3 adults for $100 p.day

[mrzrich]

Our bill was $65.17. The waitress took a drink off the bill because she said we waited too long for it.

She took more than just a drink off the dinner is around $27 pp.

 

[El&Asmom]

I agree with everyone else that says add the ddp right before you leave.

To me, it isn't worth it to have to worry consantly about what I was going to order just to save a few dollars as compared to what you get on the dining plan.
$17 isn't that much money. But you will get a ton more food, and unlimited options without the worry.

 

[natty1101]

Ditto on adding the DDP right before you leave.
You said you won't have your spending $$ until right before you go -- will you have it 3 days before to add the plan? If so it would definitely be less of a headache, you'll be able to eat more throughout the day, and everyone will enjoy trying nice restaurants without worrying about the cost.

 

[Alltiggeredout]

One thing is that we are going for 3wks,so 21nights worth is a lot of food and we don't want to be tied down to having to have a TS meal everyday.I think we would get tired of having to eat all the time.

 

[mrzrich]

One thing is that we are going for 3wks,so 21nights worth is a lot of food and we don't want to be tied down to having to have a TS meal everyday.I think we would get tired of having to eat all the time.

Actually this statement convinces me that you SHOULD get the DDP. You would not have to eat a TS everyday. You could eat at some fantastic 2TS signature restaurants that otherwise you would not be able to for the $100 a day you have planned. You would also be able to take in the Luau or the HDDR (Or both with 21 Days!)

The other days you could do CS....and like I said before you can really stretch those CSs places by ordering things you can share. Snacks can do double duty as breakfast on some days too!

 

[natty1101]

Actually this statement convinces me that you SHOULD get the DDP. You would not have to eat a TS everyday. You could eat at some fantastic 2TS signature restaurants that otherwise you would not be able to for the $100 a day you have planned. You would also be able to take in the Luau or the HDDR (Or both with 21 Days!)

The other days you could do CS....and like I said before you can really stretch those CSs places by ordering things you can share. Snacks can do double duty as breakfast on some days too!

I completely agree. You mentioned wanting to eat at some nice, different places and there are some really great 2TS options...I'd do a search for reviews, look at some menus, then decide. Places like the BW Bakery have breakfast sandwiches that you can use a snack credit for, so you may eliminate having to get much at Wal-mart, plus try some of the great CS places!

 

[Nancyg56]

Actually this statement convinces me that you SHOULD get the DDP. You would not have to eat a TS everyday. You could eat at some fantastic 2TS signature restaurants that otherwise you would not be able to for the $100 a day you have planned. You would also be able to take in the Luau or the HDDR (Or both with 21 Days!)

The other days you could do CS....and like I said before you can really stretch those CSs places by ordering things you can share. Snacks can do double duty as breakfast on some days too!

I agree with this. For not much more than you have allowed you can have some wonderful meals and still eat the way you have planned.

 

[scouter68]

we were told we do not pay for the dining plan till we check in so you might want to add it asap and make reservations. we tried to get into the mickeys bbq but all full

gl

 

[bookgirl2632]

Actually this statement convinces me that you SHOULD get the DDP. You would not have to eat a TS everyday. You could eat at some fantastic 2TS signature restaurants that otherwise you would not be able to for the $100 a day you have planned. You would also be able to take in the Luau or the HDDR (Or both with 21 Days!)

The other days you could do CS....and like I said before you can really stretch those CSs places by ordering things you can share. Snacks can do double duty as breakfast on some days too!

I completely agree. With 21 days, you'd have the opportunity to try a lot of the Signature restaurants and eat well without having to worry about the price.

As for the comment about not wanting to eat all the time, I have no idea what that is like.

 

[Alltiggeredout]

Thanks for all your advice,but after talking it over with DW,i have decided that i am going to starve. She has decided that she only wants to adr for the 18th,25th,and31st dec,and the rest of the time just wing it. I have explained to her that xmas is WAY busy and if we don't book we may well be left searching the bins but will she listen? So if you are at WDW over the xmas period,and you don't think you can finish all your then can you send it to CSR(i'll let you know the room number later)

 

[audisight]

I've been to WDW during that time. It is VERY VERY VERY busy ! Please save yourself and just make the ADRs and don't tell her. At least make on for the Dec.24th and Jan 1st. I agree with all the other post and I think you should go with the DDP. You don't have to eat TS everyday and you can use 2 ts credits and eat at CRT, Cali Grill of Citricos. Heck during the 21 days you can eat at all 3! I hope DW changes her mind. May The Force Be With You!

 

[mrzrich]

A man willing to plan a 21 day trip to WDW and Plan for signature dining experiences more than 6 months in advance? No chance you have a brother is there?

Oh wait...my DH might not like it if I start dating

 

[formernyer]

I have to agree with the other posters...GET THE DDP!

If you were trying to do Disney on a tight budget, I'd recommend foregoing the DDP, eating breakfast in the hotel room, and planning your lunches and dinners from a combination of CS meals and fast food/grocery store meals outside the parks. You could easily do it all on $25 per day or less.

However, that doesn't seem to be your plan. You stated that you will be purchasing breakfasts and lunches from the grocery and still paying $100 per day for dinner. This means you'd probably be spending approximately $110 per day. Why not just add in the extra $7 per day and eat like pigs for the entire trip?

Here are some things to consider which might make the decision a bit clearer...

By allocating $100 for dinner, you're actually only dealing with about $80 in menu items (because you'll need to pay tax and tip). There are very few Disney restaurants where you can feed three people with drink, appetizer, entree, dessert, tax, and tip for $100. You'd need to either order less food or choose less expensive items in order to stick to the $100. Obviously, you could skip the appetizer or dessert, but is it really worth it? For $7 more per day, you could get unlimited options at your TS meals, plus get all the CS and snacks included too.

It just seems to me like there's no good basis for NOT buying the plan in your situation.

 

[formernyer]

I forgot to mention...

I agree that you should make some ADRs and just not tell her. You can always cancel them, but you'll be sorry if you don't have them.

I was in Disney twice in 2006...once in March (Spring Break week) and again the first week of October (Free DDP). The parks were fairly busy both times, but not nearly as crowded as I understand they get during Christmastime. I watched people being turned away at virtually every TS restaurant we dined in. There were literally NO open time slots in ANY of the restaurants we dined in. Luckily we had our ADRs, but my heart went out to all the people like you who were trying to wing it.

 

[Katiebell]

You are going to be there for 3 weeks straight, during an incredibly busy season, and she wants to "wing it"? Make the ADR's -- if not one for every day, then maybe 10-12 for at least half of your days. If you don't use them, then just cancel, no problem. But it would be sooooooo awful to be sick to death of counter service and wanting to eat someplace nice, and there isn't anywhere you can get in There are some good, popular CS places at WDW, but every single day for B, L, and D? And I agree with everyone else -- the dining plan could save you a ton of money, and you'd eat very well.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

If you're staying at CSR show her the prices for the counter service restaurant Pepper Market. That would convince me to get the dining plan if that was my hotel food court and I was planning to eat there at all (I know there is a better variety than your average food court and there is a server who brings you your drink - for a 10% gratuity charge - but the prices for most dinner entrees are higher than for other food courts like Pop or POFQ).

 

[Nancyg56]

I would encourage you to make some ADR's for the time frame that you are there. My family was visited the first week in January and we watched people turned away from TS for lunch and dinner. I cannot even imagine how the restaurants would be the last week in December. You can always cancel your ADR's but you may not be able to get them later.

 

[luv2plan]

I don't know if this is well known or not, but you can get CS meal without french fries and they take $1 off your meal. I know it's not a big deal, but we never eat all those fries anyway, we just eat some that the kids have.

Then you can get some popcorn later!

Happy planning!

 

[missmun52]

I say if you are planning to spend $100 per day then GET THE PLAN. Its only $17 more and you can eat what ever you want. Add it a few days before you arrive. Also you dont have to eat a TS every day. You can eat at a TS every other day and use your credits for a signiture resturants and the other two credit resturants. You will be living it up while at disney!!

Make a TS ressie for every other day now even if you dont get the plan so you have somewhere to eat. Your wife may not know better and she will prob. thank you in the end.

I say why live on cereal and limited food for 21 days when you can eat much better for $17 more

 

[turning40withMickey]

I really debated on whether it was worth it to do the DDP with a picky eater ten year old who would cost the adult price but still eat the child's meal (if anything), and did the math a hundred times. It is STILL worth it, even if she eats like a bird, because the rest of us will get a great TS every day, plus a snack, and a counter lunch, AND I won't have to be the price police for the entire trip telling DS "no, the ribs are too much, order the chicken" which will make EVERYONE have a magical time!