DDP experts please help! Which ones should be OOP?

[TigerKat]

OK, I know there are a lot of folks out there who are pretty good at this stuff, I'm not one. I need some advice, we'll be on the DDP 11/25-12/6 (11 nights). We are dong several signature restaurants this trip so we'll need to pay OOP for some. I'm listing all of our ADRs hoping for some advice on how we can make the best use of the DDP. Any advice will be helpful!!!!

All for dinner:

California Grill
Coral Reef
JIKO
KONA Cafe
Blue Zoo - Not on DDP - OOP
Chefs De France(Candlelight Proc)
Wolfgang Puck Cafe
Flying Fish
LeCellier
Spoodles
Big River Grille

 

[cinjoe22]

If I were paying OOP I would choose Wolfgang Puck Cafe and Big River Grille. You have to remember after 9 nights of app, dinner and desert your bill may not be as expensive if you choose to not order all three. But then again it may be if you order lots of drinks. I would think if you were to look at a couple of the menus and made guesses at what you would order it would be a wash at which one was the cheapest. Usually the cheapest way to go is the buffets but the one's you have chosen will be pretty close in price

 

[septbaby]

You only need two extra TS credits pp so perhaps depending who orders what at those signature restaurants you may want to pay OOP for their meal, rather than an entire meal any night. IMHO by the time you get to Flying Fish you may not order app, entree, dessert per person so that may be an easy one to catch up with.

Have a great Thanksgiving vacation. That's my favorite time to be in Orlando.

 

[TigerKat]

If I were paying OOP I would choose Wolfgang Puck Cafe and Big River Grille. You have to remember after 9 nights of app, dinner and desert your bill may not be as expensive if you choose to not order all three. But then again it may be if you order lots of drinks. I would think if you were to look at a couple of the menus and made guesses at what you would order it would be a wash at which one was the cheapest. Usually the cheapest way to go is the buffets but the one's you have chosen will be pretty close in price

Forgot to mention that DH & I will be ordering cocktails! Unfortunately we aren't buffet people and this trip we decided to go all out with our dining choices as this may be the last trip for quite a while.

 

[minie_meese]

If I were paying OOP I would choose Wolfgang Puck Cafe and Big River Grille.

I agree with these recommendations. You may end up a little off, but probably not by much. There are a number of things at these two restaurants that are less expensive than some of the others. We generally order appetizers and burgers or pizza at these two restaurants however - they have always seemed a little more casual.

Your bill will likely be pretty high at Le Cellier and if the Chefs de France processional package is 1 TS credit I would definitely use them there. The 2 TS credit restaurants are worth using the ddp if you intend to order appetizers, entrees and desserts (California Grill, Jiko and Flying Fish). I'd look over the menues there to see if you think you might order things that are double the cost of the least expensive. We tend to order the more expensive things there.

Of the remaining (Coral Reef, Spoodles and Kona Cafe), I've generally spent considerably more at these restaurnats than at Wolfgang Puck or Big River.

 

[Kata]

OK, I know there are a lot of folks out there who are pretty good at this stuff, I'm not one. I need some advice, we'll be on the DDP 11/25-12/6 (11 nights). We are dong several signature restaurants this trip so we'll need to pay OOP for some. I'm listing all of our ADRs hoping for some advice on how we can make the best use of the DDP. Any advice will be helpful!!!!

All for dinner:

California Grill
Coral Reef
JIKO
KONA Cafe
Blue Zoo - Not on DDP - OOP
Chefs De France(Candlelight Proc)
Wolfgang Puck Cafe
Flying Fish
LeCellier
Spoodles
Big River Grille

I am definetely not an expert on the DDP but this is what I would do.
I would take a look at the menus and see which restaurants have an appetizer, entree,and dessert that everyone in your party would really enjoy and make sure I used the DDP at that restaurant.If there are restaurants you don't really see an appetizer,entree, or desserts you would all enjoy or would like to share that would be a good OOP choice. When I went to CG I really enjoyed it but I had the pork tenderloin which was great but it was only $24.00,that is a very low priced entree for a signature restaurant. When I go back to CG in 12/07 I am going to pay OOP.I am planning on paying OOP for Chefs De France for the Candlelight Processional package because I think it is a great deal for a great meal and a great seat to see the Candlelight Processional Package (which I love) for $46.99. I plan on eating lunch at WGPC the prices are alittle cheaper and I have also heard that WGPC express offers alot of the same menu items as CS so that may be an option.Big River Grille is probably a good choice for OOP.I personally think Le Cellier is the best use for an TS credit and Kona Cafe is also great choice for the DDP. As far as Jiko goes I think it is the best restaurant I have ever eaten at, when I stay at AKL for 3 nights in
12/07 I will use the DDP plan for one meal and gladly pay OOP for one meal. I travel alone so it is easy to figure out what to pay OOP.The best thing to do is look at the menus and the prices at these restaurants see which restaurant your party may enjoy the most , monetary wise so you can take full advantage of the DDP.I know it is hard to decide what you want to eat monthes from now but so much does depend on menu choices.Sorry to be so wordy,this is just my opinion hope it helps!!!!! Have a great trip!!!!

 

[TigerKat]

I knew I would get a lot of great advice from you guys!! I'm printing menus today and hopefully can get my guys to look them over tonight.

Anyone else with suggestions?

 

[drew2wdw]

We also have scheduled quite a few TS meals this time (several more than we are alotted for the DDP) and a couple of them are Signature dining spots so we will definitely be paying OOP for some. Because there were so many TS places we wanted to visit this time (and we felt we could afford to because of free dining) several are scheduled for lunch. We are eating at the Brown Derby on our 4th night there. I have a feeling that by that point (and because we'll be eating at LTT earlier in the day) that I won't want to order appetizer, entree and dessert. In fact, after looking over the menu, I suspect I'll probably order a salad and dessert (and a drink or two of course ). So we'll definitely be paying OOP for that one (as opposed to 2 TS credits). I guess my advise is look over the menus and see if there are some places where you feel you may be more inclined to eat lighter (may be especially true as the week goes on) and especially if any of those are Signature Dining spots, I would pay OOP for those!

 

[kimberh]

We also have scheduled quite a few TS meals this time (several more than we are alotted for the DDP) and a couple of them are Signature dining spots so we will definitely be paying OOP for some. Because there were so many TS places we wanted to visit this time (and we felt we could afford to because of free dining) several are scheduled for lunch. We are eating at the Brown Derby on our 4th night there. I have a feeling that by that point (and because we'll be eating at LTT earlier in the day) that I won't want to order appetizer, entree and dessert. In fact, after looking over the menu, I suspect I'll probably order a salad and dessert (and a drink or two of course ). So we'll definitely be paying OOP for that one (as opposed to 2 TS credits). I guess my advise is look over the menus and see if there are some places where you feel you may be more inclined to eat lighter (may be especially true as the week goes on) and especially if any of those are Signature Dining spots, I would pay OOP for those!

The Cobb Salad was originally made by the owner of The Brown Derby in California, It is delicious. If you are thinking small, then I agree with you, do not spend 2TS credits there. We did enjoy The Brown derby when we ate there, but it was our main meal for the day. They have a grapefruit cake that is very good, it sounds YUK! but I was really impressed with it. It is one of their original deserts, too. I was not going to order it, the waiter really encourage me to, I was very glad that I did.