Meal plans

Started by Pamela, April 12, 2017, 12:59:00 PM

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Pamela

My parents are taking us (total of 6 adults) to Disney in December and I'm helping them set things up. My mom has been looking into meal plans and has asked me to check out the details on that.
Now I've been looking to see if it's worth getting meal plans, but I can't seem to find which meal plans cover which restaurants. Is there any way to find out? I'm really confused, actually!

Also, because it's my parents 28th anniversary, we were planning on taking them to one of the fancier and more expensive restaurants. We will be going for a weekend (Fri-Sun) and I was wondering, since we'll be paying for dinner 1 night, do you recon it will be worth it to book meal plans?

Thanks for helping!

elisje

Hey Pamela

Meal plans are per night. So you with a meal plan you get 1 (or 2 if you go fullboard) meals per night of your stay. So there is always one day where you have to pay for diner yourself.

I always use the dlp guide site when I am planning anything dlp related.
I think you can find anything you are looking for here:
http://www.dlpguide.com/planning/dining/meal-plans/
scroll down for the list of restaurants.

But if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask them here :D
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Pamela

Thank you, Elisje, for the quick reply!

I will definitely check out the website!

Pamela

Another quick question;

I noticed that not all restaurants are included in the list. So if I wanted to eat at the Rainforest Cafe, for example, would I be able to use my voucher and pay the difference? Or would I be limited to the list of restaurants that accept the vouchers?

Zee79

You can only use the vouchers in the list unfortunately, they can be used in part payment for higher tariff restaurants but only on the list. Rainforest cafe don't accept them.


Pamela


Tinkerhel1970

If you're on Facebook there is a brilliant group called Disneyland Paris for Brits.  I got a lot of information from there about the meal plans and there is actually a document which lists all costs involved if upgrading your restaurant using meal vouchers and which ones will accept them. 
DLP June 2004 - Davy Crocketts Ranch
WDW December 2005
DLP May/June 2011 - Hotel Cheyenne
DLP May/June 2016 - Davy Crocketts Ranch
DLP June 2017 - Davy Crocketts Ranch
DLP September 2018 - Davy Crocketts Ranch
WDW November 2019

Pamela

Thanks, Tinkerhel!

I'm not a Brit though (I'm from Holland), so I'm not sure they'd let me join their group ;)

At first I decided that the Plus plan would be good for us. After some thinking, I decided that the standard plan would probably do just fine. I wanted to tell my mom what I had found out and I started thinking that the Hotel plan would probably be cheaper and just as good. So that's probably going to be what we're gonna go with.

My mom is very concerned with making reservations though. She heard through our traveling agent that you always have to make dinner reservations, no matter the plan you opt for. I think that, choosing the Hotel plan, that'd be ridiculous, because you only get to pick your own hotel to eat at and since you've already payed a lot for it, it would be really weird if they wouldn't have a table for you. Is that good thinking on my part? I get that they want to know what time you'll want to have your dinner, but surely you won't have to make reservations, do you?

Zee79

It's up to you if you want to make reservations. Last year was the first time i had made reservations for my meals in the 20 years of going, we usually just made them when we got there or turned up to see if any space was available. You just have to be careful that it might be hard to get specific times. We booked our meal in the Sequoia and was told 9:15 was the earliest available! It was a long night with 6 children waiting for a meal.


elisje

Quote from: Pamela on April 13, 2017, 11:41:16 AM
Thanks, Tinkerhel!

I'm not a Brit though (I'm from Holland), so I'm not sure they'd let me join their group ;)

At first I decided that the Plus plan would be good for us. After some thinking, I decided that the standard plan would probably do just fine. I wanted to tell my mom what I had found out and I started thinking that the Hotel plan would probably be cheaper and just as good. So that's probably going to be what we're gonna go with.

My mom is very concerned with making reservations though. She heard through our traveling agent that you always have to make dinner reservations, no matter the plan you opt for. I think that, choosing the Hotel plan, that'd be ridiculous, because you only get to pick your own hotel to eat at and since you've already payed a lot for it, it would be really weird if they wouldn't have a table for you. Is that good thinking on my part? I get that they want to know what time you'll want to have your dinner, but surely you won't have to make reservations, do you?

Nice to here form an other dutchy

Hallo vanuit rotterdam ;) Ik ga de rest weer in het engels doen voor het geval een niet Nederlands sprekend persoon ook iets aan de info heeft.

I would recommend to make diner reservations when your are planning to eat a peak times (like 7 o clock) or in peak periodes, weekends holidays etc. just to be sure. It would be a shame to turn up and be told you have to wait a hour for a table. Since everybody is allowed to eat at the hotel restaurants they can't guaranty a table for hotel guest.
If you are planning to eat at walt's, blue lagoon, inventions, chez remy, plaza gardens, I would definitely recommend to make a reservation, especial for peak times. You can always call back later to change things or change things at your hotel.

I mostly go in low season and make reservations for my stay at the hotel concierge on my first day. This has saved me waiting in very long lines at the buffet restaurants. People with reservation could walk right past them and were escorted to a table, people without had to wait for quit a time.

But it is up to you.

just have fun.
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claire2281

I have never made reservations before going (apart from character meals you can buy with your package) and I have to go in holiday times. I've always made reservations on arrival. However, I go with adults only and we can be flexible about when we eat. If you prefer to eat earlier, definitely book.
My Trips:
03/2009 DCR -- 07/2009 DLH -- 03/2010 Cheyenne -- 07/2010  DLH -- 12/2010 SL -- 03/2011  Cheyenne -- 08/2011 NBC -- 12/2012 HNY -- 03/2013  Cheyenne - 12/2014 SL -- 03/2016 Cheyenne -- 07/2017  Cheyenne - 12/2017 SL - 08/18 - Cheyenne - 12/2018 NBC - 07/2019 Cheyenne

Pamela

I live near Rotterdam! Haha, it truly is a small world after all ;)

We were planning on just booking the hotel plan, so that would mean eating in the hotel were staying at (New Port Bay) and we're planning on going Fri dec 1st - Sun dec 3rd. But I probably will just call in by the time the wait is a little shorter and make reservations just in case!

We are not really flexible with eating (yes, we're 6 adults....) and if I had to wait until 9 o clock to have dinner, I'll eat my foot before I get there! Haha. We're so used to eating around 'normal' dinner time (5-6 o clock) that if we're having a late dinner, for us that would be 6.30-ish. Soooooo..... Hahaha.

I'll just make reservations. Just to be sure!
Thanks all, I appreciate it lots!

BeautyandtheBeast

Here is the document regarding upgrade meal plan price differences

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