1st visit, Rezzies to eat? Must Eats?

[wdwmoxie]

This will be our first visit to Disney.

We are 2 adults and our Son (14)

5 nights 8/31/09 at Dis POP Century (budget)

Free DDP
6 day hopper pass

*considering the DxDDP for $32 per person per day.

We're kind of overwhelmed with the dining choices. I notice that for dinner I need to make reservations? How do I know which restaurants to choose when I barely know where I'm going to be on any given night during our 5 night stay. Even if I did know where I'm going to be, how do I choose restaurants when I've never been there?

Are the restaurants that you need reservations for theme restaurnants with shows? If this is the case, which ones would be most appealing to our 14 year old son? do we need the deluxe DDP for these restaurants?

Thanks for your help....

[chloelovesdisney]

Personally, for a first visit I would not want to spend a whole lot of time each day at table service restaurants with the deluxe dining plan. I think that the regular dining plan, with one sit down meal would be perfect.

It's really hard to say what restaurants are perfect for you without really knowing what you like. Honestly, I am happy at almost every restaurant.

Not many of the park restaurants have shows. There's a German band in the Biergarten (which we happen to love going to) in Epcot during dinner. Not sure if they perform during lunch. Some of the meals have the Disney characters come around. It's not a show, but we all enjoy it. (and we're all over twenty)

Seeing how it's your first trip and you are staying for five days, I would probably do one buffet breakfast, one lunch, and three dinners, but again that's just what would make me happy.

We like Crystal Palace and Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magin Kingdom, although we haven't been back to LTT since they took away the characters. We like Biergarten and Le Cellier in Epcot. San Angel Inn is nice for the atmosphere, but the food was just okay. We've never done at TS in Animal Kingdom, and haven't found a TS that we really liked in DHS, although we are trying two new places this summer. (Sci-Fi and Prime Time Cafe)

We pick our park days by the EMH, and that's how we plan our ADR's. Some people plan their park days by avoiding the EMH parks for that day.

Whatever you do, you'll have a great time. Make the most of Fast Passes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chloelovesdisney]

This will be our first visit to Disney.

We are 2 adults and our Son (14)

5 nights 8/31/09 at Dis POP Century (budget)

Free DDP
6 day hopper pass

*considering the DxDDP for $32 per person per day.

We're kind of overwhelmed with the dining choices. I notice that for dinner I need to make reservations? How do I know which restaurants to choose when I barely know where I'm going to be on any given night during our 5 night stay. Even if I did know where I'm going to be, how do I choose restaurants when I've never been there?

Are the restaurants that you need reservations for theme restaurnants with shows? If this is the case, which ones would be most appealing to our 14 year old son? do we need the deluxe DDP for these restaurants?

Thanks for your help....


At any of the restaurants where you are seated by a hostess, you are well advised to have a reservation (actually an ADR). This is for restaurants with shows or no shows.

No, you don't need the deluxe DDP for these restaurants.

Try to make a plan for which park you will be at each day, although with the park hoppers you at least have the flexibility to move around in case you change your mind. Look at the menus online, see what appeals to you, and just pick.

Good luck!!!!!!!!

[squirrel]

I would not get the DxDP for your first visit and first time on the DDP. We found the DDP plenty of food. It also take at least an hour to eat at the TS places.

There are some popular places that I haven't been to (hopefully I can get them this year): O'hana and Le Cellier

Would your son like dining with Characters? If he would Chef Mickey's, O'hana breakfast with Stitch, and Donald's Safari Breakfast are good-not the best deal on the DDP, but if you enjoy breakfast and don't care about getting the most $ out of the dining plan.

We liked the Kona Cafe and The Wave. There are a lot of places to choose from.

We tried out 13 restaurants last year and there are still so many to try.

[Cazbucket]

Hi - this will be my 5th visit but my first on DDP. I have eaten at a few of the restaurants available on DDP in the past, yet it has taken me ages to decide on which restarants to choose.
I have gone through all the menus and read the reviews and finally come up with a list.:surfweb:
I would def keep it simple and not upgrade. As a note, my 15 year old son is desperate to eat at Planet Hollywood - it is on my list although the reviews are sometimes not so good, but I guess it's 'cool' for teens lol

Caz
:yay:

[Colleen27]

I agree with the previous posters - the deluxe dining is too much for a first visit, especially a shorter first visit. It takes a lot of planning to schedule multiple sitdown meals without a ton of travel time, and sitdown meals are often more time consuming than quick service. We love the deluxe plan not that we're annual visitors that stay a week or more, but it wouldn't have worked for us for our first few family trips. I wouldn't have wanted to take that much time away from the parks.

With 5 nights, I'd plan one day for each park and a free day to revisit whichever park you all feel you most want more time in.

I'd drop the hopper upgrade. We've found that we seldom if ever use them because of the travel time involved in going between parks, and if you do want to park hop, you can add the hopper feature at the gate for the same price as buying it in advance. Save the $50 per ticket and add it later if you find you really want to park hop.

Menus for the Disney restaurants are available at Allears.net and WDWinfo.com, which should help with choosing restaurants.

With a teenager, I would suggest Sci-Fi at Hollywood Studios - the food is pretty basic burgers, onion rings and milkshakes, but the decor is really cool, themed to look like you're eating in a drive-in theatre complete with a screen showing old movie trailers.

Don't overlook the restaurants at the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian for your Magic Kingdom day. The monorail makes it super easy, quick, and fun to get to any of those resorts for dinner, and that opens up a lot more options beyond the fairly limited options in the park itself.

Epcot has so many good choices that it should just be a matter of looking over menus and deciding which appeals most to your family.

[Debbie Jean]

Menus for the various restaurants can be found on www.allearsnet.com

That will give you an idea of what is offered at each place. If you are planning on eating sit down in the parks, you must have a ressie during free dining... most restaurants will be fully booked and not taking walk-ins.

I agree that for a first timer, you probably don't want to get involved with the Deluxe Dining... when you return for another trip... and you WILL return! ;) ... you may feel like you are willing to give up more time for sit down restaurants.

BTW, Allears gives you menus for counter service as well which can be helpful in deciding where and when you want to eat...

Happy planning! :thumbsup2