Under 3 and the Dining Plan?

[CuteAndFluffy]

So I know that many of you love the dining plan...and many of you have undiningplanned toddlers...

How do you do it? Order a full kids meal and pay OP? Order a sandwich for kiddo and share your fries? Share your own meal? Bring your own food?

We've been talking it over and don't see a lot of savings/benefit in the plan for us, but keep being drawn to the idea of having it paid for upfront. I just wondered how others handle it.

 

[robinb]

So I know that many of you love the dining plan...and many of you have undiningplanned toddlers...

How do you do it? Order a full kids meal and pay OP? Order a sandwich for kiddo and share your fries? Share your own meal? Bring your own food?

We've been talking it over and don't see a lot of savings/benefit in the plan for us, but keep being drawn to the idea of having it paid for upfront. I just wondered how others handle it.

I would assume the same way you feed your toddler when you're not on the DDP. I bought my DD meals or sometimes I would bring a PB&J into the restaurant with me and purchase a drink for her.

 

[PrncessA]

DD was 2 when we went and we were on the DxDDP. We found there was more than enough food to share most of the time between our meals and DS's kid's meal. If we needed too we just ordered extra sides, we never ordered an extra complete meal. We ate at alot of buffets which were free for DD and at Akershus the waitress gave us a free meal for DD.

 

[clairemolly]

We have gone twice with little ones under 2 (once a week before oldest turned 3 and once when youngest was 10 mon) and are doing it again this November (youngest will turn 3 on trip).

For TS restaurants, most of the ones we did were buffets, and we just got them a plate like anyone else. At CRT lunch they were brought out an appetizer plate and dessert, and a special "under 3" meal, buttered noodles if I remember correctly.

For the one or two TS restaurants that we ordered off the menu, as well as the CS restaurants, we just split meals with them. For example, if we went to Pizza Planet, we gave our DD a piece of pizza from each of us. Most meals were more than we could eat, so we just shared. Sometime we supplemented with a fruit cup from my bag that I shipped down ahead of time, or bought an extra side dish, etc.

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

I would assume the same way you feed your toddler when you're not on the DDP. I bought my DD meals or sometimes I would bring a PB&J into the restaurant with me and purchase a drink for her.

I didn't mean to be confusing--I was just wondering how other people had handled the scenario, not throw-my-hands-in-the-air-saying-"HoweverWillWeFeedTheBaby!"

We're trying to figure out if the DP makes fiscal sense for us, so getting an idea of how others have navigated it will help. For example, PrncessA's suggestion of ordering extra sides was one I hadn't considered, but is a GREAT idea.

 

[California Jenn]

There is usually so much food at the regular TS and CS meals that we would just split our meals with the little one. I tend to bring healthy snacks with us (like apple sauce or fruit cups) and supplement with those, or occasionally order a side if we're ordering something that he doesn't eat (like fish). One of the nice things about bringing the snacks is that the food is familiar to DS.

 

[Kelrykengab]

This will be our first time with an under 3, but last time when we had a 3 and 6 year old and 3 adults and were on the Disney Dining Plan we found there to be plenty of food. We had snacks left over on the last day. So, this time we are planning on having our will be 22 month old share with us and are not anticipating ordering her anything of her own. I will bring a few healthy snacks for her too just in case.

 

[robinb]

We're trying to figure out if the DP makes fiscal sense for us, so getting an idea of how others have navigated it will help. For example, PrncessA's suggestion of ordering extra sides was one I hadn't considered, but is a GREAT idea.

My point is that it will cost the same for the toddler whether you are on the DDP or if you pay for your meals OOP so I am confused why she is even in the equation. Once she is 3 and you have to start paying for buffets it will make a difference, but until then it's the same either way.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

We went when DD was 14 mo, 22 mo, and 28mo. What she ate depends on if we were at a CS, a TS or a TS Buffet.

CS- just ordered her the kids meal, or shared my plate and got her a drink box or something

TS- Mostly shared off my plate, occasionally ordered her a grilled cheese

TS Buffet- I loaded up enough for both of us. We did mostly buffets with this in mind.

I wish they had a 3 and under DP!

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

My point is that it will cost the same for the toddler whether you are on the DDP or if you pay for your meals OOP so I am confused why she is even in the equation. Once she is 3 and you have to start paying for buffets it will make a difference, but until then it's the same either way.

There is a difference in our particular case. My son is 18 months old, we're traveling next week. Using hypothetical numbers, say my DH and I spend $1000 for the DP. If DS can share almost all meals with us supplemented with snacks we bring , then our expense is steady at $1000. However, if we thought that he would need to get his own kids meal most of the time, which ends up being an extra $15 (assuming $5 per meal/3 meals) per day for food for him.

I'm trying to gauge if most people in similar situations were able to get by without ordering that kids meal, which it sounds like they were...

 

[robinb]

There is a difference in our particular case. My son is 18 months old, we're traveling next week. Using hypothetical numbers, say my DH and I spend $1000 for the DP. If DS can share almost all meals with us supplemented with snacks we bring , then our expense is steady at $1000. However, if we thought that he would need to get his own kids meal most of the time, which ends up being an extra $15 (assuming $5 per meal/3 meals) per day for food for him.

I'm trying to gauge if most people in similar situations were able to get by without ordering that kids meal, which it sounds like they were...

I guess I'm still not getting it. Wouldn't you spend the same $15 per day on him if you paid for the adult meals OOP?

 

[Mrs. Charming]

There is a difference in our particular case. My son is 18 months old, we're traveling next week. Using hypothetical numbers, say my DH and I spend $1000 for the DP. If DS can share almost all meals with us supplemented with snacks we bring , then our expense is steady at $1000. However, if we thought that he would need to get his own kids meal most of the time, which ends up being an extra $15 (assuming $5 per meal/3 meals) per day for food for him.

I'm trying to gauge if most people in similar situations were able to get by without ordering that kids meal, which it sounds like they were...

Oh you can totally get away with it. Honestly unless your DS is a really super big eater, a kids' meal is too much.

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

I guess I'm still not getting it. Wouldn't you spend the same $15 per day on him if you paid for the adult meals OOP?

Ah! Now I see where you're coming from.

In my mind, the issue is that if we did need to pay quite a lot for him OOP, then it might offset whatever the DP would save us. It sounds like the DP would cost us what it costs us and there may be a few incidental expenses.

To try to answer your question: We probably wouldn't spend that $15 on him. Or, more accurately, we wouldn't specifically spend that on him. When I was crunching numbers, I was figuring what we would usually order for the three of us, but we often don't order traditional meals. We'll each get a sandwich and split a side or two, order water. The accounting isn't as neat and tidy as if we each order a combo and get him a kids meal, but it's more representative of how we eat.

 

[kpm76]

My point is that it will cost the same for the toddler whether you are on the DDP or if you pay for your meals OOP so I am confused why she is even in the equation. Once she is 3 and you have to start paying for buffets it will make a difference, but until then it's the same either way.

Not necessarily. DD2 shared all my meals with me because there was just way too much food for me on the DDP. If we were not on the DDP, we would have made different choices, ordered differently etc. Certainly we would not have ordered dessert with every meal. As a side note, after doing the DDP 2x we have decided it is not a good plan for us. We eat more than we should and sometimes make dining choices based on what's the best "value" in terms of maximizing the plan, instead of what is a reasonable meal for us that is both healthy and affordable....

 

[robinb]

Ah! Now I see where you're coming from.

In my mind, the issue is that if we did need to pay quite a lot for him OOP, then it might offset whatever the DP would save us. It sounds like the DP would cost us what it costs us and there may be a few incidental expenses.

To try to answer your question: We probably wouldn't spend that $15 on him. Or, more accurately, we wouldn't specifically spend that on him. When I was crunching numbers, I was figuring what we would usually order for the three of us, but we often don't order traditional meals. We'll each get a sandwich and split a side or two, order water. The accounting isn't as neat and tidy as if we each order a combo and get him a kids meal, but it's more representative of how we eat.

And now I see where you are coming from!

The DDP was not around when my DD was under 3 but I don't recall having to pay too much OOP for her. She either ate off the buffets or she ate the food that I brought with us. She would also occasionally eat off our plate. Some places (like CRT breakfast) gave her food free of charge.

FWIW, if you are the type to share sides, order water and skip desserts then the DDP is probably not for you. You will be spending more on food you wouldn't usually eat DDP than if you just payed OOP for the food actually do eat. The CS desserts are a prime example. They are, IMO, generally nasty and I will only buy a CS dessert once or maybe twice a week. If you pay for the DDP you have paid for SEVEN of them in a week.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We love the dinning plan because we do not even look at menu prices and we order dessert where we would not always do so. With DGS 3, he and I almost always share what we order. It is VERY rare I order him a meal. Any normal adult meal is enough for us both. WDW meals are plenty for you both. If you do not do the DDP, you will still have enough at any normal meal to share. I do not see you needing to pay much out of pocket for your toddler with either plan. Maybe a milk or two, but in reality at that age, and even now ,we carried a sippie cup or juice box.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

The DP really is a lot of food ~ last Oct. we had 3 "adults" I had DS down as a 10 year old so he could order from the adult menus at TS restaraunts ~ we had Free Dining I just had to pay for an adult park ticket for him, not all that much more than the kids tix, we also had 1 kid *DD* FYI all CS credits are lumped together ~ we didn't buy a single kids CS meal. We'd share 2 or 3 "adult" CS meals between the 4 of us and it was plenty.

 

[kpm76]

FWIW, if you are the type to share sides, order water and skip desserts then the DDP is probably not for you. You will be spending more on food you wouldn't usually eat DDP than if you just payed OOP for the food actually do eat. The CS desserts are a prime example. They are, IMO, generally nasty and I will only buy a CS dessert once or maybe twice a week. If you pay for the DDP you have paid for SEVEN of them in a week.

I totally agree! I got some key lime thing one time and it was anything but Key Lime Pie. The one exception to the CS desserts is the Boardwalk Bakery

 

[dmoore718]

When we did the buffet at 1900 Park Fare. We had 1 child we paid for and one who was 2 and they gave her a drink in her own cup, no problem. We ate QS everywhere else and she just shared with her sister, who was 3 so both were small eaters.

 

[Miss Mo]

I'm in the UK and we're getting free CS over here at the moment so we paid a little and upgraded to the regular DP - except they have charged us for our 2 year old!! Now this is a small amount and we'd love to be able for him to have this dining plan without having to pay for a park ticket. DH queried it with Disney UK (we booked online) and they said something about infants only being under 2 - but I cannot find this info ANYWHERE else. So we've decided since it's cost us so little, and that technically this is Disney's mistake that we have queried, that we are going to keep quiet and see what happens when we get their. If they query it then we'll fight about getting the money back - fingers crossed they don't!

mo x