Wondering if I made a mistake

[webbmom]

We are going in June for the first time in 4 years. Our children will be 8 & 5 at the time of the trip. We are staying at Ft. Wilderness for 3 nights but only going to 1 park for 1 day. I got the DxDP. but now I am beginning to wonder if I should have gotten the DDP.
So far I only have Res for Hoop Dee Doo and Cape May (both dinners) I have res for Trails End but after reading some of the posts I am beginning to wonder what kind of mistake I made.
Any advice from the experienced would be helpful.

 

[LadyZolt]

Our children will be 8 & 5 at the time of the trip.

I would get just the regular dining plan and not the deluxe because you'll get three sit-down meals a day with the deluxe and I think that's a lot for kids the ages of your kids. I think it would feel to them like they were just going from one restaurant to another. I'd choose three good, memorable table service locations and do one a day, then do counter service for the other days and let them have fun playing. Just my thoughts! Have a great time!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Sandisw]

The other piece is that there are a lot of restaurants that would be unavailable to you since you will not have park tickets for all of your days.

I am not sure if you would get the value out of the plan if you were not doing 3 sit down meals a day. IF you are using it for CS meals, then you are better off with the regular dining plan.

 

[septbaby]

I would get just the regular dining plan and not the deluxe because you'll get three sit-down meals a day with the deluxe and I think that's a lot for kids the ages of your kids. I think it would feel to them like they were just going from one restaurant to another. I'd choose three good, memorable table service locations and do one a day, then do counter service for the other days and let them have fun playing. Just my thoughts! Have a great time!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

Not necessarily true. You get 3 meal credits per night, so in your case a total of 9 meal credits per person. You can spend them on CS or TS meals, not just TS or "sit down" meals. You have already booked 3 of them with the show and Cape May and Trails End is a 4th. There are a lot of character meals outside the parks and lot of other good meals too:

- Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare and 'Ohana all have character meals and are at resorts, so you don't need park tickets to dine there. None of the meals you've selected are character meals.

If you are outside of your 45 day window it shouldn't cost you anything to downgrade the plan if you like. However, if you downgrade all of your TS credits are already spent (3 total for HDDR and Cape May) so you would have to pay OOP for Trails End. Your other 3 credits are CS.

 

[DISNEYNUTS]

we just went in Dec and used the reg DP we found in was alot of food for myself and husband and 3 kids ages 15, 13, and 10, we had extra CS and Snacks on the last day. I would think the Deluxe would be way to much food for kids your kids age. Just my opinion.

 

[Colleen27]

I wouldn't do the basic plan staying at Ft Wilderness, because there's really not a counter service option there. The pool bar is the only place that accepts counter service credits, and its hours are limited (11 to 5, IIRC).

With the deluxe plan, you should shoot for using 2/3 of your credits for sitdown meals in order to get your money's worth. You already have 1/3 of your credits planned. FW is in a great location for non-park dining, because you're only a short boatride away from Wilderness Lodge, as well as the Contemporary and the monorail. Check out the menus for Whispering Canyon (at WL), California Grill (at the Contemporary, probably the most kid-friendly of the signature restaurants), Ohana (at the Poly, on the monorail line), etc. Also, with your boys' ages, you might want to check out Mickey's Backyard BBQ, which is held at Ft Wilderness. It shouldn't be difficult to add a few more meals to use some of those extra credits!

 

[squirrel]

Since you only have one day at a park, I would stick with the DxDP.

I would book some character meals so your children get time to see some characters. Less waiting on your park day to see them.

 

[luckytobeme88]

Why only one park for one day only?

 

[webbmom]

There are a couple of reason we are only doing one park. $$$$ is one. Other events happening at the parks the same time we are going is another. Just want to make the most of the time we are there. We are going to Hollywood Studios to see Star Wars weekend activities. My boys are more in to that the Mickey.

I am going to look in to some of the other suggestions thanks

 

[septbaby]

Just noticing you are a FL family, do you have Annual Passes? I can understand the Star Wars focus for your boys. Hopefully you'll do more than Star Wars activities while in that park.

I would stick with the Deluxe plan too. Since your boys like SW I'd try to book a meal at Sci Fi for your park day. Since you'll be there all day and into the night it doesn't matter if its lunch or dinner. You might also consider Prime Time for your other inside the park meal if you make a reservation. See with just those two you'd now have 6 meals booked.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

OT, but I thought I'd mention it.....

Do you already have your tickets? If not, you may want to consider this option. http://bookwdw.reservations.disney....romotionCode=fl2dayticket&market=fl2dayticket You can get 2 day base tickets for $99 + tax for adults $83 for children.


Back on topic.....

If you're only going to one park, I'd keep the DxDDP. You won't have to worry about taking up too much park time eating. Plus, I agree that one character meal a day will make it seem more like you're at WDW.

Fort Wilderness is a fun place to stay. I'm sure you'll have fun whatever you decide.

 

[luckytobeme88]

OIC. Since you will be spending all that one day in DHS for "Star War Weekend", I would do this if it were our family who's going.
Breakfast @Starring Rolls Bakery(some snack credits)
Lunch @ 50's Primetime(1 TS)
Dinner @ Cape May Cafe(1TS)
Day #1(non-park): Breakfast @ 'Ohana(1TS)
Lunch @ DTD(TS/CS)
Dinner @ Boma(1TS)
Day #2(non-park): breakfast @ Chef Mickey's(1TS)
lunch @ WCC(1TS)
Dinner @ HDDR(2TS)

 

[webbmom]

WOW Thanks Lucky for all those great tips. I added a breakfast at Ohana and Whispering Canyon to the schedule. Still talking about Sci Fi but I dont want to make a res and miss Star Wars show. We of course will do other things while we are there.

Big thanks to everyone.

 

[jjohnson]

Since everything ends around 5:00 you could do Sci fi for dinner (have you or DH get some fastpasses during the day so you can get it some rides at night)