Booked Up - 1st Timer Advice Please

[dsoph0206]

Hi everyone

Been reading lots of the posts and now getting really excited about our trip to DLP but I am also confused!

We are going 1st week of June, staying at the Santa Fe 4 adults and 2 children (5 & 3) staying for 3nights, my questions are:-

Could somebody explain how the Half board Meal plans work? Would it be cheaper going on one of these plans or just eat in at the restaurants etc.

If I were to book a birthday cake, (my daughter will have just turned 5) which restaurant/place could anyone recommend

How much money do you think would be enough, for food, souveniers.

Any tips on anything else would be great for us 1st timers.

Thanks in advance


Dawn

 

[jillrobinson]

Hi Dawn
With the current exchange rate people are reporting that it is far more cost effective to book the meal plans, it's a long time since we used meal vouchers, so I'll let someone else explain how they work, just in case it's changed.
Re: Your little girl's birthday party, it depends how much you would like to spend and whether you want characters there or not.

Plaza Gardens offer the cheapest option with their Character Birthday Tea Party, buffet of sweet and savoury teatime items not a main meal as such but with a variety of general characters present, she would also get a small present in here, this is the only restaurant with a present included in the package.
Cafe Mickey in Disney Village if a fabulous place, we had my DS's 7th Birthday in here and had a fabulous time. You can choose a character breakfast, lunch or dinner to have the cake at, the menu is fairly expensive but the character interaction and the atmosphere, (you're almost guaranteed that the whole restaurant will join in the Happy Birthday song) makes the whole experience worth the money.
Being a little girl I'll assume princesses are her thing and there is a Prince/Princess Meal at the Auberge de Cendrillon, this is expensive and the menu is very limited IMO - people have reported fabulous meals there, but I would definately recommend you check the menu's out before you decide, to avoid disappointment.
You can however, have a cake at any of the table service restaurants in the park, village or resort hotels.

http://www.dlpfoodguide.com/index.php is your best source of information for restaurants, menus and prices.

Enjoy your planning, you've not long to go

Jill x

 

[Cyrano]

Hi Dawn and welcome to DLP DIS board
We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here, DIS posting guidelines can be found here.

 

[torsie24]

Hi Dawn,

I have book for July and have done lots of research on half board so I'm more than happy to share this with you.

I staying at the sequoia lodge so I will be getting half board plus which is slightly different, but the basic idea is the same.

On your vouchers there will be a list of restaurants in the park, hotels and disney village that they can be used at.

At the listed restaurants, you ticket will get you either:

A starter, main and dessert and a drink

OR

An all you can eat buffet and a drink

(depending on which restaurant)

But if you want to eat in any of the other restaurants offsite (except Rainforest cafe and Planet Hollywood as they aren't owned by Disney) then your voucher is worth money towards the bill.

Half board plus vouchers cost £17 which is 21 Euros, but they are actually worth 25E off the bill. Which makes it really good I think.

Half board vouchers are £13 a meal I think, and I haven't looked into what they are worth in euro's as trade in I'm afraid.

Hope this makes sense!

 

[Jonjo]

We (me and DW) are arriving on the 2nd June and staying at the Cheyenne Hotel for five days. When we booked our holiday in January we choose to go for the Half Board Plus vouchers option as we thought it would save us money on our meals.

Looking at the exchange rate since we booked I am glad we did. We are taking 300 euros for spending money. But i'm sure DW will spend more than that. She is looking to buy a new DLRP coat as her Space Mountain: Mission 2 one which we bought in 2004 when the ride was re-vamped is wearing out.

 

[A Small World]

Hi Dawn,



But if you want to eat in any of the other restaurants offsite (except Rainforest cafe and Planet Hollywood as they aren't owned by Disney) then your voucher is worth money towards the bill.

You can do this at restaurants onsite (ie in the parks) as well.

We have just got half board plus vouchers for the first time ready for our summer trip- mainly due to the exchange rate. It means we've paid for the meals in £ instead of €

 

[torsie24]

Sorry about the misleading typo.

 

[dsoph0206]

Thanks for all your help, so exited not long now!!!