Too many decisions! Pls Help!

[tara32]

I am a frugal momma who is used to cutting corners and getting a "good deaL" when traveling.
I had in my head that we were going to WDW Nov 29 until Dec 5, staying at POFQ with the Free DDP. Buying length of stay passes w/o park hopper or any other options.

Now.... I called to firm my flight today and it turns out I can only get back on Dec 7. Thats an extra 2 days, which I'm really struggling with mentally. Now I'm second guessing all my other decisions that might be "frivolous".

- I am an airline employee and qualify for 50% off rack for room. My biggest struggle is wondering if I should take the room disc. instead and then do QDP instead of DDP. (we are 2 adults, one child, one infant). Normally, we are a CS family, not much into frou-frou or TS> Normally, we "Cheap out at restaurants. However, with the DDP its like getting "permission" to do a couple character meals, Le Cellier, and snacks. If we got the QDP then there would be very little OOP , no character meals. I would also save money on tips, and get the refillable mugs for free. I am struggling with this a lot as it almost feels I'm doing something wrong by not going with the QDP. Do you think it would save a lot of money? What would you do?

Also thought of potentially splitting our stay to chng DP's but I just think that would be a PITA for several reasons..so am nixing that plan.

Please help!!

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

I see nothing wrong with your switch to QSDP. You have to do what you can to make the trip, and this is the least painful. Look at the bright side, you can be in and out in 30 minutes, versus a minimum hour for every TS meal.

You could visit Pepper Market a couple time at CS resort. It is fairly close to TS, for a CS credit.

 

[Perditamarie]

Well, first do the math and see which is the biggest savings. Also, even tho you qualify for a discount, it doesn't mean the discount is available for your discount category, resort and dates...check that out if your math works out. However, the free dining may be the better discount....your discount would have to be better than about $91 a day.

There is also value in the DDP if restaurant dining it is a treat you normally don't indulge -- it is especially fun at Disney w/ the character meals and themed restaurants. Keep in mind the reg dining plan is $10 more than QDP and may provide a better value to eat at restaurants for "only" 10 more - I would estimate tips around $12 or so for buffet dining. I think the DDP is a better value than the QDP if you are paying for it -- also keep in mind, your tix for extra days will be a bargain!

 

[Darcy03231]

I would try to keep the DDP if you can. There's nothing like a child's face when they see the characters coming up to them! While you might spend an hour to an hour and a half at a table service dinner, it sure beats waiting in line to see the characters. On our last trip we did Chef Mickeys, Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare and the Askerhaus Princess breakfast. As a result we only waited in line to see one character when we were there - Princess Ariel in her grotto (she wasn't at the princess breakfast).

 

[asoko]

I think it depends on your family. My kids were afraid of the plush characters, so they really didn't care about meeting them. Parades and shows were good enough for them. If your kids love the characters and are not afraid, TS is an easy way to meet them. If you don't mind waiting in some lines or telling your kids "maybe next time", you can find the characters all over the parks.

Regarding budget, you'll have to do the math. We've been enough to know TS is not a must for us. I look at menus and see what everybody would eat and estimate what it would cost. If it is more than the $78 (2 adult, 2 kids)we would pay for QSDP, I would get QSDP.

To be honest, I was planning our trip to do everything OOP as kids and I are light eaters, I can easily keep the cost down to under cost of even QSDP.