Everybody raves about (blank), but I don't see it.

[Reddog1134]

Love the characters, love the meals, hate them together. Sit down, get out the autograph books, wait, where's the pen, get out the camera, not to close to the water, get out the camcorder. Would you move the baby, he can't see the characters coming? Go get your food, I'll wait with the kids. Daddy will be right back, don't cry. Wait, here comes Tigger, come back. You can get food next. Do you have the camera ready? I'm hungry daddy. Ok, hug Tigger and show him your book and then we'll get some food. Noooooo. Why is she crying? Ok, here's Tigger. Everyone give him a big hug. Where's the camcorder...I don't know, you had it. Ugh! Here it is under the banana peal. No baby, don't pull Tigger's tail. Ok, everyone smile. Tigger, would you sign our books? Oh, c*#p, did we ever find the pen? Ok, by Tigger. Everyone wave. I'm going to get food...PLEASE! We paid for a meal, we've been here for 45 minutes, and we haven't eaten anything. Ok, but hurry. The park opens soon and we want to get to the castle.

Are we the only ones!?

BTW, not all meals go this way, but it seems most certainly do.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Vinylmation - how is this anything?

Pin Trading

Huge ditto on both of those.

 

[LisaTC]

I'm kind of glad our trip was 10 months out from when we booked because at first I had a War & Peace book of things I wanted to do, now after reading so much here and on other boards, I've scaled back. I see how things are so hyped (& and it's not just on the Dis) and then it's anticlimactic. Do you think anything really lives up to it's hype, could that be part of the disappointment for some? Just posing a question...inquiring minds. Kind of off topic, I know.

For me, Turkey Legs...I don't want to gnaw on a Turkey leg at Thanksgiving, let alone walking around a theme park with thousands of people watching me! LOL

 

[Boardwalker]

It's A Small World.
I get antsy by the second room.

 

[magicbob]

Add me to the list of folks who doesn't have any use for DDP. I've crunched the numbers over and over thinking that I'm missing something, but what we spend on food is not nearly what it would cost us for DDP.

Granted, we don't do table service meals every night (maybe once or twice during our stay), and we NEVER do breakfast at the parks. But that's just because we're not into eating a big breakfast. A banana or a bagel is plenty for me. Plus our kids are older and not interested in "character" meals. I can see how DDP might make sense when it's free (assuming you're not giving up a room discount to get it), but for us, it doesn't make good fiscal sense.

Also, Vinyl-mation. I'm a "collector" by nature (coins, comic books, toys, disney, etc.) but these little statuettes just don't speak to me at all. I guess they are reminiscent of the horses in Vienna, pigs in Seattle, pandas in D.C., mermaids in Virginia Beach, etc. that are each decorated by an artist in various styles and spread throughout the city. I enjoy spotting stuff like that when I visit different places around the world, but as a collectible, it's not my cup of tea.

 

[TinkBride]

Love the characters, love the meals, hate them together. Sit down, get out the autograph books, wait, where's the pen, get out the camera, not to close to the water, get out the camcorder. Would you move the baby, he can't see the characters coming? Go get your food, I'll wait with the kids. Daddy will be right back, don't cry. Wait, here comes Tigger, come back. You can get food next. Do you have the camera ready? I'm hungry daddy. Ok, hug Tigger and show him your book and then we'll get some food. Noooooo. Why is she crying? Ok, here's Tigger. Everyone give him a big hug. Where's the camcorder...I don't know, you had it. Ugh! Here it is under the banana peal. No baby, don't pull Tigger's tail. Ok, everyone smile. Tigger, would you sign our books? Oh, c*#p, did we ever find the pen? Ok, by Tigger. Everyone wave. I'm going to get food...PLEASE! We paid for a meal, we've been here for 45 minutes, and we haven't eaten anything. Ok, but hurry. The park opens soon and we want to get to the castle.

Are we the only ones!?

BTW, not all meals go this way, but it seems most certainly do.

I love it - DH and I do not have kiddos yet.......but i feel like this is a crystal ball of my fuiture.......

for me..........AK and AKL as well. Last trip was my first visit to AKL and it is just not my thing. I would rather spend the money to stay at or around the Boardwalk. AK is not even a priority for us when we visit.......DHS is getting close to this status too......

Norway's school bread is another one........

 

[AdamsPrincess]

Character Autographs...takes too long when lines are long enough already, the picture is good enough

Vinylmation...I don't get this either

Dooney & Burke purses...I love Disney and have Disney purses, but spending $200 or $300 for a purse is ridiculous

Turkey Legs...They are just ok and taste like ham

 

[hunter1722]

It's A Small World.
I get antsy by the second room.

Yeah! Those side exits look really tempting. I keep wondering if I would make the jump from the boat.

 

[hunter1722]

Add me to the list of folks who doesn't have any use for DDP. I've crunched the numbers over and over thinking that I'm missing something, but what we spend on food is not nearly what it would cost us for DDP.

Granted, we don't do table service meals every night (maybe once or twice during our stay), and we NEVER do breakfast at the parks. But that's just because we're not into eating a big breakfast. A banana or a bagel is plenty for me. Plus our kids are older and not interested in "character" meals. I can see how DDP might make sense when it's free (assuming you're not giving up a room discount to get it), but for us, it doesn't make good fiscal sense.

Also, Vinyl-mation. I'm a "collector" by nature (coins, comic books, toys, disney, etc.) but these little statuettes just don't speak to me at all. I guess they are reminiscent of the horses in Vienna, pigs in Seattle, pandas in D.C., mermaids in Virginia Beach, etc. that are each decorated by an artist in various styles and spread throughout the city. I enjoy spotting stuff like that when I visit different places around the world, but as a collectible, it's not my cup of tea.

I just crunched our numbers and even with Le Cellier, Crystal Palace and Teppan Edo, I still save $350 by paying OOP cash for the week instead of buying the dining plan getting the exact same food I would with it.

 

[TinkBride]

I just crunched our numbers and even with Le Cellier, Crystal Palace and Teppan Edo, I still save $350 by paying OOP cash for the week instead of buying the dining plan getting the exact same food I would with it.

I gotta agree with this statement.........last trip DH and I had rented points and something was messed up with our reservation and we did not have the DDP as we originally thought and we could not add it at check in. SO, we bit the bullet, kept all our reservations as planned, and paid OOP.

We had the cash to pay for the DDP at check in........at the end of the week we still had $100.00 in cash......so we saved at least $100.00 by paying OOP.

We were avid DDP users before.....never again. If you plan smart and stick to a budget, you can eat the same as the DDP users and save some money.

Another thing to add.......we noticed a MAJOR difference in service when not using the DDP. Our servers were much more helpful and attentive, and were tipped accordingly. I never believed the whole "better service for non DDP users" statements before..........but now I do.

 

[BayouMickey]

I just crunched our numbers and even with Le Cellier, Crystal Palace and Teppan Edo, I still save $350 by paying OOP cash for the week instead of buying the dining plan getting the exact same food I would with it.

i think you miscalculated a lil
I do both depending and it's a catch and go thing but you're never more than 25% either way depending to the place and type of DDP

 

[ccudmore]

Vinylmation
Fantasmic

 

[kimnvbva]

I must be the only one in the "world" who would say Cali Grill. It's ok. But now worth 2 table service credits. I guess you are paying for location. I've been there twice and I don't know, it's not that great. I think the steak is ok, not great. The service is slow, it's loud and you don't get a lot of food for $200. I would rather go to Outback for half the price but you don't get fireworks. Speaking of fireworks, when you go out there to watch wishes, it's only this little section of space to watch it from. By then, you are exhausted from the parks all day, the kids are cranky and just want to go back to the hotel. But you feel obligated to stay up there!

 

[wolf29]

Dole Whips and O'Hana.

 

[brunette8706]

Everyone raves about "CRYSTAL PALACE", but I just don't see it! Especially at dinner! The food there is on par with Golden Corral, LOL, just so much more expensive.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Love the characters, love the meals, hate them together. Sit down, get out the autograph books, wait, where's the pen, get out the camera, not to close to the water, get out the camcorder. Would you move the baby, he can't see the characters coming? Go get your food, I'll wait with the kids. Daddy will be right back, don't cry. Wait, here comes Tigger, come back. You can get food next. Do you have the camera ready? I'm hungry daddy. Ok, hug Tigger and show him your book and then we'll get some food. Noooooo. Why is she crying? Ok, here's Tigger. Everyone give him a big hug. Where's the camcorder...I don't know, you had it. Ugh! Here it is under the banana peal. No baby, don't pull Tigger's tail. Ok, everyone smile. Tigger, would you sign our books? Oh, c*#p, did we ever find the pen? Ok, by Tigger. Everyone wave. I'm going to get food...PLEASE! We paid for a meal, we've been here for 45 minutes, and we haven't eaten anything. Ok, but hurry. The park opens soon and we want to get to the castle.

Are we the only ones!?

BTW, not all meals go this way, but it seems most certainly do.

This is so true! But my family is crazy. We love it anyway.

 

[auntread]

Stitch!
Soarin'
Turkey Legs (Blech)

 

[Toad_Passenger]

i think you miscalculated a lil
I do both depending and it's a catch and go thing but you're never more than 25% either way depending to the place and type of DDP

I don't know, I just calculated our most recent trip, and the difference was that OOP was almost $400.00 cheaper than the DDP. This trip included eating at Les Chefs, CRT, Luau, Le Cellier, Mama Melrose's, and Sci-Fi.

The DDP would have left us short 5 QS meals, which would add to the initial cost, or an upgrade to DeluxeDDP, which, actuall, would have made our OOP savings even greater.

I think it's all in how, and what, you order. I tend to get an adult beverage with our meals, and, on some of our trips the places we dine are only available on the higher dining plans, which, again, would only increase that cost.

Each to their own, though.

 

[BayouMickey]

I don't know, I just calculated our most recent trip, and the difference was that OOP was almost $400.00 cheaper than the DDP. This trip included eating at Les Chefs, CRT, Luau, Le Cellier, Mama Melrose's, and Sci-Fi.

The DDP would have left us short 5 QS meals, which would add to the initial cost, or an upgrade to DeluxeDDP, which, actuall, would have made our OOP savings even greater.

I think it's all in how, and what, you order. I tend to get an adult beverage with our meals, and, on some of our trips the places we dine are only available on the higher dining plans, which, again, would only increase that cost.

Each to their own, though.

yeah ok there's where your calculations kind of teeter. you did a few sig seatings and without doing DDXP you will come out higher. like i said it's REALLY catch and go depending on the places vs the plan. Plus it's also about capitalizing the plan to the fullest. like i said i do it depending on my plans. when i do the plan i make sure that i get the value out of the plan.

example.. the DDXP averages about 70 dollars a day. i break it down to 20 per meal with 10 as 2 snack creds.

personally i do more table service cause i like to sit and enjoy the meal and not have people hovering waiting to see if we are leaving.
so for a drink, app, entree and dessert $20 is signifficantly less than i would pay oop.

lets take it one more step.. CRT..
breakfast is like 30 bucks so no 2 creds are not worth it, BUT dinner is 57.. So for dinner i'm saving 17 dollars!

 

[Satchmo128]

Reading through a few more pages reminded me of more....

- Vinylmation. CREEPY. Do not get it.at.all.
- Soarin' at EPCOT. We LOVE Soarin' over California at DCA specifically because the queue is so much more interesting. I know the actual ride is the same, but the queue in The Land building is horrendous, IMHO.
- DisneyQuest