Too Much Food!!!

[DisneycrazedX6]

My family of 6 just finished using the dining plan for 5 nights. I have to tell you those were the toughest 5 days of our trip so far....we are here for 3 more days without the plan. I planned 5 full service for dinner, usually between 5 and 6:00. I figured we would eat breakfast in the room or use a snack credit. For lunch we would eat by noon so we would be hungry for dinner. All great in theory!!!
No one was ever hungry for breakfast, maybe a pop tart in the room. At lunch the 6 of us would share 4 meals, sometimes only 3. I hate wasting food, so I would tell them if they were still hungry we would order more....they never were. In the afternoon no one was ever hungry so we would save the snack credits for after dinner. At dinner there was never 6 meals that they all wanted so again we shared. We would order 4 meals on average and save 2. The food was plentiful and we just paid for an extra drink or two. After dinner everyone was so full, once again the snack credits went unused.
Needless to say, since I paid for the dining plan I didnt want to waste anything.....I made a breakfast for one morning to use up the left over full service. The leftover counter I used at the Boardwalk Bakery for muffins and sodas and with the snack credits I got chips and pretzels for the room.
I found that I was always distracted trying to find ways to use our credits. The food was plentiful and easily shared by my children.
I have mixed feelings on the dining plan and am not sure if we really saved money or not, I will try to analyze when I get home.
I am glad I am off the plans, more relaxed I guess...
If you have any questions I will be happy to answer. I will have a full report with pictures when I get home.
I ate full service at Chef Mickeys, Spoodles, Kona, Wolfgang Pucks and Coral Reef.
Counter Service from what I can remember: Cosmic Rays, Pinocchios, Rosies, Catalina Eddies, Mexico, Electric Umbrella, Seasons.

 

[Mom of 3]

We had the DDP last year and my 3 boys really like to eat. We did not find the DDP was too much food. We used every last credit.

No one says you have to use every credit. But we would use snack credits for breakfast, eat CS a lunch and then eat a TS for dinner. We really liked the DDP.

However, I wouldn't feel bad if we went home not having used some of our credits.

 

[ribbot]

I have been home a total of 3 hours from WDW and I have mixed feelings about the DDP also. We were at WDW for 9 days and by about day 2 or 3 we were feeling "stuffed". Normally, we don't order an appetizer at a restaurant or dessert---but to get both just put us over the top! Especially when it was an appetizer AND dessert per person. And if permitted, we would order a smoothie for a drink, which was very filling. But then again, soda is filling also.

I am looking forward to writing up a review on the places we tried and to tally up the receipts. The DDP definitely rules your vacation though. You HAVE to plan ahead of time to know where you want to eat and what park you need to be at. And this planning needs to be months ahead of time. People that pay for DDP and never make a reservation---how do you do it? We had reservations for 7 pm Sunday evening and waited one HOUR to be seated!

No, you don't have to use all of your credits----but why waste them? It's like money out of your pocket you're throwing away. We bought a couple breakfast this morning with our CS credits we had left, and gave a few snacks out to little kids that were sitting nearby. I hate wasting---food and money, so that worked out well for us.

I need sleep---then to wash the clothes, pay the bills, and then start on my report...............

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We had the DDP last year and my 3 boys really like to eat. We did not find the DDP was too much food. We used every last credit.

No one says you have to use every credit. But we would use snack credits for breakfast, eat CS a lunch and then eat a TS for dinner. We really liked the DDP.

However, I wouldn't feel bad if we went home not having used some of our credits.

I agree. We love the dining plan. The only thing we had left over on our last trip was a few snack credits. We used them in the food court before we left and had some great treats for the trip home.

 

[aristocat]

not to worry... appetizers have been eliminated in the basic ddp next year. that should help resolve your "too much food" issue for next time.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We came back from DW last week. We also felt the DDP was a lot of food but we managed to use all of our credits. We used some snack credits in the gift shop for milk, donuts, and a gallon of spring water for the room. We had lunch at the hotel several times and got fruit salads for dessert which we put in the fridge for breakfast the next morning. It was very hot so we used snack credits for ice cream at the parks. We had extra CS meals on the last day, so we got meals to go and took them to the airport for dinner. (we had a late flight) The only thing that really went to waste was the TS desserts. We would only have a couple of bites to try them, I don't think one was ever finished. One night we didn't even get one dessert we were all so stuffed.

We felt the DDP was a good value though. I wish in 2008 you had a choice of appetizer or dessert as we all like to have a salad but none of us really is a big dessert eater.

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

If the appetizers are no longer on the plan, then I really dont think the plan would be worth it at some restaurants. I did like being able to dine at places I never would be able to and try foods that were new to us but I wont miss it on the next trip. There were some desserts and app's I would never order if it werent for the plan. I'm glad that there are people out there that can eat that much food each night....but not my family!!!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

Appetizers are included with the deluxe plan, but not with the basic plan.

I don't feel that the dining plan rules our trips. I plan our meals around our park days.

Once I book our trip I make a list of all the restaurants we want to hit.

When the park hours are released, I write up our park schedule. I try to take advantage of as many AM and PM EMS as I can.

Once I know which parks we'll do each morning and evening, then I'm able to plug the ADRs in as needed. I won't schedule Concourse Steakhouse for a day that starts at MGM and ends at AK.

We never felt over stuffed on the plan because we don't order everything that included. If we only want an entree and a drink, then that's all we get. I refuse to spend our vacation trying to max out the plan or wondering if I'm getting TOP value out of a credit.

I'm looking forward to using the deluxe plan during our Easter trip.

 

[CathrynRose]

Ive never understood the 'too much food' complaint.

For us - it wasnt ever 'too much food'.

We didnt always eat everything - we nibbled, often took desserts back to our room for breakfast the next morning. We sometimes had snack credits left over, and we brough home a few bags of candy.

You dont have to eat everything.

 

[m-i-c-cakeywhy]

What I don't understand is how people have difficulty using all the snack credits....Just walking through the parks on a hot day we could use them all on soda and waters.....

I have two teenage boys, so it is never too much food....
I wish though that the ddp could be purchased seperate from the room package..and could be used under length of stay rather than hinged to the package.
I was forced to split my stay because of unavailability of my chosen hotel...so the day we spent at por room only was not under the ddp and we had to pay oop....

 

[ribbot]

Ive never understood the 'too much food' complaint.

For us - it wasnt ever 'too much food'.

We didnt always eat everything - we nibbled, often took desserts back to our room for breakfast the next morning. We sometimes had snack credits left over, and we brough home a few bags of candy.

You dont have to eat everything.

We didn't eat everything either--and especially nearer to the end of the week. But how does a person find the time in full capacity crowds, in 96 degree weather take a piece of cheesecake, a bowl of ice cream, a creme brulee back to their room for breakfast the next morning?

At the restaurants we ate at, there were no cookies offered or anything that could be tucked away for the next morning. I guess it all depends if you're talking counter services or table services.

We ate at Liberty Tree Tavern, Pizza Planet (we did keep the cookie for later), 50's Primetime, Crystal Palace, Pop food court, Rainforest Cafe (not ddp), Concourse, Chef Mickey's, Rose & Crown, Whispering Canyon Cafe and Le Cellier and never once finished a complete meal and all 3 of us (including our 7 yr old DS) were stuffed. We had 2 CS's left the day we were leaving and 9 snack credits----we bought breakfast for another couple and I brought home the snacks in rice krispy treats, cookies, granola, etc. I didn't even eat a few times that the guys ate---it was just wayyyy too much for my digestive system to tolerate.

And I gained 4 pounds---so stuffed is an appropriate word for us.

 

[ADP]

If you are an AP holder, or someone in your party is an AP holder get the Disney Dining Experience card. It solves this problem of too much food and wasting credits.

I've done some math and figured out that the DDE is very much the same value, if not better, as the DDP.

 

[pooch]

Appetizers are included with the deluxe plan, but not with the basic plan.

I don't feel that the dining plan rules our trips. I plan our meals around our park days.

Once I book our trip I make a list of all the restaurants we want to hit.

When the park hours are released, I write up our park schedule. I try to take advantage of as many AM and PM EMS as I can.

Once I know which parks we'll do each morning and evening, then I'm able to plug the ADRs in as needed. I won't schedule Concourse Steakhouse for a day that starts at MGM and ends at AK.

We never felt over stuffed on the plan because we don't order everything that included. If we only want an entree and a drink, then that's all we get. I refuse to spend our vacation trying to max out the plan or wondering if I'm getting TOP value out of a credit.

I'm looking forward to using the deluxe plan during our Easter trip.

This is exactly how we view the DDP. It enhances the vacation, doesn't rule it!!

 

[Mickiethepooh]

It surprises me that people don't seem to know their own eating styles. When you go out to eat a sit down dinner, does everyone in the family order a full meal? or do you share off plates? How often do you do sit down full dinners either out or at home? Do you eat three full meals a day or just snack and have maybe one larger meal?

For people who eat three regular meals or close to it and eat out ordering complete meals then the dining plan is for you.
If you generally snack and don't eat much, don't go to sit down restaurants or if you do just order a little food, then the plan is not for you and you will do better paying OOP for your meals.

 

[ribbot]

This is exactly how we view the DDP. It enhances the vacation, doesn't rule it!!

It definitely did not enhance our vacation. It was very crowded this past week and the ride lines were long, as well as the restaurant lines. Fast pass waits were close to an hour on some rides. So by the time we'd wait for one ride, fast pass for another, gee, it was time to be at our reservation for our meal for the day. There was no spontaneity to our vacation. I pre-planned our entire 9 days on a calendar--marking where our ADR's were and in what park we'd have to be at that day in order to have time to make it to our reservations. Not that I didn't do that before DDP, but this time there were just more of them, which made it seem like it took up an awful lot of our sight-seeing time. It was rush, rush to see this or ride this ride and hurry up to get here or there to make it to an ADR. On Saturday we had no ADR's and it was actually nice. We could make our own decisions on that day without having to be at a certain place at a certain time.

I am not putting down the DDP. Our thoughts for this past trip were to try it to see if we liked it and how it would fit with our lifestyle---we pretty much got our answer. The food was incredible at a couple places and just "eh" at a few others, but we did get to try a few things that we normally wouldn't have. I did take notice in lines if people were on it or not, and noticed that there were far more people NOT on it than on it, at least in our lines.

It's basically the same debate as the values, mods and deluxes---everybody has their own likes and dislikes.

 

[pooch]

It definitely did not enhance our vacation. It was very crowded this past week and the ride lines were long, as well as the restaurant lines. Fast pass waits were close to an hour on some rides. So by the time we'd wait for one ride, fast pass for another, gee, it was time to be at our reservation for our meal for the day. There was no spontaneity to our vacation.

This is why I always go during the slow(er) times and, yes, I am lucky to be able to do that. We are able to stroll around the parks, don't wait in any appreciable lines (10-15min tops) and enjoy our TS meals. You're right, this isn't for everyone but boy do we love it!!!

 

[cmurray234]

I actually agree with the original poster. I've done the dining plan twice. In one way, its fun - you get to eat at all of these restaurants that you ordinarily wouldn't try. The problem is that its a license to over-eat. We kept thinking to ourselves "It'd be a shame NOT to order dessert since we already paid for it...".

We're going again in a couple weeks sans dining plan. We wouldn't ordinarily eat at a sit-down restaurant every day, so in essence, it isn't saving us a dime. We figure the four of us can eat pretty well for 8 days for $350.00 cheaper than if we purchased the plan. And that includes 2 sit-down dinners. I won't do the dining plan again.

 

[suzimar57]

we did the DDP last september, but didn't have a TS every night - we'd gone to narcoosees twice (at 2TS/night) and had CS in between - used the snack credits for ice creams, water - didn't feel like there was too much food, we'd planned out each meal for each day ahead - worked ok for us

 

[blue_eyes5212]

To me it is not all about getting the "best value" or maximizing my savings. The DDP allows me to eat at places that I normally wouldn't, because I would be saying "We better just eat at Peco's Bills' (for example), rather than Chef Mickey's because it's cheaper!!" I think that way the other 51 weeks of the year, so on vacation I want to be able to sit down and eat a meal without thinking about how much the bill will be, or ordering the smaller steak because its cheaper. (You get the idea)

I usually plan on one TS per day and if it is a dinner one by then I am exhausted and ready for a seat in a cool room.

Then again, I love to eat and have never been one who just snacks or
eats half a hamburger and pushes away from the table saying I'm full!!
(That's why it's back to Weight Watchers after my Disney trip in 2 1/2 weeks!! )

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

Update:
I've been off the plan for the past couple of days with two more to go. I have found myself more relaxed. Not always so worried about when our next meal is scheduled. We are doing all counter service now and although I see no Filet Mignon in my forcast I do see Pot Roast at a food court real soon.
If the plan could be bought for just my husband and I, it would be worth it. Unfortunately I just dont see the need to spend almost $40 a day on a 12 year old child who eats like a bird.....so when I say "Too Much Food" I not only mean on her plate but the cost also. She would be fine with $20 a day and that is pushing it!!!! The convenience of the plan and paying for your meals before you arrive is a great thing for many. But for some of us the cost really outways the convenience!!!!! Good Eating to all....!

Food Reviews to come soon....................