Breakfast . . .

[jktgkansas]

I noticed it isnt included in the meal plans. Do the hotels have a free breakfast? How expensive is breakfast?

 

[smiller]

If by meal plans, you mean DDP, well then yes, it is included! You get a CS (counter service), TS (table service), and snack, all of which can be used for any meal of the day.

For example, most days we would use a CS credit or two for breakfast at OPR at CBR. Or, we used a TS credits at Chef Mickey's for the breakfast buffet.

Paying OOP, though, breakfast costs can range greatly, from a few dollars for a pastry, to $5-$8 for a CS breakfast platter to nearly $20 for a character buffet breakfast.

Do provide a few more details and I'm sure we can get all your questions answered!

 

[jktgkansas]

For details. 4 adults, 2 kids. Staying 7 nights, with 5 full park days. Does a DDP pretty much cover all 3 meals for the day then?

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum. Still trying to negotiate. Just found the forum for DDP!

 

[smiller]

No worries, although this should probably be in the DDP forum... maybe it'll get moved!

Anyhow, we traveled with 5A and 2 kids under the age of 3, so not on the plan, and we covered every single meal except for 2 breakfasts at Chef Mickey's. (And 1TS at Kona Cafe for dinner - but that proved to be too much food.) They key for us was to share.

As many will point out, adult TS/CS can only be used for adults and child TS/CS can only be used for children. But with 4/2, who says you don't only need 2A & 1 C TS for breakfast and the same for lunch? Then use your TS for dinner and you have all your meals covered, with plenty of snacks to fill in the gaps during the day. We also opted to share TS meals when it wasn't a buffet/all-you-care-to-eat deal so that we could have an additional TS meal (meaning you share, say, 3A TS and 1C TS for the 6 of you - does that make sense?). We did use up all our credits, though, and ended up paying for 2A meals at Chef Mickey's breakfast (the cheapest TS meal we were doing, and therefore a good one to pay OOP for).

This go around, we want to share as much as possible to try even more restaurants and stick within out DDP budget, sort of grazing our way around WDW and eating at off times, trying new CS and new snacks.

Sharing may require a bit of planning, but it was well worth it in our case! And, my recommendation is always use up the credits if you're hungry - you can always pay OOP at the end of the trip, but it would be a waste to end up with unused credits!

 

[smiller]

And, of course, you can always use your TS for breakfast and lunch, and your CS at other meal times - there are no regulations for that!

 

[The Sweetness]

I plan on using 1 CS at breakfast, as DH is a big breakfast eater. I will get milk as his drink for the baby, and use our mugs for coffee tea, etc. Also pay OOP for whatever me and DD15 want to eat. Unless I decide to use a snack credit for a bowl of fruit or a bagel At lunch, I will use 2 CS for complete meals, and order 1 extra sandwich by itself, or an entree salad, as well as a milk for the baby. There will be plenty of fries and dessert with the 2 CS for us to share. Snacks can be used for ice cream or popcorn if we want/ need it, and TS will be at around 5 each day. Ive never used the DDP before (or eaten at TS every day )

I also have read that resort gift shops may have big boxes of dounuts, or sacks of bagels that can be used as a snack credit to feed your fam breakfast, or an evening snack

Some people prefer to have a big CS breakfast, a snack in the afternoon and a big early dinner. Its up to you how/ when to eat

 

[Lostgirlz]

No, the reg dining plan does NOT cover all 3 meals for each day. What I mean by that is if you choose to use your TS credit for breakfast well then you would have used your TS credit for that day. Now yes you can use as many of your TS a day as you would like, BUT once you use them all up that's that for TS credits and you will have to pay out of pocket for the rest of your stay if you do any other TS dining. Same applies to Counter service, and snacks. (example, You go to Chef Mickeys for breakfast, then go to say primetime for dinner you would then have used 2 of your table servic credits that day) hth

 

[lisaj]

Basically, the DDP assumes that you want to eat a 'fast food' counter service meal for one meal a day. One sit down table service meal and one snack. If you prefer (as we do) to eat a large breakfast and a large dinner and basically not eat lunch while touring then the DDP does not cover two table service meals per day.

We found the breakfast buffet at the CSR was much better value for money than ordering a variety of counter service items at the Pepper Market. Those who stick to the plan will get good value on the DDP.

The only time you won't need breakfast is if you are staying on a concierge level.