After much wading about whether to add the DDP .. I've decided to add the DDP to my travel in late August (it's me, DH and twin DD who will be 7). I am using the 40% off PIN I received to stay at AKL (savanna view) so can't get free dining and so will pay for it for the 4 of us). Reasons I was not going to the do the DDP are 1) didn't want to base my trip on making and getting to ADRs especially if say, the day of the reservation, we don't feel like going and 2) with the Disney Package + Dining - you have to pay for everything by the 45th day mark but the bulk of the money we will have for the trip (to pay for the park tickets and food) we will have saved by the 30th day mark.
Anyway - I decided to go for the DDP since I am positive (based on other trips to Disney and other places) that we will spend at least least $400-$500 on food (the price of the DDP for us) and I wanted to experince the dining plan at least once. This is how I intend to handle the issue of getting to and from ADRs without feeling too tied down:
(1) I will make most of my ADRs at the parks ...so we just have to get to the parks - where we are going anyway instead of stressing about how to make a reservation at another hotel). The park ADRs I am planning are Crystal Palace for breakfast, Teppen Edo for lunch or dinner and also maybe Storybook Princess for breakfast.
(2) The only reservations at a hotel that I plan to make are at the restaurants at the hotel I am staying at - Boma for both breakfast and dinner and Jiko for dinner ...since these should be easy for us to get to without stressing that we got to get there at a certain time.
(3)Everything else - we will be flexible ...based on how we feel at the momment. And if we want to eat at a restaurnt not on the DDP - we will do so. If we want to get an appeizer ...we will just pay OOP for it. Any feedback on my plan - please provide.
Anyway - I decided to go for the DDP since I am positive (based on other trips to Disney and other places) that we will spend at least least $400-$500 on food (the price of the DDP for us) and I wanted to experince the dining plan at least once. This is how I intend to handle the issue of getting to and from ADRs without feeling too tied down:
(1) I will make most of my ADRs at the parks ...so we just have to get to the parks - where we are going anyway instead of stressing about how to make a reservation at another hotel). The park ADRs I am planning are Crystal Palace for breakfast, Teppen Edo for lunch or dinner and also maybe Storybook Princess for breakfast.
(2) The only reservations at a hotel that I plan to make are at the restaurants at the hotel I am staying at - Boma for both breakfast and dinner and Jiko for dinner ...since these should be easy for us to get to without stressing that we got to get there at a certain time.
(3)Everything else - we will be flexible ...based on how we feel at the momment. And if we want to eat at a restaurnt not on the DDP - we will do so. If we want to get an appeizer ...we will just pay OOP for it. Any feedback on my plan - please provide.
