Stressed about Dining Plans...Help!!

[Kay1112]

I am trying to plan a honeymoon for October 7th through October 10th (2007) and have purchased the dining plan. I think I have finally decided on the restaurants for each day but I'm not sure. Please anyone help me, I need to know what restaurants I need to make reservations for (if it isn't too late), and if they are FOR SURE covered by 1 table service meal from the dining plan. Also, I would like to know if these restaurants seem close to where we will be or if we will be running around too much.

Night 1, 10-07: Magic Kingdom
Concourse Steak House
Night 2, 10-08: Epcot
Nine Dragons
Night 3, 10-09: MGM
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
Night 4, 10-10: Downtown Disney
Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe

Thanks so much to anyone who can help me, I'm really stressed out right now!

 

[Bob P]

Welcome to the DIS!

You should make ADRs for all of those meals. Call now and put an end to your stress!

 

[dqpowell]

There are a couple problems with the plan. First, you're going for three nights (check in the 7th, check out the 10th) which means you'll only get three TS credits. Unless you're actually checking in the 6th or checking out the 11th... let me know if that's what you mean.

They're all 1 TS credit.

Personally, I don't think Sci-Fi's food is very good, and it has one of the lowest, if not the lowest reader survey rating listed in the Unofficial Guide. The atmosphere is great, but the food leaves a lot to be desired.

It's really hard to get ADRs for October at this point, but the restaurants you picked should be easier than most others.

Good luck!

David

 

[jtlover]

If it was me I would choose a 2TS meal at Jiko or California Grill for a romantic meal whilst you are at Disney. On the other day you could use your counter service instead as you will have used up 2 days of TS.

Happy planning

 

[thunderbird1]

Welcome to the DIS! And congrats on the upcoming wedding and Disneymoon!

I think your proposed choices look fine. A lot of people put down Sci-Fi, but the atmosphere totally makes it for me. We ate there on our Disneymoon (many, many years ago), and found cuddling in the back seat of the car very romantic. Just don't go expecting gourmet food that night-it is a drive in, and you have a couple of other fancier restaurants on other nights.

The restaurant locations are perfect for where you're going to be each day, and every restaurant you've chosen is 1 credit, so you're good if you have a 4 night stay. If it's a 3 night stay, I'd pay OOP for Sci-Fi, as it's likely to be the cheapest.

And I'd call ASAP to book your ADR's. It shouldn't be too late to get reservations for any of those restaurants, since you'll be past the free dining period, but you never know. Good luck--let us know what you end up with!

 

[Kay1112]

to everyone for your help! It is a 4 night stay, sorry if I confused anyone. We will actually be staying for 5 nights, arriving late on the 6th and leaving early on the 11th. Is the Sci-Fi food really horrible because we're just going there because my fiance likes stuff like that. However, if the food is horrible I'm sure he'd change his mind.

 

[dqpowell]

The food at Sci-Fi varies a bit -- better some days and/or times than others -- but I've never had what I would consider a really good meal there. I've given up on it for meals.

The Unofficial Guide gathers reader surveys about restaurants and then publishes the results as a percentage of readers giving positive reviews vs. negative reviews. Most of the highly-regarded restaurants get more than 70% positive, often more than 80% positive. For example, Nine Dragons is listed as 70%, Wolfgang Puck's as 77%, Jiko is 87%, and Le Cellier is 94%.

Leafing through the book a bit right now, restaurants below 65% positive are kind of rare. Planet Hollywood is 65%. Coral Reef is 61%. Sci-Fi is 53%, despite the unique decor, atmosphere, and video clips, which will sometimes earn a restaurant a positive review even if the food is a bit lacking. The only one I can find that's lower is Shutters at Old Port Royale, which got a dismal 47%.

I'd suggest visiting the Sci-Fi for a dessert. You'll get the ambience and unique dining experience, but won't be using up a table service credit on it. (Pay out of pocket, obviously.)

David

 

[Kay1112]

I am going to discuss the sci-fi with my fiance tomorrow to see what he thinks and maybe we will just go in for a snack or something. Does anyone know any other good restaurants to use for table service in the MGM area?

 

[thunderbird1]

I am going to discuss the sci-fi with my fiance tomorrow to see what he thinks and maybe we will just go in for a snack or something. Does anyone know any other good restaurants to use for table service in the MGM area?

Therein lies the problem. 50's PTC seems to pretty consistently get pretty good reviews, but for a honeymoon, I'd pick the dark quiet of Sci-Fi over the loud boisterousness (if that's a word, and if it's spelled even close to correctly) of 50's PTC. And it's not necessarily that the food at Sci-Fi is bad, per se, but rather that you'll enjoy it more if you stay true to the restaurant, and stick to diner-type foods, like onion rings, burgers, shakes, etc.

BTW, for a 5 night DDP stay, you'll have 5 TS meals worth of credits, so go ahead and pick one more. If time is an issuee, you can double up and do 2 in 1 day (breakfast and dinner, or something like that) or go for one 2 credit signature meal. I think Brown Derby in MGM is 2 credits, and Flying Fish on the Boardwalk near MGM is also 2 credits, so one of those might work for you if you decide to skip or just pay OOP for dessert at Sci-Fi.

 

[Kay1112]

My park tickets are only for 4 days...but my reservations are the 6th through the 11th...we won't be arriving until probably 10pm on the 6th. So does that still mean that we get 5 TS, because for some strange reason I was thinking it went with the park tickets.
By the way thanks so much for everyone putting up with by dumb beginner questions (I've been to Disney twice, but this is the first trip I have planned).

 

[Indy's Girl]

DDP definitly goes by nights stay, not park tickets, so for your stay you will have 5ts, 5cs and 5 snack for each person. I second the idea that if you feel pressed for time to double up and do a 2 TS one night instead of a 1TS or maybe have a TS breakfast, don't let that credit go to waste! For my honeymoon (9 days!) some of the 2 TS we considered were California Grill, Artist Point, and Jiko. We chose Jiko and it seems to get some good reviews on the board. I would personally probably replace Nine Dragons with a 2TS meal because I can get chinese food anywhere in my home town and I feel like for a honeymoon we want at least one really nice dining experience! Hve a great trip.

 

[Kay1112]

Thanks so much...I really can't thank all of you guys enough!!
Also know that we get 5 of everything makes things a whole lot different now, looks like we're gonna be eating a lot of food haha. We will definitely be doing a 2 TS now! This changes a lot...I need to hurry and get this stuff done! Does anyone know of anything that may be open late when we get there on the 6th?

 

[Ahhhhshley]

I am also using the dining plan on my honeymoon, I know its been awhile since you posted this so you might have already picked all of the places you guys will be eating and made your reservations but i noticed no one has responded to your last question. There are a few places open late for example Planet hollywood is open until 1am. go to this website it will tell you all about all the places to eat!
wdwinfo.com/MagicYourWaydining.htm

 

[dseth]

There are a couple problems with the plan. First, you're going for three nights (check in the 7th, check out the 10th) which means you'll only get three TS credits. Unless you're actually checking in the 6th or checking out the 11th... let me know if that's what you mean.

They're all 1 TS credit.

Personally, I don't think Sci-Fi's food is very good, and it has one of the lowest, if not the lowest reader survey rating listed in the Unofficial Guide. The atmosphere is great, but the food leaves a lot to be desired.

It's really hard to get ADRs for October at this point, but the restaurants you picked should be easier than most others.

Good luck!

David

I couldn't agree more here. Maybe look at 50's Prime Time.

Relax though! It's going to be ok!