So Confused. Maybe a DP Veteran can help me.

[bobbiekins]

Good Day
I will try to include as much info as possible before asking my question My MIL is taking me and my two daughters, age 12 and 11 to a once in a lifetime trip to WDW. She will be paying for everything but I am a little uncomfortable about her spending lots of money on the food even though she has assured me it is okay. I have been researching the deluxe dining plan and I am wondering if this would be a good option for us. Here are the restaurants we have reservations for:
Via Napoli- Dinner
Cinderalla Royal Table-Breakfast
The Crystal Palace-Dinner
Whispering Canyon- Breakfast
Liberty Tree- Dinner
Sci-Fi Diner-- :unch
Hollywood and Vine-- Dinner
Hollywood Derby-- Lunch

We left some dinners and lunches free while we browse the menus or maybe just want to eat Table service. We are staying 6 nights so three meals a day can get expensive.

So, would the Deluxe Dining plan be a good option or would we save money by winging it? Also, is the restaurants I mentioned included and also I think I saw that you had to be staying at a resort. Is this an onsite resort? We are staying at an off site resort I believe. It is called Orange Lake and my MIL owns a time share there.

I hope I haven't confused anyone and that someone can help me


Bobbie

 

[Nadjalu]

If you are staying offsite you are cannot purchase a dining plan. Sorry.

You may want to plan on eating breakfast before heading to the parks, that would be cheaper than eating when you get there.

Depending on how your family vacations and eats, you might be able to split some counter service meals (those can save you money as well). Some CS places serve pretty good portions.

Buffets are another way to have a good meal. If you only want to eat 1 meal at a park (or resort) you can do it in the middle of the day and snack before and after. This too can be less expensive.

My advice is check out the menus and the pricing and plan accordingly. Have fun!

 

[Melanie B]

If you are staying offsite you are not eligible for the dining plan.

 

[stcav2000]

You can not get the dining plan when staying off site, but I have stayed at Orange Lake twice and we LOVED it! There are also a few good restaurants at the resort that are cheaper then Disney. We usually would make breakfast at the resort, have a nice lunch at Disney and eat dinner either at the resort or one of the other restaurants off site.

 

[bobbiekins]

Thanks for the help I have scratched the DDP from our list. I am glad I asked, lol. It never hurts to ask @Stcav: I am very excited to see Orange Lake. I have seen it mentioned on a couple of forums and everyone seems to love it.

Thanks again everyone for the help

 

[bobbiekins]

I was actually looking at the buffets last night and they seem really good. My daughter is 11 and she doesn't eat a big meal because she has a stomach disorder and I wish we could order off the childrens menu for her or I could share a plate with her. I am not sure how that works Thanks again for the advice

If you are staying offsite you are cannot purchase a dining plan. Sorry.

You may want to plan on eating breakfast before heading to the parks, that would be cheaper than eating when you get there.

Depending on how your family vacations and eats, you might be able to split some counter service meals (those can save you money as well). Some CS places serve pretty good portions.

Buffets are another way to have a good meal. If you only want to eat 1 meal at a park (or resort) you can do it in the middle of the day and snack before and after. This too can be less expensive.

My advice is check out the menus and the pricing and plan accordingly. Have fun!

 

[shewill]

I often split plates with my tiny size 0 daughter. We order appetizers for the table and split entrees. Look at the pictures posted on the trip dining review. That lovely food porn will give you an idea of the portions. We tried to split an entree at Flying Fish and found we each had three bites. A good rule of thumb is fancier the place (and presentation) the smaller the portions.

 

[Cafeen]

I was actually looking at the buffets last night and they seem really good. My daughter is 11 and she doesn't eat a big meal because she has a stomach disorder and I wish we could order off the childrens menu for her or I could share a plate with her. I am not sure how that works Thanks again for the advice

For buffets (or Family Style), each person will be charged the price of the meal according to their age, no matter how much (or little) they eat. There is no ordering off a children's menu here.

At non-buffets, your 11 year old should be able to order from the Kid's menu if she desires. Your mileage may vary on this however, as some times servers do not allow it (It's rare, but it happens). At the non-buffets you should also be able to share just fine (except Beaches and Cream). They really only disallow sharing (other than the aforementioned B&C) when a DDP person wants to share with a non-DDP person.

Other options (especially since you're paying out of pocket) may include ordering Appetizers or other starters for her as her Entree. This would offer a smaller (and cheaper!) meal for her while still offering the larger variety if that's something you're both interested in.

 

[gigi1313]

At the non-buffets you should also be able to share just fine (except Beaches and Cream).

why/since when no sharing at B&C? we never had a problem...

 

[CathieArms]

I believe you have to stay on-site to participate in the dining plan.

When we were there last July, we decide that we'd have saved at least a little bit of money if we'd done the dining plan. Whether we'd have saved money doing the Deluxe Dining plan is negotiable. Probably not, only because we wouldn't have ordered appetizers and desserts, but certainly we'd have saved money if we'd done the basic dining plan.

 

[TDC Nala]

Not only must you stay onsite to get a dining plan, you must stay at a resort operated by Disney. (Swan/Dolphin and Shades of Green are onsite, but they're not eligible)

Several reports on this board indicated that Beaches & Cream would not allow persons on the dining plan to share entrees. Of course that may not still be the case or every server may not follow it. The indications were that if you were OOP it was allowed - it only applied to the dining plan.

 

[bobbiekins]

Wow such great tips Thank you so much! I am so glad I can come on here and ask questions and not feel like an idiot, lol. I think the dining Plan would have been nice because of the apps and desserts being included which would mean more food to try. But I am sure we will eat more then enough food