Tips for maximizing DxDP for one day only?

[pangyal]

So, we are venturing into new territory as we usually do TIW and pay everything OOP. We did do free dining one year to try it out, but realized that we didn't eat enough to warrant ever buying the DP.

This year, however, we are doing a three-way split stay during the winter, with the very first night at Boardwalk. We expect to get there in the afternoon, and check into Grand Floridian the next day. We are considering getting the Deluxe plan just for that first night, but I'm not sure if it's worth it? We have three adults and one very picky six year old.

I am still a bit confused as to whether the credits would still be active if we checked into the Grand the next day- would we still be able to use our credits from the Boardwalk night if we've checked out and into a different hotel?

As well, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to make the three table service credits a good deal? We are open to anything other than CRT, BOG and Akershus as we have eaten there lots! Thanks in advance!

 

[peg110]

You will only be able to use the DxDP during the day that you have that reservation. (I am assuming that your 3 way split is 3 separate reservations). Since you are arriving in the afternoon, it may be tough to do 3 table services in one day, particularly if you had a hard time previously eating (making the Free DP a value). Was the previous Free DP a Deluxe (DxDP), standard (DDP), or the Quick Service (QsDP)?

You may want to look at those places that require 2 Table Services to "Maximize" it.

 

[sharonabe]

PP is not correct. Your credits will not expire until midnight of the day you check out even if you check into another hotel. So you have the afternoon/evening of your check in day, and all day of your check out day.

With your picky 6 yr old and the rumors that DxDDP child credits can be used for adults, you could really maximize those credits, but it will be a lot of food.

Assuming you can use the child credits for adults and pay some OOP for anything the picky one will eat, that would give you 12 total credits to use.

I would do a signature on your moving day to GF at either Narcoossee or Citrocos. If you pay OOP here for the child, that's 6 credits used. Just remember you will have 3 apps, 3 entrees, and 3 desserts. If you think the 3 adults could share 2 full meals, you would only use 4 credits.

Evening you check in, maybe do the new Italian restaurant on the Boardwalk or choose a country in EP to enjoy. Coral Reef might be fun for the child. If the 3 of you share here and at your signature, you've only used 6 credits, so....

The morning of moving day, do a character buffet for breakfast or early lunch. You've got Cape May right there at The Beach Club. You could also try Chef Mickey or Ohana. This will take 4 credits, because you don't want to pay OOP for the little one at a buffet. If you're going to a park, Tusker House or Crystal Palace would also be fun.

That leaves you 2 credits. If you don't share at the signature, then that uses these credits. If you don't share at your 1 TS, then you have only 1 credit left. If you have 2 credits, you could do a lunch on your arrival day, and again share the 2 full meals. Since you said there was too much food on the regular DDP, I think this would probably work for you. Remember, you'll have app, entree and dessert plus non-alcoholic drinks.

Now what to do with those snack credits. You'll have 8 total. I think I would try to find some things I could save to eat the rest of the two days. There are a lot of pre packaged snacks out there, but everyone will also need at least one Micky Bar, right?

 

[peg110]

PP is not correct. Your credits will not expire until midnight of the day you check out even if you check into another hotel. So you have the afternoon/evening of your check in day, and all day of your check out day.

Yes, you are correct, I apologize. What I meant to say is that you only have it during the "Duration of the Reservation" for which the plan is purchased. That does extend to Midnight on the checkout day too, however not into the subsequent days reservation (even if at Disney) Thank you for pointing that out.

 

[pangyal]

Thanks for the tips!

I forgot to mention that we also have TIW, so I am having some trouble seeing whether this plan would even make sense financially...it seems like most of the places we would eat would end up being less than the $109pp by quite a bit, even before the 20% discount. I am thinking maybe the Boathouse would be a good one to look at?

 

[Nancyg56]

I am not going to try to do the math because it is too early for me! LOL! If you are planning one day on DxDDP, and have the time to invest in dining experiences for the time those credits are active, I would suggest that you look at the Boathouse the night you check in. It is a pricy restaurant, and seems to be an "experience" so if I had any interest at all, this is the opportunity IMO. I would also book Narcoossees the day you check into the GF. This is a really good value on any DDP, and since you have the DxDDP you can enjoy some stellar but pricey appetizers. I would pay OOP for the child, and would probably choose not to share, but would use those snacks as lunch on both the arrival day and the check out day.

We are wondering how the "new" relaxed rules will be on the DxDDP will be. WE usually do not book this plan, but have booked it for one of our rooms this trip. We know that we can share the appetizers and if possible will pay OOP for some of the meals the kids will have, but I guess time will tell if our decision made good financial sense. WE like dining, so your situation looks like a great scenario for how we would choose to use the plan, making the most of two relazing evenings

 

[pangyal]

These are amazing suggestions, thank you all so much! Kiddo is doing the kids dash on the following day (Friday) and we are doing the Challenge that weekend, so we would have to be at Downtown Disney on the Thursday when we arrive so that we can pick up the race kits- hence the Boathouse idea .

I didn't actually realize that the deluxe came with appetizer and dessert for each credit, as I've only looked into the regular plan which is what we had before. Holy smokes that is a lot of food! I guess if we can eat over $109 over three meals, it will be worth it. Time to study some menus :-D!

 

[jillt2ph]

I also am staying at three resorts (1-4-4) starting day after Thanksgiving and I am getting the DlxDP for the first day. And I will also have a TIW card. We don't arrive until 4 PM, so we plan on using one credit each for dinner Friday night. I then booked the Candlelight Processional Package at Coral Reef for Saturday night, which will use our other 2 credits. I made sure to pick places where I can find an app, entree and dessert that I like Since TIW is not taken for the CP package, this made the most sense for us. Plus we will still have our 2 snacks to use at Epcot on Saturday and the mug will be active all 9 days! If we arrived earlier on Friday, I would have loved to use that TS credit for the Fantasmic dining package.

 

[pangyal]

We are sort of thinking Boathouse for picking up the race kits on the Thursday, have kiddo eat our appetizers and dessert and share the others, leaving us with six credits. Then, a nice lunch at Epcot somewhere after his Kids Dash, maybe Biergarten or Coral Reef...then 1900 Park Fare for dinner. I still have to do the math, but thanks all for the great suggestions so far !

 

[Natasha Boozer]

Awesome tips!

 

[pangyal]

Well, now I am confusing myself with the child versus adult deluxe credits. It seems in hand that credits don't differentiate on the Deluxe plan between adult and child, and then other posters have stated there is a distinction. Our final plan looked like this:
-checkin night at Boardwalk- Flying Fish- 4 credits (including kid)
-next day lunch Coral Reef- 4 credits (including kid)
-same day dinner Narcossee's - 4 credits as only for hubby and me, my mum can take kiddo for QS in the hotel.

But, from reading through some threads, is there a chance that what would be left over for the Narcossee's dinner would be two adult credits and two child credits, and they would deny letting us use them?

 

[peg110]

When there is a distinction of "Child" Credits versus "Adult" credits, the child credits MUST be used for Child menu items/meals UNLESS none are available. Then they can be used for an Adult menu item/meal.

A CM might overlook this, but that is the policy.

 

[pangyal]

When there is a distinction of "Child" Credits versus "Adult" credits, the child credits MUST be used for Child menu items/meals UNLESS none are available. Then they can be used for an Adult menu item/meal.

A CM might overlook this, but that is the policy.

But for Deluxe plan, this has apparently never been the case, as credits are just pooled, no?

 

[supersnoop]

But for Deluxe plan, this has apparently never been the case, as credits are just pooled, no?

Yes, it is true that all credits on the Quick Service and Deluxe plans, as well as the quick service credits on regular plan, have always been pooled. But that doesn't change the fact that "children must order from the children's menu if available."

 

[pangyal]

Yes, it is true that all credits on the Quick Service and Deluxe plans, as well as the quick service credits on regular plan, have always been pooled. But that doesn't change the fact that "children must order from the children's menu if available."

Oh, absolutely! But what I'm wondering is whether they would differentiate if there was no child present. Since our plan involves having two leftover credits due to the kiddo only eating with us for two out of three meals, I am just not sure whether the system would say that we only had "children's credits" left when we had two adults for the final dinner, or if they would be used as adult credits. I hope I'm making sense.

 

[Nancyg56]

On the deluxe plan, you should be able to use those credits for adults. Now there is no absolutes when it comes to Disney, but many people report that this is so.

 

[pangyal]

I think maybe the risk that we will sit down for our dinner at Narcossee's and be denied using the credits is making me think twice about this whole plan. I wish there was a clear position on the credits, as it makes planning that much more difficult when everyone is reporting different implementations of the rules!

 

[supersnoop]

I think maybe the risk that we will sit down for our dinner at Narcossee's and be denied using the credits is making me think twice about this whole plan. I wish there was a clear position on the credits, as it makes planning that much more difficult when everyone is reporting different implementations of the rules!

No, that's not a risk. They won't allow you to use more credits in a single sitting than would be allowed based on the makeup of your party, but they don't track credits to the degree you're worried about. Whether or not it's ethical is a different discussion.

 

[peg110]

Oh, absolutely! But what I'm wondering is whether they would differentiate if there was no child present. Since our plan involves having two leftover credits due to the kiddo only eating with us for two out of three meals, I am just not sure whether the system would say that we only had "children's credits" left when we had two adults for the final dinner, or if they would be used as adult credits. I hope I'm making sense.

I don't know how the credits are "Classed" in the deluxe plan as I have never bought it, but here is what I believe. If you paid a lower price for the DxDP for your child then it's probably classed as a "Child" Credit (Quick Serve or Table Service).

You can use an Adult TS or QS for a child to order off of an Adult Menu (not at buffets, but children are not typically limited to the Child Buffet items).
You could use a Child TS or QS for an Adult to order of a Child Menu (Not at buffets or other "Special" meals such as CRT)
If you use a Child TS or QS, then you MUST order from the Child Menu UNLESS none is available, then you can order from the Adult Menu.

Use of a Child TS or QS for an Adult might be questioned if no child is present. Not likely at a QS as it is not uncommon for 1 (or 2) people to Order and pickup the food and take it back to the rest of the group who might be holding a table somewhere. If at a Table Service, it's more likely to draw attention if no child is present.

A CM may allow you to use a Childs TS/QS for an Adult meal but they do not have to. Your best bet is to ask first OR be prepared to pay OOP for those that are not covered.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

But newest reports here on the DIS about 2016 plan say the "official rules" state children DxDDP TS credits CAN be used for adult meals. That it's always been the case that they're in a single pool, but now they acknowledge that. Also, newest reports state 2016 rules are in effect now.