Dining plan with breakfast

[graphite1326]

I don't really care for the dining plan with sit down meals. It means I have to make definite plans on where to be for our reservations. I usually get the quick service plan just for that reason. So I can get food wherever and whenever. However, If I did get the sit down meals I was wondering about places to get breakfast at nice places using the meal plan. Does anyone know of any? Please note that I don't care about character breakfast but would use them if I had to.

The reason I am thinking this way is that way I only have to make definite plans for one meal while the parks are open.

 

[21stamps]

Kona Cafe
Grand Floridian Cafe
Whispering Canyon Cafe (I haven't had breakfast at this one, only dinner)

The best part about all 3- you can most likely get reservations without planning too far in advance. Sometimes day before or same day

 

[drizgirl]

There are good breakfast venues, but I wouldn't purchase the dining plan if that's where you intend to use your credits. That would really only pay if you were doing the character meal breakfasts.

 

[nickys]

The Wave does both a la carter and a buffet breakfast. Again it's possible to do this with a last minute booking or walk up, we did a walk up over New Year (later, not at opening).

Even doing character breakfasts with a dining plan is questionable in terms of getting value. Breakfasts tend to be cheaper than the same place for lunch or dinner. I like Cape May and Ohara for the character breakfasts. I've also seen good reviews of Crystal Palace.

 

[drizgirl]

Even doing character breakfasts with a dining plan is questionable in terms of getting value.

Agreed. It's just the only way to get even remotely close to making it worthwhile.

 

[Laketravis]

The Wave does both a la carter and a buffet breakfast. Again it's possible to do this with a last minute booking or walk up, we did a walk up over New Year (later, not at opening).....

The Wave is probably the best kept secret in regards to breakfast buffet. Cost is reasonable, food is above par and crowds are thin. Their holiday buffets are great as well and reservations can be much easier to obtain than other better known venues.

There are good breakfast venues, but I wouldn't purchase the dining plan if that's where you intend to use your credits. That would really only pay if you were doing the character meal breakfasts.

For sure. When we've had the dining plan the value of a single TS credit was maximized at places like Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, etc. for breakfast.

 

[MickeyMomV]

The only way we would use the dining plan for breakfast is if it was a character breakfast. Otherwise it is WAY cheaper to pay OOP. With that in mind I would recommend O'hana or Crystal Palace. Chef Mickey's was ok and if you want to see the fab 5 it is a good spot but I think the buffet at Crystal Palace was better.

 

[graphite1326]

There are good breakfast venues, but I wouldn't purchase the dining plan if that's where you intend to use your credits. That would really only pay if you were doing the character meal breakfasts.

I guess I should have added that I would only get the dining plan with the free offer. We like staying at POFQ but prefer the QS dining plan. With the free offer usually being sit down meals for moderate resorts we were looking at options.

 

[21stamps]

I guess I should have added that I would only get the dining plan with the free offer. We like staying at POFQ but prefer the QS dining plan. With the free offer usually being sit down meals for moderate resorts we were looking at options.

I would take the room discount instead.

 

[drizgirl]

I would take the room discount instead.

Everyone's calculus is going to be different on that. That's always good advice at a deluxe, but necessarily always the case at a moderate. It also depends on how many are in their party. A party of two often does better with a room discount. But feeding a family of 3 or 4 can add up and the value of the dining plan is greater.

 

[21stamps]

Everyone's calculus is going to be different on that. That's always good advice at a deluxe, but necessarily always the case at a moderate. It also depends on how many are in their party. A party of two often does better with a room discount. But feeding a family of 3 or 4 can add up and the value of the dining plan is greater.

Yes, and it also depends on if someone actually needs park hoppers and water parks.

I agree that a moderate won't have the same savings as a deluxe for a room only, but the package type could be a savings as well.

 

[drizgirl]

Yes, and it also depends on if someone actually needs park hoppers and water parks.

I agree that a moderate won't have the same savings as a deluxe for a room only, but the package type could be a savings as well.

My only point was that you can't jump to a "one size fits all" answer. Each party has to do the math.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

One of my favorites is Kona, the other is Boma for breakfast without characters. If you do want a nice buffet, go with Cape May Cafe. Yes there are characters but the buffet is very good and I like it better than any of the other character breakfasts

Pam

 

[graphite1326]

Yes, and it also depends on if someone actually needs park hoppers and water parks.

I agree that a moderate won't have the same savings as a deluxe for a room only, but the package type could be a savings as well.

I always get the park hopper and never get the water parks.

I have figured it out before and it seems that free dining is a better deal than room discount.

HOWEVER, the last time I figured it we had a family of four. Now it's just the two of us. Time to re-figure I guess.

 

[21stamps]

I always get the park hopper and never get the water parks.

I have figured it out before and it seems that free dining is a better deal than room discount.

HOWEVER, the last time I figured it we had a family of four. Now it's just the two of us. Time to re-figure I guess.

Definitely re-figure with two!

The room only discount has saved me a ton of money!! Even the time that I added the DDP after taking the room only.. still came out $1100 ahead for just over a week. That was without park hopper, but even with hoppers the RO would still save me more money than Free Dining.

 

[graphite1326]

Definitely re-figure with two!

The room only discount has saved me a ton of money!! Even the time that I added the DDP after taking the room only.. still came out $1100 ahead for just over a week. That was without park hopper, but even with hoppers the RO would still save me more money than Free Dining.

What is the normal room discount? I figured about 25% which made it nowhere close to the savings of dining plan.

 

[21stamps]

What is the normal room discount? I figured about 25% which made it nowhere close to the savings of dining plan.

I think moderates are 25%, so do the math on Package vs room only, and where you think you will actually eat.. and how you will order.

There's a lot of restaurants were we order apps as a meal, and we enjoy ordering room service, and eating at the lounges as well- which don't include the dining plan anyway.

If you aren't doing character meals, and being a party if 2, I would assume you would come out ahead. But then again, I don't know how/what you eat.

 

[graphite1326]

I think moderates are 25%, so do the math on Package vs room only, and where you think you will actually eat.. and how you will order.

There's a lot of restaurants were we order apps as a meal, and we enjoy ordering room service, and eating at the lounges as well- which don't include the dining plan anyway.

If you aren't doing character meals, and being a party if 2, I would assume you would come out ahead. But then again, I don't know how/what you eat.

We go in the off season and I was figuring FQ averages about $220.00 a night X 6 nights = 1320.00 X 25% (.25) = a savings of (drum roll please) $330.00.

With the dining plan with FQ (two sit down meals) I figured $23 per person per meal. 2 meals per day = $92.00 and 6 days = a savings of $552.00.

Or am I figuring this way wrong.

I am confused though on your comment on package vs room. I always get the package and thought the discount was only on the room.

 

[drizgirl]

I always get the park hopper and never get the water parks.

I have figured it out before and it seems that free dining is a better deal than room discount.

Park hopper and water parks are bundled now, so it doesn't matter.

And for mods and values, free dining is usually the better value. People who stay at deluxes typically do better (because the percentage room discount comes off of a larger number) and like to bash the discount for everyone else without doing the math.

As I said, it's good to just sit down and do the math for yourself. It's going to vary greatly depending on who is in your party (how many, are they adults or children, are they big eaters). For us, the times we did free dining was always a much better deal.

 

[21stamps]

We go in the off season and I was figuring FQ averages about $220.00 a night X 6 nights = 1320.00 X 25% (.25) = a savings of (drum roll please) $330.00.

With the dining plan with FQ (two sit down meals) I figured $23 per person per meal. 2 meals per day = $92.00 and 6 days = a savings of $552.00.

Or am I figuring this way wrong.

I am confused though on your comment on package vs room. I always get the package and thought the discount was only on the room.

With the room only you are just reserving the room and then you can add tickets on your own ...you can add them to the reservation or you can buy them completely separately. Or if you know that you want the hoppers or even the dining plan you can add it to make it a package.

It really comes down to where and what you think you will be eating. I purchased the dining plan for the last three nights of our trip in December, at the end of our last day I was left with three quick service credits two tableservice credits, and three snack credits. I completely wasted my money away on the dining plan.

I like to order maybe three appetizers to split between two people at certain restaurants or lounges. Sometimes we want a snack that's not included on the dining plan, etc. So if the dining plan fits the restaurants that you want to eat at, and saves you money, then go that way. If you do want to eat different places or order appetizers, then a free dining savings doesn't really matter. In my opinion the only time this wouldn't apply is that it's a deluxe with two people, even with four people in a certain room types the room only will always come out better. In your situation it really comes down to what you want to eat.