at AKL and POR and are staying at OKW next August. We upgraded to the DP from the QDP at POR because we enjoy some character meals and some sit down meals and buffets, we worked out that the upgrade was worth it. I would definitely go with OKW over POFQ if going with the full DP. AKL was a fabulous experience, but sadly out of our price reach, if I could afford it I would go there again, however we will definitely visit and enjoy a meal at Boma.

 

[MichelinMan]

you only mention 2 dining plans-counter or waiter.
do you know there are actually 3 dining plans?

quick service-2 counter meals, snack,refillable mug
basic-1 counter, 1 table, snack, refillable mug
deluxe-3 counter/table, snack, refillable mug

Yep, I know there is the deluxe, but like I said, we never really eat 3 meals a day, so not really worth looking at for us (especially when I'm trying to keep the costs down - not easy with the cost of flights nowadays - I'm hoping for a short term drop in the oil price - not long term, seeing as I work in the oil and gas industry , coupled with an improvement in the £/$ exchange rate!!).

 

[dixonsontour]

We did ddp at OKW.

What worked for us was a charcter breakfast then a QS dinner or eat in the room (you have a toaster, microwave, fridge, coffee pot) early QS lunch and TS dinner.

Using a QS for breakfast is not best bang for your buck.

If you look at the link in my signature you can see my dining report and lots of pics.

We opted for OKW over SSR due to the studio at OKW having 2 beds and tbh I prefer the theming.

 

[disneyholic family]

A quick question about DDP though - can you use a QSDDP credit at a table service restaurant, and pay the extra? Or use 2 credits perhaps? I know at DLP you can use meal vouchers at face value and pay the difference, and wondered if something similar operated at WDW?

no, you can't do that...
on the regular dining plan you can only use quick service for quick service ....they are not interchangeable on the regular dining plan...

 

[scottish mum]

if you really fancy staying at POR you could always pay to upgrade to the full DDP.