DDP "Worth It" For F & W?

[melomouse]

Hi All -
I need some input on whether or not I should get the regular DDP for our 3-night, adults only hop to WDW for F&W for early November. I'm a DDP fan when I travel as a single mom with DS (16) and DD (11) because it works so well and so conveniently when we travel as a family. We'll be using it this summer for part of our 2 week stay, then "roughing it" in our DVC digs

But for the early November trip, this is my hesitation. First trip w/ DBF, who hasn't been in many years. We're not going for F & W per se, but going for a little getaway and to enjoy David Cassidy at Eat to the Beat (he's a live music addict!). I'm thinking for $39/day @ - we could use some snack credits at the booths, but I'm afraid by now ADRs might be gone because of special events for our dinners. At $240 total for the two of us, we couldn't dine out and spend that little still doing TS.

OTOH, he's not a foodie like me, more a snacker and beer taster - but still enjoys a good meal. Can you tell I'm trying to plan a perfect trip??We will also be at BWV so will have a kitchen, but really plan to be at the concerts or Fantasmic or Spectro each night.

Any thoughts, idea about DDP during F & W? Thanks so much!!

 

[beroh2253]

We usually end up at the start of the F & W (last 2 years and this one coming we go last week in Sept) and use up our snack credits walking around the EPCOT world. But being on the DDP you are too full from the TS and CS too want to eat too much more food. I think if I were to go to WDW for 3 nights I would spend the $240 starting from at Mexico and walking around to Canada trying all the different countries snacks, beer and wine and not even thnk of eating a CS or TS. Maybe you could do just 1 TS and pay OOP.

 

[melomouse]

Beroh - Thanks so much for your reply - your input with F&W experience was exactly what I was needed!!!

Looking forward to snacking around the world and drinking, too!!!

 

[llqool]

we are actually going to the F&W festival for the opening weekend, and we hesitated about purchasing the DDP, too. but when we talked about using the snack credits at the kiosks, and letting the kids have one character meal at MK, and trying a new restaurant, we decided it made sense to go ahead and get it. And about 4 days ago, when i finally made ADRs, I was able to get Spoodles for dinner on one day and le Cellier for lunch. So there *is* still availability out there.

If you do decide on the DDP, I would just suggest that you *not* plan a heavy TS meal right before you walk around the World Showcase! The last time we went to the F&W Festival, we had eaten a late breakfast at PSB, and between the heavy food and the heat, we were not that interested in snacking. So this time we have reservations for a very early b'fast at CP (gotta let the kids have some MK time!), and then plan on going over to the festival in the early afternoon. We'll snack our way around the world, and the kids can pick whatever CS meal they want.

 

[JimMIA]

The assumption that everyone is making is that they will still allow the use of DDP snack credits for the selections at the various kiosks. I don't know if they will or not, and I would certainly check and be sure before signing up for DDP.

Don't forget that they have radically reduced the things they allow for snack credits. No more boxes of donuts, or bags of chips. Now you get just the little individual packages of chips -- the ones that are $.39 at the grocery store!

They may still allow DDP snack credits at F&W, but I'd check and be sure if that is an important factor in your decision.

*****
I assume everyone already knows this, but I'll throw it in just in case you don't -- both the appetizer and included gratuity have been removed from the TS meals this year, which by itself is a 25-30% price increase in DDP.

 

[melomouse]

Thank you for the replies - since there are 3 variants from my usual WDW touring style this trip - 2adults, no kids, short stay and F&W - I've been feeling totally lost with thinking this one thru and I need all the help I can get.

And thanks, JimMiA on the reminder that snacks repeatedly change - I wasn't "depending" on the possibility of using our whopping 6 credits for kiosks - but I'm thinking maybe this trip we'll "wing it"!!

 

[beroh2253]

One more thing, when you are going around to the dirrerent country kiosks we learned it is better to get one of something and split it then 2 of the same thing, if you like it go for more, cause there were some food items that were not very good. Like the potato cake from Ireland how could you ruin something that at the fairs up our way are so great? But they were terrable, cold, greasy and very small, probably good thing they were small. Shrimp on the Barbi was good from Australia. Some where from last year there is a list. Now I can't wait till Sept. 27.

 

[Aliceacc]

Why not plan out your ADRs, see which ones you can get, and THEN decide whether or not they're enough to justify the DDP?

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

My dh and I went to our first F&W last October. Usually on family trips we get the DDP, even on DVC stays (15 yo ds, need I say more?) but we didn't for just the two of us. It would have taken the focus away from trying all the booth foods.

We had SO much fun snacking and drinking around Epcot! We split everything so that we could try everything! We took parts of three days to enjoy the festival---we tried half the foods each of the first two days, then the last day we revisited our favorites

 

[50 years Too!]

If you plan to do special events that include meals I don't think it would be worth it as you can't use it on the special activities such as Sweet Sundays.
If you only plan to sample booths, probably okay.

Deb

 

[JimMIA]

One more thing, when you are going around to the dirrerent country kiosks we learned it is better to get one of something and split it then 2 of the same thing, if you like it go for more, cause there were some food items that were not very good.

Great suggestion. We did that last time after a couple of "UGH!" experiences.

Another tip -- Don't miss the lobster rolls at the Good Ol' U.S.A.!

 

[beroh2253]

I there a list of the different food at the kiosks and what people liked and didn't like? Last year after using up our snack credits the last day except for 1SC which we headed over to the Kringla Bakeri at Norway and split a school bread, now that I know we would like.

 

[llqool]

i called the dining line and they still had no hard and fast info on whether or not F&W snacks will be included again this year on the DDP. i'm not counting on it, but I'm certainly hoping they will be.

the only snacks i remember really *not* liking were from the year before last...I think it was a couple of things from Turkey's kiosk.

in general, the snacks are more exotic than the "regular" food at WDW (except for maybe Boma, Jiko and some other "premium" restaurants). They are certainly much more interesting, IMO, than the usual snacks (like Mickey Bars, etc) that you find on carts around the world.

there is a listing of last year's kiosks on allearsnet...they also have the prices. when we did go to the F&W festival on the DDP, i tended to only use my snack credits on things that were closer to the $4 mark. There are a lot of $1 and $2 things that i didn't think were "worth" using a credit for.

 

[BriarRosie]

Great suggestion. We did that last time after a couple of "UGH!" experiences.

Another tip -- Don't miss the lobster rolls at the Good Ol' U.S.A.!

The food kiosk offerings do change slightly from year to year, so they might not have the lobster roll at the USA kiosk. I totally skipped it because I thought it was overpriced for what you get. I thought the lobster "lollipop" at Disneyland's food and wine festival was well worth getting. Wish they'd have that at WDW's festival.

 

[JimMIA]

The food kiosk offerings do change slightly from year to year, so they might not have the lobster roll at the USA kiosk. I totally skipped it because I thought it was overpriced for what you get.

I wouldn't have bought it, but I thought it was a great bargain for one snack credit!