DIfference in Dining plans for a first timer...

[LdyApxr]

Hi everyone!

We have included a dining plan in our trip but I think it is the Disney Dining Plan and not the Deluxe Dining Plan(waiting for my TA to confirm that for me) but I was wondering, with a family of four(husband, myself, 17yr old son, 13yr old niece) if Disney Dining Plan is sufficient for the week or if we should upgrade to the Deluxe. We are willing to go with a room with less of a view(either Poly, WL or CR) in order to eat well and know that it is included (beyond alcohol and tips etc) in the price without really needing to think about it. Now the Deluxe is about $1300 more but covers 3 meals, 2 snack per day and I am just wondering if that would justify a higher dining plan because I am not sure if the 4 of us(none with big appetites, not even the teenage boy GASP! LOL) would spend $1300 more in dining if we only went with the Disney Dining and not the Deluxe. Clear as mud? Please forgive me, migraine meds are kicking in. LOL

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Most people say that even the regular dining plan is too much food. I ABSOLUTELY would not upgrade if you self-describe as not having big appetites.

 

[LdyApxr]

Thanks!! I appreciate it. Yeah, our teenager can eat but two slices of pizza fills him up. LOL Now with the regular one, we would each get 1 quick serve and 1 table serve for each person? So that would mean a character breakfast or buffet (which would pretty much fill us for most of the day and then a quick serve later? That seems more feasible for certain. My husband and I do want to do at least Chef Mickey's or the Ohana or maybe just one sit down together while the kids do their own dinner thing because my teenager does not have a sophisticated palate so a good higher end meal would leave him with little to eat. LOL

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Thanks!! I appreciate it. Yeah, our teenager can eat but two slices of pizza fills him up. LOL Now with the regular one, we would each get 1 quick serve and 1 table serve for each person?

One quick service, one table service, one snack, and a resort refillable mug for the length of your stay. If you might split your group up for meals, it's important to note that the meal credits are linked to your reservation overall, not to each specific individual. So if you're staying for seven nights, you have 28 of each type of credit (7 x 4). You and your husband could use all of the table service credits and your teenagers could use all of the quick service credits (or anywhere in between) if that's how you wanted to break it up.

 

[DarthVader]

We had the dining plan (the middle tier one, not the deluxe) and found that it was too much food for us. Our next trip we're going for the quick service tiered plan.

One thing to keep in mind for the sit down meals - tips are not included and if you book a number of higher end restaurants, the meal will be free, but you're on the hook to pay the tip and that can add up over time. While the amounts are not excessive, it does add to the general expensiveness of the vacation.

 

[LdyApxr]

Thanks! You are AWESOME! I love that my kids are old enough that I can let them loose and not have to worry about them ruining someone else's vacation by being rude. Plus it helps when my husband and I want to go back to the pool or a nap, he can now charge his things on his band and we don't have to worry about him. LOL

 

[LdyApxr]

We had the dining plan (the middle tier one, not the deluxe) and found that it was too much food for us. Our next trip we're going for the quick service tiered plan.

One thing to keep in mind for the sit down meals - tips are not included and if you book a number of higher end restaurants, the meal will be free, but you're on the hook to pay the tip and that can add up over time. While the amounts are not excessive, it does add to the general expensiveness of the vacation.

Thanks. Tips we can handle(well that an drinks! LOL) and we probably would be fine with a quick service but my husband and I enjoy a nice sit down table service meal while we are there. We want to see how they stack up to Carthay Circle in CA Adventure. LOL

 

[DarthVader]

but my husband and I enjoy a nice sit down table service meal while we are there. We want to see how they stack up to Carthay Circle in CA Adventure. LOL

We too enjoy a sit down meal, but for us (our kids are 9) park time takes precedent and that means using the Quick Service to maximize our time there. We still plan on having some sit down meals, we'll pay those out of pocket.

It all depends if you want to have a sit down meal every day or a handful of times while you're there

 

[JaneGood]

The character meals and Ohana/hoop dee do take up two table service credits, just a FYI. And make sure you book those well ahead of time.

We usually get the dining plan, and I've yet to be hungry when I'm there We actually usually have a bunch of snacks left over the last day.

 

[SAV]

It all depends if you want to have a sit down meal every day or a handful of times while you're there

THIS.

We only do one sit down meal per trip and the rest we do Out of Pocket quick service meals. The QS DDP wasn't worth it for our family and we felt we were just eating food since "we paid for it" a lot of the time.

 

[sxeensweet]

The character meals and Ohana/hoop dee do take up two table service credits, just a FYI. And make sure you book those well ahead of time.

We usually get the dining plan, and I've yet to be hungry when I'm there We actually usually have a bunch of snacks left over the last day.

'Ohana is only 1 TS credit for breakfast and dinner (one of the few character meals not 2 credits for the breakfast, dinner is no characters), but yes HDD is 2 credits but includes the tip.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Both the quick service & the table service come with dessert as well. My husband & I did the dining plan one year and because we were so stuffed from lunch, dinner & desserts, we never really used the snack credit during the day. So we would use our snack credit for breakfast. It worked out well, we could get a muffin, bagel, box of cereal with milk etc plus coffee in our refillable mugs.

 

[Tinkerfan4ever]

There are actually quite a few character meals that are only 1 TS Credit. Just don't want to leave you with the impression that most character meals are more than 1 credit.

1900 Park Fare
Akershus
Cape May (Characters at Breakfast only)
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
Garden Grill
Hollywood & Vine (Characters at Breakfast and lunch only)
Ohana (Breakfast only)
Tusker House

 

[BigRedDad]

At the end of the day, whatever plan you go with, you will lose money unless you insure that you are eating and ordering the most expensive of meals. The other factor I use when running the calculations is how much food they are really giving you. 2 of us share counter service meals to begin with. The portions are that big. Then, going to a TS meal, I want to eat what I want instead of looking for the most expensive item. In my mind, if I am not getting my money's worth, I am throwing it away. Disney is expensive enough already. Throwing money away makes it even harder. I also think that the DDP has forced a decrease in the quality of food.

 

[Andy_0410]

Would of thought dining plan be fine
Sometimes me and my partner share a lunch QS credit to use others elsewhere
As if we have a big breakfast don't need big lunch and can always top up with a snack

 

[Seanual757]

I suggest doing the quick service meal plan not too much and allows for enough flexibility so you are not stuck with table service.

 

[Andy_0410]

I suggest doing the quick service meal plan not too much and allows for enough flexibility so you are not stuck with table service.

But there are some amazing table service restaurants

 

[sxeensweet]

But there are some amazing table service restaurants

Yes there are!!! Many that me and DH have to dine at while there. The table service restaurants at Disney is an attraction in itself that for adults is a big part of our Disney vacations.

 

[DarthVader]

But there are some amazing table service restaurants

Indeed, but that doesn't mean you have to lock yourself into a the full dinning plan. What we'll be doing for our next vacation as I mentioned previously is making reservations for some of those restaurants For us this will be the exception not the norm.

 

[Seanual757]

My only reason for suggesting the quick service dining plan is if this is your 1st time you do not know what to expect and you can and will become overwhelmed with I need to do this oh I need to do that but wait we have reservations at this time, FP+’s at this time, ect…. This plan will give you plenty of food and let you be on your own schedule. The last thing you want to do is turn your vacation into your M-F work schedule and you miss your vacation because you were on a time schedule.