Dining experts..please read and tell me if this is a good idea

[My2QTs]

So I spent hrs this morning booking my ADRs and there are some I won't keep. I got everything I wanted: CM, CP, CRT, Akershus, Capts Grille, TRex, LeCellier, Narcoosees, Kona, Ohana, Boma, LTT, Tusker, Plaza, 1900

Keep in mind that last time we were at Disney i swore we wouldn't do the dining plan next time cause of all the time we lost in the parks having to stop and eat two hour meals. We also had to try to use all our CS credits at the end so we didn't waste our money. But....that was before free dining...soo...we're doing DDP again...who wouldn't if its free....or somewhat free...KWIM

Ok, all that being said....now Im am thinking that an even better plan for us...since we don't dont want food to dictate our trip, is to cancel all but leCellier and Kona ( I really want to try these) and do signatures for everything...so then we would have three big meals (plus lecellier and kona) and use snacks and CS for everything else. Our eyes are always bigger than our stomaches at disney and we always end up eating meals we're not really hungry for. This way, everythying is spread out and we don't feel like we're overeating all the time.
I know its personal preference, but what do you all think? I was thinking Narcoosees, yachtsman, CRT (for thekids) and and then lecellier and kona...

 

[Neesy228]

For us, that wouldn't work...I know that my family couldn't happily survive a day on just a snack and a CS meal. I think you would probably end up hungry and paying OOP for several CS meals during your trip. And, the signature dining experiences often take longer, so you're not saving time overall. I think it would just cost you more money in the long run.

I think that if I were you I would either make lots of breakfast ADR's before the parks open, so you don't feel like you're missing things, or eat at buffets that won't take as long...or just look for some places that get you in/out fast?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You are showing 15 restaurants, including two signature. I guess you are going for more than two weeks to have 17 credits. Or are you going on the Deluxe Dining Plan (or higher)?

 

[2manypets]

My family is usually a three meal a day type family. In Disney, the meals are so large that we cut it back to lunch and dinner with a snack for breakfast. The snacks aren't large enough to just eat those all day even if we includes a CS. So no, for our family, it would not work at all.

We also feel like eating a 1 - 2 hour meal mid day is the same as taking a nice break by the pool. So the time it takes to eat at a TS works for us.

 

[rentayenta]

I think it's a great idea. Our first trip to Disney was in 2007 during free dining when the appetizer and tip were still included. I can tell you that after about 6 days, the trip was 11 days total, we were sick of eating and sick of food. It's just too much food IMHO. We ended up with over 30 snack credits after converting unused TS and CS credits. I don't like food to dictate the trip either. The DDP forced us to eat much more than we normally would and waste food which I am inherently uncomfortable with. If we ever did "free" dining again, we would do mostly 2 TS too.

 

[My2QTs]

Thanks everyone...I appreciate the feedback. I kind of really do think its a good plan for us. We are driving so I can bring some food with us for "mini meals." Im going to keep thinking about it, but so far your thoughts are helping me sort through my two possible plans.

Cheshire Figment....I didn't realize anyone would count my restaurants...as i said in my OP, I am going to cancel maybe two probably, and some of them we are paying OOP for (like lunch at plaza, LTT, and bf at Kona, to name a few.....we will probably share at those places). did you have any advice for me or opinons about my plan, or did you just want reply to let me know how many restaurants I had booked? BTW....nothing is double booked.

 

[Luv2Roam]

What CF was probably getting at was that is a lot of table service meals. I can understand free dining and all. But wondering how many days/nights you will be there and spending running from restaurant to restaurant. Also understanding you plan on cancelling a few.
It just does depend on what your touring plans are.
TRex will be OOP if you are on the regular DDP. However I am sure you know that.
I don't think restaurants are a bad idea as it gives kids and adults time to regroup and rejuvenate.
It really just depends on the foods your family likes, and where you plan to be that day.

 

[My2QTs]

Well if that is what CF meant, then I apologizing for jumping the gun, but it seemed to me more like a count of what i had. And the going from restaurant to restaurant was exactly my problem. See, when I have eight to choose from plus some OOPs, i can't seem to let anything go...I want them all. But if I go with plan B and just do Signatures, then I know that I have four meals to pick and they will be great ones, and then the rest we do whatever works depending on where we are. Another reason I am considering this is cause we are not going with the park hopper this time. We always so it, and rarely do we find ourselves hopping around. Especially with EMH. so this year we arent' paying the extra so I have to make sure we're where we need to be on the right days, which does affect ADRs and what we can do and when. KWIM?

 

[Sandy321]

I think Cheshire was also trying to get more information in order to help you - he is a very kind Diser.... I had the same question, and it didnt occur to me that you were double booked at all - nothing negative...

Do you have children? Where are you staying?

CM, CP, CRT, Akershus, Capts Grille, TRex, LeCellier, Narcoosees, Kona, Ohana, Boma, LTT, Tusker, Plaza, 1900

a PP mentioned doing Breakfast adr's - I think that is a great tip! CRT can get you in and out fast - Akershaus has a great interaction and we love their breakfast...

Are you going to DTD? If only for TRex, adn I didnt have any boys, I'd consider cancelling that one! Of course when AK first opened we steered completely clear of DInoland - what they didnt know, they didnt miss!!

I think its nice to do one 2TS sit down - so I would keep Narcoosees - it gets great reviews, and its a nice change of pace - imho...

I understand why you booked the choices you did - I could give advice based on our touring style - but I have little negatives!! lol - I guess I like food!! We often share a CS breakfast and CS lunch so we still have 3 meals a day - I always have the breakfast bars in the room - with a CS breakfast you get 2 drinks - so I stock up on milk for the room - we dont have a fridge, but I fill a cooler with ice and just keep it up...

So for touring - LTT may be one you could skip no more characters, and they used to take awhile beyond your adr time - same with the Plaza... if your not staying at an Epcot resort - Captain's Grill could be another easy one to drop - depending on which meal you booked, and what you were looking forward to eating!

I've been reading the Dining Reviews and I have loved the pics and reviews of Kona - we've eaten there a couple of times - but again, if you dont want to interrupt your touring then dropping either Kona or Ohana may make sense too (we love the Ohana Stitch Breakfast, the dinner not so much - but that's just us!!) CM gets good reviews for breakfast - esp if you have an early adr - but their dinner has been getting negative reports... it depends on your family - if its a must do - you will enjoy it no matter what!!

Poll your family - what are their ideas?


Good Luck!

 

[MouseMomx2]

I think you are over-reacting to what CF said. I don't think anything was meant by it.

That said, if you feel like doing signature restaurants with your credits then do that. Only you know what works best for your family. For us it would mean too much out of pocket spending, but that's us. While the signature restaurants are very nice, I would rather use a single credit for a meal. Again, you know what works best for you.

Have a great trip.

 

[rentayenta]

If you do go almost all 2 TS I would still try to keep 'Ohana, Le Cellier, and Boma.

 

[Sandy321]

Thanks everyone...I appreciate the feedback. I kind of really do think its a good plan for us. We are driving so I can bring some food with us for "mini meals." Im going to keep thinking about it, but so far your thoughts are helping me sort through my two possible plans.

Cheshire Figment....I didn't realize anyone would count my restaurants...as i said in my OP, I am going to cancel maybe two probably, and some of them we are paying OOP for (like lunch at plaza, LTT, and bf at Kona, to name a few.....we will probably share at those places). did you have any advice for me or opinons about my plan, or did you just want reply to let me know how many restaurants I had booked? BTW....nothing is double booked.

So again, I hear you on paying oOP - we tend to do that for our breakfast at Ohana - it was $19 per person and thus the cheaper option

so if you are looking forward to LTT and Plaza Lunch - it will take time out of touring - but only you can decide - they may be the easiest to let go too...

and instead of a breakfast at Kona - if you are wanting to try the Tonga Toast you could go early and get the tonga toast at their Captain's Cook CS place (http://allears.net/menu/menu_chh.htm)

GL

oh I forgot to add
DH did the math and figured it was cheaper for us to pay OOP for California Grill - since dd is an adult and only wants a flatbread pizza - we then from allears.net menus figured out the cost of our meal - and it wasnt "worth" spending 2TS on that meal -

so now that you have all your meals planned - you are doing the "Disney Math" no right or wrong answers, you are just trying to figure out what will work best for your family on vacation!!

 

[My2QTs]

Thanks Sandy....great advice. And perhaps I did over react, which is why I apologized to Cheshire.....I probably got defensive cause I took the comment wrong... so once again, if it wasn't meant that way...IM SORRY. I have no problem apologizing. I love to come here for feedback and ideas, as does everyone else, so, apologies given....let's move on

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I was looking at an average of more than two sit-downs per day on a week trip. And with the mention of DDP it would be much more than the number of credits.

I have always found that at WDW you really need only one table service meal per day. Especially when at will take at least two hours out of your day. If it is in a Park you will have to make sure to get where you want and then will have a wait after check-in; if not in a Park you will have to leave to get to the restaurant and then spend time to get back to a Park.

After about our 10th trip we were more likely to get two sit-downs in a day because we were by then "Leisure Tourists" and not trying to get in all the attrations.

(And, by the way, how old are the kids; this could also have a bearing?)

(And I'm a retired CPA; I always look at thing numerically.)

 

[Sandy321]

how are the plans shaping up?

 

[My2QTs]

Thanks for asking Sandy. Actually, I ditched the all-signature-plan yesterday. While I truly think it was the best way to go and would make my life so much more relaxed while on our trip, there were too many "must dos" to give everything up for four good meals. Plus my poor kids, 11 & 5, would probably have been the only kids in disney who weren't gonna get to eat with the characters a few times. We had CRT, but that just didn't seem like enough for an eight day stay. Im hoping DH and I can get away for a four or five night trip after the holidays and I figure we can try all those places out in peace and quiet. Then, the next time the entire family goes, we can plan based on how things went on this trip and on the parent-only trip. thanks though. Im shelving it for now, but I plan to revisit it at some point.