Too many?

[quakechicago]

1 & 1/2 hours for a meal??? We were pretty much totally done and/or visited by all the characters, and walking out the door in at most 30-45 minutes!

CP took on a really busy day a half hour? tops? including two of their "marches" -- one soon after we sat down and the other when the characters were done. Akershus took about 45 minutes at dinner (but only because they brought the wrong dinner to DH). At breakfast it was way closer to 30 minutes (& longer interactions too!). A 3 course meal we usually ask for the check after the entrees come out and no way could we finish all the desserts (but oh yes, I'll try it!)!

I think our longest was about an hour at H&V because we were waiting for Jake. (There was some problem behind the scenes I guess, a handler came out and reassured the (complaining) people next to us that he would be out and by our section as soon as possible.) DD said we could just see him next time so we ran to go catch our fastpasses at MK.

 

[ceccyboo]

Yeah my DH threw his hands up at my craziness when we went in Feb, but the great time we had from my planning spoke for itself. This trip I'm just booking most of it and keeping a few things non-character for him. He's totally fine though with the character meals because of how THRILLED our DD is by them. She's a really happy kid, but I've never, EVER seen her THAT happy! Think Christmas morning joy and wonder times a thousand and then include a room full of adorable puppies and kittens!

You'll be fine. We also ended up changing some things there because she wanted to do something again instead of something else. Just be flexible and have fun!

My OH has told me he doesn't want to hear anything about dining at all till we get there and he needs to know where we are eating that day lol
This is exactly how my youngest was last year! He's a really happy child but was pretty quiet...until we went to disney lol and then it was like a totally different kid! It really was like Christmas every day for my boys, wow was definitely the main word throughout the day.

I sometimes think I make character dining reservations for me more than the kids

I think we all revert back to kids at WDW! Your never too old for Disney!

At 3 and 4, our kids would have hated that much time sitting in restaurants. Figure 1 to 1 1/2 hours per meal and that's a lot of park time you are using up. If I were you I'd back up to the regular DDP (1 CS, 1 TS, snack) and if you find that you want to eat more than one TS per day, pay for it OOP. Breakfasts are not really a good value on any dining plan. Chances are you are going to waste a bunch of credits (thus lose a lot of money), but if you're ok with that, I think your choices are fine.

The reason we chose the DxDDP was based on our trip last year! We had CS meals for the entire holiday and spent a fortune! We knew nothing about dining plans till after we arrived, its not something travel agents here advertise. The DxDDp cost us less than what we spent on food last year so in our minds we have already saved and can have TS meals this time round!
Our kids will struggle to sit still but in my mind its good practice for sitting still at school lol

We have gone now for several years during free dining and last year we had 2 restaurants change thie menu the day before our actual reservation. My son is autistic and is very pickey eater and although I spent several hours researching menus it was in vain since they changed it on me to nothing he would eat at those restaurants.

Thank you so much for warning me on this! i will make sure to check the menus the day before so i can still cancel if need be.

We find that at WDW we eat later than we normally do at home, and our kids are fine with it. There is so much going on and so much to do, especially if you are planning to take a break away from the parks after lunch.

We usually take a break from the parks at lunch and go back to our resort to chill for a few hours, otherwise the kids fall asleep while eating dinner.
I have tried to make most dinners before 7 ish but there are a few half 8 ones too.

1 & 1/2 hours for a meal??? We were pretty much totally done and/or visited by all the characters, and walking out the door in at most 30-45 minutes!

CP took on a really busy day a half hour? tops? including two of their "marches" -- one soon after we sat down and the other when the characters were done. Akershus took about 45 minutes at dinner (but only because they brought the wrong dinner to DH). At breakfast it was way closer to 30 minutes (& longer interactions too!). A 3 course meal we usually ask for the check after the entrees come out and no way could we finish all the desserts (but oh yes, I'll try it!)!

I think our longest was about an hour at H&V because we were waiting for Jake. (There was some problem behind the scenes I guess, a handler came out and reassured the (complaining) people next to us that he would be out and by our section as soon as possible.) DD said we could just see him next time so we ran to go catch our fastpasses at MK.

I think to meet Jake my eldest would wait the entire two weeks lol hes so excited to meet all the characters! Meals always take us an extra half hour as my 4yo eats soooo slowly we are all usually finished before he's half way through.

 

[amym2]

1 & 1/2 hours for a meal??? We were pretty much totally done and/or visited by all the characters, and walking out the door in at most 30-45 minutes!

CP took on a really busy day a half hour? tops? including two of their "marches" -- one soon after we sat down and the other when the characters were done. Akershus took about 45 minutes at dinner (but only because they brought the wrong dinner to DH). At breakfast it was way closer to 30 minutes (& longer interactions too!). A 3 course meal we usually ask for the check after the entrees come out and no way could we finish all the desserts (but oh yes, I'll try it!)!

I think our longest was about an hour at H&V because we were waiting for Jake. (There was some problem behind the scenes I guess, a handler came out and reassured the (complaining) people next to us that he would be out and by our section as soon as possible.) DD said we could just see him next time so we ran to go catch our fastpasses at MK.

Yep, ours always take at least an hour. Depending on when you're going, it can sometimes take 15-20 min to get seated, even with an ADR. We usually have at least 6 people, so maybe that makes a difference. And my DD10 is a slow eater, so we're always finishing as she's starting. With the DxDDP you get an appetizer, entree, and dessert so that extends the meal as well. Buffets are usually quicker, although DS12 has a crazy appetite these days (and he's tiny) so I figure they'll take an hour.

 

[amym2]

The reason we chose the DxDDP was based on our trip last year! We had CS meals for the entire holiday and spent a fortune! We knew nothing about dining plans till after we arrived, its not something travel agents here advertise. The DxDDp cost us less than what we spent on food last year so in our minds we have already saved and can have TS meals this time round!
Our kids will struggle to sit still but in my mind its good practice for sitting still at school lol

Have you factored in the cost for tips? When using a dining plan, tips are not included and you will need to pay OOP for those. So if your DxDDP bill comes to $100, the cost of the meal is covered, but you will need to tip $15-20 OOP. Sounds like maybe you are coming from outside the US, in which case you may not be used to paying tips. Those tips really add up if you are eating multiple TS meals per day!

 

[quakechicago]

We have gone now for several years during free dining and last year we had 2 restaurants change thie menu the day before our actual reservation. My son is autistic and is very pickey eater and although I spent several hours researching menus it was in vain since they changed it on me to nothing he would eat at those restaurants.

Not that this is the same thing at all, but DD has some pretty severe food allergies and mild SPD so we sometimes go a week with her only eating mushroom pizza or a hot dog and french fries (although we're lucky that if I eat something, I can usually get her to try it). I have to say everywhere in Disney was extremely accommodating. We have a kiddo in the family with Autism who will only eat cheese pizza where the cheese is not burned. At all. Do you know when that was put in the food allergies section that even at Ohana they had a pizza ready for her? Truly awesome.

For us at Ohana with kiddo's soy allergy and my mustard one (so annoying but true), I figured I'd just skip anything with mustard (salad) but instead they made me my own salad with this really lovely lime? dressing and for DD even though she had pizza (they had it ready for DD because I put her MSG and soy allergy in the notes), they still made her a special chicken (and mushrooms with pasta because she told the chef she loved them lol). It was lovely. I'm so used to ordering her and myself the little we usually can have, that I didn't expect anyone to be as accommodating as they were.

We're never had so little problem dining anywhere and so please give it a try.

 

[quakechicago]

I'm probably not factoring in the wait times or that we ask for the check with the main entree so we don't get tied up when everyone else goes to leave around the same time. Just nicer for the server/CM and us too.

We also have had really great luck going and asking if we could be seated early (everywhere but Akershus but that might have been because in February Anna and Elsa were right there with an 8 hour! wait to see them). We tend to be chronically early and never did get our walking times right. If my app/planner said a walk should take thirty minutes we were there in ten!

 

[ceccyboo]

If we have to wait for a table...does the whole party have to wait? IF i stayed with the buzzer and my OH took the kids for a walk around till he tables ready is that ok?
Also if my DS4 is still eating but OH and DS3 have finished can they leave as log as i stay to pay the bill? Im trying to think of ways to cut down on DS3 getting bored and playing up! We will be taking sticker books an there leap pads to TS so they have something to do during the wait.

 

[quakechicago]

If we have to wait for a table...does the whole party have to wait? IF i stayed with the buzzer and my OH took the kids for a walk around till he tables ready is that ok?
Also if my DS4 is still eating but OH and DS3 have finished can they leave as log as i stay to pay the bill? Im trying to think of ways to cut down on DS3 getting bored and playing up! We will be taking sticker books an there leap pads to TS so they have something to do during the wait.

You can usually walk around except at Akershus where they made everyone wait in a group outside. We had bought DD3 a bubble gun. $12 of kiddo happiness and she was enthralled with it (I did make sure she didn't bother anyone else with it). We left an Akershus breakfast earlier than my husband because she wanted to start walking to Japan to shop more on our last day. It was no problem. We do usually pay after entrees though to beat the rush.