staying on property, not doing the DDP. Is this more hassle than it's worth?!

[IUTBAM]

I haven't read through all the posts so I don't know if this line of thinking has been brought up...

I've been a SAHM for the last 19 years. I make breakfast for the kids every day, pack school lunches every day, and cook a hot dinner every night. I don't cook on vacation. No way, lol.

 

[eliza61]

I haven't read through all the posts so I don't know if this line of thinking has been brought up...

I've been a SAHM for the last 19 years. I make breakfast for the kids every day, pack school lunches every day, and cook a hot dinner every night. I don't cook on vacation. No way, lol.

LOL. I use to think this way but honestly I don't know why but when I do cook on vacation it just seems a lot easier. Maybe it's because unlike at home when I do cook it's usually very easy meals or maybe it's because when I cook at disney, the after dinner activities are a lot more fun. At home it's usually rush, rush to get homework done, get to practice or things like that while at disney it's more of a reward after dinner (another park).

Anyhoo, Op, you can also plan the days you'll cook. for example, for my family MK days are the worst for ts meals since we're not fond of the MK restaurants. So I plan on the MK days to have a lunch at the park and we know we'll be leaving for dinner. Now as disneysteve mentioned I plan on menus that have a lot more processed sauces and not so healthy fried stuff way more than I would at home but I've pretty much killed the nutrional thing after the first 12 mickey bars anyway.

Also the bcv's is a great location for easy breezing food. across the lake at the broadwalk you have a pizza window, the broadwalk bakery makes awesome sandwiches on croissants, stuff like that.

 

[disneysteve]

I make breakfast for the kids every day, pack school lunches every day, and cook a hot dinner every night. I don't cook on vacation. No way, lol.

I can respect that although I don't feel the same way. To me, standing in line to eat in a restaurant crowded with kids, sometimes so loud that we can barely have a conversation with each other just isn't how I want to relax after a busy day in the parks. Retreating to our rental home, relaxing on comfortable furniture and whipping up a simple dinner of grilled vegetables and pasta, fresh bread and maybe an adult beverage is much more vacation-like to us.

 

[CampbellScot]

I can respect that although I don't feel the same way. To me, standing in line to eat in a restaurant crowded with kids, sometimes so loud that we can barely have a conversation with each other just isn't how I want to relax after a busy day in the parks. Retreating to our rental home, relaxing on comfortable furniture and whipping up a simple dinner of grilled vegetables and pasta, fresh bread and maybe an adult beverage is much more vacation-like to us.

I too can totally understand a person not wanting to cook meals on vacation!! A work friend of mine and I just had that conversation. She does NOT cook dinner while on vacation. AT all. She doesn't microwave either. (She just had surprise triplets...added to her two girls and her husband's two kids. VERY BUSY lady!!!) My hubs and I are kind of different in that we both work ridiculously long hours and don't often get to cook a meal at home. He LOVES to cook. I do more baking although I make a mean PB&J!!! I think the husband would enjoy making dinner a few nights. I've gone Vegan over the last few years and that can make for challenging in park eating although I've found several vegan folks out there who do Disney Dining and eat well! You just have to know where to go and what to ask for!!

I was looking at the one bedroom Villas on Youtube and I am ASTONISHED at the size. I won't have murderous thoughts even ONCE in a unit with that much space!!!

 

[RN2disney]

I too can totally understand a person not wanting to cook meals on vacation!! A work friend of mine and I just had that conversation. She does NOT cook dinner while on vacation. AT all. She doesn't microwave either. (She just had surprise triplets...added to her two girls and her husband's two kids. VERY BUSY lady!!!) My hubs and I are kind of different in that we both work ridiculously long hours and don't often get to cook a meal at home. He LOVES to cook. I do more baking although I make a mean PB&J!!! I think the husband would enjoy making dinner a few nights. I've gone Vegan over the last few years and that can make for challenging in park eating although I've found several vegan folks out there who do Disney Dining and eat well! You just have to know where to go and what to ask for!!

I was looking at the one bedroom Villas on Youtube and I am ASTONISHED at the size. I won't have murderous thoughts even ONCE in a unit with that much space!!!

Do you still LOVE Diet Coke!! When I first found the Dis I loved your trip reports. Glad to hear from you again and I think you have to do another trip report! You have a lot of followers

 

[kirstenb1]

We've been DVCr's for a long time!! We eat breakfast in our room, hit counter service for a quick lunch, then eat dinner back at the room (or the park, we're flexible on this).

A typical day for us would be, hit the parks at opening time. Stop for a quick lunch, then go back to the room for a couple of hours in the late afternoon to hit the pool, a nap, whatever. Sometimes we go back to the parks after dinner, sometimes not.

I don't mind cooking on vacation, but what we do isn't even really cooking. I pick up all the fixings for tacos. All that really needs doing is frying up the meat, and dicing some tomatoes. I use shredded lettuce and cheese, so no work there.

Then, I use shredded lettuce, the cheese and tomatoes, buy some sub rolls, and deli meat, and there's another easy dinner. We pick up a couple of pizzas one night. The last night we're there, I call, "clean out the fridge night". It all works out very affordably, and I don't have to worry about ADR's, restless children, etc.

 

[BLLB]

We've been DVCr's for a long time!! We eat breakfast in our room, hit counter service for a quick lunch, then eat dinner back at the room (or the park, we're flexible on this).

A typical day for us would be, hit the parks at opening time. Stop for a quick lunch, then go back to the room for a couple of hours in the late afternoon to hit the pool, a nap, whatever. Sometimes we go back to the parks after dinner, sometimes not.

I don't mind cooking on vacation, but what we do isn't even really cooking. I pick up all the fixings for tacos. All that really needs doing is frying up the meat, and dicing some tomatoes. I use shredded lettuce and cheese, so no work there.

Then, I use shredded lettuce, the cheese and tomatoes, buy some sub rolls, and deli meat, and there's another easy dinner. We pick up a couple of pizzas one night. The last night we're there, I call, "clean out the fridge night". It all works out very affordably, and I don't have to worry about ADR's, restless children, etc.

This is what we have been doing for several years. I don't mind the quick meals fixed in the villas, sure seems to save lots of money.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

My husband does most of our vacay cooking, so it works for us. I agree about keeping it simple. I like the Mccormick recipe inspirations. I don't follow the recipes exactly, but you get the little premeasured spices so its fairly handy when travelling.

 

[Muushka]

....snip


The OP states it's a one bedroom villa so she will have a full kitchen.

Oh my goodness. I went back and read the original post and I STILL don't see where it says a 1 BR! Yikes.
I see it later on though.

So what do you think? I need glasses? Remedial reading course??

There it is!! At the end!! Probably just need to read entire posts verrrry carefully......

 

[Friendly Frog]

Back when I stayed in off site condos I would do breakfast and dinner in the unit. Not so much to save money, we just got sick of the same ol food every day!

I found most of the time I was too tired to cook when I got back to the room, so we did a lot of heat and serve style meals.

Our favorite easy meal Italian night. A bag of Cesar salad mix, one package the large size frozen shells with ricotta cheese inside and a jar of pasta sauce.

Dump frozen pasta in a dish with the jar of sauce dumped on top. Let bake while you take your shower. When you get out of the shower, put in some "oven toast or garlic bread" . Add the cesar salad and bottled dressing. Makes for a super fast, super easy meal.

Might not win any culinary awards but we actually enjoy this and it doesn't get any easier.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I find the DDP to be a hassle. You have to research where your family would like to eat, make a reservation and then structure your vacation around your dinning reservations. We are better off eating where ever when ever plan. If we are not that hungry and we have a car then we go offsite and grab a quick cheaper bit to eat.
I like being in control and not feel that I must stick to a dinning plan schedule.

 

[disneysteve]

Our favorite easy meal Italian night. A bag of Cesar salad mix, one package the large size frozen shells with ricotta cheese inside and a jar of pasta sauce.

Might not win any culinary awards but we actually enjoy this and it doesn't get any easier.

That's just the kind of meal I was talking about. Yes, it uses processed stuff and convenience foods that we wouldn't normally buy at home but it is fast and easy and way cheaper than a restaurant. Plus it gives us a chance to unwind, kick off our shoes and relax for a bit.

 

[iheartpeterpan]

We never do the DDP. We always find that we save money buying with a %off room discount and buying meals OOP. My DD and I share almost every meal (only ones we don't are buffets) because Disney gives you sooo much food. We have Garden Grocer deliver breakfast item/evening snacks to our room and get a case of water from Staples. We save tons this way.

 

[bpesch]

I think it's long been proven that the DDP is only a good deal if you get it free. And then you have to weigh all the options before making a decision.

 

[Joan S.]

Hi, With the ages of your children and being that you are going in the HOT summer,I would think that you would want to do rope drop and then come back to the BC and spend time poolside! They have games everyday at the BC pool and plenty of kids around to make friends with.There is Hurricane Hannah's for lunch and snacks or pack your own and bring it down to the pool.I sometimes take my own BEVERAGE down to the pool,in my RESORT mug of course. There is also Beaches and Cream right there for ice cream to go or take a break and eat inside. The BC is the most relaxing resort IMHO,my family and I have spent many happy summer days there! Joan

 

[Pakey]

I'm a long time DVC owner, BCV is my home resort. I'm also not a fan of any of the dining plans because we are not hearty eaters plus we rarely eat dessert.

We find eating in our villa to be a lot more convenient than having to plan our days around table service ADRs.

 

[CampbellScot]

Do you still LOVE Diet Coke!! When I first found the Dis I loved your trip reports. Glad to hear from you again and I think you have to do another trip report! You have a lot of followers

Oh yes...I am still on the Diet Coke!! People are ON me all the time about how poisonous it is. It keeps migraines away and that's all I care about!!

I really appreciate the kind words! I might just write a trip report for this trip. I have some time after we get back before school starts up and I'm get crazy busy again!! Last summer, oh lordy...Miss Sally is no longer a baby. She is a teen as of April and Moody Judy has NOTHING on SallyRally. Teddy is going to be 10!! I don't know where the time has gone but these kids have gone grown up on me!

OH..and last night the hubs says to me "Well, what if we got two rooms at a mod or a value...wouldn't that be cheaper?" WHAT?! You wave Beach Club and Boardwalk Villas in my face then try to yank me backwards?!

I'm sure he's right. Even renting DVC points, if you break it down by night, it's still REALLY pricey when you compare it to two values or even two mods.

But I say, you can't put a price on RELAXATION! right? Curse my husband's spendthrift ways!!!

 

[barbnbrian]

I'll be staying at BLT in 3 wks in a studio. I don't want to spend the money on the DDP, but I'm not sure about dinners in a studio (microwave and toaster only). Any dinner suggestions for 2 adults staying in a studio unit?

 

[hsmamato2]

well, we stay onsite a LOT and have done DDP once (free) I think DDP is fun, but way overpriced!
We tend to mostly stay in a studio at minimum, and have no problem with simple breakfasts in the room,which saves a bundle.
We usually find good cs places on property to eat,(Epcot, CS at WDW hotels like Contemperary, Earl of Sandwich)
maybe a TS or 2, but it's pricey...
Another option- go to Allears.net and read the menus and pricing. Plan what your fam will eat,and price it out. Usually you'll find it's cheaper to pay your own money as you go,than a DDP,even eating at the same restaurants.
Why? b/c you are paying for sodas,excess desserts(that no one seems to eat) etc etc.
For instance, on DDP at Pecos Bills, we each got a large combo burger meal with fries and BIG sodas,and desserts. Ugh- we ended up wasting most of it.
Paying ourselves, we order 1 Burger meal(large) share the soda(as big as a bathtub),plus 3 burgers,no extra fries.
Cost is WAY less than all that extra food, and not much left uneaten.
So no,it's not a big hassle it's wonderful, and the kitchen is a great option for breakfast,snacks,and maybe a dinner or two....

 

[Taja]

Oh yes...I am still on the Diet Coke!! People are ON me all the time about how poisonous it is. It keeps migraines away and that's all I care about!!

I really appreciate the kind words! I might just write a trip report for this trip. I have some time after we get back before school starts up and I'm get crazy busy again!! Last summer, oh lordy...Miss Sally is no longer a baby. She is a teen as of April and Moody Judy has NOTHING on SallyRally. Teddy is going to be 10!! I don't know where the time has gone but these kids have gone grown up on me!

OH..and last night the hubs says to me "Well, what if we got two rooms at a mod or a value...wouldn't that be cheaper?" WHAT?! You wave Beach Club and Boardwalk Villas in my face then try to yank me backwards?!

I'm sure he's right. Even renting DVC points, if you break it down by night, it's still REALLY pricey when you compare it to two values or even two mods.

But I say, you can't put a price on RELAXATION! right? Curse my husband's spendthrift ways!!!

Tell your DH that back-pedaling on WDW resorts is not allowed! *LOL*

Your DSD and DSS are the perfect age to enjoy Storm-Along-Bay at BC/YC. And the quiet pools are nice for a leisurely swim and just relaxing. Just be aware that SAB can close during storms if lightning is a threat. Realistically, all of the pools should, but SAB definitely does! It will reopen as soon as the threat of lightning passes.

Two rooms at a value or moderate resort would work, but the 1 bedroom BCV would be more comfortable for the family.