Thinking about deluxe

[Lovetherodent]

I usually get the ddp. I build a spreadsheet as soon as I get home and usually come out ahead, although I admit without it, I'd eat fewer snacks and share desserts. I'd say it'd say it's probably a break even proposition for me. However, on my next trip, I was thinking I would really like to dine at a number of signatures, Narcoosse's, FF, Tiffins and wondered if the DxDP might not be the way to go.

I know on the regular DDP, I appreciate NOT getting heart failure every time I have to pay for dinner! That'd be a real plus on the deluxe when the bill came from a signature. Do any of you use the plan for CS at lunch and signatures for dinner? I just don't think I could handle all the food at two sit downs a day (we'd do the early lunch/late dinner thing).

 

[sharonabe]

Let's do the numbers. The adult plan is right at $116 per night. Take $10 off for the two snacks. Divide the $106 by 3 (meal credits) and you need to "spend" about $35 per meal credit just to break even. Spending $70 at a signature is pretty easy, especially with an app and alcoholic drink. BUT spending $35 at a QS for lunch where all you get is the entree and drink (even with DxDDP) is pretty much impossible, and you're going to start losing money pretty quickly. If there are Disney kids in the mix, then the math gets a little better for doing a QS, but it will depend on the break down of your party.

Why not look at the current menus of the Signatures you want to do and choose what you want to eat. Do you WANT an app, entree, dessert, and drink at every meal? Would you be HAPPY sharing an app and/or dessert among your family? Will you drink alcohol at every meal? Then do the math. You might be better off paying OOP.

 

[bphilb]

It’s fun but you really need to use a signiture meal everyday. It’s also important to spread the meals out. I don't like to use dining credits on breakfast so we usually do an early lunch with a late dinner. There are a lot of great appatizers and we like to try new things and with this much food you can get something that if don’t like you don’t go hungry. I don’t know if you really save any money, but we have done the deluxe plan twice and it really made for a memorable trip.

 

[lilpiglet97]

My DD and I are here now and have the DxDP for our 1st 4 nights of our trip. We have Narcoossee's, The Yachtsman, Flying Fish, and Le Cellier as 2 credit restaurants. Chef's d'France, 50's Prime Time, Coral Reef, and Tony's Town Square as our lunches. Plus 16 snack credits total! Lots of food, but it's been fun dressing up to go to dinner and bring back left over food/and or desserts. So worth it if you do signature restaurants otherwise there is too much sit downs and not enough time for resort/park time.

 

[jillt2ph]

This is a situation where I love having multiple contracts. Just got back from a 4 night stay. First night was using a different contact from the other 3 so we added one day deluxe plan. Used it for Storybook Dinner the first night ($55+$11.50 for drink) and Cali Grill the second night ($21 app, $54 entree, $12 drink and $7 dessert). For me, I have found that 3 days is the max for me to do dlx plan. And I tend to make the first meal of the day a character breakfast with dinner around 6 in order to space out the food, lol.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have done DxDP the last two years and it was great. We were able to eat at lots of signatures and dinner shows. I absolutely would have heart failure if I had to pay the bill at California Grill. I love the prepaid aspect of it. It totally works for DH and I.

 

[lilpiglet97]

DD15 and I are in the middle of a split stay now. 1-19 - 1-23 we had the DxDP...4 nights worth. We ate at Narcoossee's, Yachtsman, Flying Fish, and Le Cellier for our signiture 2 credit dinners. Lunches were Chef's D France, 50's Primetime Cafe, Coral Reef, and Tony's Townsquare. It was alot of food. Most nights we ended up boxing up either leftover dinner and/or dessert. I wouldn't do the DxDP for more than 3-4 nights. We now have delicious filet mignon and desserts to snack on paired with our CL offerings at the BWI.


ETA - for the 4 nights of the DxDP I came out almost $700 ahead even with my AP discount.

 

[sanapp]

I love the Deluxe plan. I am doing a solo trip in 9 days with deluxe. I like to have a Signature dinner every night and I usually do an early TS lunch. To me dining at a slower pace is part of the vacation and I really just don't enjoy the QS places. I am actually doing 2 Signature one of my days. I am doing Cali Brunch and a late dinner at Monsieur Paul. Yes I will probably be stuffed, but I will be happy!!!!

 

[LeslieLou]

We are planning to do dxdp for 2 nights 3 days on a split stay in May. We are staying at the yacht club so my entire plan is to do a park in the am eat lunch plat at the pool ALL day and eat dinner, possibly going back to a park at night.

We have 2A and 2DA (boys 10 and 13). I’m planning to share 3 or 6 credits on almost every meal

We decided the plan will pay for us:
Drink cups $76

Sci fi $138
Apps $31
Lunch $65
Drinks $18
Dessert $24

Chefs de France $182
Apps $40
Dinner $87
Drinks $25
Dessert $30

Morimoto $171
Apps $36
Lunch $70
Drinks $32
Dessert $33

Yachtsman $269
Apps $46
Dinner $157
Dessert $36
Drinks $30


California Grill Brunch $240

Homecomin $187
Apps $40
Dinner $84
Dessert 33
Drinks $30

Snacks...$80

OOP. 10yo at brunch $50 -10%

Total $1343
Dxdp cost $930

*neither cost includes tip

I don’t think we could make this work substituting QS for lunch

 

[PADude]

Our last trip to WDW we used the deluxe dining plan, we usually ate at a signature dining restaurant at least 1x a day. It totally made the cost worth it in the end. We avoided many quick service locations for use of the credits.

 

[Nancyg56]

If you want to use a DxDDP I would book two ADR's per day. One late morning/early afternoon and one signature meal. I would avoid CS if possible.

The snacks will hold you over between the two meals if you start to get hungry.