DDP credits question...

[MrToad]

Hi,

My wife and I just booked a last minute trip yesterday (insanity, I know).

Anyway, this will be our first time on the DDP. When we went in July '06 we paid OOP for everything. We spent a fortune so we were thinking the DDP would be very good for our family.

We have a DS11, DS8, and DD5. The one concern I have after reading here is the recent changes to the kids' menu and how that may effect my DS8. While he is technically a "child" he likes to order from the adult menu from time-to-time. His favorite food is "french fries". However, he likes trying new things and is a pretty adventurous eater. He loves steak, ribs, etc.

Are there any options for us with the DDP to have him eat off the adult menu? Would we be forced to pay the adult rate for BOTH his DDP and the Park Admission tickets if he wanted to have an adult plan? If so, we may just bite the bullet and have him share with his older brother.

It really bums us out that Disney is changing the kids menu! It was great the way it was...now I am concerned about TWO people eating well enough on the DDP when we are there. From what I have read I think my DD5 and DS8 would go bonkers eating the same thing for 10 days and the choices they have are abysmal IMHO. Ugh.

Thoughts or suggestions on how to make this work best for our situation?

Also, how do DDP credits work? I am guessing that we will have 30 adult TS, CS, and Snack credits (myself, DW, and DS11) and 20 child TS, CS, and Snack credits (DS8, DD5) for the duration of our stay (10 days). Is this correct?

Thanks!

 

[B.Mary]

When we went with our family of five (DS13, DS10, and DD7) we found that 3 adult meals was plenty of food for all five of us. (That was in February. I've been reading here occasionally that portions are getting smaller.) Sometimes it was three adult meals and one kids meal. We didn't eat at any signature restaurants. The 3/4 meals thing worked fine at Kona, Boatwrights, Le Cellier and Olivias and Whispering Canyon Cafe.

The other option that works well for kids is a buffet restaurant. We did a couple of those too (of course we used five credits there.) They can choose anything from the buffet.

 

[bekkiz]

Not every table service restaurant has changed (I'm not sure where the current sightings have been, but I found this list at allears: Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch) and Tony's Town Square in the Magic Kingdom; '50s Prime Time Cafe, Mama Melrose, Brown Derby, and Sci Fi at the Disney-MGM Studios; Boatwright's at Port Orleans Resort; Spoodles at the Boardwalk.)

I would suggest avoiding these places, there are loads of others and maybe hitting a few of the buffets. Not the most bang for your buck, but you'll at least come out even. I wonder if Whispering Canyon Cafe, Kona Cafe, Le Cellier or Tepanyaki would be good choices to look into?

 

[kj2mom]

Yes, you would have to buy an adult park admission in order to get the adult dining plan. The number of credits goes by nights not days, are you staying 10 nights? If so then yes, you are correct in your credit counts.

 

[Rantybaby]

Not every table service restaurant has changed (I'm not sure where the current sightings have been, but I found this list at allears: Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch) and Tony's Town Square in the Magic Kingdom; '50s Prime Time Cafe, Mama Melrose, Brown Derby, and Sci Fi at the Disney-MGM Studios; Boatwright's at Port Orleans Resort; Spoodles at the Boardwalk.)

I would suggest avoiding these places,


bekkiz,

Why would I avoid these restaurants?
I want to dine at '50s Prime Time Cafe & Boatwright's at Port Orleans Resort in August 2007.

 

[bekkiz]

I only suggested avoiding them because of the standardized kids meals (which, from what I understand, no kid would ever actually touch!)

For adults, they are some of my favorites I love 50's Primetime, and we'll be eating at Spoodles on our next trip. However, we don't have kids, so I don't really have to take the kids meal into consideration.

 

[honeymo78]

Some diners have reported that they can get kids size portions of some of the adult meals at Prime Time so that might not be an issue. However, with the new changes, the DDP may not be the best bet anymore, particularly if you think your kids will want to order adult food - either a full entree or just an adult appetizer for their meal.

 

[Linda 441]

It's also been reported that the restaurants have flexibilty and you could ask when you are there for kids portions of adult meals or for substitutions of FF's or something else.
Yes, I'm pretty sure you do have to buy an adult park ticket if you buy an adult dining plan.
An option would be to get one day park tickets with your dining plan with the "child" as an adult. Then buy him a child park ticket seperately and when you get to Disney upgrade the rest of your family's tickets to the length you want (all but that one child that you would have purchased seperately). You would have a one day adult ticket left over, but it wouldn't expire, so you could use it towards another trip.

 

[Lila95]

We just got back from WDW a few days ago and it was our first trip using the DDP. We also worried about DD9 who hated the kids menu. She is a very adventerous eater, so we booked mostly family style or buffets. These worked out very well for her. We did Liberty Tree Tavern, O'Hana, and Biergarten in Germany (she loved the more American dishes like chicken and mac and cheese but did try some German dishes). We also did Teppanyaki in Japan which was her favorite. She did order from the kids menu, but their kids menu was just smaller servings of a few adult dishes. She and I ended up having the same meal, just different portions.

One place we did not like at all using the DDP was Olivia's Cafe at Old Key West. Our waitress would not budge an inch on the plan. She overheard me ask DH what appy he was ordering so we could share and she jumped down my throat about no sharing on the plan. I pointed out that we were simply going to order different appys so that we could sample the others. At dessert I asked for a cup of coffee and she said that wasn't on the plan. I offered to pay cash and she rolled her eyes and walked away. I finally did get my coffee and it turns out the plan covered it

 

[kaytieeldr]

I only suggested avoiding them because of the standardized kids meals (which, from what I understand, no kid would ever actually touch!)

And you don't think that's even maybe possibly slightly the tiniest exaggeration? Or are there really hundreds or thousands of kids sitting in Disney restaurants each day, eating nothing while the adults feast?

 

[melomouse]

Mr. Toad,

Since you are a fairly frequent visitor, you know the restaurants and food options in the parks and resorts - or maybe not?

My trip with DD10 and DS14 worked out well in September - but then, everyone was an "adult" for DDP purposes.

The answer always is... it depends. Are you looking for bang for the buck? How much do you USUALLY spend on food at WDW? Do you favor buffets and character meals with the kids? Do you like the notion of "pre-pay" - as in a cruise, with everything already taken care of?

Seems to me that with 3 adult entrees each TS, the younger ones should do fine with their kids meals. To be sure, choose your dining venues more carefully. If you are concerned about new kids menus - don't go there where those menus are currently offered!!!!

Last minute trips - ROCK!!!! Enjoy!!!!

 

[mamamary]

We just returned yesterday from our trip. We have DS (9) and DD (7). I have to say that we only did buffets and family style for our TS meals and it worked out perfectly. For CS meals it was a different story. My kids did not like the disney chicken nuggets (they are sort of flat and seemed very well done). I noticed this through out the parks when others ordered them too. Luckily for our other counter service they let my kids order off the adult menu. We didn't do it all the time but some places when the choices were a cold chicken leg we did. Also the desserts for kids were mostly sugar free jello (at least in the CS places where we ate). My kids wouldn't eat that.