Maximizing My Deluxe Dining Plan

[Marsh215]

I will be traveling to WDW March 2018. I'll be checking in 3-14 and checking out 3-21. What tips and tricks do I need to track and maximize my Dining plan? How do I figure out the total of every credit included?

 

[sharonabe]

I will be traveling to WDW March 2018. I'll be checking in 3-14 and checking out 3-21. What tips and tricks do I need to track and maximize my Dining plan? How do I figure out the total of every credit included?

The Deluxe plan is 3 TS meals per night, 2 snacks, and the mug. I don't figure the mug because it's just too variable; consider it a free souvenir. If you're okay with $5 for a snack price, then your 3 meals are "worth" about $35.

Is that what you were looking for?

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I will be traveling to WDW March 2018. I'll be checking in 3-14 and checking out 3-21. What tips and tricks do I need to track and maximize my Dining plan? How do I figure out the total of every credit included?

I just went through this myself! I actually posted a mini-trip report with spreadsheets in the dining review thread if you are interested. https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...i-reviews-and-thoughts.3624113/#post-58016887 If you want to track your actual dollars spent per credit, you will need to make sure to ask for the actual receipt and not the zeroed out one that they give you. that was my big mistake day one, and we had to go back and get the info later.

 

[Skippyboo]

You can search the internet for more information on maximum your value on the dining plan. Basically it's ordering more expensive things. So doing the Cape May Seafood buffet is a better value per dining credit than going to Cosmic Rays and getting a burger and fries.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Technically you have 3 meal credits per night. Can be used st qs, ts or signature dining

Some are 2 credits

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I'd say eat a signature for dinner every day and a table service for lunch (or perhaps character buffet breakfast). I simply couldn't do three table service meals a day because it would be too time-consuming traveling to wherever I have reservations, waiting (often past your reservation time for a table), and then eating. And take advantage of the more expensive signature dishes: California Grill brunch (something like $80 a person out of pocket), the "taste of the pacific" at Artist Point, Lobster Nero pasta at Flying Fish, beef short rib or filet at Jiko, 18 oz Kansas City strip at Yacht Club. And always get the cheese plate for dessert at the signature.

For lunches eat at places like Chefs de France, T-Rex and Homecoming so that you are getting lunches for around $30. Oh, and book a Fantasmic lunch at Mama Melrose, since that includes an appetizer as well as entree/dessert (remind me - does the deluxe dining plan include an app with every meal anyway - if so Fantasmic package is less of a deal).

 

[Colleen27]

Honestly, don't worry about maximizing it. I'm assuming you did a basic level of research to settle on booking that particular plan, so you know what is included and feel it fits your vacation dining style. If that's the case, you really can just sit back and relax - unless you leave a ton of credits unused or eat a lot of quick service (and if you were going to do that, you probably wouldn't have chosen the deluxe plan...) you don't have to work to get value out of the plan. It is the easiest plan to come out ahead on just by using your credits as you prefer.

What we do with the deluxe plan is what GeorgiaHoo suggested - a table service meal early in the day, usually an early lunch because we're just not breakfast people, followed by a signature dinner in the evening. We don't really think about the value of each meal, because as I said the DxDDP is the most guest-friendly of the plans from a value angle. It is unusual to spend less than that $35-per-credit price at any table service lunch or dinner, most of the buffets and character meals are at or above that price-point, and at the signature restaurants a three-course meal tends to exceed the price of two credits with ease. The one exception to this might be vegetarians, since those menu items tend to be the cheapest things on the menu.

In March, your best value for your snack credits will be the Flower & Garden Festival food booths. In recent years, pretty much all the tasting portions (some of which are quite substantial) and non-alcoholic drinks have been eligible snacks, and some of those items are $7+.

 

[DisBuckMan]

If your overall goal is simply maximizing the dollar value of your dining plan, you should do 3 TS meals per day, order the most expensive appetizers, entrees, desserts, and allowed drinks on the menu. Try to eat breakfast at Akershus every single morning, as it's the most expensive single credit breakfast on property. Don't eat at signatures or do dinner shows, as you will rarely "maximize" your credits that way. Stay away from the cheaper TS restaurants like Via Napoli, 50's PT, Sci-Fi, Wilderness Canyon, etc. Go out of your way to get the most expensive allowed snacks you can find.

 

[Marsh215]

Everyone has been super helpful! I'm not too worried that I will monetarily maximize my meal plan, it's more about enjoying the plan that I've chosen to it's fullest. I know that at Disneyland I like to eat at Carthay Circle, Blue Bayou, Steakhouse 55, and Wine Country Trattoria. I have found that compared to my local big city (San Francisco) Disney offers a better deal for quality of food and service. I'm super interested in Jiko and Brown Derby, are they worth trying? I know that I will be required to do Spirit of aloha and Hoop Dee Doo Despite them not being the best monetary value, are they entertaining? Is the food decent? I've read mixed reviews on both.

 

[Marsh215]

This is where I've gotten on my schedule so far. Something I didn't mention is that its just my wife and I.
[EDIT] at this point I'm still focused on dining only. I also want to take advantage of all night time extravaganza dining packages.

 

[Skippyboo]

Trader Sams doesn't open until 4 pm and I don't believe any of the lounges take dining plan credits.

 

[Marsh215]

Thats unfortunate to find out about Trader Sams.

 

[Skippyboo]

It's a bar more than a restaurant. It only has appetizer as food. You could hit it after your dinner for drinks. There are numerous other restaurants that are in the monorail resorts that you can eat lunch at.

 

[sharonabe]

[EDIT] at this point I'm still focused on dining only. I also want to take advantage of all night time extravaganza dining packages.

I'm counting 22 TS credits and 2 QS credits, so you're three over your 21 credits each.

My one caution is your Thur, Sat, and Mon schedule is a TON of food, not to mention a huge amount of time spent eating. For some people that time cost is okay, and if you're one of them, disregard my thoughts on that. On those days, you'll easily be spending 4-5 hrs of your day eating, and probably closer to 6 hrs when you figure in travel time and wait time.

 

[Marsh215]

I'm counting 22 TS credits and 2 QS credits, so you're three over your 21 credits each.

My one caution is your Thur, Sat, and Mon schedule is a TON of food, not to mention a huge amount of time spent eating. For some people that time cost is okay, and if you're one of them, disregard my thoughts on that. On those days, you'll easily be spending 4-5 hrs of your day eating, and probably closer to 6 hrs when you figure in travel time and wait time.

I totally did not keep a good tally of my credits, thanks for the help. On Thursday we will want to take it slow, so sit down meals are fine. I do think I will be changing almost everything once I gel a plan on my FP+ selections. What do you think of just having snack items for lunch? If they are anything like chimichangas, corndogs, and cars cones at disneyland then snacks would almost always be the best lunch for us. I've revised my schedule once again.

 

[Colleen27]

Everyone has been super helpful! I'm not too worried that I will monetarily maximize my meal plan, it's more about enjoying the plan that I've chosen to it's fullest. I know that at Disneyland I like to eat at Carthay Circle, Blue Bayou, Steakhouse 55, and Wine Country Trattoria. I have found that compared to my local big city (San Francisco) Disney offers a better deal for quality of food and service. I'm super interested in Jiko and Brown Derby, are they worth trying? I know that I will be required to do Spirit of aloha and Hoop Dee Doo Despite them not being the best monetary value, are they entertaining? Is the food decent? I've read mixed reviews on both.

Jiko is fabulous. Brown Derby, not so much. It is still good but somewhat lesser than the resort signature restaurants, though the cobb salad alone almost makes it worth a stop.

I think with the dinner shows, you have to think in terms of going for the show, not the food. We enjoyed Spirit of Aloha but the food wasn't the best we've ever had. It was just okay. The whole experience was totally worth doing once but I wouldn't go again. I haven't tried Hoop Dee Do but I've heard better things about the food and service there than at SoA.

Your plan looks good. The revised plan is much better than the first draft - three-meal days are a LOT of food and a LOT of dining time!

The snack selections in the parks are absolutely meal-worthy if you know where to look. Epcot during the festivals is the best - lots of great food to be had for a snack credit. Sunshine Seasons, in the same building as Soarin', has some soup and side/salad snack credit options too. At Animal Kingdom, the snack selections at the Yak & Yeti counter service location are very nice - egg rolls and fried rice, the latter a pretty nice sized portion. Also, falafel at another stand in Asia (don't recall the name) and loaded fries at Flame Tree. I'm not as familiar with snacks-as-meals at Magic Kingdom or Studios but if you look through the menus you'll certainly find some suitable choices. You might also want to search this forum - there have been a lot of threads over the years about where to find savory snack choices.

 

[sharonabe]

If they are anything like chimichangas, corndogs, and cars cones at disneyland then snacks would almost always be the best lunch for us. I've revised my schedule once again

I suggest using allearsnet.com for dining menus to find snacks you might want. Their menus show the DDP snack credit logo next to items that are eligible. If you see something you want in the $5-6 range on their menus that does NOT have the logo, I would still make a note of it and check it once you're in the parks. They aren't always up-to-date, but it's the easiest place to look and they do TRY to stay up-to-date.

 

[Skippyboo]

Why not switch out the breakfast at the Pop Food Court with a lunch? One of those days is Epcot the other AK. Eat a Chef de France in Epcot or Yak and Yeti in AK or go over to Kidani at try Sanaa. Then you can use the snack credits for a big Starbucks drink and a pastry for breakfast. I believe you get a app or a desert with lunch or dinner on the deluxe plan.

 

[quandrea]

We just got back from a short split stay with the dxddp. I liked only having it for two of my three night stay. We arrived Friday at noon. My plan was good until Sunday at midnight. I was able to stretch the plan so I only bought a qs lunch on my last day (yesterday). We ended up only eating out twice a day. Sometimes we only used one credit. I usually wrapped up dessert and ate it for breakfast. Dd occasionally took my dessert. We were able to sub a fruit plate for an app at some places. We took the fruit to go and ate it with breakfast. Because of the heat, snack credits went to a few fancy drinks. I loved the plan for a short visit. Would not want it for more than two nights, spread over three days. I saved several hundred dollars with the plan.