Trying to Understand "Full Board"

[NewbieMouse]

I've been searching through threads to see if I understand this, but is the general consensus that Full Board would be a good deal if:

(1) You're happy with the restaurants on the list, and...
(2) You stick to the set menus, and...
(3) You're not eligible for any other kind of discount (e.g., shareholders, AP, etc.)?

I find meal plans very confusing.

Thank you!

 

[DLPdaft]

I don't think theres many people on the DLP forums who think that the full board plans there are a good deal, whether you have another discount available to you or not .

They don't save you much money at all, nothing like the 10% Disney advertise, and they are very restrictive.

 

[NewbieMouse]

You're right! I realized I was looking at an online brochure that had old pricing on it - doesn't look like it would be much of a deal. Thanks.

 

[Jazzy B Bunny]

I looked at doing this, but the only benefit I saw is that your food is paid for in advance so you don't have to budget for it while your there. I decided against it in the end!

 

[PrincessHi]

I opted for full board but simply for the reason of budgeting. I won't really have any savings when I go so it's a big weight off my mind to know that my food will already be paid for and I will only need money for non-essentials. I agree that you don't really *save* money as such but I can also see how it would be very easy to spend far more if like me you haven't been before and you were just choosing where to eat as you go..

 

[DLPdaft]

I opted for full board but simply for the reason of budgeting. I won't really have any savings when I go so it's a big weight off my mind to know that my food will already be paid for and I will only need money for non-essentials. I agree that you don't really *save* money as such but I can also see how it would be very easy to spend far more if like me you haven't been before and you were just choosing where to eat as you go..

I do understand that - but at DLP there are so many other options which are far cheaper than the restaurants included on the dining plans.

 

[PrincessHi]

Of course, I think it just depends on your own temperament - I know myself too well to know that I will end up with hardly any money for food if I rely on saving it I think also I wouldn't want to spend the time seeking out the cheaper options when I'm there. But if you know the park well or are happy to do that (or have enough savings not to worry about it) then of course full board is probably not the best option

 

[jillrobinson]

We've used the half board option a few times, when we've been as a family, with 4 adults, it is reassuring to know that you have a meal paid for, even if you use the vouchers at face value as and where you please it knocks a hefty sum off the end bill.
I've only had full board once and it was a free offer, but I wouldn't pay for it, we felt like we were constantly eating, there was too much food.
I find with a good breakfast, cereal bars that I take with me or maybe a hotdog, brioche etc. for a snack, 1 table service or buffet meal a day is enough for us.

 

[bonhoga]

We've used the half board option a few times, when we've been as a family, with 4 adults, it is reassuring to know that you have a meal paid for, even if you use the vouchers at face value as and where you please it knocks a hefty sum off the end bill.
I've only had full board once and it was a free offer, but I wouldn't pay for it, we felt like we were constantly eating, there was too much food.
I find with a good breakfast, cereal bars that I take with me or maybe a hotdog, brioche etc. for a snack, 1 table service or buffet meal a day is enough for us.

I agree with Jill about half board. We used to always go as a family of seven and it really took the worry out of budgeting :] The vouchers were always very good value giving us three course meals in places like blue lagoon, walts and the steakhouse at a reasonable price :]
We did get caught out a few times in the past as vouchers weren't so widely used and some cast members didn't really understand them[now things are much better and they are more recognised]...once we went for a meal at Inventions and when we booked at City hall they said we could use two vouchers per person to cover the cost....then when we went to pay they wouldn't let us ! we had to cough up a significant figure and ended up going home with some vouchers unused
But if you are a large party, i would still recommend them

 

[Donald Ducks wife]

We wouldn't do half borad as some days we have a big lunch so only have a small McDonalds at night on way back to hotel, so it help us with budgeting. BUT we do hold a seperate wallet with just food money inside so we don't spend it on other things, and that works out great for us

 

[jillrobinson]

I agree with Jill about half board. We used to always go as a family of seven and it really took the worry out of budgeting :] The vouchers were always very good value giving us three course meals in places like blue lagoon, walts and the steakhouse at a reasonable price :]
We did get caught out a few times in the past as vouchers weren't so widely used and some cast members didn't really understand them[now things are much better and they are more recognised]...once we went for a meal at Inventions and when we booked at City hall they said we could use two vouchers per person to cover the cost....then when we went to pay they wouldn't let us ! we had to cough up a significant figure and ended up going home with some vouchers unused
But if you are a large party, i would still recommend them

I was told the same thing at City Hall by 2 separate CM's when i asked about using 2 vouchers each for BBWWS, we had arrived a day late because our flight was cancelled due to fog, so we had extra vouchers. When we came home I wrote to DLP and asked them if I could use 2 vouchers at face value for 1 meal and they said Yes, so then I wrote back and explained the situation I had been met with at DLP and suggested that they offer some further training to the CM's on the frontline - I immediately got an apology and a refund for my leftover vouchers by bank transfer.

 

[bonhoga]

Glad it wasn't just me Jill, I think my husband thought I was incredibly stupid for not understanding the voucher system. Worse we were with friends at Inventions in 2008 when it happened so I didn't want to make a fuss [if it had been just our family, i might have protested just a bit more].
Wish I'd had the presence of mind to write when I got back though , not just because I might have got a refund, but also because the voucher service is definitely better implemented now and that's probably down to feedback as well as wider usage.

K