CRT with DDP or pay for it?

[kkbrig]

When I called Disney, the TA made lots of wonderful suggestions for the trip. One of the dining plan suggestions she had was to PAY for the CRT meal, because she thought 2TS credits was a steep price, being that it was "only" a $32/$34 a meal. Whereas, if you used those 2 credits elsewhere, say Chef Mickey's for $28 and Coral Reef for potentially $50+, you'd be getting a lot more for your credits. What do you guys think of this? Anyone done this? So far from what I've read, this board seems to advocate eating where you want and not trying to max your dining dollar credits. Any input appreciated! (selfishly, I like this idea because it frees up TWO TS credits! I'm having a hard time pareing down my list of desired restaurants!):confused3

[bicker]

I agree with the TA. CRT is a good one to either pay OOP or skip entirely, saving dining plan credits for 1TS meals. Check into the princesses breakfast at Akershus as an alternative.

[kdkbrebel]

I absoulutely loved the CRT Bfast.:love: Eating in the castle is just magical. But I would definately pay oop for it and use those credits elsewhere.

[mhm]

We plan to pay OOP at CRT for dd's 5th birthday. We'll use 2 credits for Artist Point instead.

[Tam1067]

We already paid OOP for CRT breakfast our trip in July because as you noted, it's not worth the 2 TS credit cost financially. We'd rather eat at a 1 TS place each evening for dinner with those credits.

[Jordan2007]

This is our one TS we are paying OOP for. We just thought that it was more worthwile that way, although the dinner is about $40 we thought we could get two TS for more than that.

[Disneyolic]

It may depend on your circumstances. We are arriving very late at night and that automatically added on an extra day for our DDP. I will be using the 2 TS for me and my daughter (free). I will be paying OOP for my meal only at Sci-Fi at lunchtime. That meal will be pretty cheap for me, seeing as I will probably only get a burger and drink. So, it works for us and I don't feel like I'm wasting my DDP using 2 TS for CRT. But then, again, it is only me that is losing 1 TS - not my DH or DSs. I probably would feel different if I had to use it for all of us.

[HopperFan]

Did this last September. Was there a week on DDP, and we did the CRT and paid out of pocket. Much better value for TS to have two vs using it on one. Glad we did it this way ! Consider one dinner for the two of us was $130 (lobster :thumbsup2 ) vs the $80 value of CRT. We could have had two lobster nights which would have been $260 vs $80 at CRT.

[Katiebell]

We don't have any 2 TS meals planned, but have one more TS meal planned than we have credits. We went through our whole list and figured out the least expensive TS was the 'Ohana breakfast so we are paying for that OOP. It's not an issue of trying to "max our dining dollars" (if that was the case, we'd have picked more expensive 1 TS restaurants!) but really just trying to be wise in how we spend our money OOP :)

[FlashScout]

In our case, we decided to split the difference - use the 2TS for the two kids, but pay OOP for my DW and myself. This saves 2TS to use for a "date night" at Artist's Point while the kiddoes are at the Cubs' Den. It's worth it just to have a little romantic dinner with my DW. Given a choice to pay OOP for CRT breakfast or AP, AP will result in a much higher bill.

But, it depends on what you have planned.

[DebbieB]

I took my niece to breakfast there last June. I paid OOP, not worth 2 credits.

[kkbrig]

HopperFan- where'd you get the lobster? That sounds good!

[ms_mckenna]

I have to agree on paying OOP. We are going for the bday trip this summer and will be paying oop for 2 different ts's. Ohana breakfast because it is so much less than the other meals we are eating, and CRT because I could spend those 2 ts credits better elsewhere.

[__Cujo__]

My 2¢....

Just confirmed my ressies for 8-15 Sep and the first action I took was to book a CRT breakfast (along with a bevy of other ADRs). IMHO, this is defintely an OOP dining experience. To do this, I paid upfront. I figure it'll be among the best $100 I'll spend, to see the smile on my DD2 (almost 3 when we visit)

I too am looking to experiecne more restaurants, so saving my table service meals for them is a must.

As an aside, it is a little disconcerting that I had to decide, while making the ADRs, which restaurants I wanted to use the dining plan for and which I wanted to pay OOP. Was hoping to make some of these decisions on site.

[bicker]

Please note that you are not obligated with regard to your decisions concerning where you'll use the Dining Plan versus where you'll pay OOP, with the possible exception of CRT and other meals where a deposit is required if you're paying OOP. At all other restaurants, you can change your mind when you place your order.

[rolshuk]

Please note that you are not obligated with regard to your decisions concerning where you'll use the Dining Plan versus where you'll pay OOP, with the possible exception of CRT and other meals where a deposit is required if you're paying OOP. At all other restaurants, you can change your mind when you place your order.


So can I book my ADR and say I am on the DDP(which I am)then pay oop
at the time if I decide to do so?
I understand I will need a credit card to guarentee my booking with the DDP but I wont need to make a payment.Is this right?

[__Cujo__]

Whatever the correct process is, I can only say the CM at ADR informed me that in order to secure a spot at CRT, Spirit of Aloha, Hoop Dee, etc... AND pay OOP I had to not only use a credit card to secure the ADR, but I had to pay for the meals themselves---upfront.

After the first few ADRs, having struggled with what was now a mounting credit card bill --without having set foot on the sacred soil of WDW---- I decided to indicate DDP for each subsequent reservation. So much easier.

Now that I have well exceeded --in terms of ADRs-- my scheduled allotment of table service meals, I'm sure it will all sort itself out onsite.

Cash is still king right ?!?!?

[annieb727]

Question - how long does the dining at CRT breakfast take? Obviously everyone's different...but approximately? I'm wondering if we were able to get an 8am ADR and be done by park opening...

[stephensmum]

We arrive late afternoon, will just get cs meal. On our first full day we have booked the castle (2A 1Ch). We don't mind using 2 ts each, as reports say we will get too much food anyway. Some things are better value than others. We don't really want to pay oops for anything other than subsituting ds9 cs meals which won't appeal to him.
Sharon

[rolshuk]

Whatever the correct process is, I can only say the CM at ADR informed me that in order to secure a spot at CRT, Spirit of Aloha, Hoop Dee, etc... AND pay OOP I had to not only use a credit card to secure the ADR, but I had to pay for the meals themselves---upfront.

After the first few ADRs, having struggled with what was now a mounting credit card bill --without having set foot on the sacred soil of WDW---- I decided to indicate DDP for each subsequent reservation. So much easier.

Now that I have well exceeded --in terms of ADRs-- my scheduled allotment of table service meals, I'm sure it will all sort itself out onsite.

Cash is still king right ?!?!?

So if I understand correctly you cant pay oops at the time of dinning if you decide to at the time of dinning.Is this correct?Has anyone had a problem doing this?:confused3

[__Cujo__]

Thats how I understand it.....and as I said, I have more TS ressies than TS credits, something will have to give onsite.

[2Monkeys]

I would say pay OOP only if you plan to eat those other 2 TS meals. We would use the 2 TS credits, b/c if not, that would be 2 more TS ADRs we would have to make. So, if you don't mind being scheduled, and there are more TS you'd like to try, then pay OOP. If not, then use the 2 TS for CRT. It really just depends on how your family plans to eat.:)

[LoriNSC]

So if I understand correctly you cant pay oops at the time of dinning if you decide to at the time of dinning.Is this correct?Has anyone had a problem doing this?:confused3

The CM told me when booking our CRT in Dec. for our June trip that you can list DDP when making ressie (they still use a card to guarantee it) & if you decide on OOP, you need to call & pay at least 48 hrs. in advance since CRT is considered a prepaid meal. Of course-I called a few days later to get an earlier time at our 180 day mark & that CM messed up & charged my CC the full amt. But I was going to pay OOP anyway-so I left it. I just called back when I realized this to confirm it was for CRT.