Upgrade from QSDP to DDP?

DisneyDad50

Earning My Ears
Joined
Oct 16, 2019
Coming from the UK, we got ‘free’ QS dining with our moderate hotel. There’s 2 adults and 2 kids staying for 9 nights and it would cost £360 to upgrade for the stay.

We’re not too bothered about character dining ( Certainly wouldn’t pay out of pocket for them anyway), but if they were included, perhaps.

Given the upgrade cost, is it worth it? The DDP doesn’t actually seem to give you any extra in way of meals/food. Or will we grow weary of QS meals by day 5?

Thanks for your advice.
 
It depends on how you like to eat. If you want to do a TS every day it would probably be worth it. We have upgraded free QSDP to DDP a couple times with no regrets. We also did a non-DDP trip last month and only wound up eating 2 TS meals over 9 days, so we can be happy either way (we didn't eat QS meals all that much, either, it was A LOT of food and wine festival snacking).
 
I like the freedom QS offers, not having to book and plan in advance. But if given the choice, I’d prob do a TS once every few days or so.

I’ve looked at a few menus and reckon if we did 4 TS or more, it would be worth upgrading.
 


If you aren’t super particular, you can also check same day or next day. People cancel all the time last minute

On more than 1 occasion we’ve decided on a meal based on availability now.
 
We originally booked the DDP, but after making reservations, we found meals were dictating our plans and were driven by the cost of meals. So we changed to QS and eat when/where we want. We also do a couple of TS meals with or without reservations. Everything seemed more ”relaxing” not rushing to the next reservation.
 
I get sick of counter service and like at least a couple table services throw in there. When I go during hotter months I enjoy one TS a day as a good relaxing break from the heat. Id probably just upgrade.
 


I think it all depends on how you like to vacation. We like TS meals daily so I would upgrade. I suggest you check your plans, and book the ADR's your family wants, then do a little math. I think that planning meals to suit a plan is counter productive, and that is where folks get frustrated with dining plans.
 
Thanks for the advice.

If we eat out with the kids at home, we usually try to rush things so we can get away again before kids get fed up. So trying to catch a TS every day doesn't sound very relaxing.

I am still kind of tempted to upgrade though. I think if we do a character meal, and 2 or 3 more TS, I think it would make sense.

I think I remember reading I can call up to upgrade up until a week before we leave, so we've still got time.
 
What time of year are you going? We did a 10 day trip last fall where we upgraded our free QSDP to the standard plan. We did a couple of signature meals and then used snack credits at the festival booths to make up for the "missing" meals. We found with the character meals our kids wanted to do, it was worth the upgrade.

We upgraded our free QS again for our trip in December and are planning 1 signature and one dinner of the festival booths (shorter trip).
 
[QUOTE="DisneyDad50, post: 61208375, member: 654834"
If we eat out with the kids at home, we usually try to rush things so we can get away again before kids get fed up. So trying to catch a TS every day doesn't sound very relaxing.
[/QUOTE]

Believe me, I feel ya. All our TS meals with the kids are ones they will enjoy because of characters. No expectation of Fancy Dining with people speaking in hushed, private tones. My DD hopping with up and down with Tigger for a full minute at 1900 Park Fare is a minor highlight of her first trip. Most are buffets, so everyone can find what they like. But I also recommend Garden Grill, which is served family style, so you don't have to get up and the restaurant is effectively rotating through a ride. Your kids will be wonderfully distracted.
£360 is not much to add for 9 TS meals for 4 people, the kids won't be this young or this inexpensive to feed at WDW for long, and 9 days is a long time to have so many CS meals. If you don't want 9 sit downs, you can always convert them to QS credits and not feel bad at all at that price. Or do a show that eats up two credits.
 
Coming from the UK, we got ‘free’ QS dining with our moderate hotel. There’s 2 adults and 2 kids staying for 9 nights and it would cost £360 to upgrade for the stay.

We’re not too bothered about character dining ( Certainly wouldn’t pay out of pocket for them anyway), but if they were included, perhaps.

Given the upgrade cost, is it worth it? The DDP doesn’t actually seem to give you any extra in way of meals/food. Or will we grow weary of QS meals by day 5?

Thanks for your advice.

For that price, yes. That's just £40 a day. Not sure when you land but you can always have a nice table service the first night you are there, not inside a park, if you don't have park tickets to cover that day. There are nice TS meals outside the parks too :D
 
Coming from the UK, we got ‘free’ QS dining with our moderate hotel. There’s 2 adults and 2 kids staying for 9 nights and it would cost £360 to upgrade for the stay.

We’re not too bothered about character dining ( Certainly wouldn’t pay out of pocket for them anyway), but if they were included, perhaps.

Given the upgrade cost, is it worth it? The DDP doesn’t actually seem to give you any extra in way of meals/food. Or will we grow weary of QS meals by day 5?

Thanks for your advice.


I think you’ll regret having to eat quick service food for your entire stay. I never thought I would enjoy character meals either but they’re very relaxing and worth the credits. I like them more than traditional table service restaurants.
 
We’re heading next June and it’s the first time we’ve done a family holiday staying at a hotel, so it’s a bit unknown to us.

We’re doing 9 nights at Disney and then staying at a villa with extended family the week after. So probably more relaxed home cooking that week.

I’m leaning towards upgrading. And taking Pumbaas advice, will advance book a few and just see what’s available when we’re there.I think I read you can use TS credits for QS - not best use I know but allows a bit of flexibility.
 
I like the freedom QS offers, not having to book and plan in advance.
Grand kids are older now, we did plenty of character meals when they were younger.
we can only afford to go every 3 years or so and the kids have been very vocal that they don't want to "waste time" at TS restaurants when they could be on rides.
I have gone through the menus, find QS places that everyone can/will (have some food allergies in the family) eat, make them a favorite in MDE and when we are hungry I open the app and have a list of places to eat in each park.
very freeing not to be tied to an ADR I made 6 months before.

we are doing one TS meal using Disney Visa rewards.
 

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