Regular Dining vs Deluxe Dining

[lauren_elizabeth]

Would you do the deluxe dining plan with a 6 year old and a 2.5 year old? (With the possibility of a 5/6 month old)

Or would it be best to just stick to the regular dining plan?

I like the idea of having EVERY meal covered before hand, plus I'm considering doing plenty of character meal breakfasts and then regular table service dinners.

What do you think?

 

[loricdietzel]

A little background is needed. Have you and/or the kids been to DW before? How do the children behave in restaurant settings? Are they complete angels properly behaved through the whole meal? How long are you going for? Will this be your only trip to WDW?

My initial reaction is that it would be too much with young children to do the DxDP and stick with the regular dining plan. I know my children (4 and almost 2) could NOT handle that many table services and it would be way too disruptive to our trip as the whole trip would then be focused around food.

 

[Bell30012]

I've always felt that the DxDP is too many credits and the DDP is too few. The DxDP is well worth it to me. We use it to do a few double credit meals.

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

i've always felt that the dxdp is too many credits and the ddp is too few. The dxdp is well worth it to me. We use it to do a few double credit meals.

this!

 

[EvilQueenT]

I usually only do the deluxe plan when we go on all adult trips but that's because we book all 2 credit dinners then use the remaining credits to book early lunches or the rare breakfast. We then use our snack credits usually for a breakfast type item or a snack or drink during the day (we're not big breakfast eaters). I find even this to be a lot of food so we never do 3 individual single credit sit down meals in a day plus that would take a lot of time. When I do a dining plan and travel with my granddaughter (now age 8) I tend to do the regular plan. She's fantastic about doing even a long sit down meal but it just isn't our focus so we do a 1 credit dinner and usually counter service the rest of the time which fits in fine on the regular plan. I've never done any of the dining plans with a child younger than 4.

 

[Bell30012]

I know many people don't do the breakfast when on the DxDP but we love some of the breakfasts. The Princess Storybook Breakfast at Akershus is a mandatory for us. We also really like the Lilo & Stitch breakfast at Poly and the Hollywood & Vine buffet.

We also like CRT and HHDR.

 

[kifuller4]

We did the DxDP last time we were there with DD 8 and 6. We went in late August and it was a nice break from the heat. Actually, once I got free dining for this trip, both girls (now 8 and 10) asked if we could upgrade from the reg dining plan to the deluxe. We are doing a few different 2 credit meals but if you are worried about the kids getting cranky from all the walking and the heat, it might be the needed break.

 

[canopynut66]

Would you do the deluxe dining plan with a 6 year old and a 2.5 year old? (With the possibility of a 5/6 month old)

Or would it be best to just stick to the regular dining plan?

I like the idea of having EVERY meal covered before hand, plus I'm considering doing plenty of character meal breakfasts and then regular table service dinners.

What do you think?

we have tried all three at one time or other and QS is good but we like to eat a little better and like steak and sea food so we like the MTWD plan with 1 TS 1 QS we had the deluxe once and we are big eaters but that was way to much food for us. and we did a character breakfast a day and did all dinner shows as that took 2 TS each and some signatures as we will get coffee and maybe buy a box of rolls (or use snack credit) for breakfast on off days and then have later dinner. you would only have to buy for the 6 year old and adults.

 

[Singinglizzie]

How are your kids are in a restaurant setting? Each sit down meals take a bit of time (1.5 hours) so you need to decide if this will be a welcome break or not. You can however use your TS credits (on DDxP) for counter service meals too - so you are not locked in to only TS meals, but TS give you a better value. If you go this way, I would suggest using your credits for the 2 TS credit dinner shows like the hoop de do review and the Polynesian's Luau. Also Cinderella's castle (although not a show) would be a great character opportunity and costs 2 TS credits. You can plan to use your credits for a late "breakfast" (10:00 am),snack credits for lunch, then early dinner around 5 -6 with 2 TS, or use your snack credits for breakfast, a 1 TS lunch, then a 2TS dinner, so that you only wind up eating at 2 sit down meals per day. Trust me it will be plenty to eat. After 5 days on dinning, my kids didn't want to eat and they are good eaters Your kids are also under 10 years of age, so it's much cheaper to have them on the deluxe plan now. Just make sure to look at the children's menu at the restaurants you select, since many of them have a similiar menu, and some kids tire of chicken nuggets and mac n cheese. I'd say go for it, just dont over schedule yourself with 3 meals a day.

 

[DsnyMama]

Yep! I'd do it no question. We booked DxDDP again for our next trip and the kids will be 4 and 2.5!! I love the DxDDP - for us, it's necessity

 

[tracey1302]

I have a question to add to this if some seasoned DDP person could help me with it?

Does the Deluxe Dining Plan give you freedom to go to, in effect, as many signature restaurants as you want?

Typically, we would like to do:

Snack breakfast
Counter service lunch
Signature meal

Can you effectively save a TS credit from breakfast doing it this way so you can, in effect, eat Signature every night, or have we misread things?

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Thanks for all of the advice and responses!

We have done Disney World plenty of times, but this will be our first trip as a family of 4 (maybe even 5! ) so I want to do it right. Plus, we'll be there on my son's 6th birthday, too.

I would love to do a couple of the dinner shows (like the Luau and Hoop De Do), do plenty of the character breakfasts/lunches and then our favorite dinners.

I know that I have PLENTY of time to think about it, but it's so fun to start planning!

 

[Bell30012]

We did the DxDP when my daughter was 7 and her sister was 2. Because we were on DxDP, I was able to make our meals sit down times for the 2-year-old. We did do naps at the resort. Another real advantage of the DxDP is that the Character Meals are the absolute best places to meet the characters. They come to you while the kids are eating. No lines!

 

[DsnyMama]

I have a question to add to this if some seasoned DDP person could help me with it?

Does the Deluxe Dining Plan give you freedom to go to, in effect, as many signature restaurants as you want?

Typically, we would like to do:

Snack breakfast
Counter service lunch
Signature meal

Can you effectively save a TS credit from breakfast doing it this way so you can, in effect, eat Signature every night, or have we misread things?

You are correct! We did this on our honeymoon in 2008 on the DxDDP. We ate breakfast in our room or used a snack credit, then had either a CS or TS lunch and ate at a signature each night! It was wonderful!

 

[havoc315]

I have a question to add to this if some seasoned DDP person could help me with it?

Does the Deluxe Dining Plan give you freedom to go to, in effect, as many signature restaurants as you want?

Typically, we would like to do:

Snack breakfast
Counter service lunch
Signature meal

Can you effectively save a TS credit from breakfast doing it this way so you can, in effect, eat Signature every night, or have we misread things?

Absolutely, yes! With a very big caveat --- with the 2013 pricing, it would probably be cheaper to just pay oop if you choose to eat that way--
Snack breakfast, about $5
CS lunch - $10-17
Signature dinner -- $50-70

Total oop-- $65-$92 range. Cost of DxDP per night -- $99.99

The DxDP is no longer financially worthwhile if you use credits for CS. Even using 3 credits for TS per night, it could get cut close.

 

[snuggly duckling]

Another real advantage of the DxDP is that the Character Meals are the absolute best places to meet the characters. They come to you while the kids are eating. No lines!

This! Two birds with one stone. You need to eat; you want to meet characters. With lots of table service everyone gets a break to sit down, and you don't waste valuable park time waiting to meet characters. Plus while you are sitting and eating you can determine your next plan of attack... in air conditioning.

 

[Bell30012]

This! Two birds with one stone. You need to eat; you want to meet characters. With lots of table service everyone gets a break to sit down, and you don't waste valuable park time waiting to meet characters. Plus while you are sitting and eating you can determine your next plan of attack... in air conditioning.

AMEN! Plus with buffets I can satisfy each little girl with their widely varying tastes in food...