Which ADR would be best to pay out of pocket?

[steelerfan87]

Got free dining in Sept.

Our plans include:
Biergarten
Liberty Tree Tavern
Rose & Crown
Sci FiDinner Theatre
T-Rex
Hoop Dee Doo

Which equals to one more table service than we have.
Which one would you pay out of pocket for?

Or we have thought about dropping Hoop Dee Doo and going with something else like 1900, Big River Grill, Akerhaus or Cap'n Jacks

 

[goofyintoronto]

I think the cheapest there would be SciFi. Love that place btw.

Would Liberty Tree be for dinner or lunch? Thats another cheap one to consider, lunch is cheaper than dinner thou.

I would look at the prices on allears.net and see for yourself.

 

[NC Disney Fan]

Got free dining in Sept.

Our plans include:
Biergarten
Liberty Tree Tavern
Rose & Crown
Sci FiDinner Theatre
T-Rex
Hoop Dee Doo

Which equals to one more table service than we have.
Which one would you pay out of pocket for?

Or we have thought about dropping Hoop Dee Doo and going with something else like 1900, Big River Grill, Akerhaus or Cap'n Jacks

I would strongly suggest you go online to look at each menu to determine which to do. Check out pricing and that will easily allow you to see which is the best deal. I would think that Sci-Fi (one of our family's favorites!!) is among the cheapest due to its individual entrees and seemingly lower price than some of the other you mentioned. But again, check out the menus for pricing and it will help you decide.

Regarding Hoop De Doo. We went and really enjoyed it. I would say that if you can get it free, do it! We have traveled on free dining the past 5 years (returning this Sept for it again) and we have been lucky enough to try almost all of the 2 TS offerings. I think that Hoop de Doo is worth it when free. Is there anyway that one of your family can share a meal or two. We often do that and end up saving up TS credits by doing so. That has allowed us to do the 2 TS without coming out of pocket. You can only do that with the restaurants that offer individual entrees of course.

Just a warning--when they say give plenty of time to get to Hoop Dee Doo, they really mean it. We ended up about 15 minutes late and were so rushed that we didn't have a relaxed time.

Did you get your reservations yet?

 

[steelerfan87]

I plan on getting my group together and looking online at the menus and getting a rough estimate on about what each would want. The key is getting everyone together which is near impossible these days.

No. I have not made ant od the ADR's yet and who knows, may not be able to get a couple of our choices anyway.

We have been to Biergarten before and loved it, so its a must. All others are places we havn't been yet and was just wanting to try different things. We are not real big on leaving parks and going to resorts for dinners unless its nice and close like Poly, GF, and Cont.

We will usually allways spend one evening at DD so thats why T-Rex.

I have heard good reviews about Hoop Dee Doo but not sure its worth 2 credits. Last trip we did Spirit of Aloha and felt cheated(food and show) was less than expected.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I would say Hoop Dee Do. Paying OOP opens up two table services, not just one and includes gratuity and beer.

You might come out a little cheaper paying OOP for something else, but in the big scheme, paying OOP for Hoop will be the better value.

I don't think there is any restaurant currently using 2 table services worth what they charge on the DDP.

 

[Crystal824]

I would say Hoop Dee Do. Paying OOP opens up two table services, not just one and includes gratuity and beer.

You might come out a little cheaper paying OOP for something else, but in the big scheme, paying OOP for Hoop will be the better value.

I don't think there is any restaurant currently using 2 table services worth what they charge on the DDP.

I agree with this. I would probably pay OOP for HDD and then add another one credit meal. It is typically a better value to pay for a two credit place and use two individual credits at other restaurants. If there is no where else you want to eat, Sci-Fi is probably the best option to pay for but it really depends on what people are going to order.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I would say Hoop Dee Do. Paying OOP opens up two table services, not just one and includes gratuity and beer.

You might come out a little cheaper paying OOP for something else, but in the big scheme, paying OOP for Hoop will be the better value.

I don't think there is any restaurant currently using 2 table services worth what they charge on the DDP.

Scratch my previous comment. I agree with this! Paying for Hoop Dee Doo OOP is a better value!

 

[Roxychica7]

Definitely Sci-Fi. Their desserts (aside from the milkshakes) aren't all that great anyway.

 

[sharonabe]

One other suggestion:

Choose two of your a la carte places and split how you pay. Two of your group pay OOP and two pay with DDP credits. This way, you still get two desserts to share.

 

[nkereina]

Probably Sci Fi or T-Rex. Rule of thumb is to pay OOP for breakfasts since you don't get dessert with breakfast (not a great value). But since you don't have any breakfasts, I'd go with one of these two. The menus are available on various Disney sites if you want to price them out.

If you are considering dropping one, for me it would be T-Rex. It's a chain restaurant which you can tell by the food and its owned by the same company as Rainforest Cafe so they are extremely similar.

 

[smiths02]

One other suggestion:

Choose two of your a la carte places and split how you pay. Two of your group pay OOP and two pay with DDP credits. This way, you still get two desserts to share.

This...Sci Fi was easy for us to split. For one adult TS we got 2 milkshakes and a burger/fries.

 

[jmcghee2024]

Hoop Dee Doo Revue is realy not worth 2 credits in my opinion.
As far as your 1 credit restuarants, Sci-Fi will be the cheapest.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Definitely Sci-Fi. Their desserts (aside from the milkshakes) aren't all that great anyway.

If the food isn't that good, you should't be eating there. Don't use the DDP as justification like you're not paying for it.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Hoop Dee Doo Revue is realy not worth 2 credits in my opinion.

Is any Signature meal worth two dining credits? I certainly don't think so compared to what you get, what it would cost OOP and what two table credits could get you somewhere else.

 

[wtrowbridge]

Does T-Rex accept the DDP? I didn't think you could use a TS credit there?

 

[Haley]

Does T-Rex accept the DDP? I didn't think you could use a TS credit there?

They didn't originally but they do now- 1 TS credit.

 

[NC Disney Fan]

Got free dining in Sept.

Our plans include:
Biergarten
Liberty Tree Tavern
Rose & Crown
Sci FiDinner Theatre
T-Rex
Hoop Dee Doo

Which equals to one more table service than we have.
Which one would you pay out of pocket for?

Or we have thought about dropping Hoop Dee Doo and going with something else like 1900, Big River Grill, Akerhaus or Cap'n Jacks

I've read all of the subsequent posts and have to say, I don't think that paying OOP for Hoop dee Doo is a good option. That's a ton of money! Why not just pay for Sci-Fi (which in fact has some killer desserts despite what others have said. We have had cheesecakes to die for in Nov. and Sept). And, as I stated, if you could share a meal here and there, it will save them up for Hoop Dee Doo. The fact is, as someone mentioned, none of these 2 table credits would be worth it if I were paying out of pocket but that is what is great with the dining plan, you can take advantage of the "experience" without the guilt of having paid a huge amount for it. We have done Cinderella's castle, Luau, Hoop Dee Doo They have been decent food but not anything to write home about--but the entertainment and experience is worth it. That is just my opinion.

I would say that of your choices, Liberty Tree Tavern is my least favorite--the food was heavy and served family style. If you were planning to go there on a MK day, I would hope on the monorail to the Grand Floridian and go to 1900 Park Fare!

BTW, if you have not made reservations, you need to do so NOW!! They just opened free dining to Disney Card holders so it will be getting even more booked up. I suspect they will offer free dining to all Americans very, very soon.

Good luck.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I've read all of the subsequent posts and have to say, I don't think that paying OOP for Hoop dee Doo is a good option. That's a ton of money! Why not just pay for Sci-Fi (which in fact has some killer desserts despite what others have said.

Paying for Hoop Dee Do is around $60 per person, which includes gratuity, tax and beer. Also, by doing so, you get an extra table service meal to use somewhere else....Ohana, Be Our Guest, Mama Melrose, etc.

The average entree price at Sci Fi is around $18, then you have to pay tax and gratuity on top of it. Want an app, or a salad..thats extra. Want a soft drink, yep, extra too.

So, when looking at the dollar for dollar comparison, YES Hoop will be more expensive (but I think you'd be surprised by how much...maybe $20/$25 more per adult), but then you get an additional table service for no additional cost.

Paying OOP for Sci Fi is cheaper, but Hoop presents the better value because you will get more for what you actually do pay for.

The fact is, as someone mentioned, none of these 2 table credits would be worth it if I were paying out of pocket but that is what is great with the dining plan, you can take advantage of the "experience" without the guilt of having paid a huge amount for it.

You still do pay for it, and using the dining plan for Hoop (or any signature meal) isn't a good value. BUT, the additional money comes in for the show/experience, not necessarily the food. Think of it like this...you can go to Hoop and eat all you want, including alcohol tax and tip for $60. On the dining plan, it costs you two total meals.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not table services come out to more than $30 per adult the way you dine. When on the DDP, you have to consider value in where you eat and what you order to have it financially make sense. If you want it for ease, and don't care about financial impacts, thats different.

If you want ease, pay for the cheapest. If you want value, obtain the most you can for your money.